I have lost, at this moment, almost 38% of my starting body weight in a year. I might get to 40% by the time the year is up 8 weeks or so from now. This means an average of two and a half to 3 lb of weight loss, but mostly fat, per week, for a year. The general recommended guideline is one to two pounds per week. This means that I have reliably almost doubled that for a year. Well, almost a year. October 3rd will be the year. It was so much easier with you all supporting me. Whether it was @Alex Kilpatrick, @Allan Chiang, or @Darren Poesel cheering me on, or @Brian McGuire trying to talk me into pleats, you all make a difference. Whatever it is you're trying to do, you can do it! Ask not that the boulder be light. Demand that your legs remember who's in charge. Grab life by the neck and say "kneel or be knelt". You're incredible people. Celebrate yourselves. You deserve it.

I’ve harped for a couple of years in this community about the difference between fashion and style and the importance of longevity with regard to elements in clothing. Oddly I get questioned a lot now if not wearing a sportcoat or suit. But weather dictated something different. On another sticky high 90 degree Fahrenheit summer day I grabbed some cooler items and so was inspired to share some thoughts about these elements. [While this post isn’t necessarily about brands-certain brands can be used to express this design concept]. The classic polo shirt was originally a tennis shirt introduced exactly 100 years ago by Rene Lacoste. (I have attached the story behind the “tennis shirt” and the legacy of the alligator and polo-rider logo. The original “polo” shirt had more in common with what we call an OCBD today). Irrespective- this “polo” design is now over 100 years old (Lacoste version 1926, Ralph Lauren version 1972). https://www.heddels.com/2019/04/history-polo-shirt-rene-lacoste-ralph-lauren/ Paired with this I am wearing a Ralph Lauren black double front pleated linen trouser (RL makes a quality pleat). In speaking with my friend Steve Giles recently, he gave me the history of the double forward pleat. About 100 years ago there was more of a distinction in clothing between white and blue collar workers. The trouser for the blue collar worker was a durable pair of affordable plain front trousers. Conversely double pleats required more tailoring and consequently exacted a higher price and thus became the standard for a gentleman’s trouser, be that casual or dress. Per Steve, the reverse pleat was a more economical cut to make and because of the fickleness of women’s fashion, it was the common version of women’s pants 90 - 100 years ago as women more rapidly consumed fashion. While I am not sure about all of this, I found his explanation quite interesting. When Steve and I worked together at Harold’s ALL of our trousers were a deep double forward pleat, be that a casual or dress pant and I have worn that cut for nearly 50 years, irrespective of the prevalent fashion noise. This design of pant is a garment to which I do not skimp. A crap pair of poorly fitting pleats are much worse than no pleats at all. Probable 80% of my trousers are the double front pleat. I also have worn cuffed trousers for that same period of time-if wearing a true slack cut- about 90% of my trousers have cuffs. My philosophy of clothing is that a picture should never expose my age, at least from a clothing perspective (can’t do a damn thing about the haggard old face🙄in the photo). This to me is the essence of Classic Timeless Menswear. Questionably I grabbed my black cloth- white soled derby Clarke’s again with this outfit. The verdict is still out in mind as to these surviving as a modern classic. This is how I reason the validity of its possible classic standard: Derby? YES! the derby (or Blucher is a staple design); white soles? YES, but limit that to a casual “deck wear” function (not with a suit at a formal event or worn professionally such as one sees TV anchormen wearing👎); Mixing the two ???? I simply don’t know-I keep telling myself that even the pink gum soled dirty buck or suede saddle shoe or the two tone Weejun each of which was “style forward”once upon a time. Regarding the shoes-Ask me again in 100 years😎

Hey hey! You are all so supportive. I'm down 120 lb as of this morning, and I can't have done it without you. Well, maybe, but it is so much easier with you. The plan is to go from 320 with no muscle to the speed for a sub six minute minute and the strength for a weighted muscle up in a year. I'm almost there and you help so much.

Last day of the Mid-year Regional sales meeting. Get to head home later today. - gray long sleeve button down with company logos (one on front and one on the sleeve). - Brown leather belt - Navy slim fit Chinos - Brown lace up boots - SOTD Spice Bomb night vision

….headed off to Greece with my kids. Needed something to keep the sun off my face & head. I find function is the easiest way to justify trying a new style. Any other hat wearers in the house? Anyone else taking a break this month?