Welcome to “Two Dopes Two Nopes,” where we highlight cool things (dope) and not-so-cool things (nope) across style and culture. Let’s jam.
DOPES
1) Khakis
In the mid-19th century, a British Lieutenant named Harry Lumdsen was stationed in India, and Harry was hot. Harry was too hot.
So he swapped his wool shirt and pants for cotton pajamas and dyed them with mud for camouflage. The result was a lighter, more breathable uniform and a morale boost for the boys. Harry called them ‘khakis’ which comes from the Hindi word for ‘dust-colored.’
Chinos appeared fifty years later, when pants were produced for soldiers in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. ‘Chino’ means ‘Chinese’ in Spanish because these khaki uniforms were made from cotton twill, and most cotton was imported from China at the time (is that PC?).
Fast-forward to the end of WW2 as American soldiers returned home to college campuses and repurposed khakis and chinos for everyday use. They wore Khakis to class, on the quad, and on the weekends, and eventually these pants became a staple of American prep wear.
I’m telling you this story for a few reasons:
1) Khakis are cool and they always have been, so don’t let any turbos tell you otherwise. They are steeped in military history. Steeped in it.
2) I don't know if post-WW2 American style was cooler than today’s, but people did more with less, and that is cool.
3) Some of the greatest discoveries are the result of making simple observations in extraordinary circumstances (nothing to back that up, but it feels right).
4) Let’s not give Harry too much credit because anyone with a brain would realize that wearing a wool jacket in India is an insane move.
Style Tip: if you’re new to the Khaki-game, Polo Ralph Lauren is undefeated in terms of fit and quality (Polo Salinger Straight Fit Chino Pant). If you’re on the fence, try the Buck Mason’s Roper Twill Ford Standard Jean. They look like chinos but wear like your favorite, broken-in jeans.
2) Alligators
“I will have to remember ‘I am here today to cross the swamp, not to fight all the alligators.’”
- From The Art of Possibility
In work and life, it’s easy to get distracted by what is fair or unfair, what you think is reasonable, or what you think you deserve. This is a reminder to control what we can and stay focused on the goal.
The message is easy to understand, intellectually, but hard to practice, which is part of the appeal. Simple, but not easy. It requires discipline. You can fight these MF’ing alligators every day and every day is an opportunity to improve.
Ryan Holiday's book Discipline is Destiny has a chapter called "Fight the Provocation" and a great story about Arthur Ashe, on a similar topic. Check it out.
(That's two Ace Ventura 2 gifs in one blog post)
NOPES
1) Flipped-Up Brims
We know that cyclists -- of the Tour de France variety -- prioritize function over form. Their hats have a short brim to accommodate the head-tilted-down position when riding, and the brim can be further flipped for a better field of vision. They are lightweight and absorb sweat. I get it.
In researching for this article (googling), I was surprised to learn that bikers -- of the Harley variety -- flip their brims for the same reason. I just assumed that these were random dudes from inland California, drinking Monster (black can, green logo), stroking their soul patches at a motocross competition or Alien Ant Farm concert. I was wrong. *Quick plug for the song "Movies" by Alien Ant Farm. Awesome.
As for the style, I don't get it. Yes, it's cool to see practicality, style, and culture blend together, and if you're part of the biker community, then all right, fine. But at some point it doesn't make sense to wear a hat with a flipped up brim. If you want to show the world that you ride, you might as well wear a helmet everywhere like Darth Vader.
2) Freestyling in a Group Workout Class
With age comes group workout classes. Some people prefer to exercise alone, while others feed off the energy, convenience, and community of a Crossfit, F45, or Barry's Bootcamp. Either way, it's all good.
What we don't feed off of, however, is the guy who does whatever the f**k he wants in a group class. The 'freestyler.' Yesterday, for example, during an ab crunch section of the workout, one guy walked his feet up on the wall and executed some kind of praying mantis handstand stretch. He also wore a towel around his neck as if he teleported from an early 90's locker room.
I understand that he paid for this class. I understand that in America we are entitled to certain freedoms. But for the love of God please follow the instructions. The coaches took the time to design and teach the workout so unless you're pregnant or injured, have some respect. It's also distracting and now I'm angry.
Lastly, the rest period and hydration breaks are for rest and hydration, not to show thirty people that you can keep exercising. Had you pushed yourself hard enough during the actual workout, you might need some rest.
And he were are, fighting the alligators, again.
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Have a great week, friends, and #keepittucked.
