Junior Senior Banquet + Skip Day

It's Academic/Junior Senior Banquet (5/13)

Senior year is almost over, and the festivities have begun! Today would be my last taping of It's Academic, as well as my two other teammates. Going up to Baltimore accompanied by our former captain (who had just finished his first year at UVA), we played our last match.

The Bennett team mid-conference. Alas, we did not proceed to finals, but came in second.

Post match debriefing with host and D.C. forecaster Dave Zahren, who is pulling off the Wall Street look with his two-tone shirt and matching tie and pocket-square.
Me:
 Vintage Silk Blazer (Evan Picone) USA
Blue Crab Bowtie (Vineyard Vines) USA
Cotton Button Down (J. Crew)
Leather Belt (J. Crew) USA
Dress Watch (Rumours) USA
Slim Fit Club Pants (Vineyard Vines)
Sausage Roll Penny Loafers (Alden) USA

• Vintage Evan Picone Silk Blazer- Passed on from father. This blazer was once sold at Macy's (judging by the patch inside). This was the first time I had paired this blazer with a bowtie (usually I wear a navy knit tie with it for a more conservative Ivy look). Overall, the jacket is versatile year round and I received many compliments for it. Made in USA.
• Vineyard Vines Blue Crab Bowtie- The only bow-tie I hadn't worn on the show yet. For more, see Winter 2017.
• J. Crew Cotton Button Down- See It's Academic.
• J. Crew Leather Belt- See Winter 2017.
• Rumours Dress Watch- When wearing this blazer with a the knit tie, I usually pair my Bulova with it to keep the 1960s vibe true. However, the bowtie did not allow this, so my Rumours watch had to do. For more, see Winter 2017.
• Vineyard Vines Slim Fit Club Pants- See Winter 2017.
• Alden Sausage Roll Penny Loafers- Worn with socks. See Winter 2017.
• *As it was raining and rather chilly for May, I paired my ensemble with a trench-coat that had been cut shorter than most models. This addition gave my Trad based outfit a fashion-forward flair in the vein of J. Press York Street or even Chuck Bass.

While we did not win, our spirits were not broken. We will still be competing at the national competition in Alexandria in three weeks. We also would now be able to make the Junior Senior Banquet being held that evening back home, and stopped at an Annapolis diner for lunch.

The Double T Diner: A historic chain of Maryland restaurants. From its jukeboxes at its tables to the cocktail bar in the middle of the establishment, it was clear that this place hadn't changed since the 1960s. (I do not claim ownership of this photo)

Getting home in time for the banquet, I picked up my date Morgan and we drove to school, where our cafeteria had been turned into an elegant dining hall for a Beauty and the Beast theme. While this was a departure from the typical preppy themes of Kentucky Derby or Martha's Vineyard our school had seen before, I must say it was the most grand of them all.

While I stayed in my outfit from Baltimore, Morgan came out with her Lilly Pulitzer for the event. The two of us could have walked into a country club dinner with no questions asked.

The evening was quite spectacular, with a live orchestra, Italian catering, and underclassmen as servers. When it was time for superlatives to be announced, the Best Dressed award was presented to yours truly.

Me with my friend Katie, who won the award for the girls. My award gift consisted of a strap-on bowtie (which I did not put on as I would have to re-tie my crab one), while her gift was the tiara she is wearing in the photo. 

After the banquet, Morgan and I headed to a friend's house for an after-party of sorts. While I took several pictures at the party, I felt only this one summed it all up. TFM brah.

Nick also wore his outfit from Baltimore to the banquet, but you may notice a few minor changes here. Party on Nick! Party on Tom!

Senior Skip Day (5/15)

While Prom is this upcoming Saturday, one might think that skip day would be the Monday afterwards. However, the school planned the senior award ceremony for that evening, and requires students to attend school that day to attend the ceremony. So what happens to skip day? You make it a week earlier. Morgan and I decided to go to Ocean City for the day (like the majority of my school's seniors). For readers who aren't east coasters like myself, Ocean City is a resort town in Maryland that is famous for its beaches, boardwalk, and amusement parks. It also is a very popular destination for the week after graduating high school not only for Salisbury residents, but seniors from the Baltimore-DC area and NoVA. Hence the infamous name, senior week.

Morgan on the Boardwalk in her gingham shorts and Topsiders.

Baseball Cap (Brooks Brothers)
University Stripe OCBD (Ralph Lauren)
GTH Whale Shorts (Ralph Lauren)
Sausage Roll Penny Loafers (Alden) USA
Clubmaster Shades (Rayban) Italy
Croakies (Vineyard Vines) USA
Anchor Bracelet (KJP) USA
Grant Chronograph Watch (Fossil)

• Brooks Brothers Baseball Cap- Bought from Rehoboth Beach, DE outlet store. The Golden Fleece is a step above the Ralph Lauren pony counterpart. 
• Ralph Lauren University Stripe OCBD- First time I've posted a pic of me wearing an OCBD untucked. Since its the beach, why not? #TFM For more, see Winter 2017.
• Ralph Lauren Whale Shorts- Bought from outlet store in Nags Head, NC. Whale motif? Check. Pink and green? Check. GTH? Check. The Official Preppy Handbook would approve of this combination. While not Vineyard Vines, these whales still hold true to their classic look of GTH. For an even more GTH or fratty look, add a navy blazer. 
• Rayban Clubmaster Shades- See Winter 2017.
• Vineyard Vines Croakies- See Springtime Hike.
• KJP Anchor Bracelet- See Ringing in the New Year.
• Fossil Grant Chronograph Watch- See It's Academic.

The day wouldn't be complete without food from two of OC's most famous businesses:

Thrasher's Fries: An OCMD tradition since 1929

Ice Cream from Dumser's Dairyland (I do not claim
ownership of this photograph)

Ocean City is also home to Quietstorm Surf Shop. Now, one may wonder why a blog about Trad is featuring a surf shop. Quietstorm in fact one of the Eastern Shore of Maryland's few Vineyard Vines retailers, and also sells other preppy brands including Patagonia, Southern Tide, Leatherman Limited Belts, and various brands of premium sunglasses. Merry Fratmas, bros!

Quietstorm Surfshop's Vineyard Vines and Southern Tide Display (ft. Vans)

So that pretty much sums up Senior Skip Day 2017. Its been real!

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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.

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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).

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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!