Sorry about the lack of cropping on some of these images - - but who really cares? I certainly don't. I spent forever scanning this stuff. The following are some of my favorite images from "M" and while I wonder, where - did - the - time - go...I'm grateful this magazine was around . 1985 was my first year out of college and in NYC. I was poor but had the time of my life. The cover above is 1985 and below is 1986.
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22 years later and some things, based on the cover above, just don't change.
Pictures above are from a piece on the social clubs at Harvard. Why can't I get a haircut like these anymore?
Above is "Looking Great Too and an all time favorite of women who wouldn't have given me the time of day then and today.
When I moved to Chicago in 1989, the above boutique was still on the ground floor of Field's. It was a beautiful little corner filled with objects that had real soul. You can still find some items in Chicago from this venture: Sterling silver frames, snuff boxes, collar stays, cricket bats...
I was in love with the Grand Wagoneer. Until I drove one. Still, the design is so beautiful and I always preferred the burgundy.
I love those tassel loafers.
Hard to see-- but that's a yellow stripe oxford. I asked for a custom yellow stripe oxford at Charvet in Paris. They didn't have it. By the way, never go into Charvet after consuming two bottles of wine at lunch with your girlfriend. I'm guessing the bolt of fabric I kocked over toppled over another 12 0r 13 bolts. Brooks offers a MTM but it's around $150 a shirt. Finally found one at the Rugby Store in NYC. I was never a fan of the cardigan but it looks great here. Still, I think it's banging 12 on the, "get your ass kicked" meter. The Trad assumes no liability for bodily injury should you decide to wear this in public. And please, leave the Dutch bicycle at home.
I recognise the door above anywhere. The Union League Club in Philadelphia. The best Lobster Club sandwich I've ever had, a great art collection and some of the most wonderful employees I've ever had the pleasure to know. They all work in accounting and got to know me well.
I recognise the door above anywhere. The Union League Club in Philadelphia. The best Lobster Club sandwich I've ever had, a great art collection and some of the most wonderful employees I've ever had the pleasure to know. They all work in accounting and got to know me well. I've been looking for this sweater ever since I saw it 22 years ago. There's something about the purple sweater, the blue stripe oxford and the green club tie that nails it for me. I don't think this look would get you beat up...
Bought the first issue of 'M' earlier this year off ebay. What a classic magazine..........I still miss it.
ReplyDeleteRamjet
Tin,
ReplyDeleteI own those tasseled loafers. They are a bench made Polo loafer from England. Wonderful shoes.
The first car I remember was my parents Wagoneer. A drunk driver totaled it and we were all heart broken, it was the family truckster for our summer trip to Kennebunkport.
Thanks for the memories.
The Harvard Social Club page brings me back to my old days in 02138. Things haven't changed much. Headed back to the Harvard Yale game this year. Here's what I can anticipate at the Club's tailgate:
ReplyDelete9AM - Make finishing touched on outfit - ingredients including tweeds, "spring" bowtie (despite being mid fall), and various hand-me-downs that are proven seasoned winners
10AM - Begin trying to explain just what it is I "do" to a bunch of wall street hacks
11AM - Wolf down the Milk Punch from the Class of '26's recipe book from the back of a Jeep Wagoner driven by the middle of three present generations of New England women wearing Barbour Jackets.
11AM - Pretend not to notice the improper formatting of the business card a kid two years younger than me coolly hands off after fishing it out of the monogrammed breast pocket under his collegiate shawl collared cardigan. Then resist the urge to compare him to Benjamin Brixby latest line that hip kids in Japan are wearing, not legacies at "The Game".
1PM - Feign interest over the half-time score of a negligible scrimmage quality game taking place infront of 40,000 70 year olds and their middle school grand kids who wish they were really outside partying with us (ourselves, a bunch of late 20 year olds pretending to be 70 years old)
1:01PM - Ignore the bitter irony of the realization made a minute earlier.
2:14PM - Debate the merits of going back to a single sex education.
2:25pm - Do so out loud.
3:00PM - Worry about how to get the grass stains off my corduroys slack after the touch football game gets a little too "rambunctious."
5:00PM - Tell glory day stories about other past football games that didn't matter. Mean it.
7:00PM - Begin planning a night on the town in Cambridge MA
7:36PM - Fulfil plan by staying in all night at the Club with a bottle of Maker's found behind some old books that's been there for years unsealed.
Next Year - Do it all over again.
-Les
I was just discussing the Wagoneer with my kids last week. In the space of two days, I saw one when I was with J2 and another when was with J3. They both said, "I love that car!"
