It might still be oppressively hot, but I’m sorry to say that psychologically, summer is over. The vibes are getting cozier. The days are getting shorter. Various culinary publications are sharing soup recipes. My son is starting to plan his Halloween costume (some kind of depraved toiletman that’s popular with puerile-minded children). Time to look back on the season with a wistful eye; an eye trained to find meaning amongst the sloppy wet chum of social media trends, T Magazine navel-gazing, and badly lit fit pics.
Besides witnessing the further decay of our social order and numerous deadly natural disasters, summer 2023 was pretty lit.
I found new pleasure in interior design, finally finished Mark Harris’s fantastic Mike Nichols biography, and drank a lot of great martinis at Capri Club. But the true highlight of my summer was embracing the neckerchief — a handkerchief or bandana wrapped around one’s neck in a rakish fashion. Reader Garrett Feldman asked me about the Hermes neckerchief I wore to my birthday party at Capri (pictured above), so I must oblige him with an answer.
I have seen a lot of people confuse the neckerchief with an ascot. These are completely different neck accessories (neck-cessories) and fill totally different roles in one’s wardrobe. I think of an ascot with more formal, Victorian-style fits. A piece I would equate with Cary Grant, Hugh Hefner, or a guy whose entire personality is connected to his boat.
To me, a neckerchief is less staid and more bohemian, artistic, or louche. It’s casually tied around one’s neck in a way that feels almost haphazard. There’s less fabric than an ascot, leaving more of your chest exposed. It’s 60s hippie rather than 50s movie star. But this subtle difference is totally lost on most people. Numerous eulogies of the late film director Peter Bogdanovich mistakenly identified his preferred neck-cessory as an ascot. As a confirmed Bogdanovich scholar, I must respond with dismay at this error.
Bogdanovich was not one to emulate for a few reasons, but stylistically he was a man for all seasons. He was somehow collegiate without ever looking fussy. Gravitas without pretension. I think the neckerchief was a significant part of Bogdanovich tipping the scales away from pure prep and into a more sophisticated milieu.
Neckerchiefs have found their way into menswear styling and lookbooks the last year, and I can’t imagine they’ll go away any time soon. A more conservative necktie is always threatening to swing back into fashion, and I certainly try my best to work a tie in here and there, but neckerchiefs are versatile, casual, and won’t ever be mistaken for boardroom attire.
I’m also very much not a jewelry guy. As the chain necklace continues to dominate the men’s accessory market, I have tried on a few occasions to get involved. But it just doesn’t suit me. The chain confers an edginess that I simply don’t possess. The neckerchief is soft, where the metal of the chain is hard. It’s dandy-esque to wear a neckerchief. Elliot Kupferberg instead of Chris Moltisanti. Embrace the trend before we all have to start wearing turtlenecks again.
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Summer’s end also means the end of patio drinks (or at least the end of them feeling novel or fun). Yes, Los Angeles weather is mild year-round. There’s no snowstorms or torrential rain (usually) to deal with, so patio drinks remain an option into the holiday season. But it’s just not the same. In tribute to the end of season, here are my favorite patios for drinks in LA. Please keep in mind, some of these are technically “sidewalk drinks,” not “patio drinks.” It’s basically the same thing:
+Michael’s in Santa Monica
+Capri Club in Eagle Rock
+Covell in Los Feliz
+Upstairs at Ace Hotel in Downtown
In every case besides Covell, which is a wine bar, you should order a gin martini, dry, with a twist. Is there any other drink?
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Lastly, if you haven’t read my two latest pieces for the LA Times’ style magazine, Image, please do so soon. I wrote about jorts (don’t like ‘em) and the Los Angeles Lakers (love ‘em).
Next time, we’ll talk about my experience being fitted for a costume in a movie that’s finally coming out in November. And maybe shoes and why I will never wear another pair of Jordans in my life. Also, please don’t forget to ask me MORE questions in our chat.
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