Classic Style

  E ven though the state of the world is pretty bleak, things are looking up, and we have much for which to be thankful. - Heinz-Ulrich.

  T he 2020 Covid-19 inflected holiday season is almost upon us, and with it the annual lead-up to the rather frenetic Thanksgiving through New Year's period.  While I naturally hope that regular and occasional visitors to Classic Style will have the good graces NOT to show up to any special holiday dinners or other events dressed in pilled earthtone fleeces, hoodies, sweatpants, sagging jeans, and flip-flops or sneakers -- or, frankly, any other common attire of the sort -- this post is not about that. Nope.  Instead, it's a yearly reminder to average guys everywhere to remember and practice polite table manners.  Even if you are practicing social distancing, reamaining home, and scaling back this year sans the extended clan.  Social bubbles are sweet ideas, but let's not be foolhardy.  We don't really know yet when vaccines will be widely available after all.  In any case, and with polite, pleasant dining in mind, here is a reprise of a post from...

A Borsalino 'Classico' felt fedora is on the way.  I chose taupe this time around since I already have a chocolate brown 'Dearborn' by Optimo Hats and a different model of fedora from Borsalino in charcoal gray.   A recent birthday left yours truly with a nice little bit of funds burning a hole in the sartorial pocket, so after today's office hours online. . .  which no students attended. . .  I did something about that.  I first placed an order for another couple of shirts from Mercer & Sons.  Then, I ordered a Borsalino Classico Felt Fedora from Holland Hats via our friends at Amazon.     A blue windowpane pattern in broadcloth, replacing a similar though long gone button-down I once had and loved.  I wore it often with a necktie, navy blazer, khakis, and tasseled loafers to various department dinners and evening events as a grad student at the tail end of the 90s and into the early 2000s.    A less staid classic navy, g...

  The inimitable Jack Paar from the days when there was actually interesting conversation to be found on late night television. N ow, let's talk once again about how we can improve our daily attire, character, and manners.  Like we used to before all of the toxic ugliness took hold of U.S. sociopolitical life.  I've got to believe that we are capable of more than that.  Let's hope we are able to cleanse ourselves of the viscous excrement that has permeated absolutely everything for the last several years. -- Heinz-Ulrich.

   Just who is this funny little Austrian everyone is suddenly going on about?   I n a different context, all of this post-election wrangling might be wryly amusing.  If it weren't, at the same time, so utterly terrifying. -- Heinz-Ulrich

Not sure who the artist behind this particular illustration was, but his work seems highly apt for today, don't you think?   H ere's a modest proposal for November 04, 2020.  Let's do our damnedest to preserve those few remaining vestiges of the humanity, humility, decency, and restraint left to us.  Let's also include honesty (with others and ourselves), empathy, kindness, compassion, forbearance, civility, grace, a bit of polite decorum, tolerance, good sportsmanship, and honor as part of the equation.  None are easy, and I suppose that is just one reason these characteristics and practices have taken such a beating in recent decades.  Aren't we better than that though?  Wait.  Don't say anything.  The cynic in me suggests that I know the real answer already. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  T aking a much needed breather here this Sunday, November 1st.  And if anyone wants to know, my costume for Halloween was. . .  Sick and tired.  Of everything.   In the race toward Christmas, which here in the United States seems to end as of 11:59pm on December 25th, let's not forget that more staid, enjoyable national holiday near the end of November (here in the U.S.) that tends to get lost in the shuffle.  Of course, I'm referring to Thanksgiving with its related long weekend.  But turkey?  Please.  I'm more into all of the good side dishes and desserts that go along with it. But even if we must scale back this year and avoid the traditional large family gatherings -- perhaps enjoying the peace and calm of our own homes and immediate family a bit more as a result since all of that loony holiday travel will be somewhat curtailed (maybe?) -- let's not forget to be thankful for what we have.  It's worth taking a few quiet moments...