While having lunch at The Beaver, a West Queen West establishment known for it’s eats in the day and DJs at night, I was slapped in the face by a rapidly cloned style that appears to be the look of choice for dudes in the hood. Plaid just doesn’t want to die, nor do burly beards, but this time the look is cleaned up a bit – no scruffy mops of hair – crew cuts and side fades, topped with what we call in Canada – a toque.
I was amazed by a large table of mostly guys, where about 8 of them looked like imitation was the greatest form of flattery. This just confirmed what I had already noticed; having run into an old friend at Parts & Labour, a Parkdale resto/bar, who himself was sporting the plaid heavy, 3 month beard, and flat top (toque optional) look, along with two of the bartenders.
You might say that this sounds a bit like a lumberjack – or better yet, a log driver!? Yes, it’s true, the Great North is in our blood – even the urban dwellers can’t escape it. With propaganda like this on the television growing up, it’s clearly the way to impress the ladies. 8 out of 10 hungover hipsters eating at The Beaver agree.