Men's Style Books -- Your favorites and mine!

Greetings from Surf City, USA (Two girls for every boy!).  Yes, I'm back at the bagel shop/Wi-Fi hotspot, otherwise known as Home of the Golden Oldies.  

Home internet service remains an elusive dream and did I mention our ground line phone is out too?  I try to look on the bright side:  I can no longer troll eBay in search of more Ken dolls which is probably a good thing.

Readers, despite our being unarguably post-Guy Week, I wanted to focus on men one more day, and more specifically, to tell you about an excellent men' s style book I picked up recently that I recommend highly.



The book is Gentleman: A Timeless Guide to Fashion by German author Bernhard Roetzel and it's extraordinary.

Gentleman covers everything the well-dressed man needs to know, in both written and visual detail.  It's bursting with beautiful color photographs and the text is highly readable, despite being translated from German to English.

You'll find most everything here --

From shirts...



to shaving.



From shoes...





to sunglasses.



Even how to tie a bowtie!



To be clear, this book's definition of a gentleman is a traditional one, based on the classic English model.  There's nothing here about harem pants or leopard-print jeans and fans of skateboard style should look elsewhere.  But if you or someone you love aspires to classic style in the original Ken Doll/Sartorialist mode, you won't do better than this book.  There's even a fascinating section on Beckenstein's fabric store.

Another extraordinary thing about Gentleman: A Timeless Guide to Fashion is its price.  It's currently available on Amazon for just under $20 and if you want a second opinion (or third or fourth), just read the glowing reader reviews. 

I suppose you could call this a coffee table book -- it's heavy for sure -- but it's a truly serious guide to classic men's style and not just something to thumb through while you're waiting for the phone to ring or your Wi-Fi to kick in.  Bathroom readers please note: it will leave marks on your thighs in just a few minutes due to its considerable heft.  (It will also make you want to spend a week's pay on shoes.)

I don't endorse many things here on MPB, but this book is a keeper and would make a great gift.  More pics of Gentleman can be viewed in my Picasa file here.

Friends, if I said, Black is black; I want my baby back, would you know what I was talking about?  After about half an hour in this bagel place I feel like I am losing my mind -- and not the song, either, the real thing.

So I'm going to close now and ask about your favorite men's fashion and/or style books.  You don't even have to be a man to have an opinion.  Oh! -- I noticed there was a Men's Fashion of the Times supplement today and maybe we'll cover that weak tea later on this month.

Where does a man go for style advice?   Can you learn more from watching a Thin Man movie than you can from thumbing through the latest issue of GQ?  I think so.  Of course it depends on how you define style.

I must head home now and void my colon which is rather a gentlemanly way of putting it, don't you think?

Put on your Sunday clothes, and have a great day everybody!

Men's style/fashion book recommendations?

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GUY WEEK FINALE -- New Kids on the Block + pattern winners!

Friends, you've made me so very happy. I'm so glad you came into my life.  Wait, that's the radio -- yup, I'm back in the bagel shop/Wi-Fi hotspot.  Still no home internet.

And did I mention that you make me feel like a natural woman?

Joking aside, you have made me very happy during the First Annual MPB Guy Week which, sadly, ends today!  We've had such fun together -- we've laughed, cried, and shaved, shaved, oh, how we've shaved.

I know I am supposed to announce the winners of Thursday's DOUBLE men's pattern giveaway, so here they are:

The winner of the Simplicity shirt/vest pattern is....

MPB reader and shaving fan, J.C!

Let's give him (her?) a big hand and maybe a razor!

The winner of the McCall's "Carefree" pajama/robe pattern (complete with sunglasses and beer can) is....

 
Stumpton, Oregon's own Valerie S.!

J.C. and Valerie, please email me (Peterlappinnyc at gmail dot com) your respective addresses and I'll ship these treasures off to you ASAP.  Thanks for participating and congratulations again!

