The Vanishing Art of Gentlemanly Living

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Spud31

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In the hashtag-in-your-face-instant-gratification-attention-deficit-disorder world of the 21st Century, it seems that many 'gentlemanly activities' are becoming a thing of the past.  Think about it: nowadays a man puffing his pipe is a novelty, and those of us who still do are looked upon eccentric and/or pretentious by the unenlightened, whereas a half-century or more ago it was simply a normal guy-thing.

When I got a  package from Pipes and Cigars at work, the new twentysomething receptionist asked with a perplexed look and a raised eyebrow, "You smoke pipes??"

Shaving: now its done on the run (admittedly, I do it too, during the week) but once-upon-a-time it was a manly ritual done with a certain fanfare: brush, soap, mug and a butterfly razor with a Wilkinson or Gillette blade that required some skill...or else!  Your first shave, albeit a sparse whisker or two, was a rite-of-passage.  

Hats: Fedoras & Homburgs in Winter, Panamas and Sinatra Trilbys in the Summer-before Kennedy made going bare-headed popular, no gentleman worth his salt was caught out-of-doors without one.

Every man carried a handy pocket knife without getting the third-degree.

Remember when you could open a door or pull a chair out for a woman without offending??

Ever just feel like being a gentleman is a dying art??
 
Well, I can honestly say I tick all the above boxes. I feel strongly about it too, as it seems you do too. The old ways certainly bring pleasure to my life!
 
Sigh. The Old Ways, yes, gone by the wayside, they have.............

Barbarians have breached the gates, and we are overrun.

What have I been told to do?

Adapt or die.... Well, I AM getting a bit tired........ And I think my hardware is a bit out of date for a new operating system.
 
Pics when I get a chance. I bought a briar handled badger shaving brush at the Chicago pipe show today. That manly stuff is out there.
 
You can still wear a fedora or pull a chair out for a lady--you just have to do it with irony, there's the rub. And try finding a lady!  ;)
 
I've shaved with a mug & brush for 45+ years :D I own six straight razors, inherited from grand and great-grand fathers. The youngest straight is 101 years old!!! I daily shave with a 1962 Gillette Fatboy butterfly adjustable double-edge razor. I own three Badger brushes, three shaving mugs, enough various shaving soaps/creams to last me the rest of my life, several tubes of Old Spice brushless shaving cream (from India), and two bottles of the Original Old Spice after shave in the milk-glass bottles!!! I have "real" hats for summer and winter, should I choose to wear them. I open doors and pull out chairs for the ladies in my life as well as ones with whom I come in daily contact. I seldom smoke my pipes/cigars when out as the vast majority of places are No-Smoking. I avoid any establishment that allows cigarette smoking but no pipe/cigar smoking :evil: I and mine enjoy fine wine, great beer (none of which is "light"), and smooth whisky/ey. My Martini's are cold & clear; my Old Fashioneds are sweet and smoothe. I always try my best to be both "manly" and "gentlemanly" at the same time. My Gawd, enough of this rant :p I have manly chores to accomplish before it's "'Tini Time!!" :cheers: FTRPLT
 
I love when guys do the older "manly" things: Pipes, hats, chivalry, etc. I know a few guys around my area that are trying to bring it back. Maybe one or two of them are trying a little too hard... One of them wears a suit everyday, dressed to the 9's, and most of the time they are actually vintage suits. It's a little extreme (his pants could hold up his pecks) sometimes. But he does the everyday hats and cigar/pipe smoking, which is cool.

But I must admit I'm glad ladies don't only have to wear dresses all the time anymore and live in the kitchen. I sure do like my jeans/t-shirts!
 
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