Great Sweaters

LeDandy is a big fan of Lands' End. They deliver an excellent product at a very reasonable price and provide great customer service. I frequently scout their overstocks section as many great deals can be found there. Last week Jon Dean bought me two sweaters as part of my upcoming birthday gift. Both of these sweaters are a cotton/cashmere blend (85% cotton / 15% cashmere) and they have a great texture. For some reason I love the casual sweatshirt styling with the inverted triangle on the collar and the crew neck. Even with the casual touch, these sweaters are still suitable for the workplace.


The price was incredible for both of these sweaters as they were $20 each, marked down from $70. They are also easy maintenance as you can machine wash them. The bargains are out there if you look.

LeDandy on Underwear

If you look at the number of articles by topic in the left hand column, you'll find that I have a tremendous number of posts on shoes and socks but only one post on underwear. Time to correct this lopsided statistic. So what are LeDandy's thoughts on men's underwear?

Let me preface my discussion with a pertinent clip from a Three Stooges episode. There was one episode where the boys were in the Wild West and Moe inadvertently backed his rear end into a cactus. He had cactus thorns in his butt so Curly and Larry had to get them out. Curly dutifully yanked the thorns out with pliers while Larry was clipping the ends off with scissors. Of course the ends of the thorns were still in Moe's butt when Larry clipped them off. Curly asked about it and Larry said "I know but they don't show!"

LeDandy feels the same way about underwear. It doesn't show. Why bother with fancy undergarments? Save a few bucks and get the cheap stuff.

LeDandy is partial to roomy boxers instead of the tight fitting briefs for obvious reasons. Also, never buy white shorts. A tidbit of knowledge I picked up from a Redd Foxx comedy album.

When One Is Not a Dandy

Several years ago I worked with a young woman who was a complete mess. Very pretty, but I don't think her mind was all there. She was in her early twenties and quite the party girl in the evenings. I'll call her Denise. Denise always looked a little hung over from the night before. One thing I remember is that she had an incredible muffin top for a woman who was only slightly overweight.

But I digress. I mention Denise for a comment she once made about her dad. She said "My dad is a dandy but you wouldn't know by looking at him." I'll never forget this statement.

LeDandy has a modern interpretation of the term dandy yet Denise's claim is laughable. No, you must be able to spot a dandy by looking at him. Otherwise, what is the point? Appearances count in dandyism.

I sure miss Denise's wild statements and her muffin top.

Commitment to Fitness

Whenever I ride BART (the Bay Area's light rail train), I see a huge banner on the walls of the Oakland Coliseum proclaiming "Commitment to Excellence" for the Oakland Raiders. It is quite funny as the team went 5-11 last year and they have not had a winning season since 2002. I can assure you that my commitment to fitness is much more sincere and effective than the Raiders' claims for football.

LeDandy has been a fitness fanatic since he was eighteen and will continue to do so for the rest of his life. These days LeDandy, like most people, does not have two or three hours a day to devote for workouts. He usually works out five to six days a week with sessions lasting thirty to forty minutes each. Two or three days are done with weights and the other three days consist of workouts on the elliptical trainer or stationary bike. The home equipment saves the cost of a gym membership and commuting time to and from the gym.

What good are nice clothes and accessories if you do not have a nice body to wear them?

I'd say that most home equipment looks like the photo below: all covered with clothes! Don't worry, this is a staged pic as I use this equipment virtually every other day.

The Cigarette Holder

Yesterday I was looking for a photo of FDR for my other blog, The Pince-Nez Renaissance. I came across a small file of my favorite FDR photo, the one of him in a car holding his cigarette. It has most of the elements which capture his dandyism: hoop spring pince-nez, pinky ring, suit coat with working buttonholes and a cigarette holder. The only thing missing is his cape. He had a cigarette holder, yes. Definitely not something one sees these days, mostly due to the decline of smoking in public.

The accepted belief is that smoking is a filthy habit. I agree. But it can look great if done with style as is the case with those who used cigarette holders.

Wikipedia, once again, has an excellent primer on this obsolete device. I'll summarize the key points. Back in the days of unfiltered cigarettes, the holder was necessary to act as a primary filter. With filtered cigarettes, the holder was a secondary filtration system and prevented staining of the fingers. Lets not forget that it also served as a fashion accessory. Cigarette holders were often made of silver, bakelite or jade and many had gemstones attached. In later years, plastic was used. Cigarette holders were made in four different sizes, from opera length (up to 20 inches!) down to less than four inches for a coktail length holder.

FDR wasn't the only famous figure to use a cigarette holder. The gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson used one as did Tennessee Williams. It took a lot of balls to pull of this look and it was definitely not meant for the faint of heart.


