Meeting Lisa Birnbach and a few thoughts on "True Prep"

So this isn't exactly timely since it happened back in September, but speaking of Lisa Birnbach (see my previous post), I actually got to meet her when she was doing her book tour for True Prep back in the fall. I suspect that for me, meeting her was akin to kids in the early 90s getting to meet Michael Jordan.

On the last day of September, I headed down to the Brooks Brothers at Lenox with a friend of mine who was brave enough to tag along, and with my copies of The Official Preppy Handbook and True Prep in hand. After waiting in line for a few minutes (behind a girl who made a poster for Lisa and had about 10 copies of True Prep to sign), I finally got to chitchat a bit with Lisa, and with Chip Kidd who was also there. She was pleasant enough and signed both of my books, and posed with me for a picture. As you can see in the picture, she was obviously quite thrilled to be having her picture taken with me.

While I had initially thought of doing a more in-depth review of True Prep, my laziness got the better of me, so instead, here are a few of my thoughts.

-The book certainly isn't bad. It's not great either, and isn't what many of us were hoping for. I've said it jokingly before, but do you really think that Leonardo da Vinci could have painted the Mona Lisa twice? Seriously though, it is difficult for things in life to live up to our expectations, particularly after 30 years.
-The book sometimes reads like a giant ad for Vineyard Vines and other companies. While the original book certainly name-dropped brands, it never felt as blatant or heavy-handed as it does in here.
-There are two page devoted to the the types of loafers a man should wear. Only two pairs (the Stubbs & Wooten and Brooks Brothers ones, not surprisingly) are wearable; the rest are, in fact, horrible. Gucci? Prada? Tanino Crisci? What is this, a list of loafers or the cast of The Godfather?
-The "True Prep Pantheon" section towards the beginning of the book is almost 20 pages long, and is, indeed, about 16 pages too long.
-Birnbach's Democratic bias shows through far too often.
-This isn't to say that it's all bad. Most of the good parts are only charming little bites, though, rather than entire sections. I like the "hair evolution" from freshman year to senior year on pages 78 and 79, and I enjoy the mental interactions of the couple on the couch (which is supposed to be set in Atlanta, natch) in the "Till There Was You" snippet on pages 188 and 189. In my opinion, the book is best when it is straight-up imitating the original.

So, is this book worth buying? If you're a fan of The Original Preppy Handbook, I'd say yes. Don't expect to be blown away, but it will provide at least several sessions' worth of entertainment while on the "Throne."

This book is kind of like the Zip-Front Bean Boot that is currently sold at LL Bean.

Sure, it is a Bean Boot, and it has the chain-tread bottom, and it's made in Maine. It's obviously a modern take on the classic, but no true fan would ever think that this is as good as the Maine Hunting Shoe or the Bean Rubber Moc. It'll work in a pinch, but it'd be better to stick with the original.

Officially Pre-ordered

Well, my paranoia got the best of me tonight. Fearing that the Take Ivy reprint might actually sell out if I didn't go ahead and order, I placed my pre-order, and while I was at it, I placed my pre-order for True Prep. I'll admit that I'm more excited about the latter, but having the former certainly won't be bad. August 31st and September 7th should be awesome days.

Now we will finally see what those creepy Japanese dudes were really writing about.

Can Lisa Birnbach do any wrong? I'm still tempted to ask her to be my Facebook friend...

The Results: OPH by a landslide

In case you hadn't already seen the results of last week's cage match between The Official Preppy Handbook and Take Ivy, the OPH was declared to be the superior book by the not-so-narrow margin of 61% to 31%.

In the interest of presenting the original cage match as unbiasly as I could, I didn't really give my thoughts on either book. I would agree that the two books are really quite different in both their intended use and the perspectives they are coming from. Additionally, I understand that only a handful of people have actually seen Take Ivy in person, and that it is doubtful that many of those people could read Japanese. As a result, perhaps it was not a completely fair contest.

However, even once Take Ivy is reprinted later this year, it is my prediction that the OPH will still be the better book. I suspect once people can actually read the book for themselves, in English, that the Japanese fetishism of Ivy League clothing will only seem that much weirder, though it may put a lot of the pictures in more of a context than they exist now. Anyways, thanks to all who voted.

Cage Match: "Official Preppy Handbook" vs. "Take Ivy"

Inspired by a discussion on Twitter last week, which was inspired by the supposed republishing of Take Ivy, I have set up a poll to the right where you can vote on which book is superior: Take Ivy or The Official Preppy Handbook. No need to further expound on either book, this is a cage match, and there is plenty of info on both books floating around the internets. Without further ado, submit your vote.

On Contrast: What I'm Wearing Today

I put together this little graphic below (all the rage on the blogosphere) to show what I'm wearing today. I think that what this combination really demonstrates is the principle of contrast. For example, there is the contrast between the British hunting origins of the Barbour and the American sailing origins of the Authentic Originals. There is also the contrast between the Brooks Brothers oxford cloth shirt, a boardroom staple, and the Pendleton board shirt, a lumberjack staple (presumably). The jeans and the belt serve as anchors for everything else and are fairly unremarkable. I think that this is a principle which is one that is espoused in The Official Preppy Handbook--the only style guide a person could ever need--and is also popular on the blogsphere nowadays, where it can sometimes be taken to the extreme (Bean Boots with a suit, anyone?).

What I'm Wearing (sorry, no links) Gap Authentic Fit jeans
Brooks Brothers Original Polo Shirt, but without a tie (none of that slim-fit business)
Pendleton Board Shirt in the "Authentic MacLean Tartan" (a thrift store find)
Barbour Bedale (but with the old tartan on the inside) with pile liner (not pictured)
Sperry Authentic Originals
Royden shot shell belt

Southern Staple: Bean Boots

In spite of their Yankee origins, Bean Boots from LL Bean are some of the best shoes for the South. Given our recent monsoon-like weather, this has become even more evident.

