Tomorrows in the 50th Party for my wife. I have given it a Victorian theme and it is set as a High Tea. There are along 15-20 people attending, and the cake will look like this picture, which iOS off the cake just not finished. I will be wearing my Nectere watch complete with the green band back on it, do you think the rest of the outfit works within the Theme?

I’ve trusted Allen Edmonds for years because their Recrafting program is marketed as a heritage-level service — “the same craftsmen, the same machines, the same processes that built your shoes originally.” That message carries weight. It implies precision, pride, and an old-world standard of care. My recent recraft, however, revealed a very different reality — one that required persistence, escalation, and far more involvement from me than any customer should have to supply. Here is the full story, exactly as it unfolded with my custom patina A&Es October 8 – I purchased the recraft service with full confidence in the brand. October 20 – The shoes were shipped back as “completed.” A 12-day turnaround might look efficient, but the work told a different story. They looked rushed — uneven finishing, shape inconsistencies, and nothing close to the meticulous standard AE advertises. October 24 – I sent them back for correction. Any customer familiar with AE’s craftsmanship language would have done the same. The shoes simply didn’t reflect the level of detail they claim their recrafting is built upon. October 28 – AE received the returned shoes. According to their policy, I was supposed to receive recommendations and updates within 5–7 business days. Instead, I heard nothing. No updates. No action. No accountability. For weeks, the shoes sat. The process stalled. And the brand that built its name on service and heritage craftsmanship went quiet. Mid-November (Saturday) – I escalated the issue directly to the General Manager. Let me be clear: nothing moved until I did this. No progress, no traction, no corrective action. Within two days of contacting the GM, everything shifted. Updates came. Timelines were clarified. Work actually began. The contrast was stark. November 19–25 – I was given the new projected completion window. Ironically, this longer timeframe — nearly three times the length of the original recraft — said exactly what I had suspected: the first “completed” job was rushed. True craftsmanship requires time.

Having some fun outside, I mean with this Yiume Hawaiian Shirt reminding me of the Mambo Tee’s I used to wear in my much younger years I just felt like playing in the park 😂 Luckily all the local kinds are at school during the week, I did get some strange looks from people whilst I was doing all these photos. Anyway todays outfit consists of; Yiume Short Sleeve 100% Cotton Undersea Party Shirt Yiume 5 Pocket 35% Linen, 64% Cotton Blend White Shorts Hoka Clifton 10 in Raw Linen/Stone Stanton Collapsible Panama Style Hat in Neutral Oakley Gibston Sunglasses in Matte Black SOTD - Versace Eros Energy (its a hot day today) WOTD - Timex Q Chronograph Speedtimer (Snoopster)

The clothes sent to me by Yiume arrived today. The feel good quality. 100% cotton shirts and 65% cotton + 35%linen shorts. The patterns are pretty sweet and the Short Sleeve Short gives my vintage Mambo vibes, sort of like a grown up Mambo. Luis check out the inside of those pockets, how awesome to do a collab with a brand the has Anchor ⚓️ on it for me. So I guess I will see how they take the Australian heat tomorrow when we have an expected top of 35C(95F)

Pushing it today, already seen two customers, now the drive home begins with stops in Pensacola and playing in the rain. The shirt, Nike logo polo The pullover, Peter Miller logo polo The jeans, Daniel Cremieux The boots, Durango The scent, Greenly Parfums de Marley The watch, AVI-8 The hair, by me Make it a good day.