Rothman's Magazine Holiday 2009

A

T U F T S

M

A

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

G

A

Z

P U B L I C A T I O N

I

N

E

JEANSOLOGY 101 HOW FOOTBALL CHANGED AMERICA SKIP GA MBERT CUSTOM SHIRTS THE SKIN DOCTOR

What Women Think ...ABOUT

HOLIDAY 2009 • ISSUE 5

THE

WAY MEN DRESS

Excuse my shoes, they don’t quite fit They’re a special offer, and they hurt me a bit Even my trousers are giving me pain They were reduced in a sale, so I shouldn’t complain They squeeze me so tight, so I can’t take no more They’re size 28, but I take 34 “LOW BUDGET” —THE KINKS

W

With these lyrics from the great British band The Kinks, we welcome you to Issue 5 of Rothman’s Magazine. We are optimistic that we are at the end of this very tough period, as we have seen strong Fall business recently. Whether we are seeing the “green shoots of the recovery,” as the economists say, or we are all just tired of being frugal, things are getting better at retail.

Notwithstanding the improvement, we will continue our efforts to provide the best value to our clients. For example, you may have noticed an expanded selection of items at our lower price points, and we are proud of our buyers for doing a great job in finding Rothman’s worthy product at reasonable prices. On the higher end, we have challenged our vendors like Canali, Eton and Zegna to make spectacular clothing that warrants their lofty prices, and we believe that they have risen to the occasion. You may also notice that unlike many of our competitors, we have not reduced our inventory, nor our selection. We have used these tough times to show you that we mean business, and will tirelessly work for your loyalty. We sincerely hope that your visit to the stores will confirm our pledge to do the right things for you, and we expect to hear from you should that not be the case (our email addresses are below). Of course, we might take it a bit personally, but we need and want your feedback.

On the new business front, our partnership with Lubin’s Boy’s Clothing in our Scarsdale store has been a success. We have become the “go-to” spot in the tri-state area for boy’s tailored clothing with what has universally been regarded as the most complete selection available, in ALL boy’s sizes. If you have an event like a Communion or Bar Mitzvah, please consider us. In New York, our wedding business has been a notable standout and we are becoming known as the premier full service shop in NYC for that special day. Please feel free to ask for assistance on wedding parties and groomsmen gifts as well.

On the real estate front, you may soon hear rumors of us moving from Union Square, and we are at least considering that possibility. When we came to this location 22 years ago, it was not a particularly desirable neighborhood. Now we face the opposite problem, which is that our corner here is one of the best retail spots in the country. Even with an understanding landlord in ABS Partners, it is unlikely that we will be able to renew at this location when our lease expires in 5 years. Our responsibility is to begin to explore new real estate options and we are energized by the possibilites. After 22 years in the same tiny office downstairs, we think we are due for an upgrade...or maybe even...a window!

We hope you enjoy this issue. Once more, we have looked to our distinguished client base to provide the personal stories and articles that make this magazine so unique. We think you will enjoy the short excerpt from the book by ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio, a helpful piece by public speaking expert Morri Berman, an interview with our favorite dermatologist Dr. Jessica Krant, and a personal account of the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert by our friend Rich Miller. If none of this interests you, well, we have a great discount coupon hidden in there too.

Once again, we appreciate this opportunity to sincerely thank you for your continued business.

Sincerely, Jim and Ken Giddon jim@rothmansny.com ken@rothmansny.com

rothman’s U n i o n S q u a r e : 2 0 0 PA R K AV E N U E S O U T H • N E W Y O R K , N y 1 0 0 0 3 • T E L 2 1 2 7 7 7 7 4 0 0 Sc arsdale: 1 Boniface Circle • Sc arsdale, New York, NY 10583 • Tel 914 713 0300 w w w. r o t h m a n s n y. c o m

Welcome

3

What Women Think

6

ROTHMAN’S UNION SQUARE 200 PARK AVE. SOUTH

Have No Fear

14

The Skin Doctor

18

Jeansology 101

22

How Football Explains America

26

The Music Man

28

The Other Sunday Football Game

34

Skip Gambert Custom Shirts

36

Rothman’s VIP Coupon

38

It’s in the Bag

40

contents:

NEW YORK, NY 10003-1503 TEL: (212) 777-7400 FAX: (212) 979-2216

SCARSDALE 1 BONIFACE CIRCLE SCARSDALE, NY 10583 TEL: (914) 713 0300

www.rothmansny.com

On The Cover: The Rothman’s Man Illustrated by Douglas Fraser Table of Contents: Clothing by Hickey Freeman

Todd Tufts Editor in Chief, Publisher Gary Wollenhaupt Editorial Director Vence Vida Art Director Stephen R. Lewis Copy Editor

6

Rothman’s Magazine is published by Tufts Communications. © 2009, Tufts Communications.

All rights reserved.

Printed in the USA. For information on local advertising and available editorial profiling for local businesses please contact Todd Tufts: Tufts Communications 1201 E. 5th Street Suite 1009 Anderson, IN 46012 Tel: 765-608-3081 Email: todd@tuftscom.com

What Women Think ...ABOUT

H

O

L

I

D

A

Y

2

0

0

9

•

R

O

T

H

M

A

N

’

S

M

A

G

THE

A

Z

WAY MEN DRESS

I

N

E

1 800 222 94 77

fashion

by t odd t uf t s

What Women Think...

About The Way Men Dress

H

How would you define a "well-dressed" man?

EVAN: A man who pays attention to the details, is well groomed and tailored, and wears clean, polished shoes.

ANITA: When a man is wearing well-fitted clothes that are somewhat trend conscious. He doesn’t have to be head to toe in the latest and greatest, but he incorporates some newness into a look that he feels confident in. ÉLIANE: A well-dressed man is a man who is style-conscious, shape-conscious, fabric-conscious, and who shows his personality through his clothing.

CARLA: A well-dressed man exudes confidence. He not only looks the part, but he acts it equally as well.

KIMMIE: A well-dressed man is one that is comfortable in the look that he’s wearing and is able to accessorize it.

SARENA: A man who is comfortable with who he is and who reflects that in his attire. A well-dressed man is one who owns his look by reflecting class and a sense of knowledge about current fashion trends. He pays attention to the little details while putting together an overall look that flatters his physique and complements his personal fashion tastes.

MARCIA: I don’t think it’s just a matter of being well dressed. I think it’s more a matter of being sure of himself, of self-confidence. He has the desire and knowledge to put himself together for the occasion, whether it’s a great-fitting suit accessorized with the right shirt and tie, slacks and a blazer, or jeans and a jacket. It’s a matter of the right outfit with the right attitude. A man can wear the most expensive suit and still look a mess. It’s the whole man—posture, attitude, hair, self-knowledge of what makes him look his best, and then knowing how to put it all together.

MARY JO: He’s made an effort but hasn’t tried too hard, and doesn’t look like he’s tried too hard.

ERIN: I think a well-dressed man always keeps his own personal style top of mind and doesn’t try to fit into a preconceived notion of how a man should dress. His clothes should also be a reflection of his personality.

CATHERINE: Very simple and classy, a lot of basics and no accessories (except a very nice watch), plus designer jeans.

ANNIE: A well-dressed man—to me it’s not about what he wears particularly but how self-confident he looks in his clothes!

6 rothman’s magazine

Men don’t always listen.

We don’t always pay attention to what a woman says. We hear; we just don’t listen.

However, when it comes to how we dress, getting a woman’s perspective is like stealing the game plan from our opponent.

It’s pure thievery. How should we dress when hitting the club or going on a nice dinner date?

What do women notice about our attire that we might be overlooking?

Who would know better than some of the most beautiful and most inthe-know ladies of the fashion world? These women work in design, marketing, and sales departments behind the scenes within some of the top fashion houses.

They are surrounded by the latest trends and the finest European, Canadian, and American brands, and yet, as you’ll see below, many have similar views when it comes to what they think about the way men dress.

what women think

about the way men dress For a nice dinner and evening on the town, what should your man be wearing?

KIMMIE: I like it when a guy mixes elements together. For me, the hipster look of a nice pair of jeans with an interesting shoe works well with the buttoned down shirt and a vest. I love the hipster look, complete with the newsie cap.

ANNIE: Premium jeans with a nice shirt and casual-chic jacket!

Many thanks to the following ladies for contributing to this article. We greatly appreciate your opinions and will try to do our darndest to be men of discernable taste and elegance for the women in our lives both present and future!

ANITA: I am still a big fan of woven shirts on men. Although more trends are heading into Tshirts and cardigans, there is nothing more classic then a gorgeous Eton shirt with jeans or dress pants—it simply looks sharp and rich.

Ms. EVAN Alden, Marketing Manager Ermenegildo Zegna Canada

LESLIE: For a nice evening on the town, a man should be wearing flat-front slim-fitted trousers paired with a classic woven shirt, a nice quarter-zip fine-gauge sweater, and a sports coat.

ANITA Gatto, New Business & Communications Manager Throat Threads

CARLA: My man is the picture of casual sophistication. He is wearing a crisp white dress shirt, with the top two buttons undone, of course, under a V-neck sweater. A leather belt contrasts nicely against the cotton trousers and suede loafers. And just to prove how unpretentious he is, his sleeves are rolled up.

