Ice Cotton Give A Way for Africa Hot Days

I've spent time in some pretty hot places. Even Biloxi, where the aforementioned title reference, "Africa Hot" originates. I prefer heat over cold for the simple reason that cold, in all its toe numbing, eye tearing and frozen ear lobe misery, has always been something I take personally. While heat - - heat was just hanging around, had too many beers and got a little outta control.

It's been 'Africa Hot' everywhere this Summer and I'm guessing that in a couple years there's gonna be palm trees in Bangor. Smart guys are looking at the weather and investing in things like generator companies. Don't forget cultural shifts like soup makers for Baby Boomers with dentures and tattoo removers for their kids.

Back in Chicago, I knew a married couple who loved Winter camping and called each other, "Ice Hole." I'm not sure if that was affectionate or not. David Chu at Lincs has come up with a cotton to keep your body cool. I was pretty skeptical about "Ice Cotton" and thought it might be something cooked up by those two twin designing sisters, Polly and Esther. Actually, the stuff works.

I've field tested a shirt in harsh NYC Summer conditions for almost a month and I'm impressed. The off white polo has a placket trimmed in Infantry blue and will lower your temp by twenty degrees. More, if you count the people wearing black in the noon day sun. It's 100% cotton and will fit a man over 40 who might be packing another 20 pounds more than he needs. I recommend, from personal experience, that you wash in cold water and hang to dry. Less the shrinkage factor grace you with a 'Pugsley' silhouette.

Here's the free part. Last week I posted two films, The Pope of Greenwich Village and American Gigolo. Both films, while polar opposites, share an important crew member. The first reader who correctly identifies this crew member will receive three Ice Cotton Polo shirts compliments of Lincs. That's almost $200 worth of Ice Cotton. Post your answer in the comments section by 5:00PM on August 10th. Good luck and stay cool.

Contest Update as of 10:31 AM, 9 August 2012:
The Pope of Greenwich Village and American Gigolo shared the same Director of Photography, John Bailey. Well done, Tucker. You were first. Send your email address to, The.Trad@Yahoo.com, and I'll put you in touch with Lincs where they'll take care of your order.

Chino Tasting: Boyer's Best Khaki

G. Bruce Boyer's pick for Best Khaki

No frills

Quality and Simplicity

The LINCS khaki (PS104903) is a clean and simple designed pant that speaks to a time in the mid - 60s when the khaki silhouette was tapered almost to the point of a jean. I was impressed and surprised by this pant. At $65 and made in China, it really is a standout. G. Bruce Boyer and Robert Bryan both gave it a 90 but Boyer awarded it "Best Khaki" of the tasting citing, "very good hand, reg. rise + slim leg, nicely finished, simple styling, good color."

If there was a category for "Best Value" this pant would get it. The problem is (there's always a problem), unless you're close to Dillards - you're S.O.L. DC Design admits that while the pant is a best seller it's not offered on line and must be purchased in the store. I'm scratching my head about this but there you go.

If you have the time, I'd like to throw a wonderful documentary at you. This is a short 10 minute feature shot in 1967 featuring Lee Marvin and the making of the Dirty Dozen. If you're pressed for time fast forward to 8:12 in and check out the khakis. Simple, clean, slim silhouette. Perfect for, "Action guys enjoying themselves on the town." I swear, someone at Chu design saw this and created this pant. Why they don't name it the Marvin and sell it on line I'll never know.

Off My Back: Primary Colors & Attitude

David Chu LINCS - Yellow (Gold) University Stripe Oxford

Class bow tie from El Paso Community College

Yellow university stripe oxford is a tough fabric to find. I've told you about this before. In fact, everyone who had it two months ago seems to be out of it. Nelson Mui of David Chu Design surprised me with this shirt last week while generously offering a venue for my interview with Robert Bryan. I gotta read my horoscope 'cause stuff like this never happens to me.

It's a beauty of a shirt. At 11 ounces (I weigh shirts as well as wear them) it's in the ball park of MTM but shy of the 13 1/2 ounces you get at Mercer & Sons (we'll get to Mercer next week). While the pattern matching yoke to sleeve isn't dead on --it's pretty darned close. That's amazing.

That's the great news. Bad news. It's made in China and you have to go to Dillard's. Whatever that is. Swear to God, never been to one. The shirt comes in a profusion of bright colors like Lime Green but it's still an oxford.

Primary colors. Blue, yellow and red. The Trad hallmark as far as I'm concerned. And it is with this observation that I pass along some advice. Never forget how you look to others. Got that? It may save your life.

I know a lot of you don't give a hoot about what other people think of you. And that's fine. But I'm talking about something else. When you're strolling around in a cardigan sweater, a bow tie and a yellow stripe oxford - you're sending a message. Robert Bryan does a brilliant job defining this in his book. He writes, "Because menswear is so precise, the smallest selections, such as bow tie, work boots, round glasses, or a fedora, can speak volumes about the character of the man who wears them."

I often forget what I'm wearing. Or driving. And that can spell trouble.

There's a lotta baggage that comes with this car. Never mind it's a 2002 model with over 100,000 miles on it and worth less than a Hyundai. I moved to New York City in this car and parked it in a midtown garage for a couple of months. Just before Christmas, the Golf Foxtrot and I headed south on the NJ Turnpike. I pulled into one of the first gas stations and when I got out of the car to fill up a young kid comes running over to me, "Full service, full service!"

I give him a credit card and he swipes it, sticks the hose in my tank and runs off to another car. I'm a quart low of oil (always) and I grab a quart I carry in the car (always), pop the hood and top off my oil. The windows are caked thick in some frozen kind of dirt from the parking garage. I'm looking for a squeegee but all the windshield wiper buckets are dry and there's not a squeegee anywhere.

The attendant comes back again, yanks the hose outta the tank and I ask, "Do you have any squeegees?" "No," he says handing me my credit card and receipt and off he goes. As he's leaving I say, "You call this full fucking service?" He stops and turns and says, "What did you say?" And I say, "You call this full fucking service." And he replies, "Yeah, well fuck you!" And I reply, for lack of any better words, "Fuck you!"

I hear laughing and turn to see the other attendants who appear to be enjoying this immensely. As I walk to the car, my attendant shouts out, "Merry Fucking Christmas!" At which point I try to be more personal and shout back, "Happy Fucking Three Kings! I get in the car and drive off. The Golf Foxtrot, who is not happy with my behaviour, lets me have it. That's another post unto itself. After she stops we ride in silence for two and a half hours.

Why did he go off? I dunno. Maybe the car and the Florida tags could have something to do with it. He was busting his ass in the freezing cold two nights before Christmas and I'm sure I was asshole number 37 that night. The Shaggy Dog Shetland, hi water chinos, pink socks and Bean Moccasins could have also added hi test to the fire. He was Hispanic. I'm Nordic. We both end in 'icks.' I'd probably go off on myself that night given the right circumstances--of which there were many.

Sometimes I forget how I appear to others. I also know I'm not how other people see me. Yet, I can barely see myself which may be part of the problem. So, tread easy in bow ties and cardigans and shirts of primary colors. Just because we're well dressed doesn't mean we have to be assholes about it.