Quality Control

After much deliberation over needlessly long timeframes, I have concluded that Charles Tyrwhitt shirts are a slightly better value proposition than Paul Fredrick's pinpoint offerings.  However, one thing CT needs to work on is consistency.  This is a "spread" collar.  So is this (from a previous post):

The angle formed by the intersection of the collar points (which surely has a technical term which I don't know) is very very different.  So is the gap between the points.  I love the latter collar and feel quite dull in the former.  But the next-widest collar they sell is the "cutaway" which is just a bit much for my tastes.

Problems galore.

DC Stroll: The Menswear Miracle Mile

Acceptable Metro stations:
Dupont Circle (Red)
Farragut West (Blue/Orange)

Begin at the Jos. A. Bank flagship location at 19th and M NW.  As usual, don't buy for a discount of less than 66% off the MSRP.

Out the door, to the left one long block and across Connecticut Ave to Brooks Brothers.  I mostly go here to grope the various fabrics and teach myself more about the kids of textures I like.  They also have nice ideas for shoes, plus the occasional decent necktie sale. 

Out the door, straight ahead across 19th to Burberry.  Lust after the trench coats and leave without buying anything. 

Out the door, straight ahead across Connecticut again to Johnston & Murphy.  Get a great shoe shine for $10 plus tip, which will be well-earned.  Grab a casual shoe on clearance if it grabs you back.

Out the door, to the right, down a ways, there's a Gap on your right, worth breezing through the clearance rack.

Out the door, to the right, pass by the Men's Wearhouse without entering. 

On your right, Charles Tyrwhitt.  Overall, a slightly better value proposition than Paul Fredrick, I think, but just barely.  Nice to be able to grope the material in store rather than through mail-order.

Cross back over Connecticut Ave and hang a left.  Allen Edmonds store on your right.  I need say nothing more, although they tend to overstock weird shoes and understock cordovan.  A good way to get your AE size, in any event.

Out the door, turn right, and Thomas Pink has a storefront in the Mayflower (natch).  Marvel at the striking colors.  Consider buying one of their tuxedo shirts.

Pop in to their bar for a tonic water.  You've earned it.  Pour out a little bit for Filene's Basement, which used to be just north of you, across the street.

Back out the door onto Conn Ave, hang a left, then right on L Street.  Down a block and change, on your right, one of the few remaining J. Press retail locations in the world.  I can't afford jack squat here but love to caress the tweeds anyway.

For your victory lap, hop a taxi to the Alden store near Metro Center.

Grenadine In Context

Same outfit as the last photo.  I forget where I got that linen pocket square, but it's just thin enough that it takes on a life of its own.  It has a way of working itself out of the pocket and poofing, then falling over a bit.

And see what a lovely knot the grenadine makes!

At Last, Grenadine

It's no secret that I'm a cheap dresser who thinks things into the ground before buying.  Nor am I free of the intonations of the menswear bloggers, who tend to all suggest a navy grenadine tie.  Drakes makes them for $100+, but I get vertigo just thinking about spending that much on a tie, no matter how useful.

Enter The Knottery's navy grenadine tie.  (The discoloration in the middle of the shot is an artifact of my camera.)  TK has been around for a while, but their ties are so popular that they tend to sell out really fast.  This time, I got on the waitlist and so was ensured one.  As promised, it has a lot of texture-based personality.  Contrasting textures can make a relatively monochromatic outfit much more interesting, and for this, it fits the bill perfectly.

Outfit photos to come.

Red, And More Red

Back when it was really cold, I wore my ebayed Gieves & Hawkes DB peak-lapel 2x2 keystone suit (pattern here) with an ebayed LL Bean red cardigan (basically Mr. Rogers's famous red sweater but with buttons) and that fun bowtie with the red reverse (not my first experiment with that, either). 

Maybe I'm overselling my own theory of clothing, and you'd have to ask my coworkers how they felt about the outfit, but I think even a Mister Rogers sweater can be appropriate in context.  A DB jacket and a bowtie tends to say, "Why, yes, I did this on purpose," not, "Why, yes, this is my first rodeo.  How could you tell?" 

That said, I wouldn't wear this particular outfit before Christmas.  Holiday outfits--even those famous Ralph Lauren red tartan Christmas trousers--are an extremely dicey affair, requiring sensitivity at an atomic level to one's partygoers' personalities.

Pattern mixing

Worsted small herringbone next to tweed large herringbone. The difficulty with mixing patterns is that if they are too close to each other in size or color, it will look as though you tried, and failed, to match. What could be worse, apart from nuclear war? Here, I fancy that I succeeded in avoiding that trap.

I worry about Mads Mikkelsen playing Hannibal Lecter on TV for a similar reason. His suits are exquisitely tailored, but they usually give him a solid shirt in a rich color with a paisley necktie in highly similar shades. It looks too matchy, whereas I insist upon only the best for Le Chiffre and the star of one of Dapper Spouse's least favorite movies, Valhalla Rising.

Spring Dance

When it was freezing cold and nasty earlier this week, I wore a navy JAB Signature Gold blazer, BR chinos (which, by the way, I do not find to be a great value, but they were the best-fitting chinos I could find at the mall on short notice to fit my weirdening body proportions), CT dress-stripe shirt, and pink PF tie.  Burgundy Allen Edmonds oxfords from eBay. 

Dress for the weather you want, not the weather you have.  Similar to the rain dance in this regard.  And behold--spring temperatures and sunlight amounts, just in time for Daylight Saving Time, which needs to be made permanent, so dark is the DC winter.