From the earliest days of the blog called Ivy Style, its author Christian Chensvold has poked fun and criticized me! He mocked my wearing of saddle shoes, and eliminated me from the Ivy fold for having clothing that is too new. He makes comments like WASP 101 is a class I take, and could never teach. These statements and actions bring me to the classic question of why?
Personally, I don't care if he or anyone likes me for that matter and I am a pro at being an arrogant prick. However, I think Christian my be able to say the words "checkmate" in the arrogant category. Heck, I even rated his blog as one of my top five favorites just to extend an olive branch, and why I did that I do not have a clue. But honestly, what is so great about Ivy Style? It is basically just a lot of LIFE photos, and yes, he uses his fashion connections to bring the likes of J Press and Bruce Boyer on board for interviews. But what amuses me is the fact that he is critical of my clothing, but he never shows us any of his. It is like the anonymous comments that I occasionally allow out of the vault; they hate but they never demonstrate.
Perhaps it is my lack of mastery of the English language, which in addition truly seems to offend some of my haters. Sure, I know I am not a great writer but I admit it. I spent far too much time staring at my female classmate's bosoms rather than listening to lectures on conjugation. However, that being said, I am far from being the worst writer in the world and heck, I scored a perfect 4 on the writing test in high school. But what I am good at is understanding people, and creating public relations ideas. Do I write scripts, yes, but I have editors to make clean ups. I understand politics and have helped many Republicans get elected over the years, though I still will never refer to myself as a political consultant. And yes, I understand classic style and what is great about style is not being afraid to make mistakes. I have no fear of mixing patterns, and I think I do it well.
So Christian, what is it you hate? Do you think there is not enough room for two Ivy/WASP bloggers. Are you afraid you can't compete with my 2,000 or so readers a day? I truly don't understand, and curiosity is all that provokes this post. I love Oxford Cloth Button Downs and 3/2 Sack Suits just as much as you. I enjoy an occasional pipe smoke........What is it, that is the question?
20 comments:
I'm tempted to remind you of Mark Twain's admonition against wrestling with a...
But I suspect you know that one.
Toad is are a wise ol' sage! I mean that!
Please regale us with the story of the vampire chick who caused you to fail tenth grade English. You remember...the one with the ample bosom who distracted you by constantly cupping your Dr. Dunkenstein butt with her death-pale, blood-red fingernailed hand.
P.S. My wife says "hey."
Richard, the fact that you give a damn enough
to even ask....I'm not connected with Chensvold
or Ivy League Style. Why not the broader question
as to why you are hated at all.
WASP 101. ACCORDING TO RICHARD.
NOT - a real authority on the subject as you
yourself have even stated half the time.
The ego Richard. You really want people to
believe you possess enough humility to accept
criticism constructive or otherwise in the first
place? Your nature Richard, IS TOO saturated
by arrogance. You are not alone,join the club
known as the majority of the human race.
Just because you receive comments against
you from fellow arrogant people does not
translate into, therefore you are not as
arrogant as your "haters".
The desires of your heart like Millions of
others does not match the life you have.
You do wish you could have been born
into a fully cultivated WASP life and
upbringing and all the "rewards" that go
with it so to speak. OK ,you weren't.
Arrogance about it is not the solution.
The most important relationship we have
is the one to ourselves. If it's healthy there's
no need to wonder about what others think.
Arrogance RUINS one's relationship to
one's self and gives solutions to the
unfairness of life based on developing
cheap substitutes for REAL self esteem
REAL self worth, objectivity regarding
oneself.
Truthfully Richard I don't know if there
is any amount of reason or explanation
that will do. HUMILIATION.
LIFE-IS- HUMILIATING. IT IS SO DAMN
UNFAIR IT CAN DRIVE ONE MAD.
That's a BIG part of why there is such
admiration,envy for the "ultimate" WASP
lifestyle. It appears that their lives are
so fullfilling so magnificently blessed
they can avoid, appear to avoid all that
makes life so unfullfilling.
Mansions,Yachts,Estates, the finest
clothing available, LUXURIES abound.
EVERY aspect of their lives surrounded by
LUXURY. The company of well established
handsome men and beautiful women,
a social life of frequenting the finest
establishments and clubs.
AND....you can't press the "delete" button
on your heart and stop this never ending
gnawing desire to wish you could
"have it all" as this certain class of people
have.
To psychologically break from mankind's
basic selfish arrogant nature is a challenge
the majority of humanity never accomplish.
Arrogance will own you for the rest of your life
if you continue to accept it as normal just
because it's the way of this world and
how you fit in.
To win the fight over it you have to go
through a burning humiliation of self
discipline which usually stings too much
and builds a wall of defense mechanisms
becoming a phony ,faking it through life.
Sure Chensvold has his own arrogance.
AT LEAST though he IS a been there and
done that editor who knows enough to
be respected as such.
It's also possible Richard you are too blind
to human nature and don't understand how
through this blog you are throwing yourself
to the wolves,while trying to strut your stuff
as if you think it's cool to be a wolf in
the first place.
