Spring Break 2018

So yeah, spring break was lit! Went to Cancun, drank til my liver needed a transplant, and became the poster boy for both TFM and Old Row.... Nah, spring break was spent in Salisbury chillin' and workin'. With half a semester left to go, a recharge never hurts. My week was pretty low key, but here are a few of the highlights...

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Sunday March 18th
I began the day with lunch with my friend Allison at Backstreet Grill, a popular after-church dining spot for much of Salisbury. We ran into my friend Mason, as well as my pastor and several others during the hour and a half we were there.

When Allison asks to get a picture of you during lunch.

Navy Blazer (Belk) USA
1st Staffordshire Repp Tie (Unbranded) England
OCBD (L.L. Bean)

• Belk Navy Blazer- First time worn in several months due to the end of tweed weather. For more, see other posts.
• 1st Staffordshire Repp Tie- Bought this from Season's Best Antiques, my go-to for authentic Ivy staples. I know little about this tie other than the fact that its "Authentic English" and its skinny cut places it in the early to mid 1960s. The fact that it's in William & Mary colors also made it irresistible to buy. Made in England.
• L.L. Bean OCBD- See other posts.

After lunch and a quick change of outfit, I hit the golf course with Mason, taking advantage of our new club memberships for the first time. 'Twas a rough game, but better than the last one.

Ignoring both my terrible score and wrinkled pants.

Wayfarer Sunglasses (Ray Ban) Italy
OCBD (L.L. Bean)
Cardigan Sweater (Prestige Lines) USA
Sutton Chinos (J. Crew)
Sausage Roll Penny Loafers (Alden) USA

• Prestige Lines Cardigan Sweater- Bought from Uptown Cheapskate for only $3. According to the staff there, a man brought in nearly 10 of these cardigans to sell, likely the result of a failed brand creation. I had never heard of "Prestige Lines" before, but I obviously had heard of "Made in the USA". So naturally, I bought one, and so did Nick when he was home from Vanderbilt on break. A cardigan can be tricky to pull off. When purchasing, look for the slimmest option. Years ago, I made the mistake of letting my parents know I wanted a cardigan for Christmas, and ended up with a bright red one from Lands End that was tent-like on my frame. Lets just say that sweater doesn't get around very much. Moral of the story is that fit makes or breaks a cardigan sweater. Go slim and look like a young Hugh Hefner, or roomy and look like your granddad. The choice is yours. 
• J. Crew Sutton Chinos- Need ironing. For more, see other posts.
• Alden Penny Loafers- Until I buy a pair of actual golf shoes, these will do. For more, see other posts.

Friday March 23rd

What happened Monday to Thursday? Yard-work, regular work, hanging with friends, etc. Didn't think to document any of it through photos though. Oh well. Today, however, I did feel was photo-worthy. I went with my friend Chris on a drive to the little village of Tyaskin, MD on the Nanticoke River. The place is near and dear to my heart, as my late grandfather lived here. His old house, which is now owned by a prominent Salisbury attorney, is a minute walk from Tyaskin Park, a popular river beach during summer months. Chris and I visited the park for a few minutes, but left due to the chilly breeze coming off the river.

Tyaskin Park is a popular spot for fishing, crabbing, and swimming during warmer months. When a 70 degree day hit Salisbury about a month back, you'd better bet this place was crowded. That's Delmarva for you!

The island behind me was always the spot my cousins and I aspired to one day swim out to. Too bad it was also home of "the lake monster". Needless to say, us kids never swam out farther than the tip of the pier.

Pinpoint Hat (Harding Lane)
Wayfarer Sunglasses (Ray Ban) Italy
Tattersall OCBD (L.L. Bean) USA
Cotton Sweatshirt (J. Crew)
Bedale Waxed Jacket (Barbour) England
Accutron Watch (Bulova) Switzerland
Sutton Chinos (J. Crew)
Bean Boots (L.L. Bean) USA

• Harding Lane Pinpoint Hat- Recently discovered SU's bookstore carries one with the Maryland flag on it. Might be adding another to my collection very soon. For more, see other posts.
• L.L. Bean Tattersall OCBD-  See Williamsburg, VA.
• J. Crew Cotton Sweatshirt- Bought from outlet in Rehoboth Beach, DE. My alternative to the hoodie. A crewneck sweatshirt can be worn with almost everything. Pair with an OCBD and penny loafers for a Take Ivy look, or with Bean Boots/Sperrys for a preppy one. Save the bright colors until at least January though.
• Barbour Bedale- About to enter its last month of use before being sent for rewaxing in May. For more, see other posts.
• Bulova Accutron- Recently had to get the crystal replaced. Now in better shape than ever! For more, see other posts.
• L.L. Bean Boots- Will be retired for the season as the temperatures gradually transition into the 60s. For more, see other posts.

Want a little house with your pink? One of several homes for sale in Tyaskin. 

After leaving Tyaskin, Chris and I then drove through the village of Bivalve before heading back to Salisbury. 

Bivalve is home to Cedar Hill Marina, where my grandfather docked his boat. The marina also hosted the Great North American Turtle Race, sponsored by the town's fire department. Sadly, the race is one of the many events to have ceased taking place in and around Salisbury.

