The denim jacket can be a tough sell—assuming you’re not in the cattle business—but it’s just about perfect for warding off early Fall briskness.

The main thing you’ll need is some rural cred, which is why this gentleman model grew out a few days of stubble before he attempted it. The big belt buckle helps too, although if you go much further you’ll be in costume territory. It also takes wear as well as anything else in your closet, provided you get one that doesn’t scream 2006 too loudly.

This Levi’s Vintage Jacket walks the line just about perfectly, combining 20s-era button detailing with some well-placed wear on the shoulders. And if you feel the urge to button it up…it might be time to switch to a thicker coat.

Now that we’re headed into prime layering season, it’s worth brushing up on your fundamentals—and see how the pros do it when they’ve got a whole collection at their disposal.

This gentleman, lifted from Wings + Horns Fall/Winter lookbook, pulls it off just about perfectly. The goal is to keep your deep-winter coat in the closet as long as possible, and a good supply of sweaters, scarves and blazers can carry you all the way to Halloween.

The most important item, as you might have guessed, is that jacket. It’s a little professorial, but as you might have guessed from this month’s GQ, that’s not such a bad thing these days. And since older is better in this instance—and the magic words “Harris Tweed” just about assure you’ll get something beautiful—you should be able to find some real treasures in the vintage world. Just know your sizes and don’t be squeamish about taking them to the tailor.

Men’s Flair just weighed in on Cary Grant’s love for the neckerchief, and they clued us in on an intriguing fact: it was less sartorial inspiration than problem-solving.

Grant spent his teenage years as a traveling acrobat (really), and the physical demands left him with a thickly muscled neck. When he reinvented himself as a gentleman of distinction (and changed his name from the less-imposing Archie Leach), he turned to high collars and, on less formal occasions, neckerchiefs to disguise his mighty trunk. In short, it’s a hall-of-fame play and what people mean when they name Grant as a style icon.

Bodies come with all sorts of strange quirks, and a lot of style is working with your own set of physical quirks. That doesn’t mean obsessing over “flaws,” but it does mean paying attention to how you fit into the clothes you’re wearing. In short, it’s about knowing your body, which means a lot than just knowing your size. That’s a more personal part of style than who makes a good cardigan—it’s your body, after all. That makes it a lot harder to write blog posts about, but it’s worth remembering the next time you’re visiting your tailor.

Along with all things mulled, fall brings a bit of an outerwear conundrum: to bundle or not to bundle? Our favored solution is the vintage tweed jacket, recognized worldwide as a staple of bookish gents. And as luck would have it, we’ve found a new source for them.

It’s called Vintage Whistles, an online shop gathering together Harris Tweed blazers, velvet smoking jackets and skinny silk ties—in short, the best British vintage has to offer.

Based out of Cambridgeshire (naturally), the duo behind this online emporium has done a superb job of combing through charity shops and the closets of British grandfathers alike to maintain a variety of impeccably preserved woven relics. They’re the perfect transitional piece for fall—polished and, when paired with your knit of choice, just shy of winter weight.

We can neither confirm nor deny the residual scent of pipe tobacco.

With the level of plaid in your closet set to reach eye-popping levels, it may be time for a new trick. Naturally, we’ve got one in mind.

It’s time to reacquaint yourself with jacquard.

It’s a weaving trick that lets you work bumps and ridges straight into the cloth, resulting in seersucker-style ventilation. You may have seen the shinier silk version on ties or some of the world’s flashier tuxedos, but we’re thinking of something a little earthier.

This Engineered Garments shirt puts a simpler fabric through the same intricate weaving to end up with a texture that looks like something you might have seen onstage at the Fillmore East in 1971. Not a bad place to find inspiration.

Here’s an early candidate for sentence of the day: “Beltlessness, or the state of being suited without a belt, is to me a superior state.”

We’ve been gaining sympathy for this position for quite some time. Our newfound suspender love is part of it, but even the more handsome belts these days have been slimming down to razor-thin proportions as a semi-apologetic sign that well, maybe you’re better off with less belt in your life. The truth is, you probably are. Your pants will drape better and, if you buy with an eye to beltlessness, fit better. That doesn’t mean the belt’s going to become a faux pas any time soon, but if you’ve got the chance to go without, you should. Yes, even with a suit.

Somewhere along the way, the doodle got a bad rap. Sometime between high school and your first job, the higher-ups tagged it as the sign of a distracted mind, something you do instead of paying attention.

But now you’re old enough to know: a little distraction’s not so bad.

A newly released study just put the doodle in a new light, suggesting that it can tie up floating attention and get you to a higher level of attention than you’d otherwise get…which means those sketch-filled meeting notes aren’t quite the mark of shame you might think. A little extra chaos in an otherwise controlled environment can do wonderful things.

If nothing else, you’ll get a whole lot better at drawing cubes.

Of all the handsome stuff kicking through the second-hand shops of the world, our favorite is the vintage briefcase, for one very simple reason: cliché or not, they just don’t make them like they used to.

There’s a reason for that too. It’s a throwback item at its core—built without iPod pockets, a phone holder or any other concessions to the modern age. But despite the gray flannel associations, the look of well-worn leather has attracted quite a few modern followers. You may have noticed the gents at Street Etiquette making particularly good use of them, or Blackbird’s recently unearthed Salesman’s model. But if you’re in the market, you’re still better off checking eBay…or just trawling your friendly neighborhood vintage shop.

The downside? Well, they’re heavier than they strictly have to be, they can’t handle your groceries like those canvas tote bags…but there’s still no better way to show the world you mean business.

Here’s a good idea whose time has come: a beach-ready dry bag made to keep the rest of your suitcase pristine in the unlikely event you don’t get your suit entirely dry before it’s time to pack up. (We imagine you’ve got a full schedule.) It’s a task you usually assign to a plastic grocery sack, but this Flight 001 bag has a zipper to keep things contained and, more importantly, a mildew-resistant interior.

As you may have noticed recently, just because it’s summer doesn’t mean it can’t start pouring rain at any moment.

And now that the first crop of trend-inspired waxed cotton jackets and bags are getting a bit weathered—and, consequently, a little less waterproof—it might be time to look into re-upping your wax coating. Fortunately, it’s a lot easier than you might think.

First, you’ll need some wax…»

As part of our ongoing love affair with 70s style, we couldn’t help but notice a certain Ford-era staple working its way back into the public consciousness. America, prepare yourself for the return of the corduroy suit. It’s been too long…

This one comes from L. L. Bean Signature’s Fall/Winter line, arriving online exactly three weeks from today, and the burnt khaki color is right out of a Woody Allen movie. All things considered, it couldn’t have come at a better time. To be honest, the thrift store versions were getting a bit musty…

Never underestimate a bike nerd on a mission.

Take, for instance, the case of Velo Orange. Their stock-in-trade is bike hardware: shifters, fenders, cranksets and everything else. It’s handsome enough, but not exactly essential gear. But when they turned their attention to bike storage, they had the connections to track down a 50s-era Japanese luggage company and end up with some of the most handsome bike gear we’ve seen since…well, this.

They’ve got panniers (the ones that hang alongside the back wheel) and baskets (the ones that hang over the front wheel), but our favorite is this bag that suspends itself perfectly still over the back tire. It’s perfect for any picnics or unusually refined tailgating you may have in your future. And, thanks to the enduring frugality of the biking crowd, none of it will set you back more than $150.

The ampersand is getting a grassroots marketing push from Scott Marc Berry—complete with tote bags, buttons and typeface charts—and we’re ready to sign on in full. &’s time has come.

The “manly skills” department usually focuses on things like chopping lumber and applying sunscreen, but one of our most-prized abilities just got its due thanks to Tom Chiarella’s ode to the well-written love letter. If we were going to take a shot at rebuilding masculinity, this is where we’d start.

Here’s the key: no bullshit. There’s a workmanlike emotional honesty to a well-penned love letter; that means nothing fluffy and nothing you’re not sure is true. Sincerity and unguarded emotion are hard to ignore. And if that leads to a little more sincerity in the rest of your life, all the better. At the very least, it’ll give you more to write about.

And for god’s sake, don’t use a printer.

Carrying things on a bike can be dicey at times—we’re usually more focused on not getting run over—but it’s nothing some clever design can’t fix. This Eames-y bike rack holds a six pack just about perfectly. It maxes out at 12 cans, but that’s why you’ve got friends. According to the site, it can also be used to carry things other than beer…but that’s where they lose us.

