CBD WAYWRN: An Experiment - Page 13

Fixed pic in first post. Imageshack seems to be denied to us forever, not a temporary glitch. RIP.

I don't want this thread to become a discussion of "Is X CBD or not?" I think that would get dull. And, it misses the point.

The point of this thread, again, is not to define CBD. Remeber how thread after thread of "Is Y Trad?" made that subforum so tedious? Let's not do that here.

The point of this thread is to see how we can combine a certain level of flair (no Office Space) with the necessity of dressing soberly in a business enviornment. So, it's about what looks good and what we can get away with. I think by now we all know how to achieve Absolute CBD on the CBD Kelvin scale. That's pretty easy. I also think that, these days, the regular WAYWRN goes way too far most of the time.

This thread is an outgrowth of the SF bitch session thread to see if we can have a different kind of conversation. Hence the subtitle "An Experiment."

I like it in moderation. To make it really arch, you need a tie clasp or a vest or both. Without it the tie will naturally fall, which is fine with me.

True. This is case by case, or "I know it when I see it." Sometimes it looks good. I did not think Moo's was as good. The more I reflect on it, I think monochrome looks better with blues and grays than with browns and tans. I also think, as I said earlier, that light on light is the hardest tonal combination to get right.

Loafers are acceptable in business and have been for many years. Personally, I still dislike loafers with a suit. If you are going to do it, it's best to wear a sleek, sturdy loafter -- a Lobb or a Green, say -- that keeps its shape and not a soft loafer that shows all its creases. The latter really are only for odd jackets and casual wear.

On knit ties: they can work. I wear them to work sometimes. Not often. I might do so soon just as a demo. They are my go-to tie for odd jackets.

On bow ties: I pretty much never see them in New York. On a genuine trad, or on a certain type of English inspired dandy, I would say they are OK. But to do it well they must be a part of your personality, which must be known. I think for most guys it would not work. As a general matter, bow ties look much better with odd jacekts than with suits, and MUCH better with a vest than without.