My maiden travel sortie of 2012. It dawned on me last night as I checked into the Hyatt Regency Princeton that I've been doing this gig since 1996. And the trade-offs I make to do what I do for a living have on balance, been worth it. The biggest trade-off is averaging two nights each week away from home. It’s a fair price to pay given that I compensate by taking pretty much two months off each year for holidays/staycations/LFG jaunts etc. It’s all good.
Oh...and I've done really cool things with my travel points over the years. I had a fair amount of business miles and commensurate points under my belt before starting my own gig. And I suppose one of the most memorable uses of my travel points was flying Concorde before they decommissioned the program.
As I rolled up here last night in a pair of 501s I pondered “jeans and the middle-aged man” as a blog story. I’ll address the issue of my still-in-work ADG Denim/Age Index and who knows, I might create an iPhone app to sort it out for those in the lurch on this issue.
To steal and edit a phrase from my buddy Fitz…“501s are the Meryl Streep of jeans”…they're generally successful in any role. You may disagree with the 501s part of the analogy but think about Streep for a moment. Other than being a sixty-two year old stunner, she’s one hell of a role-player. Evidence?
Karen Silkwood
Julia Child
Margaret Thatcher
Back to this 2012 first night on the road for a moment. Someone asked if my self-gifted Hulme leather Gladstone bag was gonna be too heavy-comparatively-to the canvas carry-ons and duffels that I’ve used for years. Well frankly, I don’t have enough experience yet to settle on an opinion. I love the bag for several reasons but one of the deal closers for me when I saw it at Sterling and Burke in Georgetown (I was doing the “one present for them-oh, and one present for me” thing that day) was the Gladstone-esque way the thing opens. It’s like throwing stuff in a barrel. And that suits me. But I haven’t flown with it yet so stay tuned.
Oh, and for those who haven’t visited Sterling and Burke, it’s one of the best and hopefully less-kept, secrets in D.C. If I want a little whiff of New Bond Street I just step inside Sterling and Burke. And one of the most appreciated gifts I gave (not the Gladstone bag to my damn-self, silly) this year came from them.
Onward. Amidst breakfast and John O’Hara. Then a project pitch and a hurried drive back home.
ADG II
24 comments:
Right on Sterling & Burke, got the umbrella there.
See you getting knee deep into O'Hara via Pottsville, Pa....like the guy, however the other John....Marquand has a better sense of wit & humor. Good luck with these old school sumbitches, shows some gravitas.Enuff said.
O'Hara. Like Waugh without the sweetness. His biography makes it pretty easy to back-form some pop-psych theories on his work. Just when he was ready to grow up and take his second or third chance to get on with life and go to Yale, his father died and sentenced him to a life of proving he was as smart and cool as the guys who actually went.
While you are all intellectual out there on the road, some folks are happily wallowing in Hollywood myth spoonfeeding via the Thin Man series. I'll get you, Nick and Nora, and your little dog, too!
PGTB deMainabouche
First I have to say, I live in the PacNW, so I have seen people wear jeans to the opening night of a new ballet. I was surprised (being not from the PacNW, but realized that is just how people roll up here). As to jeans on older men. There is a very attractive older gentlemen that always sits in front of me during weekday Mass. He wears jeans, the regular rinse (not the dark, not the light, that in the middle blue that all jeans used to be), they are most likely 501's (they have a "regular cut", nothing new fangled), no holes or fraying. He always wears nice shoes and a nice shirt. He looks very smart to me. I do not think there is an age limit on jeans, just certain styles and/or colors of jeans.
My dad was well into his 60s before he ever wore a pair of jeans. He must've been at least 50 before he wore khakis! He always wore trousers...the military was hardwired into him. Now whenever I see him he is wearing jeans!
Nice. I wear dark blue denim in a vintage style. Paired with chestnut brogues or loafers, jumper or Tweed jacket, they look fantastic.
I've seen older chaps in jeans and have no pproblem with it, as long as it's classy. The dark shades work best, IMO.
There is something masculine and aggressive about denim, it's undeniable.
This is most reassuring! I can see you're back with a vengance - I mean what would a Maxminimus blog post be without a crotch shot? Happy Friday!
Streep...what about here amazing role in Sophie's Choice...She hits it outta the park no matter what...Deer Hunter...Wow...
And O'hara....just finishing Appointment in Samara...
Princeton...you are a 3 wood from here...why ain't we boozing and burning stuff?
