It's Academic

What is the longest running TV quiz show in America? North America? The world?! The answer to all is It's Academic. Originating in the Baltimore and DC, the show has spawned countless variants across the nation. The Delmarva Peninsula has a total of three competing teams, and I am happy to say that I am a contestant for one of them. For years, my school's team has performed highly on the show, and its former members can now be found at schools including Princeton, Columbia, and UVA (to name only a few). We also have gained a reputation for our distinct sense of style, which holds its roots in Prep and Trad.

****

April 30th

This was my first time as a contestant on the show, as I was filling in for another who was visiting Stanford that weekend. However, it also happened to be the last show of the season, so my transition onto the TV team was a smooth one. It was also today that I was let in on a somewhat recent rule my captain had established: bow tie or no tie. (For those who do not follow my Instagram, this post will be serving as an unmasking of this blog's creator.)

(Left to right) Thomas (me), Kevon (Captain), Luke

Peaked Lapel Suit (Joseph Abboud)
Spread Collar Dress Shirt (Van Heusen)
 Grant Chronograph Watch (Fossil)

• Joseph Abboud Peaked Lapel Suit- Inherited from family friend. Joseph Abboud is now mainly sold at Men's Wearhouse, but has been sold elsewhere in the past. The company currently follows me on Instagram, and has left comments on several posts. Best worn with a long tie.  *My go-to for such an event would typically have been a navy blazer, but other reasons prevented me from doing so. Unless you want to look like Bert Cooper from Mad Men, do not pair a bow tie with a gray suit. I had no other option, and if you do too, that is understandable. If your gray suit is tweed, disregard this. Gray blazers are fine with bow ties too!
• Van Heusen Dress Shirt- Bought at Boscov's, a regional chain of department stores. A cheap, quick fix for a dress shirt. 
• Fossil Grant Chronograph Watch- Bought from Macy's. This watch is equipped with a stopwatch function that will go as far as thirty minutes. While popular with students and in department stores, I recommend Citizen or Seiko instead. Equally popular, they manufacture their watches in Japan, while my Fossil is made elsewhere. I typically try to avoid wearing it with suits, but obviously did not do so here.
• The ties we were wearing were purchased from ties.com by Kevon (at his discretion). Terrible quality, but still a wide variety. While I had planned to wear a navy blazer, the tie he had chosen for me would not look go with it, so I turned to my grey suit as an only hope. 

October 8th

While Kevon had graduated, the bow tie tradition was still in place. It was now up to us to provide our own, which I didn't mind at all. Since it was now autumn, my range of blazer choices had widened!

(Left to right) Nick, Luke (Captain), Thomas
Cotton Button Down (J. Crew)
Sailboat Bow Tie (Vineyard Vines) USA
Vintage Burgundy Blazer (Stafford) USA
Khaki Chinos (Tommy Hilfiger)

• J. Crew Cotton Button Down- Bought from Uptown Cheapskate. A white button down is my go to for blazers and the beach (see JFK). However, this one is not made from oxford cloth like my Stafford and L.L. Bean ones. NEVER to be worn with a suit.
• Vineyard Vines Sailboat Bow Tie- Bought from outlet store in Rehoboth Beach, DE. While its whale is seen on t-shirts in the hallways of many high schools and colleges, we must remember that VV started as a tie maker. While sharing similar designs with Salvatore Ferragamo and Hermes, Vineyard Vines sets itself apart with its specialty in nautical designs, and makes its ties in the USA, while most of its merchandise is imported. 
• Vintage Stafford Blazer- Passed down from grandfather. Another in-house department store brand that I make exceptions for due to its original domestic manufacturing. While now being made outside of the US, most products are imported from Latin America, which tends to be of better quality than East Asian manufacturing. I still am lamenting the closing of my local J.C. Penny from three years ago, and wear my Stafford clothes with fond remembrance. The dark color goes perfect during the fall and winter months, and contrasts perfectly to the blue bow tie. Just like seersucker, do not let this be the first blazer in your wardrobe. Work your way up from herringbone, tweed, or of course, navy. Made in USA.
• Tommy Hilfiger Khaki Chinos- See Christmas 2016. 
• Nick was also donning a US made vintage blazer for the show (which he had inherited). He even managed to find a pair of ticket stubs from a Tommy Dorsey Orchestra concert in one of the pockets. 

January 29th
With the bow tie rule still in place, I wanted to go for my Harris Tweed herringbone blazer for the taping. However, a last minute event changed this and I decided upon a Trad's best friend: the navy blazer.

