HOF: What Are You Wearing Right Now - Part IV (starting May 2014)

[coldsalmon]

I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for, but check out Balmoral boots. They're like Oxford shoes, but in boot form. It's about as formal as you can get with boots. Not easy to find though.

AE has one coming up in their fall/winter lineup called the Stirling; I'm not sure it's for me though. What I would really like is a sense of style sufficient to wear a blucher boot with a tie.

 

[jdp234]

Thanks for all the thoughtful answers! You guys are the best.



You are right - I usually take photos from higher up, but I wanted to accentuate the boots in those shots. I recently got an iPhone which seems to have a much worse camera than my Pixel 2, but the company is paying for it so I can't refuse.


I understand the concept - I just can't execute it because I don't know how casual or formal different things are. I paired these items together because I thought they were approximately in the same place on the spectrum. But I have learned not to trust my own eye because, to put it succinctly, I have no sense of style. I'm not trying to be bold or to do an unusual pairing here - I just think that a navy hopsack jacket is on approximately the same level as a (knockoff) galway boot. Now of course I have learned that this is not correct, but I still consider this a success because I now have some new information.

Do you really think a madder tie is too formal for a navy blazer? Just where exactly does this blazer fall? I thought it was supposed to be a very versatile jacket, but if it's too casual for a madder tie and too formal for a galway boot I don't really know what I could wear it with.

Trousers are hopsack as well btw.

Thanks again for your replies! I feel more confused than ever, but I'm learning.

I also suspect the boots are being magnified by camera optical distortion and perspective, and so i think with that caveat they are fine although I don’t love that shade of brown with that shade of grey. It isn’t bad or wrong but burgundy would be better.

The boots are IMO not radically out of wack formality wise for a patch pocket mid navy hopsack blazer and lighter than mid grey trousers fit. If you were in midnight serge with pewter buttons and true mid grey trousers, I’d agree on formality critique, that is an evening outfit that wants black tassels. But the boots really are best suited to something less “city” than you are wearing.

I think the tie is fine, madder print is pretty middle of the road for a hopsack blazer (very ivy). White square might be too stark, save it for a darker serge blazer (where it is perfectly appropriate).

All told you look good. Post a picture of the shoes from chest height and I’m sure folks will re-evaluate.

 

[jcmeyer]

Any elaboration would be appreciated! So far I have purchase two pairs of boots that were rejected by this august assembly as illegal to wear with a tie. I hope this does not make it three.

I think this has been said in many different ways, but I don't think you will be successful if you try to make something more casual by pairing it with less casual things. That was the central point of that blog post you cited a while back, and I'm thinking you maybe missed that point. So the navy sportcoat will not work with heavy boots like those. Also the white TV square and the tie are most likely too formal for the navy hopsack sportcoat+gray worsted pants combo. So you've got like three different levels going on there. Chukkas might work better, and maybe something like a repp tie or something less formal, and probably not a white TV fold.

It's a mix of what everyone has said but to me, first and foremost, it's the formality clash as dalevy said. The uniform/security guard has the ability to be the most formal odd jacket combo there is, just shy of a worsted grey or blue suit. You can casualize it maybe just slightly further than Cleav did on the previous page; you could go button-down collar, striped or larger patterned tie, flannel trousers instead of flat worsted, a more colorful square, and loafers or chukkas. But as D said, you want each of those items to be pretty close in formality.

Part of what makes the boots less formal is how chunky they are compared to the skinny jacket and trousers -- so camera angle aside that is causing some of the dissonance.

I know that doesn't really help a ton if you aren't really able to judge formality yet, but you'll pick that up -- and you can always just copy people in this thread who have a look you like.

 

[bernoulli]

Gentlemen, thank you for the thumbs up.

 

[Mr. Six]

 

[jdp234]

View attachment 1031591

What, no fun square to a make it a perfectly executed four-pattern fit?

 

[Michael81]

AE has one coming up in their fall/winter lineup called the Stirling; I'm not sure it's for me though. What I would really like is a sense of style sufficient to wear a blucher boot with a tie.

I have a pair of MTO balmoral boots from Carmina and they're surprisingly versatile. I wear them with pretty much anything. Can recommend.

 

[Pete E]

II just think that a navy hopsack jacket is on approximately the same level as a (knockoff) galway boot. Now of course I have learned that this is not correct, but I still consider this a success because I now have some new information.

Do you really think a madder tie is too formal for a navy blazer? Just where exactly does this blazer fall? I thought it was supposed to be a very versatile jacket, but if it's too casual for a madder tie and too formal for a galway boot I don't really know what I could wear it with.

Trousers are hopsack as well btw.

Personally, (and its just my opinion and I am not an expert) I think in this case its the wide spectrum of formality that's the issue...I would imagine that the blazer could be worn casually with jeans/chino's, desert boots, and a Oxford Button Down Shirt for instance, or worn dressed up with more formal shoes, trousers and a shirt and tie, but when worn with heavy boots and a formal tie just don't quite go...

I should add its not that your outfit looks "terrible" to me, rather just "not quite right"...

 

[Pete E]

I have a pair of MTO balmoral boots from Carmina and they're surprisingly versatile. I wear them with pretty much anything. Can recommend.
View attachment 1031615

I like those very much and that's exactly the type of boot I had in mind in my earlier post...

 

[smittycl]

AE has one coming up in their fall/winter lineup called the Stirling; I'm not sure it's for me though. What I would really like is a sense of style sufficient to wear a blucher boot with a tie.

I wear Allen Edmonds First Avenue in black when it's cold and sloppy out. Very comfy and they look like dress shoes when worn with a suit. The Stirling looks a bit rustic for tailored clothing at work. Chelsea boots also work well.

AE Dalton boots work very well for casual wear.

 

[coldsalmon]

Part of what makes the boots less formal is how chunky they are compared to the skinny jacket and trousers

Well I can't do anything about my wide feet, so I guess every shoe is going to look a few degrees more casual on me versus other people. These are AE Sullivan Streets btw. Here are some pics of other people wearing these same boots, probably in slimmer widths:

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/boots-boots-boots-for-boot-guys-only.450433/page-302#post-9093611

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/boots-boots-boots-for-boot-guys-only.450433/page-319#post-9135932

I tried again today but couldn't get any good pics. The jacket is linen PoW check and the tie is wool in a double FIH knot, but you can't tell. I just don't have time or equipment to take proper photos. Thanks again for all of your help everyone.

 

[Claghorn]

 

[AMProf]

 

[Betelgeuse]

Well I can't do anything about my wide feet, so I guess every shoe is going to look a few degrees more casual on me versus other people. These are AE Sullivan Streets btw. Here are some pics of other people wearing these same boots, probably in slimmer widths:

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/boots-boots-boots-for-boot-guys-only.450433/page-302#post-9093611

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/boots-boots-boots-for-boot-guys-only.450433/page-319#post-9135932

I tried again today but couldn't get any good pics. The jacket is linen PoW check and the tie is wool in a double FIH knot, but you can't tell. I just don't have time or equipment to take proper photos. Thanks again for all of your help everyone.
View attachment 1031678 View attachment 1031679 View attachment 1031680 View attachment 1031681

About the boots, I like them but I think they will look better with heavier fabrics and wider hem opening. And a bigger cuff.

 

[smittycl]

The dog days of Summer are still with us here in DC and linen carries the day. Quite rumpled at the end of the day.

Brioni SC, Berg & Berg tie, Hickey Freeman shirt, Santorelli pants and Sid Mashburn loafers.