There is a house in New Orleans they call the Rising Sun -- whoops, sorry, the radio again and if I didn't Google those lyrics I'd never have known what they were singing about despite having heard that song for more than forty years.

As you can tell I'm a little unfocused this morning -- I'm not good with endings, I'm afraid, and that oldies station is distracting.

Bottle of Wine, Fruit of the Vine... 

Here's some real news: Male Pattern Boldness is currently profiled over at the Threads Magazine site, do you believe it?  Longtime readers won't learn anything about me they don't already know -- I mean, you've seen me shave -- but you can read the article here and please free free to click the Love it button as many times as seems reasonable and believable.

Hot Fun in the summertime!  (Hi, hi, hi, hi there...)

Equally as exciting perhaps was the package I received in the mail yesterday -- actually three.

Allan got a lovely vintage knit sweater with shawl collar.  So cute!



Next, I have added a little diversity to my doll collection.  Meet Ben (my name for him; I think he's actually Baywatch Ken based on his skimpy, Baywatch-branded original outfit.  He's (relatively) contemporary, obviously.



If you feel like giving me a lifetime of devotion, I second that emotion.

But the real prize was this package of four dolls I paid $12 for:



There was really only one doll I wanted here, but I wanted it very badly and he wasn't even listed in the eBay auction heading, just included in the photo.

Here's what I got:



A reproduction Midge in nothing but reproduction panties and gold necklace.  She's pretty but you can see that she has a matte finish to her face you don't see on the original dolls.  She's not the one I'm interested in.

There she was just a-walkin' down the street, singin' "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do..."

Then there was this doll disaster, which looks like she was put together from odd doll parts, backwards.  I think she may be a Tammy or one of Tammy's Ideal-brand family.  Anybody know?  Obviously she was not the reason I bought this lot.



There was also another Live Action Ken in near-mint condition -- always a delight, but still not the reason I was so excited.



Friends, the doll I was truly jazzed about was...

Brad!



Patient readers and doll lovers the world over, Brad is the first-ever male African-American fashion doll, released in 1968 I believe.  This was at the beginning of Ken and Barbie's mod period, and needless to say Brad had an entire mod wardrobe all his own, arguably a bit mod-er than even Mod Ken's.  Anyway, after I cleaned him up and dressed him he looked fantastic.



I'm not going to go into the reasons why I think Brad is dark chocolate brown and "Ben" is cafe au lait, but it wasn't an arbitrary decision and I think it's part of why Brad is such a desirable doll today.  I love him.



What's best of all is that everybody gets along, new kids and old kids, though Ken remains a bit uptight compared to the others.





Friends, we're nearly out of time.  I hope today's entry is a fitting ending to Guy Week; there's still so much more I could share and will share in the weeks ahead.  It doesn't have to be Guy Week to talk about guy stuff, obviously.

BTW, I've named Live Action Ken Brett and Malibu Ken Grant.  I hope you're OK with that and thanks for all your wonderful suggestions earlier in the week.

I hope this week I've enlightened some of you and not alienated too many others.  I'm working on a groovy thing, baby and, I mean...well, you know.

Have a great day, everybody!   

Will you still love me tomorrow?

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GUY WEEK EXCLUSIVE! -- MPB Men's Grooming VIDEOS!

Readers, you spoke, I listened  -- or was it the other way around?  Regardless, in our continued celebration of MPB Guy Week, today I debut my first-ever men's grooming videos!

If you've ever wondered about my regular (weekly) grooming routine -- and who hasn't? -- I have the answers for you here.  In Video 1, you'll see me clip my hair and beard with Oster clippers (which I refer to as a razor in my video but nobody's perfect).  In Video 2, you can watch me shave my beard with real shaving cream and badger brush and discuss my simple skincare routine.  In Video 3, showered and freshly shaven, I instruct you how to tie a men's bowtie!

Rest assured, if you can handle the sight of me with no shirt on (only Cary Grant shaves in a satin bathrobe), you won't be shocked by anything revealed on these videos.  My clipper technique might raise a few eyebrows, but thankfully not shave them off.

