A Fine Man Once Said:

"Part of the 10 million I spent on gambling, part of it on booze, and part of it on women. The rest I spent foolishly."

- George Raft





Sunday, October 25, 2015

All in @ the EG Factory Shop



It's not everyday that a good friend offers to take a trip up to the Edward Green factory shop while he's puttering around London with nothing to do. But when it happens, it won't take me long to take said friend up on said offer. Luckily for me, he came away with some nice models in my size - Cadogan in antique cloud, Shannon boots in dark oak calf, Oundles in edwardian antique, and Chelseas in dark oak.



You know what they say about friends - you can't have too many :-)


Lawrence Fellows - The Vagabond King for Sampeck Clothes, 1933





Most of Lawrence Fellows' work that you come across in the pages of Apparel Arts is usually original, with the material either being commissioned for Apparel Arts or its sister publication, Esquire. So I was surprised when I was flipping through the pages of the 1933 Sports & Spectator edition and came across this advertisement for Sampeck Clothes, billed as "The Standard of America."

Sunday, September 27, 2015

An Uptown Dandy @ Greenwood Gardens, Short Hills, NJ




I've been trying to schedule a photo session with Bill Gallo to use as a template for a  portrait for some time now. We wanted a venue that could provide a little Jazz Age panache, so we thought we'd try the nearby Greenwood Gardens in Short Hills, New Jersey. The property's heyday was during the 1920s and 1930s, when Joseph P. Day sank a million dollars into the 26 acres and named his palatial estate "Pleasant Days."



There are quite a few lovely places on the grounds that make for an ideal setting for a photo shoot - my favorite was the Garden of the Zodiac. The original estate featured two terraces below the Reflecting Pool Terrace: the Croquet Terrace and the Garden of the Zodiac, where twelve pairs of classical columns were arranged in a demilune around a reflecting pool, with a bronze sculpture of a boy holding two geese by Emilio Angela at the pool's center.



We came away with quite a few lovely pictures and Bill and I settled on one for the portrait. It will be interesting to see the finished product in a few months!

[Pictured: Vintage straw boater made in Italy for Brooks Brothers; straw fedora by Borsalino; light blue shirt with white stripes by Turnbull & Asser for Bergdorf Goodman; Navy jacket by Ralph Lauren Purple Label; linen trousers by Brooks Brothers; brown and white captoe spectators by Edward Green for Ralph Lauren Purple Label; navy tie with creme polka dots by Drake's; navy and red wool unicorn pocket-square by Drake's; vintage 1949 Longines watch; vintage sterling silver cufflinks by Hickey Freeman,]


Friday, September 25, 2015

True Style by G. Bruce Boyer (The Armoury Launch Party)




The fellows at The Armoury hosted the launch party for Bruce Boyer's latest book, True Style, a collection of essays on a variety of subjects on men's style, from Ivy and Italian Style to bow ties and ascots. I've only read a few of the chapters so far, but I think it's safe to say that Bruce's unique voice and seemingly-effortless writing style are once again in fine form. I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to the event and, as expected, it was a wonderful evening. There's always an eclectic group of people at these parties, which makes for some interesting conversations. Couple that with the amazing wares that are usually on display at The Armoury, and you have all the ingredients for an unforgettable experience.


Wednesday, September 9, 2015

eBay Auctions!





I've been doing some closet cleaning and posted a few items on eBay for sale. Some interesting items, including Peal & Co. slippers in Brooks Tartan for the House of Brooks, shirts from T&A and Brioni, jackets from PRL and Paul Stuart, and shoes from Edward Green, John Lobb and Carmina. The shirts are a size 16/41, jackets are 42R-44R, and shoes are around a US 10. I'm happy to end the auctions early for any readers who might be interested, so definitely reach out if you see something that you like! Happy hunting :-)


http://www.ebay.com/sch/dittycom/m.html?item=301734628952&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Out and About With An Uptown Dandy




I don't get to wear my double-breasted action-back from Ralph Lauren very often, so I'm always looking for any opportunity! Dandy Wellington's birthday bash at the Hotel Chantelle seemed like the perfect occasion. The jacket is a crème linen paired with tan linen trousers and a linen cap from Borsalino. Since it's summer, I added a yellow Dunhill tie with butterfly motif, a light blue Turnbull & Asser pocket-square with silk knot design, and my vintage '49 Longines. Perfect for an evening of well-dressed jazz :-)

