Monday, May 27, 2013

Eureka!

Saturday I reported the request of a West Coast blogger who was seeking a quote:  Pogo Fans: Can you help? A reader wants to find the original source of a quote I attributed to Albert The Alligator. It was "funny how a handsome man look good in any old thing he throw on." If any of you have old Pogo books with this particular strip, let me know.

I have located the panel.  The quote is pretty close.




Walt Kelly,  The Pogo Sunday Parade, page 125
  (which just  happened to be the 
penultimate page in the 
fifth book I went through.)

I have to agree with Albert.  "Clothes make the man" has always seemed to me to be an oversimplification, and perhaps a bit of wishful thinking on the part of a homely but well-heeled man.  You got it, or your don't.  Right, Albert?

Anyway, one of my favorite quotes with regard to style is from Alexander Pope.  "Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside."  (An Essay on Criticism)  I think this applies to the sartorial as well as to the literary.

11 comments:

Jim said...

Paging through Pogo strips -- not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

Shelly said...

Perseverance always holds rewards, and yours certainly paid off! Very true words~

Anonymous said...

Yes, but even a schlub looks good in a tuxedo...As to the Alexander Pope quote - I think you can apply that across the board

Secondary Roads said...

Hey! With diligence, you found it. My favorite Pogo quote: "We have met the enemy and he is us."

vanilla said...

Jim, good time well spent.

Shelly, reading Pogo is never a chore.

Grace, is that why the bride insists the father wear a tux?

Chuck, a pleasurable task. May read some more.

Marsha Young said...

Vanilla,
Sartorial, literary, or otherwise, this is just plain old good advice.

My LOC seldom wears anything other than a polo or T-shirt and cargo shorts. But when he does deign to put on a suit and tie, it still gives me palpitations. But then, I am shallow. :)

vanilla said...

Marsha, perhaps it is not the case that "clothes maketh man," but the ladies seem to notice the threads; and in the case of you and my BBBH, palpitations may be involved. (I sometimes ditch the Wranglers and tee in favor of the suit just to make her happy.)

Lin said...

I dunno, clothes may not make the man, but they certainly help you tolerate him a bit easier. ;)

vanilla said...

Lin, point taken. I'll keep my shirt on. Trousers, too.

Sharkbytes said...

Could be true, but I just can't stand dressing up in girl clothes. I'll make my image in blue jeans and if required a shirt with buttons.

vanilla said...

Shark, jeans are versatile and practical. I occasionally wear a button-up shirt with mine.