Not dressed up....

[tyred]

I decided to get dressed up today and look my best. Don't want to let standards drop.

 

[MarkF]

That's tan nubuck boots, Levi 504's, a plain white Reiss linen shirt (with cuban collar) and a navy blue Ralph Lauren harrington.

This is like a line from a well-written novel - I have no idea what these things are, but it sounds a well natty ensemble!

I am in good shape for 57, but there comes a time when a man has to pack in round collared t-shirts, a good neck and jawline doesn't last forever. A polo shirt might do the trick but cuban collars are a bit more jaunty and every middle aged man should have a navy blue RL Harrington. My workmates take the piss mercilessly, whilst simultaneously looking like lumpy sacks of spanners, I don't care and chat clothing with another 57 year old colleague Jack, who dresses way better than me.....but he went to art school.

Cuban collar

 

[Salty seadog]

What I love about all this, is that everyone else is joining in with the 'dragged through a hedge backwards - after having suffered an explosion in a jumble sale' look.

I knew that if I kept my 'grooming' standards low enough, for long enough, then the look would catch on

You and me sister. I've been styling out the dishevelled look ever since my mum stopped dressing me.

 

[mudsticks]

You and me sister. I've been styling out the dishevelled look ever since my mum stopped dressing me.

Well it's not a hard look to maintain - that's the thing

Neither of my jobs require that i have to iron anything - hooray


Don't get me wrong - i can scrub up ok , and even enjoy putting on a fancy frock for a night out - now and then - but i'd hate to have to get dressed up every day - and wear make-up ?? ?? i don't even know how to put it on .

But I have swirly bright turquoise linen coat for conferences and suchlike - which is a good ruse i've learnt -
- if i'm in the mood for folks to recognise me from a session - and come and speak to me - i can keep it on - if not i can take it off and be fairly anonymous

 

[Salty seadog]

Well it's not a hard look to maintain - that's the thing

Neither of my jobs require that i have to iron anything - hooray


Don't get me wrong - i can scrub up ok , and even enjoy putting on a fancy frock for a night out - now and then - but i'd hate to have to get dressed up every day - and wear make-up ?? ?? i don't even know how to put it on .

But I have swirly bright turquoise linen coat for conferences and suchlike - which is a good ruse i've learnt -
- if i'm in the mood for folks to recognise me from a session - and come and speak to me - i can keep it on - if not i can take it off and be fairly anonymous

Crafty.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I miss dressing up, my kids (19,21&26) have never seen me "scruffy", l never use my uniform to travel to work in but would do if it looked good.

I know what Berghaus/Sketchers/NorthFace/Fitflop/Regatta etc sell & what their target market is, l am not being seen dead in their dreary comfy stuff.

Today l am about as slovenly as l get, l came to work on the motorbike so that's tan nubuck boots, Levi 504's, a plain white Reiss linen shirt (with cuban collar) and a navy blue Ralph Lauren harrington. I am 57, a fleece and some dad jeans is not going to do me any favours.

He’s a dandy highwayman....

 

[Accy cyclist]

I've just bought these.
https://www.countryattire.com/grenson-bennett-dress-shoes/ca50163348.html?colour=Tan+Hand+Painted
They had 4 sizes available when i turned my laptop off last night. When i looked this morning they had one pair left in size 10,which is my size. Some might say stating they're the last pair makes you panic buy and yes it does to an extent. Anyway,after i clicked to buy them i looked at their site and saw Out Of Stock on the page. The shoes are hand painted,which is explained in this video.



The company i've bought them off has a free returns policy,so if when i open them they don't appeal to me i'll send them back.

 

[MarkF]

I've just bought these.
https://www.countryattire.com/grenson-bennett-dress-shoes/ca50163348.html?colour=Tan+Hand+Painted
They had 4 sizes available when i turned my laptop off last night. When i looked this morning they had one pair left in size 10,which is my size. Some might say stating they're the last pair makes you panic buy and yes it does to an extent. Anyway,after i clicked to buy them i looked at their site and saw Out Of Stock on the page. The shoes are hand painted,which is explained in this video.



The company i've bought them off has a free returns policy,so if when i open them they don't appeal to me i'll send them back.

I've not owned nor worn a pair of shoes since I was at school. How did you come across those and what are you going to wear them with? A guy I work with dresses like a tramp but wears a pair of what must be £500+'s worth of Church boots, he's worn them Mon-Fri for 5 years and they look like new.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I've not owned nor worn a pair of shoes since I was at school. How did you come across those and what are you going to wear them with? A guy I work with dresses like a tramp but wears a pair of what must be £500+'s worth of Church boots, he's worn them Mon-Fri for 5 years and they look like new.

Why don't you wear shoes? Those i've ordered were on the 'Country Attire' site. What will i wear them with? Good question as i don't really know myself! I'll probably wear them with shorts,either with or without socks,depending on how they look and feel. I don't wear pants from April till late September at the earliest. Though i might make an exception this year if it gets cold,though i probably won't do. I'd say the shoes are a bit boat shoe(ish),but not as flimsy as boat shoes. I don't know why they were advertised as dress shoes,because dress shoes certainly do not have such chunky soles as the ones i've ordered. I might even just keep them in the box and wear them when it gets to 'long pants weather'. I bought these 3 weeks ago and they're still in the box.

