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I follow a few selective fashion influencers on Instagram. Two of these such fashion influencers demonstrate more traditional (maybe old fashioned) fashion trends from bygone eras. Both of these guys showcase two totally different styles. However, they both advocate wearing traditional analog watches, not just as fashion accessories, but as actual classic timepieces. I even used to wear watches once upon a time, watches in all shapes & sizes.
When I was younger, around middle school to high school age, I wore watches. My watch wearing phase started with a vintage 1980s Sanrio Hello Kitty children’s watch handed down to me from my sister (her father used to import-export Sanrio merchandise from Hong Kong & Japan). The watch had a white (faded to a dingy yellow) plastic analog face with a tiny fish bowl as the second hand & a blue & red striped band. I wore that watch until it no longer fit my wrist, & am not sure what happened to it after I stopped wearing it. I even tried wearing it once after the battery had expired, but the children’s sized band just wouldn’t fit around my chubby wrist.
The second watch I ever wore was a gift from my mom that she got at a department store sale. It was a white & silver Guess brand watch with a white braided leather band & a round silver analog face. I wore that watch every single day throughout my high school days until the coloring on the leather band started peeling. After that, I wore a long silver chain necklace with a spherical shaped pendant that had a watch face in the middle. It was a very small pendant on a too-long-for-me chain, but I still wore it every day, even though it was difficult to read the time on it. One time, I asked my friends if I looked like rapper Flav-A-Flav, but they had no clue who he even was.
Since those high school days, I stopped wearing watches, mostly because I had gotten lazy. From my college days until young adulthood, I had no interest in fashion, jewelry, or accessorizing my outfits. I did go through a Japanese streetwear tomboy phase in my mid-twenties & tried wearing a Casio G-Shock watch, which had become very trendy & collectible at the time, but it didn’t make me look like a tomboy or a hipster. It only made me look like a try-hard playing dress-up in men’s clothes. So, I stopped wearing trendy watches.
At one point in my early twenties, I went back to wearing watches for a bit & had another Hello Kitty watch. It had a wide black silicone band, black square watch face, & a tiny red bow for the second hand. I bought this watch right around the time I started working at the Sanrio Surprises store at my local shopping mall. I used my meager employee discount to get my hands on the latest products before we displayed them in the store. I saw this watch & snapped it up immediately.
Somehow, in recent years, I started thinking about wearing watches again. I guess my romantic feelings toward nostalgic things has piqued my interest in watches again. For the past two to three years, I have been considering very carefully whether or not I truly want to continue wearing watches again, or if it is just a trend I am fixating on. Have I been noticing other popular influencers wearing traditional analog watches & feeling some sort of FOMO? Is my nostalgia increasing in strength as I grow older? Or maybe I am trying to actively wean myself off of being glued to my phone, & I am trying to not use my phone’s clock as an excuse. Maybe it’s a mixture of all these things. It doesn’t really matter.
I carefully thought out what I really wanted, waited patiently, then pulled the trigger & bought myself a watch. I have been seeing this brand BREDA on Instagram a lot in the past year, & I really fell in love with their watch designs. I consulted with Jian, who is my voice of reason, my truth mirror, & my sounding board. He helped me to choose a watch that fit my body type/shape & would fit my everyday lifestyle, but also match my wardrobe. This watch is not extremely expensive, yet also not the cost of a cereal box plastic prize. It looks fancy, but also can be worn with everyday ease. Here are the photos as follows:
So far I am loving this watch, & I am pushing myself to get back into the habit of wearing watches every day. I cannot wait to see how the band will look & feel once it’s been worn in. It’s a little bit stiff now, seeing as how it is out-of-the-box brand new, but it’s still comfortable to wear. Also, since this is the mid-size sedan equivalent of watches, I’m not too concerned about minor scratches or everyday wear & tear. It’s bound to happen anyway, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t take good care of this watch. I’m hoping to wear this one for as long, if not longer, than the one I wore in high school (which is a very long time).
I am so glad that analog watches are coming back in style. I have no desire to wear a digital watch. It’s nice to have something functional, practical, & pretty to look at instead of always reaching for a mobile device. I hope more people of the next generations get to appreciate the joys of owning & wearing a traditional analog watch like we do. Until the next post, cheers!
Today’s song of the day:
Apart from just my age & my personal interests, I feel old fashioned in general. Yes, I love movies, music, automobiles, & fashion all from an era way before I was even born. Yes, I am older than nearly all of my friends & significant others (but, I’m not that old yet). And yes, I tend to get on well with the “Boomer” generation better than my own generation. So yes, I feel quite old fashioned compared to my generation of peers & anyone else considered as a “millennial”. However, in this blog post, I will be talking about my habits.
