Michael Arenella after his show, Governor's Island, June 2012
On Saturday we headed out to the Jazz Age Lawn Party for the first time since it began in 2007 (!). It happens now twice every summer, and the crowds are growing. Here is just a few snaps of the gentlemen I found...
Matthew Karl Gale
Matt Fox of FineAndDandyShop.com looking adorable
A dapper Italian fellow with an unusually colored straw hat
Working Class Dandy from Philly, David P. Lochner
I must admit I'm rather dissappointed by the sight of this "working class dandy" amidst such well-dressed gentlemen. He rather looks like being put into a suit by force rather than by his own will. The combination of black pin-stripe and a beige suit as such proves for a lack of taste, but the unspeakable nuisance of omnipresent tattoos and piercings of which this post-modern proletarian seems to be a follower is not tolerable at all.
ReplyDeleteI have gotten to know David a little and think he is an interesting character, who is pretty committed to developing his own flair. He's a tough gent, and I'm sure he would be happy he has disappointed someone!
DeleteI'm happy to oblige. It should be difficult to offend wearing tattoos nowadays, especially in NYC.
Delete1. The vest is navy not black. 2. I am from Philadelphia, not New York. (We have a much thicker skin.) 3. Rose, you are absolutely right! I am more than happy to disappoint someone's sense of propriety when it comes to dressing.
DeleteWhy can't you just have a lawn party, not a "jazz age" lawn party, and have people show up and look good. Otherwise the whole point is merely dressing up, and not the party itself!
ReplyDeleteI must agree with the first commentors. The difference between fashion and costume is that a costume does not reflect who you really are when not dressed that way. I can't believe that the Working Class Dandy, fine person that he may be, is in any way the kind of person who would have a closet full of archaic items of this kind. I can picture the other gentlemen having closets packed full of this beautuful stuff, just waiting for any opportunity to trot it out and show it off.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting that you think David wouldn't have a closet filled with all kinds of vintage/tailored clothes, because I am pretty sure he does. He also manages at a specialty men's vintage store in Philly and seems to have a vast knowledge of tailoring - even has dreams of apprenticing a tailor. Do you think it's because of the tattoos? They don't bother me personally, but perhaps it makes people see him as a punker, or whatever, first, and with the vintage suit he looks "dressed up"?
DeleteNow that's surprising.
DeleteAs being the one responsible for the first comment, I must therefore beg pardon for my premature judging.
Matthew Karl Gale looks like the fellow who played Gussie Fink-Nottle in Jeeves and Wooster!
ReplyDelete