The jeans look great, enhanced by the tank watch, elbow patches and tasseled shoes.
Muffy
aka Madeline
My Dad (who wears jeans, albeit from N-M, so likely not Levi's) flew on the Concorde several times. Said it was very cool, but cramped.
My father has always been proud of the fact that he has never worn denim - he is one of those people who refer to jeans as "dungarees".
Do American Wasps/Preppies wear jeans?
Here in the UK, I think Sloanes, of all ages and gender, would wear clean, presentable classic Levis.
But Mrs Aldrich on her authoritive Wasp blog, never seems to feature them. I'm puzzeled
Best
Herts
O people! get over your middle class social pigeon holing hang-ups... anyone be they a Duke or a dustman with a flat enough stomach, good enough butt and long and lean enough legs looks terrific in jeans of any color...
There are a lot of interesting things going on with you - but why you wear custom clothing and then jeans is behind me.
Your photo of the BA and AF Concordes at Dulles is great. It encapsulates jet age architecture and design in a single image.
It's what the future looked liked, 40 years ago.
levus 501 seems little cheesy for me. i dun like to wear at home!
AdidasGolf...levus be over here. please.
Fopling...indeed. Flying Concorde was though, rather anti-climactical...other than being in London a few hours later and not being jet lagged.
Anonymous...there will always be interesting things going on with me. But they will always be "behind you".
Herts...I think you should pose the question to either LPC at Privilege or Ms. Aldrich...both of whom are rock solid bloggers with well thought out positions on such things. I don't fit any of these sartorial/social tribes per se so I've always been and will continue to be an outlier.
MainLiner...My Princeton trip was a last minute meeting and I had to turn it around pronto and head back to DC for a Friday night "service call".
PGT de MeinMain Man...I'm deep into an O'Hara thang right now and enjoying it. And yes, when I was reading one of his short stories the other day about the travelling country doctor in rural coal mining Penn country, it was quintessentially auto-bio. And I've always felt the same way as O'Hara re Yale. Even though I went on to get some highfalutin' pedigrees from fancies like Hopkins, I'm still not over the rejection letter from...Lander.
AnonTexan...I'll be off the gravitas caliber lit'ry stuff and back on Danielle Steele in no time. She lives two blocks away.
Bye the way happy "greenalittlebitoffuzzydice" christmas from sevilla.
This one is for you (but this time I ain't calling you a b*tch)
http://lacroix-diary.blogspot.com/
Any guy can wear jeans - AS LONG AS your waist-inseam measurement could never be mistaken as an inseam-waist measurement.
I've seen 36-28s roaming around and it's painfully unattractive.
Levis 5-pocket straights ONLY, please - no decorations, weird stitching or designer details
And don't hike 'em up - they need to ride below the navel.
When your ass fills out your jean, guys, stop wearing them - they need to be loose.
Jeans, as easy as they are, must be worn with the utmost discretion.
When you are ready for a different book, try OLD FILTH, by Jane Gardam. F(ailed) I(n) L(ondon) T(ry) H(ong Kong). A little like Kipling, a little like Waugh, a little like Dickens, according to some. But a lot of fun and not too long... I'd take credick, but it came to me as a gift.
Onward and Upward
Reader Education Defends Never Ending Cracker Knowledge
I haven't been able to get David Bowie's "Blue Jean" out of my head since yesterday...between reading this and Bowie's 65th birthday.
"When your ass fills out your jeans, guys, stop wearing them - they need to be loose."
Well, I guess so sometimes, but don't encourage the guys who brag that they still wear the same size britches they did in high school, but don't seem to notice that now they wear them WAY under their giant beer guts, which then renders the ass area empty and their jeans hang loose.
I know this word of caution doesn't apply to anyone in this particular blog venue. Just being thorough.
Shack got his last pair of Levis from BB. I raised an eyebrow. He loves the belt, by the way.
My dad swears by 501s. He has been trying to convince me to buy a pair of the classic levis...still on my "to buy" list. Just happened upon your blog today, it's great! Hope you have a wonderful rest of the week!
Toodles,
Twirling Clare
twirlingclare.blogspot.com
I have that exact O'Hara edition. I was visiting my friend's cabin along with some friends and ended up being sick all weekend while they played poker and felled trees. I found this book on the shelves and spent the entire weekend ensconced in a battered old armchair plowing my way through. My friend ended up gifting it. Great stuff.
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