Now that it’s warm enough to make every square inch of exposed skin count, we thought we’d offer a few helpful tips on going sockless. As you can see above, it’s a pretty great look when executed properly—somewhere between an Italian painter and an unusually stylish surf bum—but the key to this particular move is finding the right shoe. That means boat shoes, moccasins, loafers, bucks, bluchers and anything canvas. By the same token, we’d stay away from sneakers, wing-tips and anything more formal. And remember: life’s too short to worry about a little sweat.

While the chaps in Florence are working magic with bold colors, we couldn’t help but notice a more understated version happening closer to home.

Skimming through the latest batch of Land’s End Canvas gear, we came across this green button-down and heather hoodie combination. It’s practically the opposite pole of the menswear spectrum, but it’s the same effect as the colorful belts you see circulating at Pitti Uomo.

Just a reminder: you don’t have to be an Italian dandy to pull off a pop of color.

As we are occasionally lax in pointing out, a real sense of personal style goes way beyond knowing what to buy. Consider, for instance, the world of personalized letterheads, as compiled here. Our favorite so far is this one from street-art saint Keith Haring—it sums up his mix of business sense and childlike enthusiasm just about perfectly—but there’s plenty more where that came from, ranging from vintage woodblock illustrations to minimal celebrity signatures. It’s a good idea, and with fewer and fewer non-electronic letter writers left around, it’s only getting better.

As you may have noticed, there’s something different on Kempt this morning. (Yes, we got a haircut, but that’s not it.) Direct your attention to the column on the left and you’ll find a fresh set of must-haves, our take on the most intriguing items of the season. For this summer, that means chambray trunks, a Polaroid/Holga mashup and the colorful suede baseballs above, among others. Enjoy.

In our continuing coverage of the summer shoe, we present you with the “plimsadrille” as we’ve begun to affectionately call it. A combination of an old standby in our summer footwear arsenal the plimsoll and a more recent favorite the espadrille, that should serve to meet your need for either.

On a recent trip to Uruguay, the fellows at Industry of All Nations stumbled upon a small factory producing these shoes by hand, exclusively, for the past century or so, and decided that these were too good to let live in obscurity forever. We totally agree. If you want to snag a pair for your weekend sunning, take a look at the list of boutiques that have already begun to carry the shoe, and if there aren’t any in your ‘hood, you’ve got a few webshop options as well.

And if you’re averse to portmanteaus, you can always just call them what they are: laced espadrilles. But where’s the fun in that?

You’ve already seen a lot of short sleeved button-ups, on Kempt and elsewhere. Just a hunch, but we’re guessing that you’re finally warming up to the notion. If it’s all the same to you, we’d rather skip all of the do’s & don’ts and point you to a shirt that should do the trick: LL Bean Signature’s madras s/s/b/u.

It’s plenty lightweight, cut from cotton madras—which should give you all of the benefits of a fabric historically known for being ideal attire in less-than-ideal heat, without having to deal with its more polarizing iteration, GTH patchwork. And there’s no need to quibble over sleeve-length because the sleeve has been cuffed at the hem and sewn in place—the imposed cuff. It’s another example of the no-fuss staples that LL Bean’s known for.

Well, that and whittling.

A Brooks saddle is pretty handsome to begin with, but Kara Ginther has managed to make them even better, thanks to some leather carving tools and some clever design. These bike seats (hat tip) are designed to look like anything from a vintage map to a Fair Isle sweater. And if you’ve got an even better design in mind, it won’t be hard to arrange; at the moment, they’re all custom jobs, arranged through Ginther’s Etsy site.

These Kyoto-inspired slippers are the latest item in Monocle’s never-ending parade of desirable goods, and they got us thinking about exactly where the slipper falls in the modern domestic arsenal. Most western eyes probably see these as a good item for Sunday mornings—possibly to be paired with a bathrobe and a homemade Bloody Mary—but to Japanese eyes, they’re a good deal more versatile. Stop by a Japanese house, and you’ll find an array of these slippers at the entrance for padding around after you’ve taken off your street shoes. If you’re looking to institute a shoe-free household—and avoid bloggy repercussions—you could do a lot worse than picking up a half-dozen of these. At the very least, they’ll be handsomer than socks.

For all the love we’ll be throwing to canvas footwear over the next few months, our favorite summer garment is a whole lot simpler than a sock-free shoe. We’re thinking, in this case, of the linen pant.

This specimen comes from Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair (by way of Opening Ceremony), and the styling is a pretty good lesson for anyone planning to don a pair this summer. It’s wrinkled, but not too wrinkled. In fact, we’d guess this pair has hung in a pants press for a few days. And more importantly, the gentleman has rolled the cuffs up to clam-digger heights to let his ankles breathe free.

Of course, it’ll work better if you’ve got a good pair of summer shoes handy…but that will have to wait for another post.

If you were curious about the mechanics of joining the neckerchief movement, A Suitable Wardrobe just posted a handy guide to tying one so you don’t end up looking like a boy scout. You may want to paste this diagram on the back of your closet door.

And if you’re venturing into non-traditional rags—which, honestly, is part of the point—as long as you keep it around two feet square, you should be ok. And for comfort’s sake, you’ll probably want to stick with cotton.

It’s a look for the brave, but you’ve got our blessing.

For all the emphasis on old-school production, the average shirt is still pretty homogeneous. No matter how distinctive they look on the runway, every single Band of Outsiders button-down will come out of the factory looking exactly the same. Pick one up, and there will be thousands more out there with exactly the same pattern. And, with the notable exception of raw denim, we’d guess true of every item in your closet.

But not these. In the DIY spirit, Blackbird put together a line of hand-dyed oxford shirts with know-how borrowed from a local dye shop called Earthhues. Each shirt was dyed in their Field House shop, and they’ve got watermarks and other irregularities to show for it—kind of like the distinctive wear patterns you worked so hard to cultivate on your jeans.

Today’s NYT brings to light a new red-carpet trend that’s been simmering since the Oscars, and for once we agree with them: The bowtie tuxedo is making its triumphant return.

Welcome back. We’ve missed you.

Here’s why»

If you’ve been poring over fashion interviews this past week—and if you haven’t, we forgive you—you may have come across the following gem from Michael Bastian:

Take a polo shirt: the sleeves should hit right above the bicep—that makes your arm look amazing. It’s not a big change, but it’s slightly different than what you’re used to.

We’ve been puzzling over exactly what that looks like for a few days now, but fortunately Unis was good enough to provide us with the perfect example, courtesy of their Spring 2010 lookbook. If you were wondering, this is exactly how your polo shirt should fit. In fact, you may want to keep this picture in your wallet next time you hit the shops.

In particular, notice that the gentleman in question doesn’t have gym-rat arms, and despite the Bastian connection, he doesn’t come off as particularly preppy. He’s just a well-dressed man who knows how a polo should fit.

The bandana is as classic a summer piece as we can think of, and apparently we’re not the only ones. Archival Clothing just tipped us off to Discharge Style a fantastic Japanese blog entirely devoted to the versatile squares, and it’s got our head spinning with sartorial combinations. The classic thing is to keep it in your pocket and break it out for an occasional brow-mopping, but if you’re feeling adventurous, it can double as a neckerchief, an ascot, or even a pocket square.

Our favorite so far is this one. It was stamped with an ad for Wolverine gloves back in the 50s, then dug up by Hickorees a few decades later. There’s also a wealth of good finds on eBay—particularly these two—if you want something a little cheaper and with a little more history to it. Supposedly Archival Clothing has one in the works…but we’re not sure we can wait that long.

You may recall hearing about Breton-stripe crewnecks a few months back, but at the time all we could come up with were freshly released boutique versions of a style that’s been kicking around for decades.

Fortunately, Selectism pointed us to a better source today. It’s called Flamborough Marine, and if you can get past the janky web design, you’ll find a classic Yorkshire shop that sews up the very same crewnecks for a good hundred dollars less, with some extra Brittania cred for good measure. Consider it a very good find.

Remember that crazy self-destructing fade-to-black film we were gushing about a few months back? (We won’t be hurt if you don’t.) As it turns out, the whole thing was a chemical misstep on the way to producing genuine, workable polaroids—so they won’t be making more of it any time soon.

The good news is, they’ve found 500 more packs kicking around the factory, and if you’re quick enough, you can snap one up.

But in the time it took us to write this, they sold six more packs. So sooner is probably better.

