the tings i see.

I came across a video the other day and it got me thinking.  I pride myself on the fact that with a little time and the right equipment I can make just about anything.  I have in fact tested this on many occasions, sometimes its harder then others and sometimes I need advice for a mentor but, in the end the work gets done.  There are two key things in this; first, a mentor, one of the things I think most young men and women are lacking these days is a mentor to help them learn and advance in the basic skills of life.  Just like the fate of apprentices and masters in ever craft.  Notice, I said mentor not role model.  A role model is great, someone to aspire to be like and to look up too but, beyond moral behavior (which in my opinion should be covered by parents anyway) a role model doesn’t necessarily help with the rest.  Second is the drive, the interest or down right curiosity about things.  Everything is so accessible now that people don’t feel the need to go out and do it themselves.  You want to know how an engine works?  Take one apart, I guarantee you will know more then if you look it up on the internet and thats true for just able anything.  Doing something with your hands will always be the quickest way for us as a species to learn no matter what people say about different learning types.

Adam Cramer of Liberty Vintage Motorcycles in the video below makes a point about Americans.  He says we have lost the, “can do attitude” that was once the stereotype of an American and this is probably the thing that hit me hardest in this little rant.  Because that is one of the greatest things about being American, we can do anything and if we don’t know how right now, I guarantee we will figure it out and do it tomorrow.  This problem solving is being lost and these seemingly little things are what lead to innovation.  No one ever invented anything sitting on the couch.

We have become a nation of consumers.  We consume more then any other nation in the world but yet we make less and less.  As of 2009 our greatest American export was waste paper.  Thats right, our biggest export to the rest of the world is trash.  I guess i wonder what ever happened to the America that places like Japan and Russia and the rest of the world envied.  The America that said “in ten years we will put a man on the moon” and did.  The America that saw three thousand miles of rough terrain and high peaks and said “sure, we can cross that.”  What will happen to the “American Spirit” without these things that make us more.

Adam Cramer of Liberty Vintage Motorcycles out of Philly

With a chill in the air fall starts to blow in but, in these early days when we still have warm afternoons and crisp nights dressing for the weather can be difficult especially in a place as fickle as Portland.  Enter the classic rugby jersey.  The brightly colored long or short sleeved cotton shirts with the white contrasting collar make for the perfect transition shirt for those early fall days.  They look good enough to wear out yet are resilient enough to wear doing anything.  The rugby is really a perfect complement to the heavier fabrics of fall yet light enough to slowly easy into the season.

Rugby is a form of football that originated at the Rugby School, a boarding school in Rugby, Warwickshire England, in the mid-19th century.  Although rugby football was codified at Rugby School, many rugby playing countries had pre-existing football games not dissimilar to rugby.  English football, as it was called in the UK, had been played on a mass scale at boarding schools across the region for a long time but, it wasn’t until 1845 the the pupils of the Rugby School laid down an official set of laws for the first time.  In the early years of official competition Rugby and Football were governed by the same Football Association but, in 1863, there was a split and the two distinctly different sports went there separate ways.  By 1871 the Rugby Football Union was founded and laid the frame work for an international Rugby organization.

 XIXth century Victorian die-cuts of British ruggers

In these early days the clubs were mostly based in prep schools and universities.  Although there were smaller less well funded clubs in working class towns across the northern UK the Rugby Union gained a reputation for being predominately run by men of means in the south.  This conflict grew to a head in 1895 when a group of 20 clubs broke from the Rugby Union to form the Northern Rugby Football Union renamed the Rugby Football League in 1922 with a few slight changes to the common rules.

cartoon lampooning the divide in rugby captioned  (Rev. Frank Marshall: ”Oh, fie, go away naughty boy, I don’t play with boys who can’t afford to take a holiday for football any day they like!”  James Miller: ”Yes, that’s just you to a T; you’d make it so that no lad whose father wasn’t a millionaire could play at all in a really good team. For my part I see no reason why the men who make the money shouldn’t have a share in the spending of it.”)

Rugby Union held a strict, amateur only eligibility as well as a tight grip on tradition where as the Rugby League was derided as the professional version of the Union.  One of the great traditions from the prep school days of rugby football is the jersey.  Rugby jerseys were traditionally made of cotton with five or six hoops of alternating color corresponding to the club colors.  Most jerseys also have a placket with two or three rubber buttons down the front.  The rubber was purely functional, making it so if some one pulled on your collar or neck during a game the buttons simply slip out instead of popping off.  Finally, many traditional jerseys have a small stiff white collar and white cuffs.  This look is the one that became popular among British prep school students and quickly spread in America.

