Last minute Qs

[jerk]

Yeah, he beat me to it and nailed it by stepping up to the comment about the condition. Matching leathers from shoes to belt to watch strap would be too matchy-matchy. But they should be the same color and also have a similar level of gloss/finish. A casual distressed leather watch strap with polished shoes and belt wouldn't be great. Neither would a polished dress watch with distressed leather shoes and rough finished belt. The one exception is that it's totally cool to rock a dress watch with no belt and casual shoes if the watch can stand alone.

agreed. i used to be against males over the age of twelve wearing sneakers when not engaged in sport. i blame Kanye, California, and real rich people out here for my change of heart. there's folks wearing $2500 Yeezys and that's cool- but isn't it cooler to be the other guy at the car show who's wearing an old pair of New Balances and a $12 Hanes T-Shirt that says, "2019 Smythe Children's Hospital Kid's Fun Run". That's a dude who is worth billions- and if he's wearing dirty old sneakers out in public so can't we all. I'm never going to think his Lexus is cool though.

I'm still convinced though that unless you're in the SAS and driving a Land Rover in the Oman- for god's sake get a real watch strap for that thing. A NATO strap is wonderful for Corporal Piggin- but it's really stupid on that fat guy who works in IT's IWC.

[jerk]

Ended up with Half-Windsor, because I was able to get better symmetry, which might be an OCD thing.

and I hope you're sitting down....threw a black NATO on my IWC in prep for F1 attendance on Sunday, and liked it so much, I just wore it to the wedding.

this is hilarious..... i didn't even read this before i posted. i didn't really think anyone had a NATO strap on an IWC. Sorry bub.

[dashDustin]

this is hilarious..... i didn't even read this before i posted. i didn't really think anyone had a NATO strap on an IWC. Sorry bub.

i guess there are enough of us for IWC to justify making their own...?

[dashDustin]

The "Summer Editions" collection with seasonal straps | IWC Schaffhausen

oh, summer editions, even. for when cruising around the Hamptons in your drop top.

[Chik]

One of the chicest things I've seen is a Daytona Paul Newman worn with a NATO strap. When you have a sizeable collection, you tend not to get precious about the choice of strap for one watch. Perhaps more importantly, that was very clearly a F-U look. (Caveat: you cannot pull it off with just a watch. You need to be suitably put together for one element to do its job.)

[woodworker]

One of the chicest things I've seen is a Daytona Paul Newman worn with a NATO strap. When you have a sizeable collection, you tend not to get precious about the choice of strap for one watch. Perhaps more importantly, that was very clearly a F-U look. (Caveat: you cannot pull it off with just a watch. You need to be suitably put together for one element to do its job.)

My wife has pointed this out: if you're Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, etc., you can wear whatever you want and it looks good. For them, the rules do not apply.

[Chik]

My wife has pointed this out: if you're Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, etc., you can wear whatever you want and it looks good. For them, the rules do not apply.

Your wife is right. However, I wasn't clear. There is a certain type of very early, rare Rolex Daytona that is commonly referred to as the "Paul Newman model". It got its nickname because PN wore one, and it's highly collectible. There aren't very many collectible Rolexes, but this is one of them. In other words, I didn't see PN wearing the watch as described.

[jerk]

The "Summer Editions" collection with seasonal straps | IWC Schaffhausen

oh, summer editions, even. for when cruising around the Hamptons in your drop top.

i wouldn't call that a NATO strap. That's some nice salmon shorts, rope belt, and old boat shoes style shit. that is classy and nice especially if you like to race super skunk sail boats and like to use summer as a verb. i approve of that- it isn't some black or desert tan NATO strap....that's a nice casual watch strap.

[dashDustin]

i wouldn't call that a NATO strap. That's some nice salmon shorts, rope belt, and old boat shoes style shit. that is classy and nice especially if you like to race super skunk sail boats and like to use summer as a verb. i approve of that- it isn't some black or desert tan NATO strap....that's a nice casual watch strap.

exactly what i thought you'd say.

[dashDustin]

Pretty much the only straps I wear after convincing myself that I didn’t need to drop $300 on a leather strap. IWC came with a strap that I don’t much care for. Maybe one day I’ll pony up. After the denim jacket.

F1E7C503-14D5-46AB-8C68-DEDB149D14FB.jpeg

[bbattle]

Full Windsor with pointed collar. Half-Windsor is for casual settings.

No NATO straps with a suit unless you are in a dress uniform.

NATO straps come in all colors and stripes as long as they are one piece nylon with a couple of keepers. One can find NATO straps on Rolexes and Patek Philippes though I will never understand why.

For those of us not professional athletes, movie or rock stars; rules were created to keep us looking good; or at least not goofy. Why do men care about fashion? Because of the ladies. Who created men's fashion rules? That's right, the ladies. When in doubt, find one and ask her.

"but isn't it cooler to be the other guy at the car show who's wearing an old pair of New Balances and a $12 Hanes T-Shirt that says, "2019 Smythe Children's Hospital Kid's Fun Run".

Depends upon the car show. Was it a "coffee and cars" down at Jimmy's Hot Rod Shop where we got to see Bob's new head covers for his 350 small block Camaro or was it Monterey Car Week?

I may be old fashioned but when attending a formal event, I want to look good but not flashy; the spotlight should be on my lady, not me. While the other men won't notice and won't care; the ladies will make note that my eyeglasses, cufflinks, watch band and belt buckle all match and their estimation of my lady will increase ten fold. And that's really what fashion is all about. The ladies are tasked with dressing up their Neanderthal partners and the one that can do that the best wins.

