What a find. And to think that my haircut has a name - the 'butch'!
Oh my...

Princeton Haircut
Q: What is a Princeton haircut?

A: The Princeton haircut is a classic men’s haircut style that has also been known by other names over the years. These names are all related: Princeton cut, the Ivy League cut, or the Collegiate Cut.

      The cut was made popular in the 40s and 50s among the young campus men of the Ivy League schools. It was favored for its versatility – combining the short back and sides demanded by the social conventions of the day, with a longer top and fringe area that could be slicked back and styled for a clean-cut, well-groomed look, or left loose and free for a playful, tousled look.

      The style has survived over the years, re-emerging in cycles, and slowly morphing from its original look. Even though the “Princeton Cut” of today may not be exactly the same as it was in its origin era, the details of the cut are the same.

      The hair is cut around the lower perimeter following the men’s traditional styling: sideburns are cut as desired, the hair is cut around the ears and a squared nape area is created. The sides and back are tapered short at bottom to approximately 1-to-2-inches in the parietal ridge area and the hair on top increases in length from the crown area to the front/fringe area. The front length of the hair is as desired, but is generally 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 inches (whatever is appropriate to allow the hair to hang approximately to eye level).

The horrible Bushs, Cyrus Vance, too many to mention. They had their hair cut by Rocky. He just retired. The store lives on, as does the haircut. Worth way more than they charge.

Rocky will be missed.  My experience has been inconsistent with the other barbers at Phil's.  I have a business man's cut.

Excellent point, Jim. As you say, could be a good subject for another thread.

However, it seems to come down to arriving at the point in life when you are totally comfortable with who you are, and aren't trying  to be something else.

When you reach that point, (some never seem to), you revert to those things that work, require minimum effort with maximum benefit, and allow you to go about the business of "self actualizing", as Abraham Maslow put it. Self actualizing is infinitely more rewarding than trying to be something that others will approve of.

To get back on track, this would seem to include:

The local barber that gives a cheap haircut, but does it exactly like you want in 15 minutes.

LLB bluchers.

A cheap watch that keeps better time than a Rolex.

A serviceable car that sends out the message "this is reliable transportation, but I have no interest in using it to try to impress anyone."

The JP Harris tweed that really needs the leather elbow patches.

The sweatshirt that you mention, as well as the well worn khakis, OCBD and other things that many of us consider reliable old friends.

When you think of the 6 or 7 people that you really enjoy being around, you realize that no one has an agenda, is trying to impress, or really wants anything other than your company. Seems like much of the stuff that emerges here from time to time.

Really a stretch, my friend, but since barbers were mentioned, maybe this will pass muster.

Jim may want to move this subject Alex, but the subject does seem to cry out for attention, even though we have strayed a bit from haircuts.

The subject is a part of a much larger cultural shift that we are going through, in the US, particularly on the east coast. Here, there is a large part of the  culture made up of people under 40, who have never experienced much hardship, and have been able to accumulate material wealth that is significant.

Now, many of these men and women can be seen daily in the financial district carrying a pasteboard box out of their office, with a dazed look on their face, wondering what happened.

This shock is rippling through the environment at a rapid pace.

If we emerge, which we will, there will be a generation that has experienced adversity for the first time in their lives. Look back at your own situation. The good times don't build character. We get stronger by having to face and overcome adversity.

This gets us back to your point, Alex.

Empty lives filled with things, are still empty lives.

Thus, the favorite Ivy garb that we discuss here seems to embody a return to a more basic existence that has real value.

Yes - Sorry - I've rambled away from Haircuts - I'll start a new thread for this interesting sideline. Matt's observations here are too good to let them get lost.

Best -

Jim