Blackwatch Trend Watch

I have been seeing Blackwatch EVERYTHING lately.  Sport coats, jackets, pants, shirts, bags,.....you name it.  Plaid is back and Blackwatch is leading the way.

The Style Guy

I believe this picture is where the trend started.  Glenn O'Brien wearing his Blackwatch mack.  This picture was taken a few years ago, I'm not exactly sure when, so it's interesting that one person can start a whole trend of companies making clothing with the Blackwatch tartan.  {If you don't think that this picture started the Blackwatch trend, then I would like to know your theory.}

Just because

  Last Christmas I knew Blackwatch was going going to be a trend {it's not hard to see}, so I got my father a Blackwatch flannel shirt from L.L. Bean.

  Well what do you know, Blackwatch blew up and my father got in on the ground floor {thanks to me}.  But my father has some style himself and I know a lot of guys get some their style from their father, it's only natural.

  Another point is people sporting trends without knowing it.  I think it's hilarious when I see someone wearing something that's popular right now, but has no idea.  My father bought a Filson vest last Autumn and wears it on the regular.  But he doesn't know that Americana/heritage stuff is back.  He just wears it.  You see a lot of old folks wearing things that are in style right now and I love it.  If they only knew.

  Interestingly enough, my family tartan, the clan Keith tartan, is very similar to the Backwatch pattern.  Turns out that my family has been trending for centuries.  I would suggest, that if you are of Scottish decent and your family has a tartan, to wear something with that before jumping on the Blackwatch trend.  You can start with a tie and work your way up from there.  If your family doesn't have a tartan, there are other options, you don't have to be a slave to fashion.

 

Keith

 

Blackwatch







Win a free bow tie

Ellie Laveer at The Cordial Churchman is having a "Win a free bow tie" contest.  The ties are handmade and homemade.  Just leave a comment to enter the contest and a chance to win a free bow tie.

I'm pulling for "The Hound", a wool houndstooth which looks to be a great Fall/Winter bow tie.

Bow Tie - Round 2

This is my second time wearing a bow tie (first time was back in April).  I got this tie at An Affordable Wardrobe's Top Shelf Flea.  The tie itself is a handmade madras bow tie from The Cordial Churchman. 

There's a doctor in the building at work who has a "friendy mutton chops" beard and wears a bow tie everyday.  I happened to walk by him today in the hall and we gave each other a head nod as to say "Yes, we may look like knuckelheads with our bow ties but we are also pretty damn awesome because we can pull it off."  We said all that in a nod, it was powerful.

Ultimate Compliment 2.0

I've had some unfinished business.  I posted on my birthday about what I was wearing when I received the highest of compliments on what I was wearing that day.  When I got home that day I took some pictures of my outfit but never posted them.  I wasn't crazy about how they came out and also I wasn't sure if I wanted to be the kind of guy who posts pictures of himself in his outfits on his blog.  But I can't just list the clothes I was wearing that day, that would be like trying tell you what a Picasso looks like.

Tie from the Top Shelf Flea

Matching the hardware

While were at it, let's see how the plaid-seersucker-partially lined blazer by Anderson Little from Boomerangs with sleeves lengthened by a great tailor looks.

The Ultimate Compliment

Let it be known.  Today, May 14th 2010, my 33rd birthday, I received the highest sartorial compliment.  A certain patient of ours who happens to be the general manager of a certain century old men's clothing store told me that he liked what I was wearing and that I should be a model for the century old men's clothing store.
I think that there are enough clues there without violating HIPPA regulations.


New tie from the Top Self Flea (I have the sporting gentleman tie)
Lands End Canvas navy blue/white gingam pocket square
Lands End tailored fit blazer
Lands End tailored fit campus collar blue oxford button down shirt
Gap straight fit chinos
Suede Desert boots from J. Crew
Brown belt from Old Navy that I've had forever
Fossil watch

Cherry Poppin'

We have a patient who probably sleeps with a bow tie on (bad visual) and we were talking about it at work a couple of weeks ago and I mentioned that I own one bow tie.  The girl I work with, who is a bit eccentric, really thought I should wear it to work one day.  That day was today and I just popped my bow tie cherry.  And it's hard to do.
First you have to learn how to tie it.  That was tough.

There were many Youtube clips and step by step images, but this was the one that worked for me.  Step 4 is the hardest part.  I was so confused on where I was doing what, looping tab Q into slot J.

Then, it takes big balls for a 30`something year old guy to go to work in a busy hospital and walk around all day with a bow tie.  I did get some nice compliments and a lot of people looking at me.  The trick was to pretend the bow tie wasn't even there.  I think that's the key to pulling off any type of clothing/style/fashion.

My wife took a picture when I got home.

Bow tie by Brooks Brothers.
Blue oxford trim fit botton-down w/ varsity collar from Lands End, brown linen sports coat from H&M, Khakis from Old Navy, dark blue socks from Dockers, and brown split toe shoes from Ecco.  Watch from Fossil.

Funny thing, when I was driving through the parking garage this morning, I saw a guy (mid 40's, Asian {because details matter}) wearing a bow tie.  How dare you, sir!  So I took it as a sign that it was an Unofficial Bow Tie Wearing Day.