ÉLIANE Duplessis, Coordinator Objectif Media LACOSTE

TRUDY: It depends on the venue. The most important aspect to being well dressed is knowing the atmosphere and how you wish to fit into it. Make a statement, or blend, but know what impact you want to make.

CARLA Joy Bengco , Marketing Robert Talbott Carmel

CATHERINE: A nice black shirt with designer jeans and classy sneakers.

KIMMIE Smith, Editor in Chief Kitten Lounge

SARENA: A clean pressed pair of pants with a tailored shirt and a modern sports jacket.

Matching is very important! The shoes need to accent the outfit and complement the overall look.

What menswear item do most men place little importance on but where women take notice?

EVAN: Shoes! I can’t stress enough the importance of a nice streamlined pair of shoes. Whether it is a sneaker or a dress shoe, make sure they are clean and not chunky!

SARENA Cole , Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator Throat Threads MARCIA Ben-Eli Ammeen Neema MARY JO Dever. VP of Sales Bill’s Khakis

KIMMIE: I think shoes are key. Whether you’re wearing something high end or not, make sure they’re clean, polished, and that the hem of your pants sits comfortable on the shoe as opposed to being too high or too long.

ERIN McClary, Assistant Brand Manager Allen Edmonds Shoe Corporation

ANITA: Their briefcase. Women live for new fashionable bags constantly. Our radar is always up on what a person is carrying. For business, a briefcase that is clean, fresh, and maybe even a little innovative would spark up an entire look. That old leather briefcase that a man’s had since he graduated university just doesn’t cut it for me, unless it’s a vintage Louis Vuitton!

CATHERINE Hébert, Marketing and PR Coordinnator Mexx Canada Wholesale and Retail Liz Claiborne Inc.

LESLIE: Women take notice of shoes, fit of jackets, and flat front versus pleats in trousers.

MISTY: Shoes! I believe a shoe can reveal a lot about a man. Does he wear the appropriate shoe for the event? Are the shoes clean and shined, or do they have scuffs all over them? It shows how much he cares about his appearance.

CARLA: Definitely the necktie. When worn, it is the first item that catches a woman’s attention.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, but in apparel, it’s always the necktie that is the giveaway to whether a man is being serious or playful.

LAURIE: Their watch.

ERIN: Shoes! I cannot tell you how many times a guy is amazingly dressed from the ankles up but has completely overlooked the style and condition of his shoes. If they’re scuffed up, get them polished! And guys should never ever wear squared-toed shoes in my opinion.

For a typical Saturday filled with ballgames, cookouts, and family fun, how should a man dress to keep it both appropriate and appealing to the woman in his life?

EVAN: A long-sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a great pair of slim pants, and a driving shoe.

KIMMIE: I think a guy can never go wrong wearing a polo. It’s a great staple and works with so many looks. A retro sneaker is also a great staple, and you can choose between jeans, khakis, etc.

ANNIE: Casual and comfortable jeans with a nice cozy sweater. Casual and comfortable does not mean worn out!

Continued...

8 rothman’s magazine

ANNIE Beauvais, Sales Executive DBA Apparel Group LESLIE Stanton Paul & Shark USA, Inc. MISTY Stebbins, Customer Service Manager Simply Blue Apparel, Inc. LAURIE W. Zakreski Zak Communications Inc. TRUDY Larson V.P. of Marketing & Public Relations JA Apparel Corp. (Joseph Abboud)

fashion

ANITA: Please, please, please, put the “jogging pants” away, men! The new causal isn’t about heather-grey baggy drawstring pants anymore.

It’s about technical lifestyle apparel. A new pair of track pants, à la Hugo Boss Green label or Victorinox, is the way to go. A clean-fitting T-shirt with a great cut and sew zip-up sweater looks fantastic with that.

SARENA: A nice pair of comfortable jeans, broken in but clean, and a bright polo with a complementary sweater and runners.

LESLIE: A mélange-grey Henley paired with a comfort-fit straight-leg jean.

CARLA: This is the perfect venue for classic denims. If we are catching a game, eating BBQ, and playing with the kids, a fitted T-shirt and classic fit jeans are completely appropriate, not to mention quite appealing, since my man keeps his body in tip-top form.

LAURIE: One of the all-time sexiest weekend looks on a man is a linen shirt worn loose, sleeves rolled up, with a great fitting jean or cotton twill pant with no socks and leather sandals. And a great watch!

MISTY: In this area, less is more. If you are going to wear jewelry, do so sparingly. It should not be the one piece that stands out in your outfit.

CARLA: On a man, one jewelry accessory that is simple and meaningful is acceptable. This could be anything from an understated wedding band to a Live Strong™ bracelet, which my boyfriend does wear to commemorate a friend who passed away from cancer. A watch that grabs my attention is one that reflects his personal sense of style as well as who he is. It doesn?t overpower his ensemble but complements it with its brushed silver façade and black dial.

MARCIA: If it grabs my attention, it’s over the top.

MARY JO: The last time I had a crush on a guy wearing a necklace was at the Jersey shore in 1973; I’m sure it was puca shells at that time! So, unless he’s just spent three years in the Peace Corps, I’d rather see a nice watch.

ERIN: Personally, I’m not a big fan of man-bling, but if the piece holds significant meaning to him, it can be endearing. As for watches, I particularly like watches with a metallic black face, almost a black onyx color, with platinum or silver details.

I think it’s sophisticated, timeless, and manly.

ERIN: First and foremast, a man needs to feel comfortable in his clothes. If he’s not, it will show in his face and his body language. That said, for a casual spring outing, I would suggest a pair of loose-fitting dark-wash jeans with a logo tee (to show his support for the home team) or a graphic tee from James Perse or Diesel.

TRUDY: Jewelry on men looks great if it has personal meaning. I’m feeling a return to classics and value lately, and love the oldschool large-face Timex on a man.

TRUDY: A great-fitting pair of jeans and a shirt that can be casual for the game or that he can throw a blazer over if the need arises.

What fashion mistakes are men making at nightclubs? To get noticed for the right reasons, what should a guy consider wearing?

We see more men wearing a necklace, chain, or bracelet.

How do you feel about men's jewelry?

What kind of watch grabs your attention?

EVAN: Popped collars, shirts that are too tight, and sneakers. Good stuff: a pocket square. I love pocket squares!

KIMMIE: I think that wearing the typical stripey (button down that has a million stripes that hurt the eye) is boring and can get you lost in the crowd. In addition, wearing all black can also have the same effect. I want to see someone who has his own style; although it may look slightly off, it definitely says a lot about who he is. For me, an interesting shoe definitely catches my eye.

EVAN: I’m not a fan of men in jewelry, although I do like a nice watch. Understated and sophisticated, nothing too blingy.

KIMMIE: I think more jewelry should be incorporated if this fits the guy’s look. When it comes to watches, I love something that looks natural. A large-faced watch that incorporates wood is very interesting and catches the eye. It says something about the guy that wears it.

CATHERINE: I do not like accessories for men, but I love watches. A watch needs to be big and classy. No gold!

ANITA: I think it’s totally on the uprise. I am not into the whole chain look, but I believe there are choices out there that can really complete a look. There are some great underground designers that do super cool pieces, like Speech (www.ssspeech.com), but then there are more sophisticated labels such as David Yurman, who is doing a fantastic job keeping men’s jewelry exciting without being tacky. Oh, and I could totally live without seeing another blinged-out emblem.

SARENA: As with most things, moderation is key! It can go from classy to heavy in a short period of time. For watches, a larger-faced watch in a dark gun-metal finish is very eye-catching and speaks to strength and durability.

CATHERINE: Dressy shoes with jeans. The right stuff? It should be as simple as possible. Also, he should wear the right size. Some guys wear their clothes too big, and some wear them way too tight.

ANNIE: Don’t wear bright colors, and don’t use too much hair product; it makes you look more feminine than we are.

ANITA: I know the whole tattoo look is in right now, but most women think it’s so annoying. Tight and over the top, bejeweled with some sort of rebellious message, is a sign that this dude does not have his own unique style. He is just a follower. I know it’s a huge business, but personally I can’t wait for it to be over. Clean and cool is where my head’s at.

LESLIE: Men should be wearing nice slim-fitting denim jeans or trousers, a rugged, fashionable boot or shoe, with a clean classic woven and a trendy jacket or sports coat. Less is more in the club scene. Too many guys are wearing too much and trying too hard.They don’t have the right fit and come off looking greasy and messy.

ERIN: A big fashion faux pas I see at clubs is men who just don’t try! You don’t need to spend hours selecting the perfect outfit, but at least put some effort into it so you look like you care.The guy who catches my eye is sporting a casual button-down shirt under an open blazer or sports coat, premium dark-wash jeans, and a pair of polished, contemporary loafers.

what women think about the way men dress

TRUDY: The untucked dress shirt worn over jeans. Please, men, make an effort. Try a perfectly fit suit. Think Mad Men!

