September 2016 Playlist: The Get Down

“The Get Down” was a warm breeze of late summer fun on Netflix. Against the backdrop of a broke (and broken) Bronx in the summer of 1977, “The Get Down” tells a story at the crossroads of disco and hip-hop. This was a time when New York City was severely in debt and was denied federal assistance to avoid bankruptcy under President Gerald Ford, yielding the famous New York Daily News 1975 headline: “Ford to City: Drop Dead.” The Bronx and its residents were really suffering.

The show was created by Baz Luhrmann, who also directed the pilot. I’ve heard from a few friends who had lukewarm feelings after watching the very densely packed first episode, which I completely understand, since watching a Baz Luhrmann project is like eating a really rich, over-sweetened layer cake with frosting made of ecstasy and sprinkled with cocaine, then washing it down with Red Bull. You almost need to chase a Luhrmann movie with an Ingmar Bergman film just to come down. He starts off his new Netflix series, “The Get Down,” with a similar three-ring circus fervor, though it’s not his usual boisterous pageant of bells and whistles. Fortunately for “The Get Down,” the remaining five episodes are helmed by other directors who allow the story to breathe with more finesse and nuance. And it’s a pretty fabulous story.

One of the best best features of the 8-episode show was the music. Wow. Like, fuck me wow. It’s an early-to-mid ’70s aural orgy of soul, R&B, disco and even some rock in a beautiful blend of the popular and the more esoteric. My September 2016 playlist is a curated selection of some of my favorites that appeared in the series.

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The Absence of Mastery in the Era of the “Instabrand”

Over the past decade, the internet and social media have enabled many entrepreneurs to start new businesses very quickly and relatively cheaply. Ventures like this used to require much more time and money than they do now, where we have a saturated market of young clothing, grooming and accessory brands. These young companies, however, often sell a product with a very shallow breadth of understanding, knowledge and appreciation of history and how/why things work the way they work.

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The Sartorial Illiteracy of the American Television Host

It’s a good bet that a lot of American men get their cues about wearing suits from television. Unfortunately, most TV personalities wear their suits poorly, spreading bad information to the masses.

Left to their own devices, male on-camera personalities would likely make even bigger sartorial mistakes than they already do. It’s not totally their fault. Their main job is to be informed, intelligent, engaging and entertaining, which is a genuinely difficult full-time job. Other than a few hosts who actually have a sense of style and a knowledge of what to wear and how to wear it, these men need help. To get dressed appropriately and look right, they retain the services of a stylist, designer or dresser whose job can range from advising and consulting to an all-out dictation of what otherwise clueless talent should wear. This is where the problem lives.

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Sex on Wheels: My Five Favorite Bicycles, 2016-2017 Edition

A couple of years ago, I published a post about my favorite five bicycles. In the wake of a discontinued design and a couple of new discoveries, I figured it was time for an update.

These bikes I love are not racing bikes, daredevil bikes, fixed-gear bikes, mountain bikes or any other specialized configuration. These are basic bicycles anyone can jump on and ride, no matter what one is wearing, enabling the rider to pleasurably, effectively and stylishly get from A to B. However, safety when riding a bicycle is just as important as the bike it itself. Accidents involving cyclists could leave the cyclist unable to work, or under financial stress due to hospital bills. If you find yourself in an accident, although many may not want to, it is worth getting in touch with someone similar to these Bike Accident attorneys in North Myrtle Beach or a law firm local to you, as they might be able to help you with your case.

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That Extra Reinforcement Fabric Inside the Rear Hem of My Pants

I don’t know what you call it. I tried Googling things like “reinforcement fabric pants hem,” but no dice. All I know is that there is an extra strip of “reinforcement” fabric inside the rear hem of the pants of one of my custom suits. It’s obviously designed to prevent any destructive scuffing and chafing that can occur from the back of my shoes rubbing up against the inside of my pants. It’s subtle and completely invisible from the outside. Whatever this feature is called, I like it.

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The Incredibly Handsome and Ridiculously Affordable Aquamariner from Hager Watches

There is a certain caliber of automatic tool watch with an expected price tag well within four figures, like those beautiful Rolex Submariners and Omega Seamasters. When Hager Watches introduced its gorgeous line of tool watches in 2009, it put a level of quality and taste usually reserved for luxury spenders into the hands of discerning thousandaires like me. (Read my original article on Hager Watches.)

The Hager Aquamariner with a matte black, matte midnight blue or matte burgundy bezel.
The Hager Aquamariner with a matte black, matte midnight blue or matte burgundy bezel.

The American company has just introduced a new, bouncing baby boy to its family of handsome, well-made, affordable luxury watches: the Aquamariner. With a hint of retro in its design, it’s a new watch that looks like a timeless vintage piece.

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My Dress Shirt Solutions

Until years ago, my dress shirts were almost exclusively from Brooks Brothers. Aside from their long (and now lost) heritage with dress shirts, they had a great fit and wonderful fabric until they went down the no-iron/wrinkle-free rabbit hole. Wrinkle-free is the crystal meth of menswear. Since my distaste for the substandard, formaldehyde-soaked, toxic, no-iron phenomenon is no secret, even earning me a quote in the Wall Street Journal, Brooks Brothers completely lost my business.

My preferred collar and cuff combination for dress shirts is a semi-spread collar with French cuffs. Same with my formal shirts. For handsome, well-made, affordable dress shirts, where to go?

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What’s Going On?

Marvin Gaye’s 1971 masterpiece feels all too appropriate today. Quite frankly, I can’t seem to really hear his lyrics without crying. It’s all there.

“War is not the answer. For only love can conquer hate.”

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Making the American Man

As described by the filmmakers, Making the American Man is “a documentary film about modern American masculinity through the eyes of makers of U.S. based goods for men.”

On the surface, the new documentary Making the American Man almost plays like an 70-minute promotion of niche, made-in-America bro brands – a virtual who’s-who of companies you’ll find at Pop-Up Flea. That’s a superficial assessment that would be grossly unfair. The truth is that we are bludgeoned by advertising and promotion from the huge mega-brands with mega-budgets, and it’s nice to see some of these smaller outfits get some long overdue time in the sun.

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