Summertime...

...and the livin' is easy. Memorial Day holiday is fast approaching in the U.S.A. and it of course signifies the "official" start of summer. Just the time to roll out some new togs. Return readers know that, due to certain life-principles, I do not dress "casually" for Fridays at work. But one can dress as if one is toddling off to the Hamptons or Cape Cod or a beach home on [what used to be known as] the Gulf of Mexico [now the Gulf of B.P.] and get something of a lift from the effort. It is especially important to maintain this fantasy when your Epic is facing a work schedule over the summer "vacation" that can only be described as barbarian. Thus, some new props and accessories were in order.

Depicted here are three new pairs of trousers I managed to procure during the "off season" for summer clothes...

From the left, pale lemon golf trousers in silk by Canadian haberdasher Daniel Cremieux. I have always desired a pair of yellow pants and now I have them! The center is my authentic pair of Nantucket Reds from Murray's Toggery Shop. Just the thing for a low stress Friday evening cookout. Finally, Brooks Brothers blue seersucker trousers in a perfect weight for summer wandering.

New trousers call for new socks, right? Oh, I think so...

Pale blue with navy anchors, pale yellow with crimson lobsters, stark white with America's Cup Yachts. Brooks Brothers [twice] and Nautica, respectively. But the piece de resistance...

For summer 2010 I return to the double breasted blazer game in a BIG way with a Brooks Brothers classic in navy with PLENTY of gold buttons. It goes perfectly with all of my sporty summer trousers and cool new socks. Paired with a crisp white button-down shirt in oxford cloth and a repp tie in navy/red, navy/gold, pink/blue or red/white, I can put together great combinations for many summer outings to come! I may even tot out my greatest summer tie ever...navy with a diagonal pattern of gold anchors. Or I may not. I may want to keep something in reserve. In case an invitation arrives to some swank affair on board a big yacht in Ft. Lauderdale or Palm Beach. On the other hand, perhaps I had better just wear it to happy hour.

In any event, because of pesky fiscal austerity issues, I hunted for my summer wardrobe throughout the winter months at sales and on Ebay. I am proud to say that the cost of the entire kit shown here was less than $175.00. Which leaves plenty of jack to spend on other important summer accessories. Like the makings of the perfect "Dark and Stormy" cocktail...