10 rothman’s magazine

C O L L E C T I O N

LUXURY ISN’T DEFINED BY AGE. NEITHER ARE WE.

www.coppley.com

fashion

Tell us about a moment in time when the clothing made the man for you. What was he wearing, and what made it memorable?

Soon it will be the holidays, or perhaps his birthday is coming up. If you were to choose just one item to get that special guy, what would it be?

EVAN: The first time I saw my fiancé in a made-to-measure suit! It was a tan cotton suit that fit him like a glove. He finished it off with a crisp white linen shirt and a white cotton pocket square. Simply stunning!

KIMMIE: I would definitely get a watch that was very interesting. I love ceramic watches. You don’t see them a lot, but when you do, they’re very stylish.

ANITA: My father is never one to care about style or brand names, but for my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary, for the first time in my life, I saw him go out and buy a brand-new black suit, with a black dress shirt and a stunning red Valentino tie to match my mother’s dress. Not only did he impress me with his choice, but it was romantic for him to want to match my mother. I guess unexpected style is always a good thing.

CATHERINE: A nice leather bag.

SARENA: There’s something very endearing about a guy in his element but still dressed to impress. For me, it was a clean, pressed pair of khaki’s with a half-zip, charcoal and slate blue rib-knit sweater and a pair of black matte-finish dress shoes. And don’t forget the belt. Though it’s often hidden, it’s still very important! Clothes can go a long way in accenting your best features, be it your physique or physical characteristics such as your eyes. Use your apparel to play them up!

LESLIE: Paul Newman and Robert Redford in All the Presidents Men. Marlon Brando in A Street Car Named Desire. James Dean in Rebel with a Cause. Brad Pitt in Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

MARCIA: The night I met my husband — at an industry party — he was wearing a good-looking suit. Very well-dressed and very confident. He was, and is, impressive!

What new trend is developing in menswear that women find appealing?

EVAN: Three-piece and double-breasted suits. Very sexy.

ANNIE: I see more and more men walking around with a scarf around the neck. I find this quite appealing. Since I don’t like jewelry for men, this is a good alternative.

ANITA: Colourful and fun shoes! I love how brands are stepping it up with new designs and bright colours! Finally, men are caring as much about their footwear as women do.

LESLIE: Slimmer-fit jeans and great-fitting suits.

CARLA: The tie bar worn as a casual jewelry accessory.

LAURIE: A more narrow silhouette, narrow tie, à la Mad Men. Classic British styling, narrow ties, the look is sleek and worldly.

ERIN: With today’s economic uncertainty, I find the return to timeless classic American styling a refreshing and calming influence. Not only will that style always be acceptable, but I think it also reflects a man’s maturity in his style no matter how old he is, because it can be slightly modified to fit his age and personal style.

What recent trend is getting old and needs to be retired?

EVAN: Velvet or velour blazers.

CATHERINE: Skinny jeans for men. And sweater vests.

ANNIE: Any piece of clothing that features any type of logo or overly shows the brand name—that has to go! ÉLIANE: Make-up for guys, cargo pants, and guy-purses.

LESLIE: Heavily embroidered or embellished wovens and T-shirts.

MISTY: Earrings. I do not want any man of mine riffling through my jewelry box because he lost one of his earrings. Let’s face it, the ’90s are over, so let’s give up the earrings, men!

MARCIA: Hawaiian shirts and those awful silk-blend shorts. Earrings!

MARY JO: Over-sanded expensive denim with murals on the pocket.

12 rothman’s magazine

ANNIE: A nice casual-chic jacket that he could wear with his jeans when we go out for dinner!

SARENA: An argyle vest in a blend of muted and bright colors. It’s classic yet trendy.

LESLIE: A great-fitting blazer or the perfect bomber or trendy jacket.

CARLA: A shawl-collar cashmere sweater, because it is such an unusual item to find on a man, and yet when you do spot one on, it is incredibly dramatic.

LAURIE: A lightweight cashmere V-neck sweater.

TRUDY: A great new travel duffle for all the trips we’ll take this year.

business

Have No Fear What's your biggest fear ? If you’re like many Americans, it’s not

by Morri Berman

financial ruin, another terrorist attack, a serious illness or even death.

As survey after survey has confirmed, death finishes second . The overwhelming winner? Fear of public speaking.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld illustrated this concern perfectly when he observed “If that’s true, the next time you’re at a funeral, remember that the person delivering the eulogy would rather be in the casket!”

Jokes aside, sweaty palms, dry mouth and a quavering voice create problems for many people, particularly in their professional lives, where the ability to present effectively often is required, and the inability to do so can be career-limiting. As a communications trainer and coach, first in the political arena and for the past 20 years in the corporate world, I’ve designed a process – from development to delivery – that enables shaky speakers to become more confident and helps good speakers become even better.

All too often I see a presentation fall flat because of inadequate preparation. When assigned a public speaking role, most of us head to our laptops and begin writing.

In my view, that’s a big mistake. Instead, I suggest you step away from the keyboard and first ask yourself a series of questions that will help you create content: Why have I been asked to speak? Who’s the audience? What topic will hold their interest? How much time has been allotted for my talk? Does this presentation require a prepared text, or is the setting informal where a bullet point outline, notes on a PDA or a few file cards would be more appropriate? Do I want or need audio/visual aids such as Powerpoint? Most important, what are the key messages I want to convey?

Editor’s Note: Morri Berman prepares his clients for the presentations, interviews and speeches that matter most. Before founding his own communications consultancy, he worked as a political press secretary and as a Senior Partner at Fleishman Hillard, a global PR firm. He believes a speaker's success depends on well-chosen words--and well tailored clothing. He can be reached directly at (973-610-6449) or at bermanm@fleishman.com, where he continues to advise clients as Senior Consultant.

After you’ve answered those questions, it’s now time to power up your laptop and begin writing. When your first draft is complete, you"ll find that thinking conceptually before writing makes it easier to create initial content. Better still, it won’t require nearly as much revision as it would have if you’d started writing with little or no structured preparation.

14 rothman’s magazine

business

Once your first draft is complete, I recommend that you read it aloud two ways -- into a tape or digital voice recorder and also to a colleague who knows the type of audience to which you’ll be presenting. First, review and critique your audio recording. Ask yourself “Can it be said by you and heard by your audience easily?"

Try to avoid words or phrases that can be hard to articulate or difficult to understand. Your goal is to create a talk that’s not simply good for the eye, but comfortable for your voice and the listeners’ ear, as well. I once worked with a client who was presenting at his company’s annual meeting. His opening line was : “2006 was a year in which our company underwent multiple, sequential crises.” That’s a real mouthful which I changed to “2006 was one tough year.” Crisp, direct statements are the ones that audiences remember best.

likely bury your chin and lose essential eye contact with your audience. Also like a script, you may want to underline key words to stress so you avoid speaking monotonously. Consider adding a note to “slow down” on page one (adrenaline makes many speakers rush at the start) and “end soon” a few pages from your close (in a longer presentation, speakers often run out of energy and end letharically). You also can insert punctuation such as dashes that, while grammatically incorrect, will remind you when to pause. You can always hand out a clean copy after your presentation has concluded. Last, try to add a few margin notes such as “tell customer story here” " recall fond shared memory next" or “give example of how new process has changed our business.”

That will allow you to leave your written words entirely for a moment or two, establish or maintain great eye contact with your audience, and add some welcome spontaneity.

Morri Berman, long-time Rothman’s customer, believes his true calling is matching ties and shirts to suits, but has spent his career as a communications advisor to politicians and corporate executives worldwide.

A recording also will help you determine how long it takes to deliver your presentation. Never believe the old saw that it’s a minute per page or any one-size- fits- all guideline. In reality, pace of speech is largely an individual and, to a lesser extent, regional issue. New Yorkers may zip through five pages in three minutes, while someone from the Deep South may take a minute or more per page. Only by timing your recording will you find the optimal pace.

After you present to a colleague (or someone else who can simulate your ultimate audience) ask these questions: What do you think my key points were? Did you find them credible and interesting? Should i have expanded or deleted any? Were the A/V or other collateral materials helpful or confusing? Revise the draft to resolve any problems and reflect those changes in your final draft.

If you’re a strong speaker and plan on using your draft simply as an outline for talking points, now you’re ready to convert text to bullets and present. But if you’re not a confident speaker, it’s a good idea to write out exactly what you want to say and only then decide whether it’s better to work from a prepared text or to use an outline format. If you choose the latter approach, the exercise of writing the verbiage will enable you to use an outline much more effectively. You can focus almost solely on your delivery and not be distracted by searching for the right words to flesh- out your material.

As you prepare your final draft--in text or outline-- think of it as a script that should include both words and stage direction. Try to limit the copy on any one page to 12 lines or less, using a large typeface such as Orator. If you write too far down the page, you’ll

16 rothman’s magazine

A few additional points: If you’re not familiar with the venue in which you’ll be speaking, try to arrive early so you can review the space and equipment with enough time to request changes, if needed. Prefer to move around a bit when presenting? Leave enough time for a wireless microphone to be swapped for a fixed one. Similarly, make sure there’s enough light in the entire room, not just on the speaker. You need to see how the audience is reacting when you're speaking to determine if any mid-course revisions are required.

If there’s a Q&A session after you present, rehearse that, as well.

