Classic Style

T he fall semester begins today for the 2016-2017 academic year at MSU. The first two of three courses this semester today, Scandinavian and Nordic Cinema plus Henrik Ibsen and Society. Morning Office hours on Thursday (tomorrow) followed by the first meeting of Film Noir. All three courses seem to be filled according to my online rosters. Let's see who and/or how many students actually turn up. This year's meetings of one sort or another , fortunately, don't begin until S eptember 9th. Coincidentally, it is 30 years (Yikes!) this October since I went to work, starting at the now long gone Radcliffe's IGA in Macungie, Pennsylvania (outside Allentown). . . Good ol' #9037, where I learned all about stocking shelves, gathering shopping carts, bagging groceries, and how to mop up after customers dropped things like large glass jars of beets. It was quite an education and sometimes a lot of fun too since I worked with a largely great crew of guys....

The Young Master modeling his 1st Grade look early this morning just minutes before boarding the school bus. Y ou know, and I am sure the must be a few other parents out there who think in a similar manner, it is entirely possible to dress small children presentably, yet comfortably, without making them stand out because they wear something nicer than the ever present t-shirt and sweats, training pants, or to-the-knee basketball shorts with over-sized (and over-priced) basketball shoes.   Here, the Young Master wears a pressed cotton madras shirt, jeans, new Sperry top-siders and his new L.L. Bean backpack in orange, which is his current favorite color.  Classic.  Not a bad look for older guys either.  Now, if we could only get YMP to smile when the camera is pointing in his direction instead of grimacing or making some other sort of funny face, we'd be in business. -- Heinz-Ulrich

From let to right, in case you're not up on your American pop-culture, "Hoss" (Dan Blocker), "Captain James T. Kirk" (Denny Crane himself. . .  the GREAT William Shatner) and "Gomer Pyle" (Jim Neighbors). I was reminded of this point while in the waiting room at the ophthalmologist a few days ago watching people come in and sit down after they checked i n at the reception desk.  For the love of God, keep your mouth closed when you aren't talking.  Sitting there staring into space (or, more likely, your I-phone) with your mouth hanging open ain't a good look on anyone.  It does not exactly make you look intelligent.  You need to be a bit more aware of what your body is doing and how you look to everyone around you.  Close your mouth. -- Heinz-Ulrich von B.

Whatever you do, you don't want to be this guy. Y es?  No?  Hopefully not.  But e ven if we pretend to ourselves that we are not, I'll wager that there are many more instances of terminal, or even occasionally unintentional doofusism, than many men would care to admit to themselves.  Especially when it comes to visiting the men's room.  It's ok though because in most instances a guy can avoid coming across to others like a crass doofus with just a tiny bit of care, forethought, and, yes, consideration for others.  Here are thirteen tips that might help when nature calls.  Ready?  Here we go. . . 1) When answering the call of nature, simply excuse yourself for a moment without loudly announcing "I'll be right back.  I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM!"  Is there anything worse than hearing some loudmouth broadcast to the world that his bladder is full and/or bowels need to move?  I cannot tell you the number of times I have ove...

A package was waiting by the door this afternoon!  My maternal grandfather relied on split-toes and wingtips/brogues for his dress shoes all his adult life until his death ten years ago at 89.  My grandmother followed a year later.  It's funny, but there has not been a day since that I don't think about them. A couple of years ago when Wisconsin-based shoemaker Allen Edmonds was purchased, there was some concern in the menswear community that it was the start of a long, slow, inevitable decline that would eventually end in cheap, plastic-like shoes being produced in sweatshops outside the U.S. with no customer service to speak of.   Thus far, that has not happened, and both the company's products and customer service remain second to none.  Very helpful, polite, and professional people on the telephone when you call with a question by the way.  The company pays the return postage too.  Anyway. . . Today, a pair of split-toe oxfords I pur...

Just one of the pairs of so called casual pants on offer from L.L. Bean.  How much better these would look without those awful cargo pockets on the thighs. C argo pants have been around for quite a few years now among the general populace.  And while they certainly have a place in actual police and military settings, I simply don't get it when it comes to the rest of us.  I'm certain my question will bring out the internet trolls, who will accuse me of this, that, and the other, but. . .  Who in the world EVER thought this might be a good look for casual wear??!! Oh yes.  I enjoyed a pair of honest to goodness woodland camougflage BDF pants, purchased from a genuine military supplier, way back in the early 90s in homage to Sting and David Lee Roth (yes, I know, I know. . .), both of whom were photographed wearing British paratrooper pants a decade before that.  Fortunately, that stage ended abruptly, when I arrived in Madison in August 1994 and moder...