Dress it up or dress it down. Bastian Rugby via StyleBlogger

It seems like everyone is making one these days but, the best on the market is from Michael Baston.  Probably a bit out of most peoples price range but, on the other end of the spectrum American Apperal that brand everyone hates to love but, makes some kick ass basics is coming out with a rugby of their own so keep your eyes open. Otherwise almost every modern mens wear label has at least one.  So, go out an don’t be afraid to get it dirty.

Rugby in the mud.  Perfect for any occasion

Plus a little treat.  An explanation of the rules of rugby that you will actually watch.

The M-1965 or M65 field jacket is simply the latest in a long succession of attempts to keep troops comfortable and protected in a variety of hostile climates.  As the name suggests the M65 was introduced into US military service in 1965 at the beginning of the escalation of the Vietnam War.  It was a further improved version of the M-1951 which replaced the World War II field jacket, the M-1943.

(from top to bottom) original M-43, M-51, and M-65 field jackets.  you can see the slight changes over the years

These jackets all had a few things in common.  Tough durable material, some degree of water resistance, a collar that could be turned up to block the elements and plenty of pocket space for gear.  Although popularized by American GIs and icons such as Ernest Hemingway this jacket was in no way an American invention.

Ernest Hemingway with his fourth and final wife Mary after killing something in his bush jacket

Throughout the 1800’s the European powers engaged in a race to map, explorer and colonize the deepest darkest parts of Africa.  People like Dr. David Livingstone, Henry Stanley and many other equally successful adventurers spent much of the 19th century spreading religion throughout untracked sections of African territory mapping new areas all the way.  These intrepid men knew that in the heat of the African bush one had to dress appropriately but, a gentlemen still wouldn’t be caught out doors with out his jacket.  The men developed light weight jackets cut from cotton and linen that had been dyed in khaki brought back from the British Raj.  These jackets had four large pockets for carrying various gear and were generally belted to support extra utility and better fit.  These bush jackets, as they came to be known, were so well designed and loved in the colonies that the British government incorporated them into the offical field uniform of the British Army starting in 1897.  The light weight and tan color made them ideal for tropical war zones and harder to soil then the older brightly colored wool uniforms of the old European empires.  Soon, similar jackets were incorporated into the uniforms of many of the major military forces around the world, including that of the good ol’ US of A.

(L) Dr. David Livingstone in Africa in the late 19th century wearing a makeshift precurser to the field jacket (R) British troops prepared for the Second Boer War in their new field uniforms, c. 1900

The field jacket took the elements that worked best from the original bush jackets and tried to improve upon them as the needs changed.  The M-43 incorporated a drawstring waist, doing away with the belt, and an attachable cotton pile liner for cold weather conditions.  The M-51 further improved the jacket by treating the fabric so as to repel water and adding a detachable hood.  Finally, the M-65 built the hood into the jacket making it stowable in a pouch on the back of the neck giving easy access as well as upgrading the liner to include a warmer synthetic pile.

The M-65 jacket became iconic with the Vietnam War but, it also became a symbol of the counter culture.  It was such a utilitarian design that even the protesters couldn’t deny its utility and with the jackets flooding the market through surplus stores and second hand shops with the ramp up in production for the war they were easy to get at very low prices.

Vietnam War protesters in fatigues

Of course militaria has always made its showing on the runways and fashion shows.  It works for the same reason it works for soldiers, functional pieces look good for their function.  The same reason why basics are sometimes the best thing you can have.  These days every major mens wear manufacturer has dabbled in the field jacket world.  One can find them at any price range and every level of luxury.  From bargain basement surplus to haute couture, its all about making sure it stays functional and fits.  Jackets like this are perfect for fall and spring because they are infinitely layerable.  I really like the ones below from J.Crew but, a lot of that has to do with the fact that they fit me really well.  So, go out and get yourself a modern, vintage, surplus, custom field jacket and where it like its meant to be worn.  On a great adventure.

(L) Safari Jacket from Berretta (R) J.Crew Fatigue jacket 

I’m getting to that age where I am getting two or three wedding invitations from friends a year and where everyone I know seems to be either married, on track to getting hitched, or in some sort of linear long term relationship.  One of the oldest traditions in human society is celebrating lasting relationships.  My parents just celebrated their 30 year anniversary in May with a trip to the tropics.  Every culture has had there own was marking these special occasions over the millennia and today the prevailing custom is gifts on the day of the annual anniversary.  So, in light of some up coming nuptials which I am sadly 10,000 miles to far to get to, I dug into the history of anniversary gift tradition to enlighten and possibly amuse.

