Garment Thoughts...

Day 37: Be an example to your sex,
Give your boot a dapper strap,
And it's smarter if your garter has some snap!
Cravats should be flounced about our necks,
Draw your breeches in quite tight.
Even more so and your torso will ignite!
Now drape your cape and fluff your cuff,
And let your waistcoat swing,
Then the jungle will bow to it's king...
La! But someone has to strike a pose
And bear the weight of well-tailored clothes...
That is why the Lord created man...
- from The Scarlet Pimpernel:The Musical

As anyone who read my status today knows, I just purchased a new white dinner jacket online. (Well, it's actually not brand new, but new to me...) I have owned several throughout the years, as much for real life wear as for costume/stage purposes, and they never cease to fascinate me.

There's something about a white dinner jacket that transcends the effect of any other formal garment. A traditional evening outfit is classic and delightful, and I always feel spiffy in a tuxedo. A morning suit is even better...charcoal pinstripes, a cutaway and a cravat can not be underestimated.

But then...there's a crisply pressed pair of black pants, a starched white dress shirt and a black bow tie, topped off with the aforementioned white dinner jacket... It's hard not to feel good about one's self when so attired. It may sound odd, but it's true (at least from my perspective.)

Obviously, the Thurston Howell III imagery is there...but it also brings to mind the thought of an Edwardian dinner dance in a grand London ballroom...or an outdoor reception in the springtime...or even an intimate dinner party with friends, where a touch of playful overdressing seems in order.

I've just now realized that a white dinner jacket represents happiness to me. Plain and simple...if you're wearing one, you're most likely going to attend some sort of festive, happy event with more than a dash of playfulness about it. One does not wear such a garment to funerals, arraignments, or to have a root canal. (Although it might make a visit to the dentist much more fun.)

Clothing is quite powerful when one stops to consider... I have several "I look and feel good about myself" outfits. These include:

. Khakis and either a white or blue button-down shirt. I sometimes jokingly refer to this as my "uniform," and that's really sort of true. This is a basic look, but one that will go almost anywhere...dress it up with a blue blazer or just roll up the sleeves for a more casual look.

. Grey suit. Traditional cut, fresh from the cleaners. Add a regimental tie (green and blue is a particular fave) with French cuff shirt and newly polished shoes. It's impossible not to feel important in a nice suit, even if you're only going to church or dinner.

.Hawiian shirts. Everyone needs to cut loose every now and then.

.Brown tweed jacket and bow tie. If I feel particularly whimsical, I might even add a pair of tortoise-shell glasses just for fun. Add tweed driving cap if it's a particularly British day (and what day isn't?)

...and the list goes on. While clothing was originally intended for warmth alone, one has to wonder if some Paleolithic Adolphe Menjou or Beau Brummell added dinosaur teeth to his fur cassock to make himself feel good. (Yes, I know the history is unsound, but that's not the point...)

Again, time for a reader's poll...what garment(s) do you have that make YOU feel pretty, handsome, full of life, etc.? I will look forward to your answers.

In today's News From The Motherland...UK charities rise to the cause...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8285409.stm

Cheers!
FLT3