Reid....A Flair for Living

It saddens me to write that earlier this week, I lost a good friend, the inimitable Reid Buckley. Indeed, it is a loss felt not just by me, for he was a dear friend to many, known for his generosity and joie de vivre.

His attire, in my view, went a long way toward expressing that zest for life.  For example, the man wore cropped pants (plus-twos, knickers, breeks) with a sort of wild abandon. He once tried to convince me that this was a practical choice, so that taxis would not splash mud up on his trousers and ruin his day. But I suspected he was wearing them simply because they were a tad odd and quite a bit more fun.

As I've read the tributes to him from others, I've been gratified to see that my friend's sartorial flair has been noted. One fellow over at National Review wrote: 

Reid was fun, and as charming a man as you could meet, brandishing joy, a thousand-watt smile, and . . . exotic duds — you learned not to be surprised when he would appear at NR’s offices in a cape, lederhosen, walking stick, and an alpine hat adorned by a big feather. As nephew Christopher Buckley put it, “Reid is . . . Reid.” 

Indeed, it is all true. 

Over the years, I photographed Reid's outfits so frequently that I created a category on my blog just for him. I will miss the man and his style, both of which so often caused a smile to stretch across my face. 

PS: Kathleen Parker captures Reid perfectly here.