Presentations rarely are won or lost based solely on prepared remarks. More often, it’s how well you handle post-presentation questions that determine your success.

Remember, even if you adhere to this process it’s likely you’ll still feel slightly nervous before it’s your time to present. Don’t panic. Instead, recognize the stress for what it is – anticipatory anxiety. The cure, of course, is to begin speaking because then you won’t be worried about having to speak – a pointless exercise, at best– but instead to use that adrenaline as the energy source that propels you through your talk effectively.

A few years ago, I was playing golf out of town with a pick-up partner I didn’t know. He asked what I did for a living (clearly, I wasn’t a golf pro!) and when I told him I was a communications trainer, he quickly asked “What’s the secret to public speaking?”

“Know what you want to say and practice aloud as often as possible.” I told him. “I know that, but what’s the secret?” he inquired again. My answer was the same. There is no secret. Like so many things in life , structured preparation and repeated practice lead to peak performance.

Morri Berman, Senior Consultant (973-610-6449) • bermanm@fleishman.com

8 8 8 . 8 8 0 . 3 4 6 2 zegna.com

health

the

skin doctor

Ken Giddon gets some important advice for the Rothman’s men out there.

KG: Dr. Krant, a guy I know tattooed “Stacy” on his bicep and then Stacy left him for another man. What is the scoop on tattoo removal? Can a tattoo be made to go away, and with how much financial and physical pain?

Dr. Krant: “A guy you know,” huh?...Tattoo removal varies from effective to nearly impossible, largely depending on the color of the ink. Lasers are attracted to different colors depending on the source of laser light. Black is the easiest to remove (your basic prison tattoo) and green is just about the hardest. It is somewhat painful, but women bear children, so you men can probably step up. For those who can’t, numbing creams can sometimes help. What your macho readers should know is that it takes several laser sessions, even when effective, and can cost several hundred dollars per session. Large colorful tattoos can cost thousands to fade, and may not even disappear totally.

Editor’s Note: The Rothman’s Man knows a lot about a lot. But skin care and other der-

KG: We sell a guy that off-white suit for a big event and then it rains for a month. He wants to look tan and healthy. Do tanning booths, creams, or the spray places work, and are they safe?

matological issues are not his strong suit (pun intended). Fortunately, we convinced noted New York dermatologist Dr. Jessica Krant to answer some of our most private (yes, and most stupid) questions. She’s a good one for the job, since if there is a Rothman’s Woman it might be Jessica, who was a National Merit Scholar, attended Harvard College and Columbia Medical school, is beautiful (and funny), and is now featured in a national TV ad for a well-known skin care product. Jessica is also involved in health care reform as a delegate to the American Medical Association, and besides general dermatology, specializes in skin cancer surgery, which she has performed on recent volunteer medical missions

to

Romania

www.JessicaKrantMD.com.

18 rothman’s magazine

and

Greece. To

learn

more

about

Jessica,

visit

Dr. Krant: Just don’t let him get too orange! I have to say right away that the ultraviolet radiation from tanning beds is not safe and can’t be made safe, no matter what the advertisements say. In fact, the FDA just listed ultraviolet radiation as a Class 1 carcinogen, same as tobacco and nuclear radiation. Tanning beds cause skin cancer. That said, spray tans, self-tanning lotions, and gradual tanning moisturizers do work, and are safe, but “off-white suit guy” should be careful. Those things do stain and if he uses them too close to party night, he’ll have problems. Best to try them out early for the color he’s looking for, and to make sure none will rub off before getting dressed, especially when he heats up while doing the Macarena.

jackvictor.com

health

KG: I want a six pack the easy way, and I don’t mean from the fridge. Is lipo the easy way?

KG: When I was growing up we were petrified of VD and herpes.

Then AIDS came along and we stopped worrying as much about the seemingly less serious viruses.

Are these still rampant, and how concerned should we be?

Dr. Krant: Liposuction is best used by carefully trained dermatologic or plastic surgeons to remove small, localized deposits of fat that can’t be otherwise lost by exercise and diet. I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but it’s true. Great abs can’t be created by lipo because if you remove fat (risky in that area) and you have flabby abs… no six pack anyway!

Lipo is effective for certain situations but if done improperly or overused can create permanent health problems such as damage to nerves or chronic inflammation. Best to do extensive research before signing up.

Dr. Krant: Unfortunately, a June 2008 survey of New Yorkers found that 26% of adults (compared to 19% nationwide) are infected with HSV2, the genital herpes virus. Most will carry it without ever showing signs or symptoms, or sores, but genital herpes infection does cause increased spread of HIV. HPV, the virus that causes genital warts, and can also cause cervical cancer in women, is the most common STD, causing 5 million new cases each year. These pesky viruses ARE still rampant and have no cure, which means never have sexual contact without a condom.

KG: Do you enjoy looking at nearly naked men all day when you do skin cancer screenings, or are we 95% of the time just kind of gross, sweaty, and hairy?

KG: I try to save money and then my girl comes home with $400 worth of wrinkle cream. Is that a scam, or does that stuff work?

Dr. Krant: Now, Ken, you know only personality counts, right?

KG: Can we just wait until we get some unsightly sore, or do we have to make visiting the dermatologist an annual event?

Dr. Krant: I dunno, Ken, do you like how she looks? Careful how you answer!

Some wrinkle creams really do work somewhat, but it’s hard to know what the price tag means because unless it is a prescription-strength retinoid, the only FDA-approved wrinkle creams on the market. Your girl’s cream is often a “cosmeceutical” which has not been evaluated by the FDA for efficacy. Companies that make these creams want to be as aggressive as they can about marketing without raising a red FDA flag that will require them to go through the expensive approval process, or be taken off the market for making unproveable “drug” claims.

Dr. Krant:What, you don’t want to come see me just once a year? I really advise both. An annual skin cancer screening is valuable to identify early cancers before they are a problem, but some grow faster and shouldn’t be left for the 8 months until your next annual. A bleeding, itching or painful sore can be anything from a pimple to a deadly melanoma, so… let your dermatologist check it out and tell you it is fine.

KG: Thanks Doctor Krant…how about free dermatology screenings some Saturday for our customers when they buy a suit?

the 20 rothman’s magazine

skin doctor

Dr. Krant: Where is my free full page ad in your magazine, Ken?

fashion

by l esl i e c. smi t h

W

We are so used to the now-egalitarian

nature of blue jeans — classless, genderless, cross-cultural — that the idea of one pair of jeans being any better than another seems somehow, well, undemocratic.

These are, after all, the pants that were spawned in the midst of the great California gold rush, as American as the stylized eagle wings that creator Levi Strauss first stitched across the back pockets of his “waist overalls” in 1873.

No less a figure than the flamboyantly attired Oscar Wilde pronounced jeans the pants of the future, after glimpsing these utilitarian trousers on Colorado miners during his famous 1882 tour of the United States.

JEANSOLOGY 101 W H A T ’ S

I N

Y O U R

F A V O R I T E

P A I R

O F

P A N T S ?

And Wilde was right. One hundred

fifty-six years after Strauss opened for business in San Francisco, denims are the most utilized items of clothing in the world. Virtually everyone owns at least one pair and, in the western world, most own upwards of seven.

Given their enormous popularity, however, it is surprising how little the lay person knows about jeans. Sure, we can all identify a boot cut by its form-fitting upper body and cowboy-boot-width lower leg, a straight-leg since its legs indeed go straight up and down, and a relaxed fit by its generous material allotment.

22 rothman’s magazine

But how many of us are aware of the differences between open-end, ringspun and double ringspun fabric? Between broken, right- and left-handed twill? For that matter, what is selvage, and why is it seemingly so important? Is the only difference between a $30 pair of jeans bought at a bargain store and a $300 pair bought at a specialty shop the name-brand designer label stitched to the latter’s waistband?

To answer these and other vital denim questions, let’s try starting at the very beginning — with the yarn used to make the pants — and work our way up...

Ringspun denim is what we would call classic blue jeans.

Long-staple cotton fibers are twisted together for strength and durability and then, literally, spun out on a ring. The resulting yarn is soft to the touch, slightly inconsistent in diameter and texture, and features the occasional small slub or fabric nodule, along its length.

This yarn is then chemically dyed blue (natural indigo being no longer used) and becomes the warp, or main, thread that is woven together with an ecru-colored or bleached white “fill” into the traditional jeans fabric.

Ringspuns are sometimes called ring-dyes because only the outer surface yarn is dyed. (Cheap jeans are sometimes dyed as a full garment after manufacture. Check the inside pocket fabric – if it, too, is blue, you’ll know the bitter truth.) Turn a ringspun’s leg inside out and you’ll see more white than blue. With age, normal washing and sun-fading, the whiteness of the filler starts to show through, helping create that individual fabric character prized by many jeans aficionados.

Open-end denim came into being in the 1970s. This process cut costs for manufacturers because it moved away from traditional thread spinning procedures and basically mashed shorter cotton fibers together into a twist. Yarn thus produced is thicker, less durable, and has a coarser hand. Because of its porous quality, the yarn can also absorb more dye than ringspun, leaving jeans made from this fabric feeling heavier and less supple.