What about cigarette holders these days? Here in California, smoking is banned in virtually all indoor places. Not much of a practical use anywhere these days. It seems like they would make a great collectible. You don't have to be a smoker to collect them. I remember once reading in the Guiness Book of World Records that the largest collection of rare cigarette packs belonged to a doctor who didn't smoke.

What if you want to put something in your mouth for a stylistic effect? LeDandy (jokingly) recommends a lollipop ala Kojak, circa 1970s. It takes balls to pull off this look as well.

The Role of Modesty and Humility in Reform Dandyism

Absolutely none.

LeDandy's Wedding

LeDandy and Jon Dean married on November 1st of last year, just days before Proposition 8 passed here in California. Gay marriages are no longer allowed. This didn't spoil our special day. As you can see, I opted for "California Formal," a navy blazer and gray pants. Jon Dean did the same. There are many more pictures. I chose these three as it highlights my wardrobe for the day. You can see my bee slippers in the first two pics. The last photo emphasizes my hoop spring pince-nez. There was a bit of rain that day but it wasn't too bad.

My in-laws are in the first photo. Truly wonderful people.

Vintage Hamilton Wristwatches: An Incredible Value

If you are into vintage wristwatches, I consider Hamilton to be one of the best values in terms of quality and price. Vintage wristwatches are not for everyone. These wristwatches are usually manually wound instruments, with a few having an automatic movement. You'll never get the precision of a modern quartz watch. If you buy a vintage watch from other than a jeweler, you'll need to have the watch initially serviced at a cost of usually $100 - $150. If you love vintage and can accept these conditions, vintage watches are a thing of beauty.

There were many makers of watches in America during the last century other than Hamilton. Elgin, Bulova, Gruen and Waltham were big names in the watch industry. For some reason, I've gravitated towards Hamilton. I'm not well-versed in watch mechanics, but I've read that Hamilton movements were exceptionally good. Also they produced a tremendous variety of watch styles in their heyday.*

Wikipedia has an excellent history of the Hamilton Watch Company. I'll summarize the key points. They were located in Lancaster, PA and founded in 1892. The company began making wristwatches in 1917. They produced many now-collectible models over the years, including The Oval, The Coronado, The Piping Rock, The Spur, The Glendale, and The Pinehurst. In 1957 Hamilton introduced the first electric watch. Hamilton acquired a Swiss watch company in 1966 and three years later they stopped all watch production in the US. The golden period of Hamilton was from 1917 through 1969. Hamilton is now owned by Swatch.

I recommend getting a gold case in either 10k or 14k if you do pursue a vintage Hamilton. Gold-filled cases are much cheaper but they are prone to "brassing" on the wear points. If you are going to pay $100 to $150 to have the watch serviced, you might as well buy real gold. Most 14k Hamilton watches are found in the under $500 price range on eBay.

I have one Hamilton wristwatch, The Stafford made in 1952, and I love it. See prior post. There are many other styles I covet. An old favorite of mine is the "Doctor's Watch," otherwise known as The Seckron (pictured at left). It had a second large dial which appealed to doctors. This model was not made in large numbers and is quite scarce. The Seckron dates to 1935 and it has a gold filled case with a seventeen jewel movement. Expect to pay about $800 to $1,000 on eBay and about $1,500 from a retail dealer.

The common models are priced much more reasonably, even the ones in gold cases. Many of the models have the "tank style" or rectangular case. It is a classic look and quite dignified. Most of these date to the 1930s -1950s and are abundant in the marketplace.

You will probably run across many watch cases with inscriptions to a departing employee for many years of service. Your first instinct may be to avoid these watches. Please give these markings thorough consideration. LeDandy believes that a nice engraving adds character to a watch and is usually a desirable characteristic (as shown below).


If buying on eBay, it is a good idea to make sure you are buying from a reputable dealer who has a good return policy (i.e., allows returns for any reason). You can then take the watch to a professional watch repair place to ensure that you bought a good watch. If you are in the San Francisco area, LeDandy recommends Downtown Watch Repair. It is essential to find a trustworthy repair store if you plan on getting involved with vintage watches.

I encourage you to look and enjoy!
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*A good reference book is a valuable asset when shopping for vintage watches. In the "Complete Price Guide to Watches," sixty pages are devoted to Hamilton watches with about ten watches per page!

Outfit of the Day

Today I was inspired to put up a photo of my outfit. I have on my orange corduroy pants, navy blue turtleneck and a v-neck sweater. All these items are from Lands' End. Supporting this ensemble are my black Zelli peccary loafers. All I can say is that it was a good day.

A Mental Exercise in Reform Dandyism

One of my favorite classic tv shows is “The Honeymooners” made in the mid 1950’s. It is one of the first sit-coms and featured Jackie Gleason as Ralph Kramden, a lovable but luckless bus driver in New York. His neighbor and sidekick is Art Carney who plays sewer worker Ed Norton. The shows may seem primitive by modern standards but the comedy is timeless. I highly recommend this series.

