The Evening in the Stacks library fundraiser last night was promoted as “black tie optional, masks encouraged.”
I’ll get to the masks later. Black tie optional, for me at least, means that I get to wear my tux and not look like I'm part of the wait staff. I don’t really get that many opportunities to put it on either; the last time was the Chamber Roast of Dick Story almost a year ago.
A tux is cool. It can make an average guy look above average. It’s easy too. Wearing one doesn’t require a guy to have any fashion sense, at all. All he needs do is stick to the basics and he’ll look great, no matter what.
That being said, even the basics are subject to occasional periods of wild experimentation. Around ten years ago, the collar on the pleated white shirt for some fashion forward fellas, was all but eliminated, save for two little wings. The winged collar is now pretty much out of vogue as men retreated back to the safe harbor of a classic shirt collar.
Not all the men wore a tux last night, in fact the majority did not. The county exec didn’t even wear a tie. I know he owns a tux. Maybe it didn’t fit.
That’s the other problem with a tux. It’s usually wise to put it on for a test drive a week or so before you need it just in case it requires an adjustment here and there.
The county exec didn’t wear a mask either. Neither did Courtney Watson or Guy Guzzone. Mary Kay Sigaty wore a mask, as did Jen Terrasa, and Ellen Flynn Giles.
I don’t think Guy was wearing a tux either but at least he had a tie.
I believe this mask divide among the loco politicos last night signals something significant. Wearing a mask is silly and last night the library invited us to be silly. Those who opted to join in the fun demonstrated an ability, for at least one evening out in the public arena, not to take themselves too seriously.
I like that.
