I have been encountering more dandies of late. A dandy is a man who places importance on refinement, on leisure, and his appearance, often dressing quite flamboyantly. Historically the term came from a group of English aristocrats, but it has come to signify men who dress in a highly fashionable and particular manner.

When I think of dandies I think of the men walking along the seaside for a rendezvous (at the peak of the season, the Mediterranean, this time of year, it’s so fashionable!).

I went to look at a truck my daughter wants to buy. It was at a dealer in a small town by the coast. A bunch of salesmen looked like I expect of car salesmen in a small town at the coast. Somewhat too large khakis. Black sneakers. Windbreakers. I asked for the fellow I had been communicating with online. He comes out and does not look like the other salesmen. He had on shiny, square-toed, longish formal shoes. His trousers were trousers. His hair was coifed. And the shirt… It had hidden plackets on the front and over the cuffs. The fabric under the plackets was solid while the shirt was striped. It was monogrammed on the pocket. He wore tres fashionable, wire-rimmed glasses. He was a thorough dandy. He certainly stood out among the other schlubs at the car lot. He flirted with me the whole time I was there. After, I couldn’t decide if the others would admire him for getting a sale by being a flirting dandy, or if they would mock him. Maybe both? It didn’t work though; we didn’t buy the truck.

In court, the DAs in my county are very often dandies. It seems to be a thing with them to wear their conservative suit with a pair of very loudly colored socks, a bow-tie, and suspenders. The socks and suspenders are kept mostly hidden, but peek out when they sit or remove their jackets. Matching the bow-ties to the socks seems to be a thing. Hey, Judge. We are serious and have our own identities. Plus it is 1885.

I saw dozens of people walking toward the football game last weekend. Most of them were dressed for a cool, fall day. Yet one fellow stood out. He wore a pin-striped suit, a bowler hat, a bow-tie, shiny dress shoes, and carried a walking stick.

Oh, brother. Seriously? I guess if car salesmen can do it, so can football fans.