Obama: ‘I’m a little frumpy’

Asked in an NBC “Today” show interview about the well-worn bluejeans he wore to the pitcher’s mound to throw out the first pitch in last week’s major league baseball All-Star game, Obama said, “I hate to shop.”

He said that up until two years ago, he had only four suits and said “those jeans are comfortable.” He said he would leave it up to first lady Michelle to set the fashion pace at the White House, saying: “Here’s my attitude: Michelle, she looks fabulous. … For people who want a president to look great in tight jeans, I’m sorry.”

No, Mr. President, I don’t care whether you look great in tight jeans or not.  That is not the issue.  You should not have been wearing the damn things at all, you should have been wearing a proper suit because you are the President of the United States of America and not some street schlub.

And sir?  You don’t shop.  You and I both know that.  You have people.  Not enjoying the shopping experience is at best an excuse and at worst a lie.  Your people can arrange whatever needs to be arranged, so let them arrange it so that you don’t look like a dork.   You’ve already worn a white tie with a dinner jacket because you didn’t listen to people who know far more about it than you, it’s unnecessary to keep repeating this mistake.

The last time I ordered from Hemrajani, Joe Hemrajani e-mailed me to say that the bill had been denied, and I had to call the credit card company to approve the purchase and tell Joe to run it through again.

I really do appreciate that they’re trying to protect themselves and me, but when it becomes impossible to use a card to actually, you know, pay for things, the utility of the system has to be called into question.  And maybe that’s what they want right now, I don’t know.  All I know is that it’s becoming a pain.

As I said before, it’s going to be made up as my version of a Chesterfield, with peak lapels, a black velvet collar, a fly front and straight (as opposed to slanted/hacking) pockets and with no ticket pocket.  Bookster will use either a plastic or a bone button, of course I’ve chosen bone. The lining will be the same brilliant ruby red lining they used in the last overcoat I ordered from them, it should make a stunning combination.  They’re also going to make up the coat in a special long length for me, I like my coats particularly long and they’re quite pleased to accommodate that request.

The only thing I don’t know for certain yet is whether they’re going to be able to accommodate my desire for an extra inside pocket.  I’ve inquired about the possibility of having a third inside pocket added down around where the cigarette pocket would be in a suit jacket.  It would be awfully handy to have a convenient place to stash a silk or cashmere scarf.  It’s hardly a deal breaker if it can’t be done, but it’s something I’ve wished for every time I’ve worn my existing coat.

Of course, it’s after 7PM in Blighty and the answer to that question will surely wait until tomorrow, and it’s not as if I’ll be needing the coat in the next few days anyway.  If the global warming becomes any more severe I may need to reassess that opinion, however.  The Saturday forecast is for 68F in July.

• Friday, September 4 at the Double Tree in Carmel
• Sunday, September 27 and Monday, September 28 at the Keystone Sheraton

To make an appointment, click on the Hemrajani link, then on the city name.  Made-to-measure clothing is such an upgrade over off-the-peg, and it’s surprising how small a price premium it commands.  It’s well worth the effort, both to get a better fitting garment and to choose the fabric and details you really want.

You really owe it to yourself to at least try it once.

Now, unfortunately, we have to get into the unforgivable.  First, you throw like a girl.  Dude, you’re supposed to be this hip, athletic stud.  You can’t go to the All Star Game and throw like a girl, that’s just incredibly lame.

Second, Mr. President, and I say this with all due respect, sir:  You’re a slob.  I’m sure you’re used to the press monikaing you about how hip you dress, but sir, you really aren’t all that sartorially speaking.

The inauguration was bad enough, sir, but it was your party and if you wanted to embarrass yourself with that pale imitation of “white tie” I suppose that was your prerogative.  I must say though, sir, you are the leader of the free world, the least you could do is engage a gentleman’s personal gentleman to teach you how to dress.  Sir, you are even the President when you attend a baseball game.  I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you don’t have any time off.  You have to look the part even when you’re not in the office, sir.  A Sox jacket, jeans and trainers simply do not suffice.  I know, I know, you want everyone to think you’re just a “real guy.”  Well, you’re NOT a real guy, you are the President of the United States and as such it is your duty and obligation to set an example every second of every day.  And yes, sir, that means you wear a proper suit to the All Star Game, even if you think that makes you look like a dork.  It doesn’t, it makes you look like the President of the United States and not just some schlub they picked at random out of the stands to throw out the first pitch.

