Ode to Toad...dans Velours Côtelé

Blame this on Toad. He made me do it. Not directly mind you...for he knows nothing about this fuzztacious corduroy shawl collared thang. Leastways not till he stumbles upon this expose'. But it's the kind of thing he'd wanna do. Not stumble. But contrive something this...shall we say...experimental. And Velours Côtelé? Hell, I knew him. Firsthand. Sure as I'm writing this. He drove one of the only two taxis in Florence, S.C. for Moe the Rooster Taxi Service in the late sixties through the early seventies. Used to drive my daddy around when he'd had too much to drink. Which was always. Both of 'em. Mr. Côtelé and daddy. Seems like Velours drove a Deuce and a Quarter with special fabric for the headliner. My daddy wouldn't a much been all that for this jacket but Velours would been all over it. Butcept maybe in purple.

Surely it's a boondoggle and the maker of such things capricious isn't on Savile Row nor is it one of my Gotham Made-to-Measurers. I wouldn't tie-up too much dough in a rig like this and I won't get a sense of how it fits till this Thursday morning. Looks half-decent on the suit form though. Stay damn tuned.

"The Toad." Yep. That's what we'll name this model. Care to the wind it is. Just like my good buddy Toad. But he does care about the things worth caring about. Like friendships and family and little girls. You should read the nice letter that he sent LFG along with his Christmas gift to her. It's in the forever file. He applied for an Unclehood and I advised Princess LFG to oblige him.

Crazy ain't it? This jacket. I considered cloth covered buttons and still might go that route. Bam. Shut the...

Black Tie? Perhaps. In the comfort of a private party. Like the delightful one that the Elegantologist hosted in Richmond this past New Years Eve. I hope I get invited again next year. I didn't spill nothin'. Drank an assload...but didn't spill nary a drop. I'll more than likely wear this with jeans and Red Wings. And maybe still...black tie.

So here's to Toad. And to corduroy and other occasional fabrics and friends and parties and shawl collars where they ought not be. And Princesses...especially my LFG...and to...love.

Onward. Not travelling.

ADG II