The bowtie is already a pretty advanced item, so adding a little extra flash isn’t going to change anything too much. This version comes from Brooks Brothers, with a little inspiration by way of Social Primer founder K. Cooper Ray, and we’re pretty pleased—particularly with the madras-seersucker combination. It may be tiptoeing into J.Press territory, but nab the right tweed jacket and you should be all set.

We’ve always had a soft spot for the white shoe, but if the white buck is a little too formal—possibly because your white suit’s at the cleaners—you may want to venture a little farther into sneaker territory. Zuriick’s new suede sneaker splits the difference just about perfectly. It should match with any cotton suits you may have in your closet and breath better than anything short of sandals. Of course, you’ll have to be wary of grass stains…but you should probably be sticking to the pavement anyway.

The best frames don’t always come from designers—for one, the touchstone of British eyewear is still the National Health Service specs rocked by Morrissey and Elvis Costello—so it’s worth paying attention to what’s the world’s opticians have in stock.

These frames from Yves Behar’s Fuseproject just arrived as part of a larger charity mission to get proper eye care to Mexican schoolchildren. They’ll be shipping out at a rate of roughly 300,000 a year, which means they’ll have a pretty big footprint. We prefer the round Corbusier-style frames, but there’s also a squared off version and the colors will change up from school to school. They should be a signature style for a whole generation of kids, so don’t be surprised if you see them on the next movie star who moves north to make it big.

Or if you see a knockoff in next year’s designer collections.

After the flood of graphic tees, celebrating summer with an unmarked cotton t-shirt feels pretty good. You can throw in a pocket if you’re feeling extravagant…but let’s not go crazy. Just find something simple, throw on a pair of jeans, and let the sun do the rest.

Here, gentlemen, are your options»

When shoes like this Alden suede longwing are finding their way into stores, it’s time to reexamine your feelings on white shoes. Traditional wisdom dictates waiting until Memorial Day, which would give you another 41 days of wingtips, but we’d suggest in the following rule for anyone north of the Mason-Dixon: Any time you’re switching to summerweight suits or wearing short sleeves outside, it should be warm enough to accommodate a little white footwear.

In other words, give it another couple weeks.

Chambray is nothing new as a shirt, or even a blazer, but Manhattan’s Jean Shop has finally hit on something new: chambray jeans.

Since Jean Shop takes its fabrics seriously, that means Japanese selvage, spun in the airy lightness of chambray, tumbled and softened to perfection in-house for one of the lightest summer pants this side of linen. And since they’re jeans, and not trousers, they’ll be weighty enough to feel like light denim—and hold a summer roll.

At the moment, these haven’t even made it to their website, but if you want to get your hands on a pair you can stop by one of their New York outposts or shoot them an email.

Just tell ‘em Kempt sent you.

Tomorrow marks the celebration of wistful anachronism that is Record Store Day, observed by heading out to your local vinyl outlet and picking up a platter or two. Normally we wouldn’t fall for such a transparent marketing gimmick, but, well…it’ll make you cooler.

There. We said it.

Of course, you’ll also need a turntable handy (and a pre-amp, and a receiver), but given the amount of energy a gentleman expends on keeping up appearances, that’s really not that much to ask. You don’t have to ditch your iTunes account or anything, but it’s nice to have a few albums you can hold in your hands. Think of them as crackly, analog special editions.

The Webby nominations came out this morning, and while there are plenty of nits to pick, we prefer to appreciate the oddball feats of cracked-out web obscuro that somehow made it through unscathed. For instance, this site promoting one Lawson Clarke, Male Copywriter, nominated for best landing page and best portfolio site. We don’t want to spoil anything, but it’s every bit as awesome as the logo suggests. Someone hire this man.

We like furniture best at its most functional, so the prospect of a sized-to-order bookshelf strikes us as a very good idea. The only catch? You’ll basically be buying a pile of plywood and clamps.

Indie Furniture’s new bookshelf takes the modular philosophy to its natural extreme. If you need to 4’ x 7’ space, they’ll tell you exactly how many cubbyholes to build, and exactly how many planks and connectors you’ll need to build them. Of course, there’s quite a markup for all that lumber, but unless you’ve got a carpenter handy, it should be the next best thing.

Someone lit a fire under Glenn O’Brien.

For his most recent Style Guy missive, the perma-MOTH wrote a mini-dissertation on the resurging vanity of his fellow man. (He likes it, by the way.) He doesn’t hold back, waxing poetic on historically vain men, delving into the etymology of vain, and showing some optimism in “this new flowering of men.” Honestly, our head’s still spinning from it all, but in a good way.

For the most part, we’re in agreement. Lately, a new dandyism has re-emerged on the scene, but without the prerequisite air of entitlement. Today’s dandy is master of his own (life)style, not afraid to explore, chance a misstep, or put himself at the forefront of the most pressing of global dilemmas: sustainability, healthcare, fedora vs pork-pie.

Oh and did we mention he included a supplemental “27 Case Studies” for a dizzying 47 slides? The man has done his homework.

The three brothers at Apolis Activism dropped their Spring ’10 line over the weekend, and this olive chambray Survival Shirt caught our eye.

Specifically…those pockets.

They’re more like upper-rib pockets than breast pockets—a trick they cribbed from WWII-era field shirts. Originally, the idea was to allow for more storage and easier access to ammo or a trusty field map, but in our case, “ammo” and “field map” would probably be replaced by “phone” and “notepad” when heading out for the day.

Sure, it might look a bit askew at first glance, but we’re in Louis Sullivan’s camp on this one: form follows function.

As temperatures rise, your pant legs have a natural inclination to do the same.

Forget all that Thom Browne suiting; we’re talking about the pants you’re wearing right now, and the ones you’ll be wearing from here on out. It’s time to give your ankles some fresh air and sunshine.

And the first step in summer-izing your cuffs is a time-honored maneuver we’ve dubbed the summer roll.

Here’s how to pull it off»

We ran across this glove as part of a press push for newly resurrected baseball brand Draper Maynard, and it reminded us just how cool old-school sporting goods can be, and how hard it is to find a good throwback baseball glove. The bad news is that this one’s for PR purposes only, and the new Draper Maynard has tragically little interest in actual baseball gear. Luckily, we can think of a few other places to pick one up now that office softball season is just around the corner, but it’s about time someone brought these into the retail world.

Michael Bastian has been turning out elegant-if-pricey staples for a couple seasons now, and before that he was with the ur-preppies at Polo, so if there’s a next big thing in preppidom, our money’s on him. And apparently Gant agrees.

His collaboration with the storied rugby brand debuted at Fashion Week last month and images are finally leaking to the web. We don’t endorse every last piece—particularly the over-distressed jeans and khakis—but of the 42 items there are at least seven we’re not sure we can do without. Not a bad average, as these things go.

Our favorite is this wool pant, the kind of rough-textured fall pant we usually turn to Sweden for. It’ll be a few more months before you can see them in person, but we’re guessing it’s worth the wait.

We may have been a little premature in calling the summer for the canvas chukka. This afternoon we got word on F-Troupe’s new crop of summer sneakers, and it’s more familiar than we thought. After turning out one of our favorite canvas oxfords last year, they’ve turned their attention to the saddle shoe.

The result is a cartoonish twist on one of trad cobbling’s more whimsical items. (Mr. McNairy would be proud…we think.) And while the hues might be a bit too bright for anyone hell-bent on being taken seriously, we doubt you’ll run into too many of them at the beach.

The trads may wear them all year round, but we’ve always thought of the pocket square as a quintessentially summer item.

We don’t mind a charmingly ostentatious flash of red silk in a black suit, if you have occasion to pull it off, and heavier suits can occasionally benefit from a white linen square, but for our money, there’s nothing quite like a light, solid suit with a touch of brightly patterned tattersall peeking out of the breast pocket. We’re thinking cotton suits, seersucker, and just about anything you’re pulling out of your closet now that the ice has melted. But while you’re matching, remember this: You want the fabric of the pocket square to echo the fabric of the suit. That means nothing too shiny and nothing with too rough a weave.

As for finding the square itself, $20 can get you remarkably far. Our favorite is this Brooks Brothers item, but there’s plenty more where that came from, if you prefer second-hand finds or ridiculously expensive heritage items. Either way, your jacket will get a cheap upgrade, and you’ll never run short of something to wipe your brow with.

We’re big supporters of the spring scarf as a way of moth-balling your winter coat a few weeks early, but if you’re really committed, you may need a different kind of scarf.