Like a girl.

God, can you imagine Reagan… no, I can’t even imagine it.

Gray Suede Dress Gloves

My preference for formal dress gloves are gray suede.

Go ahead, try to find them.

I’ve been told in various gentlemen’s forums that Chester Jefferies in Dorset, England was where I needed to go to find precisely what I was looking for. Although gray suede doesn’t appear in their online catalog, they supposedly respond to such queries with near immediacy and that their customer service is unparalleled.

Yeah, well, not so much.

A couple of weeks ago I used the contact page on the Chester Jefferies website to explain that I was looking for a gray sueded glove that doesn’t appear among their standard offerings, and asking if such a thing could be made available.  Will of A Suitable Wardrobe recently had the firm make up a pair of yellow chamois gloves that also do not appear in their catalog, after all.  I thought surely if the company can easily produce a pair of gloves of yellow chamois certainly my substantially more pedestrian request would be no problem.  Or, at the very least, the question would be worthy of a reply.  However, after submitting the question once through their contact form, and then again several days later without so much as the courtesy of a simple response either time, I can only assume that the company either no longer reads its e-mail or that it just doesn’t respond to e-mail from me.  Either way, it appears that Chester Jefferies is not particularly interested in my business.  Fortunately, I’ve sourced my gloves elsewhere, and although not the truly bespoke gloves I was interested in I’m sure they’ll be fine.

It does annoy me though that in this economic environment when I can’t turn on the television without hearing that companies are failing right and left because no one is buying, I’m standing here with cash trying to buy gloves in bloody JULY, and I can’t seem to interest this particular firm in so much as doing me the courtesy of telling me to bugger off.

I mean, I might understand if they were French.

Anthony Eden

Believe it or not, it’s almost too late to be concerned with winter clothing if you have your clothes made bespoke or to measure.

My clothing interests lately have been more on the formal end of the spectrum. As I said in my last post, I’ve already contacted Art Fawcett about working on a Homburg hat, and I’m discussing an overcoat with my friends at Bookster.

Pictured at right is Sir Anthony Eden, known among other things as perhaps England’s best dressed Prime Minister.  Eden is shown wearing a Homburg, which is eponymously known in England as an “Anthony Eden.”  He’s also wearing a Chesterfield coat, albeit one made without a common characteristic of that construction, a velvet collar.  Mine will be made with peak lapels, a black velvet collar, fly front and straight pockets without a ticket pocket.

Both the Chesterfield and Homburg are entirely appropriate to be worn with black tie and certainly qualify as conservative business dress.

When worn with black tie, the Chesterfield would typically be worn with white leather or grey suede gloves.  Black in a pinch.  With morning wear one could also wear the grey suede, but a more traditional choice would be a pale yellow chamois.

The other standard accessory worn with a formal overcoat is, of course, a scarf.  With black tie, the appropriate accessory is a white silk scarf with tassels draped around the neck over the coat.  With daily dress, a cashmere scarf tied around the neck under the coat is the way to go.  And they don’t give the good ones away.  But if you buy a good one you’ll have it forever, just do it right the first time.

When I get a little closer to my appointment with my tailor I’ll talk a bit more about the dinner suit, or tuxedo, itself.

I’ve discussed my requirements with the tailor, who assures me that he can give me precisely what I want, the primary aspect of which being that I want grosgrain facings and not satin.  All I have to do now is decide between midnight blue and black.  I have until they come back in August bearing sample books to think about the other details, most of which are already settled in my mind.

Homburg

In the meantime, I’ve also decided I’d best have a new hat to wear with a new dinner suit.  The proper hat to wear with black tie is a Homburg.  Somewhere along the line I’d gotten it in my head that my normal hat maker, Art Fawcett, either didn’t or couldn’t do Homburgs, but I discussed it with him this morning and he said he would be happy to do so, and that settles that.

The model at left is a Homburg, which is different from a fedora in that it’s stiffer, has a center crease with no pinches, and has a bound brim that turns up all the way around.  The hat Art will make for me will be very similar except that it’ll be black.  Or maybe midnight blue…  We’ll decide that detail when my name comes up on his calendar.  Where ARE those samples, anyway?  Drat.

I know just what I want, too.  Midnight blue, shawl collar, 4×1 double breasted.