All that talk about favorite colors in my last post got me thinking about my father. Growing up, whenever we kids asked him what he wanted for Christmas or his birthday, he always answered, "world peace"; whenever we asked him his favorite color, he answered, "plaid." Needless to say, this meant that he ended up opening a lot of long, thin boxes containing plaid neckties every Christmas.
We all feigned annoyance with my father for not ever revealing one favorite color, but I think we actually loved it. My dad wore plaid nearly every day, whether on a pair of Bermuda shorts, or a tweedy jacket, a narrow plaid band around a porkpie hat, or, of course, a plaid flannel work shirt. He didn't discriminate, except for pastels. I don't recall seeing him in any green & pink plaid during the preppie 80's. That was definitely not his style. All others were welcome, and in the 70's he was often known to sport a few different plaids in a single outfit. He was a handsome guy, and he somehow always made it look charming.
I'm missing him tonight, so I went out hunting on the internet for some of the handsome and the pretty plaids on the web right now. I celebrate my dad for never settling on just one favorite color. Why bother when you can have 'em all?
From Luisa Beccaria via Perfect Bound
Eames Ottoman and Lounge Chair found at Apartment Therapy
From Anthropologie
Glen Plaid Lowball Glasses from Ralph Lauren
From Apartment Therapy
This last one is a classic, of course--the LL Bean plaid shirt. Being a Frenchman from Maine who chopped his own wood and taught us all how to become pretty good shots with a bow and arrow, he wore a lot of shirts very much like this one. Today hipsters wear plaid ironically, in a geeky/cool way on their wellies or their glasses, but I'm still a sucker for un-ironic, straightforward, Stanley-thermos, wool-blanket plaid. When I was growing up in Maine, there was a terrible joke that boys used to tell: "What's the difference between a moose and a girl from Maine? Moose don't wear plaid shirts." Jerks! Boys can be so mean. I don't care, I still love plaid, and I love this memory of my dad's "favorite color."
that table is love!
ReplyDeleteyour dad... such a smart man!
xoxo
Your dad sounds the absolute best. I just love the descriptions of what he wore, so stylish. What lovely memories you must have. Big hug to you my honey.
ReplyDeletexoxo
What a fun memory of your dad....I, too LOVE to wear plaid shirts, always have....my brother in law who has been in my life since I was 10 ALWAYS wears plaid...I think he has a lifetime wardrobe of plaid shirts...i know i always give him one or two for Christmas...Have a peaceful evening, Gigi! xxoo
ReplyDeleteBeautiful memories, Gigi.
ReplyDeleteBut I had to laugh when I got to the moose joke. Not because it's funny, but because it stuck with you all these years and it was such an unexpected ending to this post, it totally made me smile.
I love these memories of your stylish Dad. It's funny that you associate a plaid shirt with a man from Maine. I associate it with my favorite country boys from the woods of Tennessee. That would be my husband, my brother-in-law, and my nephew, by the way. They wear theirs with old faded jeans and heavy Timberland boots.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I too am a plaid lover. I'm not preppy, but my extremely elegant grandfather was devoted to Brooks Bros, and I have very fond early-childhood memories of plaid picnic blankets. In fact, I was lucky enough to inherit one of those Brooks Bros plaid picnic blankets, which later did stylish duty as a car blanket for my parents' twin MGBs. I now love to sling it over the back of a chair in winter, or over the back of a car seat when we go on a day trip. It has not faded, stained, grown stiff, or unraveled. The quality is that good.
ReplyDeleteAnother of my longtime plaid favorites is my set of Brooks Bros mens pajamas, which I purchased in the '80s when I was in college. I did lose the top at some point, but I still wear the pants, and they also hold true to form, undiminished by the years.
Oh Gigi,
ReplyDeleteI love your stories about your dad. If I remember rightly, you lost your Dad at quite a young age but, you have so many memories of him. He must have been a very special man. My dad used to like tartan, very similar to plaid. After my mum died, he needed new bed linen and curtains and I remember going out with him and buying a tartan duvet cover, pillow cases and curtains.
By the way, I love that dress. Shame that I don't go anywhere that would justify wearing such a creation!!
Thanks for your memories. XXXX
Oh, thank you for sharing this part of your Dad, and who he was. So lovely.
