Boots

As anticipated, I am running out of things to sketch as the items I wear repeat.
I hadn't sketched my RL ankle boots. I bought them at a sample sale and they turned out to be one of the best sample sale buys I've made. They fit great and they have rubber soles, which make them last longer.
I tend to favor warm browns in my footwear, like cognac, but these are a nice dark chocolate brown that goes well with cooler browns.

Tweedy

I paid a visit to the Rugby store last night and fell in love with everything for F'09. They had corduroy jeans in bright colors: orange, green, purple, red... I almost bought them but I held on tight to my wallet.
So today I took out my Rugby brown herringbone tweed jacket from a couple of years ago. I paired it with a RL Polo green sweater in angora and lambswool. The cut is too bulky for me but I love the color, which is like a pale minty sage.

I bought this grosgrain banded watch at Orvis two years ago. It was the only place where I could find it. It comes with four different grosgrain straps. They are always featured on RL ads but we as a company do not carry them.  So far so good - it keeps time accurately and I have not  had to change the battery.

Today I almost wore my tan corduroys but they look ridiculous, like clown pants. I must give them away or wear them only on weekends around the house!

Dots

It is getting to the point where I have already sketched what I am wearing, but there is always room for new items.  I am almost at the end of my pocket sized Moleskine notebook. I went to Border's last night to buy a new one. Using a 30% off coupon it still came to $8. Too bad they did not have them at overstock.com, where the regular sized sketchbooks are $8!

These cufflinks belonged to my partner's grandfather. They have mother of pearl with nice violet undertones. I love their simplicity.  I am not good at drawing objects, but they convey the shape and look.

Continuing with my polka dot obsession, these black H&M boxer briefs with polka dots are fun and right on trend (my personal trend, that is :). I actually drew this with a Rotring ink pen I had not used in about 10 years. I went to Lee's art supply and found the ink cartridges.

Edwardian

This Polo RL shirt is a couple of years old. It reminds me of Edwardian men's shirts and it borders on costume the way some RL apparel can, but not when you pair it with jeans.
The cashmere socks are by J. Crew.

These Converse-style shoes are RL and made of suede instead of canvas. The only disadvantage is that the rubber areas became too yellow.

Plum

Something happened last night that disheartened me a little: I received the J Peterman catalog in the mail and came to the realization that my sketches look a lot like the drawings in their catalog. Here I thought I was all original. I saw an ad on Craigslist a couple of months ago and they were looking for illustrators. Perhaps I should have applied...
In any event, today I am wearing a deep plum Polo with Uniqlo black skinny jeans.  I like Uniqlo although the quality is not the best in the world and the cut of their clothes is not too flattering. Except for these jeans, which I bought a couple of years ago when they were only in Edison, NJ. They subsequently abandoned their suburban store to open in SoHo. I haven't purchased anything since, but it may be time to visit their jean selection again.

Grey

I ended up not wearing this coat today because the weather was warmer than expected. It is a vintage Pendleton. I am a big big fan of this brand and I used to collect their old woolen plaid shirts. My dream someday is to work for them and design their home collection.  I have to admire them for not licensing their brand to Target or some other big box retailer, but I have a feeling it is a brand that could be much bigger.
I always feel a bit odd when I wear this coat, like I am impersonating Blake Carrington on his way to an oil rig in Colorado.

These are H&M boxer briefs. I love the black and white stripes. I have a similar bathing suit from Moschino and it is a lot of fun at the beach. I tend to favor Gap boxer briefs because they feel less synthetic, but I have to admit the fit from H&M is better, more body conscious.

Finally my other Hermes watch, Clipper. It is a great watch that has not gone out of style. It is 10 years old and it has never given me any problems. Keeps time great as well. Crappy drawing though, I am not good at drawing objects!

Plum & Orange

Today I wore again my rust orange corduroys, perfect for this month, with an H&M shirt with a plum and orange overcheck. The shirt is already five years old but I always pull it out at this time of the year.

An H&M plum wool v-neck sweater. The quality is not that great but it was cheap and I was more interested in the color than anything else. It has started to pill at the elbows.

