Chic Nostalgia: Let's Bring Back ...

Back by popular demand, my third 'Let's Bring Back ... " column.

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Let's Bring Back ...

1. Double-features. Perfect for long, rainy November afternoons, and for prolonging first-date make-out sessions. Let's also bring back pre-feature cartoon shorts!

2. Dressing nicely for travel and dinner. Because these days, going to restaurants and airports is an aesthetic nightmare.

Cabaret, 1972

3. Satirical political cabarets. The comeback of burlesque is perfectly delicious, but let's take it a step further. As we all know, sex and politics are a time-hallowed, natural mix. So let's bring that mix back to the stage, Liza-style.

4. Hobbies. And collections. Book collecting. Butterfly collecting. Bee keeping. Whatever. Hobbies are quaint, and it's nice to do something in which the process is the pleasure.

5. Three-piece suits. On men and women. Because they just look so smart.

Jackie Kennedy during her husband's presidential campaign

6. Foreign languages. Learning French used to be an absolute prerequisite for cultured American women. Jackie Kennedy campaigned and entertained for her husband in both French and Spanish. Ask for Rosetta Stone for Christmas. Your chicness quota will skyrocket.

7. Game night. Scrabble, bridge, poker, whatever. A friend of mine points out that game nights used to serve as wonderful occasions to get soused and gossip and argue. And it does get so dreadfully boring to go to yet another couple-y restaurant dinner.

8. Old-fashioned Frigidaires. They are just so damn stylish. You just expect to open that heavy door and find ice-cold bottles of beer and yummy Betty Crocker icebox cakes inside.

9. Vintage cocktails. Today's far-fetched confection cocktails suck. I don't know about you, but I find the idea of a watermelon martini to be rather sickening. There's nothing like a good, manly Manhattan, or a crisp gin and tonic. I'm partial to Shirley Temples myself.

10. Baby bonnets. Soft, satin ones in white or pink. It's probably best to leave them off the boys, though. They'll hate you for it later.

The pocketwatch: Curiouser and curiouser

11. Pocketwatches. Preferably an heirloom. It will make you look wonderfully old-world and curious. Plus, it removes the watch as a dull, ubiquitous status symbol.

12. Lovely, leisurely evening walks. After dinner, just a stroll around the neighborhood. Because window-peeping is always better at night.

13. Suspenders. Men in rolled up shirtsleeves and suspenders are hot.

14. Daisies. Like modern cocktails, modern flower arrangements can be so overwrought. It's so lovely to get an innocent, cheerful bouquet of daisies.

15. Intelligent opinioneering, which does not resort to personal attacks, and which is not solely in the service of shameless self-promotion.

Comments

[amberglow]

Great list, but you obviously don't fly economy--any nice clothes will need pressing after a flight because of the tiny seats and from rubbing against the seat in front--not to mention the security theater nonsense with shoes and jackets. (i'm built small and narrow and i don't have enough room--i can't imagine how average and all the bigger Americans fit)

[Maplebird]

Bravo - ce sont des suggestions merveilleuses.

Speaking of aesthetic nightmares in public places, let's bring back the tradition of wearing beautiful undergarments. It's far better to accidentally see a flash of beautiful lace or satin than a flash of someone else's private parts.

[rgriego]

Ahhh, dressing up for travel and such, that would be nice, it makes seemingly everyday events an "occassion". I have pictures of me and my siblings at Disneyland circa 1969 in full regalia; little pressed suit for my brother and matching dresses for me and my sister, damn we were snappy and we were as appropriately dressed for the occasion as Mickey in his coat and tails. When Pan Am was still around we traveled overseas in our best outfits, my dad wore a suit and tie and the flight attendants wore cool little uniforms, not khakis and polo shirts. These days I am appalled when I go to the Santa Fe Opera (opening night, mind you)and people are dressed in jeans and t-shirts. The first play I went to, with my high school english class, we all got dressed up like we were going to the prom, it was super fun. I guess it's official, I am turning into an old curmudgeon...ahhh those were the days...

[mwissot]

This column always makes me happy--I'm going to get my hubby some suspenders. Colonne stupéfiante !

[truth101]

BRING BACK MONTY PYTHON IN PLACE OF TUCKER

[truth101]

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES BRING BACK THE SPICE GIRLS

[truth101]

BRING BACK TH BEATLES

[truth101]

those were the days
we thought theyd never end

[truth101]

bring back graspes for 34 cents a pound

[truth101]

bring back surplus stores with cool jackets for
two dollars

[truth101]

bring back parking at the arrow overlooking LA

[truth101]

bring back climbing the pyramid and having lunch
at the top

[truth101]

bring back the 1959 chevy
...and the mga
wow

[truth101]

what ever happened to stamp collecting

[truth101]

bring back 77 sunset strip and that blond babe