In May’s literary salute to the quarter, we view the word it pertains to the calendar, and take a peek at Gentleman’s Quarterly Magazine.
American women have been knee-deep in fashion magazines before it was considered ladylike to show their knees. From Godey’s Ladies’ Book, first published in 1830, to Cosmo today, women have had fashion tips at their fingertips.
Alas, the other half of the population has not been as fortunate. Faced with fewer sartorial options once the Industrial Revolution rolled onto the scene, men muddled along in varying shades of black, not caring much about leg o’ mutton, beyond what the butcher might have hanging in his window.
A curious thing happened in the midst of the Great Depression, men sensed there were choices to be made when it came to collars and coats and sleeves—there was even such a thing as, gasp!, a leg o’ mutton sleeve. As men began to consider the voluminous quality of shirt sleeves, trouser legs, and cravats, Apparel Art, a trade publication for fashion wholesalers, began to disappear. Men, suddenly famished for fashion intel, were sneaking the industry magazine out of New York warehouses.
The publisher, sensing an opportunity, launched Esquire Magazine, a fashion magazine for men.
Apparel Art, however, still held sway, tantalizing men with its insider fashion info, and in June 1957, its publisher finally made the journal available to the general population—renaming it Gentlemen’s Quarterly. Cary Grant, JFK, and Sammy Davis, Jr. appeared on the cover in early issues. as did that international man of mystery, Sean Connery, aka James Bond. These men’s good looks and obvious sexuality epitomized the style and culture of the publication.
When Connery graced the cover, articles inside shared “How Sean Connery Turned a Regular Rolex into ‘The Bond”” and provided hints on how to “Flaunt Your Chest Hair Like Sean Connery.
Originally, Gentlemen’s Quarterly (just like WayWord Books) was published four times a year. In 1967, the magazine was rebranded as GQ and the rate of publication increased to once a month. Back then, a subscription to GQ made an ideal Father’s Day gift.
This Father’s Day, even though we have yet to publish anything about flaunting chest hair, WayWord Books offers a different type of subscription, one guaranteed to make the man in your life feel special. From high adventure in the Rockies to real accounts of British explorers in deepest, darkest Africa, our books will keep him entertained throughout the year. Click here to learn more.