[jerk]

can i get a NATO strap in black with a blue stripe to show how much i think blue lives matter? i'm happy to mod my Rolex with a Cerakote Punisher skull if you guys don't think it's too fey.

[jerk]

but i am honestly the worst. i own four suits- a Hugo Boss summer suit and three Dries Van Notens that make me look like inbred landless intelligentsia from some East Flandrian shit hole. You know the type- the kind of Flem who can't write or read Dutch but has the most beautiful East Flandrian dirt farmer accent, hasn't paid taxes since 19992, but has the most beautiful albeit illegiable handwriting when he sees the need to write a long form letter in French to the local newspaper.

none of them go with a NATO strap. In fact, they don't even really go with a nice watch...unless you think the ill-fated Patek Phillipe attempt at digital and quartz represented the mailaise of 1970s Western Europe in just the most precious way. The tie is tied poorly- like an English Public School boy whose ADD and abandonment by all manners or potential paternal figures meant he'd never get it right...and I'm fine with the leather watch band not matching the shoes or the belt- as long as they're all equally awful shades of brown- or blacks that while leather- were never suppossed to last this long and hence look more like a sad bland grey vinyl with occasional grey highlights. It's also important to complete this look- to carry around some type of WTF male handbag. A knitted sewing bag in lots of earth tone knits works- as does an apparantly indestructable plastic bag with hole handles and a prominent L&M Cigarette Logo on either side. Failing either of these two accessories- a small backpack that says something like Boston Clipper Superbowl Supporter on it will also suffice as long as it's a sightly sun faded fluorescent shade.

Hope this helps.

[slwrnu]

be clean. shave (unless you are a hipster who can carry off facial hair), pay modest compliments to any ladies in your life, if you need to be vaguely formal, get some nice but low-key cufflinks, only to be worn with proper double cuffs, ideally inherited in 18c gold with chain links, and every now and then shoot them subtly. People will notice. Sometimes do not wear a watch. Hope this helps.

[rwsaunders]

Early in my career, I worked for a gentleman who was a WWII era West Point grad and a product of the local boarding school scene...look up the word gentleman in the dictionary and his photo was in there. The first week at work, he took the young project managers to a men’s store that he frequented and helped us select a few quality ties and recommended a suit...or two...and it was on him. Talk about raising the bar very quickly. I’ll never forget his quote when we left a client’s office one day and the fellow was not quite up to my boss’s standards in terms of business attire. “Saunders...remember this...short sleeves, short cuffs, short tie adds up to a short career.” RIP Pat.

[Chik]

but i am honestly the worst. i own four suits- a Hugo Boss summer suit and three Dries Van Notens that make me look like inbred landless intelligentsia from some East Flandrian shit hole. You know the type- the kind of Flem who can't write or read Dutch but has the most beautiful East Flandrian dirt farmer accent, hasn't paid taxes since 19992, but has the most beautiful albeit illegiable handwriting when he sees the need to write a long form letter in French to the local newspaper.

none of them go with a NATO strap. In fact, they don't even really go with a nice watch...unless you think the ill-fated Patek Phillipe attempt at digital and quartz represented the mailaise of 1970s Western Europe in just the most precious way. The tie is tied poorly- like an English Public School boy whose ADD and abandonment by all manners or potential paternal figures meant he'd never get it right...and I'm fine with the leather watch band not matching the shoes or the belt- as long as they're all equally awful shades of brown- or blacks that while leather- were never suppossed to last this long and hence look more like a sad bland grey vinyl with occasional grey highlights. It's also important to complete this look- to carry around some type of WTF male handbag. A knitted sewing bag in lots of earth tone knits works- as does an apparantly indestructable plastic bag with hole handles and a prominent L&M Cigarette Logo on either side. Failing either of these two accessories- a small backpack that says something like Boston Clipper Superbowl Supporter on it will also suffice as long as it's a sightly sun faded fluorescent shade.

Hope this helps.

Pics or it didn't happen. ;)

[jerk]

Pics or it didn't happen. ;)

Check out the maid of honor in this picture:

Examine how well the DvN suit pairs with shoes popularized by the Milano recreational heroin user community- and the same shirt and tie I would have worn at my first holy communion were I a) blind and/or b) from New Jersey and/or c) an Orphan whose only thing his parents ever gave him was color blindness.

[ron l edmiston]

--- those feet covers are only for a "man's man..."
ronnie with a smile

[Chik]

Check out the maid of honor in this picture:

Examine how well the DvN suit pairs with shoes popularized by the Milano recreational heroin user community- and the same shirt and tie I would have worn at my first holy communion were I a) blind and/or b) from New Jersey and/or c) an Orphan whose only thing his parents ever gave him was color blindness.

Now go untie that knot in your panties. :)

[choke]

I'm still convinced though that unless you're in the SAS and driving a Land Rover in the Oman- for god's sake get a real watch strap for that thing. A NATO strap is wonderful for Corporal Piggin- but it's really stupid on that fat guy who works in IT's IWC.

If you're bothered by an IWC, you'll love this. Yes, it's not a NATO but that's only because the pins are so close to the body that there's not enough of a gap to thread one through. I think it works great with the military dial. I wouldn't wear it on this strap with a suit, but then I think the only proper watch for a suit is made out of gold.