Back When 'Casual' Meant 'Upper Class'

[kamikat]

Having grown up on the Chesapeake Bay (Dad was Coast Guard Reserves), I can tell you that the dress Lizzie talks about was common in the marinas where we kept our boats. Yes, we had sail boats, not yachts, all under 30ft. My sister and her husband still dress like that, but as every day clothing not casual wear. I attribute that to them living full time on the Bay.

 

[Tomasso]

Actually, it has become international. Old wealth and upper middle class "traditional" professionals in Central and South America, Africa, India, Asia, Russia, the Middle East, and most of Europe --even France-- dress like this (with very slight local variation). Loafers, boat shoes, polo shirts, madras, chinos, shetland sweaters tied loosely around the neck: all of it.

There is one major difference that sets the American version (particularly the Northeast and Florida) apart and that's that rumpled and threadbare clothing is perfectly acceptable, almost preferred. The look in the other enclaves has a cleaner, newer, almost catolog quality to it.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

There is one major difference that sets the American version (particularly the Northeast and Florida) apart and that's that rumpled and threadbare clothing is perfectly acceptable, almost preferred. The look in the other enclaves has a cleaner, newer, almost catolog quality to it.

Yep..as I may have already made mention, Haband and Blair Catalog look.