The George Hahn Show

It's been a while, and I've neglected my website and podcast. Things are finally settling down and I'm getting my bearings after a crazy (but fantastic) summer. Between a new job, a lot of travel, family dynamics and big life adjustments, I talk about everything that's been going on in this episode...

In the wake of the weak sartorial turnout at this year's Tony Awards, I decided not to write yet another piece about the sad state of affairs as it pertains to good black tie, particularly at awards shows. Instead, I decided to publish a "Black Tie 101" piece that outlines all the components of bulletproof black tie. How NOT to fuck it up, basically.

Link: http://georgehahn.com/2014/06/15/black-tie-101/

A reader added a comment to the article addressing three excellent issues about black tie. The first was about waiting until he gets an actual invitation to a formal event to have his tailor create a dinner jacket for him; the second had to do with the endangered cummerbund; and his third topic had to do with cufflinks. It was a great comment on the post, which I address in this episode of the podcast.

In the wake of the weak sartorial turnout at this year's Tony Awards, I decided not to write yet another piece about the sad state of affairs as it pertains to good black tie, particularly at awards shows. Instead, I decided to publish a "Black Tie 101" piece that outlines all the components of bulletproof black tie. How NOT to fuck it up, basically.

Link: http://georgehahn.com/2014/06/15/black-tie-101/

A reader added a comment to the article addressing three excellent issues about black tie. The first was about waiting until he gets an actual invitation to a formal event to have his tailor create a dinner jacket for him; the second had to do with the endangered cummerbund; and his third topic had to do with cufflinks. It was a great comment on the post, which I address in this episode of the podcast.

Indochino is a company that makes high-quality affordable made-to-measure suits online. I've written about them on the blog many times. Recently, they sent out an email blast with a pretty detailed graphic that illustrated what goes into each of their suits, illustrating specific elements about the fabric, the materials and the construction.

As I looked at the graphic, it occurred to me that not only was the company being very transparent about the construction of their merchandise, but that the email was an obvious response to a growing number of men who are actually interested in this information.

My father was a very well-dressed man who took great pride in his Brooks Brothers suits, but I am certain that he and most men of his generation were not only unaware of these kinds of details, but also probably weren’t that interested. They just trusted.

With the rise of the tailored suit today, in the wake of "Mad Men," Daniel Craig as Bond, "Suits" and other cultural influences like Twitter and geeky men’s bloggers like me, men seem more curious, interested and discerning than ever when it comes to the details (inside and out) of what they wear. Complementing that interest is the pressure on brands to be more transparent and forthcoming about how their garments are built.

At the end of the episode, I recommend a fabulous film trilogy from the New Wave era by legendary filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni. This "trilogy on modernity and its discontents" includes L'Avventura (1960), La Notte (1961) and L'Eclisse (1962). They are part of the Criterion Collection and available for streaming on Hulu Plus. Check them out.

Indochino is a company that makes high-quality affordable made-to-measure suits online. I've written about them on the blog many times. Recently, they sent out an email blast with a pretty detailed graphic that illustrated what goes into each of their suits, illustrating specific elements about the fabric, the materials and the construction.

As I looked at the graphic, it occurred to me that not only was the company being very transparent about the construction of their merchandise, but that the email was an obvious response to a growing number of men who are actually interested in this information.

My father was a very well-dressed man who took great pride in his Brooks Brothers suits, but I am certain that he and most men of his generation were not only unaware of these kinds of details, but also probably weren’t that interested. They just trusted.

With the rise of the tailored suit today, in the wake of "Mad Men," Daniel Craig as Bond, "Suits" and other cultural influences like Twitter and geeky men’s bloggers like me, men seem more curious, interested and discerning than ever when it comes to the details (inside and out) of what they wear. Complementing that interest is the pressure on brands to be more transparent and forthcoming about how their garments are built.

At the end of the episode, I recommend a fabulous film trilogy from the New Wave era by legendary filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni. This "trilogy on modernity and its discontents" includes L'Avventura (1960), La Notte (1961) and L'Eclisse (1962). They are part of the Criterion Collection and available for streaming on Hulu Plus. Check them out.

Spring is springing, job submissions are tanking, taxes are taxing and I have to move. The time is ripe for reinvention.

At 43, I'm embarking on what feels like my seventh career. I've been an actor, a waiter, a bartender, a web designer, a writer and a consultant, with brief stints as an editor, a stylist and a car cleaner (if you count high school jobs). The less than stellar 2013 combined with the current economic climate of the middle class has me oddly optimistic. (Weird, I know.) After offering the virtual Swiss army knife that is my odd skill set for the benefit of others for years, the full focus will go into the website, which, up to now, has been an enthusiastic half-measure.

