Always nice to see you highlight entry level Pilot pens, as four Kakuno pens were my faithful companions throughout Law School and Grad School. Thanks for the video.
I loved that book--wish I still had it since a used paperback now goes for over $50 on Amazon! I totally agree with the Cross, Waterman, and Esterbrooks, but I would add a modern Parker, IM or Sonnet, with the cap engraved with your initials! I have been obsessed with monogramming everything since the 1980s (towels, pillowcases, cocktail glasses, my kids' lunchboxes, totebags from Lands' End, signet rings, etc.)!
Monograming rules! I used to do my shirt, but then the guy who made them monogramming machine broke. Funny. I kept my Preppy Handbook! Thanks for watching.
Sometimes, I have made the following observation: it often seems like men's clothing can come in any shade of gray, as long as it is navy blue. I'm not sure if it's a good pen, but the Kaweco Student, to me, seems to fit the stylish "bon chic bon genre" student aesthetic. If in a hypothetical universe, I had to be reborn in the body of a college student in a preparatory school, I believe I would choose half a dozen Wing Sung 601A pens, in a variety of colors to coordinated with my outfit for the day, or perhaps the Esterbrook Jr. pens.
And khaki! Don’t forget that! So true. The Kaweco Student would have been an excellent choices. I just don’t have one. I should remedy that. Also the Pelikan M200 Pastel Blue. So pretty.
That intro, I was in stitches. Put on your Nantucket reds and Vampire Weekend 🤣☠ To this day I still love my Bass Weejuns so I felt so much nostalgia watching the first few minutes. I loved this whole video so much, more please, lol!
Hello HJ. Another interesting video. I enjoyed the beginning where you showed the history of the preppy style. Fantastic lead in. You do a great justice to what might be a bygone era.
Had forgotten about the Preppy period. You've now awakened memories from the recesses. Yes, I was a participant. And I like all of your pen choices. Had guessed the Parker 51 for the pen everyone was given. That was my first nice fountain pen back in the 60s. Thanks for the video.
HJ, you’re a preppy icon! This one is close to my heart as I’ve enjoyed preppy style and culture for most of my life. So fortunate that it never goes out of style. I’m inspired to grab my copy of the Preppy Handbook and give it a read. The Waterman Charleston is officially going on my Must Have list! Thanks for another great video!
You've outdone yourself again Hemingway, great video as always. I'm always amazed at how big your collection is and how much experience you have with the craft, when I'm 'just' having a few inks getting my 2nd fountain pen soon. Anyways, superb video as always, a real joy watching it 👍
Excellent choice of pens. Quality meets affordability. As for my wardrobe, a few Polo shirts, but mostly T-shirts, flannel and jeans; aka Seattle grunge 😄
Great video Mr. jones. I appreciate the careful attention to detail as well as your choices/recommendations. I've kept my eye out for a Cross Townsend in burgundy lacquer from the earlier days.
Fun video. I remember the Preppy Handbook. I worked in a bookshop in the mid-80s in Minneapolis. I had a copy although my style back then was more hand-me-down and Army surplus than preppy although I always liked an old Oxford shirt or iconless polo and dreamed off a tweed jacket with elbow patches. My dad was a prof and I stayed in the family biz. Living in Hawai’i, local Aloha shirts are even brighter thanks pink Oxford 🤙🌈. Interesting take on what pen would be a preppy. On your first choice, I think of the Platinum Prefounte over the “Preppy” or Kakuno, for the same reasons. Or maybe it’s just because I think that pen is under appreciated. I think you were spot on with the tortoiseshell Estie. I don’t have one, but it reminds me of my Conklin All American with a stub nib. I agree that any vintage pen would also fit the bill, like a nice Parker Vacuumatic. But maybe that’s also because I like those, and have some from my grandfather. Although I like the Preppy look, I also have a mixed feeling when I think about the role of old money and alumni family admissions and the recent discussion following the unfortunate Supreme Court decision limiting affirmative action on college admissions. Preppy in that light takes a darker - almost colonial - image of access and privilege. Sorry to get political in a discussion of pens. I think you made a good point though about how the fashion is being mashed up and subverted. Another cool thing about preppy is that I’d has some elements of Yankees thriftiness in looking for old timeless fashions rather than fast fashion, which ends up in a landfill. One of my favorite shirts was an old preppy Oxford from when my father was young. My wife kindly made it a short-sleeve shirt when the elbows gave out, but it aged wonderfully and was so soft. In any case enjoy pens and fashions in the quad. Aloha
Thanks so much! I love your perspective and agree with it completely. I wanted to isolate it from its elitist roots and show how it has evolved. Plus it was all in good fun. I love the journey a nice Oxford makes from being crisp for the office, then frays and becomes a weekend shirt. The softer they get, the better and more wrinkle resistant. Thanks so much for being here.
