Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[LPCI]

"The soft shoulder is overrated and often a mistake. It actually looks poorly on 82% of men. We just don't know it. Or don't acknowledge it.

Because of its iconic status, many are tempted to try it, becoming covetous and desirous of an ever softer and rounder silhouette. This is natural given a bespoke aficionado's natural curious and adventurous bent. The problem is that most continue with it, adopt it unquestioningly and wear it exclusively.

However, once the curiosity is sated, it should be equally expected that a bespeaker be forthright and clear eyed when he faces his reflection in the mirror. And then be honest.

Friends, the soft shoulder is probably not for you.

Is it time to reassess the soft shoulder?

The soft shoulder can look childish, almost prepubescent. Round and not yet formed. Or elderly.

Self effacing, tentative, uncertain as if the wearer wished to melt in the background with a surfeit of modesty, apologetic.

It does sloped shoulders no favor. Nor bullish torsos. So few can wear it. Or should.

The soft shoulder is slovenly for a suit. It is not serious. It is not elegant. It is not meant for a suit.

Remember, in Napoli, the ancestral home of the soft shoulder, the elegant Neapolitan prefers a squared shoulder for his formal suits and this is what you will see in Naples. The rounded, soft shoulder is saved for daytime Summer wear and sports jackets. It perfectly suits the torrid Mediterranean climate there and frivolous, delightful pursuits. This is where it should stay.

And Scholte's silhouette, a military inspiration, was originally a decidedly masculine coat: slightly extended shoulders, swelled chest, nipped waist: meant to be a forceful, powerful silhouette. Not round and limp, flaccid, as often interpreted today. A Scholte shoulder did not shirk its duty of presenting the warrior with a formidable silhouette.

The soft shoulder, as tailored today, is often a gross exaggeration, a complement to the overstuffed shoulder, it bathes its wearer in roundness, a surfeit of cloth, both the antithesis of sprezzatura as both are sartorial conceits, each guilty of self consciousness though at opposite extremes. Indeed, I would call them a fashion, though a fashion followed by the bespoke crowd.

No, what is needed is a hard headed assessment of what looks good on each of us. As much as we may want to wear a particular silhouette, we just may not be able to. Face it manfully.

Friends, the squared shoulder is forceful, elegant and formal. The soft shoulder is not. The numerous photos of unfortunate round shouldered besuited men, otherwise beautifully dressed in the finest cloth, who I see pictured time and time again can be simply corrected if they looked at their reflections critically. We need openness and a willingness to accept, at least consider, that the squared shoulder coat may well be more suitable and attractive.

Yet the soft shoulder can be artful, louche, degage, the perfect silhouette. Who should wear it? And when?

It must be worn in its appropriate environment, with suitable intent and attitude, with proper cloth and in its proper context where elegance is not demanded but rather play contemplated, and casual insouciance called for. At such times, I put on a soft shoulder coat regardless that it is not the best looking silhouette on me. But it fits my mood of relaxation and casual pursuits and so, is the right choice. I view the soft shoulder as decidedly casual. To be chosen and preferred for sports coats alone.

But if I have something serious to talk about, with serious, dour, gray men, I'll put on a suit and I'll reach for a square shoulder suit every time. Or indeed, apart from business, even if a sports coat, if I want to feel sharp, elegant and indeed, well dressed, well, it must again be the squared shoulder. In contrast, the soft shoulder is weak, indeed, soft. While the squared shoulder is sharp, exudes, and indeed, instills confidence. It has a forceful, vital, masculine, rather than retiring, demeanour.

I know that the last thing many of you may want is an aggressive shoulder but this is a misperception. I know that putting on a square shoulder after you have become used to a round shoulder may be a shock. It may appear too aggressive, too noticeable. You may feel that it shouts. You may think that it does not reflect your personality, who you perceive yourself to be or your values of traditional, understated conservatism. You may be wrong.

And truth be told, the soft shoulder has become mythic, the object of endless discussion and desire. while the squared shoulder has received short shrift. How unfortunate.

Why is this? Why is it so difficult to cross the street from A&S to Huntsman? Figuratively. Both silhouettes have a long, venerable heritage, both are traditional and conservative, both have found favor among the best dressed men. The difference?: the square shoulder will probably look much better on you though it certainly may take a gigantic leap to even consider the possibility.

Certainly, the square shoulder certainly looks better on me than a soft, round shoulder. I know that. And though I would rather be at play than work, well, the squared shoulder suit is the more serious, elegant choice when that is called for. I'll save the soft shoulder for Via Filangieri and not Fatebenefratelli; it does not travel well to the city. Soft is a bit too rustic. Leave the round, soft coat to float lightly over the Bay of Naples like a dream while you enjoy a spritz. Each silhouette has its place and time.

Ofcourse, I most often want to dress casually. Who wants to dress sharply and at his best all the time? Or look his best? Or even to try? At these times, I'll reach for my softest, roundest, most comfortable sports coat. I wear it for me. I wear it to relax. But I don't confuse it for looking great on me. It doesn't. But it feels good and it satisfies me.

Who said that bespoke should look good? Certainly not the self-satisfied, soft shouldered warriors. But they have the privilege of looking any which way they please. Isn't it enough that it is their bespoke, unique creation? Yes, good, bad or indifferent."

http://www.thelondonlounge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9857

Well said, but don't get me started on slovenly POSTURE, posture has mostly disappeared. Shoulders back!

 

[LPCI]

February 28 addition.



