Off the Cuff — Uncategorized

Father's Day: On Clothing and Lessons Learned

Posted by Thomas Dean & Co. on

My father, who passed away late last year, had many beliefs. Punctuality is next to godliness. Good pitching beats good hitting. Never let the truth interfere with a good story. But from a wardrobe standpoint, he believed most fervently in one thing: the sportcoat. Even though he was a top-flight executive in the sports world for half a century, he never owned a suit in his adult life. When the family packed up my parents (who'd both recently turned 80) to move to their more modest cluster home, my sisters got my dad to pare down his collection of sportcoats...

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Volume 3 of Thomas Dean Team's Holiday Film Faves

Posted by Brian Cleary on

It’s snuggle time. And what goes great with a couch and a loved one? A list of binge-watch worthy holiday classics. I humbly submit the final installment of Thomas Dean team’s all-time faves,  THE FILM: Miracle on 34th Street THE ERA: Late 1940s THE CLOTHES: Lady hats, shoulder pads, and lots of nice wool suitings, wide lapels, dress shirts, ties, and one Santa outfit. WHY IT’S GREAT: The twinkle in the eye of Kris Kringle alone should be enough to convert even the most cynical of heart. THE FILM: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation THE ERA: Late 1980s THE CLOTHES: Shawl-lapelled...

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Looking Hot, Staying Cool; Solving Summer

Posted by 6 on

Style doesn’t have to take a vacation just because it’s summer. June, July and August are three months in which men generally swap fashion for comfort. The cargo shorts, the jerky t-shirts, the “mandals” all have their place, but that place is in your driveway, washing your ride, not squiring your girlfriend around downtown, or dining al fresco with friends. Ditto your younger cousin’s graduation, your sister’s outdoor wedding, or when the boss springs for club seats at the ballpark and there are waiters, not vendors involved. So what’s a guy to do? You can’t walk around in a seersucker...

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Musings of a Thoughtfully Dressed Gentleman

Posted by 6 on

If the place you work is populated with enough characters, you may notice that there are certain roles that people play. Maybe there’s The Crossword Puzzle Guy. Or The Gossip. The Crisis Magnet. The Oversharer. The Lady with Three Cats, All of Whom Have the First Name of Mister. I’m the Style Guy where I work. People stop by, if not daily, then at least thrice weekly to see what I’m up to clothing-wise. They’ve seen polka-dot socks, Ivy-league inspired sport coats, and a bangin’ pair of suede oxfords that cost more than my first car (my ’73 Impala was...

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How to Wear Radiant Orchid, the Color of the Year

Posted by 1 on

If you're wondering why you saw Emerald Green everywhere last year, you can thank the folks over at Pantone for that. They were also the ones who called 2012 The Year of Tangerine Tango and 2011 The Year of Honeysuckle. So, who exactly is Pantone and why do they get to choose the Color of the Year? Pantone is, in fact, a subsidiary of X-Rite Incorporated, a world-renowned authority on color. They are the company responsible for forecasting which shade will be the one trending throughout the design industries from fashion to home products. If you watch any fashion shows...

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