VintageGent’s Menswear Daily

Give It a Kick on Route 66

A few folks I know have been toying with the idea of driving their hot rod or classic car down Route 66 all the way to California.  What they don’t realize is that you can’t just jump on Route 66. You have to travel to the start of it, meaning that you need to drive from where you currently live over the highways to get to the start of it which is someplace west of Chicago.  So, if you are on the east coast, you can’t exactly take a car that you are afraid to drive on I-94, I-75, the Pike, or what have you. If you do decide to drive that “3 quarter done” thing, have the number of a reliable Chicago auto repair shop that understands the old stuff on hand.  A friend of mine had gotten the idea since my dad drove his 1966 Corvette all the way to LA.  However, what he failed to note was that when dad did it, the 1966 Corvette was only 2 years old, which makes a huge difference than the box of rocks my friend intended to take.

Inevitably, the water pump blew out and he had to stop.  Ironically, it was not the water pump in the Corvette with the door strapped together with tape, but that of the Toyota Corolla that was following him with supplies just in case something happened.  It couldn’t be fixed with a kick like Fonzie would do and they were held up for awhile. I guess the moral of the story is that they don’t make things like they used to, but in this case it was all just dumb luck.

Anyway, while it may seem like a romantic idea to cruise down 66 in your 66 Corvette, the chocolate and roses are sort of blown off of it when your sweetie has to follow you and someone breaks down.

The Best Menswear/Ladieswear Loafers

Calivintage opened up the floor to poll folks on what their choice of footwear was for her.  More specifically, she was looking at loafers and can only buy one. I was alerted to the new Bass Wayfarer loafer, which has a decidedly menswear-inspired look for women. While this style isn’t at the cutting edge in menswear at the moment, its classic style, available in patent leather and other finishes, lends to both casual and not quite so casual occasions for ladies.

The patent variety retails for just under $90.00 at Nordstroms and other department stores.  On the web, there really is no alternate price, until perhaps the shoes are last year’s models, but that remains to be seen.  The easiest to find colors are black, burgundy and Karicole. Don’t ask me what Karicole means, but its the color above, sort of a warm brown.  Elsewhere on the ‘net, the shoes are available in red, black and white and navy.  The suede version doesn’t look quite as dapper. The driving loafer-like style lends itself to jeans, trousers, suits and more.

This classic style seems like it would be a menswear-inspired wardrobe investment for many years to come.  When you grow tired of it, ladies, just put it away for a year or too and I guarantee it will come back around.

Do You Have a Song Stuck In Your Head

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Arby’s. All opinions are 100% mine.

Its addictive to wander around YouTube and job your memory with old commercials. The Arby’s twins were slightly more annoying than the Double Mint twins, which surely means that even if you were an infant at the time, their voices are firmly scratched into your memory. I don’t remember babushkas being restaurant attire back then, but for some reason waaayy back in the noggin somewhere, I remember them being worn. I won’t tell you if it was my mom or sister who wore it to not reveal my creaky age. At any rate, if you have a song annoyingly stuck in your head, consider it unstuck when you listen to this commercial. I guarantee that the song will be replaced by Twin Voices…

Arby has a very different marketing strategy compared to 1978, thank goodness. They are reaching out on the internet to snag some nostalgia-seekers with the retro looking Arby Junior.  I vaguely sort of kind of think Arby Junior was used on paper placemats for kids back then, but my brain is really fogged over.  Do any of you remember?

You can create your own Create Your Own Personalized Arby’s Jr. that talks and can even look like you…in the face, anyway. You can choose a background and type in dialogue for your guy to say.  The male voice sounds a bit more realistic than the female voice, which sounds more like a computer.  Then, send it to friends via email or post it to social sites, such as Facebook.

When you want to waste an aimless three hours at work, test it out for yourself.

“Mad Men” Casting Call by Banana Republic

Banana Republic is holding a Mad Men contest where the winner will receive a walk-on roll in the popular AMC series, to be filmed during the summer of 2011. The top 10 vote-getting gents and the top 10 vote-getting gent-ettes will be passed on to the producers, who will choose a winner. Runners-up will be chosen online by public vote. At first, I thought they were looking for someone who exemplified the “Mad Men” look in dress, styling and overall physical appearance (It doesn’t matter if you are heavy or thin, but the folks who can carry off the look.)

