Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of The Most Appealing Images of The Holiday Season

Photo Credit: New York Times

I am really tired today, but I wanted to take the opportunity to post this holiday photo. It is perhaps the most interesting picture I saw this season, and truly an inspiration.

You Had Better Bring A Seven Nation Army When Wearing An Ascot

Yesterday, my wife and I went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie, and I must say it was pretty good minus the suspected old world wardrobe. Sherlock's character was a little dirty, and he could have used a little more tweed in his wardrobe. But regardless, I still enjoyed the movie.

For the evening, I sported a Brooks Brothers houndstooth tweed, Polo Olive Corduroy Trousers, Polo Oxford Cloth Button Down, Brooks Ascot, and Polo Loafers. None of these items garnered much attention except for which item....do you know, do you know? Yes, the ascot of course received the most gawking looks, and honestly, I don't understand the logic. Why is it okay for men to wear a dangling piece of fabric from their neck called the neck tie, but it is odd to wear a scarf like piece of silk around one's neck? It just doesn't make since! In addition, I literally thought I was going to have to fight a guy once for wearing one, but fortunately for him, he wised up :)

Vintage Brooks Brothers Finds

Well, we are living in day three after the holiday chaos, and even though I found enjoyment this Christmas season, I am very anxious. The tax man cometh soon, and I am nervous about some 2010 ventures I will be embarking on. But, on a positive note, I always treat myself at Christmas time and this year was no exception.

Pictured in the photos are two vintage Brooks Brothers 3/2 roll sack sport coats on my antique Maitland and Smith Chair. Both coats are equipped with two button cuffs which can only be had today at Brooks by custom order. The navy blazer has brass buttons, flap patch pockets, and a breast patch pocket. Again, to find a navy blazer with a breast patch pocket is impossible today at Brooks. The jackets are a perfect fit, and I dropped them off at the cleaners today.

Merry Christmas!

Well, another year is quickly coming to an end, and I have enjoyed yet another year of posting at WASP 101. We started off strong in January with many controversial sartorial posts, set a record of 94 comments for one post, started moderating posts, slowed down a little mid-way through the year, and picked back up this fall while garnering over 2,000 readers a day. And, I look forward to moving this blog forward in 2010, but for now, I must wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I will be taking some time off to travel and spend with family, and I may not post again until the New Year. We will see, but again, have a Merry Christmas!!!!!

The Rivalry That Changed Football

The image above of cheerleaders from Duke University is how we WASPy guys like to think football still exists. Yes, we still have the classic Yale v. Harvard game every year for Ivy League supremacy, but truthfully, that is just a social event. In the real world of NCAA Football things have changed drastically, and the rivalry that help create our current climate is the classic Miami Hurricanes v. Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Notre Dame represents tradition and everything us preppy guys love, and they were once a dominant force on the football field. Miami, a private school in Florida was once considered by many as the Ivy League of the far South (I don't truly classify Florida as a Southern State, but you get the picture). But then came along a coach by the name of Howard Schnellenberger, and things changed. Howard went into the violent and repressed inner city and recruited men of color to play for the University of Miami. Quickly, things turned around for the Hurricanes but with their success they brought a lot of dancing and taunting along for the ride. Let's face it, they were a bunch of thugs and I say that respectfully because that is how they wanted to be known. They referred to themselves as a bunch of bad boys, and when they scored a touchdown the world took notice of their pelvic thrusting in the end zone.

Miami's arch rival was the University of Notre Dame, and the Fighting Irish was everything opposite of Miami. And for the most part, Miami handed the Irish their rear ends and danced their way to a new era of football. I admit, I pulled for the Irish but they rarely could compete with the athleticism of the Hurricanes. Oh well!