A 1967 graduate of St. Martin's Protestant Episcopal Preparatory High School (K-12 grades), UNC-CH undergrad (where I joined Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity), Loyola of N.O. Law School and having 45 years of practicing casualty defense litigation in the New Orleans area, I've had wildly diverse "takes" on preppy culture over the years. In HS, in the South at that time, the words "uptown" or "frats" were more commonly used to describe those we now call "preppies." The male of the species typically donned Bass Weejuns (penny and/or tassle loafers--usually cordovan), Sperry Topsiders (also cordovan), Lacoste cotton sport shirts, button down collar, 100% cotton dress shirts (white or pale blue and made by Arrow, I thnk), khaki pants and, of course, a dark blue blazer. They were generally from "old money." Some were a bit snobbish towards suburbanites from "new wealth." Like me. Nevertheless, I developed a fondness for the clothing (except for the Weejuns, which have been eclipsed in my affections by Rockports of all styles for dressy casual wear) that has lasted to this day. HS graduation did, indeed, see me (and many of my friends) receive a monogrammed Cross (ball point) pen and pencil set. Though in a frat at UNC, the time was 1967-1971. Class lines started to dissolve as the turmoil of the civil rights movement and the anti-war protests took precedence. In addition, Phi Kap was a "Northern" frat and a very different, more open-minded frat than the likes of DKE and other "old-line" Southern frats. We had "red-necks" from Yadkinville, N.C., urban NYC young men and everything in between. We might have looked down our noses a bit on the DKEs of the time. As you probably know, law school is an even greater leveler. I can't remember ever thinking about preppies, Weejuns or anything but the next lesson/exam. Our entire grade after the first semester hung on our one exam at the end of each semester, so what else was there? On passing the bar and entering practice, a bit of my HS experience popped up again since most of the largest and prestigious defense firms were populated by "uptown" types. While I did land a job at one of them, it split in two after I'd been there a year, so I sought a different atmosphere in a smaller defense outfit. Those are the types of firms in which I spent my career. And I enjoyed it thoroughly, overall. The first was headed by a very crusty, older uptown type. He was shocked when I wore a pink dress shirt to the office, even though it was button-down. I was the first to wear any color shirt other than white or light blue. He was even more shocked when I wore a yellow dress shirt--also 100% cotton and button-down. He was also the most brilliant, honest, hard-working lawyer I ever had the pleasure/honor to work with/for. I can't argue with any of your pen choices. I will, however, mention the now discontinued Pilot Knight as an excellent starter pen for business use. I had one and it looked right at home in any legal setting, even in Federal Court. The last time I checked, there were numerous NOS units available for purchase. I had to chuckle at your mention of tortoise shell glass frames. While I've never owned a set, I've thought seriously about taking the plunge several times. Hence, the last fountain pen I ordered was a Tibaldi with a tortoise shell pattern in the cap. It hasn't arrived yet, but I'll let you know when it does, and I have a chance to test it. I recently treated myself to a Pilot CH 92 (FM 14k nib) that I found during the recent Amazon sale event for $115 (with tax and shipping). It amazes me. Just a superb writer and excellent build quality. So good, I'd have paid full retail ($156 to $220), though at $220 I'd be less enthusiastic. Have you tried one? I suspect the FM nib is what does it for me. Thanks again for another fun, informative video. I look forward to the next.
Thanks so much for the wonderful comment. I appreciate all the great details. I just tossed my Weejuns. They were just too worn out after 20 something years. I don’t know the Pilot Knight. I’ll have to seek it out. Thanks for watching. We’ll chat again soon.
Watching you at the end of the video walk with your daughter through the gate on Mass Ave. between Wigglesworth and Boylston Hall brings back a lot of memories - I still have my copy of the Preppy Handbook that I picked up at Wordsworth in the Square when it first came out and I lived in Weld North. Where did the time go?
I would have swapped the Kakuno for a Metropolitan, swap the Preppy for the Plaisir. Otherwise, Lamy Safari & Kaweco Sport are obvious choices, I will look into the Cross Apogee, since Cross have pushed heavily to the ATX models.
My first expensive pen was the Cross Century Ball point. It took me 3 months to save up the money for it. I got it in a stationary store down the street from where I lived. I took it to school everyday until I lost it, but I bought another to replace it. My first fountain pen was the Varsity which I bought from the college bookstore... I loved them because I could get different color inks.
Rant and Roar - nice touch. "I can handle a jigger, I cuts a fine figure Whenever I gets in a boat's standing room." A jigger being a small sail on the aftmost mast. Sailing under jib and jigger is a way to maintain helm balance while under minimum sail power. Very nautical lingo. "A boat's standing room," while traditional Rant and Roar lyrics, is not the way anyone would ever put it. My guess, it's a sailor's joke, kind of like that line in Erie Canal about reefing the royals in a storm.... Oh, pens. We were talking about pens. Sorry, got distracted.
P.S. A couple more details: the Weejuns and Sperries had to be worn without socks. The dress shirt had to have a loop (the "frat loop") on the backside. The loops were fair game to be pulled off at any time by anyone. The Chemise Lacoste sport shirts were called "alligator shirts" down here in the bayous!
Up here, the Weejuns became cool when you held them together with Duct tape. So silly, yet fun. Fun fact, Rene Lacoste was know as “The Crocodile” so all those “Save a Gator” shirts had the wrong animal. Thanks so much for your great comment!
HJ this was a wonderful video. It took be back to high school. I remember the whole Preppy vibe. I liked the pen choices in the video. DM me the info on the Waterman, I want to get one. Good job.
Thanks for this video. While I have an abundance of inexpensive fountain pens, and I had dismissed the idea of getting a Kakuno and Preppy last year, I am now reconsidering. Do you have to use only Pilot ink in the Kakuno? Can other water-based inks be used in it and in the Preppy?
Thanks, Tim. I am now in possession of a Pilot Kakuno and a Platinum Preppy. I have two more Preppies on order from a different pen shop. I've purchased o-rings and silicon grease to turn the Preppies into eye-droppers. I am experimenting to see which pens when filled with a lot of ink will be best for long writing sessions. The last thing I want to do is refill a pen when the ideas and words are really flowing. Thanks, again!