Apparel Arts - The Collection




A few readers asked if I could post a picture of my entire Apparel Arts collection - but truth be told, I actually don't have that many. If you were to assume that the magazine was published 8 times a year from 1932-1939, then there are roughly 64 issues from the golden era of the 1930s. Of course, there could be more or less - it's an inexact science. At the moment, I own 17 original issues: one is an over-sized soft-cover issue from 1945, while another is the over-sized soft-cover Summer 1936 issue. All the rest are the "classic" over-sized hard-cover issues from the 1930s (although I also own a re-printed Travel and Leisure 1936 issue that was a faithful cover-to-cover reproduction included in the Italian 3-volume set published by Gruppo GFT in the early 1990s).



Anyway, here are a few of them - I'm sure that you get the idea!


Saturday, August 1, 2015

Special Delivery! More Apparel Arts



Usually when I arrive at work, I'm hoping not to find any unexpected deliveries at my door. This 30 pound box was different though! It's been awhile since I've purchased copies of Apparel Arts from my source, so I decided to splurge a bit. These are primarily from 1933 and 1934 and feature some great Lawrence Fellows artwork and original fabric swatches in pristine condition. I'll try to post some random pictures in the next few weeks of some of the amazing advertisements and articles from the issues. I have a group shot of my entire AA collection that I'll try to post soon as well.

Friday, July 31, 2015

Vintage 1920s Parisian Cufflinks @ Tender Buttons




I dropped in to Tender Buttons the other day to find replacement buttons for my creme double-breasted action back, the originals having been ruined at the dry cleaner. I did find some very nice looking Italian horn -  light brown with a sort of distressed appearance. As the name of the shop would suggest, the emphasis is on the buttons, but there also happened to be a display case full of vintage Parisian cuff links circa 1920-1930 that looked absolutely exquisite.


Monday, July 27, 2015

Too Much RL Is Never A Bad Thing



My wife is always checking in to our neighborhood's swap meet, where people are often cleaning out the house and selling odds and ends at bargain basement prices. There are usually lots of baby strollers, rugs, and that sort of thing. So when someone posted that her husband, a former Ralph Lauren executive, was looking to unload his gently used work wardrobe, my significant other knew what to do!

As it turned out, the gentleman in question was a great guy - and he was looking to clear out a ton of classic Polo, Black Label and Purple Label stuff. Unfortunately, I was too obese to fit into any of the tailored clothing - actually, I was only off by a size (my 42R frame just wasn't going to get into the slim fit 40R stuff) but I still managed to come away with 15 ties, 2 scarves, a Mackintosh fireman's coat with leather trim (not pictured) and silver cuff links. Aside from the three ties on the left (all Purple Label made in England or Italy) and the two on the right (Purple Label knits made in Italy) and the two on the right (Purple Label knits made in Italy), all the rest are Ralph's typically buttery cashmere. 

I brought a friend along who turned out to be a dead wringer for the seller, so he made out with 3 suits, a tweed jacket with matching wool tie, 10 shirts, an assortment of ties, and cuff links.

All in all, one heck of a haul for all involved! And, of course, kudos to the missus :-)

Monday, June 22, 2015

Two Galleries of Best Dressed Men - Advanced Summer 1935 Issue of Apparel Arts



William Goadby Loew, possibly the best-dressed working stiff in America in 1935, 
as voted by a panel of American tailors and Apparel Arts


One tends to think of Best Dressed lists as a distinctly 21st century exercise of tawdry fashion magazines which usually end up highlighting a few poor souls for whom the words "best" and "dressed" should never go together. Of course, I have heard it said more than once that most ideas associated with men's style originated in the golden age that was the 1920s and 1930s, so it probably should come as no surprise that the "best dressed" list would not be any different.



Nevertheless, I was still taken aback to come across not one but two "best dressed" lists in the Advanced Summer 1935 Issue of Apparel Arts, in an article titled "Two Galleries of Best Dressed Men." Interestingly, the first gallery was chosen by a group of 10 tailors. The caption reads:

In an informal selection by a jury of American tailors, the ten men whose pictures appear on this page were selected as America's best dressed. The sartorial pre-eminence of William Goadby Loew . . . won highest honors from the jury. The other nine men who were rated by the jury of tailors as being among the ten best dressed men in this country were selected for various distinctive details in their mode of dress. This is one of the most interesting of many similar selections.