The Double Breasted Tweed Odd Jacket

With over a foot of snow on the ground, I am excited and thinking about what I will wear tomorrow to wrap up. Of course, tweed is at the top of the list, but if you want to stay really warm, wrap up in a double breasted tweed odd jacket. The Prince of Wales is wearing one above with gray flannels and a repp tie, and he is doing it with style and grace I might add. However, if you want one of these fine odd jackets you will probably have to have it custom made. I don't recall seeing many if any double breasted tweed jackets off the peg, but who knows. The one I own is a four and one model in a deep tan tweed, and I think I will dust off the garment bag tomorrow (it doesn't really have dust on it).

Why Does Christian Chensvold at Ivy Style Hate Me?

From the earliest days of the blog called Ivy Style, its author Christian Chensvold has poked fun and criticized me! He mocked my wearing of saddle shoes, and eliminated me from the Ivy fold for having clothing that is too new. He makes comments like WASP 101 is a class I take, and could never teach. These statements and actions bring me to the classic question of why?

Personally, I don't care if he or anyone likes me for that matter and I am a pro at being an arrogant prick. However, I think Christian my be able to say the words "checkmate" in the arrogant category. Heck, I even rated his blog as one of my top five favorites just to extend an olive branch, and why I did that I do not have a clue. But honestly, what is so great about Ivy Style? It is basically just a lot of LIFE photos, and yes, he uses his fashion connections to bring the likes of J Press and Bruce Boyer on board for interviews. But what amuses me is the fact that he is critical of my clothing, but he never shows us any of his. It is like the anonymous comments that I occasionally allow out of the vault; they hate but they never demonstrate.

Perhaps it is my lack of mastery of the English language, which in addition truly seems to offend some of my haters. Sure, I know I am not a great writer but I admit it. I spent far too much time staring at my female classmate's bosoms rather than listening to lectures on conjugation. However, that being said, I am far from being the worst writer in the world and heck, I scored a perfect 4 on the writing test in high school. But what I am good at is understanding people, and creating public relations ideas. Do I write scripts, yes, but I have editors to make clean ups. I understand politics and have helped many Republicans get elected over the years, though I still will never refer to myself as a political consultant. And yes, I understand classic style and what is great about style is not being afraid to make mistakes. I have no fear of mixing patterns, and I think I do it well.

So Christian, what is it you hate? Do you think there is not enough room for two Ivy/WASP bloggers. Are you afraid you can't compete with my 2,000 or so readers a day? I truly don't understand, and curiosity is all that provokes this post. I love Oxford Cloth Button Downs and 3/2 Sack Suits just as much as you. I enjoy an occasional pipe smoke........What is it, that is the question?

The Kennedy White House Staff

When JFK hit Washington D.C. with the title Mr. President, he completely changed the dynamics of the White House scenery. JFK was well dressed as far as the cut of his suit goes, and he by far had the best hair of any president to this point in history (and still today). However, one of the things Kennedy brought with him was a bunch of Ivy League educated gentleman who continued to wear their Ivy Classics in the White House. The photo above depicts Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. and to my liking he is still dressed in this photo just like the days he worked for Kennedy. This new breed of employee wore tweed and poplin suits with bow ties and regimental stripes. In addition, JFK did do some things correctly while in office (such as lowering taxes in a recession), and he took a strong stand against communism. Though I am a Republican, I can admit that he was a strong man and probably the best Democrat President the country has had.

Houndstooth

Many see houndstooth as an old man pattern, but it is truly one of my favorites. In addition, a lot of shoppers stay away from a coat bearing the pattern because they fear matching a tie with the jacket. Personally, I think a regimental stripe or club tie looks great. Though the pattern is available in many colors, I find that brown and tan or black and white are the best.

A Recap of This Weekend's Party

This past weekend my wife and I went to a casual Christmas Party at a friend's house. We only stayed for an hour or so because things became a little uncomfortable for me. I will explain, but let me tell you what I am wearing:

Moose Sweater from American Living
Houndstooth trousers from Orvis
Polo OCBD
Crested Loafers from Polo

Now, back to the story....So we arrived, and immediately I received comments about my sweater. In addition, they were playing the Chipmunk Christmas Song, which I liked at first. However, as the evening persisted, we heard the song at least a dozen times. I heard Alvin singing in my sleep! Geesh! But, that is not the uncomfortable part......I was approached by a vampiress looking friend of our friend. Now, this girl is a friend of mine on Facebook, but I don't know her that well. Obviously, she wanted to change that!