That colour is cactus green by the way. I keep them in the box so the sunlight coming into my flat doesn't fade them. In fact when i do eventually get round to wearing them i'll only do so on dull days or at night,so they don't fade. Leather shoes can be polished if they fade,but suede is a devil for fading,which would then mean having to dye them.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Why don't you wear shoes? Those i've ordered were on the 'Country Attire' site. What will i wear them with? Good question as i don't really know myself! I'll probably wear them with shorts,either with or without socks,depending on how they look and feel. I don't wear pants from April till late September at the earliest. Though i might make an exception this year if it gets cold,though i probably won't do. I'd say the shoes are a bit boat shoe(ish),but not as flimsy as boat shoes. I don't know why they were advertised as dress shoes,because dress shoes certainly do not have such chunky soles as the ones i've ordered. I might even just keep them in the box and wear them when it gets to 'long pants weather'. I bought these 3 weeks ago and they're still in the box.
View attachment 520385

View attachment 520386
That colour is cactus green by the way. I keep them in the box so the sunlight coming into my flat doesn't fade them. In fact when i do eventually get round to wearing them i'll only do so on dull days or at night,so they don't fade. Leather shoes can be polished if they fade,but suede is a devil for fading,which would then mean having to dye them.

Ooo likey!

 

[contadino]

It was opera night at Casserda Contadini last weekend. Black tie and ball gowns. It occurred to me that I hadn't worn my DJ in 25 years but it still fits rather well.

Oh, and La Rondine was great FWIW.

 

[MarkF]

Why don't you wear shoes? Those i've ordered were on the 'Country Attire' site. What will i wear them with? Good question as i don't really know myself! I'll probably wear them with shorts,either with or without socks,depending on how they look and feel. I don't wear pants from April till late September at the earliest. Though i might make an exception this year if it gets cold,though i probably won't do. I'd say the shoes are a bit boat shoe(ish),but not as flimsy as boat shoes. I don't know why they were advertised as dress shoes,because dress shoes certainly do not have such chunky soles as the ones i've ordered. I might even just keep them in the box and wear them when it gets to 'long pants weather'. I bought these 3 weeks ago and they're still in the box.
View attachment 520385

View attachment 520386
That colour is cactus green by the way. I keep them in the box so the sunlight coming into my flat doesn't fade them. In fact when i do eventually get round to wearing them i'll only do so on dull days or at night,so they don't fade. Leather shoes can be polished if they fade,but suede is a devil for fading,which would then mean having to dye them.

I think I went straight into chelsea boots for going out & kickers for messing about, I never wore shoes again.

I've posted this before, my late father was a builder but he'd come home & go straight in the bath and by the time I saw him, he'd be in a shirt & tie with shoes like mirrors, I have no recollection of him being anything other than immaculate. I took after him, my youngest two take after me, they dress really well and like to have a few quality things rather than a ton of tat, and are total pain in the arse when shopping for clothes or getting ready to go out, my eldest son is "normal".

Accy, I have to say that I think those cactus green shoes are dreadful but...................I'd notice them and I'd admire a man who wore them, after all wearing cactus green loafers is not giving up on life that's for sure. Where does a man wear cactus green suede shoes in Accrington? I don't want to know what you wear them with. I also like your comments about the box and fading, if you buy something nice and expensive that you have coveted, you tend to look after it. Or you've gone all funny and are taking the piss.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Accy, I have to say that I think those cactus green shoes are dreadful but...................I'd notice them and I'd admire a man who wore them, after all wearing cactus green loafers is not giving up on life that's for sure. Where does a man wear cactus green suede shoes in Accrington? I don't want to know what you wear them with. I also like your comments about the box and fading, if you buy something nice and expensive that you have coveted, you tend to look after it. Or you've gone all funny and are taking the piss.

Where indeed! I don't live directly in Accy. I'm in a smaller town 2 to 3 miles away. It's not too bad here. Yes,there are many scruffs,but not everyone is,so some will appreciate my cactus green shoes! Besides,i like to 'hang out' in Clitheroe when we're not under a lockdown. That's a fairly posh and trendy town,so they'll be appreciated there! No,i was serious about the shoes fading, It's easy enough to keep them in the box. I keep the boxes 'expensive shoes' come in by the way. Just a little eccentricity of mine and why not,as you pay for the box as well as the shoe and some people actually buy empty shoe boxes on flea bay! Some of those boxes are so well made it'd be a shame to just chuck them in the recycling bin. I've seem clothes left out for a while fade with direct sunlight,more so obviously in summer than winter. I bought some 'wallabees' from Next the other month. They are stone/beige in colour. They've become marked from just general wear and driving in them. The heel on the right foot shoe has got marked by my black car mats. I've tried to scrub it off and in doing so i've roughened up the suede leather,unfortunately. I'm a bit fastidious about these things,so i'm not happy. I'm toying with the idea of dying them a darker colour to mask the marks. Maybe i'll go for royal blue or even purple!

Just remembered Mark! If you think the cactus green Clarks are a bit OTT. I was toying with the idea (albeit for about 2 minutes) of buying these. https://www.size.co.uk/product/whit...-7e2d-45e6-bbfe-b7c7b54af454&istFeedId=6d68e4

 

[Accy cyclist]

Those Grenson shoes arrived yesterday. I'm very pleased with them! They are very lightweight and the rubber sole is so spongy yet firm. I've worn them today,which is unusual for me as i usually don't wear new shoes or boots for a while after buying them. I was also right about them not being 'dress shoes' as advertised. I'd say they were more walking shoes than deck shoes or dress shoes. If i was asked to rate them,considering the price i got them for i'd give a 9.5 out of 10!