About a hundred years ago, the last Whale Oil store closed its doors. Today, Men’s Shops are likewise disappearing.
In Charlottesville, where fine men’s’ clothing was once a religion, there used to be Ed Michtom’s, the Young Men’s Shop, Page Foster, Eljo’s and the Men and Boy’s Shop.
Now, they are all gone except for the Men and Boy’s Shop on the Downtown Mall. A recent attempt to sell Eljo’s, after a run of 75 years, fell through and they are now having a Going Out of Business Sale.
Fine Men’s Clothing is no longer in demand. In a church congregation of 300, you might see three or four men with coats and ties. A third of the the guys dining in nice restaurants wear baseball caps at the table. Men now wear sweaters and khakis to funerals, and they might dig up a 40 year of sport coat for a wedding.
The days when men tried to look their best and knew that only fine clothing like a Hart Schaffner & Marx Suit, a Gant shirt, a silk tie, and Florsheim Shoes would do the job are gone.
RIP Shetland Wool sports coats and flannel slacks. Tennis shoes and jeans have won the battle.