These whimsical socks were given to me by my MIL several Christmases ago.  I know it borders on cat-lady, but they are fun. I think she bought them at Bloomingdale's.

Here again the Hermes "Heure H" watch. I have mixed feelings about it, I don't like advertising the H on my wrist. This morning I was in a meeting with someone from another division and she was wearing the PM size in gold. Yes, it is immediately recognizable just as the "H" belt, and for that reason I would much rather prefer the Cape Cod. Tourneau is having 24-month payment plan on their watches and I am tempted to list my watch on ebay and go for the Cape Cod...

I have had this yellow scarf since 1988 - I bought it at C&A in Goettingen, Germany, "Canda" brand. It is acrylic but it has held pretty well. They just don't make synthetics the way they used to...

Horsey

On Friday, someone at work said I looked so Polo with my Adirondacks outfit. It made me laugh because I always admire the guys who work in apparel and put so much time and effort in assembling their outfits. They put layer upon layer upon layer. On Friday I was layering the ombre plaid with a vintage Woolrich red & black plaid coat.

Today I am wearing typical Polo again but not as multilayered as the apparel guys, heh heh.
I am starting with an Hermes cashmere scarf in the signature "Hermes Rouge" color. I am not very happy with the way the cashmere has become fluffy, although it has not pilled at all. It is made in Scotland - I wonder if at Loch Erin.

Polo RL orange wool socks from last year. I am wearing ankle boots so they will be hidden, but it is so cold outside that I need wool today. I really like this shade of orange.

A Rugby military green cowl neck sweater. The cowl neck trend seems to be alive and well this season, so I am not putting this one away. In case you are wondering, my shirt is a brown tattersall button down from Forever21 (Heritage 1981) and my pants are the same moleskin jeans I wore on Friday. The jacket is Polo, reversible with a houndstooth one one side and solid khaki cotton twill on the other. I didn't have time on Sunday night to sketch everything.  I was also going to draw today's entry with watercolors but I prefer to add color on the computer, and I think I will stick to one illustrating style for the duration of this project.

Finally, a RL D-ring belt. I don't usually like gold, I prefer nickel but the gold of these rings goes with the warmth of the other colors.

Adirondack Country

This cranberry, black & grey ombre plaid shirt is from Arrow Jeans at Sears. I was checking out the Land's End offerings when I came across this shirt. It only cost $20 and the quality and the colors are great, they even paid close attention to the buttons. I don't know if someone is trying to revive the Arrow brand, but I can see how it could become a favorite with hipsters given the right marketing - they should have done something with "Mad Men."

The moleskin jeans are from Polo RL as part of my shopping spree at the Bleecker store the other night. The quality is thick and velvety and the color looks like real suede.
J. Crew tooled leather belt. I bought it on sale three years ago. Well made even though it is from China.

Standard Polo RL light tan socks.

Aqua & Grey

Last night I went on a RL shopping spree to lift my spirits. I first stopped at the West Broadway store in SoHo. They always have a great selection and I love the loft-like space.

I instantly fell in love with this cotton car coat, especially with the leather details and the tattersall lining. This will probably be my largest purchase of winter, but I expect it to last for a couple of decades.
Then I walked to the Bleecker store, which is my second favorite because it is devoted to men. I was looking for corduroys but did not find the ones I wanted, which are thick, velvety, and with thicker whales. But I noticed this v-neck pullover in a lovely shade of aqua. It looked familiar to me and when I got home I realized why: I have exactly the same color in a sweater I bought at Monoprix a couple of years ago ("Derby" brand), with a crew collar and saddle shoulders. So sadly my RL sweater will have to go back to the store. They had the same sweater in orange and yellow.

My trousers are by Banana Republic, "Dawson," and they are 5+ years old. I guess it is time for these to be put away because I was told at work today that all my pants are too baggy. It is true that the cut of men's pants has changed significantly towards a narrower leg... and even though these are waist size 31 they do look big on me. Part of me wants to be a rebel and wear baggy pants in order to go against the grain, but when something does not look flattering it is time to move with the times...

