White on White

My grandpa died in March of 2006.

He was a good man and is one of my heroes. I always admired the way he dressed…partly because I’ve always secretly/not-so-secretly wanted to be an old man. Thus, after a few months, the time came to go over to grandma’s house and raid grandpa’s closet. It was like going to the greatest vintage shop ever and not having to pay a dime.

Most days, I wear something that belonged to my grandpa (his name was Herb. I learned at his funeral that his friends called him H.E. The tradition of referring to each other by our initials is one I would like to revive. Call me C.S.). Usually, it’s a nice pair of argyle socks. I definitely left my grandma’s house that afternoon with too many clothes, which is why I gave some away to friends and others got buried at the bottom of my drawers.

One such sweater that got buried is a very nice white cotton weave with white ducks embroidered on the front. When I un-buried it, I could not believe I hadn’t worn it every day. It is a magnificent piece of fashion history. White-on-white embroidery. The industry has lost its way.

The first day I wore it, I couldn’t talk to one person without pointing out the white ducks embroidered on my white sweater. Some people thought it was weird, others funny, and still others were offended because they claimed they could see my nipples. I didn’t care. It was white-on-white, and anyone who crossed my path needed to know about it.

And so, that is the essence of this blog. There are always things on my mind that I have discovered that I feel the need to tell people about, even if they may not care. It could be music or pop culture or food or art or the World Beard And Moustache Championships. Things excite me. When I am excited I must communicate…and you must listen. It’s white on white.

Love.

Chris