February 16, 2011

I could never be an exclusive bow tie wearer. Some are. Not me. I simply like neck ties too much. These days, neck ties are almost as infrequently seen as bow ties. Besides, tie bars look pretty stupid on bow ties, and one needs to rock a tie bar from tie to time.

I picked up this Southwick suit at Goodwill for $10 just before Easter last year. I had Ellie hem the trousers with a massive cuff, just to be obnoxious. I love it because it's got no darts (a "sack jacket") and doesn't make you look like a linebacker with big shoulder pads. Way, WAY better to look ridiculous with big cuffs than with boxy shoulders.

The tie came from a thrift store for a buck or two. It's a pathetic faker club crest number, probably sold at Target, then at TJ Maxx, then given for free to folks in halfway houses for job interviews. After being rejected by all those markets, it finally found a good home with me.

The shoes are Florsheim longwings. Muted brown. Leather soles, of course. Bartered for 3 bow ties (thanks, Ellie. Easier to get forgiveness than permission, eh?) from a gent who couldn't quite fit into them.

And the tie bar comes from my late grandfather, Papa Sam--master of thrifting and master of looking very, very suave. Rico Suave on the el cheapo. Ellie made the hand-rolled cream-with-navy-pinstripe linen pocket square.

This suit is thick as heck. Better wear it a lot before South Carolina starts doing its thing. I might just wear it tomorrow. Hopefully it'll be warm and sunny so I can pair it with my old Vespa.

thecordialchurchman

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5 Comments

ellielaveer

February 18, 2011

Click on the top photo, which should open the photo in a new window. Then you should have the option on clicking to zoom in, and you can see it. It’s silver with a little gem on the end.

ellielaveer

February 18, 2011

I think what happened is that I posted it and then Ellie told me (Andy) that the folks at the Levi’s store told her she wasn’t allowed to publish (or even take) pictures. I’m going to re-do that post and use legit pictures from some of the Levi’s concept store openings that show her bow ties.

Drew Collins

February 17, 2011

I pretty much am an exclusive bow tie/clerical collar wearer, but when I do wear a necktie my Airborne tie bar is almost always holding it in place — it’s one of the few places I get to wear my jump wings these days!

At first I’d feared that someone had tried to wear a tie bar with a bow tie. Oy!