Styleforum's Sweet Sixteen

[SpooPoker]

I think I joined Styleforum probably to figure out what to wear for my wedding. I didn't post asking what to wear or anything but was probably looking for info and came across it. I lurked for a while, then joined in November '08, then posted probably 3-5 awful waywt posts, which I got negative feedback for obviously and it took me a while to post again. I recall trying to figure out what LabelKing was doing and whether I thought it was cool or not (I probably thought it was not cool haha).
Somehow today people think I know what I'm talking about but really I just wear Eidos and my professional photographer wife makes me look good when I post pics LOL.
I do miss Mr. Moo's shorts-with-sportcoats look and pocket socks.
He will be missed.

@Mr. Moo give the man his satisfaction.

 

[SpooPoker]

Should I wear the pink attolini tie tomorrow and only post in this thread?

 

[Texasmade]

Only if you have a green Hermès breast wallet while taking Anne Hathaway out on a date.

 

[taxgenius]

Thinking of some fond memories in no particular order.

Some affiliate got roasted and ended up closing his store and all related posts were deleted.

Reincarnation of Carlo Franco.

Shoulder divots.

Pents.

Foo.

Vox.

 

[LA Guy]

Only if you have a green Hermès breast wallet while taking Anne Hathaway out on a date.

I read that as "Only if you have a green Hermes breast wallet while talking Anne Hathaway out of a date."

 

[in stitches]

My first few posts were positively abysmal. Like worst of the worst. I could be wrong, but I don’t recall anyone being nasty to me, personally or with regards to the fits. Which is nice, because I’ve seen plenty of newbies get torn to shreds and I’m glad I didn’t experience that (unless it’s a repressed memory).

Anyhow, had I been summarily thrashed, my internal response would have been, “Wow. This place is full of stuffy pompous turds, count me out.” And then I’d have continued wearing just really awful stuff thinking I was doing a great job because most folk arround me complimented me. So I’d have gained nothing, and assuming the forum has gained anything from me, that gain would never have happened either. And anyone who can’t handle a few awful fits a day, and it’s usually less frequent than that, from new posters, without losing their marbles (another poaster I miss), needs a little time off the internet. It’s really not that big a deal.

Snark is fun, I’ll grant that, but long-term results are practically nil other than the snarky poster feeling super awesome about their ability to be a douche in a witty manner. Being snarky with established members on the forum, with whom one has established rapport and won’t get turned off from it and leave, is a far more constructive use of snark, and actually builds camaraderie, because men are weird like that.

The more palatable the forum is towards others, particularly new members, the better off we all are. I truly cannot see any value in mistreating people. Like not at all and not ever. And if the best argument for being mean is, “Because that’s what I enjoy and find beneficial for ME”, well, that’s just sad and weak, imo.

I want to say that’s all I have to say on the topic, but if it continues, I doubt I’ll be able to restrain.

 

[Gus]

Congratulations on 16 years Fok. I’ve been traveling for a week so I just found this thread. Lots of great Styleforum memories over the years including years of Bay Area Meetups, helping @LA Guy organize the 10 year anniversary party in San Francisco. That was like a little bit of Pitti comes to America with the gang from the HK Armoury, Gianluca and the screening of O’Mast: The Art of Neopolitan Tailoring, many streetwear, denim and CM vendors and partying for three days with Styleforum members who came from all over for the weekend. I’ve met a lot of interesting and enjoyable people through Styleforum that I now call friends. I still learn new things here on a regular basis. Keep up the good work!

 

[Mr. Moo]

@Mr. Moo give the man his satisfaction.

duke keeps mentioning me in his posts. Want to go out on a date @mossrockss ?

Morabantur in semita, this forum has been absolutely hilarious to be a part of in many ways. I hope to continue laughing regularly.

 

[clee1982]

And yet it keeps working.

were you my drill sergeant... that aside I find the incentive conversation gone a bit side way.

Yes Fok has financial incentive to keep community going, but being nice to other people probably had little to do with it, hard to fake for 16 years. It's not like before he start posting he consciously thought about how his P&L going to change because he is nice or not nice to someone...

 

[clee1982]

Foo's porsche thing has gone much better than the breast wallet thing so far, just fyi in case anyone wants to follow...

 

[in stitches]

I am remembering a fit of mine with a Ben Sherman multi color stripe shirt, baggy jeans, black Hugo Boss SC, and a crew neck undershirt visible under the button down.

Even better, I recall defending the choice of crewneck undershirt.

Good times.

 

[LA Guy]

Congratulations on 16 years Fok. I’ve been traveling for a week so I just found this thread. Lots of great Styleforum memories over the years including years of Bay Area Meetups, helping @LA Guy organize the 10 year anniversary party in San Francisco. That was like a little bit of Pitti comes to America with the gang from the HK Armoury, Gianluca and the screening of O’Mast: The Art of Neopolitan Tailoring, many streetwear, denim and CM vendors and partying for three days with Styleforum members who came from all over for the weekend. I’ve met a lot of interesting and enjoyable people through Styleforum that I now call friends. I still learn new things here on a regular basis. Keep up the good work!

I remember that well. I had originally planned to rent a small venue (incidentally, I've stayed a few times at one of the hotels that you guys looked at. It's nice, but yes, much smaller than that W) and you and @Parker kept talking me into things, until we were running a full weekend event with hundreds of attendees, hosting an open bar reception and a trunk show, and flying Gianluca Migliarotti over from Italy for a screening of O'Mast.

If anyone needs a salesman, don't look at me. Look to @Gus

 

[Texasmade]

Anyone remember Kendra Wilkinson’s adult content and one of the members here was related to her? He did not take it well.

 

[flipstah]

 

[LA Guy]

were you my drill sergeant... that aside I find the incentive conversation gone a bit side way.

Yes Fok has financial incentive to keep community going, but being nice to other people probably had little to do with it, hard to fake for 16 years. It's not like before he start posting he consciously thought about how his P&L going to change because he is nice or not nice to someone...

When my friend and now long time business partner started this place, it was because he was tired of the baiting that was going on on the GQ forums. There was a real sense of camaraderie in the original cohort, and everyone, from bespoke tailors to rank brand noobies, were brothers. The place was rough, but it was friendly. That's when and how the neighborhood bar analogy came about, and how the moderation style and very few rules - no attacks on families or spouses, no racist slurs whatsoever, respect the moderators absolutely (they are the bartenders, and their words are law) and if you made too much trouble, you'd be shown the door - came to be.

There was no "snark", and we were very anti-elitist within the community itself. The "snark" and bad type of elitism that has mostly since disappeared was a much, much, much, later, addition, that most of the original crew did not welcome. I was the admin by that time, and the super mod of the time (a position now occupied by @emptym ) wanted to ban a few prolific but corrosive elements with no fanfare. I told him to take the same soft pedal moderation style that had always been our hallmark. In retrospect, that's a decision that I might have taken back, seeing how those elements hijacked part of the original, very friendly, character of Styleforum that differentiated us from the many other forums around at the time.

I'm not against friendly banter and razzing. I am very much against the sneering sense of superiority that I sometimes see.

Just to set the record straight.