The Full Cleveland

A Case of Midwestern Overkill

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It was the late great Duncan Hannah who first introduced me to the ways of the Full Cleveland. And it was the late, also great, Richard Merkin who had told him about the phenomenon years earlier, during Duncan’s sartorial education. Duncan claimed the Full Cleveland was the rarely seen suspenders/belt combination. I enjoyed this concept and the name, if not the look itself.

Recently, a different friend, who also knew Duncan well, gently corrected me. He understood the Full Cleveland to be a white leather belt worn with matching white shoes. Whoa! All of a sudden Clevelands were coming from every direction.