First, if you’d like to enter, go to Banana Republic and pick up a Mad Men Style Guide.  In it, you will receive a code. Enter the code on the website when you enter the contest. The Style Guide features photos from the show, but also points out which Banana Republic items that tend to veer towards the Mad Men style, in their opinion.

In further reading, “Does the photo reflect the “Mad Men” style – 60%; originality 40%. ” is the main criteria. So, in other words, it doesn’t matter if you have the clothes and “look” down pat, the photo has to be expertly composed, set-dressed and professional. I am sure the winner will be dressed in frockery chosen by the wardrobe department and won’t necessarily wear their own clothing, but I don’t think it means that submitting a recent generic head shot will do it. In other words, this is not a cattle call, but some artistry is involved.   Like any contest, there are plenty of folks who didn’t get the memo and upload a recent head shot styled in full 2010 style.  There are some very interesting entries, but I wonder if it is going to come down to the skill of the photographer and a stylist versus the contest going to someone who just plain dresses like that everyday.  We shall see.

Are you throwing your hat in the ring?  If so, drop a note to vintagent at gmail dot com and point yourself out.  If we think we know you, we’ll give you a plug.

Right now, the “Hey, I know you!” plug goes to Twila Jean aka Exquisite Bones on Twitter, Etsy and other places.  CLICK HERE to vote for her. Now, to find a guy to root for…

Sale of the Summer at PastPerfect Vintage

A little birdie told me that Past Perfect Vintage was having a summer sale, featuring up to 50% off vintage clothing and 40% off vintage patterns.  There are some fine selections including several well-tailored suits for men as well as an abundance of ties.  The selection of ladieswear is not too shabby, either!

I spied many 40s era and later ties in the $5 range and some suits in the $20-30 range.   Everything is zipping out of their fast, so hurry.  Three more items just sold while I was composing this quick bulletin. If you are familiar with the shop, the proprietress always features well-researched antique and vintage clothing in fabulous condition.

Visit Pastperfectvintage.Etsy.com and tell them that a little birdie at VintageGent’s Menswear Daily sent you. No, you don’t have to say that and no, there is no special prize if you do. I just know most folks like to know how their customers found out about them. Hop to it and don’t miss it!

Work That Bib

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of AMPM. All opinions are 100% mine.

Speaking of restaurants…we have just learned that its classy to wear your retro duds to the Brown Derby and other establishments that were hallowed in days of yore. but what are we going to remember about the time we are in right now in the future.  Some folks won’t remember groundbreaking improvements in the food industry, but will remember where they stopped every day.

The folks at ampm are doing something that is either genius or are entering into the realm of Things My Brother Would Do When He Was Fifteen which is alternately making me nostalgic for his teenage concoctions or making me wish for a simpler time, like college where I had a stint where I ate iceberg lettuce 24/7. For those of you not familiar with ampm, ampm is a quick stop type of establishment with a variety of hot items and drinks not limited to individual pizzas, nachos and hot dogs. On Facebook, they encourage their fans to both create secret menu items under a secret menu tab for friends to discuss as well as revealing a different secret menu item everyday.

What is a secret menu item? Well, it appears that one takes things that are offered in their regular form and creating a mashup hybrid or perhaps Frankenstain sort of offering. For example, the Tower of Torta, where you stack three Tortas on top of each other. Then, of course, there is the idea to take a regular hot dog and mix it with nacho cheese and jalapenos. I guess I would certainly have a story to tell the grandkids about the day I strode into battle without Tums. After I have kids first, of course. No, not Tums after kids, but meaning I won’t have grandkids unless I have kids first.

You can discuss, create and share secret menu items with your friends. It is a virtual way to clog a few arteries with your imagination, or you can decide to walk into an ampm and try out your inspiration for yourself.

What would one wear to an establishment such as this?  You are probably traveling, either to a faraway destination or on a long work commute.  Driving loafers would be choice. But if you plan to partake of more than just the greens, you might want a bib. I haven’t seen them on the runway…yet.

LA Time Machines: Where to Be Seen

Los Angeles Time Machines is a site that we have been watching for awhile that we think our readers would enjoy. It focuses exclusively on pre-1970s restaurants and bars that are still in their original state. Occasionally, there are updates on when folks can make a big difference in saving a historic vintage landmark so stay plugged in!

