February 10, 2012 world of men's style / fashion / grooming RSS
“medieval times”
08/11/11
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What's What

The Code: Rules of Courtly Love

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

We’re not entirely sure how a Google search on pewter cufflinks and a series of errant mouse clicks led us to a transcript of the first (and possibly best) “self-help” book ever written for men reeling over matters of the heart. But it did.

Penned in 1184 by French poet Andreas Capellanus, The Rules of Courtly Love is simple, sound, and remains eerily relevant 900 years later. It turns out we have a lot more in common with medieval knights than we thought.

Consider the following scenario…»

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10/21/10
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The Biz

Logo Week: Brooks Brothers and the Order of the Golden Fleece

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For the thrilling conclusion of logo week, we’re tackling one of the strangest branding phenomenons we’ve ever encountered.

Somehow one of America’s foremost preppy outfitter ended up lifting their logo from an medieval chivalric order. The icon in question is the Brooks Brothers sheep. It turns out, noblemen have been wearing that lamb around their necks for upwards of half a millennium—and it sounds like the Duke of Burgundy has a pretty legitimate beef…

The story starts in Bruges in 1430»

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02/24/09
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Good Idea

Happy Tuesday

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In Medieval tradition, the Carnival is a day when the typical rules of decorum do no apply. Nobles can pass as commoners, people can paint their entire bodies green, or beads can be exchanged for moments of toplessness. Ah, tradition.

We’re more partial to the Rio festivities—as you might have guessed from our choice of pictures—if only because there’s less of a spring break feeling to the festivities, but there’s nothing wrong with the crescent city. The important thing is that no matter where you find yourself, you spend at least part of the day turning things on their head.

Don’t worry. It’ll all be back to normal tomorrow.

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01/26/09
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Dress Code

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

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There are a lot of sources for style advice, but if we had our choice, we’d skip the glossy mags, style sections, and even the blogs, and go straight for the sartorial wisdom of medieval parchments. They’re a little hard to find these days, but the advice therein is timeless.

This guide to pants may be a bit feminine for our uses, but the advice about acid-washed jeans is as true today as when it was written.

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