Great video,I'm going to send my Visconti for repair, to Cole's of London,cross isn't like it used to be,eco roller it fills like a fountain 🖋️ myy stipula hasn't come back from repaired yet.frank in Oswego,ill
I used Esterbrook fountain pens back in high school in the late 1950s. My pens had a rubber container inside that we filled from an i k bottle. I dont even know if that is still the case. Ive seen some with cartridges. My question is…what would you recommend for me as my first fountain pen in 65 years? I dont want to spend a lot as i dont even know if ill like writing with one Also, do you use fountain pens as you do your nightly journaling or save them for special occasions?
Hello! Thanks for the great questions! I use fountain pens for everything; all my journaling and everyday at work. I adore them. As for your first pen, if you don’t want to spend too much, you could get a vintage Esterbrook J and have the same pen you had for around $35. Peyton Street Pens and eBay has them regularly. They are super fun. I also love TWSBI Eco-s, Lamy Safari, and Pilot Metropolitan for other low cost options. Thanks so much for watching.
I got a kakuno pilot few days ago, it became less expensive and affordable so I couldn't resist, but it is still the most costly pen I ever bought, but good thing is that sister ordered it and she refused to take money from me 😅😅 and you are right, it writes extremely well above expectations. There are cheaper alternatives of platinum preppy copies here they use technology of preppy and design of ले safaari in less than a dollar, pilot v fountain pen is also good it is workhorse and I have seen videos that it can be refilled
Hi Hemingway. A question. I noticed your Lamy Safari has some sort of Chinese character on the nib. I have two genuine Lamy Safari pens. Neither nib has any Chinese writing. I am puzzled. Is your Lamy nib some sort of replacement for the original? For a bonus point, can you translate the Chinese character. I'd be interested in whether the pen came supplied with this nib from the Lamy factory?
@@bellboots Thank you for your quick reply. It seemed odd to me that a German pen company would decorate a nib in such a way. However, I understand now that the character (whether Chinese or Japanese) is supposed to represent the great tradition of calligraphy or writing with brush pens.
Yes, it’s the cursive nib. I bought mine from Yoseka stationary and I highly recommend it. It has become one of my favorite nibs for journaling. The cursive nib gives your writing just a bit of flair.
Hi David! It is the Lamy Cursive nib and it’s brilliant. I believe it says “running script.” It’s readily available for around $15 USD or so. Thanks so much for watching and for checking it.
I've never been the preppy sort. I guess the bohemian/hippie/artistic look is my scene. I guess that's why I prefer the colorful resin pens. I guess the only preppy look pen I'm currently interested in is the E95S.
Oh now, I want a Cross. Because Preppy is MY aesthetic my whole collection has that vibe at least in my mind., but my tortoise shell Pelikan wins the Prep Prize!
I never fit in with the Preppy aesthetic, even though I went to a private college on the east coast. My companions through college were a Parker Vector, Parker Frontier, and, later, a Cross Century.
It’s unusual for me to disagree with you, especially since we are the same age and I am an equal devotee of the prep aesthetic but… The thing about being preppy is you don’t show that money is an issue even if it is-so you wouldn’t gravitate towards entry-level things like the Kakuno and the Preppy, even though those are awesome pens. I would recommend as a entry-level or beginner level pen the Waterman Hemisphere. It comes in some nice pastel colors so you can make it work for your preppy colors. Or a beat up vintage Parker 51 from your grandfather. I do agree with you with a Esterbrook. I’m not a fan of Cross because they’re now totally made outside the country and have absolutely no tie remaining to Rhode Island except for the office. I would say that you would have to have an Onoto for the genuine British, and prep school connections. I would also say Mont Blanc and of course, a watermelon Korean- which is what voice to text made of Waterman Carène 😮- to go with your Chris craft. The WASP dimension of prep culture is very Eurocentric, so that unfortunately rules out Japanese pens unless purchased by your grandfather when he was a senior diplomatic or Naval officer stationed in the Pacific. Vintage Parker or Sheaffer also good. Maybe some Aurora picked up when you were doing a year abroad. And I know I am taking this way too literally!! 😂
Nice list. Thanks so much. I crafted this one with an eye to actual students. I also wanted to take some of the elitism out of it. I need to watch it again, but I think I said to look for vintage Cross. Modern Cross like modern Parker are not very nice as we all Know. I hope that you enjoyed it regardless. All the best.
@@HemingwayJones yes you did say vintage Cross. I just have a strong visceral reaction to Cross bc I had such a bad experience when I visited the retail shop at their Providence HQ. I wanted to buy a Cross pen as I was moving out of PVD and it was while I lived there that I discovered fountain pens and fell down the rabbit hole. I wanted to get a special Cross to commemorate that as I moved to CT. But they had a person working in the shop who knew much less about pens than I did. And they were at full MSRP. And no nib size other than M. Ended up with a pretty Townsend w a nib actually by Pelikan but paid a ridiculous amount for it.
I really appreciate the view and depiction of the preppy aesthetic. As a millennial I feel like our media growing up focused on showing the traditional cliques as being bad and exclusionary. I think that kind of left some of us without much of an aesthetic at all. I wonder if we will see my generation find connections to certain aesthetics later in life over the coming years.
That is a very interesting phenomenon. I didn’t know about that. Perhaps we all find out people, but they should not be at the exclusion of others. Great comment. Thank you.
@@HemingwayJones come to think of it, maybe that’s what we are seeing with the rise of more visual tattoos. Since fashion has become for homogeneous or at least it’s expensive to dress differently people have changed how they express that individuality.
