WIW: We Few, We Happy Few...

And after four weeks being absent I am back.  A lot happened in that time: I got married, we went on the honeymoon, we got our home into order, and we went back to work.  And while that last point isn't our favorite, it's good to be back in the swing of things again.  We are pretty worn out, though.


I'll be making a series of posts showing different parts of the wedding and festivities but those will be coming a little later.

This is just a regular 'What I Wore' post.

You might remember the old 1930s Apparel Arts image showing how a safari or similar jacket can be worn in a casual manner:

I really like that image.  It portrays a stylish yet casual and laid back fellow enjoying a puff on a boat, something I'm sure many of us (including myself) wish we could be doing right about now.

What really makes his kit is the ascot, in my opinion, though I'm sure he would look just as dapper without it.

Now, I have a true-blue safari jacket that I've worn in the same manner as the gent above (more about that in the wedding posts), but I decided to put one of my old WW2 jackets to work in a similar manner.

It's an old U.S. Navy cotton twill warm weather dress jacket.  And while it is very similar to the regulation warm weather jacket, I believe it to be specially made.

The box pockets on the skirt have definite British influence and are different from the ordinary patch pockets on regulation jackets.  I really like the scalloped pocket flaps and the full belt that goes all the way around the jacket waist.

When I purchased it (along with its trousers, which are way too short for me) it lacked all but one of the buttons, which are removable.  I picked up some military-looking brass buttons that are very similar to the originals and attached them to the jacket.




So, with the jacket ready I paired it with some Ralph Lauren Polo trousers, GAP socks, vintage 1950s shoes, and a vintage ascot to create the kit below.

The arms are just a tad short but due to the construction of the jacket I'm unable to do anything about that.

I like this look, though it is a bit different than the original 'safari' interpretation of the Apparel Arts image above.  It is definitely a bit eccentric, especially in this day and age in 'fly-over-country'.  But nowadays when most people put very little to no effort in their dress, my thinking is that "we few, we happy few, we band of brothers" that do put in the effort just have to make up for everyone else's lack of it.

If that makes me eccentric then so be it.  Anyways, a little eccentricity is healthy in a man.

Remaking the Ascot

One of the 5 things I'd really like to see make a comeback, the current embodiment of the ascot is the one most stereotyped: it's only for movie stars and/or snobs. While it's nice that Ashton Kutcher vowed to bring back the ascot, he first needs to learn how to wear one. The Return of the Ascot movement needs the likes of Cary Grant at its head.

In olden days the ascot, while still a bit of a higher social standard, perhaps did not have the anti-normal person stigma that it does today. Anyways, back then every man wore a tie and the ascot is just a more casual and dashing form of neckwear. Therefore, I'd like to see the ascot return as an 'everyman' item with no social commentary associated with it. The ascot is also a versatile garment that can tie together or perhaps even make a casual outfit:

click photos to enlarge

Tying an ascot is simple. There are many ways to tie one but the most common way is like tying a Four-In-Hand except you don't tuck the loose end through the knot at the end.

This method assures that the ascot is worn high and tight rather than the modern low and loose fashion attempted by Kutcher and other Hollywood characters today.

The other ways it can be tied are numerous. The summer scarf, a close relative of the ascot, should also be considered.

click photos to enlarge

And while the ascot is most often considered a summer item usually made of lightweight silk or rayon, there are also spring/autumn/winter counterparts made of heavier materials.

An ascot is great for a day of rest and relaxation, when a regular tie would be too stuffy.

Linen, silk and rayon summer scarves can take the place of the ascot if you want to experiment. Wear over a shirt or if you a bit on the lazy/daring side you can take notes from vintage summer scarf wearers and go sans shirt, using the scarf to hide that fact.

The return of the ascot will never be as it once was but if we work at it perhaps we can remove the social commentary that has been built into over the years.

Five Things

There are five things (well, there are more but we'll stick with five) that I'd really like to see come back from obscurity. These five items were commonplace a mere 60 years ago but have disappeared because of changing trends: a move toward the casual and away from anything formal or considered snobbish.

1. Suspenders
Or braces, if you will. And I don't mean the cheesy clip-on suspenders either, though those did exist back in the day. I also don't mean boring black or tan button suspenders (though they have their place when the right occasion calls for them).
I'm talking about colorful button suspenders we never see today apart from the occasional eccentric dandy. Like many of the other items on my list, these bright pant-holders appear too 'costume-ish' to the modern eye.


2. Walking Stick
Not your grandpa's cane nor that of the inner city pimp. A bamboo walking stick is great for walking downtown on a warm summer night, just as long as you are dressed accordingly. But again, society has rejected this once common article as something for the snob with his nose high in the air.
Of course, a walking stick with a sword is preferred since a gentleman needs a stylish form of personal protection. Also comes in handy if you feel like breaking into a dance number.


3. The Boater
Also known as the "42nd Street Skimmer". A difficult hat to pull off, it was a summer favorite of the common man as well as the FBI for a short time. Long stares and open mouths follow this hat wherever it is worn, so be prepared for the fanfare.
And while Jeeves disapprovingly points out that "gentlemen do not wear straw hats in the metropolis, sir", at times I can find him a bit stuffy. Wear it wherever you wish in the warm months.

4. Spats

Need I say more?

5. The Ascot

Or as our English friends like to refer to it, the Cravat. This article, above all else, is considered today to be the sure sign of a foolhardy snob with more money than brains. However, this casual look was popular with men of the middle and high classes back in vintage times, especially in the 1930s. While still a necktie, the loose and flowing ascot provided a flowing cascade of cloth that added a dash of adventurism to any safari jacket or partially open button-down shirt.

A favorite of Fred Astaire who often wore it with a scarf tied around his waist as a belt. Now that is style.

Let's hear what obscure and now scorned items you would like to see make a return.