In other news, you're probably wondering about my internet service and friends, so am I.  The good folks at Verizon assure me that service will be restored by March 17.  That's right, March 17.  So it looks like I have a lot of bagels in my future.  The good news however, is that my local bagel shop/Wi-Fi hotspot has a lightning-fast Internet connection that allows me to upload videos in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours -- a big plus and so what if I have to sit through endless oldies like The Beat Goes On (currently playing), Mellow Yellow, I'm a Girl Watcher, and every hit by The Mamas & the Papas?

With no further delay, here are my videos, made exclusively for you  As always, your questions and comments are welcome but please be kind -- grooming isn't exactly my strong point but with your encouragement, I'm working on it!

Enjoy!

P.S. - Check out my latest article on BurdaStyle -- and don't forget to say hi!

VIDEO 1



VIDEO 2  (skincare at 7:25)



VIDEO 3

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MPB First-Ever DOUBLE Men's Pattern Giveaway!

Loyal readers, I have so much exciting news on this fifth day of Guy Week, I almost don't know where to begin.  Like my arch-rival good friend Gertie, I too am on a super exciting trip!

Well, not that exciting.  We lost our internet service yesterday so I'm sitting in my local bagel shop/Wi-Fi hotspot and I sure wish they'd turn off the radio.  Honestly though, I'm grateful to be able to sit here with the cup of hot coffee I intend to nurse for the rest of the day, or at least until my bladder holds out, which might not be much longer.

Before I launch into today's exciting giveaway, I must send my thanks to the anonymous Aussie housewife who called into the Afternoons with James Valentine radio show on the 702 ABC Sidney station recently, telling him about Male Pattern Boldness, and more specifically about my parrot videos.

In a story straight out of Thirties Hollywood, a listener to that particular show happened to be none other than a VIP in the stage production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, currently in previews on Broadway.  Long story short, guess who and his partner are going to see a real live Broadway show?  (I know, I know: in the Hollywood version I'd end up starring in the show, but let's see how this plays out yet; I'm a total Lucy Ricardo when it comes to show business.)

In any case, thank you, whoever you are, from the bottom of my show-biz-addicted heart!

Goodness, I'm already out of breath and I haven't even announced today's pattern giveaway!

Dear readers, you know I love to give my blog-family members -- yes, that's how I think of you and it's getting a bit expensive to keep you all in play clothes -- free patterns whenever possible, and it has occurred to me that these are always women's patterns.  Given that this is MPB Guy Week, however, today we're going to change all that.

Yes, friends, today we're giving away men's patterns, and not one, but two men's patterns to two lucky winners.  Not only that, but you'll actually have a choice from among three patterns to insure you're getting what you really, really want -- and undoubtedly need!  Of course, the winners don't have to be men -- I need to move the merchandise.

Without further delay, the patterns are:

First, this early Sixties Simplicity shirt and vest pattern in a men's Medium (Chest 38", Neck 15"), straight out of Troy Donahue's closet!



Next, this groovier-than-groovy Seventies Butterick leisure suit outfit -- make the pants, make the jacket, make the whole shebang!   It's also a 38" chest (and a 32" waist).



Finally, this fantastic "Carefree" McCall's pattern from 1976 (men's Medium), comprised of bathrobe and pajamas.  It's a must for those who like to hang around the house in sunglasses with a can of root beer (at least, I think that's root beer)!  How much more carefree can you get?





As mentioned, we're going to have two lucky winners, and here's all you have to do to qualify:

Obviously first, you must be an MPB follower. (Numbers count, folks, especially when you have aspirations to the the big time -- or its sewing/blogging medium-time equivalent.)

Next, in one paragraph or less, what would you most like me to cover in our remaining two days of Guy Week -- and/or do we need to extend it?

I know I promised to cover shaving and if I do, would a video be too much and would there have to be a parrot in it?  I've always been a big fan of those grooming/hairstyle vidoes on sites like Sally's and Casey's.  Is it time for me to share my beauty secrets?