Symmetry had the clever idea of adding a little hardware. A small chain and fastener convert their tartaned wrap into a makeshift cowl, which should be every bit as warm as a spring coat. It’s a little medieval, but if you’ve got a waxed cotton coat handy, it should fit right in, and if the weather shifts, you’ll be able to de-cowl and slip the whole thing into your bag without any more trouble than the standard wrap around. Sadly, they’re not geared up for retail just yet…but maybe by the fall?

Thom Browne has been venturing away from the shrunken suit look lately, but this (hat tip) might be the first piece he’s made that counts as Kanye-esque.

The shell is a classic Americana piece, a rainwear parka that wouldn’t look too out of place on Clark Griswold, but once you add polka dots it starts to look an awful lot like streetwear. It is a hoodie, after all.

We’re certainly not complaining; it’s always good to see a designer testing the limits of their talent. We just didn’t expect there to be so much in it for Pharrell.

After the advent of Zippos and more elaborate devices, matches are already a bit anachronistic—so we were thrilled to find a few packs with some genuine vintage to them. These were designed by none other than Saul Bass—you might know him for making Hollywood’s most famous title sequences, or designing the only AT&T logo you remember—and they’ve got us considering a whole new lease on light-giving. As it turns out, old school matchbooks aren’t that hard to find, and there’s plenty of inspiration at the Matchbook Registry. We may never handle butane again.

As part of our slow, creeping transition to the sunny part of the year, it’s nice to have a pair of sunglasses handy—especially if they paint the world in more summery colors. These Wolfgang shades from Danish framery Han caught our eye for the graded shading, but also the pleasant yellow haze they put over just about everything. If you ever wanted to live in an Eagles song, this is a pretty good first step.

Now that we’re caught in the puzzling medium between deep winter and t-shirt weather, we’re breaking out one of our favorite spring items: the heather gray sweatshirt.

A good one will be every bit as warm as your fall sweater, but it comes off a whole lot more summery thanks to memories of outdoor gym classes and Sunday leaf raking. Throw a collared shirt under it—you’re a long way from gym class, after all—and you should be all set.

Now, to consider your options»

Between the Kindle, the iPad, and Going Rogue, the book’s been having a pretty rough year. But even if you’re not much for lugging the things around with you, we recommend keeping your collection around for one very simple reason: the bookshelf.

Allow us to explain»

It’s been a pretty good couple years for archival labels—yes, we’re looking at you, Gitman—so it was only natural a few bigger names would get in on the action.

This shirt, for instance, came from the “50s cowboy” section of Levi’s impressively rigorous archive. It’s a whole lot more adventurous than we would have expected (especially the asymmetrical buttoning), but unsurprisingly, it goes pretty well with a pair of jeans.

Which, for a company that’s still in the denim business, may have been the whole point.

We hesitate to call Liberty of London too British—it’s in their name after all—but they could probably benefit from a few international influences. This cotton tie (hat tip) might be their best collab so far, partly because it lets them get some continental distance on Swinging London.

The Italian flavor comes courtesy of 10 Corso Como—think of a Milanese Colette—who managed to coax the Brits at Liberty into some of their finest work. It’s the same dense patterning they built their brand on, but the curves make it a little more lush, and the colors are muted enough to turn it into Liberty’s first summer tradwear piece. Here’s hoping there’s more where that came from.

As part of our ongoing coverage of the neckerchief beat, we were happy to see this pic pop up in a lookbook for the Morocco-inspired Milok label.

We’re not wild about the ensemble in general—for starters, we’d prefer some more discreet trousers—but it nails the gentleman-in-the-desert look we’re hoping to maintain throughout the summer. By the time July comes around, this may be the only kind of neckwear that isn’t stifling, and wearing pulled down the middle like this is a pretty good way to pull it off. We’re not sure where we’ll pick one up—Milok isn’t in stores just yet—but we’ve got some time to figure it out.

We’re not usually much for coin collecting, but the latest plans for the penny just caught our eye.

Starting this year, you’ll start to see pennies with this symbol on their back half, thanks to some timely nostalgia at the U.S. Mint—and we couldn’t be happier. The symbol in the middle, far and away our favorite part, is called the Union Shield. It dates back to the 1780s, and you can see a few of them around the frescoes of the Capitol if you’re the touring kind, making it one of the cooler retro revivals of the year so far.

We’ve never been thrilled about the flag pin revival of the 00s, but if everyone threw these on their lapels (this one, for instance), we would definitely be game.

via Evan Sung/NYT

It’s already all but disappeared in the Fashion Week hustle, but we thought we’d take a moment to dwell on Billy Reid’s moment in the sun. We’re referring to his new status as the GQ-anointed Best New Designer in America, beating out J.Crew helmer Frank Muytjens and globe-trotting up-and-comers Burkhman Brothers. We’re going to go out on a limb and say he deserves it. Don’t call it a comeback…

Let us count the ways»

You probably heard about the newly minted Google Buzz—basically a fusing of Twitter and Gmail—but we want to offer a word of caution before you dive in. It’s got a frightening potential for accidental oversharing, and our online etiquette’s going to make a few changes if we’re going to survive with dignity intact.

For starters, it’s time we all got a little better at saying no.

Here’s why»

By all accounts, Rip Torn has been having a pretty rough February, but we wanted to take a moment to appreciate why we care about him in the first place, and why we hope he’s doing all right.

It’s hard being a Hollywood lifer, but Mr. Torn pulls it off better than just about everyone, which is one reason he’s spent the last few years as a go-to curmudgeon for comedies. Don’t be fooled; he’s a whole lot cooler than that. For one: he’s friends with both Harry Nilsson and Miles Davis—which is quite a feat by any standards.

For firsthand proof, we’d suggest the Larry Sanders Show, where his producer Artie was both a career peak but quite possibly the perfect specimen of the showbiz fixer. One particular high note: He describes his beloved Glenlivet by saying, “When you die and go to heaven, you’ll say hello to God, and when God says hello, this is what you’ll smell on his breath.”

But only in moderation…

Suits have gotten a lot sleeker since the 40s, but this snap of Raymond Chandler just reminded us what a little texture can do when you give it a chance. It’s a look with more than 60 years of dust on it, but other than the lapels, it’s about as fresh today as it was in ’46.

But the real delight here is seeing all the writerly affectations in one place: the pen-in-mouth, the tortoise-shell frames and the “can’t you see I’m working?” glower.

We’re guessing the photographer didn’t knock.

On the off-chance you’d gotten tired of American, British and Canadian heritage brand revivals, Grenson has a new trick for you. This waxed canvas and leather boot (spotted at the recent Compass Show) is modeled off Italian infantry boots circa World War One. That means they’re a lot lighter than your average American steelworker boot, and almost as tough. Think of it as a loose translation.

In the interest of livening up an otherwise uneventful Tuesday morning, we’re bringing you a few snaps and a video from the fourth issue of Jacques, a pleasantly retro erotic quarterly out of Brooklyn. (Think Vargas girls and vintage Hef.) We wanted to keep things SFW above the fold so you’ll have to click through for the good stuff. Enjoy yourselves…

There Will Be Garters»

The latest GQ found room in its countdown of the 25 most stylish men in the world for one of our favorite polymath directors, Mr. Spike Jonze. They single out his love of the tie, but we’d add a particular bit of rule breaking to that equation: he’s not squeamish about wearing ties without a jacket, a combination that, in the wrong hands, can suggest a career in accounting. He’ll even try it with an untucked shirt from time to time, although we’re not quite ready to endorse that one.

Here’s the secret»

One of our favorite style icons is making a surprisingly low key comeback. Frank Serpico popped up in the Times over the weekend and reminded us just how much we like him. His look here seems to be the same shaggy chic he was sporting when he was on the force—the reporter describes him as looking “like some sort of fur trapper”—but it’s not just for show. Dressing like a head and sporting a beard circa 1962 were part of what made him able to break from the squares and do the right thing. In other words, the clothes mattered. If you haven’t seen the movie, do…but first take a minute to admire the man’s panache.

As morally unimpeachable bloggers, we’re usually above the base temptations of swag. But these raincoat-vinyl Vans may be the exception. These were sent along from New York’s MacBar in a perfect mac-and-cheese yellow, and we’re a little surprised no one thought of it before. A low-top galosh sneaker is pretty much perfect for casual raingear—and canvas was getting a little played out anyway. Say hello to our new favorite pair of Vans.

One of the pleasures of gentlemanly life is the opportunity to watch obscure sports—particularly the ones with high laundry bills. Which is why we’re thrilled to hear that Indian Premier League cricket is making its way to YouTube. Matches will start live-streaming when the season begins in March, giving you just enough time to do some reading and pick up a few white polos.