Some of the best-dressed selections from the tailors' list:








On the next page was the gallery of Best Dressed Men as chosen by Apparel Arts. The caption on that page read:

The ten men whose pictures appear on this page were selected by Apparel Arts as America's ten best dressed men. They were chosen not only for their ability to dress fashionably and with individuality at all times but also for their consistent habit of dressing correctly for the occasion. The influence of these men and others like them on fashion is international inn scope. Their acceptance of a new fashion places upon it a stamp of approval which has an important effect on its future success with respect to its ultimate and more widespread dissemination.

Some of the selections from the Apparel Arts list:



Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, Jr., Society Man






There are a few points worth mentioning here. The first is that this William Goadby Loew fellow, apparently a broker by trade, was one of only two men to appear on both lists. The fact that the other gentleman with a dual mention was one Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. certainly is a point in Mr. Goadby Loew's favor. Indeed, in 1935 he may actually have been the best dressed man in America who actually worked for a living. Fairbanks is identified on both lists as a motion picture actor, but of course his last career screen credit was 1934's The Private Life of Don Juan.


No stranger to best-dressed lists of the 1930s

Another interesting point: aside from Fairbanks, each list includes only one other Hollywood actor. Sadly, this particular copy of Apparel Arts is not in the greatest condition, so that the images in this article have marks from where the pages became stuck together over time, In the case of both actors, their names were obscured by the damage. However, the actor included on the Apparel Arts list was easily recognizable. Apparently he was a style icon in his own day, a classification which has carried on into the present:



The actor from the tailors' list was one Warner Baxter, an actor who was certainly as famous as Astaire in his own era. Sadly, his film credits as well as his sartorial exploits are not as widely remembered as those of Astaire's.



Finally, it should be pointed out that there is one other significant difference in these two lists of best dressed men: occupations. Perhaps cognizant of the difficulties associated with the procurement of payment for services rendered, 8 of the 10 men listed by the tailors hold positions in finance or industry. The Apparel Arts list, on the other hand, identified three entrants as society men, while two others are described as  sportsmen, which I have heard may be a euphemism for someone who makes a living from betting on games of chance. For someone who wrote a book about the stylish gamblers and gangsters of the 1920s and 1930s, this is further proof that the sporting set, as well as some other fellows who resided on the other side of the tracks, were very much involved (and recognized as such in their own time) in setting the sartorial trends of the day (insert link for shameless plug here).






Wednesday, June 17, 2015

That Well-Dressed Fellow With the Silky Voice: A Few Words on Dandy Wellington




I don't recall the first time that I meet Dandy Wellington, but I like to think that it is a few minutes after he has made himself right at home on a stage somewhere, fronting for his band and flashing that cheshire cat grin from underneath his trademarked Stetson, the one he wears with the rakish tilt and the turned-down brim. Perhaps it is over at the Hudson Cafeteria, or maybe it is the Hotel Chantelle or Cafe Tallulah. Anyway, I am pretty sure that I see him on a stage somewhere downtown before that night at Bergdorf's, where he is sporting a midnight blue Brioni dinner jacket with an embroidered paisley design, the kind that your eyes kind of get lost in after the fourth or fifth Pimm's Cup. This fellow is just killin' it, I say to myself, and he hasn't even seen him do a set yet. As if on cue, he takes his place at the center of the make-shift stage area on the mezzanine and the band is off and running, and of course I am off with them - back to that era of wonderful nonsense as Westbrook Pegler once called it.



Don't hold me to it, but I am pretty sure that the band breaks into "Lulu's Back In Town" that night at Bergdorf's. I hear them play that tune a couple of times in a few different places, and every time I hear it I can't help but wonder if anybody asked the band to play that one for Bernard "Lulu" Rosenkranz when he blew back into the big city, after Dutch Schultz was acquitted on income tax evasion charges in Malone, New York, during that glorious summer of 1935 when the song was still just a few months old.

The very first time that I actually lay eyes on this fellow Wellington, he is wearing plus fours with a natty blazer, a snappy bow tie, and an eight-piece pie cap that is positively exquisite in its floppiness. The ensemble is topped off by smile that radiates sheer joy as he hops around the dance floor that has been positioned right in front of the main stage of the Jazz-Age Law Party on Governor's Island. It doesn't look like the Charleston or the Lindy Hop but then again I'm not an expert in these things. I could just as easily call it the Happy Dandy or the Lively Wellington or something to that effect.