I did not want to post her real picture for obvious reasons, but I did find a photo that bares her resemblance. She came up to me and placed her hand on my back and began to rub. She kept rubbing and rubbing. Then she persisted to tell me how great I looked in that sweater, and then she swiped across my chest. And where was my wife during this, in the next room.....thanks honey! Eventually, the vampire wrote her phone number down and slipped it in my back pocket while grabbing my butt and winking at me simultaneously.

Did I tell my wife? Yes! Was she mad.....well only at me for a second, but then she cooled down. Needless to say, she is caring a wooden stake with her at all times :)



The Toggle For Warmth.....It was 18 Degrees!



The Song That Provided Me With Entertaining Pleasure!



The Vampiress



This Is The Song That Was Going Through My Head As The Attempted Pick Up Occured! And Yes, I Threw The Number Away!

Christmas Parade Saturday and The Cat Who Has Adopted Us

What I am Wearing:

Polo OCBD
Polo Fair Isle Vest
Very Old Southwick Blazer with Patch Pockets
J Press Denim Trousers
Green Argyles - Gold Toe
Ralph Lauren (Crockett & Jones) Tassel Loafers
Furry Feline Around my Leg :)

Yesterday, was parade day and my wife and I participated in both of our county parades to advertise the business. Honestly, it was nothing about advertising, but rather spreading good cheer because most of my clients are far away from my actual location. However, even though I was trying to spread good cheer, many members of the audience had a sad countenance on their face. A couple patrons screamed throw me some money, and one asked me what I was going to do to lower gas prices. Wow! I didn't know PR specialist controlled that! Overall, I enjoyed the experience (we do it every year), but it is tough to wave at some one and their only reply is a stony face stare.

And finally, there is a cat who has adopted us and we are giving in and feeding it on a daily basis. My wife wants to let her inside, but I said, "absolutely not". Our pooch is precious and he does not chew or damage any of the furniture or rugs, but cats, I don't trust.....period!

Smoking Jackets: A Must For Entertaining

Photo Credit: Photobucket

At Christmas time, one is certain to have a party or entertain guests at their home, and if you want to stand out, buy a smoking jacket. Before I continue, let me credit The Trad's blog for inspiring this post. He is a brilliant blogger and his series on smoking/dinner jackets has been wonderful. Now, onward!

The smoking jacket is truly a versatile jacket. It can be worn with tuxedo trousers, formal shirt, slippers, and black bow tie. Also, it can be paired with a tartan accessories, and it can be worn with a white shirt and gray flannels. Heck, you could even pull off jeans and slippers with the smoking jacket. And yes, I fully recommend wearing slippers and slippers only with the jacket. No lace-ups! Opera pumps will work, but crested or monogrammed slippers will work best.

In addition, smoking jackets do come in various styles, and I have pictured a few of the styles to go along with the post.







Photo Credit: Brooks Brothers

When Professors Dressed Like Professors

(Recovered from Ask Andy but credited to Yale University)

I am close to using this post to criticize the Democrat Party, but I will refrain so that I don't upset any readers. Anyway, this is a photo of professors at Yale University when Yale was truly Ivy. And furthermore, this is how teachers and professors should dress today. My wife is an English teacher, and I am appalled at the outfits some of these cats come to school wearing (jeans and sweatshirts sheeesh). And from my work in politics, I have noticed these characters are at the front of the line in the want-list. I agree that we do not pay teachers enough, but I also say if you want a professional's salary then look like one. I don't know where style and education went wrong.........maybe it is a lack of WASP influence on these institutions. I suppose there are some private schools out there that maintain tradition, but even their standards have diminished.

