Recently I was perusing a 1979 Brooks Brothers catalog and this image caught my eye. I liked the contrast of the patchwork tweed cap with the otherwise “correct” clothing. This has always been the WASP approach to sartorial whimsy. I’d been on the lookout for a new cap for this fall/winter season, and decided to seek out a patchwork one. I found the cap pictured below, made of eight separate scraps of tweed, from an Irish seller on eBay. Also below is a shot of a patchwork cap in action. The model is Karl-Edwin Guerre, who runs the blog Swagger 360. — CC
If a little is good, then more is better, and too much is just right!
Personally, I prefer zero GTH items per outfit. I find them… well, I don’t want to offend any delicate sensibilities here–heavens knows what flame war I might ignite–so I’ll just leave it at that.
@Regimental Stripe, RE his comment: “Might I suggest the reverse order: ATIP, since, by our manner of dressing, we are indirectly offering the public “a tip” as to how to dress properly.”
I own three “flat” caps, a brown herringbone tweed, the same in gray, and my favorite, an insulated with ear flaps jet black wool cap by Wigens. I wear these with generally casual dress on windy days when my standard headwear, my two fedoras, of gray and brown on calmer days.
In the words of the inimitable P.J. O’Rourke: WASPs wear their hats in all seriousness, without spiritual reasons or historical traditions for doing so, and not a single one of their bizarre toppers would be any help if an I-beam fell on it. Nonetheless, a WASP will tell you that his hat is functional. I believe that whenever anyone uses the word “functional” he’s in the first sentence of a lame excuse.The real reason WASPs wear goofy hats is that goofy-hat wearing satisfies a deep-seated need. In gin-and-tonic veritas, give a WASP six drinks and he’ll always put something silly on his head — a lampshade, ladies’ underwear, an L.L. Bean dog bed, you name it. In more sober and inhibited moments he’ll make do with an Australian bush hat, a tam-o’-shanter or the Texas monstrosity all WASPs affect when they get within telexing distance of a cow.
…
Adult male protestants of the better-off kind are a prominent social group. They make up a large percentage of our business executives, politicians and educators. Maybe it’s no accident that the rise of the silly hat has coincided with the decline of business ethics, the rise of functional illiteracy, and the general decline of the U.S. as a world power. The head is symbolic of reason, good sense and self-mastery. Putting on the back of it a fuzzy green Tyrolean hat decorated with a tuft of deer means trouble. Our native aristocracy, those among us with the greatest advantages, the best resources and the broadest opportunities to do good have decided to abrogate all civilized responsibilities, give free play to the id and run around acting like a bunch of …
Since the members of the herd equate “cap” with “baseball cap”, even a plain tweed cap draws attention.
No need whatsoever to give them more reason to gawk.
Christian,
Perhaps you should decipher PITA for those who may be newcomers to the blog.
Hmm, I thought it was firmly entrenched in the lexicon by now…
Preppy-Ivy-Trad-Americana.
funny, I was just about to purchase an ivy cap
PITA, like “pain in the ass?” Or the thing you put falafel in?
“New acronym coming next week.”
Might I suggest the reverse order: ATIP, since, by our manner of dressing, we are indirectly offering the public “a tip” as to how to dress properly.
heres a great little Irish company i bought one from them a couple of weeks ago.
http://www.hannahats.com/
This is clearly the topper to wear with your “fun” shirt and patch madras pants. But what jacket?
Wrong: only one GTH item per outfit.
If a little is good, then more is better, and too much is just right!
Personally, I prefer zero GTH items per outfit. I find them… well, I don’t want to offend any delicate sensibilities here–heavens knows what flame war I might ignite–so I’ll just leave it at that.
@Regimental Stripe, RE his comment: “Might I suggest the reverse order: ATIP, since, by our manner of dressing, we are indirectly offering the public “a tip” as to how to dress properly.”
Unfortunately(?), we are atypical….
I own three “flat” caps, a brown herringbone tweed, the same in gray, and my favorite, an insulated with ear flaps jet black wool cap by Wigens. I wear these with generally casual dress on windy days when my standard headwear, my two fedoras, of gray and brown on calmer days.
“If less is more, just imagine how much more ‘more’ would be” – Frasier Crane
The guy with the camera shows the way on how to wear this cap. he looks great.
In the words of the inimitable P.J. O’Rourke: WASPs wear their hats in all seriousness, without spiritual reasons or historical traditions for doing so, and not a single one of their bizarre toppers would be any help if an I-beam fell on it. Nonetheless, a WASP will tell you that his hat is functional. I believe that whenever anyone uses the word “functional” he’s in the first sentence of a lame excuse.The real reason WASPs wear goofy hats is that goofy-hat wearing satisfies a deep-seated need. In gin-and-tonic veritas, give a WASP six drinks and he’ll always put something silly on his head — a lampshade, ladies’ underwear, an L.L. Bean dog bed, you name it. In more sober and inhibited moments he’ll make do with an Australian bush hat, a tam-o’-shanter or the Texas monstrosity all WASPs affect when they get within telexing distance of a cow.
…
Adult male protestants of the better-off kind are a prominent social group. They make up a large percentage of our business executives, politicians and educators. Maybe it’s no accident that the rise of the silly hat has coincided with the decline of business ethics, the rise of functional illiteracy, and the general decline of the U.S. as a world power. The head is symbolic of reason, good sense and self-mastery. Putting on the back of it a fuzzy green Tyrolean hat decorated with a tuft of deer means trouble. Our native aristocracy, those among us with the greatest advantages, the best resources and the broadest opportunities to do good have decided to abrogate all civilized responsibilities, give free play to the id and run around acting like a bunch of …
..indubitably…