ReplyDeleteTho only plaid you would have found in the Ireland of my Dad's youth would have been a picnic blanket! Something that to this day I love. Memories of wind-blown, rained out picnics...
Thank you!
Beautiful memories. Hope you are well. xx
ReplyDeleteHi, Gigi! Happy New Year! Now we're back from our Christmas trip and it's great to be catching up with you here... Feeling jet-lagged and heart-fuzzy after a sweet Christmas, good to be home and back in blogland. Very much enjoying checking in with your holiday postings. This post of memories really tugged at my heart. My Dad used to have a horrible brown plaid winter coat--we called it a horse blanket...LOL! Funny now though, I remember being little and him holding my hand and our hand linked inside one of his coat pockets so we'd stay warm. My Dad is just now retiring. He still likes brown plaid. ;o) Looking forward to sharing another creative year with you, Gigi. Wishing you & yours all the very best of love, peace & joy in 2010! :o) ((HUGS))
ReplyDeleteOn the day we "officially" adopted the kids, I dressed the fabulous Miss T in a grey and black plaid wool dress and matching coat. Little did we know that the presiding judge was a serious plaid-o-phile, from his bowtie to his socks, with a plaid pumpkin sitting on his desk. He was taken with the dress -- a plaid he'd never seen before. So, needless to say, the "color" plaid holds a special place in my heart as well.
ReplyDeletexoxoxo
Nancy
I love hearing about everyone else's plaid associations, from Relyn's Tennessee men to Maia's Brooks Bros. blankets and from Tracy's dad's "horse blanket" to Nancy's daughter's plaid dress (I can just picture her in it--gorgeous). xo G
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you are missing your dad, but happy for you that you have good memories. I love the plaid jewelry! I've been absent most of the past 3 weeks...hope you are all settled and having a good start to the new year.
ReplyDeleteSue
Dearest Gigi, I loved reading your plaid Blog about your Dad. The Christmas after he died, I made a Christmas stocking out of one of his woolen, red, blue and brown plaid shirts and I think it is still making the rounds every few years.
ReplyDeleteI must mention that his namesake, 10 year old grandson John, whom he predeceased by 15 years, also has a penchant for plaids; from boxers to sneakers to Bermudas to pajamas to shirts...even including a 35 year old red and black jacket that your Dad bought for your brother! The Plaid Connection lives on and it creates more lovely, happy memories...... Mum
"Today hipsters wear plaid ironically, in a geeky/cool way on their wellies or their glasses, but I'm still a sucker for un-ironic, straightforward, Stanley-thermos, wool-blanket plaid."
ReplyDeleteOh Gigi, you're a gal after my own little heart. What a darling post and a sweet ode to your pops. He sounds like my kind of fellow.
xoxo.
Plaid makes me glad!
ReplyDeleteMr O has a whole closet full of plaid shirts:)
ReplyDeleteWonderful post full of wonderful memories...I just might have to find some of that plaid oil cloth...
I really enjoy your post about your Dad and your childhood memories. Sounds like you had a sweet upbringing.
ReplyDeletePlaid is like comfort food for the eyes.
Gigi, my parents have a pair of brown, yellow and cream plaid wingback chairs flanking the fireplace of their mountain cabin. I love those chairs, although they are a bit itchy to my sensitive skin. They impart such a feeling of coziness.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that you are missing your dad. Hugs to you.
That's touching for so many reasons Gigi... Memories are such special things, even when the person is still around. Funny, my own dad wore lots of plaid in NZ when I was young and he was teaching me to chop wood, but he 'grew out of it' unfortunately. Mind you, we moved to Australia and they didn't do the thick plaid like we got in NZ due to the climate. He must've lost it then. All I remember is long socks and shorts ; -) You know, I'm a closet plaid lover myself!
ReplyDeleteYour Dad and mine could have been best friends Gigi. And I have to admit to loving traditional plaids...I'm actually mad for them-tee-hee! I still have one of my Dad's plaid shirts that I wear when it's really, really cold here-which is often this time of year.
ReplyDeleteThis is a touching tale of your sweet Dad. Miss knowing that you are no longer in Maine.
I love your bautiful plaid memories of your dad, thanks for sharing them with us.
ReplyDeleteyay for world peace & hugs to you my friend ♥
I love that so much...that his favourite color was plaid. It speaks of his originality. And what a wonderful memory he left in your heart.
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