Hmm. I started Kindergarten in 1964, so, yes, private; but 1 - 12 were public (including 3 - 5 in American Elementary Schools for military dependents abroad, which then may have been more public than public schools, being thoroughly integrated). College and Seminary, private. So, what would "my aesthetic" be? "Eclectic", I suppose. So, I have a BENU Euphoria which makes a peacock's shree, but also a Sailor Pro Gear Realo with a nightingale's trill. If I had to choose one identity? I'd leave it to my friends.
you need to be wearing a 'psycho bunny' shirt !! and as Dad told it - the tradition at Oregon State was if a freshman wore corduroy pants the upperclassmen would pants him - then in 1946 a freshman wearing corduroys was pantsed by the upperclassmen, but that freshman was a VETERAN and the VETS got together and pantsed all of the upperclassmen - and that tradition died HARD - don't forget to thank a Vet for his service ! - 20 years ago right now - I was in Iraq !
Great work. National Lampoon pretty much killed the preppy aesthetic, for me, with a host of great movies back in the '70s and '80s, but I can still appreciate the locations in New England where those old association live on amidst the cries of loons and the sound of line singing out of Orvis fishing reels. It's still possible to honor the fabrics, leathers and lifestyle associated with the preppy aesthetic, even if one eschews becoming a billboard for the branding.
I really disliked the preppy scene in the 80s, as in the UK it was very much married into the yuppyesque and Thatcherite worship of money and elitism. Of course, as I was a stage technician at the time, black on black was my ultimate uniform, with practicality a priority. In fact, the day i found all-black All Stars with a black sole, my heart leapt! Of course, times move on, and now i really don't mind Preppy at all (though I'm wearing a black t-shirt, and black cycling tights, so maybe I myself don't move on 😂)
@@HemingwayJones thinking back on the 80s, I’m trying to imagine “Top 5 FPs for Punks… which would be frankenpen DIY … ready to Zine with. The next series could be Top 5 FPs for dadaists and surrealists, which should not include the Picasso. Enjoy the weekend. Fun reading your comments with fans, HJ.
1. Gotta tell you that out here on the Left Coast "preppy" is an insult/put down meaning brainless conforming rich guy. Which sounds specifically like a 149. 2. However I do like the idea of curating a collection of pens along an external code. Looking forward to Goth pens, Steampunk pens, Surfer pens, Moderne pens, Space pens, or whatever else tickles your fancy. Nerd pens.
I will remember that book--I always thought it was a joke meant to mock twee "preppy culture." I went to a Seven Sisters school and the women who took "preppy culture" seriously made it unbearable.
Always nice to see you highlight entry level Pilot pens, as four Kakuno pens were my faithful companions throughout Law School and Grad School.
Thanks for the video.
Thank you! I love entry level pens and I wanted this to be less elitist and closer to the genre’s academic routes.
I loved that book--wish I still had it since a used paperback now goes for over $50 on Amazon! I totally agree with the Cross, Waterman, and Esterbrooks, but I would add a modern Parker, IM or Sonnet, with the cap engraved with your initials! I have been obsessed with monogramming everything since the 1980s (towels, pillowcases, cocktail glasses, my kids' lunchboxes, totebags from Lands' End, signet rings, etc.)!
Monograming rules! I used to do my shirt, but then the guy who made them monogramming machine broke. Funny. I kept my Preppy Handbook! Thanks for watching.
Ah the memories of my youth, thank you for rekindling good old days.
Thank you!
Sometimes, I have made the following observation: it often seems like men's clothing can come in any shade of gray, as long as it is navy blue.
I'm not sure if it's a good pen, but the Kaweco Student, to me, seems to fit the stylish "bon chic bon genre" student aesthetic. If in a hypothetical universe, I had to be reborn in the body of a college student in a preparatory school, I believe I would choose half a dozen Wing Sung 601A pens, in a variety of colors to coordinated with my outfit for the day, or perhaps the Esterbrook Jr. pens.
And khaki! Don’t forget that! So true. The Kaweco Student would have been an excellent choices. I just don’t have one. I should remedy that. Also the Pelikan M200 Pastel Blue. So pretty.
I’ve been debating on the Esterbrook Estie in Honeycomb. I think this was my sign to go for it. Great video HJ!
Thanks so much! I am glad that you enjoyed it.
That intro, I was in stitches. Put on your Nantucket reds and Vampire Weekend 🤣☠ To this day I still love my Bass Weejuns so I felt so much nostalgia watching the first few minutes. I loved this whole video so much, more please, lol!
Thanks so much! These are fun. I’ll do some more like this soon. Thanks!
I'd add a vintage Parker 51 to the list.
I should have spoken to you before. That’s brilliant. Agreed.
Or a Wing Sung 601, when you want an affordable pen.
Hello HJ. Another interesting video. I enjoyed the beginning where you showed the history of the preppy style. Fantastic lead in. You do a great justice to what might be a bygone era.
Thanks very much! I am so glad you enjoyed it.
Had forgotten about the Preppy period. You've now awakened memories from the recesses. Yes, I was a participant. And I like all of your pen choices. Had guessed the Parker 51 for the pen everyone was given. That was my first nice fountain pen back in the 60s. Thanks for the video.
Thanks so much for watching!
I was so so in love with my "Preppy" Rugby shirt!!!! I think I might have been 13 when that was a thing we were a bit behind the times perhaps. 😂
Yes! Remember how heavy they were?! I just got a new one from J Press that is made in the old style. Thanks for this!
