Remaking the Ascot

One of the 5 things I'd really like to see make a comeback, the current embodiment of the ascot is the one most stereotyped: it's only for movie stars and/or snobs. While it's nice that Ashton Kutcher vowed to bring back the ascot, he first needs to learn how to wear one. The Return of the Ascot movement needs the likes of Cary Grant at its head.

In olden days the ascot, while still a bit of a higher social standard, perhaps did not have the anti-normal person stigma that it does today. Anyways, back then every man wore a tie and the ascot is just a more casual and dashing form of neckwear. Therefore, I'd like to see the ascot return as an 'everyman' item with no social commentary associated with it. The ascot is also a versatile garment that can tie together or perhaps even make a casual outfit:

click photos to enlarge

Tying an ascot is simple. There are many ways to tie one but the most common way is like tying a Four-In-Hand except you don't tuck the loose end through the knot at the end.

This method assures that the ascot is worn high and tight rather than the modern low and loose fashion attempted by Kutcher and other Hollywood characters today.

The other ways it can be tied are numerous. The summer scarf, a close relative of the ascot, should also be considered.

click photos to enlarge

And while the ascot is most often considered a summer item usually made of lightweight silk or rayon, there are also spring/autumn/winter counterparts made of heavier materials.

An ascot is great for a day of rest and relaxation, when a regular tie would be too stuffy.

Linen, silk and rayon summer scarves can take the place of the ascot if you want to experiment. Wear over a shirt or if you a bit on the lazy/daring side you can take notes from vintage summer scarf wearers and go sans shirt, using the scarf to hide that fact.

The return of the ascot will never be as it once was but if we work at it perhaps we can remove the social commentary that has been built into over the years.

Indiana Jones: Bane of Vintage Enthusiasts

The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was recently released. Once again Indy donned that brown fedora and gripped his whip. This time, instead of punching Nazis he was crushing Communists. The biblical treasures gave way to alien crystal skulls. And people in theaters were taken back in time...

Indiana Jones is the bane of wearers of fedoras and vintage clothing. Rarely can I place a brown fedora on my head or wear a leather jacket without hearing someone identifying me as the fictitious adventurer. "Hey Indy!" go the catcalls. Once while wearing my 1950s silverbelly Open Road fedora and a leather flight jacket with WW2-style nose art painted on the back I heard a lady behind me quietly begin to hum the Indiana Jones theme song. This proves two things. First, one does not need to be wearing anything similar to IJ's getup to provoke thoughts of archeological discoveries and slugging bad guys. Secondly, most Americans view the era of the 1930s-1950s through the lense of the Indiana Jones movies. And that's pretty sad.

Though entertaining, the movies are completely insignificant in the ultimate scheme of things (like most movies). It is truly unfortunate that the struggles and triumphs of perhaps the most important era of the 20th century is almost completely forgotten only 60-70 years after the fact and are only brought back to life for most Americans by Hollywood stunts. The destruction of the Golden Era lifestyle, architecture, value system and way of life in general is almost complete. And once it is complete we will only be able to glimpse at the past through the work of actors and directors. Just like Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg.

Recently a fantastic Royal Deluxe Stetson homburg sold on Ebay for $200. And while homburgs usually don't sell for half that much, this one did. It had a very tall crown and wide brim and was in almost untouched condition, but that's not why it sold for so much. It was because of Indiana Jones.

Looking at the buyer's other items we see dozens of IJ items, from holsters to IJ dolls. Why would an Indiana Jones collector be so interested in an old brown homburg? One can only imagine the horrors that fine hat must be going through right now. Steam to flatten out the pencil curl, scissors to cut off the edge binding. Or perhaps to cut down the brim in an attempt to get rid of that 'unauthentic' edge binding.
Most ignorance is willful and sometimes it ruins historically priceless items.

But not all is doom and gloom. One bright spot is that more people will become interested in history because of these movies. With more vintage-inspired movies on the silver screen the more vintage enthusiasts we see. And maybe they will turn the tide against the historical ignorance. Inviting new folks into the hobby is always fun; helping them learn and understand the past is even better.

So maybe the movies are important, at least to a certain extent. While they may help many people remain ignorant they also bring others out into the light of historical knowledge.

And that is indeed a good thing.