How far do you take it?

[Steve]

Hi all,

I'm pretty new here, having been a member of Club Obi-Wan for a couple of months. I'm fairly enamored witht the sense of propriety that the Golden Era had, along with its reverance for generals and good statesman as opposed to the present era's fascination with celebrities and sports stars. Anyway, I was wondering how far many of you with the whole "30s/40s gent" theme; or at least, how much is it practical outside of dressing smartly for parties and such?

 

[Solid Citizen]

1940's How Far?

Steve, I like to wear vintage 1940's hats & ties everyday to work, wearing double breasted suits, some period jackets etc. for me it depends? At my work thats too over the top, so it has to be outside the office, but I do wear the threads on a regular basis, its taken me too much time & $$$ to acquire them to just let them sit in my closet to wear once in awhile for just a party. Peter

PS Welcome to the group Steve!

 

[MK]

.

My goal is not to look like I stepped out of a time machine. When it comes to clothes, I am inspired by the golden era and choose traditional clothes. I listen to big band...but I also listen to 80's music. Same goes for movies. I like golden era and modern. I do wear a hat every day...usually a fedora.

 

[GraveRobberGreg]

I guess i'm lucky when I say that I dont have to get up and go to work everyday cause i'm retired. Yea i'm only 35 but when you have back surgery and then get into 4 car accidents in a year then its time to call it quits. I do wear my Fedora as much as I can when I go out. I love my AB. Thanks Michealson!

 

[Michael Mallory]

I think the key is, don't look like somebody else, look like yourself. So I take it as far as I need to to look like me. I wear fedoras (and homburgs and porkpies) because I like them...and I'm balding. I don't buy antique clothes, but I don't need to. I can find plenty of clothes made today that fit my slightly retro sense of color and style (want a 1940s style shirt? Go buy a Dickie's work shirt with the pocket flaps). I feel most comfortable in a three-button pocket polo shirt under a sports jacket, topped with a matching fedora -- very 50s (and I still remember the 50s), but not obtrusive. And it looks like me.

 

[Mycroft]

I am the kinda who makes his own style. I am inspired by the Golden Era, but I really want to get to the point where I can where a hat all and everyday. I love the Golden Era and like MK, I also enjoy others. I think that people should not copy a style, but rather be inspired by it.

 

[Sefton]

...get into 4 car accidents in a year then its time to call it quits.

Man, now I know why you chose that name! I hope things start going your way from now on!

As for my clothes...I also wear what I'd call "classic men's style". To me that's a look that never goes out of style. If I wear a fedora (gotta wait till I can afford a custom...no vintage in my size) it would be the one thing to give my look its strongest link to "the golden era". I never think of my style as strange..everyone else on the street looks strange to me!

 

[Jessica]

I try to wear vintage pieces as often as I can. I love pencil skirts, and they will never go out of style. I am always hunting for fabulous clothes to wear. Authenticity is very important to me when I'm working. (photo-shoots and what not)

 

[farnham54]

I'm a victim of the Jeans and T-shirts ideal, as I'm a college student and there is little need for me to wear a suit every day to class.

However, if I'm going for a night on the town, then I will wear vintage-inspired clothing. Like others have said, i like the style, and I mimic it.

I'm far more intruigued by the character of the men of old. Sure, we always talk about the good old days when there were Gentleman abound who wore hats and treated ladies like ladies etc, etc, etc. Once again, inspired by but not bound to. Be the best man I can be to both myself and others, and that to me is what Golden Era gentlemanlyness is about. And if I just happen to look good doing it--bonus!

Welcome to the Lounge, Steve!

Cheers
Craig

 

[matei]

While I don't have anything vintage 'cept for a hat and a few odds and ends, I strive to create a style inspired by the '30s/'40s. To the untrained eye, it must appear at times as if I suddenly stepped out of the already-mentioned time machine...

Some people can pull it off, others just look silly. I believe I am in the first category, and my wife agrees!

Is it over the top? At times, slightly, but I would rather have a reputation as a snazzy dresser than be known as a slob.

I usually wear a hat - to work and around the town, and almost always wear a suit with a retro-inspired tie during the week.

