The Oxford-Shoe-Worn-Casually Appreciation Thread

[acapaca]

I’d surmise that the baseline on this side is more skewed towards oxfords with suits than it is stateside, where suits with loafers I think are more the norm.

It's because they speak different languages on different sides of the pond.

 

[yorkshire pud]

I can definitely say I’m not the ONLY one wearing loafers with a suit. London is a big place, after all .

That said, if I had to say based on living and working on both sides of the pond (albeit in very specific urban corporate environments that can’t hope to reflect the population as a whole) for roughly equal time, I’d surmise that the baseline on this side is more skewed towards oxfords with suits than it is stateside, where suits with loafers I think are more the norm.

I surmise that, like French cuffs, oxford shoes in the US are seen as signifying that the wearer is more formal/dandified/pretentious, whereas here I think oxfords are probably the most neutral shoe you can wear and loafers do the signifying (that you’re connected with the Italian mob, or are trying to look like you are). Or, just as likely, I’m talking bollocks and who really gives a **** anyway (the obvious answer being the sod who started this thread lol).

I don't think your talking bollocks, as I have said repeatedly Loafers aren't anywhere near as popular here as in the USA, most people that wear them will have been influenced by America in some way (maybe having worked over there like yourself).

Nice Rolex Batman BTW?

 

[acapaca]

I think this is another example of the gap between descriptive and normative. "Averagely dressed" is descriptive and true because it's tautological. The average person is "averagely dressed" by definition because they're the average person. "Poorly dressed" is normative; it's making a judgment on the quality of the aesthetic.

I like a lot of stuff that's not CM and enjoy seeing gutter punks, thrift store hipsters, hiking bros, and other types of aesthetics in my neighborhood. But I think it's also true that the average aesthetic out there is not very stylish.

I take it you think there is a possible world where everybody is stylish (or at least most people), and when you say the average person is well dressed or poorly dressed, you mean with reference to some other period in time. Because otherwise...if everyone is stylish, then...in some respect no one is, if you get what I mean?

And that gets to a fundamental way we differ when we see the office drones, or overly-dressed college kids, or some Insta influencers. My point of view is that you need those people -- that big, fat blob of nondescript people in the middle, that carefree and even reckless set that will wear just anything -- as a sort of foil, if you yourself want to be established as someone who dresses well. What's the point of lamenting the existence of the group that makes you look good, or tasteful, by comparison?

 

[物の哀れ]

Style is not zero-sum.

 

[dieworkwear]

I take it you think there is a possible world where everybody is stylish (or at least most people), and when you say the average person is well dressed or poorly dressed, you mean with reference to some other period in time. Because otherwise...if everyone is stylish, then...in some respect no one is, if you get what I mean?

And that gets to a fundamental way we differ when we see the office drones, or overly-dressed college kids, or some Insta influencers. My point of view is that you need those people -- that big, fat blob of nondescript people in the middle, that carefree and even reckless set that will wear just anything -- as a sort of foil, if you yourself want to be established as someone who dresses well. What's the point of lamenting the existence of the group that makes you look good, or tasteful, by comparison?

Not sure I understand this. Even today, you can go to certain clubs and see a high percentage of very stylish people. They are not suddenly not stylish just because everyone at the club is also stylish.

 

[ValidusLA]

Style is not zero-sum.

100%. I would even argue it's cooperative.

A man in a perfect tuxedo at a black tie event is not less stylish for standing next to another man in a perfect tuxedo (or 100 others), in fact he is more stylish. They all are, together.

 

[yorkshire pud]

It's because they speak different languages on different sides of the pond.

I don't think British people take things quite so seriously, My American wife is mystified I'm not overly concerned about Towels for some reason??

She would also scold me or fire a dirty look at me if I laughed at something President Trump had said. As if I were encouraging his behaviour!!

The kids (early twenties) prefer British TV now, they do miss "Real Mexican Food" that you can only get in America ?

 

[ValidusLA]

The kids (early twenties) prefer British TV now, they do miss "Real Mexican Food" that you can only get in Southern California ?

Fixed for you.

Edit: obviously referring to US. Mexico obviously.

 

[yorkshire pud]

Fixed for you.

San Diego actually ?

 

[ValidusLA]

San Diego actually ?

That's part of Southern California.....

But LA has better Mexican food.

 

[yorkshire pud]

That's part of Southern California.....

But LA has better Mexican food.

They have gradually been won over by Curry, but it was a struggle at first especially trying to trick them into eating Lamb ?

Why is LA better for Mexican Food??

 

[ValidusLA]

They have gradually been won over by Curry, but it was a struggle at first especially trying to trick them into eating Lamb ?

Why is LA better for Mexican Food??

Mmm curry. Thai, Indian, japanese, other. All curry.

As for Mexican food. It's obviously a contentious point. But:
LA has both outstanding breadth and depth of Mexican food, highlighting individual regional cuisines in multiple levels of presentation (from trucks to high end dining). All supported by local farms growing Mexican produce. Helps that about 50% of the city is Latino.

Much like the San Gabriel Valley is the premier destination for Asian food in the US. I have Chinese factory partners that talk about restaurants in Alhambra and Monterey Park.

Much of the regional and highly specialized cuisine of LA was popularized to a wider audience by Jonathan Gold before his death. There is a reason he was rhe first (and I believe only) food critic to win a Pulitzer for Criticism.

Edit: Also - why must they be tricked into eating Lamb? Lamb is delicious. Grew up eating lamb in CA.

 

[acapaca]

Not sure I understand this. Even today, you can go to certain clubs and see a high percentage of very stylish people. They are not suddenly not stylish just because everyone at the club is also stylish.

Imagine if everyone outside the club was also dressed the same way. And at the TGI Fridays. And Olive Garden. And neighborhood shopping mall. And on lunch break from work. Getting the picture?

 

[acapaca]

Style is not zero-sum.

Are rankings/percentiles?

 

[yorkshire pud]

Mmm curry. Thai, Indian, japanese, other. All curry.

As for Mexican food. It's obviously a contentious point. But:
LA has both outstanding breadth and depth of Mexican food, highlighting individual regional cuisines in multiple levels of presentation (from trucks to high end dining). All supported by local farms growing Mexican produce. Helps that about 50% of the city is Latino.

Much like the San Gabriel Valley is the premier destination for Asian food in the US. I have Chinese factory partners that talk about restaurants in Alhambra and Monterey Park.

Much of the regional and highly specialized cuisine of LA was popularized to a wider audience by Jonathan Gold before his death. There is a reason he was rhe first (and I believe only) food critic to win a Pulitzer for Criticism.

Edit: Also - why must they be tricked into eating Lamb? Lamb is delicious. Grew up eating lamb in CA.

The fresh produce is always the key?

Where we live Sheep and Lambs roam about pretty much free up on the moors, I suppose the kids got attached to the cute Lambs