Camp mocs rock

The boat shoe has become so ubiquitous on city streets that it no longer has any remote connection with boating. The boat shoe, Top Sider, Docksider and variations thereof have proliferated in price and style but owe their lineage to the camp mod which has been around for at least 80 years. That's among the reasons I have opted for the camp moccasin for my casual footwear this summer.

This model in the photo above is modestly priced ($69) from L.L. Bean. The camp moc has not been immune to upscale interpretations such as the offerings from Orvis, Timberland, Eastland and others for three to four times as much. But these are classics and as well made as any of them. No need for models in teal, Nantucket red, Madras plaid or with lime green soles.

My motivation for getting these may be tinged with a certain element of nostalgia and sentimentality. Notice the footwear on my father in the photo below from around 1934. They are still a classic combination of style, comfort and function.

Fashion or Style?

These slacks offered by Tommy Hilfiger spark the debate between fashion and style. These are certainly fashionable and on the right person could be part of a signature style.

I view fashion as being of the moment. It can be fleeting and therefore something that is chased. Style is more perennial, and each individual should develop their own personal style.

Personally, I think these awning-striped slacks are very cool, but I could not find a way to work them into my personal style. Perhaps, if I were at least 30 years younger... Unfortunately, if I wore these I would look less like a young Mick Jagger and more like Beetlejuice.

Save on classics as summer wanes

I have been remiss about posting this summer. It is still warm and a great time to pick up two perennial summer staples. The seersucker jacket (or suit) and a pair of bright white Levi's. These two items together or separately may be dressed up or down as the occasion demands, and you will always look crisp and cool.

Seersucker sports coats and/or suit jackets are available in single or double breasted with the DB making a strong comeback especially as a separate. Blue/white is the traditional classic, gray/white is nice and very versatile while red/white appears pink and is a bolder statement that demands a high level of masculine confidence to pull off. Match the coat with a white shirt and tie, or dress it down with a T-shirt. Yes, even a polo (I'm not much of a fan but every body seems to wear them). The one key is a solid color shirt. If you are wearing a tie, be careful about mixing patterns. A silk foulard print is good, a solid is always safe and a madras can work although it has become a cliché. The striped tie with a seersucker coat is not for the amateur because it takes a good eye to know what works and what doesn't.

As for the white Levi's, they are a great choice that can go to most offices and then out for dinner and clubbing. A pair of white wingtips, cap-toed oxfords or bucks are great for the office (that isn't Wall Street or a day in court). A pair of sneakers — preferably white — are a great way to go casual ad still look very put together. If you're planning to go with a white shirt (the full blizzard look), you may want to tuck in the shirt and wear a belt to help define the outfit.

One advantage to white Levi's is that most stains can be washed out if attended to quickly. The white wool, linen and silk don't respond as well, require dry cleaning and can become very expensive rags. At about $40 a pair white Levi's launder up well and really tough stains often come out with a soaking in a diluted bleach solution.

Not to fear, pick up these items now at a substantial discount and they will be stylish favorites for years to come.

Casual Wingtip

Casual wingtip may seem like an oxymoron to those who think of dad's (or granddad's) black brogues. But the wingtip actual started out as an English walking shoe for the country gentleman. They were most frequently brown and were frequently laced up just over the ankle bones.

The wingtip has gone casual. This season's offerings work as well with jeans as they do with slacks or full-on suit. The best are in suede or Nubuck in colors including blue, gray, white, buff, brown and tan. Most have rubber soles which lend them the more casual air.

This is some fun footwear often seen with patterned socks or no socks at all. (A suggestion for the no-sock look is the very low cut white cotton sock. They will give you the look, save your shoes and are just plain more hygienic.)

All the offerings above are available for less than $165. Clockwise from top left: To Boot blue suede wingtips at Saks Fifth Avenue, Rogue Wingtips in Universal Lead from Banana Republic, Brennan Wingtip from Johnston & Murphy in navy, brown suede wingtip (from Bass?), Barrett Ice Suede from G.H. Bass & Company, and Brennan Wingtip from Johnston & Murphy in white.

These exude and polish casual cool at a price that's too good to forego.

Eternal Style

There are some men that have eternal style. Photos of such icons seem fresh even today. Cary Grant and Steve McQueen are two such icons. Their sense of style always seemed effortless, never contrived.

I recently came across The Lost Beatles Photographs: The Bob Bonis Archive, 1964-1966 in Rolling Stone and this photo of John Lennon. Taken in Shea Stadium on Aug. 24, 1966, he looks as cool today in this photo as he did then.

The Beatles were more than just a very popular musical group. They were a cultural and stylistic phenomenon. The British Invasion of the 1960s wouldn't have happened without the Beatles, and Carnaby Street fashion might have never been popular stateside.

And while Carnaby Street became very "Austin Powers" with velvet Edwardian suits, the Beatles never went so far in that direction. However, as the group started to disintegrate, there were some questionable fashion selections such as the brocade Nehru jackets pictured inside the Magical Mystery Tour album. But, the era from 1962 through 1967 represented an amazing time of music and style for the Fab Four.

Return of the Peacoat

Yes it was 45 years ago when I was in junior high, peacoats were the stylish and practical choice for winter outerwear. Now, they are back in fashion and they're everywhere. Last winter and again this season, major designers are showing variations on the peacoat. Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and J. Crew to Eddie Bauer, Old Navy and Rothco military gear. Wool versions range in price from $79 to $500 for the designer label. I think Ralph Lauren even has a cashere (Purple Label) edition at $4,995. Most of us don't travel in those circles.

A contemporary twist on the peacoat is the cotton twill version. Lighter weight than their wool counterpart, the cotton twill peacoat is nearly as warm with its poly-fill quilted lining. This also makes it a perfect piece for layering with a sweater of vest underneath. Plus, it is an economical alternative to wool. Similar coats are available in black from Rothco at $60 and in graphite from Territory Ahead at $150. The difference is the cut of the Territory Ahead peacoat is a little slimmer and the collar and lapels on the Rothco model are larger and more cut more traditionally.

Not Your Dad's White Shoes ...

But they just might be your grandfather's white shows. The days of the white belt and loafers from the 1970s and ’80s are gone with the leisure suit they complemented (not complimented because that would be too kind).

The white shoes that have made a roaring comeback for business and casual wear this summer are the white oxfords, including the bucks, wingtips and cap toes favored by grandad. The white bucks made popular in the 1950s by Pat Boone have lived down that legacy and are perfect summer footwear with jeans or a seersucker suit, especially in the office. Sometimes sneakers just won't do. G.H. Bass offers the classic Buckingham White with the red soles for $79.

A more formal look finished off with a pair of white buck wingtips from Pearl & Company at Brooks Brothers. These beauties list for about $480 but have been on sale for $366 for a while. A equally sharp alternative that represent a real value are the cap toe bucks offered by Re-Mix Classic Vintage Footwear. These shoes sell for $162. Wow! These are also available with a brown, black or a black suede cap toe for a real 1930s vibe. I personally think the all white is a classic look that is understated and enduring.