Improvements to the open-end technique over the past few years have allowed for faux ringspun detailing, so you will sometimes see slubs and irregular thread width on a pair of open-end jeans. But, in general, open-end denim remains bulkier and wears out much more quickly than ringspun. In other words, a year after buying them, that $30 pair of jeans should make a great set of cleaning rags.

If ringspun stands for classic good quality and open-end an inexpensive alternative, then double ringspun represents the ultimate — in softness, in texture, and in wear. As you might guess, double ringspun (also called ringring) uses ringspun yarn for both the warp and the weft, creating a highly durable fabric with an incredibly gentle hand and a maximum amount of tactile, tufty slubs. The amount of labor and good cotton fiber that goes into jeans like these means their price will be at a premium. But then again, over time, you’ll find that you get what you pay for.

24 rothman’s magazine

There are three basic twill, or diagonally ridged, denim weaves. Most are a solid 3 X 1 mix, which refers to the configuration of weft to warp threads, although some may come in a lighter 2 X 1. Do you really need to know this last piece of information? No. What might interest you more is the differences between the twill weaves.

Almost all jeans you see are made with a traditional righthand twill. Look at your own assortment — see how the white weft threads appear to be moving upward to the right? Those on a left-handed twill will obviously move up to the left.

Sophisticates claim a left-handed twill fabric is just ever so slightly softer than a right-handed one, and so is worth the added production expense, while purists prefer sticking with the classic fabric.

Because twilled material can twist marginally in the direction it is made, in 1964 Wrangler Jeans pioneered the broken twill — a twill that randomly runs one way and the other — offering a touch of comfort for sensitive, saddle-mounted cowboys.

Selvage, a corruption of “self-edge,” refers to the closed finish a shuttle loom gives to the edge of woven material, so it doesn’t unravel. Because manufacturers have tried to save money in the past through use of wide projectile looms, wherein fabric edges are simple cut and sewn shut, jeans selvage, itself, grew into a mark of quality, one that was promoted by makers through the incorporation of a signature line of colored warp thread running parallel to the edge.

When fashion dictates turning up the cuffs of your jeans (as several designers are proposing at this moment), that finished edge on the inside seam lets the world know your pants have status. At least a sort of status now, since many jeans makers have seen the light and have moved back to the narrower, more expensive-to-maintain shuttle looms for their fabrics.

So selvage will up the cost of your jeans, as will double ringspun, ring-dying, even the type of twill selected and, or course, that designer label, because every stylist adds his or her distinct touch to the process. Some jeans are created more equal than others.

But because jeans are such big business around the world, denim manufacturers constantly experiment with new, and sometimes not so improved, techniques — mixing ringspun with open-end, throwing in a little Lycra here, a little acrylic coating there. It is hard keeping abreast of so many changes, and nigh impossible for the average consumer to judge all the minute elements involved.

The ultimate test of any jeans boils down to this: Do you like them? Do you like the way they feel to your hand, their touch on your body? Do they make you look cool? And a year down the road, will you still take pride in their slightly faded appearance?

If so, then you got yourself a good pair of jeans there, buddy.

books

How Football Explains

AMERICA

AN EXCERPT FROM THE NEW BOOK BY SAL PAOLANTONIO [TRIUMPH BOOKS: CHICAGO]

In February, 2008, when Eli Manning’s pass settled gently in the hands of Plaxico Burress, and the crowd at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, finally settled on the idea that the New York Giants were in fact going to going to slay the New England Patriots, Army lieutenant general Ray Odierno started yelling like a school kid, screaming half way around the world in his Baghdad office that the team of his childhood had just won the Super Bowl – a nice little distraction for a man who has spent more than two dozen months on the front line in America’s war on terror.

“It was like we were at the game,” told me. Odierno had crammed as many men in his office as he could – nearly four dozen – to watch the Super Bowl. Watching the game, following the story of the season, this is how soldiers keep the pace of their distant lives on schedule with the home front, a way to stay connected – despite the nine hour time difference. A one o’clock Sunday afternoon kick-off gets under way at 10 p.m. in Baghdad. Sunday and Monday night games don’t start until four or five o’clock in the morning. “The soldiers get up to watch them religiously to see their team play,” he said.

Ray Odierno knows he’s lucky to be alive. On the morning of August 21, 2004, a rocket-propelled grenade slammed into the side of his Humvee. He lost his left arm. Three years to the month after surviving that attack, Odierno wrote Tom Coughlin a letter, which the Giants head coach read aloud at the team’s annual kick-off luncheon in Manhattan. “You will have a fan here in Iraq and I will be watching whenever I can,” Odierno wrote. “Push them hard and remind them, ‘team first.’”

MONTHS LATER, eight thousand miles away, Odierno was

cheering, with his men, for a team and a game that somehow was making them all forget the lost lives, the lost limbs and lost time in Iraq.

Odierno knows the comparisons between war and football are misguided, but he understands how the game explains the American military culture. “To get anything done in the military, you have to work together,” he said. “It is not a game of one individual doing it. It is about team. It is about having total dependence on the person to your right, the person to your left, the person behind you, the person in front of you. Football is the same way. It is also about sacrifice and leadership. It is all the same things.”

About six weeks after the Super Bowl, Odierno came back to North Jersey. His son Tony was with him. They had a private meeting with Coughlin, and took a picture with the Lombardi Trophy.

One year later, President Bush named Odierno leader of all American forces in Iraq.

“Football explains America,” said Tom Coughlin, “because it is a game in which you have to pay a great price just to have the opportunity to be in a position to compete on game day and have a chance to win. Football is a game in which you are totally dependent on a great many of your teammates in order to have a chance to succeed.

“You find that as you draw parallels from the history of America.

You find that with tremendous sacrifice on the part of individuals comes a great camaraderie and that camaraderie, in many ways, shaped and forms and provides the kind of satisfaction that lasts a lifetime for people who have that experience. That’s how football explains this great country of ours.”

About the book Here at last is the first book to fully explain how and why the game of football became America’s most powerful and financially successful entertainment phenomenon–and how this country’s pioneers of sports, games, industry, and politics helped transform a sleepy game inherited from Europe into one that would explain what America wanted to become and who we are as a people.

“Football explains America,” says NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, “because the game is about teamwork and camaraderie, competition and passion, strategy and energy, strength and emotion. You can look at football and see the heart of America.”

About the author Sal Paolantonio has been a national correspondent for ESPN since 1995, covering the NFL for SportsCenter, Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown and ESPN.com. He is host of State Farm NFL Matchup on Sunday mornings on ESPN. He is also a contributor to World News Tonight and Good Morning America on ABC-TV. He has won five Emmy awards for his contributions to SportsCenter and Sunday NFL Countdown.

He is the author of three books: How Football Explains America (2008) ; The Paolantonio Report: the Most Overrated and Underrated Players, Coaches, Teams and Moments in NFL History (2007) and Frank Rizzo: The Last Big Man in Big City America (1993), which was published in a tenth anniversary edition in 2003. Among books about Philadelphia, it is the all-time No. 1 bestseller in the region. He is part-time professor in the English Department at St. Joseph’s University.

From 1985 to 1995, he was a sportswriter and national political correspondent at the Philadelphia Inquirer. In 1983, Paolantonio retired from the United States Navy as a full lieutenant, serving in the South Pacific. In 1981, he was awarded the United Nations Meritorious Service Medal for supervising the rescue of Vietnamese refugees in the South China Sea. He lives in Moorestown, N.J. with his wife. They have three grown daughters.

S A L PA O L A N T O N I O W E A R S R O T H M A N ’ S C L O T H I N G O N E S P N

26 rothman’s magazine

S G A

KIP AMBERT SSOC.

C U S T O M

S H I R T

M A K E R S

by r ich mi l l er

the

Music

Man

I F T H E R E I S A R O T H M A N ' S M A N O F M U S I C A P P R E C I AT I O N , I T I S O U R F R I E N D , R I C H M I L L E R

Rich Miller has made attending concerts an art form. He is not limited to big venues or well known acts, but follows the music scene with a passion we have never seen before. Rich has probably attended one thousand concerts in his life, and can recall almost every one. He also has an uncanny ability to get to the front row, park his car for free somewhere nearby, and get photographed with the bands like a “Rock and Roll Forrest Gump.” Being Facebook friends with Rich is always a treat as the videos and photos of his exploits are amazing, and the alerts to new music are enlightening. Somehow, practicing attorney, and well dressed Rothman's customer Rich, finds time for his music hobby while still running his Family Court practice in Brooklyn (Custlaw@aol.com).

The account that follows is Rich's "morning after" very informal (but long!) recollection of the recent first night of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert at Madison Square Garden. This originally appeared as an email to friends, and we have left the casual writing style in place.

Please excuse some informality as we feel it enhances the sincerity, emotion and authenticity of his memories of a special night.

25TH ANNIVERSARY ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME CONCERT 1 0 / 2 9 / 0 9 AT M A D I S O N S Q UA R E G A R D E N Rich rockin’ the ‘80s

In 1965 someone threw on a Beatles album one day in 1st grade. I was hooked immediately. That was the beginning of a lifelong obsession with Rock and Roll, and music in general. In the years that followed, many others artists were introduced to me, first by my brother Ira, then by AM/FM Radio, TV, and a host of friends and acquaintances. Today, I spend a lot of time on Pandora.com as my window into great new music.

