Golden Age Thinking

Cary Grant at his finest for this hunting season!  I mean, what's not to love about this outfit.  Popped collar, knee high boots, canvas pants and jacket, fedora and double barrel!

Basically the same outfit as Mr. Grant, but more work wear inspired.  Love it, pipe and all!

This fella knows how to fish in style, enough said!

There is so much to love about each of these photos, from the nonchalant devil may care attitude of each to the "I dressed myself like I meant it this morning" fashions.  People used to get dressed to do anything and everything way back when and now you sort of look like a "fool" or a dandy when you do.  I mean, we've given a name to dressing well.  Not that I care, but defending your outfit choices gets old after a while.

Student:  "Why did you wear a suit and tie to school this morning Mr. Coffey, do you have a special meeting?"

Me:   "Nope, I just think this is how I should dress as a teacher."

Maybe I should stop holding on to this nagging sense of nostalgia that has its grip on me but, eh, why?  I love it!  I feel so much better about myself when I dress like a give a rat's in the morning.  I know it's not for everybody and that's fine, but for me, it's the bee's knees.  The men in the photos each share a sense of forgotten masculinity to me.  They are each true to themselves and the activity they are engaging in.

"Golden Age Thinking," the thought that life was better in a different era, is often dismissed as a flaw in the human psyche.  People say that those of us who think that way just can't seem to deal with the "painful present" (as quoted in one of my new favorite films Midnight in Paris).  I have many times been told that I have an "old soul" and have often thought that I was born in the wrong decade.  But truthfully, I like a lot of things about our modern era.  We have so many ways of connecting to other people (this for example) and learning new things (YouTube, eHow and the like) right at our fingertips that we should be thriving.  Problem is, at least in my opinion, we aren't using these great new innovations with a healthy mixture of good sense.  For me, "Golden Age Thinking" is positive when coupled with the benefits of living in a modern society.

In the end you have to be yourself and do what you do, but I would like to see us, as a society, take more pride in how we present ourselves to the world.  You put the best in, you get the best out.  Believe me, I could have gone on forever about the topic of dressing like you mean it.  I will spare you my ramblings.

D