If you’re not familiar, here’s a refresher: It’s a heavier, slower version of baseball, which means it has the capacity to stretch out mid-afternoon lounging for days on end. And, providing you choose the right team to root for, you might be in for some pretty spectacular cricket whites. If you feel the need to join in, you might pick up one of these, but no pressure.

Here’s hoping polo’s next up.

If you checked out GQ’s recent “work style” roundup, you may have caught a glimpse of their preferred brown wingtip, from Florsheim by Duckie Brown. What they didn’t tell you is that if you’re willing to do a little digging, you can probably pick up a pair for less than twenty bucks—provided you don’t mind one with a little history.

Florsheim’s been turning out handsome, durably shoes for upwards of a century, so eBay is literally flooded with past renditions. (A victim of their own success, we know.) You’ll want to search for something with a Goodyear welt (for resole-ing) and no serious creases, but there’s enough floating around that you shouldn’t have trouble—especially if you give yourself a couple weeks. Here’s a couple to get you started…

With the Trad’s clout at an all-time high, we thought we’d check in with one of Manhattan’s most scrupulous dandies, Mordechai Rubenstein a.k.a. Mister Mort. His latest project is a line of velvet bowties in conjunction with fellow trad Baron Von Fancy, popping up soon for a cool $80. They’re pre-tied to spare you the near-impossible task of knotting velvet, but otherwise they’re as impeccable a throwback as you could want for a holiday party, especially if you’ve got an undersized suit handy.

Here’s one last piece of gift guidance before we call it a year: You can’t go wrong with chocolate. And rawer is always better.

CoolHunting rounds up a pretty good set here, but they leave off our favorite of the bunch, the famous Mast Brothers of Brooklyn. Known for their impressive beards and faculty with the chocolate arts, they’ve been one of the highlights of Williamsburg’s culinary scene for a while. Pick up a fleur de sal bar (possibly as a stocking stuffer) and you should be set.

It’s a classic, but the Christmas sweater has its share of issues. Bright colors and big patterns? Sure. Baggy, shapeless wool? Not so much. We’d say an update is in order.

This Folk sweater just arrived (already on sale) at Bblessing, and while the window for wearing it is probably limited to the next three weeks, we can’t help but gawk a little. A standard downtown version of the classic item would have been interesting enough, but the real prize here is the Carmen-Miranda-meets-Space-Invaders pattern running across the arms in place of the usual fair isle variant. We bet it goes great with egg nog.

It’s been a while, but we’re ready to call trend on a new item: the flecked sweater.

The look’s been building steam for a while, most notably in the marled sweater resurgence that popped up last fall, but between this autumn-hued jumper in APC’s latest shipment, and this Utility Coop crew neck, along with earlier entries from Our Legacy and Paul Smith, pushes it over the threshold into trendhood. Four’s a trend, right?

Naturally, we’re in favor. Sweaters can always use a bit of texture, and giving a contrast color just means more to look at. The APC jumper is the most extreme of the lot but we’d more conservative versions to keep their sheen long after they’ve stopped being hip. And in the meantime, a static-dappled crew neck should be the right kind of eye-catching.

One advantage of the newly global market: It’s remarkably easy to trace heritage looks back to the source. That means Tokyo hipsters can order their Red Wings direct from the source but also—more relevantly—there’s no point relying on stateside Fair Isle recreations. Scotland’s just a few clicks away.

For instance, the norsemen at Oi Polloi dug up this appropriately patterned scarf from Jamieson’s to remind us of just that. Technically it’s from Scotland’s Shetland Islands, just north of Fair Isle itself, and all the wool is grown, harvested, processed and knit onsite, making it very much the real deal. Even accounting for exchange rates and shipping, it won’t set you back much more than the stateside mass market version.

Unless your wardrobe’s already pretty twee, your best bet might be using it as a gift for a female acquaintance, but it’s a lot more versatile than it looks. And if it’s warm enough to withstand the Scottish winter, we doubt the Northeast will be much of a challenge.

This one has been building steam for a while (exhibits A and B), so we’re hesitant to call it a trend, so instead we’ll put it this way: You should think about wearing suspenders.

No, seriously.

Slip a pair on next time you doff a jacket and you might be shocked to find your pants draping a whole lot better, and avoiding the cinch-and-billow look that plagues the belted trouser. You can take off the jacket for a more adventurous look—joining the trads, the Americanists and the tie revivalists all at once—or keep it on and enjoy the benefits in relative secrecy.

It can still be hard to find a good pair, but we recommend these from Alexander Olch, which you might have seen at a shop or two recently, or trying the vintage route. One advantage of picking up the trend on the early side: you’ll have plenty to choose from.

Peter Saville doesn’t usually suggest holiday cheer.

The dour Mancunian graphic designer is best known for designing the Unknown Pleasures sleeve you saw on all those shirts a few years back, but it looks like his work has taken a festive turn of late. As part of his hometown’s “Visit Manchester” campaign, he’s designed a limited edition wrapping paper that most resembles a festively industrial fluorescent blur.

At the moment, there are 725 rolls remaining, which means you’ve got some time, but don’t dawdle too long. You can pick one up here for three pounds (five bucks). With all the design cred involved, we’d use it sparingly—but if you’re wrapping up the latest New Order compilation…

If you were wondering about the other half of the bubblegoose/hunting coat equation we outlined yesterday, we may have something for you, courtesy of Vancouver’s finest men’s shop, Roden Gray.

This bubbly jacket was stitched together by Wings & Horns, and it’s a lot less synthetic than it looks. The material is quilted chambray, a good deal softer than the petrochemical alternatives, while keeping a certain monolithic style borrowed from flashier North Face items.

The down stitched into the middle will keep things warmer than most chambray garments, but it’s still a long way from the toastiness of Woolrich’s opposite number. Hopefully you’ve got a few sweaters handy.

Textured plastic has taken over almost all of our work-based accoutrements, so it’s nice when we can take on back. Think of a metal fountain pen, a canvas notebook—or an optical mouse carved entirely out of wood, right down to the USB plug. Of course, you won’t be able to pick it up for less than a thousand dollars…but it’s a fair price for spending all day handling ebony.

As the growing crop of Movember soupcatchers indicates, the yen for creative facial hair is at an all-time high. The only thing working against this particular trend—other than the rising price of mustache wax—is the uncertainty involved in growing one. Why commit three weeks to cultivating a bushy lip if you don’t have a game plan? Fortunately, it’s nothing the internet can’t solve.

This snap comes from a sartorial consultant/timewaster called Lord Likely’s Moustache-o-Rama (via NotCot), who’s currently modeling thirty-six styles of ‘stache, ranging from the bushy Spunkleford to a sharp number known as the Strumpet’s Delight.

Naturally, it’s hard to pick a favorite—but you can’t go wrong with a Chin-Wagger.

Outerwear tends to fall into one of two camps: there’s the traditionalists (think toggle coats, tweeds, anything equestrian) and the futurists (goretex, stretch-enhancing weaves, chemically treated waterproofing). So when a collaboration crosses the aisle, it’s usually worth a closer look.

In this case, the workwear cred comes from Woolrich who borrowed some indigo gore-tex from Nanamica for this Mountain Parka. It looks the same from afar, but the inside is goosedown instead of classic cloth, making it both lighter and warmer than you’d expect. Throw in some plaid lining and a few wooden toggles to keep the Americana spirit alive, and nobody’s the wiser. It might be the best of both worlds: retro on the outside, hi-tech on the inside. Take notes.

He’s put his name on everything from cameras to great coats, but there may be no item better suited to Sir Paul Smith’s sensibilities than the sock. At the very least, they’re a pretty good place for stripes.

This pair just landed at Bureau Belfast, and it’s a fine example of a dandy-ish sock, done well. Conventional wisdom suggests matching them to your pants or, failing that, your shoes, but if you’re going to take the road less traveled, this (or this) is a pretty good place to start.

Score one for the vintage crowd. These Florsheim brogues are currently on the block courtesy of Blackbird’s vintage division (10E, anyone?), and while you can see a few decades of wear on them, they still look better than most of the models on the shelves. The lesson: Apparently Florsheim builds them to last.

Hill-Side has built a brand on the premise that just about everything is better made from chambray. And so far—as applied to ties, handkerchiefs and bandanas—they’ve always been right. Their latest gem takes the French fabric into the world of scarves and, while we never would have thought of it…they may be on to something.

