Well - it seems I've been neglecting the blog world, other than peeking in at my regular haunts.
I have today off and thought I would catch up a bit.
I had taken a few pics of my purple day at the office. I had training to do and thought I'd do something a little different. I usually wear purple with a black suit. Today I wore navy blue pin strip suit. The same suit as a previous post. Purple argyle with black shoes - I don't remember where I got the shoes, but they were made in Italy.
Since part of the sock is a blue/purple I figured a blue shirt would be OK and picked out one of my favorite purple ties.
So what to wear for cuff links - I thought about the same gold pair then remembered I had a pair with some blue in them.
The blue is actually much lighter - it's closer to a Tiffany's blue but it came out darker. OK - I'm rather proud of these - notice it's the presidential seal? I didn't wear my jacket during training because the room can get rather warm. I don't usually do that but...well I just did. Not a single soul asked about the cuff links!
I know - how could they not? I figured I'd share them with you all. This pair is from the White House. No you can't buy them at the gift shop - they do sell cuff link and I'll go into that in a moment. This pair was from my cousin who worked at the white House during the G.W. Bush term (number 43). She was Special Assistant to the President. I think for economical development - not sure. Anyway, we visited her in Washington and had a tour of the West Wing (yes - the WEST WING) with her as our tour guide. She had some great stories that really gave a human side to "Gee Doubaya". As we were leaving she gave us some things to remember the trip - one was this pair of cuff links. From what I understand, they are given to staff of the white house to give away. The blue is the same color as the background of the carpet in the oval office - well, at least when GW was in office. I don't know if it's still there with the new administration.
There is a "gift shop" for the White House. It's actually in the bottom of the administration building and is really a very small closet. But it has things they don't sell in "The White House Gift Shop" down the street. The pair of links I bought there have a nave blue ring around the outside with a gold field. I'll have to get a picture of them too to compare.
As long as we are talking about cuff links - the other pair I featured was a pair from either my father or grandfather. I'm not sure which because I have the same pair from both of them.
It's hard to see, but there is a set of initials HDG. The other side of the link has the initials KAG. And each link is the same. So you could wear them so each set of initials is facing out. OK that sounds confusing but I think you get what I mean. They are 14k gold from Cartier.
So here's the story behind them - years ago when "Big Blue" (IBM) was still a major force in the business world they gave gifts to direct family members when they were hired. My grandfather was an engineer there and when my father was hired they gave both of them a set of cuff links and a leather two suit suitcase. That was when it was still expected that men wear a suit to work. My mother received a gold compact and a leather train case. I don't know what ever happened to her fathers cuff links. Yes, I'm an IBM brat. Most of my friends growing up were children of "zipper heads" as they were known. IBM is no longer the company it once was but that's another story.
More later
DAG
