Tough to find a cooler version than this one from J.Crew.
‘Tis the season…to wear a Fair Isle sweater. Fair Isle sweaters are named after the knitting technique that originated on an island off the coast of northern Scotland called, well, Fair Isle. They’re always popular and appropriate during the holiday season, but beware of those with gimmikcy patterns like snowflakes, reindeer and moose. Some can work, but you run the risk of looking like an overgrown child. Better to save those for the annual ugly sweater party and get yourself an updated and more versatile version this season.
If you’re looking for a bargain, this one from American Living is a good option.
The guys over at The Motley we’re cool enough to let me curate a ready-made kit for their online shop. It was tough to choose from all of their top-notch grooming products, so I decided to go with a theme…everything a guy needs for a close comfortable shave. With this kit you’ll get all of the essential items needed to prepare and protect your skin for battle.
If you’re already well-stocked in the shaving department, there are other curated kits available that tackle different grooming gripes.
A good, quality tweed sportcoat is a wardrobe essential for any guy. When I mentioned the “High-low” in my previous post…this is what I meant by “High”. This is where you should be spending your money. Molloy & Sons has been weaving Donegal Tweed (named after County Donegal, Ireland where the family business is based) since the 19th century, and they are one of the few remaining companies who still produce authentic Donegal Tweed.
One key aspect of having great style is knowing how to pull off the “High-low”, spending big bucks on the well-crafted items that will last a lifetime, and saving your money on others. One thing that I refuse to spend money on is an umbrella, because I will undoubtedly loose it. This guy is rocking a $5 street-bought umbrella…and making it look good.
We’ve been experiencing unseasonably warn weather here in NYC, but my hands haven’t seemed to notice. For this reason, I keep a jar of Buckler’s Chapped Skin Remedy on my desk. Developed in house by the guys at The Motley, Buckler’s is an all natural, fragrance free formula packed with Chamomile, Shea Butter and Aloe that soothes and softens skin. My hands have never been in better shape for the winter season.
Hunter boots, while classic, can look and feel a bit feminine on a guy. Something about tucking pants into tall boots just doesn’t work. The best way for a guy to face the rain and snow is by lacing up a pair of duck boots, and nobody does them better than the originator, L.L. Bean.
Stop packing up your white jeans with your summer clothes for the season, they can be a year-round staple if you play your cards right. Throw on a pair of white jeans with a tweed sportcoat or sweater this fall and winter to break up your usual rotation of dark muted colors like navy, olive and brown.
I wrote about Cavalier Essentials a while back. Cavalier began as a branding project by Taylor Pemberton, and after receiving a plethora of positive press, it looks like he will be launching a real brand in November. Check out the launch video and stay tuned for more.
I love a good grosgrain striped watch band, but sometimes you need something that suits a more rugged, understated look. DeLuca Straps, based in Sand Diego, CA, hand makes a large selection of leather, croc and rubber straps that will better serve your less preppy side. Each strap is one of a kind.
DeLuca Straps also produces accessories such as wallets, belts and camera a straps. I’m actually in the market for a stylish camera strap, and I now know where I’ll be going.
Monocle launched their 24 hour radio program earlier today. Reporting on current affairs, business, culture and music, Monocle 24 aims to bring that very “Monocle” vibe to the airwaves around the clock. After reading the current issue of Monocle, which focuses on the world of media, I can gather that a Monocle television cable network is not far behind.
I’ll usually throw on some Detroit sports radio if I have down-time at the office, but I’ll certainly now have to tune in to M24 to feed my more cultural side from time to time.
WSJ Magazine recently featured a story titled, “Death of a Playboy”, in which they report on a time when globe-trotting men with a certain swagger and privilege didn’t feel the need to advertise their status to everyone around them. the whole piece is worth a read, however the following excerpt sums it up pretty nicely:
Perhaps the phoniest version of the jet-setting “good life” appears in Sean “Diddy” Combs’s TV ads for his Sean John I Am King cologne. Diddy rides a jet-ski in a full tux, arrives at a helipad armed with body-suited supermodels Bar Refaeli and Ana Paula Araújo at his side, and strides through the Mediterranean in full black tie. If he saw it, Gunter Sachs, the impeccably dressed, tousled-haired heir to Germany’s Opel automobile dynasty, might shoot himself all over again. In his day, a playboy didn’t shout he was a “playah”—he just . . . was. What the deuce did he care if anyone else knew it?