My little girl and I are off to the side of the bandstand with an unobstructed view of this guy with the happy feet and the sunny disposition, and we both can see that this fellow is surrounded by quite a few sets of eyes and even more smiles. Someone behind me tells a friend that this fellow is from Harlem and now my smile is as big as anyone's, and the little girl and I both join in the round of applause for Dandy Wellington, purveyor of well-dressed jazz and last of the great uptown dandies.




Wednesday, June 10, 2015

A blast from the past: Cole-Haan's Werner




Cole-Haan has a checkered recent history when it comes to men's shoes. The venerable American company began making shoes in Chicago in the 1920s-1930s. If you can find a vintage example of their work,  the craftsmanship can be stunning. More recent examples of their work are less impressive, as the quality of the shoes tends to differ drastically from model to model.

In the last 20-30 years, the company has occasionally created footwear that harkened back to the company's salad days. One such example was the company's working relationship with some of the more prestigious English shoemakers, most notably Edward Green. I have written at some length about the Edward Green for Cole-Haan oxfords - you can read more here and here. Most of the Edward Green models that I've come across in the past were fairly standard versions of the Cadogan, which is to say that the collaboration was probably truer to Edward Green's storied history than Cole-Haan's. However, shortly after Cole-Haan was taken over by Nike, they dug deep into the archives to create a classic wingtip that was designed with a tip of the cap to the company's glory days.

Made in Italy by an unknown manufacturer, the Cole-Haan Trafton (polished calf) and Werner (scotch grain) models were eye-catching, to say the least. The shoes had a high vamp with 6 reinforced metal eyelets, larger than normal punching and pinking, and a wide welt - all characteristics that were featured on classic Cole-Haan shoes of the 1930s and 1940s.

Vintage 1930s Cap-Toe Brogue from Cole-Haan



Vintage 1930s-1940s spectator shoes from Cole-Haan


If all of that wasn't enough, the shoes also featured a toe-cap that was almost Hungarian in its appearance. The chiseled, narrow-waisted "fiddle-back" sole, however, was the crowning accomplishment here. Like a work of art, each pair of shoes was signed by the Italian shoemaker. Finally, if all of that didn't justify the $700-800 price tag, the heel designed by Nike using their patented "Air" technology promised a very comfortable fit for the wearer.





Initally, when the Trafton was first released, shoe aficionados raved about the classic design of the model. Equal time was also given to the head-shaking decision to create such a stunning design while using some kind of plastic-leather composite for the uppers that created the deepest creases imaginable after only a handful of wears.

Eventually, Cole Haan hit the ball out of the park with the Werner, which was essentially the Trafton but in a absolutely stunning scotch grain leather. The model that I happened to discover is in a beautiful chestnut color which, when paired with the dramatic lines, Stradivarius-like sole and aesthetically-pleasing broguing, makes for a model that Cole-Haan's Chicago forbears would certainly be proud of.


A Lovely Article in New York Magazine on Wilfred Rosario

A lovely piece on a great guy and an amazing artisan. You can read the article here.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Wilfredo Rosario of Wilfred Tailors - Rest In Peace


I was shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Wilfredo Rosario, owner of Wilfred Tailors. I was a probably a customer for over 10 years - in that entire time, Wilfred was always a true gentleman and an absolute pleasure to work with. We became friends in the last few years as I became a more frequent visitor to the shop, and I often found myself dropping by to chat even when I didn't have any items being worked on. As a friend and a true artisan, he will be missed.









Monday, May 4, 2015

Thursday, April 23, 2015

The Man Uptown: A Jazz-Age Autopsy







Much has been written about the criminal mastermind Arnold Rothstein, his fondness for subdued but well-made clothing, as well as his penchant for educating his underworld acolytes in matters pertaining to the cloth, among other things. Here, then, is a description of the Great Brain's attire at the time of the shooting that took place at the Park Central Hotel in midtown, which ultimately proved fatal for Rothstein. The notes are from the autopsy of Dr. Charles Norris, first chief medical examiner of New York City at the time of Rothstein's death in 1927, and were reprinted in Nick Tosches excellent piece on Rothstein, "A Jazz Age Autopsy," which appeared in the May 2005 edition of Vanity Fair. You can find the full article here.

Clothes

High tan shoes, marked Robert Whyte, 38 West 45th Street, New York.

Fancy multicolored tie. Label: F. Georges, Boulevard Des Capucines, Paris, France.