I don't think I'd be able to live a 100% retro lifestyle, as it would be too difficult from a material point of view. Many of the necessary articles are not readily found in my size, and mod-cons (e-mail, mobile phone) have suddenly become necessary... Actually, if I were to go 100% retro I'd have to find a new line of work, as I work in the IT field!

That being said, I do try to apply a "classic" approach to things other than personal style... I try to read a book rather than watch the telly, write a letter than fire off an e-mail, go for a stroll rather than... you get the idea.

 

[Twitch]

A nicely fit suit of any era makes us guys look great, even us scruffy ones! Most certainly you can obtain modern double-breasted suits of all qualities. And let's face it most lapel styles are timeless in that they have come and gone several times in the past 90 years or so. So if you don't have a suit actually made on the eve of WW II you can probably find one that looks like it.

If you watch old Perry Mason episodes as I do you'll see basic 40s styles in the early shows of 1957-1960 and even later ones saw wide brim fedoras worn by many characters. Eternal stuff.

I'm 57 and a pal and I got into the Howard Huges look back in our 20s- fedora with casual clothes. It was too much for the times- about 1971 and we kinda stood out too much. At least we weren't wearing baseball caps backwards!

I bought a nice fedora off Ebay and should have it today and plan to wear it often. There's a double-breated suit at the thrift store that is probably 1970s era for like $30. You can't beat places like that for copies of old styles.

Thrift stores are a great place for inexpensive Hawaiian shirts- a clothing item that came from long ago that has never really gone out of style with some of us. You can snag high quality ones for $5-10!

The wider ties with artwork on them were a recurring popular theme in the 70s and you can find some of those that are not from the 40s but have reasonable prices.

Sorry for the long stream of consciousness but that's where I'm at these days. Or is that daze?

 

[Pilgrim]

I work at a university and dress is pretty informal. I wear ties once or twice a week, but in the summer it's usually sport or golf shirts.

I like to wear a fedora in three seasons - fall, winter & spring - and a Panama whenever it's over 80 degrees outside. Otherwise, I'm not a vintage dresser.

Since I live in Colorado, one hat that's always in style here is the Stetson Open Road. I like wearing them and find they're smart looking. But I wear them in their original, classic shape, not as fedoras.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

There is a part of me that wished I was living in Raymond Chandler's world. I would love to entertain "the Fat Man" and "Joel Cairo," or better yet, "Ilsa Laszlo." I love the romance and mystery of wearing a hat, the many ways you can express yourself by what you wear and how you wear it; the angel of your brim, a tilt of the crown.

As it is, I wear a fedora often, actually, more and more. I find that wearing it with a suit is the most socially acceptable way to wear one. I am starting to see more and more men wearing them.

Mean wore hats for hundreds of years, then it all changed in the 1960's, except for the ubiquitos baseball cap. It could all change again. Certainly, the threat of skin cancer may one day neccessitate it.

So, I, like Twitch once did, am getting into the Howard Hughes look, incorporating fedoras into a casual wear look beyond the Adventurer look.

I am thankful that, at this time, it is more acceptable to wear vintage inspired clothing than at any other recent time since the 1980's.

 

[Mycroft]

There is a part of me that wished I was living in Raymond Chandler's world. I would love to entertain "the Fat Man" and "Joel Cairo," or better yet, "Ilsa Laszlo." I love the romance and mystery of wearing a hat, the many ways you can express yourself by what you wear and how you wear it; the angel of your brim, a tilt of the crown.

As it is, I wear a fedora often, actually, more and more. I find that wearing it with a suit is the most socially acceptable way to wear one. I am starting to see more and more men wearing them.

Mean wore hats for hundreds of years, then it all changed in the 1960's, except for the ubiquitos baseball cap. It could all change again. Certainly, the threat of skin cancer may one day neccessitate it.

So, I, like Twitch once did, am getting into the Howard Hughes look, incorporating fedoras into a casual wear look beyond the Adventurer look.

I am thankful that, at this time, it is more acceptable to wear vintage inspired clothing than at any other recent time since the 1980's.

