Archive for January, 2010
That’s Nautical
Photo credit: roguesgallery.com
Nautical is back for Spring / Summer 2010. Some useful terms should you find yourself at sea:
Groggy: Drunk from having consumed a lot of grog (rum &water).
Avast: Stop. Cease or desist from whatever is being done.
Aye, aye: Reply to an order or command to indicate that the command is understood and will be carried out.
By and large: “By” means into the wind, while “large” means with the wind. By and large is used to indicate all possible situations “the ship handles well both by and large“.
Under the weather: Serving a watch on the weather side of the ship, exposed to wind and spray.
Dressing down: Treating old sails with oil or wax to renew them.
Jack: A sailor
Mae West: A Second World War personal flotation device used to keep people afloat in the water
Tweed Run, London.
January 24th, 2009, London hosted the first ever Tweed Run. The event was organized by London Fixed Gear and Single Speed. Riders wore traditional British cycling attire, namely tweed.
Tweed is a coarse unfinished woolen fabric closely woven in either plain or twill weave. Tweed was often worn as informal outerwear because it is durable and moisture resistant… perfect for cycling?
Fact Credit: Wikipedia.com
Image credit: Photo by Roxy Erickson via tumblr
All Tied Up
When choosing a tie, it is important to consider pattern, width, fabric, formality and color.
Pattern: Lots of options, plaid, striped, spotted etc.
Width: The traditional width of an English regimental tie is three and a quarter inches.
Fabric: Silk is arguably the best textile for ties, durable, lustrous and resilient.
Formality / Color: A darker tie is typically considered more formal.
Fact credit: The Suit, Nicholas Antongiavanni, p. 145
Start The Year Off on the Right Foot.
The Oxford is a type of leather shoe. These shoes were originally from Ireland and Scotland and are typically quite plain with (at most) small perforations as detail. According to Hoyle, when it comes to shoes and ornamentation, less is more.
Straight-laced :
1) Refers to a method of fastening two pieces so that the laces span straight across rather than making a crisscrossed pattern.
2) Oxford English Dictionary definition: having or showing very strict moral attitudes.
Fact Credit: Wikipedia.org; askoxford.com
Image credit: Maison Martin Margiela via tresbienshop.net
Think Pink. Thomas Pink.
The original Thomas Pink shirts were constructed on an authentic block and made from 38 separate components, with a 14 piece hand turned collar.
Thomas Pink was founded by three Irish brothers and entrepreneurs, James, Peter and John Mullen. The company brand name, Thomas Pink came from a London tailor who made red hunting jackets, a color that was referred to as “hunting pink” (see “hunting pink” is more red than you think).
“In the Pink”- is an idiomatic expression for in good health.
Thus, the term “in the pink” has been used to refer both to the color of the hunting jackets (those lucky enough to own one) and hunters’ healthy and energetic approach to their pasttime.
Fact credit: wikipedia.org; www.phrases.org.uk; www.thomaspink.com
Image credit: www.thomaspink.com