The description they give you is often along the lines of a clean-shaven and sharply dressed man in a perfectly pressed suit or tuxedo. He holds the door for a beautiful woman in a red dress, and the surrounding décor is representative of the late 1800’s. Just looking at him, you know he is an honorable man. One that is courteous and chivalrous, loyal to his fellow man and one that women fall for.
But what is he really like? More importantly, how does he fit into modern society? Our inspiration at What is a Gentleman is simple. We are disappointed in the widespread, and socially accepted decline of the gentleman. The once common attitude of mutual and self respect is now so bloody rare, so hard to find, it might as well be (Where’s) Waldo’s steak dinner. The good news is, we've found the chef that works at Waldo’s secret eatery and he taught us that common culture is always shifting and he sees the future trending toward a resurgence of the gentleman. Already, a man can take pride in his appearance, throw on some color, and not worry he is giving off an aura of femininity, unlike 5 years ago. And politeness and courtesy are enthusiastically welcomed rather than dismissed as someone “trying too hard.” By championing and embodying these trends, we hope to usher in the era of the socially-acceptable gentleman once again. We all know the basics. Open doors for others. Avoid foul language. Take the opportunity to help others, while expecting nothing in return. But how does the new college grad, maturing millennial, and well established entrepreneur build on this simple ideology, truly embrace the persona of a gentleman, and make these traditional values his own? This website will explore what today’s gentleman looks like, how he acts, and how he carries himself. This is to be a vessel of learning and exploration, launched into today’s societal construct in an attempt to salvage old lessons of how to be a real man, while creating some of our own to adapt to today’s social norms. It is about how we can respect those around us and ultimately ourselves, how to dress the part, and more importantly, how to act it.