(Left to Right) Thomas, Nick, Luke
Thomas:
Repp Stripe Bow Tie (Brooks Brothers) USA
Cashmere Crewneck Sweater (Brooks Brothers) Scotland
Cotton Button Down (J. Crew)
Navy 2 Button Blazer (Andhurst) USA
Straight Leg Chinos (Lands End)
Nick:
University Stripe OCBD (J. Crew)
Slim Chinos (J. Crew)
Floral Pocket Square (Tommy Hilfiger)
Repp Stripe Bow Tie (The Tie Bar)
Windowpane Wool Blazer (McGregor) USA

• Brooks Brothers Repp Stripe Bowtie- Inherited from family friend. In signature Brooks burgundy, gold, and navy. Can be worn year round due to such neutrality in the colors. While over $50 in outlet and flagship stores, cheaper alternatives can be found on Ebay. Best paired with a crewneck sweater (if any sweater at all). Made in USA.
• Brooks Brothers Cashmere Crewneck Sweater- One of my proudest purchases ever made. Uptown Cheapskate had the sweater for months, and had marked it down to only $3 when I bought it. Being put out by Brooks' short lived Country Club line, I am not able to determine its official worth. However, on *Ebay it is said to have originally been sold by Brooks for $348, and sold on there for $200. As I would not encourage pursuing a similar sweater at such a price, I say to keep your eyes to used clothing stores for a chance. Made in Scotland. *For more from the Brooks Brothers Country Club collection, visit Ebay for a bargain. 
• Vintage Andhurst Navy Blazer- Passed down from grandfather. This was a former in-house brand of Belk, and was sold exclusively in their stores. However, it was discontinued, and can now only be found on Ebay. It is my slimmest fitting of blazers, and I have even gotten inquiries on whether or not I had it tailored, while the only tailoring it received was during its conception. A navy blazer is a must for any young man in the world of Trad. While Brooks Brothers is known to be the signature navy blazer maker, they have fallen victim to globalized manufacturing, and mark up their prices to great heights. For a higher quality yet inexpensive alternative, search Ebay and used clothing stores for vintage domestic or Anglo made brands. The glory of the navy blazer is that you can wear it with nearly anything in the Trad world. From oxfords to polos, and from khaki pants to bright colored GTH shorts. Made in USA.
• Lands End Chinos- See Ringing in the New Year.
• Nick made use of yet another vintage blazer he inherited from his grandfather. With it, he wore a university stripe J. Crew OCBD (Uptown Cheapskate), with J. Crew chinos, a Tommy Hilfiger pocket square, and a repp stripe bow tie from The Tie Bar (a provider of inexpensive yet durable neck wear).

****

With our win on the 29th, I am happy to say we will be returning for the semifinals on May 13th. Until then, catch us air on April 29th on WJZ-CBS Baltimore! 

Snowbound 2017

This is the sight I awoke to this morning. The first snow storm of the season was upon us. By the time this is posted, I expect at least 10 inches of that fluffy white stuff to have accumulated. I don't mind though. Being snowed in is a treat on the Delmarva peninsula, and I intend to make the most of it. 

***

Morning 

Don't be the guy lounging around in his boxers on a weekend morning. Investing in a proper robe and pajamas is what separates the men from the boys. Think Lord Grantham or any character from Mad Men. While fictional, these men could pull off this look with style. When it comes to a robe, be those guys. DO NOT, be Jeff Bridges from the Big Lebowski. 

Terry Cloth Robe (L.L. Bean)
Blackwatch Flannel Pajamas (Club Room)

Hand-sewn Flannel Lined Slippers (L.L. Bean)

*Stria Crew Socks (Smartwool) USA
*unpictured

• L.L. Bean Terry Cloth Robe- Ordered from catalog. Made of 100% Turkish terry cloth, this robe has served me well over the years, and is my second from L.L. Bean (I had to retire my chamois one years ago). As with most of their clothing, Bean offers monogramming for their robes, something I did not take them up on at the time of purchase. Another perk of the terry cloth robe is that it can be worn year-round (unlike the flannel, chamois, and rugby robes also offered by Bean). The only flaw with terry cloth is its wear and tear with age, much like a towel. Like any light robe, can be paired with a t-shirt and shorts during warmer months.
• Club Room Blackwatch Flannel Pajamas (Gift) - Bought from Macy's. Club Room is Macy's attempt at a preppy/trad clothing brand sold exclusively at their stores, as well as being imported from overseas. Normally I try to avoid in-house department store brands, but I make exceptions for this one due to its use of natural fibers (unlike its fast fashion counterpart Alfani). L.L. Bean makes an identical set but for a greater price. However, there is no difference in quality, as both are imported. Seeing that Bean did not offer monogramming on this item at the time, I decided to go with the more affordable, but equally durable, Macy's equivalent. Only to be worn during the colder months. 
• L.L. Bean Handsewn Flannel Lined Slippers- Ordered from website. Highly reminiscent of a boat shoe or moccasin, but with the padded sole of a bedroom slipper. Like the pajamas, best worn during the colder months due to their flannel lining (but I confess to wearing these year-round). My only complaint about these are their leather laces. While adding another boat shoe touch to the slippers, they come untied quite frequently and are too short to double knot. 
• Smartwool Stria Crew Socks (Gift)- Bought from my local shoe store Vernon Powell (also the only retailer of Patagonia and Vineyard Vines in my town). Provides the same extra warmth as J. Crew Camp Socks, but without the extra bulk, and can be worn with non-boots too (as seen here). These socks also happen to be offered by L.L. Bean on their website, which in turn offers free shipping at no minimum order. So rather than ordering from the Smartwool website and getting hit hard with fees, order from Bean instead. Or do as my family did and support a your local business that may sell them! Made in the USA.

