Clams Ahoy!
While not a formal dress ball,
clamming has a rich fashion history, and
it’s important to dress with respect for tradition. Here are some
general recommendations. First – black tie is out. So is white tie,
unless you plan on conducting a baptism. Still, let us not forget,
Aphrodite herself was born from the sea, unclad and standing in a clam
shell. Clams are romantic.
FOOTWEAR
A lot of good clamming takes place in muck. Not always
white sandy beaches, but sometimes gray or gray-black sandy shallows by
channels, or even marshes at some remove from the ocean. You need boots that
keep out not just mud, but water. You may step closer to a jumping clam bed
with squirts of water every few seconds, then you are up to your knee. Then
your mid-thigh. Then up to your knee again, but much tighter on the grip, as
you try to rear back and extract your leg from the sucking mud. Yes, many
clams like it there very much. Maine Bean Boots will do fine. Your boots
should have rubber soles, and even better if they are rubber up to the top.
Which is why clamming is suitable for hip boots, and best of all, waders.
These antique garments are sealed trousers that often have suspenders to go
over and across the back of your shoulder.
With waders on, you can walk straight into that water, get
your clam and only kinda have to worry about water coming in over your
waist. Also remember, any boots you choose – they will not smell nice
anymore. There’s no getting that smell out.
TROUSERS
Blue jeans, in a pinch are OK, or waders. Shorts are not recommend, unless you are trying to look like the kind of tourist who is eaten later in the film.
COAT
You don’t need one in summer, a t-shirt is fine plus
sunblock, but clamming in the winter is OK too. In that case go with a warm
sweater with a slicker jacket over it. You’ll be out in the cold awhile.
Maybe not a bad idea to put lotion on your face, too: windburn is less well
known, but
can damage your skin just as bad as a sunburn. It tears at the
tissues of the face, particularly with sustained exposure
HAT
This is where the true clammer shows him or herself to the world. I recommend any riffs on the Head Blow Old Salt look. You not, however, want to advertise as the dolt on the left is that you are a graduate of the Betty Ford Clinic. Then again, Clammers are a very accommodating bunch.