It mainly focuses on the many sites in Los Angeles, California, but has extended to includes spots in Nevada, Maryland, Arizona, Washington and beyond. So, go look up a historic place and show up in your vintage clothing! It would make a great retro photo! I usually try to look up places along every route I am planning more than a two hour car drive, just in case I should come across something classy or outrageous.

http://latimemachines.com
Stay Unique

When Kids Grow Like Weeds…

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of SupaSwap Corporation. All opinions are 100% mine.

While clothing may be an investment for us grownups that we can wear year after, it is just not that way for the knee-high ones. Unless we are talking about a special event outfit that is worn once and passed down, like a christening gown, it doesn’t matter if you pay $500 or $; it will be outgrown in 6 months. That is why perhaps folks who collect childrens’ clothing from different eras have such a tough time. It’s scarce because it was beaten up well. Also, there is not a huge market for collectible kids’ wear until it is quite old (60+ years) due to few changes in classic items. The recent phenomena of folks snapping up character T-shirts form the 80s is truly that – a recent phenomena.

Supaswap allows parents to sell and swap gently used children’s clothing, sunglasses and games for all ages. There are other items on there like books and camcorders, but it is mainly targeted at parents. Sure, you can sell things at a yard sale or troll the ‘bay, but you always end up being stuck with things and buying too much. Right now, it seems that there are more items in the UK than the USA, but that will probably change as words spreads.  I am going to sit back and see how it unfolds as the concept has potential. The homepage defaults to British Pounds, but click on the appropriate flag on the bottom of the screen and it will all be translated for you. You may not get rich. It’s not for that, but you may break even or be able to swap for items that can actually be used for the next growth spurt or learning stage for games.

The Old New Corduroy Levi’s Jacket

Thanks to a tip from our pals at ABCNeckties and the unusually named Thighs Bigger Than Your Head blog, I was alerted to the newish Levi’s Cord Jacket look.  Instead of the trendy hipster corduroy jacket of several autumns ago that preferred the tight and high armholes of the 70s and wide lapels, this is a comfortable jean jacket look.  While the mode last time was to wear it with matching cords if possible, the suggestion is that you refrain with this one.  It is currently available in red and khaki.

Levi’s does market this as an updated version of a 1967 trucker jacket, only a slimmer cut. Thank goodness this is where the inspiration for slim cuts leads and Levi’s did not go down the angry road of introducing jeggings (please, no!).  It retails for $69.50  at the present time. Colors available are “Thorn” which is roughly khaki, at left, and “Madder Brown,” which I would consider an autumnal red.

Suggestions? With the slimmer cut it might make a good “boyfriend” jacket for gent-ettes as well as something to be worn by guys.  Pairing it with jeans would probably be the preferred mode for men. White T-shirt would be most classic, but a crazy pattern shirt wouldn’t be out of the question, either.

Check out the jacket on Levi.com and fine retailers. Or maybe not so fine retailers. Okay…how about retailers that have an adequate Levi section.

Party like it’s 1995!

Remember back in the day when you could create a free website at Geocities or Angelfire?  Geocities had less pop ups and everyone and their college roommate’s father’s cousin’s best friend’s dog’s groomer had one.  Some were actually excellent, but others…well…we really don’t need to see your grocery list or your collection of Mad Balls.  Geocities went the way of the Dodo, but I got all weepy and nostalgic (maybe not weepy) when I found Hpages.com.

They offer templates and cool tools to use, like a pinboard feature that I wish was available as a plug in outside of hpages for people who wax nostalgic over using a dry erase board instead of an IWhatever to keep track of things. Folks can slide by your site and leave a picture to let you know they were there. Sites also have other bells and whistles like guest books and simple polls.

I don’t recommend Hpages if you want a complex site for your subscription-only services or businesses. It’s really not for that. It’s for the original, old fashioned ** use of letting your kid have a website, showing off your hobby, or maybe the first website for a neighborhood grassroots cause.  With the advent of Blogspot and WordPress and Typepad, one would think that the Hpages model just wouldn’t catch on.  Not everyone wants something in the blog format.  Sometimes a few polished pages about a subject matter is what you really, really want or need.

All sites are hosted at Hpages, and to create and maintain one is absolutely free. Your dog can have a web page. Your tie collection can have its own site.  It could be a proving ground to teach someone about the matter, whether they are very young, or are a senior. The possibilities are endless.