I personally have two different pairs. I have a pair of the Rubber Mocs which get worn year-round. They go with jeans, khakis, cords, and even shorts during warmer. They can be worn with our without socks (though if you go for the latter approach, loafer socks are a must) and with or without rain.

I also have a pair of the 10-inch Maine Hunting Shoes. These don't get nearly as much wear as the rubber mocs, but they area nice to have for going out in particularly cold, rainy, or muddy conditions, and work well in the dove and quail field (provided you don't run into any snakes).

Now, in spite of how well-suited for the South these boots are, it is interesting to note that their popularity is not spread out very homogeneously. I remember my mom having a pair of navy blue rubber mocs in her closet when I was growing up, but I'm not sure I have ever seen another pair in Georgia (though I do understand that they are quite popular at UGA). I got my first pair after I went off to school in Alabama, though that decision was based on their endorsement in the Official Preppy Handbook. I have seen a few people wearing them in Birmingham, though they were not popular at my college.

Interestingly, though, when I went to school at Clemson, I found that nearly all of my classmates that were from Charleston owned a pair, and many students at Clemson could be seen wearing them throughout the year (though I'm not sure if I ever saw anyone wearing a pair of the rubber mocs). It is my theory that this is best explained by popularity of hunting and other outdoor activities throughout the state. One of my friends from Charleston inherited his pair of Bean Boots from his dad and they are almost completely bald. I've let him know that LL Bean does have resoling services, but I don't think he was interested.

Here is a friend of mine from Birmingham sporting the 16-inch Bean Boots he bought for med. school in West VA

I would be interested to hear anyone else's observations of these shoes south of the Mason Dixon.

If it ain't broke...

I think that most would agree that LL Bean isn't what it used to be. Over the years the company has gone from small Maine-based outfitter to a global company that has diversified itself into every possible outdoor niche and outsourced the production of most of its products to third world countries. In doing so, they have diluted the number of classic, good-looking, and quality-made products into near oblivion. Fortunately, a few standards still exist, most in a state close to their original greatness. I have outlined them below:

The Maine Hunting Shoe

About as close to the original as you can get, and still made in Maine. I have them in 10" and are great for being out in the field, or just for a rainy day.

Rubber Moc

Made famous by the Official Preppy Handbook, accept no substitute. Throw these on to go get the mail, or to head to the bar. They look best with no socks (although actually going sockless is not recommended; use a pair of "loafer socks" to create the illusion). Made in Maine.

Chamois Cloth Shirt

Although these aren't made in the US, they're still pretty good. Soft, comfortable, rugged and warm, wear it while raking leaves or in the duck blind. Can also be worn over an oxford cloth shirt a shirt-jacket.

Irish Fisherman's Sweater

Still made in Ireland, they cost a pretty penny at $119, but they are surely worth every penny, especially if you are on a fishing boat in the somewhere in the North Atlantic.

Original Field Coat

While I don't own one of these myself, they appear to be about as good as the original. If I didn't have a Barbour, I would most certainly pick one up. While the "Stone" color seems to be popular, I think that "Saddle" is a better choice.

Camp Moc/Blucher Moc

These are no longer made in Maine, and the leather is of questionable quality. However, they still seem to be decently constructed, fairly comfortable, and are amazingly versatile. If they're good enough for Vampire Weekend, they're good enough for me.

Casco Bay Boat Mocs

I suppose this choice is a little bit of a cheat since Bean hasn't really been offering these for very long. However, I got a pair about three years ago and they are an awesome boat shoe; they are far superior to the pair of Topsiders I own. I have them in Briar (which start to look better after a bit of wear and some applications of mink oil), but they are also available Chocolate, which look similar to the classic Sperry dark brown.

Conspicuously Absent

LL Bean Trail Model Vest

Photo courtesy of Heavy Tweed Jacket
Although Bean does, from time to time, offer a nylon down jacket, since they started using zippers instead of buttons, things really haven't been the same

LL Bean Norwegian Sweater

80% Wool, 20% Rayon, and made in Norway, these sweaters, like the Rubber Mocs, were immortalized in the Official Preppy Handbook. No self-respecting prep in the 80s would have been without one. In spite of bringing back a Chinese-made version a few years ago (with a lower wool content, natch), I suspect that this one is gone for good. Fortunately they can usually be found on Ebay.

I should note that fortunately Bean's customer service is still top-drawer. If you call them, the phones are answered by actual Americans (it is especially exciting when they have a Maine accent) and their return policy is fantastic. I can only hope that they keep around many of these products for years to come.

A whole lotta 80s preppy goodness

Blogger Heavy Tweed Jacket has scanned and posted a number of pages from a 1982 issue of Men's Club, one of those wacky Japanese magazines with a weird obsession with classic American style. These pictures are pretty much awesome. Be sure to check out his post here. Below are just a few of the highlights, in my opinion. I'm looking forward to anything else he's got up his sleeve.

The Vices of Man

Picked up this tie from my friend Mr. Alan C. I suspect he didn't really have much use for it, what being a pastor and all. It's known by several different names including "The Vices of Man," "The Doghouse Tie" and just "The Ugly Tie." As you can see, the vices are represented by the cards, golf clubs, and glasses of beer, with the dog house existing as the implied consequence.



The fairly conservative nature of the tie belies the real surprise, though...



This polyester beauty is primarily redeemed by the fact that it is from Trimingham's, a store that was not only located in on the beautiful island of Bermuda, but was also mentioned in The Official Preppy Handbook (it has since closed).