"I'm a little screwed up but I'm beautiful.": From Caterpillar to Papillon (Pt. Deux)

[normanduke]

Thanks, Posh,

I've been looking for a pair of desert boots for years.....like 35 years.
They've just disappeared and once were available for pennies.
There's nothing to them, just 3 or 4 pieces of split cowhide. I suppose it's the plantation crepe that is precious. Anyway, they are truly comfortable and made from my favorite material, suede.

The Dior suit, true to its European origins, emphasizes rather than disguises the male form as found in boring USA brands such as Brooks Brothers.

I truly hope that ties are not going the way of the horse and buggy.
I think Barack Obama looks juvenile tie-less. Tom Cruise may be excused for trying to look eternally young, that's his job after all, but I prefer my Presidents to at least try to look dignified.
Also, men have so little to show off with vis-a-vis a suit.
The suit has changed only minutely since Victorian times and a beautiful and colorful piece of silk fabric at the neck is the only individual statement a man can make.

Again on Tom, what's with the little boy bangs ?
What's with the lavender ?
And at great risk ( lol ) I firmly reject a chalk stripe suit jacket and vest with jeans. Navy blazer ? Fine, a classic look with jeans.
Well, I am no fan of the tiny Monsieur Cruise.

I'm amused to see the pic of Steve McQueen dancing with Luci Johnson ( not, NEVER at a young Republican affair. Johnson was a Democrat ) mention of Desert Boots and Ali McGraw. Read her biography ' Moving Pictures ' for her take on McQueen.

Norman

[Posh]

Thanks, Posh,

I've been looking for a pair of desert boots for years.....like 35 years.
They've just disappeared and once were available for pennies.
There's nothing to them, just 3 or 4 pieces of split cowhide. I suppose it's the plantation crepe that is precious. Anyway, they are truly comfortable and made from my favorite material, suede.

I truly hope that ties are not going the way of the horse and buggy.
I think Barack Obama looks juvenile tie-less. Tom Cruise may be excused for trying to look eternally young, that's his job after all, but I prefer my Presidents to at least try to look dignified.
Also, men have so little to show off with vis-a-vis a suit.
The suit has changed only minutely since Victorian times and a beautiful and colorful piece of silk fabric at the neck is the only individual statement a man can make.

Again on Tom, what's with the little boy bangs ?
What's with the lavender ?
And at great risk ( lol ) I firmly reject a chalk stripe suit jacket and vest with jeans. Navy blazer ? Fine, a classic look with jeans.
Well, I am no fan of the tiny Monsieur Cruise.

Norman

I'm glad that was able to quell your search for those shoes after 35 years! You've wait a long! I think you deserve a break. The shoes are ultra comfortable. My mom and dad wear matching pairs. I don't know when ti started, but them buying matching things like clothes and watches is really cute but also really disturbing. I think they're assimilating each other.

Actually, Tom Cruise changes his frequently, for movies and for himself. He's not a chameleon with his clothes, selecting outfits similar in tone when he's on-duty and changing it a little when off. It's easy for him because his job is to look fantastic. No matter where he is, he chooses things that are age appropriate and flattering, something a lot of people, especially in Hollywood, don't do. He's aging very gracefully. His mind? Not so much. Here's Tom's hair flair:









And as for your rejection of suit jacket with jeans, I don't mind. Some fashion experts DO NOT like this look. I personally love it and think it looks great---on certain people because this look can make you look chic or schmuck. I don't suggest older guys try it unless they look like Tom Cruise and really don't suggest younger guys do it unless they have builds similar to Colin Farrell. Who shouldn't wear this look? Judd Apatow. Individual like this need to stick sport coats or a whole suit like he does in Pineapple Express.

My mom has Ali MacGraw's book and I read it when I was a teenager. It wasn't relevant to me but I thought she was pretty. That's where I read that Belstaff jacket story.

[MickyD]

I think this is my first post here, but I've been reading round for a while.... glad I'm not the only person who has been looking EVERYWHERE for a pair of Desert Boots, nowhere has them anymore

[Posh]

I think this is my first post here, but I've been reading round for a while.... glad I'm not the only person who has been looking EVERYWHERE for a pair of Desert Boots, nowhere has them anymore

Glad I could be your first. Hang out some more. I'm glad that everyone is now able to get a pair of Clark's Deserts. They are nice, aren't they?

[miquel]

Wow!