In the United States, the wedding anniversary symbols begin simply, with paper and flowers, and gradually increase in substance and value. The order of gifts reflects the investment that the couple gives of themselves to each other. In Germany, by comparison, couples use a list of symbols that represent the progressive  strengthening of the marriage relationship.  The practice of giving peculiar gifts on various wedding anniversaries originated in Central Europe. Among the medieval Germans it was customary for friends to present a wife with a wreath of silver when she had lived with her husband twenty-five years. The silver symbolized the harmony that was assumed to be necessary to make so many years of matrimony possible. On the fiftieth anniversary of a wedding the wife was presented with a wreath of gold. Hence arose the silver and golden anniversary.  This practice, borrowed from the Germans, has been elaborated upon in modern times.

with a growing middle class Victorian wedding etiquette became more elaborate

The modern custom of celebrating what was once referred to as the “anniversary wedding” can be traced back to the Victorian era.  Although no one is certain how the traditional list of symbolic anniversary gifts originated, it is likely that the Victorians, so fond of cataloging and classifying, were the first to adapt ancient heathen customs into a prescribed list of gifts for each wedding anniversary.  Early on only a few of the anniversaries that we recognized today were included.

well loved Etiquette book of Social Usage by Emily Post, originally published 1922

Emily Post listed “eight anniversaries known to all” in her 1922 Blue Book of Social Usage [listing 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversaries]. Mrs. Post then went on to report that “until comparatively modern times, the eight anniversaries were all that were acknowledged.” She then recognized the trend toward celebrating additonal anniversaries and listed a symbolic anniversary gift for each of the first fifteen years of marriage and one for every five years after that. This is the basis for the lists we use today.

In 1937, the American National Retail Jeweler Association used this history to issue a more comprehensive list, which associated precious materials for each anniversary year up to the 20th and then each fifth year after that up to the 75th bringing people into their shops on an annual basis.  The way they presented it to Americans is that stability deserves a reward and the more stability the greater the reward should be. 

And so, without further ado, the annoted list of traditional anniversary gifts for the thoughtful couple. DISCLAIMER: This is the traditional list of gifts so, some may be inappropriate in todays modern age.  It is about the spirit of the tradition.  For things like ivory or coral maybe instead of killing something rare and beautiful, go on a trip like a safari or tropical get away.

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This one has been in the works for quite awhile now but, finding mens swim wear that isn’t terrible isn’t as easy as one would think.  I have been a swimmer for most of my life.  In competition its easy enough but, shorts for the beach or lounging proves to be much more difficult.  I have been searching for interesting swim suits for a long time and eventually it hit me, where are you going to find stylish well made swim suits?, places where rich people vacation of course.  So, a lot of the companies on this list come from southern France, Italy, and the Caribbean meaning, you will probably be the only person, where ever you live, wearing them.

When it comes to a story, the history of swim wear is relatively short considering humans have been enjoying the water since we walked on all fours.  It wasn’t until the mid-18th century that bathing clothes became a common and required fashion in private bath houses and even then, swimming nude at public waterholes, rivers, lakes, and the sea was the norm until well into the 19th century.  Nude bathing was outlawed for men in the UK in 1860 although little changed.  Many people still did as they pleased and the few that followed the law swam in there underwear which, wasn’t much of an up grade as far as decency is concerned.  But, by the 1870’s a rudimentary form of swim costume began to be available.  For men, these early swim outfits consisted of shorts and a waist coat constructed of a sturdy fabric so that modesty could be protected or something resembling a union suit.

man in his swim costume/underwear c. 1915

The first prototypes of  ”modern” swim trunks were cumbersome and made swimming extremely difficult.  The first Jantzen suit weighed nearly 9 lb. when fully soaked.  Modesty continued to be an issue well into the 1920’s. Under the “Bathing Suit Regulations” published in May 17, 1917, men’s suits had to be worn with flannel knee pants and a vest with a fly front.

The introduction of Lastex (synthetic rubber yarn) in the 1930’s created a whole new era in men’s swim wear.  This “miracle fiber” made it possible to give the wearer the appearance of a fit form.  Even overweight men had the chance to be “Mr. Muscles,” according to the advertisements.  Athletic supports, called “Sunaka” supports were sewn directly into the trunks, similar to a girdle, providing comfort and a trim appearance in front.

men at the beach c. 1930’s

The “Men’s Topper” introduced a new thrill in men’s swim wear. This unprecedented belted, two-tone wool suit gave the wearer the option to go bare.  The deeply scooped top was attached to the front of the trunks with the newly-invented zipper. Instead of being connected, the back of the suit featured a “y” arrangement of straps to secure the top to the chest. The top was removed by just unzipping the zipper. Unfortunately for many of those who did, this led to arrests for “indecent exposure.”