I guess to clarify, I am not referring to my everyday habits (like how I brush my teeth, or anything like that). I am referring to my habits as in etiquette & manners, you know, things like saying ‘excuse me’ when you walk to go around a person, or saying ‘hello’ when you pass by a person when you go for a walk. I do those such things. I politely acknowledge a person whenever I drive up or down past them on my residential street. I say ‘excuse/pardon me’ when I have to pass a person in a tight space or if I have to rush past them. I will also raise my hand &/or wave in acknowledgement when a driver stops to allow me to cross the street. I even verbally acknowledge the waitstaff at a food establishment, or even when someone holds a door open for me. In those cases, I try to annunciate my acknowledging thanks in a clear & semi-loud voice so that that particular person knows that I am addressing them directly.
Ok, yes. I understand that these are standard mannerisms & etiquette procedures, but I kind of, sort of, feel like these behaviors & habits aren’t being practiced or encouraged very much these days. When I practice one of these habits out of courtesy, I feel like I am doing something old fashioned, something that only my parents’ generation does. I see less & less of my generation practicing courteous etiquette & manners, & I rarely (if not, then never) see this etiquette in the next generation. All I see around me is this kind of “don’t bother me/don’t invade my personal bubble” attitude. Everyone’s got their earbuds/headphones glued to their ears as though they do not want to be bothered. (And then I realize that I’m wearing my wireless earbuds as I am typing this.)
I wish I didn’t feel this way so much. I also wish that I didn’t focus so much on noticing how others behave &/or don’t behave. It is not my place to police, judge, or critique other people’s manners. It’s just that a lot of the time, when I am trying to be polite & courteous, I am often ignored. I am not expecting every single person to acknowledge me every time I make a gesture, but once in a while it would be nice to be acknowledged in return. Good manners & common courtesy should always be both practiced & acknowledged. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Boomer, Gen-Xer, Gen-Yer, Millennial, or from another planet in another galaxy. I will always acknowledge a person who approaches me with manners & courtesy… Never avert my eyes or pretend that I didn’t see anything. Call me square. Call me old fashioned. But me an Old Fashioned at the bar. I will continue to spread good manners & common courtesy whether it is noticed or not. Until next time, cheers (if it so pleases you).
Today’s song of the day:
I don’t know exactly how my dad came into the habit of using handkerchiefs all of his life. I know it is popular in Japanese culture to use handkerchiefs & small hand towels, but I don’t think my dad particularly picked up on that part of the culture he grew up around. I have a sneaking suspicion he learned this habit from his own father, who owned a bespoke tailor shop, or perhaps from all of the upper crust military men who came to my grandfather for custom western suits. Whatever which way my dad learned the habit of using handkerchiefs, I am so grateful he passed down this habit to me.
Using a handkerchief is a dying custom. I know that it has become fashionable again for men to accessorize their suits with pocket squares, tie clips, & lapel pins, but that’s only for show. Those pocket squares are purely for decoration, & rarely used for their original purpose. How very sad. I believe in fully utilizing the pocket square, or more specifically, the handkerchief. I mean, why have it if you’re not going to use it? Don’t be ridiculous or wasteful.
When I think of handkerchiefs, I think back to all of those movies from the 1950s & 60s that I’ve watched with my family, & I imagine how those refined ladies & gentlemen would use their handkerchiefs. Ladies would use their handkerchiefs for modesty & being discreet, also to wipe the messy faces of their children. The gentlemen would use them to wipe their hands, blow their noses, & to chivalrously give to a woman who’s been tear-stained & puffy-eyed. I would imagine the ladies carrying a pretty, embroidered or laced handkerchief in their purses, while the men would tuck crisp, white cotton handkerchief in their pants or suit pocket. How sophisticated (& practical)!
There are many practical uses for a handkerchief, I can’t see why they couldn’t be used more in our modern day & age. I’m sure today’s modern feminist woman would say I’ll find it sweet &/or chivalrous if a gentleman were to offer her his handkerchief in a time of necessity, such as: if she had no napkin to wipe her hands, or no tissue to wipe her nose, or if she needed to dry her eyes, or perhaps to tie around a small wound as a makeshift bandage. Men these days could also benefit from using them. I mean, it’s so gross & unbecoming when guys sneeze loudly all over the place, especially in public. Using the crook of an arm, even though it’s more sanitary than sneezing into one’s cupped hand(s), isn’t very discreet or pleasant looking. However, using a handkerchief to muffle the sneeze & to minimize wiping one’s wet hands onto his pants is much more gentlemanly & proper etiquette/manners. Also, it’s cooler to see a guy use a nice handkerchief rathe than the back of his hand or a fast food napkin. On top of all that, handkerchiefs are reusable! Yes, you can throw them in the washing machine & use them over & ove again unlike Kleenex, which you throw away after one use, & not to mention they get wet & easily spread germs if left crumpled up all over the place.
