After living fifty-five years, I've had the opportunity to see quite a few strange things come and go. Many of the fads that we grew up with now reside only in our memories. With the annual holiday onslaught of new fads, computers, and electronic gadgetry now behind us, I thought it might be fun to think about the "classics." That is, stuff that never goes out of style.

Actually, many people seem to love the "classics" (whatever that means). In fact, there's a whole "retro" industry, cranking away new versions of items from the dim, distant past.

What would some of these "classics" be then? Let's start with men's toiletries and fashions. The splash-on substances that grace my medicine chest are the same as my grandfather used. In fact, as many of these have no expiration date, some of these may have even been my grandfather's!

What is more classic than a t-shirt? As we all know, men have three types: round neck, v-neck, and tank. Some guys want that round-neck to show a spash of white between those collar tabs, while others would rather display their hairy chests and armpits. Still, these types have changed little, if at all, over the years. Classics all.

As for men's shoes? The ubiquitous wing tip brogues and penny loafers seem to plod on forever in the boardrooms of our nation. Otherwise, "sneakers" lead the way. Although there are very cool ultra-modern shoes in the stores' front windows, classic sneakers still seem to rule the roost, at least with those who know about what's REALLY cool!

Trousers made from old sail cloth material in the late 1800's became very popular with the sailors and cowboys. In 1873, two businessmen, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis, collaborated to introduce the concept of the denim "waist overall" with riveted pockets so that miners could better carry their gold ore without losing their trousers! As the sailing ships and canvas-covered wagons were quickly becoming things of the past, the demand for high quality canvas denim was kept at a respectable level with the need for work jackets and pants made in this fashion. These days, as in the Old West, denim jeans are everywhere!

As an interesting sidelight, one thing changed from the original plans for those jeans. It seems that there was a rivet at the crotch of the trousers. Apparently, at least as the story goes, there were some cowboys sitting by their evening campfires who seemed to object to that rivet heating up at the wrong time! There's another story that copper rivets were discontinued during WWII due to war material restrictions. I like the first tale myself.

As for the ladies? They too have perennially popular designer classic perfumes and fragrances, as well as distinctive articles of clothing that endure from year to year. Smocks and jumpers, silk blouses, business suits and classic shoe designs all endure from year to year with minor variations.

In the world of Rock music, you might think that new guitar and amplifier ideas would rule. The truth is that classic instrument designs from the '50's continue to dominate the stages. Some of the original vintage instruments bring astronomical sums on the rare occasions they come into the market. Interesting as well are the number of teens encountered by your columnist who want to learn and perform "Classic Rock."

Automobile designers, too, are recognizing the appeal of older cars. More and more models from yesteryear (with some stylistic or safety-related updates) are once again showing up in dealer showrooms to the absolute delight of retro-hungry consumers.

In our supermarkets, a number of products have also returned to classic packaging, while other products have remained the same for years. Can you think of any examples? Remember a few years back when a well-known soft drink company decided to re-formulate? I seem to remember that they changed their minds rather quickly!

All of this causes me to wonder exactly how much the kids of today will relate to the classics in years to come. When a two-year old computer, or last year's cell phone, is hopelessly outdated, how can today's youths even imagine a product that will stand the test of time?

As far as Lakewood is concerned, I'd like to think that we are as classic as it gets! Only here in Lakewood, we love to combine the best of the old with the best of the new. I think, for example, of the new Garfield School retaining its original facade while combining with the attraction of a state-of-the-art facility.

And what could be more classic than the many beautiful neighborhoods that grace this city? While many folks for years have prematurely prophesied Lakewood's demise, our streets, storefronts, and residences have continued to combine classic elegance with a forward-facing attitude. While other communities construct pseudo-neighborhoods that superficially resemble Lakewood's, we have the real thing! As retro goes, I suppose we have the state-of-the-art!

If we can continue to retain and attract many other fine retailers, keep and beautify our housing stock, and maintain our schools and city services, perhaps we can continue to draw upon these "classic" strengths--to enrichen the pulse of this city. Now, where did I put those sneakers?