Outside

When it comes to snow, the two core brands I rely upon are J. Crew and L.L. Bean. Today, both brands did me justice as I trudged through the streets of my snowbound neighborhood. 

Italian Wool Pea Coat (J. Crew)
Grey Wool Scarf (Unbranded) USA
Leather Gloves (Altare)
Driggs Khaki Chinos (J. Crew)
8" Bean Boots (L.L. Bean) USA
*Camp Socks (J. Crew) USA
*unpictured

Norwegian Sweater (L.L. Bean) Norway
Pink OCBD (unbranded) USA

• J. Crew Italian Wool Pea Coat- Bought at Uptown Cheapskate for only $11 compared to $300 from online. I favor using this coat in sub-frozen temperatures such as these. Any day over 32 degrees I leave to my Bedale. Goes best over sweaters than just an OCBD or blazer. For casual/semi-formal wear only. 
• Unbranded Wool Scarf- While normally I would say how I acquired this piece of clothing, I cannot do so in this case. All I can say is this: "Quality over name". That is my motto when it comes to clothing selection. A similar scarf from Ralph Lauren may be made in China, but while this one lacks a name, it is domestically made. When given a choice, always choose the item of better quality, even if it lacks brand recognition. This scarf has served me well over the years, and can be worn be virtually any winter combination due to its neutral coloring. Made in USA.
• Altare Leather Gloves- Gifted years ago. Bought from my local department store Boscov's. While not a recognizable or quality brand, I use these gloves due to their warm lining and fine appearance. Can be worn casually (as seen here) or with an overcoat and suit for dressier occasions.
• J. Crew Driggs Chinos- Bought at Uptown Cheapskate for $15. As I do not own any wool or snow pants, these slim cotton khaki chinos did the job in the snow. To prevent them from getting soaked, I was able to tuck them into my Bean Boots for protection. I typically wear these pants strictly with boots and in the autumn and winter seasons, and strictly casually. 
• L.L. Bean 8" Bean Boots- Finally put to full use today, but were disrespected by the 10" deep snow. For more, see Christmas 2016. 
• J. Crew Camp Socks- Did not do me full justice today in the snow. I am tempted to layer them with Smartwool in the future. For more, see Ringing in the New Year.
• L.L. Bean Norwegian Sweater- Thanks to this and the pea coat, my upper body experienced little to no discomfort in the cold. If they do the job in Lillehammer, they can do the job in Salisbury. For more, see Christmas 2016.
• Unbranded Pink Oxford Cloth Button Down- Inherited from late family friend. Another case of quality over branding. While a Brooks Brothers classic, this pink oxford carries an almost greater quality due to its domestic manufacturing (while Brooks now imports most of its clothing). While lacking a brand label, I have reason to believe that this shirt may have been made for Hutzler's, a popular Maryland chain of department stores that closed in 1990 which made most of its goods domestically. I own two other OCBDs from Hutzler's with their brand label, so the identity of this one particular shirt is still up for discussion. Made in USA.
• I finally paired my ensemble with a grey herringbone flat-cap from Stetson (also bought at Boscov's) that completed the outfit with a somewhat British vibe. I hope to one day upgrade to a Harris Tweed version of this hat (as Stetson's specialty is cowboy hats, and is no longer quality made). Until then, I will settle for the version I have.

Day Two 

The snow isn't going anywhere, so neither is my L.L. Bean.

Classic Ragg Wool Henley Sweater (L.L. Bean)
Tattersall OCBD (Polo Ralph Lauren)

Driggs Khaki Chinos (J. Crew)
Wool Socks (J. Crew) USA

• Bean's Classic Ragg Wool Henley Sweater (Gift)- Ordered from website. Provides almost the same level of warmth as my Norwegian. Preferably worn with a button down, but can also be paired with turtle necks and t-shirts. A hallmark of Bean's New England winter look.
• Polo Ralph Lauren Tattersall Oxford Cloth Button Down- Bought at an outlet store in Nags Head, NC. There are different variants of tattersall, and this one happens to be versatile year round unlike others. While one may pair a tattersall shirt with a blazer for dressier occasions, I have reserved mine for casual wear.
• J. Crew Wool Socks- Bought from J. Crew's Michigan Avenue store during my visit to Chicago. Are softer and less bulky than camp socks, and may even be attempted with loafers. They surprisingly provided me with more warmth than the camp socks did yesterday. Have gotten many compliments on the account of these socks. Made in USA. 