Many months ago, I heard The Today Show mention that The Rock Hall Of Fame was having a 25th Anniversary Concert benefit in New York City at Madison Square Garden. The line-up of artists was stunning. I knew I had to see this show. I dutifully went online exactly at 9:00 am and purchased two seats for the show. Nosebleeds with a decent center view. Section 303, row B. Arriving an hour before the show, I was interviewed by HBO about my feelings towards the event.

They liked my sound byte about seeing so many of the artists on my “bucket list” all at once.

I took some mental notes on the show, and will try to recall them as best as possible.

A 20 minute video starts the show with montage of Rock Hall of Fame artists and moments. Naming the artists was a challenge. I think I scored an 85%. Throughout the concert, video played an important role between sets and also to introduce the upcoming artists. Cameron Crowe curated these videos, and of course, the fantastic movie “Almost Famous”. The semi-autobiographical film about his life as an underage reporter for The Rolling Stone Magazine always struck a chord with me. I could easily identify with the teenage main character’s rock obsession.

With Bruce Springsteen during Tom Hanks came out to give a rousing speech about the emotional impact and importance of Rock and Roll to our the “River” rehearsals.

American psyche and experience. I felt connected to Tom as a kindred spirit. Despite his fame, we were both simply rock fans beneath it all. As Tom was finishing, I see an older man being escorted to a piano. This would be the first surprise guest.

Tom Hanks then introduces Jerry Lee Lewis who proceeds to pound out “Whole Lotta Shakin Going On”. The rock marathon had begun.

Despite his advanced age, Jerry puts up a credible performance.

Next, Crosby, Stills, and Nash take the stage and open with Joni Mitchell’s classic “Woodstock”. It was great to see them together, but Stephen Stills' voice was flat, though his guitar playing was still very good. That song is a 60's anthem.

Joni Mitchell wrote it to honor the peace and love generation who put together Woodstock in 1969 at Entourage before Grateful Dead in 1981 Yasgur’s Farm in upstate New York. I remember and admired those older teenagers and young adults at the time. Long haired hippies. I was only 9 years old at the time. I regret not attending Woodstock, but my curfew was 7:00 PM. Graham Nash sings “Marrakesh Express”. His voice is still intact and sweet. I am surprised and very happy by the song choice, thinking it was bit obscure to be selected. I have always loved this song about sights, sounds, and vibes encountered during a rail trip in Morocco during the 60's. It tells an amusing story, and was great to see live. Graham Nash originally wrote it for The Hollies, but instead used it on CSN debut album. Apparently, it was inspired when Nash took a trip from Casablanca to Marrakesh in First Class. He found the nicer seats boring, so he left to sit with the hoi polloi.

28 rothman’s magazine

DION ST YLE • QUALITY • SER VICE

w w w. d i o n n e c k we a r. co m

Another surprise was David Crosby singing “Almost Cut my Hair”. A rebellious song about not selling out. Crosby’s voice was quite strong, and familiar. He originally recorded this song just days after his girlfriend, Christine Hinton, died in a car crash.

Bonnie Raitt joins the CSN crew to loud applause. She is introduced as one of the greatest female voices in Rock and Roll. I agree.

Her version of “Love has no Pride” was soulful and sweet. Nash and Crosby provided strong background vocals in this song.

CSN with Bonnie Raitt then launched into Greg Allman’s solo classic “Midnight Rider”. I was hoping Greg might appear, but that did not happen. It was another odd song choice, but a welcome one. I was always moved by this story of freedom and "the road", and about carrying on in the face of obstacles. Jackson Browne is then announced as one of the greatest rock artists of all time. He comes out to lead CSN in rousing version of “The Pretender”. His voice sweet and clear, unmistakably Jackson Browne.

(A camp friend, Mitch Russell, had turned me onto Jackson circa 1975. His songwriting, singing, and arranging are amazing. As a 15 year old boy, I thought I learned a lot about life, love, and pain through his lyrics. One of my first concerts ever, I saw Jackson play the Hartford Civic Center in 1976-77. On June 12, 1982 I attended the largest anti-nuke rally in history in Central Park. I sat by myself, 30 feet from the stage as Jackson Browne and Bruce Springsteen belted out “The Promised Land” and “Running on Empty”.)

James Taylor then took the stage singing his 70's classic “Mexico” with CSN and company. Nice back up vocals by the Nash and Crosby who performed on the original recording. My brother Ira had this song on a 45 RPM single. Always loved its upbeat spirit.

James sings about Mexico, then says he has "never really been" there. Actually, he refers to having been in Mexico for a concert, but coming down with Montezuma's revenge. Much to his dismay, he had to cancel the show, spending the whole time in his hotel room.

Stephen Stills then sings “Love the One you’re With”. James Taylor accompanies on an acoustic guitar, and sings back up vocals along with Nash & Crosby. A breakthrough song that challenged the monogamous norms and standards of the time.

CSN then perform their Buffalo Springfield classic “Rock and Roll Woman”. Nice vocals and guitars. Stephen Stills voice improved dramatically from his earlier efforts. I knew this song from an album I pilfered from my older brother when I was a teen.

The finale of the first set is “Teach your Children”. Jackson, Bonnie, and James join CSN in a fabulous send-off. Such a timeless and great message!

Paul Simon opens the 2nd set quietly by himself with “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes”. The band eventually joins him in a rocking finish. He then performs his classic Queens-centric song “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”. Mucho fun! Love how Paul whistles the solo during that song. “You Can Call Me Al” is next. No Chevy Chase though. Remember, their duo from Saturday Night Live?

Paul then brings out Bronx born Dion Dimucci from Bronx’s own

30 rothman’s magazine

"Dion and the Belmonts." He leads Paul in a rousing version of “The Wanderer”. Remember the eponymous movie that featured it in the soundtrack. The alto sax figures prominently in this song. A big picture of “Dion and the Belmonts” in their heyday is overhead. Dion calls out to audience “Yo!…Yo!” a bunch of times.

Paul Simon dedicates the next song to the founder of big rock benefit concerts, George Harrison. In this very venue in 1971, George raised money during The Concert for Bangladesh. With Graham Nash and David Crosby on back up vocals, Paul sings “Here Comes the Sun”. Simply beautiful! With a full horn section, Paul rocks out “Late in the Evening”. Made for dancing!

Paul invites Doo Wop pioneers Little Anthony and the Imperials to croon “Two People in the World”. Sweet voices and harmonies.

To a loud ovation, Art Garfunkel takes the stage for “The Sounds of Silence”. The audience is pretty stoked. Some nearby woman are crying. The last time I saw them together was 1981 for their massive free concert in Central Park. I had driven 4 hours each way from Franklin and Marshall to see this spectacle. S&G started off with “Mrs. Robinson,” into Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away,” back into “Mrs. Robinson”. Joe Dimaggio lyrics, of course, elicit applause.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are losing 1-0 in the World Series as the song is being performed. Soon, the first notes of “The Boxer” begin.

Amazing! What great songwriters and performers these two are!

Harmonies R Us! Beautiful. Art Garfunkel's voice is an American treasure.Then “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” with it’s signature piano quietly woos the audience. The Garden is euphoric. Truly remarkable performance. “Cecilia” concludes a "blow me away" set. Still the second half of the show to look forward to!

Unfortunately, Stevie Wonder takes the stage to terrible technical problems. The microphones are not working. He sits by the keyboard patiently nodding his head back and forth waiting. Finally, he opens with Dylan’s “Blowin in the Wind”. Next, a medley of great hits. “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”, “I was Made to Love Her”, “For Once in my Life”, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”, “Boogie On Reggae Woman” (playing harmonica). Stevie’s voice is great, and performances are very solid. In 1973, the year I attended one million Bar Mitzvah’s, every band played Stevie Wonder songs, or at least they tried!

Smokey Robinson comes out and sings a soulful “Tracks of my Tears”. A 1960's picture of Smokey and The Miracles is projected overhead. His voice still sweet and pleasing. John Legend takes the stage. He sings a tribute to Marvin Gaye “Mercy, Mercy, Me”. Marvin’s picture is projected over the stage. He does Marvin justice! Then Stevie sings while he and John each play keyboards to honor the “King of Pop”, Michael Jackson, with “The Way She Makes Feel”.

Stevie breaks down in the middle and cries. Eventually, he finishes the song. Soon, BB King joins Stevie and performs “Thrill is Gone” with Lucille, his guitar. His voice is beautifully mournful, and the guitar tone and playing are wonderful. Then Stevie sings “Living for the City” to a very enthusiastic crowd. The song is a meaningful choice for the Garden in NYC.

