![\"Interview](\"http:\/\/www.keikari.com\/english\/wp-content\/pictures\/2016\/01\/Interview-with-22TweedyProf22_at_Keikari_dot_com.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nVR: Have you any children or spouse (and how do they relate to your clothing enthusiasm)?
\nTP: My family largely tolerates my interest. My wife generally likes that I am well dressed, but she probably thinks I own too many things and obsess about it. My two kids range from being positive (the youngest) to alarm and embarrassment (the teenager).<\/p>\n
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VR :\u2026and your parents and siblings’ reactions back when you were younger?
\nTP: I grew up in an evangelical household, so a conservative one. Back in the 80s I aspired to what I suppose now might be called goth: lots of black, Doc Martens, and hair you wouldn\u2019t want to expose to open flames. You can imagine my parent\u2019s reaction. Tailored clothing was something I found much later in life. I\u2019m sure my parents like that aspect of me better now. My younger brother shares some of the same interests though more focused on shoes. He\u2019s recently discovered Vass, but then again, he doesn\u2019t have kids.<\/p>\n
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VR: What other hobbies or passions do you have besides classic apparel?
\nTP: I\u2019m a parent!<\/p>\n
I try to play classical piano seriously though work and economics have made it difficult to take lessons which I think is essential to keep up one\u2019s technique. I\u2019m also quite fond of traveling, and we\u2019ve lived in Berlin on and off for the past five years, and traveled around Europe quite a bit. There\u2019s just so little time to do as much as one wants.<\/p>\n
VR: How did you first become interested in style, and when did you turn your eyes towards the classics? Why these instead of fashion? I mean \u201cformality\u201d as a value, a sense of seriousness and decorum. Formality has an important place in life and certainly in academia. Its loss hinders education.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an egregious example of what I mean by \u201cthe loss of formality\u201d: student emails. I\u2019ve had one too many emails that began with \u201cHey [first name]\u201d or at one point \u201cDude, where\u2019s the final?\u201d All propriety had gone to hell\u2014though when tuition is $50,000 a year at many US private universities, that changes how people act.<\/p>\n I won\u2019t expand on why I think this is a problem (hopefully it\u2019s obvious). But how do you respond? I toyed with the idea of going \u201cJohn Houseman\u201d on my students (from the movie, The Paper Chase), addressing students as \u201cMr. X\u201d or \u201cMs. Y\u201d to reintroduce the formality of the student-teacher relation, but that just didn\u2019t feel natural.<\/p>\n Well, then, at least I could look like a proper professor. In that context, \u201cclassic menswear\u201d seemed like the right direction. My Styleforum moniker, \u201cTweedyprof\u201d, when I joined in 2012 was tongue in cheek since I wasn\u2019t that tweedy. It signaled an aspiration.<\/p>\n For me \u201cfashion,\u201d as I\u2019m understanding it (what\u2019s seen on the runway) would not achieve the effect I wanted, to reinforce the seriousness of education, of the classroom context, of having a professor as mentor and not a potential drinking buddy. That said, I do admire those who have a great fashion sense.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n VR: How have you gathered your knowledge of the tailored look — from books, talks with salesmen or somewhere else? Learning the basic principles isn\u2019t hard. It isn\u2019t rocket science. But it does require an eye for detail, a willingness to think a bit, and good mentors. I tried reading a few books but they didn\u2019t do so much for me and I don\u2019t think I ever finished one. I\u2019ve never read Flusser\u2019s Dressing the Man, what everyone suggests as a starting place. I\u2019m sure it\u2019s useful.<\/p>\n I learned a lot initially from Put this On, but most of what I\u2019ve learned has been through interactions at Styleforum and I think when you are starting out in the English speaking world, it is a great resource. For me, it began with lurking, then posting a few pictures of a MTM shirt and MTM jacket I had done, getting some initial feedback that helped me learn where to look and what to look for. After that, really just following certain threads and observing \u201cfits\u201d from certain members, how they put together a look.<\/p>\n Lots of people influenced me and I can\u2019t name them all so I hope I will be forgiven for omitting many teachers and Forum friends. I have to say, I was and continue to be greatly inspired by the Scandinavian contingent who consistently hit the highs (e.g. members EFV and Pingson, another academic who posts no more, alas, but can be found on Tumblr).<\/p>\n Manton\u2019s good taste thread was often a revelation in the early pages and watching In Stitches progress was eye opening (you should see his early entries in that thread and contrast those with the pictures you\u2019ve posted of him here, a transition that took no more than a year). The thread chronicling Gazman and MaoMao\u2019s bespoke Italian adventures was intimidating and inspiring.<\/p>\n On the side, I\u2019ve talked with Mr. Six, Claghorn, Cezinho, Sprout2 and Sacafotos among others about aspects of tailoring, especially ties. In NYC, I\u2019ve run into folks like Greg Lellouche and Mike Kuhle who have been generous with their time and chatted with me. I also started the Classic Menswear Lounge thread where I hoped to generate more theoretical discussion, though the thread is quiet now that I don\u2019t frequent Styleforum as much. Many of the participants in that thread were important in refining my sense of classic menswear. I\u2019m sure I\u2019m forgetting many people (apologies again).