I’ve been a bit surprised to see ascots appearing in my latest Brooks Brothers catalogs; I think it’s still a look that’s far too affected, even for me, but Betsy Newmark wonders if we aren’t seeing the aura of a penumbra of its comeback:
According to USA Today, we are seeing glimmerings of a comeback of the ascot. A handful of guys in the public eye are wearing them. The most public practitioner is American Idol contestant, Michael Johns. While I really like Johns and he’s my favorite on Idol, I hope he starts to resist such advice from the Idol stylist as this:
And yet: American Idol contender Michael Johns sang a bluesy number last week while wearing a pink-and-purple Alexander McQueen ascot, chosen by Idol stylist Miles Siggins. The contestants need “a recognizable brand, and I was thinking dandy rocker,” says Siggins, who has picked out a vintage ascot for Johns to wear this week.
“Dandy rocker?” You gotta be kidding.
Please, please, stop that. America does not need a dandy rocker.
With the unfortunate death of Robert Palmer in 2003, doesn’t Bryan Ferry currently have the absolute lock on that job description? (At least as frontman–Charlie Watts is often the best dressed drummer since Tony Williams.)
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