You have until midnight, Friday, EST, and readers the world over are welcome to enter -- especially my beloved Aussies!  The two winners -- chosen at random, as always -- will be announced on Saturday.

Oh, and don't forget to tell me which pattern you prefer -- a first and second choice would be ideal.

Friends, we're nearly out of time and I really need to pee.

Ready, set, go!

4 PM UPDATE:  Still no home Internet but check out my new article on BurdaStyle this week -- swing by and say hi!

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Men Who Dress Like Women

Friends, finally, the topic you've all been waiting for.  Isn't it time we addressed the 10-ton elephant in the room?  And what better time than MPB Guy Week?

Grab a cup of coffee, turn off the radio, and shut the door -- I have a confession to make. 



You know how in books,  movies, and sit-coms like The Prince and the Pauper, The Parent Trap, Dead Ringer, and The Patty Duke Show, there are always those moments when the identical cousins, or twins, or what have you, will switch places to play a trick on everyone else -- usually the high point of the story?

Well, my beloved cousin Cathy and I....oh, dear, here goes....sometimes we do the same thing and we've been doing it for years!  I'll even share this: in more than one of the more than dozen Cathy photo shoots you've seen here on MPB, you're actually seeing me and not my cousin Cathy.

I bet you'd never have guessed.  That's because we look so much alike!



(I remember once receiving a comment to the effect that, Cathy looks like she's having a bit of a 5 o'clock shadow problem, and it was all I could do not to blurt out, You fool -- that's me!   But of course I didn't.)



In any case, let's talk a little about this.  A lot of people are probably wondering:  What on earth would possess a man to dress up like a woman?

Friends, there are two kinds of men: men who occasionally enjoy dressing up like a woman, and men who would enjoy it if they ever gave themselves the chance.  There are a few other kinds of men too but we can't possibly cover everybody today.

In any case, I think if you men were to ask yourselves -- and you women were to ask the men in your lives -- if they'd ever put on a brassiere, lipstick, or a pair of pantyhose (not necessarily at the same time) the answer would be 100% affirmative.

Rest assured, the ones who are denying it are simply not telling you the truth, likely out of fear of condemnation.  I'd wager that whenever they find themselves safely home alone for more than an hour or two they're rifling around in your makeup kit or trying on your Christian Louboutins. 

But why?, you ask.

Because it's 1) fascinating, and 2) fun!

Have you ever been in a play?  Have you ever experienced the thrill of pretending to be someone else, of putting on a costume and making yourself look (and feel) different?  And if you were actually good at it and elicited a positive response in others, you know it was doubly thrilling.

Men dressing up like women -- cross-dressing, as it were -- has a long and celebrated history, stretching back to the days when women were not allowed to perform on the stage (and probably before).   Women have been dressing like men equally as long, but for too many reasons to go into here, it never seems to have the same power or impact on an audience (says me).

There is something about seeing a man dressed as a woman, say Flip Wilson as Geraldine (above) that packs an emotional wallop you don't get from Lucy dressing like Harpo Marx or Ragtime Cowboy Joe, though neither Flip nor Lucy is especially convincing.

I have always loved watching men impersonate women, and some of the best, like Charles Pierce and Jim Bailey, were often guests on popular variety shows like The Carol Burnett Show.  (Flip Wilson, of course, had a show all his own).  Today's fantastic drag performers have fewer mainstream venues and why this is could be a blog entry all its own.  Sure, there's Ru Paul, but the media landscape is much more fragmented than it was forty years ago.

Which brings me to the final point: male-to-female drag or "gender illusion" as it's sometimes called, can make some people very uncomfortable in a way that a man dressing like a clown does not.  Why, do you think, are there still so many people who don't want to see the lines blurred, or crossed, or what have you, and would punish severely any (male, it's always the male) child of theirs they caught dressing up like a girl?

