It’s how you wear it
This is a guest post by Matthew Barrison. His blog is really interesting and can be found at WorkingDefinition.com
A casual visitor to this site may find it a bit pedantic or brand obsessed. Fair enough. However, since brand = lifestyle aspiration, we must ponder things a bit more deeply. The main theme behind this aspiration is fitting in and bettering oneself, a task which I find to be truly American. And on that note, I bet that you have been thinking about what aspirational appeal the American brand holds these days. Part of me doesn’t get it, i.e. the long supply chain and its remote consequences, but another part of me understands it perfectly and sees the potential for re-calibration of the system. Thus we return to the theme of fitting in to better one’s self and progeny. The American brand has long been about just that; Ralph Lauren came from a family of immigrant Eastern Jews. For many people around the world, America still holds that promise; to many of our contemporaries, however, our recent actions have led them to volubly question our long held presupposition of preeminence. Nonetheless, we strive to re-articulate that brand by getting back to what is good, aspiration, a value of timeless fashion. Sure, we get swayed by trends a little, but at heart we are there to do good and look sexy all the while.
Costal Towns and Sailing
I just took a trip to Rockport, Massachusetts, and it reminded me of how much I love costal towns. Perhaps it is the smell of the sea, or maybe the quaint shops, but walking down the streets, and to the rock pier was a really good experience for me. It is like a mini version of nantucket, with fewer shops like Vineyard Vines and Murray’s Toggery Shop. Walking with friends on a beautiful day makes the experience even better, and it causes you to forget all your problems. While we were there, we had a chance to sail in my 8 foot long Optimist (a little sailing dinghy) although it could only fit two at a time, it was amazing sailing weather and we had a really good time. I haven’t gone sailing since last summer, and this experience reminded me of how much I enjoy it. My parents own a 42 foot sailboat that I grew up sailing on, as well as taking lessons, sailing such boats as Widgeons and my favorites, 420’s. If you consider yourself preppy in the slightest and live anywhere near a body of water, do yourself a favor and go sailing the first good weekend you get. Not only is it preppy, but its a very soothing yet fun experience. Have fun!