ReplyDeleteJ2 remembers the navy one our friends had when she was small, but J3 doesn't, he just likes the way it looks.
I always coveted her car, the navy. Although I think the burgundy looks great--I've never seen one in person. Not good to drive, though? A shame.
Funny you mentioned the haircut...I remember reading that very '85 cover mag in a "salon". That, at the time, was where you had to go to get a haircut. Duly massacred... I continued flipping the pages afterwards...some of the girls who washed your hair were cute.
ReplyDeleteAfter two years of god awful haircuts, and getting nowhere with the shampoo girls, I went back to my crusty, trusty barber and his porno mags. The haircut was better and cheaper, but I missed flipping through M. Didn't dare ask him to get it for his clients for fear of getting my head torn off.
Is it just the aging process, or were they better in bikinis in the 80's? No tattoos, or better bodies?
tintin: Please check my PM on FNB.Yes-that is the UL door-we were both ex-members. Best to you.
ReplyDeleteJeez, now I'm all nostalgic.
ReplyDeleteJust a quick note of thanks for posting some of most interesting stuff on the net. Always enjoy my time on your blog and today was no exception.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Z
Long ago, I had a first travel date with a much younger, very preppy, young lady I had been seeing awhile. I thought the Wagoneer would be just the ticket so I borrowed one from one of my partners. Just like the one you show but navy blue. She almost swooned at it when I picked her up. Unfortunately, that was the most emotion I saw from her the whole weekend. I'm pretty sure she didn't figure out it wasn't mine.
ReplyDeleteBTW, still laughing over the Charvet story..
ML
mlanesepic.blogspot.com
That magazine was always clearly superior to GQ. I remember that page of hotties, and dwelling on it often. It now mildly frightens me that the women were spotted on Zuma Beach. I must not have known where that was back then. But now. Ick.
ReplyDeleteBack in the '80s we were nothing if not self-confidently, self-referential: A whole lot of JFK Jr. going on in those layouts, which were - yikes - kind of tabloid-bad then...as publication design went! Yup, loved the Wagoneer, as well. -DB
ReplyDeleteI have a number of the 85 -86 issues which I thumb through every couple of months or so. I am amazed at how well most of the clothing has held up.
ReplyDeleteM certainly shows a lifestyle that seems a far cry from high style today.
I like the shawl collared cardigan, and wear it risk free. It's good to be old.
I had that or nearly the same sweater purchsed shortly after the launch of the Ralph Lauren store at 72nd St.
ReplyDeleteI regret discarding the sweater during on of my many moves and keep hoping to find another now that there is so much talk of shawl collar sweaters...
Love your blog. I am curious, what type of scanner do you use for the site and what software do you use to "crop" images? Thanks.
ReplyDeletetintin: Still waiting on your e-mail of the Harvard Clubs article :( Best, Richard
ReplyDeleteA week late but hey...I'm lazy. Longwing, how the hek are you? We have to get together soon. In NYC? With HTJ and ACL? Let me know, man.
ReplyDeleteZ- Thank you for the compliment and for dropping by.
M. lane- Loved the story. I don't know what it is about Trad girls but with a few exceptions they rarely have heartbeats...they LIKE STUFF. NOT MEN.
ben- I need to get some pics of Zuma today to compare...as was observed earlier --these are tatoo-less bodies. I also noticed no nail extensions with the French whatever it is...
DB - you know your design.
laresa- sorry for the delay--if you're still around--I've been using a scanner/printer with the software that came on the puter. Mircosoft I think. Although I did buy Adobe Photoshop months ago but habve been afraid to install it.
Richard M- I took care of you a week ago. Maybe we'll run into each other in Phila some time. Thanks for the kind words on the email.
Hmm. Must be a flat panel scanner, no? I have the fab-o Fujitsu ScanSnap, but unless I am going to cut my books and mags to shreds, I guess I shoulda' picked up a flatbed. Just wondering what brand, etc. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'm still here and have been for some time. Love the blog. You and Bunny are my fave.
Those Waggys were the biggest pieces of crap ever foisted on the car-buying public. I owned one for a few years -- just cause I had to -- and couldn't wait to sell it. Unfortunately I had to rebuild the transmission first.
ReplyDeleteThe Union League in Philly was pretty cool. My father was a member and it was a regular stop on family trips to Center City. It felt like an anachronism even then (the late 70s-early 80s). I moved to the South after college and lost interest in the world.
Yes, M was exceptional for it's time because it was focused on a rarified world of pure style, not a mass mentality dreaming of style. That is why today is such a mess with the idea that high style and sophistication is universal, it isn't (and that isn't a question.)
ReplyDelete