Countess Jeanne Please visit Elegant Survival Blog for the Latest Survival Tips from Countess Jeanne Announcing my New Page: Elegant, Low-Cost Décor (See Menu at Top) Countess Jeanne is Pleased to Present... ...a distinguished fellow and published author who has always been known as an elegant dresser, Le Boulevardier will be writing a column here at CountessJeanne.com. A lifetime member of Boodles in London, an English-speaker and Francophone born in Scandinavia who has lived all over the world, Le Boulevardier will write about the current state of menswear.  Pictured in Paris, 1990 Copyright Countess JeanneThe Original International Man of MysteryLe Boulevardier THE LOWDOWN ON THE SKINNY Westerners are fortunate to live in free societies: wear what you want, but know how you look…. I loathe the new trend that forces men of all shapes into slim-fitting jackets and trousers made for tall, lean mannequins who do not resemble you and me. Blame Tom Ford, the influential designer who revived the warring House of Gucci with his slim, “sexy” styles. Ford has good taste and a trim body that looks good in the things he creates. But his clothes leave no room for expression, since the average fellow cannot sausage himself into the stuff without gut-crushing discomfort. I am somewhere between fifty and death, weigh 190 pounds, at a dizzying height of 5 feet 9 inches. And though I was once a soldier with a reputation for fitness and durability, like all men in their middle years, I have slightly expanded through the mid-section—and this despite a regular training regimen. My friends and acquaintances suffer the same development. And yet among these, several insist on cramming themselves into clothes designed for twenty-two-year-old amazons. There are few sights more depressing than middle-aged men bulging above the hips, in the new low-waist trousers; and when a fellow adds an idiotically tight jacket to the mix, the visible expanse of shirt below whatever button is fastened contributes pathos where none is wanted. When I think of persons admired for their skinny style, Mick Jagger always comes to mind. Good old Mick, with his huge head and tiny body--a rock icon whose band hired the Hell’s Angels to provide security at Altamont Raceway in December of ’69, the moral equivalent of bringing aboard the Imperial Wizard of the Mississippi Klan to provide counseling for persons unsure of their racial attitudes. Now, contrast the likes of Big-Head-Tiny-Body-Skinny-Suit-Wearing-Mick with the tweedy opulence of Gary Cooper or Cary Grant: would you prefer to be shrink-wrapped or draped? Time has come to dial back the madness. Gentlemen wear clothes that fit without constriction. Modern life is undignified enough without adding another layer of absurdity—airline travel provides all the absurdity you will ever need. I propose a happy medium, where trousers loosely follow the lines of the body, are worn on the natural waist, to avoid shirt coming-out parties at every turn, and where jackets sit comfortably on the shoulders, instead of bunching from a paucity of cloth in chest and back. The degree of waist suppression is up to the individual, of course, but too-short jackets are the work of the devil. Why rob yourself of precious inches to expose your posterior? Thom Browne, the cutting-edge New York fashion designer, has inspired Brooks Brothers to launch a new line of skimpy suits and separates modeled on his own. And though Thom certainly believes in the value of his high-water pants and boy’s department jackets for adults, the passage of time will ultimately rob his delusional customers, because dopey confections fade away, while true style endures. Think back to the 1980s and those ghastly football pad shoulders worn with narrow lapels…. The slim orthodoxy championed by magazines like GQ and Men’s Vogue is tomorrow’s laughable excess. Be different: wear elegantly-shaped clothes that follow the lines of your body with unrestrictive fluidity. Life is too short to be small.  ~~Le Boulevardier~~ Copyright Countess Jeanne.com October 26th, 2007 All Rights Reserved The Elegant, Do-It-Yourself Drinks Party Health-Alert: Staphylococcus Aureus October 17th, 2007 (I've been writing about this for two years) Familiarize Yourself with Dr. D'Adamo's Blood-Type Diet: His New Book, The Genotype Diet, Will Be Out in December Tasteful Clothes for Ladies Make a Comeback For years, I have written about structured, feminine clothing, lamenting two mysteriously long-lived fashion atrocities: waist-free trousers and skirts, and what we used to call "highwaters"--pajama pants that don't reach the ankles. These two disfiguring styles, worn everywhere by fashion-victims from all walks of life, have seen their day. Now, I don't work for the Vogue company, but as the photo here shows, women are once again clamoring for traditional clothes. A recent visit to the sewing shop revealed that every major pattern company has a line of retrograde classics. A very wise thing to do, if one doesn't sew, is to choose a pattern for an ensemble or dress and have a seamstress make it for you. It's the more practical alternative to visiting a "bespoke" or made-to-measure house, which can become a costly nightmare. Instead, employ an individual with whom you can develop a personal relationship. Seamstresses may be located through your local sewing shop or fabric store. Have a look at the Vogue Pattern site. You will still see the low-waisted or, more accurately, the no-waisted look, but the selection of classic styles is greatly expanded. ~~M-Jeanne; August 11th, 2007 Postscript, September 29th: See the link for Bookster U.K. at the right side of this page--they can make a lady's tweed jacket for you at a very reasonable price. Hats and gloves are back--though they have always been components of my personal style, they mysteriously disappeared a few decades ago, and were no longer de rigueur. Hats protect your head, and gloves protect one's hands. In Manhattan, I walked under a pigeon. A Madison Avenue manicurist (an angel, for sure) helped me clean the mess from my head and shoulders. If only I'd remembered to wear a hat that morning! And gloves can protect your hands from dirt and germs--see The Merits of Wearing Gloves on my blog. Quotes by Countess Jeanne Your body is a temple--make sure it's not the Temple of Doom. A wrinkled sack of skin on some all-too-visible bones can turn stomachs instead of heads. Beware of Splay-Foot and Shorty-Pants ~~Copyright Countess Jeanne 
See My Bread Recipe in Cuisine. Photo Copyright Countess Jeanne, 2007 Countess Jeanne with Bookster Jacket and Santa Fe Walking Stick Dalmatian Ebony Hand-Carved Walking Stick, by Santa Fe Sticks Jacket by Bookster UK/Tweed Jacket.com Photo Copyright Santa Fe Sticks 2008
Introducing Proper Ollie
Together with standards of dress, manners have taken a nose-dive. These short videos are amusing, but so true. Don't let the person being laughed at or hit with a brickbat be you!  A good use for hat boxes or hat cases is to store scarves and gloves in them--I keep the scarves and gloves in separate hat boxes.  Photos copyright Countess Jeanne, 2008 Storing Your Scarves and Gloves, by Countess Jeanne
|
Catherine of Finland I devised an elegant, quick soup for a recent luncheon. I'm presenting it here as an Easter gift to you. Potage Printanier aux Petits Pois appears on the Cuisine and Culture page.Remember Billy Crystal as Fernando Llamas on Saturday Night Live? His theme was "It is better to look good than to feel good--and you look MARVELOUS!"
Feeling good is important. When you look as well as you can, it has a mind-over-matter effect that can boost your spirits and thus enhance your physical well-being.In these pages, I will be posting my own writing about beauty, dressing well, health, and cuisine. I will give tips on women's fashions for various body-types. One of my favorite themes is that it doesn't take loads of money to maximize one's beauty potential. Anyone can afford to look glamorous without gilding the lily too much. Good, old-fashioned clothing with lots of luxurious fabric can do wonders for your psyche. And never mind age: the old adage, "Youth is wasted on the young" may be true, but experience and knowledge give us the tools to excel at any age. Copyright 2006 Countess M-Jeanne
LET'S GET SUPERFICIAL!