The result is a little light, and it doesn’t offer the kind of windstopping fuzziness you’ll want when January rolls around, but it’s also a lot more manageable than the wooly competition. We suggest rolling it up and stashing it in a briefcase, desk drawer or glove compartment for safe keeping. The next time a late-night cold front rolls in, you’ll have an extra line of defense.

The scarf is probably the most versatile piece of outerwear, so we’re surprised we don’t see them popping up earlier in the year. Particularly now that we’re on the cusp between light jacket weather and arctic-level bundling, a good muffler can give you another few weeks before you have to break out the toggle coat. Which, depending on how you feel about winter, can be a lifesaver.

This wool item is from a shipment of Pria scarves recently stocked in Blackbird, and the pattern makes it a pretty good candidate for autumnal muffling. Go forth!

Cardigans have always walked the line between being a casual outer layer and downright outerwear, especially as weaves get looser and wools get chunkier.

Pendleton’s latest cardigan (by way of Opening Ceremony) complicates things by bringing in one of our favorite professorial affectations, the elbow patch. That little tough of ruggedness puts it in the company of any number of fall jackets—at least, the non-weatherproof ones—and removes a sizable chunk of twee from an otherwise twee-packed item.

Well played, gentlemen. And as a late October boutique arrival, extremely well timed.

Etro just unveiled a new line of characteristically flashy accessories, and these shoes caught our eye. We’d call them Reebok’s take on the Ming Dynasty, but as with any Etro gear, they’ll require some careful consideration before you actually put them on.

Tom Ford hasn’t popped up on our radar too much lately—something about the movie business—but his latest Fall/Winter collection recently arrived shops around the world, and Japan’s SENSE magazine put together an impeccably styled editorial spread to remind us why we were so excited about it to begin with.

This windowpaned gentleman, for instance, has taught us to stop worrying and love the loud suit. The colorful tie, the boots and the blublocker-esque aviators all suggest a kind of flash the fashion world doesn’t have nearly enough of. Hopefully Mr. Ford won’t find Hollywood too tempting.

Surreptitiously disguised cheesecake has a long and distinguished history, but this is the first time it’s made it to the wine bottle.

Drink ‘n’ Stick is taking the old disappearing-swimsuit trick to the stodgy confines of the wine world with a peel-off bottle that appears respectable through the purchase process, but transforms into an elixir of Eisenhower-era smut once you get it home and peel off the outer plastic layer.

Pepsi can’t be far behind.

Style rules are made to be broken, but we expected the one about water and leather to last just a little bit longer…

The folks at Seattle’s Blackbird just turned us on to an interesting trick for turning crisp leather jackets into something a little bit more interesting. Apparently ten minutes in a bathtub followed by a few days drying out in a closet can create interesting wrinkles, rich dye patterns and a generally fascinating item of clothing.

Blackbird details the process here, but they’re also offering the jacket at left as part of an unauthorized collab with Tim Hamilton—one of the more intriguing ideas to come out of a boutique this year, if we may say so. The two thousand dollar price tag makes us more enthusiastic about taking to our bathtub, but there’s a few caveats to consider: 1) If it’s not premium leather, you’ll risk a little cracking and 2) You may be in for the weirdest tub rings you’ve ever seen.

And if you happen to like the jacket the way it is…you should probably sleep on it.

ACL just posted a fascinating talk with Levi’s archivist Lynn Downey that drops the following gems:

1) If this pair (dated between 1901 and 1922) is typical, styles have changed very little in the past 80 years. There’s the same coin pocket and, surprisingly enough, the same recently resurgent button-fly rivets. We hadn’t been thinking of that as a historical nod…but apparently we were wrong.

2) If you’ve got a pair of jeans with more than a century of wear in them, you may be able to sell them to Big Denim for some serious money. $46,532 is the most they’ve ever paid, but that’s nothing a little aggressive negotiation can’t solve. It’s time to start digging through great-grandpa’s wardrobe.

Suiting scraps are getting more and more play these days. The Dieline just gave us a first peek at the packaging for Black Fleece’s new fragrance, and the precious bottle’s cushioned with—you guessed it—fabric swatches. We’re guessing they had a few handy.

Usually, we’re against novelty in anything you might actually need to work—a list that includes first aid kits, condoms and coffee-makers—but it’s also true that just about everything is better with a picture of Muhammad Ali on it. Call it a reminder: There’s no shame in taking a few hits in the line of duty.

Apparently oddball design stunts aren’t just for internet folk. Literary quirk merchant Miranda July is trying her hand at pillowcases. She’s currently working through a limited edition of a 1000 cases, available through the New Museum.

Of course, she’s a writer not an artist, so her contribution comes in quote form. The pillows are inscribed with two corresponding inscriptions, “Here you will dream of endless kissing” and “Here you will dream of people you admire exposing your fraudulence,” either of which should provide for an eventful night’s sleep. Naturally, we recommend a healthy rotation…

The style highlight of the U.S. Open so far looks to be a remarkably simple item: Roger Federer’s brand new branded ballcap. All the proceeds go straight to charity—hopefully Roger can squeak by with one fewer house—but the logo definitely makes it as much Lakers as Livestrong.

It’s an interesting development—and certainly a profitable one, judging by the number of caps we’ve seen in the stands so far—and we’re guessing this is only the beginning. It may not be quite as graceful as the Air Jordan, but it should serve about the same purpose now that Federer’s positioning himself as the best-branded athlete of his generation. Next time he wants to endorse a line of watches, it may be as simple as tossing a logo on it. And if you wonder how big the logo’s getting, look a little closer: Nike’s already getting second billing.

There are plenty of old school American sneaker brands in need of rehabilitation, but Keds is pretty near the top of the list. And it looks like Richard Chai is the lucky designer who gets to take a crack at it.

Of course, pairing a hungry designer with a classic basketball shoe is a tried and true combination, and it would appear Chai is even borrowing a few tricks from his predecessors, like doing away with laces. New additions include zippers, puffy high tops and an intriguingly sheen finish…but we’ll have to wait at least another few months before we’re lucky enough to see them in person.

The smock is one of the more obscure items to come out of the current enthusiasm for workwear, but it’s not all that hard to wear. And while we’ve already picked out a favorite, this might be the most wearable we’ve seen.

This smock comes from the latest YMC collection, and splits the difference between an unstructured jacket and an exceedingly rugged button-up. The result is a clever item that’s ready to take the place of your spring jacket. It might not replace the hoodie just yet…but we can dream.

The nautical trend has been around for a while, but this is the first time we’ve seen it branch into the world of home décor.

This Royal Master Sealight is an exact replica of an old marine lamp, which means you’ll be able to adjust the shutters if you want things a little dimmer. It might be a bit too industrial for some places, but if you don’t mind a chrome stand in the corner, it could be just the kind of rough, functional gear that’s in vogue around now. If you’re feeling particularly handy, you could even use it to send Morse Code to the apartment across the street.

We’ve always been advocates of functional style, but we never thought it would go as far as bringing rain pants into a major collection. But Rogues Gallery has always had a few surprises up their sleeve.

This slicker pant popped up in the Maine-based marque’s latest spread of Fall images underneath a significantly less rugged check overcoat. The pants are indisputably fishermen’s gear—like the wellies, which we were glad to see—but somehow this was one item we didn’t think would cross over. Then again, by the time the fall rains pick up we may have come around on the pants.

Sneakerheads are a pretty obsessive bunch, so it makes sense that they’d take to the internet in force. And since counterfeits make eBay too sketchy to rely on, it was about time someone started up a marketplace just for them.

The site is SneakerListing (hat tip to Josh Spear), and it’s an online flea market for a whole world of obscure sneakers, with many of them on sale for free. A quick tour digs up purple Nike Dunks, Jordan XXIs, and a whole cohort of heavily worn hi-tops. As for the high-end, there’s a pair of gold Ice Cream Colettes on the block for five grand, but somehow we don’t see them selling any time soon. Sites like this are perfect for obscurists—and there are quite a few—but these kicks won’t take the place of a fresh pair. On the other hand, if you’re putting a museum together…

We’ve always approved of the watch as an accessory for the simple reason that a gentleman should always know what time it is. But a sense of direction can also come in handy…

The original model of this wrist-compass was made by the legendary watchmakers at Panerai in the 50s, but they released 300 more a few years back so you’ll be able to get one if you’ve got time to dig and a few thousand dollars handy. It’s a handsome gadget, and uniquely suited to the cell phone era now that there are clocks in every pocket.