You just don't have "IT" Richard or you
would not be blogging in the first place.
YOU COULD HAVE been on your way already
into the world of the"WASP" living it,
you would have had the answers you seek
a long time ago,but.....you won't stop
listening to..............................
YOURSELF.
Seems Chenners has managed to alienate, yet again, another blogger. No worries though, Richard: you are great at what you do so keep on doing it. Don't respond to his inane scribblings.
Not a big fan of Ivy Style, and agree with your summary of it.
Anonymous above is somewhat correct, somewhat off. WASPs are not flashy show-offs, they have a shabby under-the-radar ethos. Humility and subtlety are large parts of this, and mostly absent here.
The sentence about not having fear of mixing patterns, because you think you're good at it, says much. You lack a healthy apprehension to mixing patterns, and ignore constructive criticism on the subject rather than sucking up your pride and learning a little.
You coward "Anonymous" I don't know who the hell you think you are, or if you 'think' you are hiding from anyone, but IMHO frankly you are a joke, a complete and pathetic asshole. You use terms, phrases as though YOU are living some envious lifestyle, when in fact by your actions you are NOT. All you can claim are anonymous rants, and bullshit that hold no credibility to anyone. Frankly, if YOU were a confident man and successful in anything worthwhile you would either be writing your own blog (under your name not some lame attempt to hide like a scared girl under some anonymous crap,) and you would not be posting shit to people who are actually doing something. You have the nerve to call out someone by name and criticise their blog, while you attempt to hide under an anonymous doing nothing. YOU are the loser. You are the one that has to get a life ...and fast.
Richard, keep up the good work. You are doing a fine job and frankly, asshole anonymous posters only help PR your blog. And anyway you can always track their IP via you know.
Chensvold is a fraud, of that we're certain. Why seek his approval? In time he'll be on to the next 'big thing' while you'll still be entertaining us with your fireplace pictures and amusing anectodes.
Party on.
Wow! Talk about liking to listen to yourself! This person doesn't understand WASP style at all. Using his logic I can't be a Christan because I didn't die on a cross.
He is confusing arrogance with self confidence. A mistake people with out any often make. Richard please keep blogging, so many enjoy you.
CC's dry historical-nostalgic approach and your personal approach are worlds apart.
You obviously get a lot more pleasure out of wearing Trad clothing (and preparing your blog) than CC does.
There's certainly more than enough room for both of you in the blogosphere.
Many of us will continue to read both your blog and his--for different reasons.
In the end, I'm sure you've got much better things to do with your time than worry about why CC hates you.
The drama is quite amusing. It's like classmates bickering back and forth. I'd advise just letting it go and continue doing your thing. What comes around goes around.
Cheers :)
You're right. At least half of Ivy Style's posts are just comments on photos from the Life Archives. I do visit it every day though as I do this site. I would think that with so many Americans "dressing down," behaving like animals, etc. that two people with such similar tastes could get along.
Richard--
I offer this quote from David Hume: When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistaken, giving views to passion without that proper deliberation which alone can secure them from the grossest absurdities.
Or another quote (forgotten the author): Nothing can be so amusingly arrogant as a young man who has just discovered an old idea and thinks it is his own.
I keep lists of quotes for various occasions, and I think that if you dwell quietly on the above, you will find the answer that you seek.
The only thing worse that people talking about you…. Is people not talking about you!
I've read Ivy Style and frankly I'd like to see it publish something more current, though the Bruce Boyer interview was a keeper. That said, I honestly think the WASP-ish orientation of WASP 101 may be part of the problem, even if it's really just a label. Remember that some of the Ask Andy Trad crowd are also cynical about this blog. The lady at A Midlife of Privilege gets her share of critics too, because people read too much into some of her comments. I sincerely believe, speaking as an advertising guy (so not too far from your field) that anonymous publications - as opposed to things like this comment - have their limitations in terms of credibility, but that's just me.
Richard. Hang in there old sport.
My Dear Ole Richie, Please keep it up to those of us who have it figured out there is more than enough room for both of you. I'm a fan for life. Thanks Pal.
Some folks are so focused on their own activity, they are puritans of a sort. Their criticism boils down to the fact that you are not as interested or zealous in their object as they are. Take this with a grain of salt -- for you should be happy that others are so dedicated to decent pursuits, and you should be comfortable enough in your own skin to realize that you need not follow them, however fascinating they may be. Your path may be different. That diversity makes the world more interesting.
Some folks, however, are just jerks, and it pleases them to insult others.
As an answer to your question, let's hope that it's the former and not the latter. In any case, cheers and best wishes.
C.C.'s renowned lack of emotional intelligence and even sillier habit of publicising it is hardly your problem - don't even go there buddy!
read the dec.14, 2009 entry of sartorially inclined. CC of ivy style is the biggest faker. chuck taylors.. even if theyre pink was a never will be preppy. see the comment section where he was corrected by a certain nicholas. he is just one BIG POSER!
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