Contemporary/modern Fountain Pen Design

[gmcalabr]

So it seems to me, after the year or so that I've been into pens, that most fountain pens are designed with a much more stayed, classy look that looks best worn with a suit. Meisterstucks, Sheaffer Valiants, Parker 61's are great, but really they look silly clipped in a madras shorts pocket, used by a guy with a bandana, long hair sticking out, and a beard (guess how I know this).

 

On the other end, there are Pilot Varsity's, Petits, Preppy's, and other similar pens that are great, have a cool look, but are similar to any cheap normal BP or RB pen sold in blister packs. Let's talk about pens that are stylish, but look best clipped to a Banana Republic or Gap shirt. Something nice, but modern. Also, I'd love to hear about anything that's hit a nice point in its age where it's retro-cool, maybe a Wing Sung 233.

 

Here's my picks:

Pilot Prera (any bright color works)

Picasso 916 Malange (again, bright colors work best)

Nemosine Singularity demonstrator

Sailor pens in bright yellow (especially not the 1911 cigar shape)

 

Borderline too fancy but still pretty modern looking:

Visconti Wall Street

Delta Dolce Vita

David Oscarson Harlequin

[orfew]

I carry my MBs no matter what I am wearing. I have even put my 146 in a t-shirt pocket. If some think that is silly...that is okay, I will still carry whatever pens I am using at the time.

[Wheatflower]

How could you have possibly forgotten the Lamy "I clip to ANYTHING" Safari?

[mbankirer]

The most modern looking pens I've seen include some of the Porsche designs or the Pilot MYU with its sleek nib and body!

[NedC]

The Pelikan's bill shaped clip adds a refreshing touch of whimsy. An m200 in a bright canary yellow is probably the ideal pen for wear with a madras shirt;)

[jar]

I have long hair, beard, wear bandanas and today a camp shirt and shorts, no shoes unless I go shopping. Banana Republic and Gap are great for school kids but I'm older than that and when it comes other folks opinion about which pen I happen to use that day; as Rett said, "Frankly my dear ...".

 

Today it will likely be an MB 342 with OB nib and is older than either of those companies.

 

Gotta add though that I cannot even imagine ever putting a fountain pen in a pants pocket.

Edited July 22, 2013 by jar

[minislot]

The Pelikan's bill shaped clip adds a refreshing touch of whimsy. An m200 in a bright canary yellow is probably the ideal pen for wear with a madras shirt;)

 

Good thinking. Depending on the colour, an M200 could cover all shades of smart and casual.

[basterma]

I use my pens when teaching or at home. The dress code for the schools dictate what i wear, but I have no problem with how the pen in my shirt pocket looks. However I have received a lot of compliments for flighter pens as well as for a navy blue and green Pelikan P10 and a black and blue Inoxcrom Sakyo. Shiny silver colors and dark plastics with primary colors seem to be the word among my students.

[orinix]

Muji aluminum round fountain pen. Stylish modern looking pen.

[Runnin_Ute]

At work, the dress code is business casual. I end up wearing a dress shirt and dockers (or nicer) not less than 3-4 days a week. Friday I usually wear jeans and a golf shirt. Sometimes Mon-Thu I will wear a golf shirt. Makes it easy for pens.

[da vinci]

How about the Rotring 600? Pretty modern in looks..

[DRWWE]

Modern and stylish? I'd also add subdued. Nothing flashy; just cool and functional. Look at Lamy. The 2000 looks great with casual attire as do a lot of their models, although I would avoid a brightly-colored Safari if it clashes with your shirt. Monteverde makes some fine casual designs as well (Invincia).

[Opooh]

A well designed pen is timeless!

[Paddler]

How many people are going to notice that you have a Meisterstuck clipped to your Madras pants pocket? Do you think T.C. Mits (the celebrated man in the street) is going to recognize a clip and half-inch of a pen? "Hey, Martha! Look at the guy with the Meisterstuck stuck in his pocket! What a maroon, huh?"

 

 

 

[de_pen_dent]

I'd suggest that we take the "I carry whatever pen I want cos i am a free spirit" circle of reaffirmation as a given and try to answer the OPs question.

 

A few ones of the top of my head:

- Platinum Tortoise --> a modern day pen but with a retro-cool look

- Visconti's Rembrandt and Van Gogh series

- Modern Conklins

- Bexley, Edison

 

Plenty of non-business-like pens there.

[amk]

Pens to go with hawaiian shirt and shorts:

 

Monteverde intima in bright neon

Bexley Corona or Edison Pearl - some fantastic colours (lemon meringue, persimmon swirl would be my favourites, respectively)

Platinum celluloid 'koi' (anyone know where I can get one in UK, by the way?)

 

Pens for minimalists - black jeans and black t-shirt

 

Lamy 2000

Parker 95 flighter

Franklin Christoph model 02 Intrinsic

[BrandonA]

My attire has nothing to do with my pen choice and on the flip side my pen has nothing to do with my attire.

 

I do think though that manufacturers such as MB do have different ranges which are either classic or contemporary in design. As you stated, the standard Meisterstuck range is quite formal/classic but the Starwalker range is contemporary. Using your logic (which I don't agree with), I imagine you'd be more comfortable using a Starwalker when wearing your madras shorts.

 

Some of the MB limited editions are quite contemporary in design, I think immediately of the Verne or the Kafka.

 

Bottomline, although we have an interest in pens no one else cares. Not many people pay any attention to what pen we have and definitely do not draw (any worthwhile) conclusions on you based on it and your attire.

 

Someone else on the MB forum took this debate further and even questioned places where certain pens could/should be used. This is even more ludicrous.

[RJJ]

Delta Dolcevita!

[Scrawler]

I have never thought of a pen of any kind as being a fashion statement. Whether I wear my most staid suit, a tuxedo, a kilt, or shorts and tee-shirt, I choose my pen for what I will be doing with it, and to satisfy myself. Why anyone would clip a pen to shorts pocket is beyond me. It is in danger of damage or loss. The number of occasions where people have even noticed that I am using a fountain pen are very limited. Last week I was in a hotel lobby writing a letter to my mother and a lady commented, not on the pen itself, but on the fact that I was using a fountain pen and was writing in an unusual shade of violet. And in her case, I fully expect that she will be joining FPN soon.

[LuisAAbrilRomero]

Try a Pilot M90 or a TWSBI Mini/580 for the modern look.