Britches Tie & 1988

"Ok, that tie in the 12th picture, tell us about it." Zach

Not much to tell. Picked up for $5 at this thrift store.
Wanted the label more than the tie. Britches of Georgetown is my 1988. Living in a $350 studio on St Asaph Street, brunch at Clyde's, vodka and grapefruit in Houston's, starched Duck Heads, Sylvester Stallone on M Street, crabs at the Quarter Deck in Arlington and burgers at the Tune Inn on the Hill. Dusty and PSB provided the soundtrack to Iran Contra hearings and I...Sorry. What was the question?

What's With These Sweaters?

What I was hoping for...


At the half off sale.


What was there.


"NOT HOT!"

$750 for the painting -- don't know about the shoes.


I have no idea what this is.




From a reader:
I have no idea what kind of tintin thing you've got going as far as personal stuff, but there was a nice tintin wool crew neck sweater today at the arthritis thrift shop on Third Ave., half price I think.

I checked out the place yesterday at lunch. Already have this Tintin sweater. I'm hoping they have that Tintin Single Malt sweater...for $30. I spent almost two hours in this place looking and no Tintin sweater. Instead, I find a Coogi sweater. I can't stand Coogi sweaters.

Mel Brooks and Bill Cosby wear them and I think they're both amazing but I'm here to tell you...Coogi sweaters are not only ugly ... They speak to a larger problem. The following that is fat men in Chinese restaurants on Sunday night ordering loudly,"NOT HOT!" and, "JUST WATER TO DRINK."

If you're in the hood (3rd Ave bet. 80 and 81st) you may wanna swing by. 50% off all clothing and shoes and purse stuff. Ties are $5. Found a Britches of Georgetown tie I bought more for the label. Such an icon of '80s Washington DC. There's a couple of small Souleiado shirts for $7.50 and a custom blue chalk stripe Domenico Spano suit with a hole in the seat. Like I said, if you're in the hood and you don't like your Chinese spicy.

Keezer's

Not much to look at but a lot to look for

I can spot a Black Watch tartan from 200 yards

A 46 Long for $40

Good news & bad news

Lambourne - 40R / $48-ish

Polo circa 1970s - $40-ish

40R (I think) Make Len an offer

Hunter Green Blazer $45

Savile Row Suit - 38R / $68

NOS 16- something $18.95

NOS 16 - 33 (maybe?) $16.95

NOS 16-33 $18.95

NOS 16-33 $18.95

No longer available

NOS $7.00

I can't remember

Genuine Alligator Belt 38" $45

Selection of Morning Trousers

Keezer's is minutes from the Andover Shop but light years in other ways. There's no advice here much less counsel but if you know what you're looking for it's a helluva lot of fun. Mostly men's clothing, this place is lit like a 7-11 and crammed full of mysterious shipping boxes.

Len Goldstein runs the place and he clued me into new David Chu sport coats made in Italy- Retail $1,200 Keezer's $145. Len also has about 100 new peak lapel tuxedos from a well known men's store on Madison Avenue that retail around $4,000. Len is asking $495.

If you're 'Clothes Mad' the real fun is digging through the second hand stuff. Even if it's not your size it's fun to look at the labels of long gone stores and makers. Feel the goods. Appreciate the heft. 'Not as good as it was. Better than it will be.' Never forget that blazer buttons on a beat to hell coat are the hidden gold. Try on everything because sizes can be and often are wrong. And this is the place to make a mistake. It's hard to cry over a $40 screw up.

This isn't a Harvard Square haberdasher (although it once was in Harvard Sq) but I love the contrast. Contrast in color. Fibers. Formality. Life's too short to play it safe. Grab yourself by the short hairs and wear those Lilly P pants, Souleiado shirts, white bucks...just not together... but if you do -- please send me a picture.

The Friday Belt: CDP For The Thrifty

Giuseppe over at An Affordable Wardrobe has always offered up some great advice on thrifting. And for a guy who likes to break the 'rules' he always has an opinion about my glasses and my beer. No sweat. The most interesting people are full of contradictions.

And while I like a good Chateaneuf Du Pape (CDP) as much as the next guy - - I find it does not pair well with pork rinds. Better a Puligny Montrachet.

CDP does pair well with steak au poivre and last night my nephew treated me to both at La Veau d'Or. I love an elegant Burgundy. I love a big Bordeaux. But they're best consumed at home where you can afford them. The Golf Foxtrot and I stopped in a favorite wine bar last month and I was shocked to see my favorite Rose going for $55.00 a bottle while it retails for $15. I understand a profit but that ain't right. So, when I'm in a restaurant I go straight to the Rhone.

You cannot get a better value and more bang for your buck than a good Rhone. That bottle up there is really two. A magnum is always fun for a 4 person dinner but it can also be a deal. Usually selling for less than two standard bottles and for me...wine out of a large format bottle just seems to taste better. The Chante Cigale is easily found but that belt is another story.

My first thrift was a tuxedo somewhere on the Main Line outside of Philadelphia. As a poor park ranger with an invitation to a black tie party it seemed like the logical thing to do. I skipped the patent leather slippers and wore black calf tassel loafers - - like almost every other straight guy at the party. I don't know anything about the maker of this belt but for a thrift store find I was happy with it. Giuseppe might have an issue with the price -- as I did -- but I'm desperate for more belts. Not booze, Giuseppe. Just belts.

University Stripe - Two Buck Luck

The top two images are of a shirt I found in a Florida thrift store a couple of weeks after seeing Mr. Davis. It was $2. I found the RN number on the tag (31104) and entered it into a data bank that tracks apparel manufactures located here. It came back as a Belk product. It's not exactly what I had in mind... but what do want for two bucks?

Oddly enough, the third picture is also a University Stripe Oxford seen in a Brooks Brothers window on West Broadway. Better seen here, it's an imported, no iron, S,M,L,XL sized oxford for $79.50. By the way, that blue sheep looks cheap. Had I gone with Tom? A Made to Measure in the Heritage 100% cotton (ironing required) would have run me $130.

I still like the idea of a panel stripe shirt. And I like the idea of ordering it from Mr. Davis. That tells me something I think retailers overlook. The importance of a domestic made product with historical provenance sold by a sophisticated professional in an appropriate setting. Is that so hard?

Trad Sunglasses

So, were having this discussion about Trad Sunglasses over on Ask Andy about Trad. What brand do you like, what model, what you're willing to shell out...Persols and Ray Bans seem to be winning. But is going to a Sunglass Hut and dropping almost $300 anywhere close to Trad?

I found these Giorgio Armani sunglasses in a consignment shop in Chicago. Made in Italy, I'm guessing they're circa 1980 to 1985. Bought 'em for $35. Lenses were in bad shape so I took them to Friedrich's in NYC. They put new lenses in and threw in a super nice blue leather case with buff interior (I love Blue and Buff) for $50 bucks or so.

They go well with a Blue Blazer and a Rep Bow Tie.