Summer is almost here. The jacket colors are getting lighter, and the boaters and linen have made their way out of storage. In New York we have about 3.5 days that are just about perfect before the “wet wool blanket” descends on the city. The last couple days have been those days. Everyone’s out and I’ve gotten to meet quite a few new people!
At the Jazz Age Lawn Party on June 14 it was a bit of an International Club. First I met up with Yoshio Suyama, a barber originally from Japan now based in Toronto. He told me he is from a small town in Japan, and made his way to London to study to be a barber. He arrived not knowing any English and learned it (in 2 years!) by watching the movie This is England again and again. It gave him a great accent, but he had to “unlearn” some rude colloquialisms. Can you imagine?!
The dapper barbers meet - Yoshio and Mike Haar
Simon was visiting from Stockholm with his lovely girlfriend Jessica.
The Enforcers...of fun! Sorry that was bad...anyways, moving on.
Now, to Jersey City, NJ, my I am Dandy co-author Natty's beloved neighborhood. On June 12 we had a book signing party, this time hosted by Another Man’s Treasure. On our way over from the train we ran into Natty's friend and local bespoke tailor DeCarlos, who you see here. Natty says he's always riding around (on that great bike!) impeccably turned out.
Denny Balmaceda, creator of the vintage menswear blog Look Rich Shop Cheap, in the doorway of Another Man's Treasure. He's been blogging since 2007 about how to make the most of thrifting and vintage. People always ask me if the dandies are rich, or if you have to have a lot of money to dress the way they do. Of course you don't...but you will have to get creative, and it will probably take quite some time to gather. I can see that Denny fully embraces this sensibility, and, above all, likes the challenge of a good find.
One of my favorite couples, Bill Webb and Eva Kobus-Webb. You can tell they have fun.
And finally, I got to meet Philippe Grenade, a director and filmmaker who I had a great time chatting with at the book signing. Notice the thumbs!
