If you have a suit that was made in America, chances are that it was not entirely made in America, since the fabric was most likely produced somewhere else, like Italy. Last week, I attended a launch party celebrating a company that hopes to change that.
Who doesn’t need a simple, handsome, well-made and affordable dress belt? Although most of my suits are custom made without belt loops, I do have a couple of cotton summer suits that require a good dress belt. There are also those more casual situations with dress pants or dark jeans when I need a good dress belt to coordinate with my oxfords or chukka boots.
There are countless options for good dress belts, but I prefer the simplest, most understated, most elegent options for the most reasonable cost. Finding a belt at a reasonable cost is difficult, especially if you’re after a designer brand. The solution to this is usually to use a replica, like this high-quality fake Gucci belt, that will come at a very low price compared to the real one whilst still looking almost identical to the full-priced belt. Having said that, designer isn’t always something that people look for in a belt; I was convinced for a long time that J.Crew struck the best balance of quality, elegance and price with very handsome belts for $68. Recently, however, I came across a British company called Denura.
Del Singh, the founder of The Epoch Man blog (and fellow native Clevelander), sent me this terrific and simple how-to graphic demonstrating different ways to fold a pocket square. I had to share.
I don’t always wear a pocket square. When I do, I go with the “Straight Fold.” But there’s something in this nicely-executed guide for just about any preference. Enjoy!
It's finally starting to feel like winter here in NYC. Only now am I starting to pull out my cold weather essentials...
The January Spotify playlist is here. As usual, it’s a mess of a mix, crossing genres and decades with no rhyme or reason. Take what you like and leave the rest…
I subscribe to the email lists of all the brands I like. Most of the time I delete them after a cursory glance since I don’t really need anything. But when there is a worthwhile sale or something new, I’ll investigate.
Such an investigation happened this morning with an email from The Tie Bar, which touted their new January offerings. I found a few ties that just might make it into my rotation…
I recently had a great lunch meeting with a friend who wanted to overhaul his wardrobe from the ground up. He had picked up on what I was doing, and wanted to get into a tailored look with custom suits, classic dress shirts and good shoes. To start, he wanted to keep things very simple and then expand his sartorial horizons once he got his sea legs. I was extremely flattered that he saw me as a good source for counsel. Not only was I happy to help, but I saw this as a personal opportunity to refresh my perspective on solid foundational essentials, dialing it back to the very basics.
In today’s men’s wear culture, it’s so easy to get caught up in what’s hot and so very right now while ignoring the ever-important basics. One might have the wardrobe to look super fantastic in a nightclub, at a fashion show, at Pitti Uomo or at a selvedge denim flea market packed with bearded bros, but put some of those guys at a wedding, an important business meeting or at the occasional black tie affair and they often look like they’re in the wrong room. At funerals, such sartorial illiteracy even looks disrespectful. It’s like having a collection of unique ornaments, glittering tinsel garland and flashing lights but no tree. It goes back to having the basics, which starts with shoes.
I recently became acquainted with the work of Oliver Hemming, an award-winning designer/maker of very distinctive clocks and watches. From London, Hemming originally worked for private commissions but now has his own unusual collection available on his website (oliverhemming.com). Working with his own team and his own factory in Hong Kong, he succeeds in balancing detail, quality and affordability.
I should start by saying that I was a happy Indochino customer for years. They enabled me to afford some of the best-fitting suits I’ve ever worn and suits that rival far more expensive premium brands. I get compliments every single time I wear one of their suits or jackets.
This “fantasy rebrand” is an effort to raise the bar for the first company to put made-to-measure into the hands of men who – until Indochino – could never afford it. I think Indochino is great, but I think it could be amazing. The challenge is to elevate the brand from an entry-level “first suit” brand into a bigger league among heavier players – something that would also be attractive to a more seasoned and sophisticated suit buyer.
Fragrance is the intangible accessory. I’ve written about smelling good (or at least smelling clean) from a personal grooming perspective several times here, but I’ve never written about ambient fragrances.
I imagine most people don’t consider the way a room smells unless it’s bad or overpowering, like many hyper-scented retail spaces I’ve experienced. But our sense of smell is a strong one that consciously or subconsciously ties us positively or negatively to our experiences with people, places and things. For that reason, I’m very sensitive to aroma and I’m a big fan of a room that smells nice.