Strollers gone - why?

[Costi]

I acquired the difficult knack of cultivating indoor gardenias in the UK (now they grow in a sheltered position out of the sun in our garden here)

Splendid idea - I thought about it, too, some time ago and got dissuaded by a florist who scared me off with how difficult and sensitive they are. I love them nonetheless and think a white, fresh, slightly fragrant Gardenia is an excellent choice if anything is to decorate a gentleman's lapel.

[storeynicholas]

Now that we can grow them outdoors, it is less difficult but, if it helps, to grow them indoors might I say that it is necessary to keep the soil moist but not saturated; make sure that the atmosphere is warm and humid; they like acidic soil and shade not full sun; and they also require a slight night-time fall in temperature; check regularly for scale insects and spray with insecticide to destroy any. These tips I have picked up from various sources over about 30 years and, if all combined together, you will stand a reasonable chance of some a good results. The first bloom which we grew outside our house here was 4 inches across - too big for a buttonhole - but what a sight!
NJS

[Costi]

Many thanks for such competent advice. Armed with the results of your experience, I will at least give it a try and hope for the best!

[storeynicholas]

Not at all and good luck with it!
NJS

[Guille]

Well, after all, it is not a surprise for me to learn that Sator wears the stroller to work.

OK I admit it... I drop the boutonnière for work. As for the rest, nobody even blinks an eye.

Probably that is because they see you wearing a doubl-breasted odd joacket, that looks like part of a suit but that you have matched with striped trousers. That's it. The grand majority of people do not know what a stroller is nor do they have the knowledge to recognise that what you are wearing is semi-formal daywear.

But hey, are you wearng a double-breasted waistcoat under your doubl-breasted stroller jacket? It seems to me that it is the case. But in that case, I was right in the Anonymous Forum, because if Sator does it it must be right. So who was singing 'C'? Was it Concordia, Cordovan...?

In the movies of the 1920's and 1930's doctors were often portrayed in formal day clothes. This is especially so with films taking place in the "smart" sections of town.

Do you mean movies FROM the 20s and 30s or movies ON the 20s and 30s (movies from later periods based on those times)? Could you give some examples (not only when doctors wear formal clothes, but films depicting formal clothes in general; I know a bunch based on those times which depict formal clothes, but I always want to increase my list)?

[Costi]

So who was signing 'C'? Was it Concordia, Cordovan...?

It was (and always is) yours truly.

[storeynicholas]

The British - Doctor In The House/ At Sea comic films of the 1950s-1960s starred James Robertson Justice as a senior surgeon and he was decked out in what I now understand by many to be called a 'stroller' outfit; although I have to say, for the benefit of any who believe that it is called this in all countries, that, in the UK, it is just called a black jacket ([/i]sic and striped trousers. There was a time, extending even into the late 1970s, when many metropolitan professional men still wore this outfit - barristers, solicitors, medicos and so forth. Until fairly recently, there were still some old timers at the criminal Bar who stuck to this outfit. The last profession to let it go more or less wholesale was probably the criminal Bar. However, in some good hotels, the management and some reception staff still wear it. Bowlers (English), derbies (American-English) or (as James Lock would call them coke hats) and homburgs - the proper hats with this short morning dress - went the way of all flesh by the 1980s too - largely as a result of certain gentlemen in the city, responsible for financial disasters, who went into virtual hiding - and part of that entailed ditching the uniform, so that they would not be whistled at (or worse) in the street. Stock jobbers still wore black silk toppers in the streets of the city of London (often with this sort of rig) until the mid 1980s - badges of office and for easy identification - now also stopped too.
NJS

[HappyStroller]

Interesting point regarding the sartorial impact of financial downturns. Perhaps this explains the trend towards extinction of the frock coat, the morning dress, the evening dress, the black tie and even the lounge suit, including its present-day business version, in the West.

On the other hand, when an economy becomes more and more prosperous, the people who were originally very poor starts to adopt better dress. E.g., in East Asia, the lounge suit, then black tie, dress hats, smoking jackets, perhaps white tie next and even the frock coat further up the road. Savile Row branches in Beijing and Shanghai coming soon?