<\/p>\n VR: Have you any particular style or cut philosophy behind your own clothing? After that: details!<\/p>\n On myself for jackets, I prefer what I suppose might be salient aspects of a Neapolitan cut: broader lapel and more natural shoulder. Alas, I have bumpy shoulders so a soft shoulder is difficult to achieve since I do need some padding to smooth out the bumps. This balance is hard to find in ready to wear jackets though I\u2019ve had good luck with Eidos Napoli.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t wear suits, so having proper odd jacket details is important to me: larger scale patterns and patch pockets. These days, I gravitate more towards the solid end of the spectrum, so donegal or herringbone, something that provides visual detail but resolves to a solid in the distance.<\/p>\n On pants, I prefer a fuller cut, but I don\u2019t cuff. I would prefer to cuff, but having bowed legs, I find a cuff tends to look cluttered given the way the trousers drape at the ankle for me. I\u2019m sure a master bespoke trouser tailor could help, but that\u2019s not in the cards, at least not until the kids graduate from college.<\/p>\n The shirt collar is something that one should attend to carefully but often gets short shrift. The most beautiful tie will be diminished by a crappy collar. I\u2019m a bit obsessive about details here: proper (higher) collar height for my longer neck, soft, unfused points that aren\u2019t too spread (again, to wear with odd jackets) but which roll softly under the jacket\u2019s lapel, and small tie space. For button down shirts, the same features with emphasis on a unique and soft collar roll. I\u2019m still tweaking with my shirts with the maker.<\/p>\n Ties should be well cut so as to knot well and be proportional to one\u2019s collar, torso and jacket (e.g. lapel width). Materials should be seasonally appropriate.<\/p>\n Finally, accessories and matching them matter a lot to me, and with a smaller wardrobe, they provide the field for originality built on a firm foundation of fit. I\u2019ve many thoughts on this, but I won\u2019t bore you with the details.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n VR: Who or what inspires you? Mostly, I\u2019m looking for inspiration, for the use of pattern, texture, and color in unique and tasteful ways, within the bounds of classic principles.<\/p>\n VR: What\u2019s your definition of style? Maybe I can say what I try to do: to find my own place within the space of possibilities that are defined by the \u201cprinciples\u201d of classic menswear.<\/p>\n There are many places to be free in that space, and looking for your own place is what allows for originality and style. For classic menswear, the most pleasing originality to me is subtle, say finding a way to use a pocket square that both picks up certain elements of a tie but also generates an interesting contrast with it, all while harmonizing with other elements in a look, say the pattern of a jacket, the material of the shoes. Such a fit looks pleasing at a glance but to a trained eye also reveals a skilled play on color, pattern and\/or texture.<\/p>\n Subtlety of this sort is often lost on social media where all we spare is a glance. I think it\u2019s wonderful that some men present strident flair and ostentatiousness (think of very loud ties or exploding pocket squares). Why shouldn\u2019t one enjoy one\u2019s clothing? For me, though, I dress for work so the formal and classical are more crucial and originality must be subtler. That doesn\u2019t stop me from enjoying clothes, of course.<\/p>\n VR: You\u2019ve worked in the American academia for many years. How would you describe the most common outfits for men within the many hallowed halls? Fortunately, the abomination I mentioned is uncommon (maybe more common in California). More typical among men are jeans or khakis and a button down shirt. Ties are really rare in the universities I\u2019ve been at unless you are an administrator. More likely, you\u2019ll have someone with a jacket, sans tie, over an OCBD and khakis or jeans.<\/p>\n Does this make the ivory tower grim style-wise? I suppose if by \u201cstyle\u201d one includes fit and formality, then perhaps yes. A clean fitting shirt and nicely cut trouser does wonders for such a look, but so often, men don\u2019t pay attention to this. I like the modern academic uniform, but it\u2019s casual, what I wear on weekends. It is not proper work wear for the ivory tower.<\/p>\n That said, I\u2019m of two minds here. I value proper dress in the classroom context. I think a coat and tie are important for male faculty.<\/p>\n But then again, academia is hard, especially at the research level. Faculty positions are difficult to come by and achieved after years of hard work where you pretty much ignore everything else. Once you get your job, and many do not find one or only after years of looking, the pressures are doubled-down and teaching is secondary to doing good research. Many people have families too. So, it becomes an extravagance to focus on clothes.<\/p>\n Indeed, I\u2019m very cognizant that in some way, my dressing up puts me at a disadvantage: it has the danger of making me appear frivolous to my colleagues. At this time in most American universities, classical menswear calls attention to itself. It is no longer mundane but stands out, especially if properly tailored and well cut to one\u2019s body. Oddly, it\u2019s inadvertent peacocking. So, while I think dressing properly, more formally, is important for professors, I\u2019m not sure I would recommend to a junior colleague that they go my route. Or if they did, perhaps I would at least steer them away from the pocket square.