Great video! I like the background info of the preppy culture!
Thanks so much!
HJ, you’re a preppy icon! This one is close to my heart as I’ve enjoyed preppy style and culture for most of my life. So fortunate that it never goes out of style. I’m inspired to grab my copy of the Preppy Handbook and give it a read. The Waterman Charleston is officially going on my Must Have list! Thanks for another great video!
Thank you so so much! I appreciate the kind words and enthusiasm. It keeps me going. Thanks!
Loved the video. Interesting and fun!
Thank you! That is exactly what I am for.
Great video HJ, the pens and the fashion pix bring back a lot of memories.
Thanks Man!
Apogee is such a lovely pen. Awesome choice!
Thank you!
I appreciate the Cross reference. I don’t hear much about that brand from the TH-cam fountain pen community. Thanks for the vintage tip.
My Pleasure! Vintage Cross were very nice and have such a connection to New England.
You've outdone yourself again Hemingway, great video as always.
I'm always amazed at how big your collection is and how much experience you have with the craft, when I'm 'just' having a few inks getting my 2nd fountain pen soon.
Anyways, superb video as always, a real joy watching it 👍
Thank you so much. That is very kind of you and I appreciate it. Thanks for being here.
Excellent choice of pens. Quality meets affordability. As for my wardrobe, a few Polo shirts, but mostly T-shirts, flannel and jeans; aka Seattle grunge 😄
Thank you My Friend!
Great video Mr. jones. I appreciate the careful attention to detail as well as your choices/recommendations. I've kept my eye out for a Cross Townsend in burgundy lacquer from the earlier days.
Townsend is a classic. It’s all about the vintage. Thanks for your kind words.
Those Cross sets are a thing south of the Mason Dixon Line, too! Great video again.
That is nice to hear! Thanks so much
Fun video. I remember the Preppy Handbook. I worked in a bookshop in the mid-80s in Minneapolis. I had a copy although my style back then was more hand-me-down and Army surplus than preppy although I always liked an old Oxford shirt or iconless polo and dreamed off a tweed jacket with elbow patches. My dad was a prof and I stayed in the family biz. Living in Hawai’i, local Aloha shirts are even brighter thanks pink Oxford 🤙🌈. Interesting take on what pen would be a preppy. On your first choice, I think of the Platinum Prefounte over the “Preppy” or Kakuno, for the same reasons. Or maybe it’s just because I think that pen is under appreciated. I think you were spot on with the tortoiseshell Estie. I don’t have one, but it reminds me of my Conklin All American with a stub nib. I agree that any vintage pen would also fit the bill, like a nice Parker Vacuumatic. But maybe that’s also because I like those, and have some from my grandfather. Although I like the Preppy look, I also have a mixed feeling when I think about the role of old money and alumni family admissions and the recent discussion following the unfortunate Supreme Court decision limiting affirmative action on college admissions. Preppy in that light takes a darker - almost colonial - image of access and privilege. Sorry to get political in a discussion of pens. I think you made a good point though about how the fashion is being mashed up and subverted. Another cool thing about preppy is that I’d has some elements of Yankees thriftiness in looking for old timeless fashions rather than fast fashion, which ends up in a landfill. One of my favorite shirts was an old preppy Oxford from when my father was young. My wife kindly made it a short-sleeve shirt when the elbows gave out, but it aged wonderfully and was so soft. In any case enjoy pens and fashions in the quad. Aloha
Thanks so much! I love your perspective and agree with it completely. I wanted to isolate it from its elitist roots and show how it has evolved. Plus it was all in good fun. I love the journey a nice Oxford makes from being crisp for the office, then frays and becomes a weekend shirt. The softer they get, the better and more wrinkle resistant. Thanks so much for being here.
@@HemingwayJones thanks for understanding where I was going. Yes, here is to the ultimate weekend shirt with room for an EDC FP. Enjoy the weekend.
Of course!
how fun, thanks for posting Hemingway
Thanks so much! I am so glad you liked it.
A 1967 graduate of St. Martin's Protestant Episcopal Preparatory High School (K-12 grades), UNC-CH undergrad (where I joined Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity), Loyola of N.O. Law School and having 45 years of practicing casualty defense litigation in the New Orleans area, I've had wildly diverse "takes" on preppy culture over the years.
In HS, in the South at that time, the words "uptown" or "frats" were more commonly used to describe those we now call "preppies." The male of the species typically donned Bass Weejuns (penny and/or tassle loafers--usually cordovan), Sperry Topsiders (also cordovan), Lacoste cotton sport shirts, button down collar, 100% cotton dress shirts (white or pale blue and made by Arrow, I thnk), khaki pants and, of course, a dark blue blazer. They were generally from "old money." Some were a bit snobbish towards suburbanites from "new wealth." Like me. Nevertheless, I developed a fondness for the clothing (except for the Weejuns, which have been eclipsed in my affections by Rockports of all styles for dressy casual wear) that has lasted to this day. HS graduation did, indeed, see me (and many of my friends) receive a monogrammed Cross (ball point) pen and pencil set.
Though in a frat at UNC, the time was 1967-1971. Class lines started to dissolve as the turmoil of the civil rights movement and the anti-war protests took precedence. In addition, Phi Kap was a "Northern" frat and a very different, more open-minded frat than the likes of DKE and other "old-line" Southern frats. We had "red-necks" from Yadkinville, N.C., urban NYC young men and everything in between. We might have looked down our noses a bit on the DKEs of the time.
