VintageGent’s Menswear Daily

Live to be 150

A few months back, I reported that one of only several remaining World War I veterans, J. Russell Coffey, passed away at the ripe old age of 109. For centuries, people have been searching for the surefire way to live past the age of 100, and being of able mind and body for the duration as well. The Fountain of Youth was never physically found, but we are all still looking for it.

Part of my opinion is that stress causes illness and wear and tear on the body. So, perhaps thinking about achieving centenarian status just adds to the stress. Pass me the cake made with five sticks of butter per serving like Grandma used to make, and that will preserve me better as it will create a relaxation response in my body as my arteries clog. After all, she was in a bowling league until she was ninety.

Barbara Walters is doing a special on Tuesday night, which is tomorrow. The subject is: Live to 150, Can You Do It?

One of the interviewees is Dr. David Sinclair who will talk about U.S. Lab Tested Resveratrol, which he supports as one of the insurance policies for a longer life. As the site explains, it is not the work of a mad scientist. It is actually the “good” molecules in red wine isolated into a potent form. Why wouldn’t I just slurp back grape juice and red wine? Apparently, the liquid my bladder and the law could stand would not be enough. The product takes out all the negatives such as alcohol and sugar and isolates the “good stuff.”

I plan to tune in to see what he has to say, as well as listen to the tips that some centenarians themselves have to contribute. The jury is still out on whether I will side with them or will keep my trust in the tried and true theories of Ponce de Leon. Just because he didn’t happen to find the actual Fountain of Youth doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t exist, right?

Caviricci Redux

Quite some time ago, I wrote about Z. Cavaricci pants. Let’s take a trip back in time, shall we?

I had a bad flashback today. I read an article that mentioned Z. Cavariccis. For those that want to forget, Z. Cavaricci created a men’s style in pants that in the late 80s to early 90s. Many a young man who I knew wore them. I am asking whoever made themselves in charge of looking at influences from the 80s to overlook this one when designing next season’s clothing.

They were high waisted like tux pants, but the belt loops were a bit lower, at the natural waist. The legs were pleated, and what made them veer way off the track of a classic trouser, was that they featured a deep “v” front yoke. It caused the legs of the pants, because they were pleated but flat acrossed the stomach and groin area, to pleat out even farther. On the tall, gangly, and knobby kneed gent, it was actually flattering because the pleats laid right and it made his legs look more proportional. You noticed the guy’s overall ensemble.

But on everyone else…it was “Here comes pants.”

If you were stocky, or were fit but were more muscular of leg, the pleated legs brought a strange adaptation of puffed out harem pants to mind or made one look bowlegged. Of course, this was overcontrasted by the virtually flat triangular yoke covering the stomach to the top of the groin area, appearing like a virtual “directional arrow” towards something that I am sure the designer could not have realized, or the joke was on the wearer that their whole…um… “area”… was being pointed to. The finishing touch was to buy them long and cuff them.

The rear of the pants had little style, most of the budget had been put into the front.I have no photo to show you. I could not find one anywhere. So you may just have to take my word for it!

Well, flash forward to this week, when an alert reader sent me the following image:

The shirt is hiding just how high the waist band is on the man, trust me. There is a distinct possibility that I am remembering them in a far more heinous light than they actually were. After all, they were tumbled around in my distant memory, most likely hopped on by Q-bert and pummeled by a few 1980s professional wrestlers I recall from sitting like a pretzel on the living room floor. Those guys are really heavy and I wouldn’t want to whack them in their center of gravity.  All of these years, they have been tripping around in my cob webby mind each time I sleep or stand.  Those pants would surely be flattened or severely mangled by now. I will go with “theory B,” a model of perfect proportions just is able to carry off the look more so than pre-growth spurt teenage boys.

Design Your Own Bracelets

Remember pop beads? You could build your own necklaces and bracelets with them. It was pop beads in the 50s through the 70s and then charm necklaces came along. Both gave the ability to make your own creations. Or, if you are a different persuasion, you probably took those supplies and made a rope for your GI Joes or other action heroes to slide down.