**= Oh, did I just refer to the 1992-1997 era as old fashioned? I am quaking in my combat boots. Let me qualify it by saying as far as the INTERNET goes, that time frame is INDEED an era of a certain vintage. It doesn’t apply to fashion or any other area of life.

The Finishing Touch for a Restored Home

One way to transform a restored home is to be very particular about the “hardware” of the home. In other words, choose your mailboxes, light posts, and address plaques very wisely.

The first thing your visitors see before the door, however, is the mailbox. Nowadays, they have mail box posts that have an old world look, or have a clean, white cape cod look. You don’t have to go with an ugly metal pole.

For stately manors, or just the look of one, an imposing black, Victorian style residential mailboxes might be in order. You can get them with or without an area for a newspaper. I think it would very ironic to put one on a tiny house. What about putting one on a modern ranch or a small 1950s tract home? It would make it look rather grand, wouldn’t it?

Above, is a streetscape mailbox. My Great-Grandparents had one just like that where they lived in the city. It leaves me a bit nostalgic. Of course, they had a door for the paper too. That one went right through to the living room, and as kids we had a lot of fun with that. In fact, theirs opened on the outside and inside the house. We put ice cream in it once in the winter. Don’t worry, it was a postal holiday. We also tried to get each other to slip something in the mail slot so the other could try to grab it.

Whatever you decide, don’t just pick up the first thing you find. Think about the era of your restored home and with just a little looking online, you will find something that is truly perfect.

Not Your Father’s Old Spice Commercials

Remember when Old Spice was cool? Somewhere along the road, the brand image sputtered and when I was in high school, everyone thought that whoever wore Old Spice was just an old gramps. Now, the marketing department at Old Spice is striving to make it young, hip and relevant again. With the surge in popularity in men’s body washes and other grooming products, it was time to dust off an old and familiar name and save it from the lower racks of the bargain bin.

While Old Spice tried commercials featuring sports activities and locker room antics, they didn’t hit gold until the Isaiah Mustafa was hired as the Old Spice man. The droll and hilariously larger than life and unquestionably manly, the Old Spice Man was featured in several popular commercials, urging men to drop the “lady scented” body washes.

The Old Spice Man is currently interacting with Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit users by creating video responses to their questions. Here, he answers a question about what happens when two men wearing Old Spice meet.

For more entertainment, visit the Old Spice Youtube channel

It’s Just Like Dating…So Why Do I Feel So ‘Dated’?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Smingle.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

First, there was good old fashioned meeting your future husband or wife at school. Or maybe you met them as penpals. Or maybe they lived nearby. Then came personal ads. Then came online dating profiles. Oh yes, and matchmakers have been around for years. Just ask the Fiddler on the Roof. Now, there is virtual dating. It’s like dating…but it’s not. You simulate a date online. You make an avatar for yourself and then you and another user that you might think you might fancy go at it. No, get your minds out of the gutter. You chitchat with each other just like you are on a date, except the other person looks like a cartoon character. This way, you get to see if the other person is worth meeting or calling first.

All of this stuff is too newfangled to me. If you are the type of person who isn’t a speedy typist or is just an “in person” sort of guy or gal, this isn’t going to work. However, I bet that those who are the main customers for the site ARE quick at messaging and texting.  Also, I still think people are more apt to stretch the truth when they aren’t face to face.  But that’s just me.

The European Journal of Psychology says touche’.  Okay, they really don’t, but they do say that “People who go on virtual dates first tend to like each other more when they meet and are two times more likely to go on a second date.  Computer-based communication results in more self-disclosure, and can be more effective than face-to-face interaction at early stages of a relationship.“   While I am still skeptical, this does bring to mind how Grandma and Grandpa met. They were pen pals.  Grandma drew Grandpa’s name as a soldier to write to in WWII.  The rest is history, of course.  In writing letters, you do tend to share more about yourself up front than you would if you met by chance at the ice cream counter.

Smingle.com is one of the venues offering virtual dating without the ickiness of web cams. If you are single – and i don’t mean married, I don’t mean having a girlfriend that you had an argument with and want to get back at, nor have a live-in boyfriend that just has a weird schedule – but if you are REALLY home by your self with your pet goldfish and your TVLand on Saturday night, then it might be something novel to try.  They are offering readers 3 months of free access just to take it for a test drive. So – you tell me…do you like it, or are you tending to prefer sitting at the museum poised in front of the same painting for 6 hours hoping a young (or old) lady or gent sees you and is taken by your obvious intellect and sense of taste?