The public’s concern with nudity eroded as time passed. Shorts were the typical swim wear for men, with men’s swimsuits during the 1940’s looking very similar to the narrow hips and smooth abdomen of the women’s styles. Of course, those males with a little more modesty in mind could always opt for the “boxer-type” shorts.  With women’s suits becoming more flamboyant than ever during the 1950’s and beyond, the male bathing costume was not to be outdone, resulting in an explosion of color patterns and fancy detailing. “Cabana sets” consisting of matching boxer trunks and shirts with loud prints such as zebra stripes and pony prints exploded onto the scene.

awesome cabana set pattern from the 1960’s

From the 1950’s on mens swim wear stayed more or less the same shape evolving with the changing textiles.  The basic swim short in various lengths and styles are what ever guy wears today.  But, when it comes down to it there are really only three categories of modern mens swim wear that should be acceptable; trunks, board shorts, and swim shorts.  These may seem like all the same but, the differences are many and noticeable.  Below I will go into each one in detail as well as list a few that I like. DISCLAIMER: Most of the suits on this list I have only seen online so, I can not speak to their exact fit beyond the pictures but, that being said most of them seem to be cut well and they are all companies I would trust.

To start, board shorts, are exactly what they sound like, a swim suit designed to be worn while surfing or being very active in the water.  The terrible version has been popularized by douche bags and frat boys the world over.  First, if you aren’t surfing or doing something where your shorts my get pulled off by the water you shouldn’t be wearing board shorts.  Simply good board shorts should be durable, to hold up against the salt and board wax, very simple in design, no tribal/flower/girlie prints or things to break, a tie that will hold your waist tight and not let go, to prevent any de-suiting, if you will, during vigorous activity, slim but, with enough room in the leg to move freely, and finally, they should cover enough of your thigh that you don’t get board rash from the wax and sea water rubbing your hair into your board.  Notice, I did not say covers the knee,  I said covers enough of the thigh, which means no more then necessary.  Although the board short is probably the longest of the three categories it should still end several inches above the top of your knee.  Think 1970’s beach bum, add some gold aviators, Huaraches and a Oaxacan blanket, maybe a bum straw hat and you’ll be set.

Sundek $119 rainbow band with drawstring

Birdwell Britches $61 305 on the right 301 on the left

Saturdays Surf NYC $75 checks and jailbreak

Original Penguin $65 original plaid

Rede $70

Next, trunks.  Trunks are probably the most common swim suit you see, at least before the onslaught of the tribal board shorts.  Popularized by the cabana set trend in the 1960’s trunks continue to common in awesome colors and patterns and are great for lounging and hanging out by a pool or laying out for a tan.  They usually have an elastic waist with a tie on the inside, few if any pockets, mesh liner, and a little bit of a drape.  They are always very comfortable and light weight making them hassle free but, also less secure in rough water.  Trunks come in every shape and size and within the bounds of a good eye that can make for some fun looks.  You know you will probably never really wear a pair of trunks more then 50 yards from water so, you can get a little crazy with the patterns and not worry so much about looking like a fish out of water.  Traditional flower prints (not the tribal shit), basic geometrics and bright colors are right at home here.  Think of the colors and attitude of a beach in San Tropez.  Kick back in your beach chaise, order a fruity drink from the beautiful bar girl, relax and absorb the aquas, oranges, yellows, and greens to the sounds of calypso and crashing waves.

Franks Australia $140

Europann $57

Armata di Mare $57 stripes  $64 floral

MC2 Saint Barth $132

Solleone Capri $95

Lastly, the swim short.  If you want to dress like a grown up and look good by the pool  the swim short is what you need.  They are the swim suits you would see James Bond in.  The kind of swim wear that you can walk around town on the weekend in and not feel like your going to a pool party but, still be ready if the chance arises.  Be able to go from the beach to dinner just by grabbing a jacket.  If the board short is the polo of the swim wear world then this would be the suit and tie.  The swim short should be fitted, just like the pants of your favorite suit, but, not to the point of the obscene, shorter then the board short but, still acceptable in the city, have the convinces of normal shorts such as pockets, zip fly, and a snap closer, and finally, again, will be simple and elegant.  Think 1960’s atomic chic, Sean Connery’s Bond by the famous Piscine Molitor in Paris.

Sundek $129 snap fly

Dondup $59 snap short

Olasul $135 Cielo 5”

Orlebar Brown $205 Setter

Onia $130 Calder 7.5”

Park & Ronen $108 2” Angeleno

In the end its all about fit and just like everything else fit is very individual.  I gave you a bit of an overview on each style and how they should fit above but, everyone is shaped a little different so, there are some basic guidelines that if you follow you can’t go wrong.  First the smaller you are the shorter your shorts should be.  Now, of course there is a point where they shouldn’t get any shorter but, if you are a fit person then longer baggy shorts will just make you look tiny.  On the other hand if you are a bigger guy or you are a power lifter or sprinter or something with absurdly large thighs then you should wear slightly longer shorts or else your thighs or belly as the case may be will swallow them.  Much of what I posted favors the shorter and the smaller but, most of these companies make longer versions of the same suits.  Just follow the links.