Retrospective: 2018

Hello readers. 2018 was a crazy year. As you may have noticed, I have not been able to post much during the summer and autumn/winter months. Because of this, I have decided to compile any pictures that were not featured in earlier into one mega post for the later months of the year.

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As mentioned earlier, I took a job this past summer with SU's English Language Institute. The job consisted of driving vans for the summer international students and providing them with a link into American life. The students came from all over, including Korea, China, Japan, and Spain. While I made an effort to get to know all of the students, the group I connected with the most was the Spanish students. It was a group of roughly 50 from the city of Malaga, who were all rising sophomores like myself. While I took many pictures at the planned activities, my phone's untimely demise prevents me from sharing them with you. However, I did manage to take some photos with my new phone, so I bring you them today.

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World Cup Party (July)

Two days after the arrival of the Spanish was the final match of the World Cup. With soccer being a pretty big deal in Spain, my boss decided to host a viewing party at his house. While many photos were taken that day and uploaded to WhatsApp, the destruction of my phone prevents me from sharing them. However, one picture did resurface in a "Miss You" post on Instagram. While I don't usually favor selfies on the blog, I'll make an exception here.

Wayfarer Sunglasses (Ray Ban) Italy
Athletic Fit Polo Shirt (Brooks Brothers)

• Ray Ban Wayfarer Sunglasses- Genetically attached during the summer, I know. For more, see other posts.
• Brooks Brothers Athletic Fit Polo Shirt- Not from my preferred Golden Fleece Line, but I'll still take it. The fit is much more streamlined and looks good tucked or untucked. Bought from Uptown Cheapskate. Looks good with yellow or khaki shorts

Assateague Island (July)
The waters of the Mid-Atlantic are much rougher than those of the Mediterranean, on which Malaga is situated. We chose the perfect day to bring the students to the beach, and it didn't rain until the very second we got on the bus to return to Salisbury. While we made the promise of seeing the wild horses on the island, they ultimately refused to show.

El Americano

Chappy Flag Trunks (Vineyard Vines)

• Vineyard Vines Chappy Flag Trunks- As I was told several times that day, these trunks make me look "very American". See other posts for more.

Farewell Banquet (August)
When the Summer ELI program started years ago, the goodbye was a simple pool party and potluck at the director's house. Now, it is a catered event held in Salisbury University's fine dining hall. While I normally would don a blazer in such situations, my coworker Matt suggested all of the male employees wear suits. Typically, I opt for a seersucker or tan poplin suit during the summertime. However, given the international nature of the event, I decided to opt for a continental 1960s look rather than that of a Southern lawyer. Goodbye Atticus Finch. Hello Mr. Bond/Draper.

One of many goodbye photos taken that day.

Gray Flannel Suit (Joseph Abboud)
Point Collar Dress Shirt (Van Heusen)
 Tie (Brooks Brothers) USA
Captoe Dress Shoes (Bostonian)

• Joseph Abboud Gray Flannel Suit- Had the peak lapels altered to regular for cosmetic reasons. Still need to have the pants cuffed, but other than that, Joe Abboud is holding up for me until I decide to up my game to Brooks Brothers.
• Van Heusen Dress Shirt- Yes, its a brand that can be bought at regional department stores such as Boscov's and Belk, but its been around for decades! While they are nowhere near the quality of Brooks Brothers, they are a cheap fix for the man on the hunt for a dress shirt.
• Brooks Brothers Tie- Bought at Rehoboth Beach outlet store. Made for Brooks' infamous Black Fleece collection, this tie was originally set at a price of $125 until I bought it for only 1/5th of that price. While most stuff from Black Fleece I wouldn't be caught dead in, this tie's slim cut is a throwback to the company's mid-century heyday. Made in USA.
• Bostonian Captoe Dress Shoes- Five years old and still kickin', literally. For more, see other posts.

Bonfire at Assateague Island (October)

Lets skip to Autumn now. The two months that followed August were rough, as they saw the final days of my grandfather, to whom I was very close.  Needless to say, I didn't much think to keep the blog or Instagram updated, as I was not out doing anything for the most part. In the end, we must focus on the things that really matter. However, I did manage to make it out to a beach bonfire in mid October.

"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is a true story involving a bonfire.

Bedale Waxed Jacket (Barbour) England
Fisherman Sweater (L.L. Bean) Ireland
Tattersall Shirt (Orvis)
Driggs Chinos (J. Crew)
*Duck Boots (L.L. Bean) USA

• Barbour Bedale Waxed Jacket- First time used this season. A cold front hit the Peninsula the day before, dropping the lows to the 40s. I planned on sending it for waxing over the summer, but time got away from me. So in November, I decided to undertake the task of waxing it on my own. It was a process that took about an hour and a half. The wax kept having to be remelted. In the end, I don't think I did that bad of a job. If you make time for it, I highly recommend waxing your jacket itself rather than sending it away (at least once)!
• L.L. Bean Fisherman Sweater- Ordered on eBay for $60, compared to $169 from Bean itself. Along with duck boots, tote bags, and Norwegian sweaters, it is one of the few items left made by L.L. Bean in quality countries. Many brands try to replicate these sweaters, and many will fail with their Chinese made alternatives. The only thing ranking higher L.L. Bean's sweater would be one from an Irish brand.
• Orvis Tattersall Shirt- Brought it out of storage the day before. See other posts for more.
• J. Crew Driggs Chinos- In a shade of deep dark khaki. Probably my most versatile pair of pants during Fall/Winter. They are a bit too dark for Spring/Summer, but by then, we are all eager to be wearing pastel shorts again.
• L.L. Bean Duck Boots- Broken out in early September during a 70 degree rainy day, but returned to storage again until October. Those things are like foot saunas! For more, see other posts.

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Happy 2019! 

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. 

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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. 

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