Yes, appearances matter, not only to those who see you, but to you, too. If you find this a foreign concept, or don't think it is politically correct, perhaps you would be surprised if you give the idea of improving your appearance a try. It doesn't require loads of dough, just a little know-how on basic shapes and shades of things like clothing and makeup. I have seen the difference that improved outward appearance makes on people. Take the example of men, women and children in uniforms, whether they are military or school-related. The respect that they show for themselves extends to their treatment of others. I don't wish to harp here, but my husband and I have always dressed in a manner that will guarantee our acceptance in any venue. We are always prepared for any circumstances, once we leave our home. It certainly doesn't require much money to adjust one's makeup to maximize female features. Sometimes, less is more, and certain products containing oils and powders can dry and wrinkle the skin. I cover those issues on the Health and Beauty page. Let's maximize our personal beauty potential!
Cuisine and Culture
On my Cuisine and Culture page, I will be discussing food and wine, and how to dine and entertain in a Continental manner without going broke doing it. As I have said in my fashion advice section and my beauty tips writing, elegance can be achieved without spending like a sailor. After all, if you have spent less on food, you can spend more on clothes. I will be including a few of my original recipes and some very good, inexpensive wine recommendations. All of my recommendations will have been tested in our household. Fine art will be featured as well. Thanks for visiting. ~~Copyright M-Jeanne 2006~~
Countess Jeanne Recommends... The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes, by R. Andrew Gilchrist of Ask Andy--he's been featured in the New York Times, and Classic Style Magazine Fall 2007 Meet Our Friends Bookster UK: Specialists in Fine Tweeds, Custom-Made Tweed Jackets, Suits and Equestrian Wear 
Vintage and Classic British Tweeds for Ladies and Men, Elegant On-Line Shop Tweed Jacket Blog Paris Woman Journal Santa Fe Sticks: the Ultimate Elegant Survival Tools in Exotic, Rare Woods
 Nordic Design BlogKabbaz and Kelly: Fine Women's Lingerie and Hosiery (see my feature in Milady's Boudoir on The Clothes Line) Contact Countess Jeanne
Please Visit Our Friends at O'Farrell Santa Fe, the World's Best Custom Hat Makers  My Husband with O'Farrell Hat: Photo Copyright Countess Jeanne 2008
O'Farrell Santa Fe, located directly across from the world-famous La Fonda Hotel, custom makes fur felt hats for ladies and gentlemen of discerning taste. Cowboy hats are a specialty, but O'Farrell will make any style to satisfy a client's request. Fedoras, town and country trilbies, homburgs, ranchers, and gamblers are among the many elegant hats available through the shop. All work is done on the premises, by hand. And the felt itself is the best available anywhere in the world--there are two levels of fur felt, one mostly beaver, the other 100% beaver; prices start at $750 (USD), a reasonable tariff for lasting beauty and dependability. The O'Farrell hat is distinguished by the quality of hand work that goes into its construction: carefully fashioned sweatbands are stitched for a lifetime of comfortable wear; the felt is sculpted with loving attention to every detail of fit and style measurement; the shape of the crown and brim are customized to each client's exact specifications. And the fit itself is guaranteed by the novel--and wonderfully old-fashioned--use of a century-old machine that first moulds to the intended wearer's head and then creates a paper pattern that replicates the shape of his or her skull, which is both revelatory and amusing. The O'Farrell hat will last through generations of wear, which makes it a true value acquisition to serve faithfully and reliably. When you purchase an O'Farrell hat, you invest in the best!
~~Copyright Countess Jeanne, 2007
Sewing Today: Patterns Live Spanish with Don Quixote From Spain... Lanetz Living: Vintage Dress Patterns
 Photo Copyright Countess Jeanne 2007--Please Visit
Countess Jeanne's Elegant Survival Blog for Tips on Throwing an Elegant Party 
Photo Copyright Countess Jeanne 2007 Countess Jeanne's November Wine of the Month  Photo of Torres Malena Garnacha bottle copyright Countess Jeanne Torres Malena 2006: Burgundy-Colored Table Wine, Excellent with Beef Torres Malena Garnacha 2006: It's SO good, and my recommendation got so many hits, that it is not only Countess Jeanne's Wine of the Month for December, but January too!!  Maurice Chevalier at the Coronation Ball in London, 1953, drawn by Francis Marshall 
|
