Monday, May 14, 2012

A Mode of Living - History part I

Word of the day - "Pensive": I was born in new orleans and moved to london when i was 22 years old (more on that later). I think that travel has always been a substitute for my formal education and I have always had a mad desire to see how this world ticks. Saying that, music has always been my staff to guide me. It is my lifeline and through music it has opened my eyes to love, art, film, photography, fashion and style. I remember a quote saying without art we merely exists? One could question is it love or art that makes us live? I am too naive to answer that, but i try to incorporate both into my daily existence.

Growing up in a city like New Orleans (at it's lowest about 400k and it's best 700k). It is a "big" small city. It is international but very much a southern US city. I think the international charm and french and spanish influence sets it apart from the likes of Mobile and Gulfport. It might be the equivalent to Monaco but on the "redneck riviera".

I think that life, art and travel tend to mould people into who they are and what they become and my work experience has guided my style decisions. For those not priveledged to grow up with servants or a Mayfair/Park Place/Bel Air post code then fine style comes through experience and trial and error...i have worked in high end restaurants, learned to make fancy cocktails and pair wines with certain dishes. I appreciate special 1er wines from certain regions and how many buttons to button on my suit jackets. As one gets older, i think you can bend these basic rules and forge them into your own style and chararcter...

For instance: i prefer red wine with most meals unless i am in the middle of summer and have a very good Montrachet slightly chilled. I eat fish and shell fish with red wine and do not feel guilty. I prefer brown shoes with my suits, rather than black, which i feel is severe and should be kept for weddings and funerals. Maybe that is an italian philosophy? In the UK and the Nordic countries, I have noticed that more men wear black shoes with their business attire...? I know the old rule: "black in the city and brown in the country", but i feel that black shoes leave no imagination, even if they are finely crafted, as they're are some lovely black shoes available today, but for me it feels more like a chore or uniform. Maybe i feel it lacks individuality and expression? When i was in my 20's, i would almost always wear black shoes with EVERYTHING. How one changes...? Again, those who only drink white wine with fish and wear black shoes with business suits are not wrong, but maybe slightly confined to "the rules".

From Millwall with luv.

No comments:

Post a Comment