R

I

C

H

M

I

L

L

E

R

–

T

H

E

M

U

S

I

C

M

A

N

Stevie is then joined by Sting, playing bass, as they perform Roll, and pioneer of rock song structure, Roy Orbison. Saying he “Higher Ground”. Not a bad bass player. Nice. Sting follows that with would dare not do this song alone, John Fogerty and Bruce sing a fast rocking version of “Roxanne”. Missed the Police reunion, but “Pretty Woman”. Mercy!!!!! So much fun. E Street band guitarist Nils saw this uplifting performance. Stevie returns to “Higher Ground” Lofgren goes accoustic on this one to give the song its classic and finishes the song. An ageless Jeff Beck joins them for twangy sound.They go quiet for a few seconds until we hear the “Superstition”. His classic rock guitar styling was a perfect for this familiar piano intro to “Jungleland”. Bruce runs around the stage as funky song! Awesome!

Clarence bangs out the sax. Great! Darlene Love joins Bruce for a The crowd goes wild to the announcement of the Yankees 3-1 vic- song or two before he announces he will do a song from one the best tory over the Phillies! bands ever to come out of England. He proceeds to The Boss- Bruce Springsteen, always the man with smash and slash a punky version of “London Calling”. amazing timing, hits the stage with “10th Avenue I’m in heaven, I have not seen that song live since 1983!

Freezeout”, a song that gets everyone on their feet. I work Little Steven sings part of the song. Cool! Bruce doing a my way really close to the stage in the $1,000 seats for the Clash song was surreal, and really entertaining. rest of the show.

Tom Morello comes back out and plays guitar on (I first heard Bruce Springsteen after I stole my “Badlands”. I can tell you for sure, nobody has ever brother Paul’s “Born to Run” album. I did not actually love strummed that song like that. Very cool! It is obvious that it at first, but it grew on me. I first saw Bruce live at the Tom has a unique talent. Bruce then announces that New insistence of my Kappa Sig brother’s Ben Dulman and Jersey and Long Island were once “one” before the conRich’s David Cassidy shag John Bacci. It was 1980, at the Capital Center in Maryland. tinental drift. That is maybe why the populations are so What an amazing show, I was hooked. A few months similar. He says their will be a reunion, a summit, at the before that, I had met Bruce while loitering near his rehearsal studio Garden. A “Bridge and Tunnel Summit,“ he says smiling in his raspy in Lititz, PA. I hung out there for an hour or two, and then he came out, voice. He then announces…. "The King of Long Island" as Billy Joel shook hands and took pictures with us. Nice guy! I found out later that struts onstage. after I bailed, Bruce eventually let my buddies in to watch him to do I started listening to Billy about 1975. Mitch Russell gets credit the “Good Golly Miss Molly” medley. I was really bummed.) for turning me on to that artist also. As a Long Island native, I always Bruce then performs “Hold On, I’m Coming”, and “Soul Man” thought he was our voice. My high school yearbook quote was from with Sam Moore from Sam and Dave. Bruce tells the audience that he Billy Joel!...“I’d rather laugh with the sinners then cry with the saints. learned how to lead a band from Sam during the 60's when he used to Sinners are much more fun, and only the good die young.” see him perform at the Saturday Night Lounge in Fort Dix, New Billy then proceeds to play my yearbook song “Only The Good Die Jersey. Tom Morello, the guitarist from “Rage against the Machine”, Young” with Bruce Springsteen. How cool is that? Bruce and Billy then joins Bruce with a beat up guitar and long strings flying every- trade off lyrics. They embrace after the song. Outstanding! Billy then where.They perform “Ghost Of Tom Joad”. Wow! Never seen anyone sits at the piano to work his magic on his beautiful and timely “New play like that. Mad crazy skills! A virtuoso. Simply in Awe! John York State of Mind.” Bruce again sings about half of the lyrics.

Fogerty then joins Bruce on stage. They rock out to “Fortunate Son”. Wonderful. I cannot believe that so many people have left the concert, Song still resonates and is relevant today. The two have excellent so with my experience at crowd movement, I am practically sitting on synergy. Next is “Proud Mary” with Clarence Clemens doing the Ike stage! I know we are near the end (it is close to 1:30 AM) as Bruce Turner baritone “Rolling”. The crowd loves it! launches into “Born to Run” with Billy playing the piano. So cool! The Bruce honors who he considers the greatest voice in Rock and crowd is loving it.

The finale. Seems like everyone joins them on stage for "Higher and Higher". It is a fitting end to a dream-like evening.

32 rothman’s magazine

I am spent, but I will remember this night forever!

d

Jon Sawyer is a Rothman’s customer and a columnist for the Larchmont Loop. www.larchmontloop.com

by jon s aw y e r

The Other Sunday Football Game This month marks the 15th straight year that I have organized and run the premier touch football game in Westchester. It is considered premier, only if you define premier as some guys in their 40’s running around making a catch or two, and then talking a lot of smack about burning some other 40 year old guys on a post pattern or flag pattern, on a field with no posts and no flags.

Our wives do not understand how a bunch guys who they cannot get to do ANYTHING on other days, can get themselves up at 7:00 AM every Sunday morning, 8 months out of the year, to play touch football. A woman once came up to me at our local pizza parlor and started yelling at me like she was Earl Weaver and I was a second base umpire. She would have kicked dirt at me, but that is hard on a sidewalk. She was irritated that her husband had torn a muscle in his shoulder in the game that week, and it was my fault. She practically spit at me, “You guys are too old, and there is too much risk of getting hurt, and frankly, you should just stop playing games.”

But that is just it, women do not understand how much men love to play games. We love to play almost anything. We are bred to play, just as women seem to be bred to stop us from playing. It is a fundamental difference. It is like the fundamental difference that men like women to wear short red dresses, but women like to wear really long sweaters. Men do not get the big long sweater. I mean it looks like a house coat made of wool. It is a fashion trend that someone stole from Bea Arthur’s wardrobe in Maude. (only those of you old enough to play in the Premier Touch Football Game of Westchester will get this reference). We make a game out of everything in our lives. There is nothing, and I mean not an activity, that a man cannot make a game out of. A friend and I once counted 438 games to be played with a pair of socks. Channel surfing is the game of watching the most shows at once, while still understanding what is going on in each. Parking the car is not just parking the car. It is the game of finding the spot closest to the destination, and then accomplishing it in the least amount of moves.

Women should try to understand how simple men are. We love games and sports because success or failure is straightforward.

Gratification can come instantly and often, and not just by winning.

There are those moments that are intoxicating, like when we just hit a ball in the sweet spot, or take a perfect jump shot, or perhaps, that just

34 rothman’s magazine

for a moment, we were actually graceful. (We easily forget the much more common other moments when we are clumsy and rickety).

It is a wondrous place where we judge each other not by traditional social norms, like success, or whether you got lucky in high school, but what you can do for me to improve my game, and to get me the ball. Touch football also has the amusing benefit of being the place where rules of etiquette are completely tossed aside. Instead of politely avoiding mention, people’s shortcomings, deformities and handicaps, become fun for everyone. (Now do not get all politically correct on me, this actually builds bonds and establishes indelible nicknames.) Just ask “Bald in the Back Nolan”, “Really Ugly Joe, or “No Hand Pete” how they feel about it. Behavior that is considered rude, insensitive, and borderline sociopathic is actually considered normal here. It is like a street gang, except we all watch “Glee” on TV. When a younger man plays touch football he fantasizes that he is playing in the Super Bowl. When he plays basketball, he envisions a NBA Finals buzzer beating tipin. His body almost still moves and reacts like it did when he was in high school. It seems plausible, if only some mythical scout had seen him in his prime he could have “been a contender”. This is very different from us “forty somethings”, who hurt for the ensuing three days, even though we did not even get injured.

When a middle-aged man plays he does not dream about bigger games, but rather smaller ones. Our games take us to the parks, backyards, streets, and playgrounds of our childhoods. They take us back to a time when we could play and play and play these games until our mother stuck her head out the window and told us to come in for dinner. So I guess that is how I answer that friend’s wife who asked how it is that we risk injury by playing these silly games. I guess in our minds, it is not yet time to come in for dinner.

fashion

by j i m giddon

1

The Inside

Story

ROTHMAN’S CUSTOM SHIRTS Here is a bit of a different story. About 5 years ago, when we set out to develop our custom shirt business, we investigated manufacturing partners

2

from Hong Kong, Canada, Turkey and Italy. We ulti-

1) The new production floor.

2) Computer generated drawing of the shirt pattern.

mately chose Skip Gambert Custom Shirts of

3) Laser precision cutting of the shirt fabrics.

Newark, New Jersey.

We were impressed with their quality, their

4) Hand cutting of fabrics for difficult stripes and plaid patterns.

selection of fabrics, their flexibility, and their ability to make a hand-made custom shirt within 3 weeks

5) The shirt pieces are cut and sitting with its blueprint.

About to be whisked off to the assembly stations.

at a reasonable price (starting at $100 retail). We also realized that their close proximity to us would

6) Fusing (bonding) of the linings to the fabrics, used for collars and cuffs at 350 degrees with 150 lbs. of pressure.

ensure a quick turnaround and efficient delivery.

Furthermore, we like to work with independent, family-owned American businesses (for some unknown reason, we feel a special kinship with those) and we

3

have been thrilled with the partnership.

The following is a photo recap of my most recent visit to the factory in Newark. Their new layout, situated on one large floor, is bright and spacious. This factory contains a unique mixture of modern, laser precision cutting, and old-fashioned hand workmanship.

