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Ethel Lancefield ruined me for life.
When her son, my now ex-husband, turned 40 Ethel informed her second born son that it was not advisable to wear a collarless t-shirt other than in a purely sporting (involving perspiration, and this does not mean being the spectator) context. Every time her son was sighted in an un-collared t-shirt she would balk and tut "Ooooooh, son ... " (Scottish accent) and remind him that the way he was dressed was non est for a man well-bred, educated and schooled in the ways of the landed gentry. I have to agree with her. We didn't always agree. As is the case with mothers- and daughters-in-law. Ethel knows how one ought to hold a knife and fork and where to place the various wine glasses (red wine, white wine, water, etc) on the dinner table and, significantly, how grown men ought to dress. Her John (real name) always looked dapper. Her John never wore collarless (or for that matter collared) t-shirts.
Unless a chap is "ripped" (to quote my son, meaning he has a six-pack, I think), is slim and does not sport a barrel-chest, man-boobs or a "boep" (paunch for my English readers) then he ought not to wear a traditional t-shirt. He ought to wear collared t-shirts. It is the more attractive, more flattering option for the man of such stature.
John26 is a sporty, he-man kind of a guy. John26 does extreme sports and those rough outdoor adventures like camping. John26 runs across a number of mountain ranges for fun. John26 is fresh and fun and invigorating to be with. We met at a gorgeous winelands wine bar for sundowners. It was summer and it was balmy. Lovely. I arrived straight from office in my corporate frock and pearls and heels. John26 arrived straight from office. In a t-shirt. An un-collared t-shirt. Singularly unattractive.
"So what?" you are thinking to yourself. Well, you see John26 is 50-ish, barrel-chested, has man-boobs (it's okay, it's common it seems) and would have looked a whole lot more attractive in a collared t-shirt (or cotton shirt if I had my way). Ethel was on my shoulder whispering (loudly) in my ear, "He is not for you Mary1, he is wearing a collarless t-shirt! "
Sadly, we are visual beings and the lights are on, mostly. John26 was spotted in a bar recently, in a collarless t-shirt. He is still single, as am I.