Fashion Insider: Moore is certainly fit to be tie-d
By Man in the Black Hat, PGATOUR.COM Fashion Insider
PGATOUR.COM's newest columnist, the cryptically nicknamed Man in the Black Hat, will write a weekly fashion column focusing on TOUR players and the apparel they wear out on the course. For more of the Man in the Black Hat, you can visit his website, chapeaunoirgolf.com.
You can't wear that to play golf, can you?
That's the question many of us were asking ourselves on Friday during the BMW Championship, when we saw Ryan Moore sporting a light soft grey cotton long sleeved shirt with a hood -- yes, it was a hoodie -- not entirely unlike those that are standard issue at skateboard parks and college campuses alike.
Moore's choice to wear a hoodie, layered over a navy polo and white polka dot tie on a fresh September day, went completely beyond what we have come to expect from today's modern golf professional. Where most others tends to opt for more technical performance based solutions, save for a smattering of fine merino wool, Moore does this sort of thing for simple reasons -- because he likes how it looks.
"So I went over to the British Open this year after wearing it (a cardigan and tie) at the Masters and playing around the practice rounds, that's all the people could ask me, what my ties were going to be like that week that I was going to wear," said Moore during a recent interview.
"It's funny, that was certainly not the purpose at all. I love this look. I love that golf kind of used to have that look, and I like to wear it when I can, when weather permits."
In addition to Friday's hoodie/tie combo, Moore followed up with a stellar maroon shawl cardigan and tie on Saturday, and a tidy sleeveless cardigan over a neat white polo and plaid tie on Sunday.
"That's just how I like to look. It's not for attention or anything like that. I just think I love that part, and I love that's how golf used to be."
But how far might he go? Moore may draw the line at tweed.
"Depends on how the temperatures get. If it gets cold that would actually be pretty nice. I don't know how they used to wear the jackets in these kind of temperatures. It's amazing. I'm glad we don't have to do it. I'm glad I can at least get some comfortable stuff that works."
While other players adhere to highly detailed apparel scripts, Moore is a man without an apparel contract to tie him down, giving him the freedom to pick and choose his own look. Just like the rest of us, Moore takes his own trips to the mall, and if he finds something he likes, he buys it, and then wears it to work.
It's Moore's willingness to be true to his own style, and to wear what makes him feel best, that gives us the chance to step back to examine the what and the why behind our own golf apparel expectations.
While his style isn't for everyone, Ryan Moore is quickly becoming the most talked about, and the most interesting golf fashion case study on the PGA TOUR.
BLACK HAT TICKER
The U.S. Ryder Cup apparel lineup was unveiled to a select audience of golf fashion writers this past week in New York City. By all accounts the range selected by Captain Corey Pavin and wife Lisa is a home run, mixing modern trends with retro styling. Peter Millar brings its Tour Fit program to an ensemble golf apparel cast that features Hickey Freeman trousers and Sun Mountain outwear. The whole vibe reminds The Man In The Black Hat of the throwback uniform craze that is so very popular in baseball, football, and hockey. To see what I mean, a sneak peak of what the American team will be wearing can be found on PGA.com ...
NBC golf commentator Dottie Pepper had a bit of a go at Ian Poulter on Sunday, noting that Ian's navy belt didn't match his red shoes. While there isn't a hard and fast rule on the matter, the Man In The Black Hat points out that one's belt doesn't have to match the shoes -- in fact, to keep things simple, match your belt to your trousers and you'll rarely look out of style ...
Did you hear the one about the kilted American golfer in Scotland who was asked to change into trousers before teeing off at Royal Troon? One has to wonder what they'd say if Ryan Moore attempted to tee it up wearing a hoodie. Though it's not officially scheduled, Royal Troon could be the venue for The Open as early as 2015.
The Man in the Black Hat is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.
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