<\/p>\n VR: Has the stereotypical tweeded professor lived on widely, or has he been driven into small pockets on the East Coast? That said, there will be variation across universities. I suspect the northeast, with its seasonal changes, might allow for more variety of dress and, possibly, be the last protected lands for the mythical creature of which we speak.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n VR: Is it possible to combine a passion for tailoring with academic credibility in the 2010s, or does shabbiness indeed guarantee authenticity and earnestness? Even among humanities faculty, I still stand out though as we move to the humanities and the arts, dress somehow is more tied up with one\u2019s work or the persona that one perhaps cultivates more in those contexts. The drama professors have every reason to look great, though I don\u2019t see them around much so can\u2019t say for sure.<\/p>\n Remember, dress for me concerns aiding teaching, how I present myself to students. For research, it is much less important and as I said, possibly distracting and detrimental. I would much rather have someone come out of one of my talks saying, \u201cHe dressed like shit, but wow, what a mind!\u201d than the other way around. Still, I suppose I aspire to \u201cWhat a mind and what a jacket!\u201d\u2014in that order.<\/p>\n Ok, that\u2019s too boring. My advice to young male faculty? Wear a coat and tie when you are teaching, and if asked by a senior colleague why you are \u201cso dressed up\u201d, just say that you are teaching and that you want to remind students that learning is serious business. You can slowly transition to wearing a coat\/tie all week (\u201cOh, I have office hours\u201d or \u201cThere\u2019s a committee meeting\u201d).<\/p>\n Wear a well fitting navy blazer with mid grey or mid brown trousers, to provide contrast with the blazer (not charcoal trousers or dark brown\/taupe). A nicely tapered mid-brown blucher or oxford with some broguing, something not aggressively tapered but with a nice line (not too rounded of a toe). For ties: a near solid tie (for spring\/summer, a tussah brown silk tie provides enough contrast and texture for an odd jacket), or a subtle herringbone. A good collar on blue oxford cloth for the shirt will finish off the look. Forgo the pocket square initially perhaps, or if you do, then a puff fold with squares that are subtle in color and pattern. You might be surprised that your students appreciate it.<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tweedyprof\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/a><\/p>\n
\nTP: My interest was born about four years ago from a practical problem that many Western faculty members face as university education becomes more like a service industry: How to maintain formality in a informal world?<\/p>\n
\nTP: The beauty of a coat and tie is that it is both liberating and principled. Liberating in its uniformity (It\u2019s a uniform!). But it\u2019s constrained and organized by articulable principles and that\u2019s what I enjoy about proper dress. You have to learn these principles, but once you do, a lot of freedom opens up.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nTP: The most basic things is fit. One has to learn how things should properly fit, on others, but also on the body one has. You can read about fit, I suppose, but learning to see it is crucial. I wouldn\u2019t call it a philosophy or style, but a necessity.<\/p>\n
\nTP: I don\u2019t have a specific historical figure who inspires me. Much of my inspiration comes from Instagram these days. As I said, the Scandinavian contingent provides a constant reminder of why good tailoring and fit are so crucial (you know who you are!). I also receive much inspiration from the Styleforum colleagues who I mentioned before and who are on Instagram. I tend to follow fewer people mostly because time is precious, and it\u2019s hard to scroll efficiently if you have 100+ people you follow.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nTP: I don\u2019t know if one should try to define \u201cstyle\u201d. You might as well define \u201cconsciousness\u201d!<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nTP: I think the thought in America nowadays is that one should be comfortable but where this means informal. \u201cInformal\u201d then means casual, sometimes to an extreme. This might make me sound too stodgy, but I\u2019m sorry, a professor in shorts and t-shirt teaching a class is an abomination (unless you\u2019re teaching hands-on surfing). Indeed, it\u2019s just disrespectful to the students and to the context. A computer science professor I know once asked me why I \u201cdressed up\u201d for work, to which I responded along the lines of above, to reintroduce some formality to the teaching context. He added: \u201cOh, so you respect your students.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nTP: I think the stereotypical tweedy professor is a myth or a dying breed. I do have a colleague in physics who wears tweed jackets and a bowtie. He looks good\u2014a scientist no less!\u2014but he is not the norm.<\/p>\n<\/a>A rare gekkota<\/em> accessory<\/p>\n
\nTP: I think it depends on the field. As I said, I think my dress can actually be a disadvantage, but I work around scientists and engineers for the most part. At this point, I\u2019m tenured and have a body of work people feel is worth taking shots at (which is good; you want to be a target), so this protects me a bit.<\/p>\n