Southern Style Controversy

Apparently, there’s a publication in Athens which doesn’t like the interview Hugh Acheson gave to the Wall Street Journal regarding his personal style.

While I have no problem expressing my displeasure with something a writer at the Washington Post has to say about Lilly Pulitzer (see here- still not happy about it either) I somewhat hesitate to name which publication in Athens did this- but oh well they put it in print and I can’t quote them without saying which publication it was.

That being said, I thought the editorial the Flagpole ran was incredibly unfair. For one, Hugh Acheson has done a hell of a lot for Athens and Georgia as a whole. But let’s put that aside totally. Let’s say he wasn’t on a campaign to improve the eating of our public schools. Let’s say he hasn’t brought millions of dollars to our state by investing his own money and running successful businesses and supplying people with gainful employment. Put all of that aside.

I’m inserting a screenshot so I can’t be accused of misquoting anyone, and I will link to the original article:

 

And the original WSJ piece:

 

 

 

The only thing I really take issue with is they call his style Southern Style.  I think the WSJ could have expounded upon this some more and explained why they called his style “coolly casual Southern style” other than just he happens to live here. Especially since many of the items named aren’t based in the South. Those that are:

Tweeds (in Atlanta, and also the brain child of a SCAD grad)

Sid Mashburn (also based in Atlanta)

 

That’s it. The rest of the items are products based elsewhere. Except for the seersucker suit reference, and no particular brand was named there, and nothing screams Southerner louder than seersucker. It’s my own belief that Southern Style can be attained even with “non traditional” Southern items such as leather pants. But that’s a whole other post I’ve written previously, and frankly just my own nit-pickiness.

I would say his “nothing in Athens” comment was taken way out of context most likely (and Flagpole printed later saying this is what Acheson stated in a phone call to them). It was referenced in his comments on Warby Parker eyewear, and I honestly know nothing about eyewear places in Athens so I can’t comment on that. And while I know there are menswear places in Athens, tailored menswear is incredibly difficult to find. And he still mentioned Atlanta places! 

I gotta be honest, I would not have even stumbled across this Flagpole editorial had I not seen a comment from The Broad Collective, and I should note I consider everyone at the Collective to be a friend. They’re a fantastic online publication in Athens and they graciously allow us to syndicate some of their materials, and I’ve even been published once on their site.

But Josh with The Broad Collective was spot on with his comments:

 

But the thing is, everyone’s own personal style is just that- personal. As someone who is a HUGE advocate of shopping local, I get it. Trust me, I do. But if you like certain brands and can’t find them where you live then there is nothing wrong with shopping elsewhere.  Especially when you are a restauranteur who has opened 4 restaurants that I can think of off the top of my head in Athens alone, and you are working on a program to give back to the public schools there. Like Hugh Acheson does.

 

Love to all y’all,

 

Molly

 

I feel I should note, The Broad Collective did a lovely piece with one of the owners of The Flagpole, linked here.