Got A Lot Going On Today _ See You Tomorrow!

Christmas Dinner With The Lion's Club

(The dry cleaners nearly screwed up my 3/2 roll, I am going to have to press this thing when I return home......I picked it up this morning)

Tonight, I stopped by my Lion's Club Christmas Dinner and had a quick bite to eat with the group. For the evening, I wore my Brooks 3/2 Roll Camel Hair Jacket, Brooks Christmas Colored Tartan Tie, Brooks OCBD, and Polo Tweed Trousers. In my opinion, the outfit did fit the Christmas theme of the party, but it is something I would wear past Christmas.

Now, the entertainment for the evening was some singing and caroling, but the true fun occurred when one of the most pretentious snobs FARTED out loud in between songs. The lady quickly stood up from her seat, and as the song ended we all heard a room shaking fart. I quickly grabbed my napkin and placed it toward my mouth to contain my laughter because this lady is a super snob, and the expressions on the members faces were priceless. Ha! I cannot believe that in the span of a couple months I witnessed public displays of flatulence at church and a Lion's Dinner. Yes, I know it may seem childish that I find this amusing, but if you knew the lady you would be laughing as well.

The Christmas Sweater

Photo: Ralph Lauren

Christmas Sweaters can be a tricky thing to pull off during the Christmas Season.
But, if you decide to step outside the box of bright colors such as red, green, purple and yellow, then here are two suggestions. First, my favorite patterned Christmas Sweater is the infamous moose/reindeer sweater. An absolute favorite of mine, and one that I intend to wear to a party this weekend. The second sweater is styled almost like the moose sweater, but it has snowflakes in place of the moose. Wear the sweater with flannels or chinos, and if you want to add a little spice throw on a bow tie. Good Luck!



Photo Credit: Life Magazine



Photo: Ralph Lauren

Christmas Ties

Christmas is a time of year where some people wear tacky items, and today I am going to attempt to help you not to wear an outlandish Christmas Tie. Unless, you just want to be known as the guy who needs AAs to light up your blinking tie. In short, stick to plaids and simple club style ties with small Christmas themes. Do not buy a tie that features cartoon characters or requires batteries in any circumstance. PERIOD!! The only true difference in the holiday tie is the colors of the plaid (Christmas Colors), and the little discreet Santa's or candy canes on your tie as opposed to your crests or other emblems.

YES!!!



Credit: Vineyard Vines





Credit: J Crew

NO!!!!!

WASP Christmas Visit: Biltmore Estate

If you have a weekend free from office parties or family obligations, I highly suggest making a trip to Asheville, NC to the Biltmore Estate. The estate is the largest privately owned home in the United States, and it is breathtaking to behold at Christmas time.

The home was built by a WASPy guy named George Washington Vanderbilt II around 1889 to 1895. The home contains at least 250 rooms, and it is still owned by a descendant of the Vanderbilt family. In addition, there are rumors that the estate is haunted by the Vanderbilt's and some of their staff. Personally, I have not had such an encounter on my visits to the home, but who knows. Regardless, check it out and you will not be disappointed.





Library



Banquet Hall



Mr. Vanderbilt's Bedroom

Mixing Tweed With Tartan Plaid

Photo Credit: Polo Ralph Lauren

As I mentioned earlier, I intend to do several posts pertaining to the Christmas Season and today's post goes along with this intention. In the last post, I mentioned that Christmas Parties are an opportunity to wear either tartan trousers are a plaid jacket. In most cases, one will reach for their navy blazer to pair with the trousers, or gray flannels to pair with a plaid jacket. And yes, this is a correct look, but the Polo Ad above demonstrates how one can incorporate a simple herringbone tweed, and look just as elegant. Yes, the herringbone bares a pattern, but it is simple enough to wear with tartan plaid in my opinion, and yes, you will look WASPy.

Running Behind !

I am running behind today, and I may have to skip posting! We will see! I will definitely post tomorrow.