and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing. –Ernest Hemingway
Every time the Winter exits, I look forward to the Spring, the Summer & the Autumn. Although I enjoy the Winter sans the lousy drivers when the snow begins to fall, the latter seasons offer me an indulgence I accept with open arms; vineyards.
I am fortunate to live in an area that affords me many vineyards with excellent wine. One may ask while they read this, what does wine have to do with proper attire? In my personal opinion, a lot. If you have been following this blog, you understand the importance of appearance as well as creating your own style. In my previous post, I was taken aback by the attire worn by people summoned to the courthouse. The same holds true for the vineyard. I do understand the laid-backness of such an environment. A man attending a vineyard with their significant other should put effort into their appearance. Why? Because she is doing the same! I’ve visited three vineyards several times this Summer. I have seen many women beautifully dressed whether it was a bachelorette group or with their boyfriend/husband. More often than not, it appears their partner just threw on whatever was in their vicinity. My world didn’t come crashing down because of this. I am of the group who believes an appearance is not truly indicative of an individual’s character. I am cognizant
this is contradictory of what I write here. Our society dictates a good appearance is of utmost importance. But as an individual who believes character takes precedence over appearance, in my opinion it makes sense to have a book cover that will pique the interest of all. Let the reader make an assessment after reading and digesting the contents instead having the reader avert their eyes because the cover didn’t attract them. With that said, make sure your book cover displays an invitation to read.
We are still enjoying Summer here so the most obvious is dressing appropriately for the weather conditions. Cotton and linen blends make for comfortable clothing choices. Luckily, the vineyards here are located near the ocean so there is a nice breeze. Being situated near the coastline, the temperatures will be a relaxing 5 degrees cooler than inland. Tailored shorts are a go combined with a polo shirt or a button down with a nice pair of suede loafers. Chinos or khakis combined with a dress shirt, a blazer, pocket square and suede monk straps is another great option. No flip-flops. You’re not at the beach. No cargo shorts. You’re not running your weapon system hot doing tactical maneuvers. In the picture above I am wearing a Merona half-lined tailored fit cotton blazer (I paid $29.98 with free shipping from Target), an Alfani Red dress shirt (I paid $8.95 from a vendor on Ebay) and a Feather and Smith pocket square (of course Ebay for $8.95). What you don’t see, is a pair of red Docker’s D2 khakis (Ebay again for $9.99) and a pair of Calibrate Cusano suede monk straps (Nordstrom’s brand for $64.98).
If you enjoy wine and haven’t visited your local vineyards, I highly recommend it. Taking your significant other to enjoy a day of each other’s company as well as the local fare your vineyard has to offer makes for a wonderful, relaxing occasion. Plus, it’s nice to hear someone who works the vineyard say, “Here’s the best dressed couple again!” Jal ga!
poor, broke and handsome 