As you probably know, law school is an even greater leveler. I can't remember ever thinking about preppies, Weejuns or anything but the next lesson/exam. Our entire grade after the first semester hung on our one exam at the end of each semester, so what else was there?
On passing the bar and entering practice, a bit of my HS experience popped up again since most of the largest and prestigious defense firms were populated by "uptown" types. While I did land a job at one of them, it split in two after I'd been there a year, so I sought a different atmosphere in a smaller defense outfit. Those are the types of firms in which I spent my career. And I enjoyed it thoroughly, overall.
The first was headed by a very crusty, older uptown type. He was shocked when I wore a pink dress shirt to the office, even though it was button-down. I was the first to wear any color shirt other than white or light blue. He was even more shocked when I wore a yellow dress shirt--also 100% cotton and button-down. He was also the most brilliant, honest, hard-working lawyer I ever had the pleasure/honor to work with/for.
I can't argue with any of your pen choices. I will, however, mention the now discontinued Pilot Knight as an excellent starter pen for business use. I had one and it looked right at home in any legal setting, even in Federal Court. The last time I checked, there were numerous NOS units available for purchase.
I had to chuckle at your mention of tortoise shell glass frames. While I've never owned a set, I've thought seriously about taking the plunge several times. Hence, the last fountain pen I ordered was a Tibaldi with a tortoise shell pattern in the cap. It hasn't arrived yet, but I'll let you know when it does, and I have a chance to test it.
I recently treated myself to a Pilot CH 92 (FM 14k nib) that I found during the recent Amazon sale event for $115 (with tax and shipping). It amazes me. Just a superb writer and excellent build quality. So good, I'd have paid full retail ($156 to $220), though at $220 I'd be less enthusiastic. Have you tried one? I suspect the FM nib is what does it for me.
Thanks again for another fun, informative video. I look forward to the next.
Thanks so much for the wonderful comment. I appreciate all the great details. I just tossed my Weejuns. They were just too worn out after 20 something years. I don’t know the Pilot Knight. I’ll have to seek it out. Thanks for watching. We’ll chat again soon.
Great video. So cool to learn about things like this - the type of things I wouldn't necessarily search out. Thanks!
Thanks so much, My Friend! I am so glad you enjoyed it. This was fun to make.
Watching you at the end of the video walk with your daughter through the gate on Mass Ave. between Wigglesworth and Boylston Hall brings back a lot of memories - I still have my copy of the Preppy Handbook that I picked up at Wordsworth in the Square when it first came out and I lived in Weld North. Where did the time go?
Thanks for catching that and watching all the way through. This is why I am trying to keep my Imogen’s life magical.
Also, the introduction was quite informative. Love the style
Thanks so much!
A very nice selection, and I love your top 5 that include 7 items... This is why we love you HJ 😉
Yes! I always have fun with that.
Thank you! Love you too!
Love your channel man!
Thank you! I appreciate that very much.
I would have swapped the Kakuno for a Metropolitan, swap the Preppy for the Plaisir. Otherwise, Lamy Safari & Kaweco Sport are obvious choices, I will look into the Cross Apogee, since Cross have pushed heavily to the ATX models.
All fine choices. Although, how can you drop a Preppy from a Preppy list? Plaisir is nice though All the best and thanks!
My first expensive pen was the Cross Century Ball point. It took me 3 months to save up the money for it. I got it in a stationary store down the street from where I lived. I took it to school everyday until I lost it, but I bought another to replace it. My first fountain pen was the Varsity which I bought from the college bookstore... I loved them because I could get different color inks.
Two Classics! Well chosen. Every kid in New England has had a Cross.
Rant and Roar - nice touch. "I can handle a jigger, I cuts a fine figure
Whenever I gets in a boat's standing room."
A jigger being a small sail on the aftmost mast. Sailing under jib and jigger is a way to maintain helm balance while under minimum sail power. Very nautical lingo.
"A boat's standing room," while traditional Rant and Roar lyrics, is not the way anyone would ever put it.
My guess, it's a sailor's joke, kind of like that line in Erie Canal about reefing the royals in a storm....
Oh, pens. We were talking about pens. Sorry, got distracted.
I am just glad that you pick up on these things. Thanks!
P.S. A couple more details: the Weejuns and Sperries had to be worn without socks. The dress shirt had to have a loop (the "frat loop") on the backside. The loops were fair game to be pulled off at any time by anyone. The Chemise Lacoste sport shirts were called "alligator shirts" down here in the bayous!
Up here, the Weejuns became cool when you held them together with Duct tape. So silly, yet fun. Fun fact, Rene Lacoste was know as “The Crocodile” so all those “Save a Gator” shirts had the wrong animal. Thanks so much for your great comment!
Here in Wisconsin we got Parker pen and pencil sets.
HJ this was a wonderful video. It took be back to high school. I remember the whole Preppy vibe. I liked the pen choices in the video. DM me the info on the Waterman, I want to get one. Good job.
Thanks so much John! So glad you enjoyed it!
My Preppy Pen was the Parker 51, wish I still had it. And my Oxford Wingtips.
Very nice! Oxford Wingtips can be had again!
Is there anything the Lamy Safari cannot do? Lovely video. Pink and green forever. (Preppy colors)
Thanks for this video. While I have an abundance of inexpensive fountain pens, and I had dismissed the idea of getting a Kakuno and Preppy last year, I am now reconsidering. Do you have to use only Pilot ink in the Kakuno? Can other water-based inks be used in it and in the Preppy?
Thanks very much for watching this. I use different inks in all my pens. You should be fine.
