Fatuous Model-ocity

I don't want to keep picking on aspirational online clothiers, but I was amused by a male model I saw while perusing the Banana Republic sweater selection. There are a limited number of poses for male models, and they vary depending on the company the model is representing. J. Crew and Banana Republic go for a faux-classic, pseudo-Ivy League look, and the models are instructed to look like casual, relaxed, affluent preppies. It's a sort of "say, let's all drive up to the family cottage and have a clambake, and I'm going to just recklessly throw on these old clothes and not shave" look. So the models go for a sort of bemused, fatuous look, with some variation of looking up/down while laughing, or smirking, or twinkling coyly, like this fellow on the right, who is really going overboard (the picture's a little clearer if you click on the photo):

In fact, he's overdoing it so much that the other models on the page are getting annoyed: Yes, hide your face in shame, fatuous sweater guy!

Where you goin'?

A trend of the past I-don't-know-how-many years that I don't get is pockets in pajama pants:

For the guy who wants to be stylishly snug in his bed (also appropriate for lounging by the fire, enjoying a leisurely cup of morning coffee or getting caught unawares by the delivery guy). We're gifting a pair to all the dapper gents on our list and making them extra-special with a monogram. In extra-fine, dress shirt-quality cotton, with contrast piping along the neck and front placket. Long sleeves. Patch chest pocket on shirt. Non-elastic waistband with self-fabric drawstring, off-seam pockets, back patch pocket on pants. Button at fly. Import. Machine wash.

First of all, the part about "getting caught unawares by the delivery guy" is kind of weird, unless J. Crew's target demographic is more limited than I thought. But more importantly, what is the point of pockets in pajama pants? The idea of pajamas is that you wear them at home, before and when you're going to bed. What could you possibly need to carry in the pockets that you can't just leave on your desk or coffee table? And if you are planning on wandering around, or stepping outside to get your morning paper, why not just get a nice monogrammed robe (with its appropriate pockets)?

Ideas for the Home

Triffid Reading Lamp(drawing done very quickly)

Shadow of the Deebo

I Ebayed and framed a new poster for the living room. I got the frame a little late to get it on the wall in time for Halloween, but I like to have an air of menace in the living room year-round. Now we've got the 'sinister' cat looking at us from the left and the Evil Eye looking at us from the right.

I love seeing cats in horror movies, though they're never, ever scary to me. Especially when they look like my cat.

Voting Machines, part two

Regular "Foulard" reader Stephanie lives in the only state where the old-fashioned voting machine is still used, as far as I can tell.

"In this New Yorker magazine cover from 1956, election officials tally votes registered on the counters visible on the back of a gear-and-lever voting machine. These machines were last manufactured in 1985 and remain in statewide use in Louisiana and New York. They are being phased out under the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which provides aid to states to acquire new voting equipment."

http://americanhistory.si.edu/vote/votingmachine.html

But it looks like today's election is the last for the New York voting machines:
http://aplfriends.blogspot.com/2009/10/loss-of-lever-voting.html
Here in Seattle, we've finally gone over to mail-only voting. Last year's presidential election was the final time Beebo and I got to go to the polls. But Beebo's name wasn't on the list, so she got a provisional ballot--which was a lame way to go out!

Votin' Time!

I think I only voted in one of these old-school voting booths once, 25 years ago. I was actually still 17, but in Indiana you could vote in the primary if you'd be 18 in time for the general election.

p.s. I voted for Fritz both times...