Among other things, I'm particularly looking forward to the future of this podcast, which will feature meaningful and relevant conversations with other men who have found success and contentment after their own reinventions. I want to learn about how they did it - what frightened them, what inspired them, what motivated them - and how it's working now.

When you reinvent, you cannot be afraid to fail. It's in the brochure about growth. My own trip has been a series of failures and successes, big and small. This begins another leg of the journey. So I'm traveling light and looking forward to it.

Thanks for listening.

George

Also...

"10 Reasons You Have To Quit Your Job In 2014" by James Altucher

Spring is springing, job submissions are tanking, taxes are taxing and I have to move. The time is ripe for reinvention.

At 43, I'm embarking on what feels like my seventh career. I've been an actor, a waiter, a bartender, a web designer, a writer and a consultant, with brief stints as an editor, a stylist and a car cleaner (if you count high school jobs). The less than stellar 2013 combined with the current economic climate of the middle class has me oddly optimistic. (Weird, I know.) After offering the virtual Swiss army knife that is my odd skill set for the benefit of others for years, the full focus will go into the website, which, up to now, has been an enthusiastic half-measure.

Among other things, I'm particularly looking forward to the future of this podcast, which will feature meaningful and relevant conversations with other men who have found success and contentment after their own reinventions. I want to learn about how they did it - what frightened them, what inspired them, what motivated them - and how it's working now.

When you reinvent, you cannot be afraid to fail. It's in the brochure about growth. My own trip has been a series of failures and successes, big and small. This begins another leg of the journey. So I'm traveling light and looking forward to it.

Thanks for listening.

George

Also...

"10 Reasons You Have To Quit Your Job In 2014" by James Altucher

Online custom clothing for men is booming. We have more handsome, well-made, workable and affordable options for full custom clothing than ever before, which is wonderful… in theory.

In this episode of the podcast, I talk about a hidden pitfall in the online custom clothing world - a pitfall that puts too many design options in the hands of non-designers, i.e. us. While it’s a nice idea to be able to choose your collars, cuffs, fabric, color, thread and button options, an inexperienced customer without the guidance of a seasoned professional could end up creating a mess.

Without an understanding of things like color, proportion, fabric and fit as they relate to the unique needs and qualities of the customer (hair color, eye color, skin tone, height, weight, width, posture, lifestyle, etc.), full, unfettered custom options invite an uneducated and unsupervised customer to design a real disaster.

I recently made my very first purchase from eBay. Ever. (I know.) I forwent any bidding nonsense, because I seriously don't have the energy for it. Taking the "Buy Now" option, I bought a 1971 Timex Marlin for $65, and it's fabulous.

And speaking of new purchases, I pulled the trigger on custom calling cards (business cards) from Terrapin Stationers, the go-to resource for anyone looking for serious (and hilarious) cards and stationery. They were having a sale on a stack of 100 calling cards engraved in black ink on 110lb 100% cotton for $95 and I couldn't resist. I ordered them with my name in all-caps with my website address below. If I want someone to have my phone number or email address, I can write it on the card manually, adding a more personal touch.

I also bought more dress shirts from both Charles Tyrwhitt and Paul Fredrick, replacing the easy-iron garbage that I bought by mistake. Each shirtmaker makes fine, handsome and affordable shirts, with each having their own merits.

Big things. Thanks for listening.

George

I recently made my very first purchase from eBay. Ever. (I know.) I forwent any bidding nonsense, because I seriously don't have the energy for it. Taking the "Buy Now" option, I bought a 1971 Timex Marlin for $65, and it's fabulous.

And speaking of new purchases, I pulled the trigger on custom calling cards (business cards) from Terrapin Stationers, the go-to resource for anyone looking for serious (and hilarious) cards and stationery. They were having a sale on a stack of 100 calling cards engraved in black ink on 110lb 100% cotton for $95 and I couldn't resist. I ordered them with my name in all-caps with my website address below. If I want someone to have my phone number or email address, I can write it on the card manually, adding a more personal touch.

I also bought more dress shirts from both Charles Tyrwhitt and Paul Fredrick, replacing the easy-iron garbage that I bought by mistake. Each shirtmaker makes fine, handsome and affordable shirts, with each having their own merits.

Big things. Thanks for listening.

George