Thanks, Tim. I am now in possession of a Pilot Kakuno and a Platinum Preppy. I have two more Preppies on order from a different pen shop. I've purchased o-rings and silicon grease to turn the Preppies into eye-droppers. I am experimenting to see which pens when filled with a lot of ink will be best for long writing sessions. The last thing I want to do is refill a pen when the ideas and words are really flowing. Thanks, again!
Nice Waterman! BTW your sweater is like English cricket player! I don't know whether you aware about that game!
Thanks so much! Yes, I am very aware. My wife is English. Thank you!
Great video,I'm going to send my Visconti for repair, to Cole's of London,cross isn't like it used to be,eco roller it fills like a fountain 🖋️ myy stipula hasn't come back from repaired yet.frank in Oswego,ill
Good luck with them!
@@HemingwayJones thank,coled of London Visconti repair and dealer for the us..in south Carolina
North Carolina Charlotte
Thanks
I used Esterbrook fountain pens back in high school in the late 1950s. My pens had a rubber container inside that we filled from an i k bottle. I dont even know if that is still the case. Ive seen some with cartridges.
My question is…what would you recommend for me as my first fountain pen in 65 years? I dont want to spend a lot as i dont even know if ill like writing with one
Also, do you use fountain pens as you do your nightly journaling or save them for special occasions?
Hello! Thanks for the great questions! I use fountain pens for everything; all my journaling and everyday at work. I adore them. As for your first pen, if you don’t want to spend too much, you could get a vintage Esterbrook J and have the same pen you had for around $35. Peyton Street Pens and eBay has them regularly. They are super fun. I also love TWSBI Eco-s, Lamy Safari, and Pilot Metropolitan for other low cost options. Thanks so much for watching.
I got a kakuno pilot few days ago, it became less expensive and affordable so I couldn't resist, but it is still the most costly pen I ever bought, but good thing is that sister ordered it and she refused to take money from me 😅😅 and you are right, it writes extremely well above expectations. There are cheaper alternatives of platinum preppy copies here they use technology of preppy and design of ले safaari in less than a dollar, pilot v fountain pen is also good it is workhorse and I have seen videos that it can be refilled
Thanks so much! I am glad that you enjoy it. All the best.
I like my Conklin AA in tortoise shell. Stub nib too.
Great choice.
Hi Hemingway. A question. I noticed your Lamy Safari has some sort of Chinese character on the nib. I have two genuine Lamy Safari pens. Neither nib has any Chinese writing. I am puzzled. Is your Lamy nib some sort of replacement for the original? For a bonus point, can you translate the Chinese character. I'd be interested in whether the pen came supplied with this nib from the Lamy factory?
The Lamy nibs are available as separates. That is the cursive nib, I believe. (Edited)
@@bellboots Thank you for your quick reply. It seemed odd to me that a German pen company would decorate a nib in such a way. However, I understand now that the character (whether Chinese or Japanese) is supposed to represent the great tradition of calligraphy or writing with brush pens.
Yes, it’s the cursive nib. I bought mine from Yoseka stationary and I highly recommend it. It has become one of my favorite nibs for journaling. The cursive nib gives your writing just a bit of flair.
Hi David! It is the Lamy Cursive nib and it’s brilliant. I believe it says “running script.” It’s readily available for around $15 USD or so. Thanks so much for watching and for checking it.
The pen did not come with it, by the way, but I love how it looks with the white. Thanks!
I've never been the preppy sort. I guess the bohemian/hippie/artistic look is my scene. I guess that's why I prefer the colorful resin pens. I guess the only preppy look pen I'm currently interested in is the E95S.
I may do that next! My wife is quite Boheme.
Oh now, I want a Cross. Because Preppy is MY aesthetic my whole collection has that vibe at least in my mind., but my tortoise shell Pelikan wins the Prep Prize!
Tortoise shell. Very nice! Thanks for watching.
I thought it had something to do with doomsday preppers but OK.
Pelikan Twist also might be a good preppy choice.
Now THAT would be a video!
I never fit in with the Preppy aesthetic, even though I went to a private college on the east coast. My companions through college were a Parker Vector, Parker Frontier, and, later, a Cross Century.
Hi Jason! You may not have, but your pen choices certain did! All the best!
I’ll add the Sailor Pro Gear as a nod to the nautical foundations of the Preppy tradition. ⚓️
I like this one! That is a great suggestion.
I will add a Jinhao 82. It's the price of a Kakuno but looks more expensive.
It does at that. Excellent suggestion.
It’s unusual for me to disagree with you, especially since we are the same age and I am an equal devotee of the prep aesthetic but…
The thing about being preppy is you don’t show that money is an issue even if it is-so you wouldn’t gravitate towards entry-level things like the Kakuno and the Preppy, even though those are awesome pens.
I would recommend as a entry-level or beginner level pen the Waterman Hemisphere. It comes in some nice pastel colors so you can make it work for your preppy colors. Or a beat up vintage Parker 51 from your grandfather.
I do agree with you with a Esterbrook.
I’m not a fan of Cross because they’re now totally made outside the country and have absolutely no tie remaining to Rhode Island except for the office.
I would say that you would have to have an Onoto for the genuine British, and prep school connections. I would also say Mont Blanc and of course, a watermelon Korean- which is what voice to text made of Waterman Carène 😮- to go with your Chris craft.
The WASP dimension of prep culture is very Eurocentric, so that unfortunately rules out Japanese pens unless purchased by your grandfather when he was a senior diplomatic or Naval officer stationed in the Pacific.