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So here lieth my spring break. Complete with sweaters, duck boots, and snow on Wednesday. Doesn't sound too different from winter break. RIP

Fragrance Guide: Sandalwood, Spice, and Bays that are Nice

After a nearly two month hiatus, I am back! I have been extra busy this semester, and have had little time to blog. So today I will be changing up things a bit and giving my first ever product review on the blog. However, here are some posts to look forward to in the next coming weeks and months: Easter festivities, a trip to Providence, RI, beach bonfire on Assateague Island, Kentucky Derby Spring Formal, and hopefully, a week in Avon, NC with the boys.

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Cleanliness is key. Your collection of sweaters, oxford shirts, and chinos will do you no good without it. A well dressed but foul smelling man just might as well be wearing rags. However, if you are reading this blog, the chance you need to hear this very slim. You already know it. However, I will still point out that there is a difference between not smelling bad and smelling good. Today's post is about the latter. Most guys want to smell good, and have wanted to since they were tweens. Remember the days of Axe body spray after gym class or before your 8th grade dance? You wanted to smell good then too, and wanted to prove it by dousing yourself in cheap chemicals that are probably now burning a hole in the Ozone layer. Well, now that your body spray days are (hopefully) over, it is time to select a scent of moderation and maturity. I will be giving four reviews of products ranging from inexpensive to premium makers.

Old Spice Classic Cologne & Aftershave

Confession time: yours truly was of the body spray crowd too when he was in middle school. However, Axe was never my go-to. Old Spice put out their own collection of sprays as well, which I was enamored with. After doing my fair share of atmospheric damage with the numerous cans bought over the course of my middle school days, I one day decided that my spraying days were over, and switched over to designer cologne for a few months (Aramis & Drakkar Noir). However, my allegiances soon returned to Old Spice after discovering that they too had a cologne that was much more inexpensive.

Old Spice cologne comes with a spraying function. Meanwhile, aftershave (above) is to be dabbed or splashed on.

The great thing about Old Spice is its price and availability. While the cologne is harder to find (but not by much), the aftershave can be found in just about any drugstore, and for slightly over $10. Probably the most Ivy of my favorite fragrances. Combine with the scents Brylcreem and cigarette smoke for the smell of just about any 1960s college campus. Madison Avenue made this the scent of the alpha male back then, and continues to today (for other products).

Chesapeake Bay Spyce

We now shift to another spice, or rather "spyce". Chesapeake Bay Spyce is a local company based in Easton, MD (see my post). However, I have found the cologne in men stores as far South as Williamsburg, VA. I received a bottle as a Christmas gift, and it is now my go-to every day scent that doesn't clash at all with my Old Spice aftershave. Just like Brylcreem, a little dab 'll do ya. This stuff is strong! For all my Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia readers (on and off the Peninsula), I especially recommend this for you. Look in local men stores, pharmacies, and gift shops. I got my bottle from the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art in Salisbury. And if you happen to live somewhere else, such as the landlocked Midwest, and want the smell of the Bay, I won't accuse you of cultural appropriation. You can get Chesapeake Spyce on Amazon for the same price as in stores!

A 4 oz. bottle of CB Spyce sells for about $30 for those who are wondering.

Showcasing the Delmarva Peninsula on the back of the box.

It wouldn't be a Chesapeake Bay cologne without something involving the Blue Crab.

Caswell-Massey Sandalwood Cologne

The oldest American fragrance company (so old, it used to be British) puts out the next fragrance on our list. I bought a bottle three years ago before my summer class at William & Mary. While a haze of Axe hung over the rooms of many of my other dorm mates, the room I shared always had the smell of Sandalwood. For these reasons, I always associate this sweet smelling fragrance with the school and the wonderful people I met there. After a year of almost daily use of Sandalwood, I made the move back to Old Spice during my senior year of high school, only using the C-M for special occasions. 

With a thin layer covering the bottom of the bottle, my bottle of Sandalwood has lasted me nearly three years. Oddly enough, the price has gone up from the time I bought it. Being $35 in 2015 and now $45 in 2018.

St. Johns Bay Rum

Highest on the price spectrum of my recommended fragrances is this bad boy. Imported from the Virgin Islands and costing $50 for a bottle, Bay Rum can be found in local men stores and giants such as Brooks Brothers alike. I am always sure to take a sample spritz when shopping at the stores that carry it. After I finish my bottle of Chesapeake Bay Spyce, I will likely move on to Bay Rum before deciding which scent to actually stick with.

Ivy-Style.com coins Bay Rum as the "scent of Madison Avenue". Want to smell like Don Draper (minus the stench of cigarettes)? Then this is the cologne for you! (picture property of ivy-style.com)

Honorable and Dishonorable Mentions

The scents endorsed above are certainly not the only ones that will do. While I typically recommend against them, some clothing companies do produce a decent cologne for a decent price. Brooks Brothers and Polo are examples of this. Do not bother with Tommy Hilfiger or Nautica's lines of fragrances. The biggest NO I give is Fierce by A&F, and I'm not even going to explain why. Even colognes from high fashion houses such as Gucci, Armani, etc. I recommend against. Their specialty is clothes, so buy from someone whose specialty is fragrances. Then again, as I said before, exceptions can always be made. In the end, once you have found a scent you like, wear it proudly and stick with it.

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