Thursday, January 7, 2010

Proper Dressing



I’ve hit my winter pasty phase early. Late February is generally when I’m sick of winter-begging for some vitamin D and sun damage and generally seek it out. The early arrival of epoch-paste is largely due to the incessantly chilly temps here in the DC area-or for that matter-the entire U.S. And to make matters worse my Polo camel hair overcoat that they made me buy at half price is not yet ready. I had to have the ego let out on it just a little bit.


My twelve days of LFG holiday bliss culminated with an absurd Mini Cooper Convertible test drive this past weekend. One might be able to bargain with the car people when browsing convertibles in twenty five degree weather but let me tell you my friends, you ain’t even gonna get into the stratosphere of the top down Mini experience with tundraesque crosswinds blowing your ass to and fro. I’m a small guy and LFG is certainly little but I felt like we were Chiclets…in the gum package. So I’ve done my duty to LFG and looked at a Mini. It’s too small to be one’s primary buggy-kinda like me.

After the tundra treat, LFG and I ventured over to Middleburg for lunch. The Coach Stop diner was especially crowded so we sat at the counter-no worries. We then learned that it was their final day in business. Another tradition-another family owned endeavour bites the dust.

Middleburg offers a nice little shopping niche that includes a rare supplier of my favorite salad dressing. Don’t argue with me and don’t balk at the price. Call the Crane Crest folks and try this stuff-you’ll thank me a million times over for it. My former friend Anne Dougie gave me my maiden jar of this liquid gold about two years ago. It was long gone so LFG and I pounced on a double dose of it while in Middleburg.

So what is Proper Dressing? To paraphrase my ultra trad buddy from home, W.A.H. … “I be damn if I know”. Not "Damned" but "Damn". Say it with a Southern accent and you've captured the essence of W.A.H.

Country Classics is kinda proper...leastways I think so. A Middleburg based outfitter of all things tweed-tattersall and covert.

Lots if right angles in this joint.

As well as a delightfully surprising supply of brightly coloured socks-a nice unguent for the pasty sorts like me.

LFG insisted on these two pair for me and who was I to argue.
Country Classics is chock full of hacking-windowpane-corduroy-moleskin…all the things that I can’t get without heading to Cordings in London-which I’ll be doing soon.

Around the corner is another nice shop whose stock includes socks from the Smart Turnout line. LFG didn’t fancy those however.

Amazingly though, we found a little Harris Tweed sportcoat for my wanker.

Not sure how this happened but somehow we ended up in that Polo Chevy Chase fitting room. Again. Homeless French-Preppy Man with Flusser camel hair sportcoat over a heavy wool turtleneck draped with Flusser silk finished off with flannel lined LL Bean khakis and Red Wing boots. Our weather remains too sever for the attenuated but more elegant version of Red Wings….my R.M. Williams boots.  Not improper but not too proper either-I’d say.

Wouldn't you know it? That damned wool-cashmere-angora blend flat front trouser suit was still there.

And I don’t need any of these shoddings folks but please-shell cordovan boots at half price. Somebody buy them. Now.

Proper dressing in this weather is wide ass open for interpretation and I’ve lately interpreted it …. Loosely...

...With Holiday Tartan Socks

Onward. With a Harris Tweed Wanker Coat.

25 comments:

~Tessa~Scoffs said...

My great-grandmother pronounced it "fronch".

Pigtown*Design said...

the heat in our 1850's era office is so variable. roasting one day, arctic the next, so i've taken to being comfortable rather than dressy. today... cords and cashmere. cream, tan and browns.

london? when? i will e-mail you a shopping list, k?

Suburban Princess said...

I choked on my Ovaltine at your Harris Tweed for your wanker comment lol!

It always makes me sad when a small store/restaurant closes :O(

James said...

Loved the tartan socks,fuzzy dice socks are a passion of mine as well, but I do draw the line at tweed clad
wankers. I am sorry to see the eatery close.So much is gone.

ADG said...

Tessa...my great grandmother was "fronch".

MegTown...I'm going over specifically for inflatable hair.

Suburban One...had to send the little Harris Tweed wanker coat back for some additional lining. Scratchy!

JMW said...

The socks, the entire outfit, fabulous!