Vintage Parker or Sheaffer also good. Maybe some Aurora picked up when you were doing a year abroad.
And I know I am taking this way too literally!! 😂
Nice list. Thanks so much. I crafted this one with an eye to actual students. I also wanted to take some of the elitism out of it. I need to watch it again, but I think I said to look for vintage Cross. Modern Cross like modern Parker are not very nice as we all
Know. I hope that you enjoyed it regardless. All the best.
And voice to text is not great in TH-cam!
Apologies for the random punctuation!
@@HemingwayJones yes you did say vintage Cross. I just have a strong visceral reaction to Cross bc I had such a bad experience when I visited the retail shop at their Providence HQ. I wanted to buy a Cross pen as I was moving out of PVD and it was while I lived there that I discovered fountain pens and fell down the rabbit hole. I wanted to get a special Cross to commemorate that as I moved to CT. But they had a person working in the shop who knew much less about pens than I did. And they were at full MSRP. And no nib size other than M. Ended up with a pretty Townsend w a nib actually by Pelikan but paid a ridiculous amount for it.
I really appreciate the view and depiction of the preppy aesthetic. As a millennial I feel like our media growing up focused on showing the traditional cliques as being bad and exclusionary. I think that kind of left some of us without much of an aesthetic at all. I wonder if we will see my generation find connections to certain aesthetics later in life over the coming years.
That is a very interesting phenomenon. I didn’t know about that. Perhaps we all find out people, but they should not be at the exclusion of others. Great comment. Thank you.
@@HemingwayJones come to think of it, maybe that’s what we are seeing with the rise of more visual tattoos. Since fashion has become for homogeneous or at least it’s expensive to dress differently people have changed how they express that individuality.
Quite possibly. That seems to be universal.
Lacoste shirts , although made in France , are an American private school icon but really !
They’re Mac N’Cheese to me. I’m
I loved my cross pen, unfortunately, I lost it on a trip. That was a sad day.😱😔
So sorry!
Hmm. I started Kindergarten in 1964, so, yes, private; but 1 - 12 were public (including 3 - 5 in American Elementary Schools for military dependents abroad, which then may have been more public than public schools, being thoroughly integrated). College and Seminary, private. So, what would "my aesthetic" be? "Eclectic", I suppose. So, I have a BENU Euphoria which makes a peacock's shree, but also a Sailor Pro Gear Realo with a nightingale's trill. If I had to choose one identity? I'd leave it to my friends.
Thanks so much for commenting and for watching. Speak again soon.
you need to be wearing a 'psycho bunny' shirt !!
and as Dad told it - the tradition at Oregon State was if a freshman wore corduroy pants the upperclassmen would pants him - then in 1946 a freshman wearing corduroys was pantsed by the upperclassmen, but that freshman was a VETERAN and the VETS got together and pantsed all of the upperclassmen - and that tradition died HARD - don't forget to thank a Vet for his service ! - 20 years ago right now - I was in Iraq !
Those are some crazy stories! Thanks for your service in Iraq. That could not have been easy. Thanks for watching.
Great work. National Lampoon pretty much killed the preppy aesthetic, for me, with a host of great movies back in the '70s and '80s, but I can still appreciate the locations in New England where those old association live on amidst the cries of loons and the sound of line singing out of Orvis fishing reels. It's still possible to honor the fabrics, leathers and lifestyle associated with the preppy aesthetic, even if one eschews becoming a billboard for the branding.
I mostly hate branding. Except for my beloved Crocodiles. They transcend the brand for me now. Comfort clothes.
Never heard the term preppy before. Either not used here or I'm the wrong generation.
Good to know why the platinum preppy is called that
Thanks so much and thanks for watching.
I really disliked the preppy scene in the 80s, as in the UK it was very much married into the yuppyesque and Thatcherite worship of money and elitism. Of course, as I was a stage technician at the time, black on black was my ultimate uniform, with practicality a priority. In fact, the day i found all-black All Stars with a black sole, my heart leapt!
Of course, times move on, and now i really don't mind Preppy at all (though I'm wearing a black t-shirt, and black cycling tights, so maybe I myself don't move on 😂)
Nice! Back in Black! AC/DC or Amy Winehouse, still cool either way! I don’t like elitism at all, but I do like colorful clothes.
I forgot to say, these pens are all rock solid choices.
Thank you.
@@HemingwayJones thinking back on the 80s, I’m trying to imagine “Top 5 FPs for Punks… which would be frankenpen DIY … ready to Zine with. The next series could be Top 5 FPs for dadaists and surrealists, which should not include the Picasso. Enjoy the weekend. Fun reading your comments with fans, HJ.
@@AndrewWertheimer Hello, My Friend! I may yet get there. I am already writing one for Bohemians! Dadaists though! "These is Not A Pen!" Brilliant!
1. Gotta tell you that out here on the Left Coast "preppy" is an insult/put down meaning brainless conforming rich guy. Which sounds specifically like a 149.
2. However I do like the idea of curating a collection of pens along an external code. Looking forward to Goth pens, Steampunk pens, Surfer pens, Moderne pens, Space pens, or whatever else tickles your fancy. Nerd pens.
I’m sure I’ll get there.
The Platinum Preppy nib itself is also *way too good for the money*. You feel like you are stealing them from Platninum for that price
Truly!
I will remember that book--I always thought it was a joke meant to mock twee "preppy culture."
I went to a Seven Sisters school and the women who took "preppy culture" seriously made it unbearable.
It was satire.
I used Esterbrook vintage pens in high school and college.
Those are wonderful!