Monday 14 February 2011

                                             A GENTLEMAN MANIFESTO

1. THOU SHALT ALWAYS WEAR TWEED. No other fabric says so defiantly: I am a man of panache, savoir-faire and devil-may-care, and I will not be served Continental lager beer under any circumstances.

2 THOU SHALT NEVER NOT SMOKE. Health and Safety "executives" and jobsworth medical practitioners keep trying to convince us that smoking is bad for the lungs/heart/skin/eyebrows, but we all know that smoking a bent apple billiard full of rich Cavendish tobacco raises one's general sense of well-being to levels unimaginable by the aforementioned spoilsports.
3 THOU SHALT ALWAYS BE COURTEOUS TO THE LADIES. A gentleman is never truly seated on an omnibus or railway carriage: he is merely keeping the seat warm for when a lady might need it. Those who take offence at being offered a seat are not really Ladies.
4 THOU SHALT NEVER, EVER, WEAR PANTALOONS DE NIMES. When you have progressed beyond fondling girls in the back seats of cinemas, you can stop wearing jeans. Wear fabrics appropriate to your age, and, who knows, you might even get a quick fumble in your box at the opera.
5 THOU SHALT ALWAYS DOFF ONE'S HAT. Alright, so you own a couple of trilbies. Good for you - but it's hardly going to change the world. Once you start actually lifting them off your head when greeting, departing or simply saluting passers-by, then the revolution will really begin.
6 THOU SHALT NEVER FASTEN THE LOWEST BUTTON ON THY WESKIT. Look, we don't make the rules, we simply try to keep them going. This one dates back to Edward VII, sufficient reason in itself to observe it.
7 THOU SHALT ALWAYS SPEAK PROPERLY. It's quite simple really. Instead of saying "Yo, wassup?", say "How do you do?"
8 THOU SHALT NEVER WEAR PLIMSOLLS WHEN NOT DOING SPORT. Nor even when doing sport. Which you shouldn't be doing anyway. Except cricket.
9 THOU SHALT ALWAYS WORSHIP AT THE TROUSER PRESS. At the end of each day, your trousers should be placed in one of Mr. Corby's magical contraptions, and by the next morning your creases will be so sharp that they will start a riot on the high street.
10 THOU SHALT ALWAYS CULTIVATE INTERESTING FACIAL HAIR. By interesting we mean moustaches, not beards.

Tuesday 1 February 2011

Heroes Snobs And Villains

Nostalgia Of An Old Flintlock Pistol
The flintlock pistol,comes from a more elegant time of Romance fashion Discovery Gold and Silver there was lots of Colors in clothing men were wearing military uniforms,
There was also lots and lots of very colourful clothing, Vanity Fair a must see movie ! it helped  man feel like he was a somebody, it give them an identity it really was what having a good uniforms was all about having a uniform and doing a job and doing it well, and being so proud, of what they did, there were great leaders that  had style and qualities and done there bit for fashion,
We as men always looked up to them, the same on the street today. We dress to feel good to look like we have what it takes to be part of something, To be cool,
We look at others for inspiration, Some of us have our own unique style
And then again  you could always be part of the same old boring stereo types  that every one seems to feel comfortable with, not being them self's just wanting to fit in and be like the rest,
Could you imagine if people were to really be able to afford to dress, And wear what they really thought they could look good in
And if they could afford to do so, There would be some real good looking facey people I'm trying to think what and who's fashion we would follow next the villain the snobs or the heroes,I always looked up to the villains when i was a kid, They were the only ones that had any money to buy good clothing and to dress really smart i really wanted to be like them. The snobs had class, class that no money couldn't buy, my heroes were people with power and never seemed to go to work ! as i got older i just looked around and made my own style there were a lot of people that had a lot to say about my style i Wonder if and when they see a flintlock pistol would they think like me and see what i see, The historical things about fashion some how i really don't think so.
The flintlock nostalgia, what will be next,
It has it all ! money sex  power fashion and style, while,traveling round the world in my life and seeing all types of people and culture,s Heroes snobs and villains in every land. I've seen them in there own world and with there own style
It,s really an amazing,thing to see so Meany stylish people all around us, Do we always notice them ,
Yes i can say i do
The flintlock had so much to do with the discovery of fashion,  man went and conquer the world with the flintlock took what he wanted, Went to war with the flintlock but best thing of all he done it, With style and colour and fashion from sword fencing with a short-tailed coatee with epaulettes on both shoulders,white pants and high black shiny boots how romantic  with his flintlock in his belt round his waist
Then the flintlock was put aside for more modern pistols but the style never left.
The flintlock its still today a very desirable object, people with style and money and nostalgia, villains snobs and heroes all want one..
The flintlock is wanted all over the world
From an early age i new that clothes were to make me who i was and who i am.If you didn't dress well where i grow up you really wasn't no one sadly but that's how it was,
Being from an Italian back ground and going to Italy as a kid made me see fashion in a different way, there was colour every where
Having that Italian descent in me, i liked clothes and class, I felt like i was really different from the other kids, i was more creative then most of my mates from round the flats and around the West End i had shoes from Italy and some items of clothing that i got when in Italy' which had so much style way back then,  They were great bits and very colourful No one really new what i had on, So they just see me as a nut, But within 3 to 5 years they had the same items on there backs thinking that they were the firs,t  I was just ahead of the time's like today I'm still ahead of the time;s at least i like to think i am and i have my Very own flintlock pistol.
So next time you pick something up, that's old have a little think about the time and period that it's from and what was going on in that period  it's really good fun, and a good test of your history , If there anything you want from a more elegant time, please let me know, I can also help with Tips and suggestion on how and what you wear and the style you like, Vintage clothing and new clothes also costume jewellery,
If your lucky to see a flintlock pistol just remember it has a story like all of us.
Write by me Filippo 2/2/11