Blue Garters. Lisle socks with white feet.

Turned down blue Lane 15 1/2 collar, laundry mark 2633 (covered with dry vomitus).

Blue coat with red pinstripes. Label: Wm. Wallach, New York. (With vomitus on the collar and shoulders.) There is a single hole just below the front edge of the lower pocket. No flares. Trousers of the same material. On the right side, upper portion, there is also a hole which passes through the label of the tailor attached to the pocket: Wm. Wallach, New York, New York Custom Tailor. Arnold Rothstein, 10/29/27.

Silk shirt. Label: Harry Beck, Custom Shirt Manufacturer. With the initials A.R. and a hole in a corresponding position.


Rothstein, of course, knew the game and took his chances like everyone else. Nevertheless, there is something sad about a dandy who has had his new suit damaged beyond repair after acquiring it from the tailor less than a month ago.

 

Friday, April 17, 2015

Catching a Glimpse of Old New York - The New York Polyclinic Hospital


 


A few people have asked recently why I haven't been posting much of anything for the last few months. The truth of the matter is, I've been working on a historical fiction novel that's been taking up most of my spare time. I'm hoping to have it completed in the fall, but its still very much a work in progress so we'll see how it goes. As many of you can probably guess, it has quite a bit to do with racketeers in and around East Harlem and the Bronx, but more on that later.

 While in the course of doing research about some of the events that took place around the city back then, its interesting to take a walk sometimes to see if some of the buildings or other landmarks are still in existence, which isn't often the case in New York City. One building that I was surprised to find still around is the old New York Polyclinic Hospital. Located at 50th street between 8th and 9th Avenues, the building houses loft apartments now. However, in 1935, Madison Square Garden was on the south side of 50th street and the hospital was just a few blocks west of the north end of Times Square and and a stone's throw from Damon Runyon's Broadway.



So it was that on the night of October 23, 1935, Marty Krompier was brought over to the Polyclinic with gun shot wounds to both shoulders, the stomach, and the crotch area. Of course, that was the night that Arthur Flegenheimer, also known as the Dutchman, and three of his associates were shot and left for dead across the river at the Palace Chophouse in Newark. About an hour after that massacre, Marty the wolf was sitting down to his regular haircut and a shave at the Hollywood barber shop (located in a subway arcade near Times Square), when a couple of guys walked in and tried to put Marty on the spot.

 


When asked about all the commotion later on, Marty played coy with the cops but at that time he was keeping an eye on the Dutchman's interests in the Big Town (Schultz having been declared persona non grata by Mayor LaGuardia after his acquittal upstate on tax evasion charges). Krompier had recently been promoted to the position by the recent disappearance of one Abraham "Bo" Weinberg, the celebrated gunman and former right hand man to Schultz who had apparently become too close for comfort with one Charles "Lucky" Luciano (Weinberg's cozy relations with Luciano went way back, perhaps all the way back to 1931 when he was allegedly one of the gunmen that went into the New York Central Building above Times Square and put an end to Salvatore Maranzano). So they put the kimono on Bo and that was the last anyone ever heard of him. Krompier took the promotion in stride until that night at the Chophouse, when the Schultz organization went belly up.

Fortunately for Krompier, he actually survived the shooting that night, thanks in large part to the Doctors on call at Polyclinic, who worked tirelessly in an around-the-clock effort to save him.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

A Word on Wilfred the Tailor

I often receive queries regarding opinions on decent tailors here in New York City, and so this seemed like a good time to perhaps write a few words about my alterations tailor. I have been frequenting Wilfred's for some years now for work on suit jackets and pants, odd trousers, dress shirts, and blazers, overcoats, and just about anything else one might need to bring to a tailor at one time or another. Here, then, are my thoughts and impressions on Wilfred's, based on my own experiences over the last few years.

When I began visiting Wilfred at 23rd street (they have since moved to 30th and 6th), I generally worked with whichever tailor happened to be at the front desk when I popped in. In those instances, the attention to detail varied somewhat, which tended to stretch out the time from when I brought an item in to when it was actually completed. Since I'm usually pretty easy-going when it comes to this sort of thing, a two-week turnaround time wasn't really much of an issue for me. In the end, the clothing was done the way I wanted it, so I had no real complaints.