4 5

36 rothman’s magazine

6

On the day I visited, there were 146 shirt crafters all working in unison. Each worker was tirelessly performing their specialized craft, and not a voice could be heard.The whir of sewing machines, steam presses, and button holing machines filled the air.

The Inside

Nearly everyone was seated, except for the supervisors, who moved pieces of the shirts from worksta-

Story

tion to workstation. Skip Gambert, the eponymous

owner, monitored the action from the front of the line. Occasionally, he would jump to a station to 7

personally handle the more challenging fits.

14 13

ROTHMAN’S CUSTOM SHIRTS 7)

Skip Gambert himself, working on a difficult cut.

8)

Adding the button holes to the cuff.

9)

Meticulously putting the pieces of the shirt together.

10) Hand finishing the garment.

11) Hand ironing.

12) Folding of the shirt.

13) A Rothman's customer's shirt... ready for shipment.

14) Gambert's exceptional collection of fabrics.

8

Despite what you read in the paper, there

12

are still American factories producing great products with a genuine craft ethos. When you visit the factory, you witness the remarkable care and pride of the workers at Skip Gambert. We are proud to work with this great domestic partner. In the end, the quality of the product speaks for itself.

9 11

10

37

rothman’s magazine

special offer

$50

$50 off the purchase of $500 Thank you for reading Rothman’s Magazine.

This gift certificate entitles you to a savings of $50 OFF a purchase of $500 to $1,000.

GIFT CERTIFIC ATE OFFER EXPIRES END OF DAY January 15, 2010

rothman’s Must present this certificate to receive credit. One certificate per customer.

Not to be used in conjunction with any other offers.

Not to be applied to previous purchases.

Union Square: 200 Park Avenue S. New York, NY 10003 • (212) 777-7400 Scarsdale: 1 Boniface Circle Scarsdale, NY 10583 • (914) 713-0300

$100 off the purchase of $1,000 Thank you for reading Rothman’s Magazine.

This gift certificate entitles you to a savings of $100 OFF a purchase of $1,000 to $2,000.

$100

GIFT CERTIFIC ATE OFFER EXPIRES END OF DAY January 15, 2010

rothman’s Must present this certificate to receive credit. One certificate per customer.

Not to be used in conjunction with any other offers.

Not to be applied to previous purchases.

Union Square: 200 Park Avenue S. New York, NY 10003 • (212) 777-7400 Scarsdale: 1 Boniface Circle Scarsdale, NY 10583 • (914) 713-0300

$200 off the purchase of $2,000 Thank you for reading Rothman’s Magazine.

This gift certificate entitles you to a savings of $200 OFF a purchase of $2,000 or more.

$200

GIFT CERTIFIC ATE OFFER EXPIRES END OF DAY January 15, 2010

rothman’s Must present this certificate to receive credit. One certificate per customer.

Not to be used in conjunction with any other offers.

Not to be applied to previous purchases.

38 rothman’s magazine

Union Square: 200 Park Avenue S. New York, NY 10003 • (212) 777-7400 Scarsdale: 1 Boniface Circle Scarsdale, NY 10583 • (914) 713-0300

AIR DEMPSY VENETIAN WITH NIKE AIR TECHNOLOGY T-MORO SUEDE

business

by l esl i e c. smi t h

It’s in the Bag

S

H O W

T O

W I N

T H E

C A R R Y- O N

Sometimes it’s great to be a guy — like when it comes to packing for a business or business-and-pleasure trip.

Men have two big advantages over women in this regard: Number one, they can often get by with just one suit and a few judiciously chosen accessories. Women, on the other hand, are expected to have a different outfit for every occasion and time of day, each individually accessorized by the right shoes, belt, jewelry, and so on. Often, they will also need the perfect back-up outfits, also individually accessorized, in case of unanticipated changes in the weather or the dreaded I-can’t-wear-this-it-makes-me-look-fat dilemma.

A man’s second ace in the hole is the fact that he just has to shave, roll on a little deodorant, and run a dry comb through his hair (or a wet comb, in the case of bed-head) to get set for the day. A woman, however, must cart half her makeup and hair care products along with her, and accept that it will take her twice as long to fix herself up on the road than at home, because she has forgotten to pack at least one vital piece of equipment. It’s easy to see why women form the majority of passengers lingering wistfully around the baggage carousels at every airport.

Baggage carousels. They’re like an admission of defeat to the regular male business traveler. If you can’t carry it on and off a plane, you’ve lost the luggage game. Worse, you’ve lost face with your fellow male passengers, the ones already outside, compact bags in hand, blithely hailing cabs.

So get smart and try following some of our simple tips for traveling light...

40 rothman’s magazine

L U G G A G E

G A M E

1 Limit yourself to a grand total of three carry-on bags, all in durable ballistic nylon with handy zipout compartments. For a two- or three-day trip, take just your computer case and hand-held carry-all. For a week away, add the garment bag.

2 -Buy yourself an assortment of travel-sized toiletries (new security measures dictate 3.4 ounces or less for each liquid container) and place them in a 1-quart plastic, resealable lunch bag that fits into your carry-all’s separate zip or lined inside compartment. Not only is this the new security rule, but, if something develops a leak, the rest of your luggage will be protected. All other grooming implements, comb, brush and a trip-long supply of disposable razors, go into another zip compartment or, if your bag features it, a snap-out toiletry holder. Again, due to airline security concerns, you’re going to want to leave any metal implements such as nail scissors and clippers at home.

3 For short business trips, wear your one and only suit onto the plane (bonus: being well-dressed can get you bumped up to business class). This suit will likely be black — black is not only dignified, it hides small, accidental stains better than any other color — and made from a travel fabric high-twist wool, superb at shedding wrinkles. If you’re journeying to colder climes, also wear a light overcoat onboard. Before seating yourself, remember to remove your suit jacket and hang it in the front coat compartment for the duration of the flight, in order to keep it looking fresh.

4 Again, for short business trips, your carry-all should hold the rest of your travel wardrobe. Golf shoes, if you intend to indulge, are placed at the very bottom of the bag and should be covered with a layer of tissue paper to prevent scratches. A folded, light-knit sweater and rolled-up microfiber rainshell can follow. Next comes a folded-with-tissue-paper (handy stuff — it also helps prevent wrinkling) or carefully rolled-up pair of microfiber pants, plus a polo knit and/or microfiber sports shirt. This is your leisuretime/golf wardrobe. At the very top will be a dress shirt for every day you’re away, buttoned up and neatly folded, alternating collar to tail, cocooned in either tissue paper or drycleaner plastic. A daily change of socks and underwear plus a rolled-up necktie get

As with all travel packing, empty your bags the minute you arrive at your hotel and hang your clothes up to let them breathe. Stubborn wrinkles can be removed by running the shower until the bathroom steams up and then hanging the offending garments for an hour’s rest on the shower rod. And a sharper crease in your dress pants can be encouraged by laying them out in flattened position under your hotel mattress for the night.

wedged into any spare cavities. And that’s it — you’re good to go.

5 For longer trips of a week or maybe more — especially those designed to combine business with pleasure — your garment bag comes into play. This is ideally slim-profiled, carried onboard with a shoulder strap, and instantly hung up in the plane’s front coat compartment. (Hint: These primo spots fill up quickly; passengers boarding first have first crack at them, so either travel business class or book your economy seat in the rear of the plane.) One note of warning, however, As we’ve all seen over the past couple of years, the rules can change overnight. Check with your airline or travel agent before leaving to ensure garment bags still possess carry-on status.

6 -Most, if not all, of your travel wardrobe should be made from travel-friendly fabrics, but that doesn’t mean they can’t wrinkle and crease in transit. So hook the hangers of your most important items at the bottom of your garment bag, because there’ll be less pressure on their material when the bag’s folded in half. Assuming a week away, the order should go as follows: spare gray-toned suit, solid or lightly patterned sportcoat, enough dress shirts for the week, a casual shirt or two (note: all of the former items should be buttoned up), a pair of casual trousers and/or shorts, a couple of light-knit polos, and one warm sweater, just in case (even in the

Oh, and about that golf game you had in mind: If you’re traveling alone, simply rent some clubs at the

Caribbean, the nights can grow cool). Again, as with the carry-all,

course. If you’re traveling with a female companion,

ties, socks, and other sundries can be slotted into spare spaces.

you might as well check your golf bag in at the desk

Once you’ve finished packing the garment bag, adjust the interior

— you’re going to be standing around the baggage

ties to hold things in place, but not too tightly, and off you go.

carousel anyway.

42 rothman’s magazine

A

T U F T S

M

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

A

G

A

Z

P U B L I C A T I O N

I

N

E

JEANSOLOGY 101 HOW FOOTBALL CHANGED AMERICA SKIP GA MBERT CUSTOM SHIRTS THE SKIN DOCTOR

nd a , ar e w er t Ou , s at o rtc o p ,S s t i Su

d te c le se

n ...i r ea w rts o Sp

OW N s es r og pr

What Women Think

HOLIDAY 2009 • ISSUE 5

...ABOUT

THE

WAY MEN DRESS