American Hustle reminded us how awful the clothes were in the seventies.   The leisure suit??  The man (or women) who designed that should be shot.  The seventies weren’t the only period with questionable clothes.  Take the 80’s big hair, big shoulders and parachute pants.  (No I never wore or owned a par).  Then in the 90s we had Grunge (so pathetic I can’t even discuss).   The one thing this styles all have in common is when we look back it what we wore and say WTF were we thinking and laugh at ourselves.

However, when you look at men from the 20s, 30s. 40s, and even into the 50s and the start of the 60s you look back say “wow they had style and class”.  You watch an old movie and you notice three things (1) Everyone is always dressed up, (2) they always have a cigarette in one hand (3) a cocktail in the other hand.

What is the difference the late 60s, 70s, 80s, & 90s people wore trendy clothes, in the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, & early 60s (the 60s changed on 11/22/63) people wore permanent fashion (or “Classic”).  Permanent fashion is timeless where as trendy may last a year or two.

I know I have explained this on my Permanent Fashion page, but I really wanted to talk about the current trend in men’s suits (sorry ladies this “the gentlemen’s guide to the lost art of livin’).

Today I see more and more men wearing Skinny Suits.  For those who don’t know the Skinny Suit is the new trend (well it’s been around for a few years).  They have shorter Jacket than a Classic suit.  A Skinny Suit jacket goes to the bottom of the jacket sleeve maybe an inch longer.  A Classic Suit jacket goes to the bottom of your thumb.  The trousers are tapered and they are what I called in elementary school high waters.  Yes the pant leg come to the top of the shoe no break in the trousers.  The reason for the High Waters is so you can see the funky socks.  Funky colorful socks are also “IN” today, but in reality they look stupid.  All I will say about socks is that the world made fun of Donny Osmond for wear purple socks.

I strongly recommend from staying away from trendy business clothes.  You spend a lot of money on your business wardrobe and while it seems cool to be trendy you will be pissed when the tide turns and you just spend $1,000 on a suit and can no longer wear it.  Stay with permanent fashion and look at pictures of yourself 20 years from now and you can say “Man I had Style back then”

On Monday January 6th, my aunt Ja Ja passed away one day after turning 85.  Naturally my family was sad and the last real family connection to Germany was gone.  My mother spoke to her sister everyday and her daily routine will never be the same.  However today’s post is not meant to be a sad one, its meant to remember a special woman in my life.  I remember the summers of my childhood when she would visit us from Nurnberg or when we would visit her.  I remember her taking me on the trolly’s around Nurnberg and the walks we had to the castle.  In recents years I spoke to her about once a month and the last time we spoke we talked about my last trip to Nurnberg where we would stroll to the old streets.  It was awesome.  Now she is gone and all I have is the memories.  One memory is I was about 4 and I couldn’t pronounce her name and I just called her Ja Ja.  In October of that year my mother,  Tanzie , and I went to my Grandfathers birthday and when I got there and saw my aunt I could say her name.  She corrected me and told me call her Ja Ja!  From the time she returned to Germany and for the next 40 years she was known to everyone as Ja Ja!  Here are some photos of another great lady.

I will miss Ja Ja!

that’s me with the hat

Davio’s (Lexington Ave Btw 44th & 45th Streets) – Opened in October, you walk downstairs to a perfect blend of Old & New Schools.  The Bartender’s and staff are great, the make fantastic cocktails and the apps during happy hour are spectacular and complimentary.  This is a must go joint.