I feel like a hypocrite.  Now that I am taken, I give advice to folks to go out to the library or museum and you might meet someone who is above the whole bar scene, but I have never heard of anyone who met their husband or wife in front of a Medieval shield or a Renoir.  Maybe performance art is different. Just ask Yoko Ono. She met John when he asked to pound a nail in her interactive art exhibit.   Anyway, for those of you who don’t have interactive art exhibits, you can try hiding behind your avatar that you can fashion to look like Yoko to meet your John.  Or peanut butter to meet your jelly.  I’ll just quit while I am not ahead…

Patrick Stewart is Alive and Well

Reports on Twitter, or at least among people that are crazy enough to associate with me, were that Patrick Stewart has passed away. Thankfully, this is false. Sir Patrick is alive and well and celebrating his 70th birthday. In fact, according to the BBC, “The Star Trek and X-Men actor is taking part in graduation ceremonies at Huddersfield University where he is in his second term as Chancellor. ”

Before he was known as Professor Xavier or Jean-Luc Picard, he was a player in the Royal Shakespeare Company. I remembered the “Playing Shakespeare” video series from my days as a stage manager. (In fact, I have seen the series on an obscure channel after midnight back when I had the 90 zillion channels on Dish Network, but they never seemed to run the whole thing. So, kids, check listings three weeks in advance and set your DVR. I also remember a thought floating in my head at the time: “Did That Guy Ever Have Hair?” At the time, Star Trek: The Next Generation was on television, and Stewart provided a sharp contrast to his predecessor, the heavily toupee-ed Shatner. I was surprised at the time that Stewart had barely aged a day since the videos from the late 70s.  My theory is that John Barton stole it all and attached it to his era-appropriate wild ‘do. In this clip, you can listen or turn the sound off and read it in German, which could be somewhat entertaining. If you are not into Shakespeare, enjoy a bit of culture or at least contemplate the location of Patrick Stewart’s Dorian Gray portrait.

Live long and prosper, Sir Patrick. Fie on thee, Twitter Rumors!

Oh, by the way, I think the whole video series was released for sale. However, its twenty bazillion dollars in 2010 money and I already have the book. No, I am not trying to be funny. I really do own the book. I fill in the voices in my head. I’m going to try one more time on Time Warner Cable. They just might decide it’s Patrick Stewart week and dig up all his old stuff.

Toe Shoes…But Not The Kind You Think

There really is nothing too terribly new in fashion these days, particularly footwear. Most looks are just recapitulations of clothing that has already been. In some ways, classic style is perennial and always appropriate, but we are far from the masses wearing the silver jumpsuits the us of the 1950s we thought we would be wearing in the year 2000.  Everyday clothing is pretty much the same.  Sure, there are the occasional gimmicks like platform shoes with things moving around in the lucite heels, but none of that is made terribly well.

I should have been careful about what I asked for. I asked to see something “new” and little did I know that Vibram Five Fingers shoes would be trotted out. At first, I mistook them for a novel aqua shoe**, as the Vibram Five Fingers Classic does resemble them. However, they also come in a kangaroo leather hiking style, shown at left.  The gimmick is that you will feel as if you are running or climbing barefoot…but with rubber between your toes. My immediate thought was that one of my toes would be cut off by accident, but I was assured that the midsole offers protection from stone bruising. On the other hand, maybe they give you the flexible but slightly protected feel of a jazz shoe.

While I sometimes take fashion risks, I am still a little squeamish about this one, folks. Granted, these shoes look like a fun novelty, but for my foot size/height ratio, I fear my footprints being mistaken for a Yeti. I’ll have to ease in with a pair of bright blue of camouflaged ones. You can get away with a lot more when your shoes are retina burning-ly bright. They’ll notice the shoes rather than the feet.

I wonder if vintage clothing aficionados will purchase these and ferret them away to see if they will be sought after as oddities in the future.  Of course, that is unless they catch on to every man, woman and child. If you do decide to partake of some Five Fingered shoes, check the sizing charts for each style. Every style fits a little differently.

**= There is actually a true aqua shoe version, the Vibram Five Fingers Flow.