...<snipped>... this short morning dress - went the way of all flesh by the 1980s too - largely as a result of certain gentlemen in the city, responsible for financial disasters, who went into virtual hiding - and part of that entailed ditching the uniform, so that they would not be whistled at (or worse) in the street. Stock jobbers still wore black silk toppers in the streets of the city of London (often with this sort of rig) until the mid 1980s - badges of office and for easy identification - now also stopped too.
NJS[/i]

[RWS]

. . . . [W]hen an economy becomes more and more prosperous, the people who were originally very poor starts to adopt better dress. . . . the lounge suit, then black tie, dress hats, smoking jackets, perhaps white tie next and even the frock coat further up the road. . . .

The Hartford Symphony Orchestra last night was conducted by a Canadian visitor, Tania (Tatiana?) Miller. The members of the orchestra have always worn white tie (though the more slobbish men among them now skip a waistcoat and substitute penny loafers or worse for pumps); as women have been admitted, they've shown up in everything and anything black, from evening gowns to sweatsuits. So it was a pleasant surprise to see that this young woman conducter wore -- a high-necked frock coat! It really looked quite good on her slender frame.

[HappyStroller]

Because the ladies have prospered and the Imperial Canadian dollar is now worth one buck? Since last year, there were quite a few mainland Chinese conductors wearing White Tie.

[RWS]

Because the ladies have prospered and the Imperial Canadian dollar is now worth one buck?

I doubt that Miss Miller's choice had anything to do with the economy. Rather (I might suppose), she was historically aware (as better classical musicians often are) and had good aesthetic judgment (or so we Loungers might say, mightn't we?)

Since last year, there were quite a few mainland Chinese conductors wearing White Tie.

'Good to know that such Western affectation no longer merits hand crushing or worse! May the bad old days of Mao masquerading as a liberator and criminal repression as "cultural revolution" never return to any land.

[storeynicholas]

Here, here - from whereso'e'er!!! Indeed - from everywhere, here, here!!!!!!!!
NJS.

[HappyStroller]

I wish I could drink to that, Sir, but, IIRC, it was reported in the outside press that a conservative Red Chinese official spoke out against Western cultural influences only last year. I don't think he was referring to the original Marxist--Leninist-Stalinist ideology or the religions of the 4 Wise Men of the West.

So in the meantime, I'll just stroll serendipitously along the modernized streets of post-Socialism-without-Chinese-characteristics Shanghai, whistling silently some of my favourite tunes, such as 'The Moon represents my heart" or "The Plum Blossom".

...<snipped>...

Since last year, there were quite a few mainland Chinese conductors wearing White Tie.

'Good to know that such Western affectation no longer merits hand crushing or worse! May the bad old days of Mao masquerading as a liberator and criminal repression as "cultural revolution" never return to any land.

[Mark Seitelman]

y

In the movies of the 1920's and 1930's doctors were often portrayed in formal day clothes. This is especially so with films taking place in the "smart" sections of town.

Do you mean movies FROM the 20s and 30s or movies ON the 20s and 30s (movies from later periods based on those times)? Could you give some examples (not only when doctors wear formal clothes, but films depicting formal clothes in general; I know a bunch based on those times which depict formal clothes, but I always want to increase my list)?

Some random films:

1. "So This is Paris"--Silent film directed by Ernst Lubitsch. Monte Blue played a Parisian physician.

2. "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town"--1930's film directed by Frank Capra. The Vienesse "expert" psychiatrist at the climatic sanity trial wears a cutaway.

3. "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"--1930;s film directed by Frank Capra. Senator Smith wears a cutaway to a daytime party.

4. "The Maltese Falcon"--1940's film directed by John Huston. Sidney Greenstreet wears a cutaway.

5. "The Lavender Hill Mob"--1950's film. Alex Guiness, a minor clerk in the Bank of England, wears a stroller and bowler as does the executives in the Bank.

6. "April in Paris"--1950's film. Ray Bolger is an American diplomat, and he and his boss, Paul Harvey, wear striped trouser.

7. "A Woman of Paris"--Silent film directed by Charles Chaplin. Adolphe Menjou wears formal day clothes.

[yachtie]

Gross affectation? Bizarre anachronism? Eccentric costume? Or simply classically stylish and thoroughly pragmatic?

I'll go with the lattermost choice.

These days, in the US at least, it'd be looked at as a very formal sportcoat. Especially if the trousers were a lighter grey or checked.(That's the impression I get when I wear my DB sportcoats generally).

Sator, how do you like the DB waistcoat/ DB jacket combination? Does it wear very warm? I like the look although I've been doing SB vests with my DB's.