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Post by Bruce Partington-Plans on Nov 19, 2023 17:37:09 GMT
When I took my first tentative steps on the road of Chappism in the autumn of 2006 I had little idea of where or how far it would take me but I do remember a definite feeling of belonging and the hope that it would lead to a pleasingly enjoyable lifestyle.
Having just turned 40 I have been giving some thought to this again recently and seventeen years later I now feel genuinely content in myself as a Chap. That sense of belonging happily still persists and although I may not own a wardrobe-full of tweed suits I am satisfied with what I do have (and as many on here have said it is the tweed within, not without, that matters). I also have a leather chesterfield, two wingbacks, a wind-up gramophone, vintage typewriters and many other accoutrements that any gentleman would be proud to own. But the main thing, the most important thing is the underlying ethos of Chappism - nay, indeed, of chivalry - that these last two decades of exposure has brought out in me. I may frequently seem to get mawkish on the subject and I am by no means at the end of my journey but I just feel again the need to acknowledge Chappism's influence on my life and the happiness and sense of purpose it continues to bring me. Here's to the next seventeen years - and more!
<raises glass>
Huzzah for Chappism and being a gentleman (or lady)!
<falls back to sleep>
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Post by Bruce Partington-Plans on Nov 29, 2023 10:26:12 GMT
Although my tastes in music, film and television were already leaning towards the vintage aesthetic from an early age it wasn't until I discovered The Chap and The Sheridan Club/ the NSC that they all began to coalesce (as well introduce the fashion aspect) and slowly evolve to become an intrinsic part of my personality. I think it really boosted my confidence to find that, yes, I wasn't alone and there were others like me out there with whom I could converse about shared interests on a friendly, equal footing - as well as allowing me to explore new pathways I may never have otherwise known about. Now I feel completely comfortable in my own tweed-covered skin and am constantly reminded of the quote (mis)attributed to Churchill that "When you're 20 you care what everyone thinks. When you're 40 you stop caring what everyone thinks. When you're 60 you realise no one was ever thinking about you in the first place." It's when I think about this in relation to my life as a whole that I realise how grateful I am to Chappism as an idea for helping me to get where I am now.
My current affinity with Chappism is more with the 2006 iteration than the 2023 one, if I'm honest, as I've very much felt that for the last few years the magazine (and by extension the movement) has been straying too far from the ideals that originally drew me to it. Perhaps it would be better now for me to describe myself as a "chap with a small c", as I don't find myself chiming with as much of it as I did before. However I am still very glad it continues to exist, even in its current form.
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Post by baronsolf on Dec 22, 2023 19:52:55 GMT
Much like you Bruce, I don't have the full set so to speak of suits, items etc. It is all about the state of mind. Though like you I started out in 2007ish (we're near enough the same age at 37)tentative. But as I age I find myself becoming more and more Chap and also more chap.
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Post by Bruce Partington-Plans on Dec 28, 2023 16:55:29 GMT
Much like you Bruce, I don't have the full set so to speak of suits, items etc. It is all about the state of mind. Though like you I started out in 2007ish (we're near enough the same age at 37)tentative. But as I age I find myself becoming more and more Chap and also more chap. Well said, sir. I wouldn't be surprised if a majority of chaps started out in much the same way as ourselves. As you say chappism comes with age and is very much a mind state ("It's the tweed within rather than the tweed without that counts" as I believe Actuarius puts it! ). I do think it takes more courage to be a chap the younger you are (cf. the "Living the life" thread) as one is more at the mercy of one's peer group and people see a greater disparity between the person's age and the period they seek to recreate.
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