This model in particular isn’t too likely to catch on—even disregarding the price, there are only 300 of them—but the concept might have a fighting chance. After all, formal dressers will still need something to match to their belt, and if it helps them find the sunset a little faster, all the better.

K-Swiss has been building up a rep as the Original Tennis Shoe for decades now, but it looks like they’re expanding into the ping-pong market. At the end of this month, they’ll be kicking off a new table tennis trainer with the help of the quirk purveyors at New York’s Partners & Spade.

If you want to pick them up, you’ll have to drop by the store on August 29th, when there’ll be a rousing ping-pong tourney afoot and the sneakers in question will be going for an inspiring $80 a pair. After that, you can find them in New York’s J. Crew Men’s Shop and L.A.’s Conveyor, or just settle for the clay-court version.

A lot of pocket notebooks have popped up in the past year, ranging from the slim to the bulky. But for all the new styles, the stuff between the covers has stayed pretty much the same.

Well, Doane Paper has a few ideas. Specifically, they combine the two most common pages (lined and grid) into a multipurpose sheet ready for anything from accounting tables to the first verse of your accountant-oriented battle rap. (“Sucka CPAs”?) You might even find yourself coming up with more organized musings. Or at least more organized doodles.

Yesterday’s Washington Post had an interesting tech trend piece on email closers—you know, that awkward dangling word before your name. The main takeaways were that “best” is on the rise, “fondly” is for geezers, and “sincerely” usually conveys a barely contained animosity. Apparently Emily Gould writes “xoxo” a lot, an innocuous fact which has probably already ignited several flame wars in the Post’s comment section.

In matters professional, we’ve always found “Thanks” to be a bit passive-aggressive (“Could you get right on that? Thanks…”), so we tend to go with “truly” or “always”—after all, you’re always you. More creative options include “Namaste,” “tata,” and our personal favorite, “one love.” If you’re worried about overstepping etiquette, it may be better not to play the game at all and just give yourself a hyphen and a first initial. As with so many things, it’s a question of style.

Brandom out.

At the high end, hotel swag can include anything from a dash of cologne to a full tweezer set, but one Swedish hotel is venturing a little further. Check into the Berns Hotel in Stockholm and you’ll get this impeccably packaged 3-pack of condoms, known to the manufacturers as “a pack of love.” It’s a good idea, considering what goes on in most Swedish hotel rooms, but turn the box over, and you’ll find a more sentimental inscription: “It’s about love.” Well, not necessarily…

Our enthusiasm for biking has been dampened by one simple, easily overlooked fact: Bike helmets tend to be incredibly ugly. Luckily, a few newer models have started taking a pointers from the flatter skateboard helmets and—in this case—worked in some actual fabric.

This Lacoste helmet manages the difficult trick of being both eco-friendly and sartorially accomplished. The first count comes from subbing in soft cork for the usual styrafoam. The second comes courtesy of our old friend the flat cap, which they wisely adopted as a style guide. Naturally, this one’s a bit beefier. It’s got a job to do.

In case you missed your issue of Esquire this month, we’ve got an emergency dose of masculine wisdom. This one comes courtesy of Omar Tehawko who put together the poster at the left. He’s managed to narrow the Things a Man Must Do down to five simple imperatives:

1) Shoot a Small Helpless Animal
2) Visit Space
3) Punch a Lion in the Face
4) Fly a Jet Fighter
5) Save the Day

It might take some doing, but nobody said manliness was going to be easy. First, you’ll need a lion with a glass jaw…

We tend not to think much about our furniture’s feelings, but these tufted linen rugs are giving us a change of heart, presenting positive and negative takes on the same floor covering. We know which one’s going in the bathroom…

The art of packaging is making a serious comeback, thanks to Apple and a few other retail aesthetes. But what’s surprising is how much of it comes from homegrown shops in Etsy.

This comes from the Portland General Store, an Etsy outlet that caught our eye with their whiskey-scented shaving products, but the sampler pack is an accomplishment all its own. Instead of cardboard, they bundle their goods in a Dominican Hemingway cigar box, with a Mary Jane, candy cigarettes and (of course) a cigar tossed in for good measure, with a glossy pic of an anonymous older gentleman presiding over it all. It’s even more impressive since they’re putting it all together in a house in rural Maine—although they probably never want for cigars.

After the jump, the unboxing pics»

The coffee cup is as close to a design standard as you’ll find, but there’s always room for improvement.

A group of Tel Aviv design students took a crack at it, and the results are intriguing. This model, called the cubis, is designed for easy stacking—the corners fit together, naturally—and a thick layer of ceramic insulation to provide a cool place to grip. We don’t expect to see it in diners any time soon…but maybe there are a few boutique hotels in need of a restock?

Norsea’s 2010 catalog just came down the transom, and while there’s a fresh supply of liberty prints in tow, this Duke beach shirt struck us as a more impressive move.

After all, if we’re going floral, it’s survival of the loudest. And this one manages to reach almost Hawaiian levels of business while maintaining a certain stately grandeur. It’s not easy to put together elegiac beach gear, but Norsea seems to have it figured out.

Father’s Day is just a couple weeks off, and it’s time to get into gifting mode. We’ve got a few more adventurous suggestions in the pipeline—no, not ties—but we thought we’d kick things off with an old standard: scotch.

This site won’t sell you any, but it’ll help you find a store and give you the info to pin down the bottle you’re after, which should get you halfway there. (Try here if you can’t find a local shop.) The trick is finding a bottle that’ll give the old man something he hasn’t tasted before. And the older the better.

Being genuine is an increasingly rare talent, but the world of modeling wouldn’t be much without it.

Take this gentleman, for instance, from the latest PRPS lookbook. He’s a lot more unkempt than most models, and a good deal older too, but he has a kind of outsider shagginess that more than makes up for it. He isn’t in some Gucci-esque dreamworld; he’s just a guy having a good time trying on clothes. And as a result, the clothes look more natural and wearable than they otherwise might.

Think of it as the benefit of throwing in an unconventional face from time to time. And a beard or two.

The internet tends not to offer much in the way of hard choices—Hulu or YouTube is about as tough as it gets—but a new site called Pick One (via NotCot) is offering an almost limitless supply of them. Radiohead or Google? Revenge or sunglasses? Tacos or love? Choose wisely…

Each time you pick, another random pairing will pop up, so you’ll never run short of decisions, while the total votes are tallied in a Top 10 and Bottom 10 to give you a pretty fair assessment of the internet’s overall mood. Lil’ Wayne fills out the Bottom 10 alongside perpetual downers like cancer, famine and war (we’re guessing the rap-rock album has something to do with it), while the best-of list tops out with sex and love…in that order.

Letter-writing seems to be going the way of the videotape, but there’s still a certain gentlemanly charm to a handwritten note on a piece of fine card stock. Especially once you get the Etsy crowd involved…

This card comes from Old School Stationers, an Oregon brand that’s made their name on screenprinted stock and anachronistic designs. Now all you need is a few well-composed bon mots and a stamp.

Hopefully you still have a few lying around…

The office chair has been around roughly as long as the office and, give or take an Aeron, surprisingly little has changed. Of course, that’s just what designers are for…

New York’s Design Week just staggered to a close—the curious can check out Core77’s coverage—and this low-riding chair called the Luxos from Okamura caught our eye. All the cushions are right where you remember them, but the whole thing is about a foot lower to the ground, giving you a more reclined approach to the workday.

There’s a matching desk to keep everything in perspective, but so far it’s not quite clear whether it’ll inspire more productivity or just more naptime. Maybe both?

See the Luxos in action»

Fred Perry’s 100th birthday has been the occasion for a lot of good swag, but as the godfather of mod style, it was only a matter of time before he put his laurels on a scooter. And while the Vespa Piaggio may be a common sight these days, it’s a classic for a reason…just like Fred himself.

Just make sure to give the rockers a wide berth.

The Navajo look has been building steam for a while now, even if you won’t be able to get your hands on most of it before Fall ’09. These jackets from April77 and Rogues Gallery are only the beginning.

A bit more of the Navajo»

This experimental Youtube project has been making the tumblr rounds all day, and for good reason: it’s one of the cleverest uses of embeddable video we’ve seen.

The idea is simple, thirteen youtube windows in the same page—including a clip from The Red Balloon and a woman manipulating a modded Nintendo DS—all playing various pieces in the key of b-flat. Think Brian Eno meets Mark Zuckerberg.

