The Rather Timely Demise of The Natural Aristocrat

I suppose this will be more of a posterity post than anything to be deemed actually informative, however I have officially decided to end The Natural Aristocrat. It's reputation (if it still has one), it's history and it's name no longer espouse the ideas and the lessons I have learned in the recent months. I will simply let the domain name expire and allow the blog to bow out gracefully from existence. I do plan on starting a new website/blog/pulpit soon, however I currently have no idea what it will be called and when it will actually come about. All I know it that will definitely be more of an outlet for my own musings than something solely dedicated to style. I would like to thank all of those who continue to visit the site, and will send out another post when I have created a new forum from which to speak.

P.S. For those of you kind enough to inquire, the LSAT went well, I scored in the top 20% for all test takers within the last three years. However I have the opportunity to tilt the cards in my favor by pursuing subsequent bachelor's degrees (Psychology and most likely Economics), which will not only boost my pre-law school GPA but also allow me the foundation from which to explore the possibilities of a phD program later in life.

Taking a Break

I'm going to be taking a break from blogging for a while to focus on the remaining months leading up to the LSAT I'm taking in June. In order to score my absolute best I need to put aside all distractions, this here blog included, along with various other social media. I'm not sure when I'll be back, but I might update with a simple post every now and again. I have a lot I would like to share with you all but do not have the time to do so until a later date. Until then, visit the other sites on my blogroll, all of which feature incredible content posted by top notch bloggers. Thank all of you for your support and your readership.

-David

Spring/Summer Inspiration: Polo Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren's Polo lines have always played a key role in my wardrobe, not just for their timeless goods, but also because of their styling. A lot of my personal style developed because of key looks the RL team has put together over time. Here's their latest for Spring/Summer 2011. A lot of what I wear is very similar to this, but believe you me, Mr. Lauren's photos are much better quality than my own.

White Pants are essential when the weather heats up, not only do they keep you cool, they look good with just about anything. Madras ties are a great way to keep color apparent in your wardrobe. at work or around town. They have also nicely paired this outfit with the goes-with-anything brown tassel loafers and tan jacket.

Not just for St. Patrick's Day, green pants (and bright pants in general) are an awesomely loud way of declaring your affinity for all things warm weather (boating, golf, gin and tonics, tennis, croquet, margaritas, pool parties, etc.). Notice how a usually prominent purple shirt is actually mellowed by the brightness of the pants. Use this to your advantage and pair light or faded colors with bright colors up top or vice versa. As you can tell, tassel loafers and a tan jacket are becoming a theme here. I have a tan Prince of Wales check Brooks Brothers jacket in a lightweight wool that I wear in the exact same situations you see above.

The key to pulling off pants in bright colors like this is understanding how to pair different colors together. Purple and green work well here because they are similar in tone and brightness, they are also somewhat complementary on the color scale. The tie serves to pick up the colors in the outfit and the jacket serves as a neutralizer, keeping the colors from running wild yet also allowing them to pop. I like the idea of wearing your sunglasses in your chest pocket, but I still think there ought to be a pocket square behind them.

Sometimes you have to wear a suit outside and endure the heat. Whether it be a wedding or a social function it's best to use the advantages of a cotton khaki suit to keep you cool while you enjoy yourself (and subsequently watch everyone else melt in their darker colors and heavier fabrics). Keep it simple like the look shown above with a blue or white shirt, a simple but slightly darker tie and some nice shoes.

Getting a little more casual now, I'll introduce you to some properly jaunty GTH pants. When you wear these, balance is of the utmost priority. It's very easily to overdo this look. The boat shoes, OCBD and bow tie are simple and ground the pants enough to both become the focal point of the outfit (which is the point after all) and also still enjoy a casual not-too-stuffy air.

I'll be honest with you, most of the time on the weekends when I go out during the day and it's 90 to 100 degrees, I'm not wearing pants and a jacket. I'm wearing shorts and a shirt. This is the proper way to do summer shorts while still looking decent in case you should you maybe run into a client or decide to have lunch at a nice place. The obvious reason this outfit shines is the tassel loafers, which are shiny in their own right. The crisp shirt is more formal than a polo and works well with the tailored shorts.

When you're on the links, at a BBQ, a pool party, or even just running some errands, a polo and shorts are the way to go. It's simple, timeless, and just looks good. Throw on some white bucks (dirty, since you actually wear them and don't spend hours fretting over scuffs and such, just rub them together every once in a while to get the major ones out) or some boat shoes to finish it off. This and the above outfit are really the opportunities to go full GTH with bright bold colors above and below. They're also great for breaking out and displaying any nice surcingle or D-ring belts you've got lying around.

I love me some tennis, but when the sun is beating down on your head and the temperatures literally are hot enough to cook an egg, the only way to play is in all white everything. Keep your polo trim in pique cotton, your shorts short in cotton or mesh, and your sneakers crisp with white socks.

The outfits above are ones that will work in just about any situation you're likely to encounter in the warm months. I'll be showcasing some more Spring/Summer looks from various other marques in the weeks to come.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Jacket and Tie by Brooks Brothers / Shirt by Grant Thomas / Pocket Square by Ashear

Belt by Polo Ralph Lauren / Jeans by Paper Denim & Cloth / Socks by H&M

Shoes by Mezlan / Briefcase by Johnston & Murphy

It is commonly said that everyone's a little Irish on March 17th. I would venture that may be due to the amount of Jameson and Guinness running through their veins at any given time, but none-the-less it is a joyous occasion. The history of it is actually very religious as you may or may not know. St. Patrick was the man responsible for converting much of Ireland to Christianity from their native polytheism. Over time it transitioned from a religious event to a more general celebration of maintaining Irish culture and allowing those of Irish descent to get their Gaelic on. My Irish heritage comes from my direct ancestor King James I who ruled Scotland first, then England and Ireland and reclaimed the throne for the House of Stuart (tartan anyone?). In my family it's traditional that  every St. Patrick's Day fathers and sons have have a Guinness together. Whatever your tradition might be, and whatever your heritage might be, I wish you a Happy St. Patrick's Day. Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!