MyBeadGirl allows you, if you are so inclined, to design your very own bracelets online. You make selections with the click of the mouse. You can choose different types of beads, and add charms. There are charms with letters, and symbols that represent different interests and causes. In addition to what you can dream up, you can purchase other creations that have already been designed, if you just like to browse and buy what catches your eye, as well.

By using this image, you can let everyone know you, your kid, or your sweetie is a hot new designer.  If you designed that special someone’s gift yourself, you can PROVE it!

MyBeadGirl Design. Share. Wear.

Update to the Countdown

Call me a geek. Call me a nerd.

The return of the most popular fedora wearing persona returns to the big screen on May 23, 2008. I have included this convenient time clock so that you may synchronize your watch. As of this writing you have less than 52 days to get ready. Are you planning to camp in line to get tickets to “Indiana Jones IV?” With Fandango and other websites, that sort of thing may be a remnant of the past. So, call me a wimp, but I will probably be waiting in line from my desk.

LA Police Gear Boots

Many of my readers participate in reenactment events. It ranges very widely. Some participate in Gatsby Picnics and Art Deco New Year’s Eve Balls. Some participate in Civil War or World War II reenactment. Historical accuracy is important, but sometimes for events that include physical exertion, you don’t want to ruin antiques and vintage items. The LA Police Gear website offers tactical boots.

In particular, they have a very light weight Operator Boot. It is very protective, but very light, and it was made for movement. The very narrow boot shaft makes it very feasible to make a fabric or leather over cover to transform them into character shoes for the Renaissance Faire. Some of the other, heavier boots may not look exactly like WWII boots, but if they don’t have the resources, many of those involved in reenactment spend more of their resources on the uniform to get the look and purchase the big ticket item, such as boots, last. A few of the LA Police Gear boot styles may work, and offer a more economical alternative until you find your sixty year old pair. Or, you may have a reproduction pair, but they aren’t always practical for all situations.

Film Festivals go Viral

I once read an interview. Was it with Stephen Speilberg? I don’t recall. Anyway, the message was that with technology changing as much as it is, it may not be too many years until we see an Oscar nominated film that was shot on a hand held digital camera by a twelve year old. We may not be at that point yet, but the Viral Film Festival acknowledges the ability the masses have to create. The BeFilm Underground film festival is hosting it as part of their annual festival at 7:00 P.M., April 28th at the Dolby Theater in New York City. The founders have the world view that “shorter is better” when it comes to film, so videos created for online distribution are a natural fit.

What would people wear on the red carpet for a “short” film festival. Mini Skirts? Tube Tops? Briefs (Bad joke, I know)? Or would they just “come as they are” and just walk really fast so as not to waste any time? I can’t wait to find out.

Don’t Get Moldy

An aunt of mine is quite a pack rat. In fact, every spring, her basement floods, and she panics over what treasures have been ruined. She will not listen or read anything I present to her about properly preserving antiques or clothes. Over the years, most of the antiques have been damaged beyond repair and kitschy avocado shaped ceramic lamps remain. Every year, family dons their rubber boots and tries to shovel whatever they can out of the basement.

I am abundantly aware that as collectors, as antique dealers, as treasure seekers that sometimes we undertake unecessary health risks to “save a treasure.” I suffered an infection once myself breathing in mold from an attempt to save a box of 1940s hats. I was in denial for awhile about what it was caused by.

Recently, a friend reported that they actually got a nail infection from trying to fish out a few things that he was hoping were not water damaged. He actually was able to get rid of it with some Mycozil. Treating Nail Fungus without Drugs is important to me because of my multi-allergic life. Also, I don’t like to have ointment and other junk all over my hands because it might ruin something I touch. This one was actually more of a supplement, contains organic ingredients, and worked from the inside out.

Hopefully, I will stay away from situations where I would create that situation for myself. Just in case, with the way I tend to be the one to pick up every illness, I think I will plan ahead and stock it just in case myself or someone way greedier than me gets any ideas about “saving the antiques.”