Black & Blue

I had to take my mom to JFK this morning after a wonderful 12-day visit. I was feeling a bit blue, so I chose to wear all black today.

These Polo RL black socks with blue polka dots marry my two favorites of the moment: polka dots and cobalt blue.
A repeat appearance by C&A briefs, branded "Angelo Litrico." I am sure they look (and sound) extremely cheesy, bringing memories of John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever."A black dress shirt from Target. Yes, Target, Merona brand. I am not a big fan of their clothes but for some reason they got this one right. It is very fitted, the weave is a twill, and the cotton has been mercerized slightly, giving it a nice sheen. Or perhaps it is a silicone treatment that will wash out. In any event, it looks great new but I wonder how it will hold up to repeated washings.

Once again as well the CK belt.

Pumpkin

"I hate this time of year with all the pumpkins and fall colors and chill in the wind," said someone I work with. I couldn't disagree more: October is actually one of my favorite months until April comes. I love rusts and oranges at this time of the year - I find it relaxing to wear the colors of nature and seasons when you live in an urban environment.

Today I am wearing RL Purple Label red socks, 90% cotton, 10% nylon and made in Italy. I bought them at the Mansion yesterday after work. I was helped by an awesome salesperson who showed me things they did not have on display. It makes me proud to work here, even if I can only afford socks! I had just thrown away a pair of J. Crew red cashmere socks that lasted for three years, and these are the same shade of bright holiday red.

This is one of my favorite Hermes ties, showing labrador puppies playing with red balls. I think I bought this one in 1998 in the San Francisco store. The orange is perfect and I it always gets compliments.

An American Living dark blue gingham shirt. It has an "easy care" finish which would be a no-no in RL product but for the JCP customer it is a must. I personally love not having to iron this shirt.

Banana Republic silk & wool zip pullover. I was attracted to the spicy caramel color. I think it is two years old and it has held pretty well, although I only wear it at this time of the year.

After a couple of weeks of doing these sketches I am thoroughly enjoying the process. My sketching had been so rusty and this helps me get back on track.

Lavender & Grey

Continuing my love affair with lavender and purple this season, here is a new Polo RL cable knit sweater in 90% merino wool and 10% angora. I bought a similar quality two years ago in a light spruce green color. It has held well with minor pilling. I love this color even though it is deeper than what I wanted.

These Polo grey corduroys are two years old and I purchased them at the outlet. Personally, I like the corduroy quality better at the regular stores. I was wearing them on weekends only but when I saw how well they went with the lavender sweater, I moved them to my weekday wardrobe.This Banana Republic belt must be 10 years old. It is too narrow for today's fashions, but I love the saddle stitch - meant probably as another Hermes knock off.

Gap light pink knit boxers. These are looser than the boxer briefs and have become so soft that I hate to part with them. They are part of the collection I wrote about, which was made in mercerized cotton in all the colors of the rainbow, launched around 2001 or 2002. The t-shirts I bought as part of this collection are still in amazing shape. Oh Gap, what ever happened to you?

Light grey H&M cotton socks, the type that come three in a pack for $8 or so. They hold up well for a couple of years although the elastic stretches after a while.

Blue & Brown

Polo RL linen shirt in a brown check pattern on white. It was probably inspired by an antique dishcloth.

Cobalt blue H&M cotton v-neck sweater. I am not happy with the quality - it wrinkles very easily and the hand is not that nice. I know it is going to pill eventually. But I loved the shade of blue.

I bought these Converse shoes online three years ago. The blue and brown combination can verge on clownish but I like how unique they are.

October Country II

This is the short lived season to wear my favorite RL corduroys in burnt orange. The quality of the corduroy is almost like velvet, the buttons are corozo, and the fit is not too baggy. I think I bought these two years ago at the Bleecker St. store. I love to pair them with a deep plum sweater I am not showing here.I wore a RL Purple Label French-cuff shirt, white ground with lavender stripes. I like the fit from Black Label shirts better, which is more fitted, but this is good compared to the Polo line.

