AesopFan: Indeed.

I am sure those managing the Coop and Rice U are making a statement to allow those steps to wear so noticeably.

Even when I was in my twenties and preferred the world to be made as new as I was, I liked those steps.

Age lends a certain stately beauty to some buildings.

I am familiar with the steps. They were practically scooped out.

And me being me, they used to make me think of this line from “Romeo and Juliet” in which Romeo speaks of Juliet: “Oh, so light a foot/Will ne’er wear out the everlasting flint.” The line always puzzled me because, if the flint is “everlasting,” then NO foot, even a heavy one, would wear it out.

Does no one remember those worn steps?

They jumped out at me the first time I went to the Coop. Each step was worn down more than a quarter-inch in the center where generations of Cantabrigian shoes had trod.

I had never encountered that before in stairs. Still haven’t.

PA Cat on July 30, 2020 at 12:07 pm said:

Brooks Brothers had that feel of Tradition, as well as quality, like those worn stone steps leading to the upper floors of the Harvard Coop.

For some of us, it was J. Press and the Yale Coop.”

Geez. I had forgotten completely about “J Press”.

I think that they would themselves admit that they were not an exact or even near equivalent to Brooks Brothers, but more of a niche line. Yet they certainly do have an authentic preppy style that will appeal to many, many young and even not so young men. Looking at their site, I see that they claim to have been the originators of the natural shoulder jacket. And for that alone they have earned the thanks of many millions of men who might never have even heard of them. Then there is Madrass, seersucker, linen …

As Brooks Brothers spiraled downward, I went off in search of other makes and found the usual like Land’s End, as well as newer on-line brands set at roughly similar price points to Brooks such as Proper Cloth, and Paul Fredrick [I’m not in the market for 700 dollar shirts made in Switzerland] . The former seems to be seriously promoting informed buying; and they have an expanding selection from what I first took, a couple three years ago, to be strictly American product made to order. Now they are selling awning stripe Portuguese flannel and Irish and Italian linen shirts and all that other specialty stuff that will trick you out like Brian Wilson in 1965. The latter brand [P.F.], is cut roomier, for shrinkage they say, and that style and that cut suites me just fine personally.

I had forgotten too, about Gant, which was one I dredged up from the memory hole; as it was what we were wearing in Junior High School. I looked them up.

Apparently the Swedes now own the brand. And some of the stuff looks pretty good; online at least. Until that is you see it on the beardless, wan, pouting, androgynous, slouching semi-males they have modeling their shirts. Whereupon the brand conveys the same yuk factor which Benetton and Calvin Klein became famous for. You take one look at them and you want to shove the heroin syringe in their necks yourself.

I think I’ll buy a broad vertical stripe short sleeved shirt just for spite. Thanks for the incidental recommendation, Neo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boCJJQqVWkE

I have no problem with people who choose to go to nudist camps. Enjoy. But from my perspective, the vast majority of people look better clothed in something designed to make them look better. The current craze for yoga pants on women whose fundaments would look much better in khakis or gracefully draped skirts is a case in point.