In the 1970’s the great Gatsby Movie with Robert Redford (clothing designer was none other than Ralph Lauren) had a big impact. It reminded gentlemen that there was a deep level of elegance in menswear from a bygone era (that movie was set in Long Island in the 1920’s). This reminder was desperately needed during the 1970’s, or as I like to call it. The style dark ages. As I said several times perhaps the present time is even darker ages. I’ve seen a lot of posts about the influences of the Peaky Blinder Series. Set in roughly the same era the recent Motorsport ads by Ralph Lauren kind of capture that same feel. Dressed up casual. A tie and tweed outfit set to be worn during an activity. On that last note I am all for it. When I lived in Virginia we used to attend Steeple Chases where most of the guys were in sport coats and functional hats (not a baseball cap) for hanging out in the sun all day. Our favorite was at the birthplace of James Madison called Montpelier. It was held on the first weekend in November so it might be in the 70’s or perhaps in the upper 40’s so the dress varied (plus the alcohol tended to cool the body down by the end of the all day race.😎 ) To me that is what the peaky blinder influence represents, a wool cap (flat or fedora) an overcoat of tweed, a sweater, and perhaps a dress shirt and tie. While I am not into costuming, there are elements of this look of which I am very fond. The Ben Affleck Batman wardrobe designer kind of caught this tweedy functional dressed up work attire in those films as well https://vmagazine.com/article/polo-originals-launches-motorsport-inspired-fw23-campaign-by-richard-phibbs/ If peaky blinders -or Ralph or even The Bat-Man (spoken in my best Cillian Murphy Scarecrow voice) can save us again from the mess of the past 15 years, I’ll get commissioner Gordon to fire up the Bat signal

My Environmental Scientist son and Environmental Scientist daughter-in-law presented at our church today. Each has a MS and Bs in that field. They were reviewing a book by Dr Sara Richter called Stewards of Eden This Harvard phD had a book so mesmerizing I would wake up at 2:00 just to read it. I could not have been more proud of the kids. Wore my charcoal brown MTM suit windowpane CT shirt, Woven silk Robert Talbott Green Tie, AE shell cordovan wingtips Orvis field watch. My wife and my kids went out behind the church 20 acres to dig up Milk weed (the favorite plant for Monarch butterfly’s). The 100th Eagle Scout from our troop built a butterfly garden back in 2019 and the milk weed that spreads beyond the garden into the lawn gets mowed. So we are relocating those plants that escaped the garden to sunny spots in our own respective yards. Naturally we did it in my suit and the wife’s dress. We only get one planet.

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH STOP JUST STOP!!!!!!!!!

Good morning gentlemen, I called an old engineering friend and asked, " What have you been working on?' He replied, " Advanced Aqua-thermal processing of ceramics, aluminum, and steel, in a controlled environment." I was impressed! Until I found out he was just washing dishes in hot water while his wife supervised! Gentlemen, there are times in our lives that we all want to feel important, especially since we started this journey. But here is the deal, we can wear all the nice bespoke clothing, the most expensive fragrances, drive the most expensive car, live in the nicest high-rise apartment, or the most expensive house, but if your manners and attitude does not reflect what you are portraying then what you hoped to accomplished will be in vain. You might look like a gentleman on the outside, but the moment you open your mouth, or are faced with a situation that requires you to respond you will be exposed. This journey to being a gentleman is more than appearance or being popular. This journey is more than what people see on the outside, or what you do when people are around, this a about being that gentleman in every aspect especially when people are not around, (Or you think that no one is watching, you never know who's watching). To truly be a gentleman, you have to be willing to die to yourself, to give up the old ways, and willing to walk in a new way, a new light. Sometimes that means cutting ties with people who are not on the same path or level that you are now and that only want to keep you down and on the same level that they are on. You might have to leave that job that is holding you back; and you know you are being held back, but you stay because of fear or your friends that you have there. This might involve even a change in where you live to get that fresh start, yes change is and can be difficult and even hard at times; but here is the thing, the rewards and benefits from this will far out way they discomfort you dealt with during your transition to being a gentleman.

Threw on some sweats and a hoodie and yard shoes to walk around our yard with my wife before she went off to work and we found a trespasser going down our drainage creek. Thought I would share