Not Trad

H. Upmann

The Real Deal

The landing between the second and third story of Bergdorf Goodman. In an age of outsourced, cheaply produced, below the salt menswear...this is the genuine article. But at a price. Try the restaurant on the third floor for lunch. It's the only bargain here.

Ersatz Patch

Made in India and only ten bucks a patch. How about twenty of these spread over the front of a blazer?

Sloane Ranger meets American Trad

Ralph Lauren's Rugby gives me pause and hope. The store on University and 12th is Trad heaven. You have to admire what these designers have done by combining English Sloane Ranger with American Trad. Even the suits, three button, short center vent and narrow notched lapel, are made in the states. Unusual today and perhaps a fond memory in five years. And then somebody screws it all up....

Why?

And then you look down and wonder why....

A Trad Dinner Out

A most Tradly restaurant for dinner at a most Tradly hour...6PM. Le Veau d'or is a venue with the ghosts of Papa and Dietrich but that's no reason to go. The food is...is....Well, that's no reason to go. You go because it's comfortable, not crowded, you love the service and love the look and feel. It's been on 60th St. for 70 years. There's a patina of history to the place and you wonder, "God knows who all has eaten here."

A Trad Dinner at Home

Red Meat and Red Wine. A classic. Dry aged strip steaks and a Umbrian red from Paolo Bea. Simple and superb.

Shirt and Tie

Some Trads enjoy the contrast of color. Especially primary colors. The Yellow stripe in the tie, the yellow button down, the yellow of the blazer buttons...That's a lot of yellow. Same guy from the photo below. Asked me to snap this in the college president's office the next day. You shoulda seen his shoes.

A Summer Place

I love Street Scene Blogs. But after a while tee shirts, piercing's and tattoos can become tiring. Trad or Traditional or Preppy or Ivy League. Whatever, it does not have to be boring. Classic? Yes. To that end, see the fellow pictured above. College Alumni weekend somewhere in Florida. In a sea of cargo shorts and flip flops rises Vintage LillyP. trousers almost 3o years old. Mother of Pearl buttons on a side vented blazer lined in Orange and a beer bottle that picks up on the pants. Guccis or Yuckies can be annoying to most Trads but here they work. It is Florida after all. Might as well do it Full Assed as opposed to Half Assed.