As you can see, I love using handkerchiefs. I get severe allergies all the time, such is the story of my life since early childhood. My dad used to always lend me his handkerchief to wipe my nose because he disliked seeing me rub the palm of my hand up & down my nose &/or wipe my nose on my shirtsleeve in public. He thought that was not proper behavior, especially for a lady. Since I’ve picked up the habit of using handkerchiefs, I’ve been more inclined to starting my own collection rather than stealing my dad’s. As my life story goes, I am picky in this category as well. This means that I am selective in the styles I choose. I mostly prefer 100% cotton fabric,. I don’t particularly like linen or silk fabrics. I also don’t like outrageous colors & patterns. I quite like, & often gravitate towards stark white handkerchiefs. This is what I’ve collected so far…
1. This is the original handkerchief that started it all. It looks a bit ratty & torn, but I can attest that this handkerchief has been well loved & well taken care of. I have named this handkerchief Tom Hanks-erchief. I call him Mr. Hanks for short. I had originally named him Mr. Hanky, but that quickly became a joking reference to the Christmas poop character from the cartoon South Park, so I immediately changed the name. The new name is a nod to the awesome actor Tom Hanks. I really enjoy Tom Hanks’ acting, & I just think he’s cool.
2. This was my second handkerchief. Because of this, I named this one Colin Hanks-erchief. Obviously, I named him Colin after Tom Hanks’ real-life son & fellow actor Colin Hanks. Therefore, I had to also nickname this one Mr. Hanks Jr.. As you can see, I have a thing for white cotton handkerchiefs. These I was given not stolen from my dad.
3. I got this purple plaid handkerchief while I was in Japan. This was at the time when the brand UNIQLO had not become known worldwide, & was only popular/available in Japan. At that time, I had just learned about the casual affordable clothing brand & was completely obsessed with the brand. I didn’t bother to check the size, & was surprised when I found it was larger than the handkerchiefs I normally used at home. I don’t particularly go for purple colored things, but this pattern happened to be the most tame of all the ones on the store shelves, so I ended up choosing this one (but also because it’s 100% cotton).
4. There was one point in my life where I was completely immersed in Japanese street wear & Japanese urban pop culture. I was addicted to this particular Japanese lifestyle brand called A Bathing Ape (a.k.a. BAPE). I still am in love with this brand. I’ve got tons of items from this brand from things like: decorative pillows, kitchenware like mugs & glass cups, bath towels, blankets, bags, clothes, toys, accessories, & even vinyl toys/collectibles. I saw this handkerchief & was absolutely smitten. This is one of my favorite patterns from this Japanese brand that is mostly known for its outrageously multi-colored camouflage patterns. They call this a red plaid pattern. I have a matching raincoat, hand towel & umbrella in this same pattern. This handkerchief is a cotton-blend fabric, & it’s so soft. I only take it out for special occasions because this brand is pricey, & this pattern is no longer available within this brand. Ever since this brand got bought out by a major Chinese company, they have taken this brand in a different direction that I don’t I really agree with. haven’t felt the same love for this brand as I have in the past.
5. I recently got this (& the other two below) while I was in China. These handkerchiefs are from a Japanese brand called Hankachi (which I suspect is a shortened Japanese loanword for the full word handkerchief…a.k.a. han-ka-chiifu). Sorry for my lack of quality in these photos. I am not a professional photographer by any means, & I don’t really mind if the photos are not in super hyper HD quality…as long as you can see the photos relatively clearly & get my gist, then I’m fine with that too. Ok, so the first pattern I chose is this super cute bird pattern with stripes of bird footprints. I absolutely love this soft pastel color scheme. I am a complete sucker for soft blues, baby pinks, creamy yellows, & gray tones. Also, this handkerchief is pretty soft considering it’s got a mesh weave. The mesh weave gives the handkerchiefbreathability, which is good for when you want to wipe your brow on hot, sticky summer days.
6. Everybody around me knows I love pastries. I love cakes, & I love sweet pastel colors. So it’s a no-brainier that I would choose this pattern. I was originally going to give this as a gift to a friend who is obsessed with the Lolita lifestyle, but I ended up choosing a different pattern for her instead. I kept this one for myself. How could I not? This handkerchief is so delicate-looking, feminine, & lovely. I would be happy to carry this around in my purse. Just looking at it makes me hungry for sweets. LOL!
7. This last pattern I chose is a nod to Japanese summer festivals. Festivals & outdoor carnival-style events are popular in the summer in Japan. People of all ages love to walk around in their summer kimonos (a.k.a. ukata), eat street foods, & play carnival games. One popular prize to win at these festivals are little pet goldfish, hence the goldfishes on this handkerchief. I just love the bright color scheme of this handkerchief as well. This definitely reminds me of Summer’s spent in Japan, & since I am going back to Japan this July, I could definitely use this handkerchief! Hooray!
Well, that just about sums up my little blog post. I feel so winded after all of this writing. I’m kidding. Anyways, I’m going to go out & enjoy what little bit of warm weather Mother Nature has brought out for the day, & then I’m going to ℅ inure editing my photos from my Asia trip. (I’ve been procrastinating on those photos.) Cheers!
Today’s song of the day:
Rabbits & Foxes 
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