Ep. 52: Back to Sartorial Stealth and More Effective Living

Not only is it possible to look better in a $500 suit than the guy who spent $5,000, but it’s also very gratifying…

That was the mantra I wrote for myself years ago when I discovered some great resources for handsome, well-made and affordable tailored clothing resources. It was pushback against the idea that glamour, sophistication, elegance and taste were somehow the exclusive privilege of people with spending power – a notion with which I firmly disagree.

In 2009, when I pivoted the blog to its current focus, it was in the wake of the 2008 crash and the Occupy Wall Street days. People were suffering. I remember thumbing through a copy of Details magazine, featuring $5,000 suits, $10/20/30,000 watches, $70/80/90,000 cars, thinking to myself “Who the fuck is this for??” Not for me or anyone I knew. The tease and flaunt of such unattainable luxury wasn’t helpful at the time, and I wanted to find other options that enabled me to look good and live well without being a millionaire or billionaire. So I coined a new term: thousandaire.

Since then, good style and effective living – albeit on the affordable spectrum – have been peripheral obsessions of mine.

As we start a new year with new hope, a new president and hopefully new opportunities for new beginnings, I want to reaffirm and reconnect with some of the values I sought when I started this venture. The original tagline of the blog was “Sartorial stealth and effective living for the self-made thousandaire.”

The ideas behind “sartorial stealth” were easy to define. Make handsome choices… Buy the best quality you can afford… A good wardrobe is an edited wardrobe… Understated is underrated… Don’t be afraid of elegance, glamour and sophistication… Things like that.

At the time, “effective living” meant mindful design choices and a lifestyle that considered the environment. Now, I’m adding to the list with things like empathy, compassion, respect for science and expertise, generosity, courtesy, good citizenship and more… all part of “effective living,” as far as I’m concerned.

So as we enter a new year with the promise of exciting possibilities on the horizon, along with a reacquaintance with ‘normal’, I’m really looking forward to exploring and sharing new discoveries as well as some old tricks that have served me well.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for listening. And Happy New Year!

Talk soon.
George

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