I was reading Straightjacketed's blog post about "Smart Leather" and commented on his blog that wearing neckties isn't something that I enjoy doing. I am happy that for the most part, I usually can avoid having to have one of those nooses around my neck at work. I also made a side comment about ties making me feel bound and how I don't like that feeling. That was an expression I have used for a long time. However, I must remember to be careful about making such commentary on the blog of a bondophile (smile). This past blog post explains why I don't like bondage, but also explains why I do not have bad opinions about those who do. The subculture of gay leathermen has room for everyone's preferences and tastes.Nonetheless, the blog author is a good sport, and joined in the commentary on his own blog which redirected it back to the direction he was posting about. The main focus of his blog post was in response to yet another blog: the concept of suit and tie being is a fetish for some guys.
Wearing ties or the suit-and-tie concept has never been a fetish of mine. As I grew up, I resisted any occasion where I had to dress up. I just didn't like it. My twin brother, on the other hand, loved to dress up and still does. As I have often said, he got the "suit genes" and I got the leather jeans (LOL!).
My fellow blogger posted images from the on-line Northbound Leather Catalog of a nice looking guy in a full leather suit. I have always been impressed with the quality of the leather gear from Northbound. I perused their website and thought to myself, "hmmm, a full leather suit might be nice."
Then I had one of those moments where I slapped myself upside the head and said, "you've got all the pieces -- a dress leather shirt, dress leather pants, dress leather tie, and even an old black leather blazer -- so put it all together and you already have your full leather suit." I put it all on and took a series of photos for a new page on my website titled, appropriately enough, Full Leather Suit.
I realize that I do have to get a better fitting dress jacket (mine is over 10 years old and too small), and probably a newer dress leather shirt because the one I have shrunk when it got soaked once by a surprise storm when I was wearing it while riding my Harley. But what I have will do, for now.
Is this "smart leather?" It will work for those rare occasions where I have to wear a suit for some other occasion than for a formal business meeting related to work. Now I'm thinking this will be just the outfit when I go out to dinner with my partner for our anniversary next week.
Life is short: wear your leather! (And thanks to my buddy in the U.K. for this blog post inspiration!)
2 comments:
Well, now I feel like I've really arrived: I've inspired a new outfit for the man who has (leather) everything! Seriously, I'm genuinely tickled by this. :)
I think the look suits you, although I agree it'd be smarter with a new blazer - partly because the lapels of your blazer, like several I've owned in the past, have a tendency to curl outwards with wear. This is probably because it's soft lambskin rather than a stiffer hide which would hold its shape better.
My favourite of those photos is the one where you've got the jacket buttoned up - I think it looks sleek and businesslike - but I suspect it's the one where you feel most "constrained"... ;)
These days, I have one very good quality leather blazer (originally from Gieves but sadly not bespoke) which I tend to wear sparingly, only really for fancy-but-not-too-formal occasions, keeping it buttoned on its hanger the rest of the time. For me, wearing it gives me a different pleasure than zipping myself into my favourite biker leathers or robust horsehide windcheater.
Hmm, I ought to have a What's Your Favourite Kind Of Leather blog entry some time. Although I'd find it very hard to choose!
Oh, and I too have had the occasional problem with leather shirts shrinking or wrinkling after surprise rainstorms. A favourite lambskin shirt was once ruined as a result; my own fault for risking it in the famously unpredictable British climate!
Post a Comment