Brian’s Brain My American Classic Timeless Inspiration:

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WHO what where when how why

I thought I might share my influences of how my affinity for American Classic Timeless Menswear has developed over the past 50 plus years if anyone is interested😴. In this first of a series of posts I thought I might start with WHO as in who have been my influencers.

Naturally the many bosses and mentors at the three clothing firms (Bob Hunts, McCalls And Harold’s ) shaped my views more than anyone, but in order to make this post relatable I thought I would point out a few icons that virtually everyone should know.

Let’s start with the more recent and work backwards.

G. Bruce Boyer-this author of multiple style books and former writer for Town and Country has become the consummate expert on what denotes classic timeless menswear. He is featured on sites such as Ben Silver, J. Press, and The UK’s Permanent Style to name a few. Whenever I see a picture of Boyer I think three things,

• I would wear exactly what he has on,

• he exudes that fantastic Americana Sprezzatura look of comfort in a tailored outfit,

and

• he ain’t a movie star-so maybe just maybe I could look that cool myself. I love his subtle style tweakes like buttoning a cardigan with only two buttons , or leaving a waist coat’s top and bottom button undone, or his use of boldly colored socks in an otherwise mundane outfit, or his use of tattersalls and a complete nonchalant view of tucking his smaller tie blade into the tie keeper or not. His art is in the minutiae. He has exactly the style of dress we at Harold’s would have identified as a Harold’s man: Confident, comfortable, well put together. Here is an example of the brilliance of his writing:

https://pin.it/1XOJcW62R

Ralph Lauren- the Man who saved Menswear. My first experience with RL clothing was at Harold’s. At a former store we sold Izods (or Lacrosse) polos. Back then there were several knock-offs but no one had the fit and beefy placket that Izod had. That is until RL came on the scene with his interlock weave. RL fabrics were clearly superior. Upon buying my first one, I delved into the magic of RL. He scoured thrift stores in London and reverse engineered and contracted with old-line suit firms to private label his clothing. His plaid shirts had many more thread counts and thus more colors than anyone else. This added depth and softness to the shirts. This was all before the department stores were allowed to sell Ralph Lauren and the (gag) preppy worship of the high holy horse started. Simply put, Ralph virtually single handedly recaptured the allure and grandeur of the 1920’s through 1950’s golden era of menswear precisely when America needed it most, immediately following an apocalyptic disaster known as the 1970’s. I could write all day about RL, But suffice to say-he made an impact. He was a visionary rebel who relentlessly worked toward his dream and we caught his vision. Hear him in his own words:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Czk6OQWsa0&t=5s&pp=2AEFkAIB&ra=m

Robert Redford-it’s fitting that Ralph Lauren was the consultant on the 1974 film the Great Gatsby starring Robert Redford. This and the subsequent movie The Sting ,triggered a longing for a previous era’s elegance. Over the next 6-10 years menstores began to return from the horror of double knit moving to blended cotton and polyester and finally to all cotton and all wool clothing. It was during this era that I began my career (as a part time high school/college student) in menswear. While The 1940’s movie stars were a huge influence in their era and are still ideals sought after today, the influence of the 1960’s/1970’s stars like Redford, Newman, and the king of cool McQueen helped to keep people grounded in classic menswear.

Paul Newman, the other half of the original bro films (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting) was a counter-counter, cultural icon. Yes counter is used there twice intentionally. While the late 1960’s and 1970’s clothing was increasingly weirder and weirder Paul Newman was able to stay hip and cool while remaining more traditional. He along with McQueen and Redford were the casual outfit icons of their time.

Steve McQueen-Ok. I’m going to just say it: Race car driver, former fighter, motorcyclist, and scene stealer in every movie he was the coolest human that ever was in film…period. He pushed the envelope in his clothing style as well - like when he was one of Bruce Lees’ pall bearers. (Yea I said it-one of BRUCE LEE’s Pall Bearers) and he wore jeans and a jeans jacket. While that flys in the face of everything classic Timeless Menswear. (Especially at the time). He was fricken Steve McQueen. Mic dropped case rested.

Sean Connery-THE BOND. Yes he portrayed a sophisticated English gentleman and we all ignored the thick Scottish accent😉. So why would I include him in Classic Timeless AMERICAN Menswear? Because of the immense influence he had on every young American Man at the time. I was 2 years old when Dr. No came out, the first movies I remember seeing as a boy were Bond Movies. As TV shifted from cowboy shows to Secret Agent TV shows by the time I was 8 years old I put away my toy six shooters for a toy Walther PPK was pretending to find secret lairs of villains and save the hot girl while wearing a cool suit and driving a cool car. So yea definately an influencer for American Classic Timeless Menswear.

John Wayne- two of my five favorite movies of all time are John Wayne movies (The Searchers, and The Quiet Man). The Duke’s outfit in a sport coat and flat cap as Sean Thornton in The Quiet Man is well..perfect. The Duke and John Ford are American heroes to me (along with Merriam Cooper). I watched a documentary on the West narrated by Robert Redford who said that John Wayne as a boy worked on a film that Wyatt Earp was the consultant for. Yes that OK corral Wyatt Earp. That is who John Wayne based his cowboy persona on. Uhm…Damn! Think that through.

Cary Grant/Gary Cooper/Duke of Windsor/Humphrey Bogart/ Jimmy Stewart

I’ve kind of lumped all these guys together since their era is the foundation of Classic Timeless menswear. However, like all the movie stars I’ve mentioned above-I know I’m not that tall, talented nor pretty. But this last group represent the golden age of menswear and here are a few pointers I’ve gotten from them. And emulate. One-screw this jazz about not wearing a loafer with a suit-doing so is extremely classic American Timeless Menswear. Check the pics closely. Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, ( black weejuns no less) Cooper (Kiltie loafers, )as well as the English Duke of Windsor (loafer) who can all be seen doing so. Ash would be aghast 😎. And Two - All the trouser are full legs that are high enough to reach the men’s waist. They are not only-hip-high-skinny-legged yoga pants. This full leg with pleats provided stature. The cut of the coats all enhance the Silhouette of the wearer (full lapels-correct placement of the operable button- a skirt that covers the guys ass and is at least crotch length). These guys each exude that classic American comfortable devil-may-care approach to outfits. THIS IS CLASSIC TIMELESS MENSWEAR. Who wouldn’t want to sit at a leather couch in speakeasy, cocktail in hand and shoot the breeze with them?

Anyway. These represent the WHO with regard to the influencers for my clothing journey. Hope this is moderately interesting to some.

Here is another writing about Boyer:

https://pin.it/VxxiTrsG9

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