When I first came across a photo of Swifty Lazar (in a cool old book I’ll post about soon), I was really taken aback by how imposing his style was. Even though big frames come in and out of style, it seemed like his glasses must have always had an anachronistic quality about them. They sort of say, “I don’t care what anyone else is wearing, I’m Swifty Lazar and I’m too busy hanging out with Diana Ross to worry about my glasses!”

While I was wandering through a Brazilian flea market with a friend this fall, I came across a really cool old pair of glasses but I couldn’t justify the paltry four or five dollars the vendor wanted because, well, they were a pair of dirty old glasses and why would I carry them across two continents? Fortunately, my friend knew what a junk hound I am and he secretly bought them for me and presented them as a gift a few days later!

I can’t wear these for very long even though the prescription is relatively weak, so they are just sitting in my room for now. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. When you think about it, these are a lot cooler than any of the souvenirs I could have bought in a tourist shop.

In terms of places that are still manufacturing glasses inspired by the past, my personal favorite is Moscot. A co-worker tipped me off that American Apparel is now selling a pretty cheap ($50.00) line of “vintage eyewear.” I don’t think they’ve got anything Swifty would rock, but I’m not sure anyone else could pull of his look anyway.

The Romantic Egoists

For Christmas, I asked for a new bike helmet, gear for cold weather riding, an art print and money. I was given an electric hand-mixer and some gift cards. Fantastic gifts, but now I have a choice to make.

Reason states that I should act like a good little economist and make a rational choice with these gift cards by purchasing things I need or perhaps the original items from my Christmas list. Instead, it is very likely that I will buy this:

The Romantic Egoists: A Pictorial Autobiography from the Scrapbooks and Albums of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald

The book is a very interesting break from the normal biography. It is designed like a family scrapbook, complete with baby pictures, college love letters and news clippings. Rather than reading the interpretations of an historian or colleague, the reader is afforded the opportunity to investigate the mementos and ephemera of the Fitzgeralds.

One of the books editors was Scottie Fitzgerald Smith, the only child of Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald. That Scottie helped decide what went into the book adds, in my opinion, an additional bit of history to the document.

More images from the publisher are available here.