Pre-World War II, Charlie Chaplin donned a pair of Strongholds. In the twilight years of Dubya's reign, the popular denim line from 1895 is now a cottage industry whipping out jeans right on Abbot Kinney.

Uniquely old-fashioned, The Stronghold is a men's clothing parlor, boasting workmen's jeans, Stetson fedoras and Scotch at the ready. Proudly all-American-made, all item for sale, both vintage and new, are nostalgic of a humble era: 1895 through the 1940s, which saw the birth of the five-pocket jean, the perfect white T-shirt, the sweatshirt, the baseball cap, and so on. The Stronghold pays homage to all of these staples, plus add-ons like suspenders, newsboy hats and man-purses carry-alls. Beyond the racks is a custom denim bar, where demanding dudes get fitted and select blues, buttons and trims out of clear candy jars. The shop itself is quite handsome—look out for globes still outlining the U.S.S.R., a record station that may not actually play, and luggage we wouldn't take anywhere near LAX. Oh, and women can rock Strongholds, too—we recommend the striped shorts. —Lien Ta