My grandfather wore a Silverbelly Stratoliner Stetson business hat during the day. At 6'1" in 1950's New Orleans, he seemed so tall to me as a boy. I always admired how powerful and handsome he looked in his daily attire. My brother and I used to go with him to the French Market to buy wholesale produce for his business and have coffee together at the Morning Call, letting the tourists have the Cafe du Monde to themselves. The photo of Robert Mitchum and your article immediately illicited those memories of my childhood 55 years in the rearview mirror. For me, my older mentors were my Grandfather and Father, I feel very fortunate to have had such men in my life. I learned how to dress, be around other men, conduct myself in public and private, many many life lessons, and how to wear a hat. I am grateful to this day. Thank you David.
I needed this article this morning. Thank you! I won’t bore you with why, but just know your words helped clarify some internal thoughts and inspire someone today. Cheers!
One of the best articles yet! I really enjoyed it. After reading Art of Manliness and Men and Manners I decided to step my game up; I’m all the better for it. Thanks for the tips...and the challenges!
Delightful. I'm constantly amazed at how each of us has such a varied set of personal interests and passions - many seemingly at odds with each other. I was thinking only the other day how fiction often has difficulty or falls short of rendering this dichotomy in an individual fully. Yet here, what I like is that you express very clearly how each of us is a synthesis of all that varied experience and passion - and indeed that it is this which actually makes us our own man. Bravo!
"There’s no shortcut to anything worth doing." "When a world opens up—visiting Japan for the first time, discovering an author, admitting you’re obsessed with fly fishing—that’s part of a continuing education...Then you start discovering more of what’s out there. Then you start becoming more yourself." "Formality, at its best, conveys confidence and authority, a sense of graciousness and intent." Going to need another book: Proverbs, by David Coggins.
Very well said! I think the key ingredient for any man and dressing starts at inspiration and then it moves to curiosity. Sadly, I experience a lot of group think/trends and so the “inspiration” is really a disguised version of FOMO and then it moves straight to acquisition( sneakers, hoodies, etc) so that they aren’t left out of the culture club. It takes some courage to break out of the sameness
David P, I agree. Courage but/and also discipline. Now especially when ads and marketing are so pervasive and so insidious. It takes such effort to cut through the noise and acknowledge what you actually like. And I think it’s so much worse with women’s fashion!
It was the whole ‘I’m getting questions that really are asking me who you are’ that triggered it. That movie, on the whole, sucks. But that scene is great. As is the luggage buying scene shortly thereafter. Cheers.
Great article and perfect timing. I just bought a hat, my first “grown up” one - Stoffa brown rabbit fur trilby-type arrangement. Just need the balls to wear it in public. And in front of my wife. Any tips?
I took this advice about a year ago and it's spot on. Hats are easily my favorite thing to put on each day now. The sun protection is also an added bonus for my bald head!
Great article but I have to hard disagree with you when it comes to jeans. Jeans are THE quintessential American clothing item. When I close my eyes and picture great American style, I think of someone in a killer pair of Levi’s. They can be hard or soft, light or dark, perfect or worn in. Look great w loafers, ocbd’s, and yes, even tee shirts.
One more point - “who I am” seems to have been captured 100% by Drakes. I could just shop there and nowhere else. However one runs the risk of looking like just copying the look because it’s “so hot right now” and having no imagination/personality.
David, have you written anywhere about three-piece suits? My brother-in-law wears one every day, and I think it looks like some kind of weird cosplay. I'm interested in a neutral third-party opinion, and I'm willing to re-evaluate if I'm off base here.
My grandfather wore a Silverbelly Stratoliner Stetson business hat during the day. At 6'1" in 1950's New Orleans, he seemed so tall to me as a boy. I always admired how powerful and handsome he looked in his daily attire. My brother and I used to go with him to the French Market to buy wholesale produce for his business and have coffee together at the Morning Call, letting the tourists have the Cafe du Monde to themselves. The photo of Robert Mitchum and your article immediately illicited those memories of my childhood 55 years in the rearview mirror. For me, my older mentors were my Grandfather and Father, I feel very fortunate to have had such men in my life. I learned how to dress, be around other men, conduct myself in public and private, many many life lessons, and how to wear a hat. I am grateful to this day. Thank you David.
I needed this article this morning. Thank you! I won’t bore you with why, but just know your words helped clarify some internal thoughts and inspire someone today. Cheers!
One of the best articles yet! I really enjoyed it. After reading Art of Manliness and Men and Manners I decided to step my game up; I’m all the better for it. Thanks for the tips...and the challenges!
Delightful. I'm constantly amazed at how each of us has such a varied set of personal interests and passions - many seemingly at odds with each other. I was thinking only the other day how fiction often has difficulty or falls short of rendering this dichotomy in an individual fully. Yet here, what I like is that you express very clearly how each of us is a synthesis of all that varied experience and passion - and indeed that it is this which actually makes us our own man. Bravo!
"There’s no shortcut to anything worth doing." "When a world opens up—visiting Japan for the first time, discovering an author, admitting you’re obsessed with fly fishing—that’s part of a continuing education...Then you start discovering more of what’s out there. Then you start becoming more yourself." "Formality, at its best, conveys confidence and authority, a sense of graciousness and intent." Going to need another book: Proverbs, by David Coggins.
Very well said! I think the key ingredient for any man and dressing starts at inspiration and then it moves to curiosity. Sadly, I experience a lot of group think/trends and so the “inspiration” is really a disguised version of FOMO and then it moves straight to acquisition( sneakers, hoodies, etc) so that they aren’t left out of the culture club. It takes some courage to break out of the sameness
David P, I agree. Courage but/and also discipline. Now especially when ads and marketing are so pervasive and so insidious. It takes such effort to cut through the noise and acknowledge what you actually like. And I think it’s so much worse with women’s fashion!
I liked this. Reminds me of a great scene from Joe vs The Volcano https://youtu.be/FYZH4sI1p6o
This is wild! So me trying to be my most erudite completely mirrors J v Volcano!
It was the whole ‘I’m getting questions that really are asking me who you are’ that triggered it. That movie, on the whole, sucks. But that scene is great. As is the luggage buying scene shortly thereafter. Cheers.
I think you need one of those steamer trunks, Mr. Coggins.
Great. Now I need a violin case bar.
Great article and perfect timing. I just bought a hat, my first “grown up” one - Stoffa brown rabbit fur trilby-type arrangement. Just need the balls to wear it in public. And in front of my wife. Any tips?
My rule with a hat is just wear it three times. Then you’ll be fine.
I took this advice about a year ago and it's spot on. Hats are easily my favorite thing to put on each day now. The sun protection is also an added bonus for my bald head!
Cheers Tim - excellent advice. The hat/sweatpants combo is no no no no no :-)
Great article but I have to hard disagree with you when it comes to jeans. Jeans are THE quintessential American clothing item. When I close my eyes and picture great American style, I think of someone in a killer pair of Levi’s. They can be hard or soft, light or dark, perfect or worn in. Look great w loafers, ocbd’s, and yes, even tee shirts.
Well a hamburger might be the quintessential American food. But you still shouldn’t have it more than once a week.
Also: people rarely wear the right pair of jeans.
One more point - “who I am” seems to have been captured 100% by Drakes. I could just shop there and nowhere else. However one runs the risk of looking like just copying the look because it’s “so hot right now” and having no imagination/personality.
David, have you written anywhere about three-piece suits? My brother-in-law wears one every day, and I think it looks like some kind of weird cosplay. I'm interested in a neutral third-party opinion, and I'm willing to re-evaluate if I'm off base here.