No, I'm not talking a Super Bowl ring - obviously if you've earned one of those, you should wear it. Even thought they are really big.
I'm taking actual sports accoutrements as accessories. Like this lovely fly-fishing lanyard from Orvis. Hey, Brad Pitt pretty much rose to fame in the Robert Redford directed A River Runs Through It — he didn't do too bad looking like a fly fisherman.
The Orvis lanyard is not jewelry per se. But men's jewelry — I suppose we should say accessories — is tough. Just a little too much and you're in Tony Soprano territory. And that's dangerous.
Where as a fly fishing lanyard has much more of the Lost appeal, or Survivor. Rugged. MacGyver-ish. Even if you're not a fly fisherman, think how cool you could look with one of these lanyards around your neck.
Call me crazy, but I'm kind of taken with them. I think they're rather fetching.
I'd much rather be seen with a guy sporting one of these, than say, a great big gold chain around his neck.
They're sexy in that they are, of course, very utilitarian, for even more than just fly-fishing. This is known as a "loaded" lanyard — which sounds a little like a car commercial, but much cheaper, $85.
- It comes in black, blue, green, or natural beads (pictured), with an adjustable foam neck strap that has a breakaway feature for safety - Wow! What a terrific dramatic addition for a possible barroom fight.
- It's also equipped with Hy-Flote gel floatant - I'm sure that'll come in handy for something. Floating
- 4x, 5x, 6x Super Strong Tippet — super strong anything is always good; a tippet sounds nifty.
- Mini nipper & micro scissor forceps - these seem ideal for hangnail emergencies.
- fly box - I hope they don't mean actual bugs.
The trick is not to overdo it. Very much like animal prints for women. One item is enough (sometimes more than enough). You definitely do not want to pair your lanyard with a floppy brimmed canvas hat. No.
A thick cotton V-neck T-shirt in a dark hue like forest green or deep teal, or a collarless shirt, crisp belted khakis; you could even add a linen sport jacket.
Maybe it's a stretch, but I can see this becoming a trend. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking. But this could do for fly-fishing what Ralph Lauren did for polo. The logo could be complicated though.
Ladies, would you like to see your man in a fly fishing lanyard?
Addendum: If you decide you want to support your accessory with some actual skill, you can find beginner and intermediate free fly-fishing clinics across the country. P.S. There's a terrific article on fishing in 50 Things To Do When You Turn 50.
More men's fashion stories:
The Glove & the Renaissance Man