The 2 articles you wrote on Steve just made my day. Thanks!

I have always thought of my dad as a "Steve McQueen" type, he lived by the same rules. When living was good, he made the most of it, afraid it might somehow come to an end.

I also believe McQueen was a style icon, very influential of today's. If you look at Daniel Craig, he is very much Steve in "Casino Royale". The Persol's, the suits, the casual wear....did he just walk of the set of "Thomas Crown" and into "Casino"?

Anyways, enough rambling, I just wanted to say what a great set of articles on an amazing iconic figure.

[JurgenK]

Posh
I've been impressed with the breadth of your knowledge in fashion and style, but recently even more with your sense of history.

I've rediscovered McQueen through movies in my late 20s, but clearly I feel removed from that era because I didn't experience it firsthand. You seem young, yet you talk about him as if you were there through it all. Did your parents really imbue you with all this appreciation? Your mind must be swimming with style trends from nearly 5 decades.

I hope you're working in the design/fashion industry so that you or someone can be capitalizing on your fund of style knowledge.

breathtaking!

[Posh]

Posh
I've been impressed with the breadth of your knowledge in fashion and style, but recently even more with your sense of history.

I've rediscovered McQueen through movies in my late 20s, but clearly I feel removed from that era because I didn't experience it firsthand. You seem young, yet you talk about him as if you were there through it all. Did your parents really imbue you with all this appreciation? Your mind must be swimming with style trends from nearly 5 decades.

I hope you're working in the design/fashion industry so that you or someone can be capitalizing on your fund of style knowledge.

breathtaking!

Thanks, Jurgen! It's all learned over the many millenia I've been alive. I'm told I have a very old soul so I dig deep and capitalize on it in the name RepGeek. LOL

I guess I just tried to talk about it as a friend remembering a friend. I never knew much about him but, by writing this abbreviated look at his life, found out a lot of things I liked and many things I didn't like. But his commitment to certain things, his commitment to who he was, made him a fascinating person to get to know. He was multi-faceted and dynamic; he adapted and was always challenging himself. I was so drawn to that aspect of him because he wanted to be the best and he wanted more out of life than everyone said he was supposed to want. Because of where and how he grew up, people tried to place limitations on him and those around him. People close to him said that he never could stand the phrase, "You can't." if you told him that, he'd want to know exactly why he couldn't do it. And if the reply was ignorant or ridiculous, he'd push them aside and do it anyway! If anybody can learn anything from McQueen, it's that you shouldn't limit yourself.

His story partially reminds me of one from one of my favorite books, The Joy Luck Club. In the book, one character tells her daughter a story about a duck who becomes a swan because it stretched its neck out and became too beautiful to eat. In the story, the woman buys the swan and will give it as a gift to her daughter because the swan became much more than what was hoped for, something she wants for her daughter considering the roles of women, particularly Chinese women, at that time. Unfortunately, the swan is taken away and the woman is left with only a feather that she gives to her daughter as a symbol for hope and an embodiment of her good intentions. I believe that describes McQueen's public and private personae, film legacy and philanthropy.

He was a drugged out, man wh*re chauvinist BUT he did all of it was so much integrity and gusto, it was hard to dislike him for it, like even his wives have stated. He was rough-and-tumble when the time called for it and also tremendously tender and reflective. Ali McGraw said that in public he was ineffable but privately was vunerable and accessible.

As far as authenticity went, the only other people that matched it in Hollywood at that time and going forward was Paul Newman and Robert Redford.

As far as style/design contributions go, I blog at Cool Man Caves about interior design cues for "man caves." I keep the posts on how to get the high-end looks for less using high-end things. It's entirely possible. I post as much as I get a chance and as much as topics come up that I think would be of interest on that subject.

[guest916]

I've got to take the time to review these posts.

We should be $ charged for this level of sartorial advice.

Too cool.

[JonCris]

Great & interesting post.

I can speak for the quality of the Barkers as I have 2 pairs.

As a former biker I also still have my 1970's waxed Belstaff (somewhere) which I bought (as it was cool even then) when I took delivery of my new Moto Guzzi Le mans fitted with an Apple Fairing & twin Cebi Headlights...........Happy days

[JonCris]

Mr McQueen was & always will be an icon & unlike many of todays wooses will be remembered as not only a fine actor but also as fearless action man

Although he didn't jump the fence in the Great Escape (the studio wouldn't let him) he did scare the other actors witless giving them rides on his bike.

