Monday, June 24, 2013

Style Share return: Brooks Brothers foulard tie

Seems like every time I post lately, I make an excuse as to why I haven't been posting more often. I will try to start making less excuses and more posts in the future. If you know the routine, you know that as part of my ongoing Style Share project, I offered up a pile of ties back in March, and most of them were claimed.

Brooks Brothers foulard

One of several Brooks Brothers ties that were handed out, this nice foulard print seemed like it could go either serious or not. It was claimed by repeat-contributor Prinz Ulrich von Boffke

Brooks Brothers detail

Brooks Brothers extra

Photos courtesy of Prinz Ulrich von Boffke

As usual, I'll let him give the breakdown on the rest of the details.

I am also wearing a recently thrifted and altered vintage Corbin (US-made with union labels) summer weight wool and silk suit in glen plaid and a pair of thrifted Allen Edmonds shoes that were then reconditioned at the AE factory in Wisconsin.

As usual, PUvB manages to look great on a budget. The bonus action shot made me chuckle even more, as I know I've had a couple random nights where I've forgotten to remove either a jacket / tie/ shoes / some combination of the aforementioned before I got down to weeding the yard or dumping the compost. Cheers, and thanks again for participating to PUvB.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Fashion unforward

While I haven't made too many posts outside of men's clothing on this blog (and frankly, haven't made a lot of posts in general lately), I do have several other interests that keep me busy outside my main orbit of family and work. Although I've hinted at it in places, I'm a huge, huge, huge devotee of music and film, and have been a dilettante of many different sports, with the latest being running.

Around the beginning of the year, I decided that it would be a good challenge (and goal) to run an official half-marathon. Despite living in the midwest, I managed to train outside all winter, and the very longest stretch I went without running was four days (when we got socked with snow). Fortunately, I live close to a route that is regularly cleared, all the ice, snow, and sleet (and more recently, rain) that mother nature threw at me only seemed to embolden my spirit.

deal with it

The aforementioned photo was taken at roughly 3/4 of the way through the half-marathon, on one of the last major inclines. It was taken a little bit prior to me hitting the proverbial "wall," hence the awkward smile. The day was unseasonably cold, and with a start time just after sunrise, my choice of clothing was almost purely synthetics.

Prior to running, I challenged myself by setting a goal time and donation amount to One Fund Boston, noting that I would double my amount given if I managed to beat it. In the end, I managed to do so by almost five minutes, and saw a load of friends and my wife and daughter cheering for me as I neared the finish. Not the worst way to spend a weekend morning, especially when it involves a delicious post-race meal and relaxing day afterward.