The socks are also Polo in pastel yellow.
I am still a fan of Gap boxer briefs, they are probably the only thing I ever buy at the Gap anymore. The fit is great and they can last up to a decade.

On occasion I wear my Hermes "L'heure H" watch. I bought it in 1998 when Hermes was on 57th St. The original "courchevel" leather strap was brown, which later I substituted with "blue jean" and further to "rouge Hermes" to come back to a cognac brown last year.

The face has no scratches but the stainless steel "H" frame does. I like it this way, showing its age.

October Country

It is a warmer day than I expected, humid and windy.

The humidity made me justify extending the linen season a bit longer.

This is a J. Crew Irish linen shirt, which was too soft for my taste at the beginning, but subsequent washings have removed the softener. I bought a navy linen shirt from J. Crew several years ago and it has held amazingly well. This grey shirt is a bit sad and military (perhaps that is why it was marked down to $14) but I like it for fall.

The belt is from Banana Republic from several years ago. The buckle is a blatant Hermes knock off. In fact, I was somewhat embarrassed to be wearing it at the Hermes Fabourg St. Honore store last year when I bought a belt. The attendant gingerly removed it from my waist and did not say anything as he put on me the new belt I was about to purchase, but I know what he was thinking. I am surprised I was not prosecuted for wearing it given France's counterfeit laws!

The jeans are from Rugby and they are somewhat stiff, which I like. The waist is higher than what is trendy right now but it makes my legs look longer.

This pair of socks is the last thing I bought at Banana Republic, and that was a couple of years ago. They are a nice rusty pumpkin color.

I wish I had had time to sketch my chocolate brown RRL toggle coat, my John Lobb knock off double monkstrap shoes, and my burgundy Monoprix linen scarf, but that will have to wait until another entry.

Grey & Brown

Some of my favorite combinations are lavender and brown, camel and grey, and brown and grey. I chose grey & brown today.

H&M charcoal grey button-down shirt. It is very slightly heathered. A steal at $19.99. The cut is very fitted and modern.

A pair of Banana Republic dark grey-brown wool trousers circa 2002. Everyone seemed to be wearing these pants back then. The fit is a bit too roomy for today's standards but I love the color, so I have not been able to part with these, but after wearing them today I did not like how they looked, a bit too loose and frumpy.This is a pair of socks I bought at Century 21 in early 2001. They were a French brand I don't remember and I have not seen since; but they have held up amazingly well with no holes whatsoever. I have not been back to Century 21 since 9/11, but I wonder if they still carry this line.On the left, black underwear from C&A. I have been wearing their underwear since 1988 and it is quite durable. I bought this pair at the Paris store three years ago.

On the right, a Polo RL heathered charcoal grey wool jacket, shown from the back. I bought this at the San Francisco store in 1997. It has held up pretty well and the style is classic and never goes out of style.
A black belt. I don't remember if it is Calvin Klein or if I bought it at Marshall's several years ago. It has held well, and I like the brushed nickel buckle.

This Movado white-face watch was given to me as a graduation gift in 1991 by a jeweler friend of my grandparents. The original strap was white lizard. I have always suspected he gave it to me because it didn't sell and was left over inventory!

Several years ago I changed the strap to black, and it made all the difference in the world. I had this watch in a drawer for years until I found it last week and took it to Tourneau to have the battery replaced. I thought the Movado store in Rockefeller Center had closed but I just found out it's still there.

Lavender & Camel

I love Polo t-shirts. They are extra long, which means they do not bunch up. They last forever as well. (Disclaimer: I work for the company, hence the abundance of RL clothing.)
I bought these knee-high socks in Bermuda. I loved the turquoise color and the wool/acrylic blend, which is perfect for this time of the year.

The boxers I bought in New Delhi from a store called Anokhi, which specializes in traditional woodblock printing.
I have loved lavender for a while now, even though the trend seems to be shifting more towards mauve. This is one of my favorite oxfords.Last night I closed all the windows in the house and will not reopen them until April or May. It marked in my mind the beginning of corduroy season.

These are camel Polo corduroys. I've had these for about eight years. They are pleated, which I do not tend to favor, but I love the rich deep camel color.