***

Had this come two weeks ago, we would have had a white Christmas. But hey, who am I to complain. Winter is finally here!

Ringing in the New Year

Its time to say goodbye to 2016. Some would rather say good riddance. We've lost so many stars this year, ranging from David Bowie at its beginning to Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds at its end. And let's not forget that presidential election that kept us on the edge of our seats. While we may wish to forget all that has happened, 2016 is sure to go down in the history books. 2017 needs to be brought in with celebration, and that is why I am here.

***

Panera Lunch and Barnes and Noble with my Girlfriend

Monogrammed Oxford Cloth Button Down (L.L. Bean)
Woven Leather Belt (J. Crew) USA
Gray Chinos (Lands End)

Kennedy Sail Anchor Bracelet (Kiel James Patrick) USA
14k Gold Accutron Watch (Bulova) Switzerland
Striped Cotton Watchband (Brooks Brothers)

8" Bean Boots (L.L. Bean) USA
*Camp Socks (J. Crew) USA
*unpictured

• L.L. Bean Monogrammed OCBD- See Christmas 2016
• J. Crew Woven Leather Belt- Bought at outlet store in Nags Head, NC. This belt has proven itself to be quite problematic in its end falling out of the loops. However, it did not do this with the chinos I wore today. Made in the USA. Can be worn with pretty much any color of chino, but never to be worn with suits.
• Lands End Chinos- Bought from my local Uptown Cheapskate, a thrift store specializing in upscale clothing and brands. Appeared to have little to no wear on them. Have flapped pockets on the rear, a Trad eye-catcher. As I purchased these a few days ago, I have not had time to get them hemmed by my tailor. Will be taking them in along with my new Nantucket Reds in the new year. Please pardon the current length and wrinkles. Can be paired with a navy blazer for dressy occasions when ironed.
• Kiel James Patrick Anchor Bracelet- Ordered from KJP.com during Black Friday sale of 2015. The variety of styles and colors is vast, but I chose this navy and white one on basis of its name. Can be worn casually but also with a navy blazer at dressier events. While one of the youngest companies I buy from, KJP is undoubtedly the most superior. Making all his jewelry, accessories, and clothing in his factory (a remodeled boat house and cabin) in Rhode Island, Mr. Patrick remains a beacon of hope in the sartorial world for American made products. Here's to you Kiel!
• Vintage 1960s 14k Gold Bulova Accutron- Inherited from grandfather. While now mainly a department store brand of watch, Bulova was once acclaimed for its popular space age Accutron watch. Once using a tuning fork for movement, the company phased this out and switched to quartz in 1977. Accutrons are still produced today, but using this new quartz movement. I am happy to say I own the tuning fork version, which is made in the land of the Swiss! Can be worn formally and casually (depending on its current band).
• Brooks Brothers Striped Band (Gift)- Purchased from outlet store in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Fits the Accutron perfectly and can be removed with ease! Comes in a variety of patterns, but I decided on the classic Brooks red, yellow, and navy. Only to be worn casually.
• J. Crew Wool Camp Socks- Purchased from J. Crew's Michigan Avenue store in Chicago. Like sweaters for the feet. Come in a variety of colors and ideally worn with boots like so. Made in the USA. Have served me well through one and a half winters of chill and snow. 
• L.L. Bean 8" Bean Boots - See Christmas 2016

New Years Eve Dinner and Party
I decided to go with my outfit from earlier in the day, but made one change to the get-up.

Monogrammed OCBD (L.L. Bean)
Woven Leather Belt (J. Crew) USA
GTH  Corduroy Duck Hunting Pants (Polo Ralph Lauren)
8" Duck Boots (L.L. Bean) USA
Camp Socks (J. Crew) USA
Vintage 14k Gold Accutron Watch (Bulova) Switzerland
Repp Striped Watchband (Brooks Brothers)
Kennedy Sail Anchor Bracelet (KJP) USA

• Ralph Lauren Corduroy GTH Duck Hunting Pants (Gift)- Bought from Ebay. Much more affordable than buying from any department or Ralph Lauren store. Embroidered with ducks, hunters, and rifles. According to The Official Preppy Handbook, "At least one pair of embroidered [corduroy pants] is a must." My family was initially not amused with these pants, but they soon grew on them. Due to their loud appearance, I recommend only wearing these on select occasions, and not with other GTH colors or styles. For a more country club inspired look, pair with horse-bit loafers or boat shoes instead of duck boots. Herringbone blazer optional.

***

Anyways, enjoy ringing in the New Year! Happy 2017!!!