However I do understand that he did drive the Shelby Mustang in Bullitt in all of the scenes

[Posh]

Although he didn't jump the fence in the Great Escape (the studio wouldn't let him) he did scare the other actors witless giving them rides on his bike.

However I do understand that he did drive the Shelby Mustang in Bullitt in all of the scenes

Actually, Bud Eakins, who also did the motorcycle jump in The Great Escape, did the majority of the car stunts in Bullit. The producers allowed McQueen to do as many as they could legally but for financial and safety reasons couldn't let him do as many as he probably would have tried to do. They edited it well enough that it seemed as if McQueen did all the work. As with many things in life, it was team effort.

But he's still a great actor slash stuntie.

[pecty]

gotta love the Bullitt Mustang, Ford has an option for the mustang GT Buttlitt Package, very nice

[MickyD]

Glad I could be your first. Hang out some more. I'm glad that everyone is now able to get a pair of Clark's Deserts. They are nice, aren't they?

Finally found some DB's a few weeks ago (though not black, which is fine), but more importantly bought a (gen) Mcqueen Monaco today (blue face, blue croc strap)

[Posh]

Finally found some DB's a few weeks ago (though not black, which is fine), but more importantly bought a (gen) Mcqueen Monaco today (blue face, blue croc strap)

Desert Boots AND Monaco? You go, boy! Is the Monaco vintage or recent?

The funniest thing: my parents apparently are turning into each other and have a great deal of matching items these days. At Thanksgiving, I saw that they had recently bought each other a pair of Clark's Wallabees in beige. I think they wore them everyday I saw them. Silly parents!

[MickyD]

not a vintage one, unfortunately the prices on those have gone a bit silly lately. It's the current version, though I have heard speculation that it is out of production now. Got about 33% off RRP though, so I'm happy with the price I paid, especially given the state of the Australian Dollar at the moment!

[Posh]

not a vintage one, unfortunately the prices on those have gone a bit silly lately. It's the current version, though I have heard speculation that it is out of production now. Got about 33% off RRP though, so I'm happy with the price I paid, especially given the state of the Australian Dollar at the moment!

Yes, it is out of production and is incrementally becoming more and more valuable. If they release another, it may make these become less so over time because the original Monaco was made under just Heuer's reign. This one is a TAG Heuer so that gives it a little specialness all its own.

I'm so glad you're sharing these pictures with us. It's a beautiful and I'm sure you cut a fine form in it!

[MickyD]

don't suppose you have any links/articles/refences about it being discontinued? I've seen that speculation in a few places now.

[Posh]

don't suppose you have any links/articles/refences about it being discontinued? I've seen that speculation in a few places now.

Micky, I read your statement above and saw that it's the current model Monaco, not the 1998 first re-issue, which is out of production of course, and not the 2001 Ferret model. These models were limited. The new Monaco regular production models, from late 2004 forward, are not going to be discontinued any time soon as they are very popular. A LexisNexis double check corrected me.

The recent Monacos to collect are the 1998 first re-issue model (Italy) or the extremely limited 2001 Ferret Monaco (France).

[craigwanderer]

Outstanding series Posh. I am a known fashion disaster, so this is vital info

One correction though... McQueen's boots in the Great Escape weren't Clarks Desert Boots. Unlike most of his costume for that film, from the tailored leather A2 Flight jacket to his slim fitting faux US Army chinos, the boots were a military issue item. Specifically they were US Army M-43 roughout "service shoes".

You can buy a pair manufactured by the legendary Eastman leather company here: http://www.buzzricksons.com/43-service-shoes-p-40.html

Picture:

[Posh]

Outstanding series Posh. I am a known fashion disaster, so this is vital info

One correction though... McQueen's boots in the Great Escape weren't Clarks Desert Boots. Unlike most of his costume for that film, from the tailored leather A2 Flight jacket to his slim fitting faux US Army chinos, the boots were a military issue item. Specifically they were US Army M-43 roughout "service shoes".

You can buy a pair manufactured by the legendary Eastman leather company here: http://www.buzzricksons.com/43-service-shoes-p-40.html

Picture:

I'm glad it helps you a little. Start with the basics and then you can branch out!

I was sure that I read they were Clark's. Where did you see that tidbit so I can change that piece of mis-information in my post. LOL

[Steve Snyder]

Will those suits make me look thinner?

[becks84]

gd read