I agree the HH look is awesome. My issue is it is so hot down here, that on days I have no class or work, I need to where shorts and a T-shirts and a fedora with that is just odd in my opinion. A fedora (or any dress hat for that matter) must be worn with proper garments, my minimium for wearing on is jeans and a shirt.

 

[Andykev]

Just good clothes, and sun protection for me

I wear modern suits, with the "retro" look of the 40's which is actually making a comeback. Timeless style. I wear a hat every day, the fedora in cool/cold and the straw in summer/spring. Keeps me warm, and keeps the skin cancer at bay (I hope). I never leave the house without my hat on. I am recognized by having one on. If I didn't have a hat, people now aske me why....

I do not want to go back in a time machine, I just wear my hat with a Sierra Pacific jacket, my leather, or a rain coat. Summer finds me usually wearing an arrow short sleeve, or a Hawiian print tropical shirt. Dockers usually. Oh, and leather shoes always.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I agree the HH look is awesome. My issue is it is so hot down here, that on days I have no class or work, I need to where shorts and a T-shirts and a fedora with that is just odd in my opinion. A fedora (or any dress hat for that matter) must be worn with proper garments, my minimium for wearing on is jeans and a shirt.

It's tough when you live in a hot area. When I am in the tropics, as I will be in a week and a half (Tampa to Belize to Cozumel to Costa de Maya to Grand Cayman) I go for the linen shirt and linen pants, linen suits, or poplin suits and the all purpose light navy blazer.

Mycroft, I am working on something to get that Howard Hughes look and, if it comes together, or when it comes together, I'll post something. I think you'll like it.

I have worn a fedora with shorts in the rain forest of Puerto Rico, but I ended up looking like the Crocodile Hunter.

 

[Mycroft]

It's tough when you live in a hot area. When I am in the tropics, as I will be in a week and a half (Tampa to Belize to Cozumel to Costa de Maya to Grand Cayman) I go for the linen shirt and linen pants, linen suits, or poplin suits and the all purpose light navy blazer.

Mycroft, I am working on something to get that Howard Hughes look and, if it comes together, or when it comes together, I'll post something. I think you'll like it.

I have worn a fedora with shorts in the rain forest of Puerto Rico, but I ended up looking like the Crocodile Hunter.

Yea, that sounds cool, I am excited for this new element of HH. Felt hats, are not for tropical climates in my opion, but Indy pulls it off.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Yea, that sounds cool, I am excited for this new element of HH. Felt hats, are not for tropical climates in my opion, but Indy pulls it off.

Agreed. Fictional characters have a distinct advantage over us!

 

[matei]

There is a part of me that wished I was living in Raymond Chandler's world. I would love to entertain "the Fat Man" and "Joel Cairo," or better yet, "Ilsa Laszlo."

Well put. I know the feeling exactly! At times it is almost within my grasp, when I get the odd compliment on my threads or lid, a smile from a passerby, or I arrive home and pour meself a drink by the light of my Tiffany (imitation of course but a nice one) lamp and sit down for a read... I can almost imagine myself slipping into one of Chandler's stories... until the whine of the computer or bleating of my mobile brings me back to reality.

Incidentally, I have found that wearing a hat in inclement weather has helped keep me cold-free for almost a year! It is a new record for me, and it is due in large part to keeping me noggin covered and warm.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Well put. I know the feeling exactly! At times it is almost within my grasp, when I get the odd compliment on my threads or lid, a smile from a passerby, or I arrive home and pour meself a drink by the light of my Tiffany (imitation of course but a nice one) lamp and sit down for a read... I can almost imagine myself slipping into one of Chandler's stories... until the whine of the computer or bleating of my mobile brings me back to reality.

Incidentally, I have found that wearing a hat in inclement weather has helped keep me cold-free for almost a year! It is a new record for me, and it is due in large part to keeping me noggin covered and warm.

Thanks. I'll tell you this, Matei, on the Queen Mary when all of the Fedora Loungers are together, for that brief moment, you are there in that world.

As I always say, if you're going to live in your own world, it mine as well be 1939.