Then. "Hawker Siddeley train interior view with passengers and exterior view in open cut 1965."

Now. February 2011. That dog's stare. He's boring a hole through me.

When the silver cars first came out the doors would fly open during travel occasionally, so then the TTC put signs on all the doors DO NOT LEAN ON DOORS.

 

[LPCI]

No consequence as it was no danger. Didn't cars move glacially back in those days?

Yes, you could be fined, but the cops never seem to go after dud lights, front or rear.

 

[LPCI]

Church pews on wheels. Riders must be feeling uncomfortable riding in those wooden streetcars sitting on those seats.

You can still ride some of these old cars at the Halton Radial Railway Museum.

 

[LPCI]

My grandparents must have owned the last coal furnace in North Toronto. They had it up until 1968ish. If the furnace was cold, you built a fire from wood scraps within. Then you would shovel in the coal. It was pleasant to watch; much like a wood fire when the hottest embers glow red.

In the 60's our oil furnace boiler was a converted coal furnace boiler...which heated our radiators.

 

[LPCI]

"this house, in common with many of it's vintage in the older parts of Toronto, still retains the ineffective bathroom vent pipe." QUOTE Mustapha.


This may come rather as a suprise, the pipe as mentioned does not release air from the bathroom, it being the vent

for the plumbing (drains) system.

(I HATE (well really, really, really, for real, dislike) doing plumbing. I would sooner fit 10 miles of black-iron pipe - than 1 inch of "plumbing".)


Regards,
J T

PS To "top off ", my plumbing rant, only a plumber would use copper on a steam system!

We had a bathroom vent pipe too, in addition to the plumbing vent pipe.

 

[LPCI]

Haha, nice one JT.

As promised, a Then and now from me.

Then. Queen and Manning Avenue. September 19, 1900. Whoa, Charles G Fraser hasn't been built yet in this time!?

Now. March 2011. cut off the left by accident. I should really print out the Thens and try to line them up with the Nows. Hmm, it seems only the last few houses kept their fancy mansard, the ones north of it didn't get so lucky. Also, the building on the very left facing Queen Street has been in that state for over 110 years!

Hydro pole hasn't moved.

 

[LPCI]

Almost forgot to post today.

Then. Old workers houses awaiting demolition. 20-26 Claremont Street. April 22, 1940

Later. Ukrainian Presbyterian Church (according to the Archives) now taking the plot of 20-26 Claremont Street. March 4, 1942

Now. March 2011. Now a Chinese Baptist Church.

Interesting article about why the old B and W photos look foggy, misty, dirty and dull. Some things have changed for the better.

http://www.yorku.ca/anderson/geog3040 f11/chapter 7 the historical geography of smoke in toronto.pdf

 

[LPCI]

April 7 addition.




Then. "King Street West and John Street during snow storm Jan 26 1961."

Ok, then, lets "do" John and King over the next few days...

Now. February 2011. Does anyone know or remember what kind of business "Eclipse Whitewear" was in?

I believe white wear is a polite way of saying underwear.

 

[LPCI]

We

Back in the 1950s there was a bridge over the creek down in the ravine behind John Ross Robertson School. Friends who lived on Ainsley used it to get to Lawrence Park. Just had a look on Google Earth. I would reckon the bridge was about 43deg 43' 13.37"N, 79deg 24' 29.55W, or close to where the two paths separate east of Glenview School.

In the picture you can see the turret of Glen Castle and the path going into their property blocked by gates. In the fifties one could walk along that path to Duplex. Very muddy in spring. The path up the hill (right of picture) had logs embedded into it making steps. I don't recall the bridge of the fifties being as strong as the one in 1910, but I didn't tend to look at things that carefully back then.

I would toboggan down that path in the winter. I lived around the corner on Glenview. Watched the demolition of the five houses to put in Glenview Senior PS. I'm a member of the first graduating class, 1967.

 

[LPCI]

Interesting to see the Life magazine logo among the newsstand fare in the older photo (it was 2 years old at that point)

And remember how wide newspapers were? It was an art of folding them lengthwise to read them on the subway. Fascinating.

 

[LPCI]

Hi talamasca,

Welcome. Very nice "début".



May 24 addition.




Then. April 10, 1902. NW corner College and Palmerston. We are looking N so it's very early in the morning as our photographer's model in her smart hat pretends to read. This church has been used by several faiths over the years. It was originally built as the College Street Baptist Church in 1889. In 1970 it was sold and became the Seventh-day Adventist church for a Portuguese-Canadian congregation. About four years ago it was sold to developer Joe Brennan who has just about finished building only four units within. It wasn't so much a renovation, as those of you who watched its progress will attest. Only the four walls remain of the original church.

Now. April 2011. I'm having a perception/logic problem. Why is it that there are fewer steps to the front doors now? They couldn't have raised the sidewalk level that much?

In the then photo there are ten steps to the sidewalk, now only four. Has the street been built upwards that much?

 

[LPCI]

Judging by the windows over the doors, it looks like the doors were lowered. Not an unusual phenomenon, if one compares old photos of Massey Hall to the current situation, the same thing occurred.

oh, yer right, about lowering the doors.

 

[Goldie]

That's a wonderful photo of the news stand on Spadina in 1938.
My thanks to Mustapha, Adma and LPCI for reviving it.
Here's the LIFE Magazine that was on display.
View attachment 98450

View attachment 98451

 

[LPCI]

Thank you for the credit, it came just hours after being criticized for posting with no photos....yet. It takes a while to get through 800+ posts. Just saying.