DAM said...

I almost spit my coffee all over the computer, newly painted walls and floor when I read that bit about your "sportcoat for your wanker"...

ADG said...

Jesus is gonna kill me for posting this but the devil is all over me right now and I can't resist. Just got this email....

From: ___________
<______32@gmail.com>
Subject: Harris Tweed coat
To: "ADG"
Date: Thursday, January 7, 2010, 11:17 AM

I've seen your wanker Hot Stuff. That coat ain't gonna fit. At least not buttoned up.

CTS said...

Maxminimus
Longtime lurker, first time commenter, really dig the blog.

Thanks for the M'burg post. The wife and I get out there a couple of times a year for a stroll up and down Washington St.

Going to miss the Coach House. There was really nothing like tucking into a booth for a late-afternoon lunch on a cold winter's day.

Cheers

Anonymous English Female said...

Suburban Princess - glad it wasn't only me who gulped twice when I read that...
ADG - You're coming to London ?! Suggest you leave HTW coat at home.

Kathy said...

The wanker coat may be too small, but not the Mini! I love mine. You just have to add enough horse power to make it fun. Same could be said of the wanker, I suppose. . .

CeceliaMc said...

LOVE those Shell Cordorvan boots!

Now THAT is a man's footwear.

Oh how nice for you to have a Harris Tweed for your Mini Cooper!...


At 5'9" and wearing heels, I pulled my back out last year attempting to get into what the owner described as a "classic Miata".

Brian said...

Country Classics is one of the vendors at point to point each year. You should really check out their mobile store. they even throw down some nice rugs on the grass. As for the Harris Tweed for the wanker...

Easy and Elegant Life said...

That suit is killing me. And so are the boots.

Do any of the shops carry whipcord flat front trousers? Preferably with a DAKs waistband? Having a hard time finding them (no Cordings in my foreseeable future) and MTM is wayyy tooo expensive for what they are.

ADG said...

CTS…Thanks for stopping by.

Anonymous English Female...Y’all just need to stop that silly gulping. And indeed I’ll leave the HTW at home.

Kathy...They’s some medicine I hear, to add Wankerhorsepower.

CeceliaMc ...LOVE those Shell Cordovan boots!...then buy them for me. Regarding the “classic Miata”. You of all people should have known better. The Japanese are sneaky when it comes to “that”.

Brian ... Country Classics is giving up their travelling business-so they said.

Easy and Elegant Life...Buy the damn boots!

Paul said...

I hate to see diners/restaurants close (unless it was by the health dept)... because so many of those places hold memories and probably some really good meatloaf, mashed taters, and green beans... and the like ----

Tartan socks really get IT!

Summer is a Verb said...

Please tell me you got the HT wanker. Also was in the CC Polo last weekend. And, the G'town one. Several others by phone. Alas, the entire country sold out of my beloved black cashmere circle sweater in med. Sniffle, sniffle...XXOO

ADG said...

Paul...I'm with you man. I even love the dinners that shamelessly serve canned gravy on their mashed taters...and charge you 5.95 for the blue plate meatloaf.

RWH...thanks!

Allie...sorry we didn't run in to y'all. LFG and I were both "gamey"

Gentry said...

I bought that suit for my girlfriend's Xmas party... And I picked up the shell cordovan's a couple days ago. Rocked them today... Last 11.5 in the country. Sorry.

Gentry said...

I bought that suit for my girlfriend's Xmas party... And I picked up the shell cordovan's a couple days ago. Rocked them today... Last 11.5 in the country. Sorry.

CeceliaMc said...

"And I picked up the shell cordovan's a couple days ago. Rocked them today... Last 11.5 in the country."


Hey, sailor...

ADG said...

Cecelia...STOP IT! You are mine. Leave that "sailor" out of it. 11.5 ... please. The foot size thing is a myth. Now get your ass back in the Miata and shush.

Anonymous said...

Did you ask if the HT sport coat came in an overcoat version - long?
Then you'd be in bid'nez........

Unknown said...

Just wanted to let you know I enjoy reading your blog. Born raised and still living in Columbia SC so I enjoy your references to some of the old stores there. Keep writing.

Anonymous said...

nice post. thanks.