If a boy likes to dress like a girl, or vice versa, why is this a problem for anybody?  It's not for the boy or girl; it's the soul-crushing social stigma attached that causes the pain and confusion.

I hope that if you have a cousin Cathy you like to dress up as, you will do everything you can to make your Cathy side welcome and cherished in your lives.  Emotional health and happiness comes from embracing everything you are and celebrating it fully; anything less results in frustration, depression, and worse still --projected self-loathing onto others.

Gender identity is too rich a topic to distill into a short blog post but rest assured it's both more varied and more benign than many would have us believe.

It doesn't have anything to do with who we are in our hearts and the positive contributions we can make to the world.

Go for it!

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REVEALED -- Men's Fashions Most-Endangered List!

Readers, today's MPB Guy Week post will no doubt spark controversy.  Nothing lasts forever, even in the relatively stable world of men's fashion.  I categorize most the garments below under "Going, Going, Gone," and store a few in my heretofore top-secret "Good-bye and Good Riddance" folder.

I share them with you today gladly, but please note: if you or someone you love is still hanging onto and arguably enjoying one of the following garments, please exercise compassion: men's emotional connection to tatty old garments that have outlived their usefulness is complicated.  In some instances an intervention by a healthcare professional is not only warranted but also necessary.

So here goes.

 

Friends, once again we must make an example of the very quirky, very something Thom Browne (yes, that Ice Follies nightmare is one of his creations).  Sock garters, if you've never heard of them, were once worn by men to keep their socks up.  They also tended to cut off circulation to one's feet. They fell out of favor for one obvious reason: the invention in the late Fifties of synthetic stretch fibers like spandex, which tolled the death knell for so many fashion favorites.  Let's grieve and move on.

Perhaps you or your man likes to indulge in a puff of tobacco now and then.  Once upon a time this was a pastime enjoyed by a majority of men and women but alas, no longer.  So it should come as no surprise that the beloved smoking jacket is going, going, gone. 

I don't doubt that there are a few fashion eccentrics out there who will cling to their smoking jackets and I say live and let live.  Next!

I am the proud owner of many a vintage bow tie and I actually know how to tie one.  But is there any doubt that these are relics of another era, a time when men also wore....

and...

The last time I saw spats, a bow tie, and a straw hat on a man, I was watching Fred Astaire in Ziegfeld Follies.  If you're interested, you can actually purchase these items (separately of course) on Amazon.  If not quite gone, soon to be forgotten.

Next!

On their way out, at least outside the UK, where traditional men's fashion is a fetish, are suspenders, or as they're also known, braces.  Like sock garters, these no longer serve a purpose for men who don't aspire to dress like Edward VIII.  Worn with jeans and Doc Martens they only look scary and let's face it: clip-on anything is always a little cheap looking.

Finally, friends, we have the most controversial choice of all and I don't mean synthetic wigs.

I predict that in a generation or two, no one outside the BDSM community will recognize a jockstrap.

This embarrassing knit accessory has long outlived its usefulness, as today we men have a plethora of sports garments made of miracle space-age fabrics which will more effectively support, caress, and protect our cherished male parts.  I have never seen a jockstrap on a man in the gym under 60.  Guys who play basketball or run generally wear things like this:

Jockstraps will no doubt always have their place, just as lace garter belts, french maid uniforms, and serving-wench bodices continue to have theirs.  But these are costumes, my friends.  If you, male reader, are unable or unwilling to part with your jockstrap, I pray I have not incurred your wrath.  Please don't shoot the messenger.

It seems we're out of time and I haven't even covered tie clips or toupees. Oh, well!

What do you think, wise male readers and the women who love them -- am I right or wrong about these endangered garments?  Is there anything you think should be on this list but wasn't included?  "Wife beaters" or acid-wash jeans, perhaps?

More specifically, what are your thoughts about jockstraps, if you ever do have thoughts about jockstraps and who doesn't, if only in a fever dream?  We don't judge here at MPB and all views are welcome.

Jump in -- well-supported, of course!

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