Fifty Year's of Devastating

GQ - Fall 1957The inimitable GQ magazine is officially fifty years old. My goodness, doesn't it look good? Like those lip-bitingly handsome devils that become even more irresistible once that whisper of salt-n-pepper gathers at their temples. You know who I'm talking about: Connery, Clooney, Newman... it's a short list, but boy is it a good one!

GQ was originally published in 1957 as Apparel Arts - an adjunct to Esquire, with an examination of men's fashion each quarter. After less than a year of issues, the magazine was renamed Gentleman's Quarterly, bringing a cosmopolitan air of fashion, politics, travel and entertainment to the men of America. Remember, this was the era when Playboy was still classy and featured good writing, so anything else moving into the "red-blooded American male" demographic would have to be at least as compelling. And compel they did with unprecedented international coverage and incredibly avant garde cover art.

In fact, the covers of the last twenty-thirty years aren't nearly as interesting and artistic as those from the first ten or fifteen. A mix of photography and illustration, the covers were cool, sophisticated, stylish and yet unquestionably masculine. They were also inherently of their time. Visit Men.Style.com/GQ for a complete slideshow of all of the covers - well worth the time to flip through! From that group of images, I chose some of my favorites...

May 1960
November 1962
February 1963
November 1963
February 1965
April 1965
Summer 1965
Summer 1974
Winter 1974

So many years and so many stylish fellows should be celebrated, don't you think? Luckily, if you're in San Francisco next week you'll be able to do just that.

The Guardsmen (a group who know what it means to be a modern gentleman,) have joined forces with the Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Store to celebrate fifty years of GQ. The party is aptly titled "The Return of the Gentleman" although, as with all Guardsmen events, ladies are most definitely welcome.

The $100 ticket price will garner you a cocktail worthy of a true gentleman, as well as some nibbles and "gentleman-inspired fun and games". (I, for one, cannot wait to find out what that's all about.) A $150 VIP ticket will get you all this, plus an entry into the after-party over at Slide Lounge.  As a bonus, your ticket will also get you a $25 or $50 gift card for Saks Fifth Avenue - shop while you party! I know that's what I'm going to do...oh yes, Ms. P&C will definitely be in attendance - all those fellows looking sharp under one roof? Twist my arm!

Proceeds go directly to The Guardsmen - serving at-risk youth of the Bay Area.

Now since I've helped you to figure out where you'll be next Thursday night, maybe you can help me with one thing: what's a girl to wear to a party celebrating fifty years of stylish gentleman?

Purchase tickets at The Return of the Gentleman.