Sunday Funnies

Add your own caption!

This vintage ad from the 1970s (as if I had to mention the decade as it does all but smack one in the head) is one of my favorites. I was going to add my little historical commentary about it, but thought it would be far more fun for people to comment with their own captions or commentary about what is happening here to see what readers came up with.

Do you think I will regret my decision about opening up the floodgates on this one?

I will reveal the product that this ad was hawking and the probably less thrilling real captions later.

To add your two (or three) cents, just leave a comment at the bottom of this post. I will approve them as I go for others to read, and then will publish the best ones when I post the true details of the ad.

I can’t wait to read it.

Baseball for Indoor People

In my day, there were no “indoor children.” We went outside and played with our friends. Before you say “oh, not all kids are athletic,” know that there was no need to be. If you couldn’t run, you were probably good at figuring out how to more efficiently look for frogs. But if you were a sore loser, there wasn’t much that could help you. We didn’t read about baseball on the computer, we played it. Well, perhaps a modified version with our own made up rules but we were getting out.

My somewhat old fashioned mind is just blown away with the concept of people and their Fantasy Baseball Leagues. But come to find out, there are people that are more serious about it then they are, it seems, about the real games. I never understood it thoroughly until I read up on it on FantasySportsProphet.com (plus being schooled for my ignorance by an old coworker.)

You start with making your draft picks at the beginning of the season:

Then you go through the whole entire season and your team wins or loses based on how the real players do that year. I always wondered what the rules are. We made up our own baseball rules, so wouldn’t that be what is happening here? Apparently, you take the stats of the players you pick from real life. For example, if a real player you chose for your team gets three runs in their game with Team X, they have three runs on your team. But the other teammates on your team could be all spread out on different real baseball teams throughout the league, and you need to just incorporate all those stats.

The software has all sorts of predictive features to help you pick and manage your roster, injury reports and more. The pay off for using the intuitive software is the strong likelihood that you will win your league. You can access it right from the web form anywhere at all.

Right now, there is a coupon for readers who would like to try it. Coupon code BMC200 gets you $10.00 off the membership fee.

As for me, I am always a bit behind the curve and will probably not be doing this sort of thing until 2035. I can tell you my nephew, who is actually only 15 years my junior probably already is a member. Maybe by then, they will come out with a version with familiar players for people who are afraid of change. Like Ty Cobb or maybe Reggie Jackson if you really are feeling contemporary.

The “R” Word

There has been much debate about replica watches and “designer inspired” versus “replica” in general. On one side of the debate, the argument is that it is a sort of copyright infringement against the original designer. Others say that imitation is a great form of flattery. Replica watches have been the start of many a “trip down to Tijuana story” where the watch stops working at the border.

Today, replica watches have come a long way from being cheap knock offs to “reproductions” of the real thing. The better ones seem to have their place as props in different products as well, where having the real deal is not possible or practical due to the conditions, but the prop coordinator or the wardrobe department wants something that looks convincing.

I wonder why some replicas (the “good” ones that are of higher quality) even have to use the designer name, as someone would be bound to purchase one on looks alone.

It will be interesting to see how fashion history regards replicas in the future. Will it be something swept under the rug, or it will be an interesting trend footnote for the decade? We won’t know for awhile.

Check out what the face of replica looks like today: Replica Watches Only $183! MonsterReplica.com

Wii Like It

I remember the good old days, when not all kids were “indoor kids.” Sure, some kids were bookworms. I certainly was, but I still went outside to play. Not a two hour “play date,” but sometimes our ball games with lopsided and “make it up as you go along” rules lasted until it started to get dark. Do kids climb trees anymore? I haven’t seen one do that in a long time, and I am not that old.

I wondered if there possibly could be anything that would get children off their posteriors, or were they mutating and fusing to the sofa.