More recently, I began dealing directly with Wilfred because I found that he had a better understanding of how I wanted my clothes to fit, which seemed to eliminate a lot of the back and forth that had occurred previously. As with any tailor, our relationship has only improved over time. He literally knows how I will like a pair of flannel trousers to fit, at this point. Interestingly, I have also developed a better sense of his personal preferences, which I think is important because if these things are not discussed in advance, you are likely to end up with the "house" style or something more in line with the tailor's idea of how he might wear a jacket or pants. Of course, these are simply preferences but at this point mine are well-known, which makes things much easier. At this point, I know that Wilfred prefers a fairly tapered leg with more of a cuff than I would prefer. I have tinkered with that look at times, but I generally prefer a straighter leg with a cuff at about 1 3/4 inches at most. Everyone at Wilfred's knows my preferences for the most part, so while there is still a dialogue regarding how to approach a specific alteration, there is significantly less time wasted with suggestions that I will not be interested in pursuing.

As for the actual work that's been done, there's almost to much to mention here item-by-item. Off the top of my head, I've had shirt sleeves shortened, suit sleeves shortened from the cuff, suit sleeves with working button holes shortened from the shoulder, working button holes created on a jacket, trouser pleats removed to create a flat front, the crotch of the trousers shortened, trousers taken in at the thighs. I even had another jacket re-weaved by someone that Wilfred recommended - the moth hall was gone and the fabric looked seamless when I got it back. Of these alterations, I would describe the re-cutting of the trousers (a pair of pants from a navy Oxxford suit) as a complicated piece of work that I was ultimately very pleased with. The re-working of the shoulder was done on an odd Navy Borrelli jacket that I like to wear casually. This was also done quite well, in my opinion, and I was pleased with how it turned out.

One other piece of work that I was very pleased with, and which I think deserves special mention, was the shortening of a Dunhill Bespoke double-breasted (which, in the interest of full disclosure should be pointed out was not made for me originally) from the shoulder, something which I had never heard of before. Because of the placement of the 6x2 button configuration, shortening from the bottom would have ruined the proportions of the suit (a lovely, classic grey pinstriped flannel). Wilfred suggested shortening from the shoulder and at the same time shortening the sleeves from the shoulder due to the working buttonholes while also reducing the shoulder opening and the width of the sleeves (mainly between the shoulder and the elbow). Finally, the jacket was taken in at the sides to create a more tapered silhouette. Quite a bit of work, but as I received the suit gratis from a friend, I thought it was worth the expense to finally have a classic DB for the colder weather months. As I said, I was blown away by the results, and hope to post some pictures of the Dunhill (and the shoulder work on the navy jackets) this weekend.

All in all, I would definitely recommend Wilfred's Tailoring for "basic" alteration work. If you're a bit finicky when it comes to your clothes, I would suggest that you get a sense of what Wilfred would recommend beforehand. If what he suggests is in line with your sensibilities, then great. If not, don't hesitate to make your preferences clear. This way, I think you'll be satisfied with the work. I would also recommend him for more complicated work, based on my experience, although be prepared for more back and forth, and more "fittings" before the work is finalized. On average, I would say that work is done within a week (the turnaround can probably be faster, although I've never asked) and in some cases, if I didn't like the look of something, another few days were necessary to get it just right. The Dunhill DB probably took longer (perhaps three weeks) but the suit jacket was essentially re-cut so there was significantly more trying on to ensure the fit was good.

One final word when frequenting Wilfred's: the man to know is Rob at the front desk. He really makes the place run smoothly and efficiently. Quite literally, Rob is the man.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

EG Windsors on eBay


I rarely see Windsors on sale anywhere these days, so I thought it was worth posting a link to a pair that is currently on sale on eBay. The odd 12B size is probably keeping people from bidding. In my experience, you would probably need to be more like a US size 11 to make these work (and you'll still need to be on the narrow side).

Of course, you'll be getting a pair of shoes of unique shoes - as mentioned here ad neasuem, the Windsor is essentially a defunct model. The u-tip is still offered, but its a plain model without the intricate broguing that you see here. These shoes rarely come with the box, so that's an added bonus. It's also interesting to see the original Nordstrom price tags, which seem to indicate that Edward Green shoes were selling somewhere in the $300 range back in the mid to late 1980s.

Good luck bidding - you can find a link to the thread here.

Monday, February 2, 2015

Drake's Sample Sale - Feb. 5-8, 2015

For what I understand, this sale will be very similar to the pop-up sales that have taken place at CHCM over the last few years. It certainly sounds promising!

*****