26 Jun 2025 / Counterpoint

elan

{ I cannot seem to add the dialectical mark; that's a pity. The first alphabet remains uncrowned}

The idea of posting this rather pointless post arose in a meandering sort of way as things tend to happen with me. As I bent down to tie my shoelaces and tied them in the neat, but entirely improvised manner I do, I was reminded of younger days: of my father trying to teach me the lattice method of tying shoelaces, the heel lock and the bow, among others. I found the fuss exasperating and have settled for a queer (no offence) method. If it may be called a method at all, that is. Similar story with neckties: I was irritated and never had interest for any of the options to this piece of cloth popularized and then mainstreamed thanks to 17th century Croatian mercenaries...between educating | skilling me in the two Windsor styles, the Kelvin, Oriental, Pratt...and others, my parent surrendered. Later, I added his collection of neckties to what I had, wear the appendage, again my improvisation, like it for aesthetics and the rest of it. Par for the course. The actual blame for this rather pointless post lies in a heavily stylized film, The Night Porter (1974). I had pulled out a DVD (yes, I use those) as routine weekend treat and my punt on fascist aesthetics. But aesthetics are aesthetics and the world is too blighted. Therefore:

I realize the import of "gentlemanly skill and etiquette" I shunned, only now. Elan is a nice thing to cultivate. I don't see it today. It is rare in a world of strutting, undressed, overeager clones, but it was a matter of signature once. The Nazis had it and they also had loads of sartorial style --- the mention of Nazis cost an editor of GQ his job, but I run no such risk as a free-agent. Moreover, there's much worse running around from eco-criminals to God's terrorists. Both are remarkably poor dressers. The Nazis made style an art-form: uniforms, weapons, accessories, protocols, and ceremony, everything was aesthetic. In contrast, the Allies were rumpled, bland, matter-of-fact; borderline pedestrian even. In your mind's eye, as test, summon an image of The Desert Fox -- the brilliant Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. Battlefield genius, he led armies from the front yet appeared dapper and fresh in photographs...contrast with Montgomery. From the Luftwaffe to the Schutzstaffel (SS)... black leather, brass buttons, gilded epaulettes, high polish. Unsurprising, because of a little nip and tuck between the perfect cut, by a certain Hugo Ferdinand Boss, designer laureate of the Reich. This could turn a toad into a toff. More, compare the odd and ugly Stengun to the Schmeiser, the Luger P08 and the bland Smith & Wesson, the FW190, the Me109...Stuka and the Kubelwagen notwithstanding. But of course, dressing the part does not win the war. Only inspires Nazi chic in far-away time.