Ed Norton, pictured at left, is a dandy in the true sense of the term. He had his own sense of style and he wore it very well. Whenever one thinks of his character, you picture him with a pork pie hat, vest and short sleeve undershirt. Is this proper formal wear? No. Yet he is a dandy for his unique and proper sense of style.

When one thinks of famous dandies, one thinks in terms of people like the Duke of Windsor, Oscar Wilde and fictional types such as James Bond. It is time to expand your vision. Reform Dandyism recognizes and honors the character of Ed Norton.

The First Step to Dandyism: Clear Away Prejudices

The first step in almost every endeavor is to start with a "clean slate." The path of Reform Dandyism is no different. There is a lot of bullshit out there in the world of men's fashion which can lead one astray, especially with dandyism. If you have looked at any dandyism sites on the internet, you'll find many of them are written in a stilted, pseudo-intellectual style. They also want you to believe that you need to look like James Bond or Oscar Wilde to be a true dandy. This kind of nonsense can turn any man away from dandyism.

One can be a dandy and lead a normal lifestyle. Also, you do not need to spend a lot of money. You can spend a lot, if you like, but it is not necessary.

Reform Dandyism is about taking special care of your appearance and developing your own style. It can be simple or extravagant, depending on your nature. You are much better off in a state of equilibrium where your appearance is consistent with your personality. Don't try to be someone else.

So clear your mind and try to see past brand labels and images. Don't be afraid to question. By being bold, you will grow. In the end, you may adopt certain brand labels and images. But this will be after a degree of self-reflection.

Relax and clear you mind. Sort of like what my Tater is doing below on Jon Dean's lap. I really wanted to post this picture.

Year of the Wristwatch

LeDandy's main interest this year is the wristwatch. Yes, my focus changes all the time. Shoes, socks, formal wear and pince-nez glasses. For some reason I want to return to the wristwatch, the centerpiece of men's jewelry. I have a few posts on the wristwatch as you can see in the category "accessories - watches" in the left hand column.

LeDandy has a vintage Rolex GMT-Master and a vintage Hamilton Stafford. He's had the GMT since 1981. Yes, 1981, well before many of his co-workers were even born! There is an interesting story of how I acquired this watch. A good read, as are all LeDandy posts (see GMT Story, Part II). I acquired the Hamilton Stafford about four years ago on eBay and really love it. Totally unlike the GMT Master and a great dress watch.



So the big question is how does a wristwatch relate to Reform Dandyism? Elementary, my dear reader. You must first determine your own tastes, apart from external influences. This is the hardest part of the process.Rolex seems to be the most popular and well-known watch out there but is it really for you? Do you prefer vintage or new? A small case or the now popular large face watches? Automatic movement or quartz? There are many aspects to consider. The good news is that you can have several watches, each for a different purpose.

Question the prevailing paradigm. That is the Reform Dandy's point of view. Sometimes the answer for you will be the popular choice. Other times it may not be. The key principle is to think for yourself. LeDandy is partial to vintage, small face watches with automatic movements.

A Laughing Start

Don't worry, we'll get to clothes and styles after today. Today is New Year's Day and those of us fortunate to have the day off should be relaxing. There are many things outside of our control but I've found that we can always manage a good laugh despite the circumstances. Also, humor is one of the core elements of Reform Dandyism. Will LeDandy ever stop preaching? No!


Jon Dean and I "discovered" a great comedy series - "Trailer Park Boys," a Canadian mockumentary. Many years ago a tourist guide on Vancouver Island recommended the series to me. It is about two small-time cons who are released from prison and return to the trailer park community from which they came. There is an oddball assortment of characters and the humor is outrageous. Very original and unlike anything you will see on mainstream tv. Definitely adult content so you want to keep the kids out of the room.

I've seen only four episodes so far but one of them ranks among my favorites comedies of all time. Episode #3, "Mr. Lahey's Got My Porno Tape!", has me laughing several days after watching it. Wikipedia has a good summary of the storyline.

"In desperate need of cash, Ricky and Bubbles agree to star in one of J-Roc's porno films. However, Ricky is not that comfortable participating in one of the film's steamy scenes, forcing Bubbles to stand in for him. Later, Mr. Lahey eventually winds up with a copy of 'From Russia With The Love Bone' and plots to use it against the troublemakers in the park."

Bubbles is the nerdy looking guy in glasses. Like I said, this is adult entertainment.

My next Trailer Park Boys dvd will not arrive until tomorrow. For today I have my Three Stooges dvds and VHS tapes.

Lets start laughing and get off to a good start in '09.