I think I found my answer, and it actually originally came in the form of inbox spam. That answer may just be the Nintendo Wii, which I had tucked under the rug in my brain because I was growing jaded from all the false offers promising me a free Wii. I found, however, a contest that is very real where you could actually win won legitimately. For those of you not familiar, Wii uses various sensors and controllers to force the user to physically move around like their video alter ego

Charter, the internet provider and all-around legit company, is having a drawing for entrants to have a chance to win a Nintendo Wii. Not only will you win the console, but will also receive a stand, 5 Sports games ( Boxing, Baseball, Tennis, Golf and bowling), 1 Remote Controller, 1 Nunchuk Controller, 1 Sensor Bar, 1 Wii AC Adapter, 1 Wii AV Cable. You will have everything you need to play! Click Here for a Chance to Win a Nintendo® Wii™!

In addition, they have an auction running where you can win internet service for life. The catch is that you have to be in an area that Charter services. That is easy to determine. Just enter your zip and you will find out.

I still am fond of my Atari 2600. Video games that look more realistic than, say, “Centipede” scare me a little, not unlike a caveperson revived from an ice block. Maybe Wii will be the next system to wax nostalgic about twenty years from now. I’ll need that time to acclimate to it.

It’s Seiko Time

Seiko began in Japan, at K. Hattori, the eponymously named clock and jewelry shop of Mr. Kintar? Hattori. In 1892, the “Seikosha” clock was born. Thirty-two years later, the first Seiko watches, were on the market. The watch world was innovated with the Seiko Astron, the first quartz watch, in 1969. Just for trivia’s sake, it is said that the word “seiko” means “minute,” “exquisite,” or “success.” Very apt for the brand that has been the official timekeeper at many Olympic games since 1964.

I found a few Seiko Watches on Bluedial.com. One or two bring to mind the Gold Grand Seikos that were made with real gold in the 60s and the 70s. This one has the full 35mm dial. Today, with the price of gold, of course, you will get a gold plated or stainless steel one, but admirers won’t know. There are slight differences in design nuance, of course, from period pieces. However, if you are looking for a masculine (read: BIG dial), gold tone watch to make your 1960s or 1970s (leisure suits!) ensemble a little more authentic looking, it may be the watch for you. Only time piece historians, and not your admirers, will probably point it out to you.

It started out as a bottle of beer…

Did you know that if you were scuba diving in the Pacific you could take home a WWII souvenir? No, I am not talking about looking for buried vessels. While you are walking along the beach in your flip flops, or whether you are snorkeling, it is possible you could find black sea glass. Normally, you would find translucent whites and ambers and pastels. Why black and what does this have to do with World War II.

You see, the composition of glass bear bottles was different than today. When the glass broke and was smoothed by the natural erosion of the sand and sea over the course of time, the glass remained black. The composition was only used for a short time, due to different materials made scarce by the War. The material decomposed a lot more rapidly.

So, therefore, a World War II private could have made his choice of light versus dark while on his shore time. He could have told a few tales, and tossed it into the sea for good luck. Then, on the way down, it could have broken on the rocks. Then, about 28 years later, a member of the first club devoted to collecting, The Eastern Coast Breweriana Association (ECBA), could have scooped up the treasure in the club’s 1970 charter year. In fact, they were the first such club ever.

Twenty years after that, perhaps one of the members lost their interest and sold part of their collection at a yard sale. During that time, it was the height of the era of filling glass bowls with seed balls, sea glass, and potpourri, and displaying them on your coffee table. Fully 28 years later than that fateful yard sale, you read this blog post. You think nothing of it until Sunday dinner at Grandma’s house. You spy the sea glass in a glass beaker on her coffee table and suddenly remember this blog post. You ask Grandma if you can have a piece. After telling this tale, you all have a toast to the person who threw the bottle into the sea in the first place.

Which reminds me…

There is a contest that I hear about. It is actually a mobile survey on beer. It is limited to 1500 participants, so you have a 1 in 1500 chance in winning. The winner receives a $300 Amazon gift card. To enter and take the survey, just text the word “beer” to 247365. For contest rules CLICK HERE. You only have until midnight, March 14th, to enter.

What will you do with your gift card (Hint: They sell everything discussed in this posting, except a World War II private. You can always buy a book about them, however.)