What We Will Learn

I was blessed to go through an incredible line of public schools. My high school is admired for its academic and athletic accolades but has long been infamous for its snobbishness. The resentment is unfortunate, but I admit, some of it has been earned. We were always the rich and preppy kids, the true tale of the Preppy Handbook (though I hadn't heard if it at the time). If you've read my first post, you'll know I wasn't among the collar-popping masses.

I tried to be as time went on, but I never quite felt like them. I had no car, no trust fund, no membership at the country club and no lodge at the ski resort. My father always had that classic, traditional substance without the accompanying bank account. I learned it all from him and have continued to grow.

My friends, the ones I was formerly so envious of, have stopped growing. They play it safe. They stick to the daily - a Ralph Lauren polo and chinos/jeans and boat shoes. These guys haven't heard of Brooks Brothers, and they certainly haven't heard of Paul Stuart, Gant or J.Press. Their days consist of some school and a lot of sleeping and drinking.

Obviously, I'm a fan of Ralph but I go beyond that. And obviously life isn't about fashion, it's about substance - the substance that resonates from my father. From my father I learned what true class is.

Christmas: circa 1993

A litte, dandy me in 1993.

All life should be a meritocracy.