There's a diversity of style in NYC that Antonio Ciongoli (Michael Bastian) and G. Bruce Boyer (Elegance - A Guide to Quality in Menswear) made clear a couple weeks ago over lunch at Txikito in Chelsea. El Doble burgers, Piperrak peppers and Farnum Hill cider managed to stay off everyone's tie as well.
Each man brings an intelligent creativity along with notes of personal nostalgia. Antonio's inherited WWI watch doesn't work but is worn as jewelry. Why not. Cell phones keep better time than a Rolex.
Bruce wears a surcingle belt with double breasted jacket and slides the buckle to his left. A nod to jazz musicians protecting guitar backs. Brown & tan is echoed in the belt, shoes, hose, tie, watch strap and pocket square. Not loudly. But advisedly. Reverently.
Antonio makes use of texture more than color. A thickly folded pocket square shares depth with desert sand driving mocs worn without socks. No socks make sense here rather than the sockless double monk calf shoe which screams, 'Hipsters with blisters.' Not that there's anything wrong with the blistered hip. Those Piperraks were blistered and there was nothing wrong there.
Off topic as far as your post is concerned Tintin, but ( and who am I to question the great G.BB?) I just don't get the unbuttoned surgeon's cuff routine. Isn't it enough that the wearer knows the buttons on his jacket sleeve work? Why does he feel the urge to make sure that the world knows it too? I shouldn't feel the urge to comment on it either. Discrete is neat.
ReplyDeleteOG - spot on my friend.
ReplyDeleteis 'reverently' the right word in that context????
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of style man. Very nice. Liking the blog a lot lately. Find myself checking in everyday for something new.
ReplyDeleteLoving Antonio's textures. Thanks for shooting the contrasts between the two styles.
ReplyDelete@Backwoods Plaid:
ReplyDeleteYou find yourself checking in "every day", not "everyday".
"Everyday" (adjective): "These are my everyday dungarees".
"Every day" (adverbial phrase):
"I wear these dungarees every day"
Fortunately, there are still old world gentlemen in Italy who dress like Signore Boyer.
ReplyDeleteI have to give this round to Antonio. A little bit dressy, a little bit casual, and it all seems to work. Effortless. While I respect Mr. Boyer's eye for quality and style, the details in his outfit are just a little too contrived for my taste. The unbuttoned cuff and crooked belt are anything but effortless. Either way, they're dressed better than 95% of the male population these days. Well done.
ReplyDeleteAny info on Antonio's driving mocs?
You are right, Grammar Maven, and I too am often bothered when I see that same mistake. However, we're only talking about a blog comment here.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures and comments...would love to see more of this on The Trad site Tintin.
ReplyDeleteAnyone any idea where those drving mocs are from?
The watch that don't work. Except twice. That's nice.
ReplyDeleteGreat style all 'round.
ReplyDeleteOyster Guy- NY Style will (hopefully) be a series of diverse details worn and lived by men and women in this city. I encourage comments pro and con.
ReplyDeleteI do know that Bruce was wearing bespoke when I was in 8th grade. Whatever he's picked up over the years (he leaves his button down collar unbuttoned as well) speaks to his style and his alone. That he was kind enough to share it with all of us speaks to his confidence and character.
Anon 17.39- It is for me.
Backwoods Plaid- Like your blog as well. Some great images.
Alice- I didn't even cover the linen patch pocket jacket and the unpressed shirt.
Grammar Maven- Please don't go through my archives.
Massimo Barilla- I hope Bruce doesn't mind but I thought you might enjoy this poem written on his 65th birthday:
The Clotheshorse Unseated
My Birthday, 2006
Here so quick at sixty-five,
But glad to know I’m still alive.
Having taken more than ever given,
And never for any of it striven.
Sitting here and looking back,
Remembering what I tried to pack
For my little unessential trip
In the hold of my unsteady ship,
I thought I had the clothes I’d need
For any clime and any deed
For which I’d see myself embark
On almost any little lark.
Today I find, to my dismay,
Those things I’d packed just yesterday,
Thinking them prerequisite,
No longer even seem to fit.
I guess it’s all as it must be,
Others have found it much like me,
That when our ships have crossed the bar,
After we’ve gasped our last au revoir,
We’ll sail along the River Stix,
And leave behind the blows and licks,
To find, as we hear Charon’s call,
We really need no clothes at all.
“Home is the hunter, home from the hill, / And the sailor home from the sea.”
And home the sartorialist, closet forlorn, his wardrobe on E-Bay just short of free.
– G. Bruce Boyer
BCM- No rounds here unless you're buying drinks.
Andrea- Amen. Speling and grammer don't count in this box.
Pink Socks- Thanks. We're gonna give it a shot. Hopefully Antonio will chime in here with the origins of his wheels.
Zambo- Wise and noble words.
Well, if G.BB leaves his button down collar unbuttoned then that changes everything. It's a signature thing...Cheers!
ReplyDeleteNow that's a good lunch & I didn't even see the food. I likes me some sockless mocs. We driving fools down here in Texas so they come in reeeal handy. Mine are Church's... got 'em on L St., D.C. Was a grad student. Didn't have two nickels to rub together. Old man sold 'em to me half-off. I woulda paid double. No one dissect this sentence.
ReplyDeleteAmatourist- Nice blog. I'm still waiting on Antonio to fess up on his mocs.
ReplyDeleteFrom Antonio: They're from Arfango and I got em from yoox for a heckofalot less than
ReplyDeletethey're up there for now.
muchisimas gracias tintin. and thanks for the tip on the Arfangos.
ReplyDelete