The world of shoe designers is crowded enough without star architects trying to horn in on their racket. But that’s never stopped them before…

We just heard a rumor that Frank Gehry has whipped up a special shoe for the French cobblers at J. M. Weston. There’s no word on the whether they’ll be men’s or women’s, but since most of their stock is on the men’s side, we’d say the odds are with us. Of course, designing a brogue is quite a bit different from designing a museum, so there’s no telling what he’ll come up with.

Let’s just hope all the sharp angles are on the outside.

This lookbook snap from Belvest came our way courtesy of SwipeLife, and we couldn’t help but weigh in.

The suit follows all the trends of the current moment—a high two-button, thin and tall lapels, and breakless trousers, for instance—but the blue waistcoat is straight out of the trad playbook. Of course, updating old world sartorialism with a trendier set of cuts is hardly a new trick…but it’s still a very good one.

The aesthetes at Valet just debuted The Edit, a more web-integrated wing of their site. There’s a steady stream of obsession-worthy objects, a handy virtual newsstand and a digest of some of the best style blogs on the web (ahem), but what really caught our eye was a little applet called The Pulse.

Anyone who’s spent an afternoon scouring Google Trends can testify to its almost limitless appeal, but The Pulse is the first time we’ve seen it harnessed in editorial form. Above, you can see the Met Ball debacle broken down in handy graphical form, as news of Mr. Sutherland’s infamous headbutt gradually spreads through the blogosphere, and thousands of people simultaneously wonder who Jack McCollough is.

It’s an old rule of the internet that any desire, no matter how strange or unspeakable, already has a site devoted to it. And as you might expect, most of the sites are not work friendly…

Worlds Best Ever put us onto the latest result of the rule: a tumblr dedicated to the unique charms of freckled girls, frequently without the benefit of clothing. It’s a pretty simple concept, but as long as they’re handing out book deals, this is one site that could certainly move a few units.

Provided they can find a like-minded imprint…

Mother’s day offers a reliable conundrum: How do you adequately express your filial affection in the absence of your usual “girlfriend” standbys? We suggest something perfumed and French.

Diptyque is a Parisian firm that’s been a favorite for maternal gifts for upwards of 40 years. There are a few manlier options too, like the Southeast Asian Tam Dao shower gel, but at the moment your mind is probably on gifts. You can pick up a candle or two here or stop by one of their boutique outposts if you want to check out the goods in person. They’ve got outposts in New York, London, Paris, San Francisco and Qatar. Just be sure to add an appropriately heartfelt note.

Apparently the shop behind the meme-ified “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters have a few other posters…including this simple brown poster. Not bad, if you’ve got an empty space above your desk.

The nautical sweater has been kicking around for a while, but the knits keep getting looser, which is leading us to some surprising places.

Our Legacy’s latest collection adds a bit of fuel to the club collar resurgence, but the item that caught our eye was this cardigan. Aside from the tighter stripes, the mesh is so loose you can see through it. We’d recommend a light dress shirt underneath to make the most of it…but that’s just the beginner move.

Layering just got a whole new dimension.

For chiefly functional items like raincoats, the styles haven’t changed much in 70 years. So absent a bit of new technology (i.e. the Nau crowd), your best bet is a brand that’s been building up cred for a few decades…or one of their more recent collabs.

Someone else got to Mackintosh first, so the folks at A.P.C. turned to a Canadian slicker marque called K-Way, resulting in this puffy anorak. Not a bad idea for summer rains…especially if you run across a storm that makes you lose your faith in waxed cotton.

Last time around we were a little hard on the light cloth fishing vest, but this may be the one that changes our mind.

Maybe it’s the color, but this indigo Mr. Hinson vest seems a lot close to the original workwear spirit, and a lot more generally functional. It’s still a bit of an oddball idea, but oversized waist pockets like this are the kind of oddball idea we’re willing to follow through on.

One more and it’ll be a full-blown trend.

These days trendspotting is as easy as finding the right flickr set. Of course, it helps if you’ve got some Victorian nostalgia handy…

Re-introducing the Penny Farthing bicycle, already available from various boutique manufacturers. Truth be told, we’ve already seen a couple on the bike-friendly streets of Bushwick, but we’re not sure how much farther the trend can go. It’s hard to cross over when you’re stuck with a tag like “bone shaker.”

Now that craft sites like Etsy have made silkscreened cards easier to produce and distribute than ever before, the calling card is making a serious comeback. Along with a few other kinds of cards…

Gramkin Paper Studio (via NotCot) specializes in palm-sized kissoff cards, designed to make your late-night interactions as transparent as possible. After all, handing a piece of fine card stock to the overly aggressive semi-vixen at the other end of the bar should end the conversation with enough whimsy to keep things civil—and you won’t even have to leave the bar.

Others include “I’m glad we stay mildly interested in each other’s lives,” “I’m not drunk enough to give you my real number,” and “Really great meeting you but I’m not currently in the market to make new friends.”

To think you used to have to send it all by text.

One of the highlights of Britain’s current turn in the style spotlight is the steady stream of heritage brands taking their star turn. This month, it’s Baracuta, a lightweight jacket company recently been favored by a J. Crew collab, a quasi-placement in the latest Bond flick and seemingly endless supply of good press.

Of course, a history of showing up on the shoulders of everyone from Steve McQueen to Joe Strummer doesn’t hurt.

We weigh your baracuta options»

Different clothes celebrate different states of mind, so while a suit may not make you the captain of industry you were hoping for, don’t be surprised if you’re standing a little straighter thanks to the clothes on your back. Of course, if you’re after the opposite effect…there’s always the bathrobe.

This particular model comes from Wings + Horns, and it’s the best celebration of indolence we’ve seen in some time. It was commissioned for the Ace Hotel’s New York branch, but Seattle’s Blackbird managed to get their hands on a few of them for sale. The slanted pockets are a particularly nice touch, for those times when your phone is ringing and you can’t be bothered to reach all the way over to the nightstand.

Sunday morning, here we come.

Maison Martin Margiela has specialized in snow-white minimalism for a couple decades now, but they just now applied the idea to home décor. As you might guess, the result is every bit as weirdly playful as what we’re used to seeing on the runway.

The first collection of home goods just debuted at the Salon del Mobile in Milan (via My Fashion Life) with items like wine bottle lamps, wallpaper, carpeting and bookshelves, all in MMM’s trademark white. Our personal favorites were the paneled doors, mostly for the sheer cheek involved in applying high fashion principles to one of the least glamorous items in the house.

The collection should hit stores and showrooms in 2010.

See the doors up close»

If you don’t feel much of a yen for nostalgia bikes, there’s always the futuristic option.

Of course, there’s all manner of moped out there, but this Ultra Motor Bike is the first one we’ve seen put its lithium battery on proud display. The white metal replaces the usual old world charm with a more technological aesthetic, and you’ll have to adjust your biking gear accordingly. We’d say a little less corduroy and a few more synthetics. At the very least, they’ll keep you dry.

Is it too late to land Kraftwerk for a sponsorship deal?

Time for another entry in our ongoing series on the taxonomy of beards.

Imagine you’re a creative type unbound by dress codes and only the thinnest pretense of nine-to-five regularity. You’ve met with some early success—people even started throwing the word “genius” around—but it scared the suits, and you’ve spent the rest of your career being suffocated by unimaginative businessmen, the stolid nature of the entertainment industry and the ultimate venality of the world.

Look on the bright side: While your existence may be plagued with self-doubt, your facial hair problems are pretty much solved.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we present the Stifled Genius Beard.

Perhaps further explanation is required»

As you may have noticed, the internet’s gone a bit bacon crazy in the past year or so. But we always assumed it would stop before it got dangerous.

We were wrong.

This is the latest entry in the bacon wars, a protein-packed cannoli of death known as the Flaming Bacon Lance. It’s made entirely of prosciutto—which we like to think of as weapons-grade bacon—and it spits enough flame to melt through a stainless steel tray.

There’s even a cucumber model for a vegetarian equivalent…but somehow it’s just not the same.

See the flaming bacon lance in action»

There are a lot of steamer trunks out there, but if you’re going post-colonial, you can’t do better than the Ghurka bag. (Sorry, Wes.)

We don’t mean the softer bags they’re selling nowadays—although they aren’t bad for starters. We mean the hard-shell cases that used to be cobbled together by a grizzled Italian craftsman…that is, until he died and turned the whole line into collector’s items. These days, a complete set will cost you a couple month’s salary, but it’s worth it for the old world touches you wouldn’t find anywhere else.

From the perfectly tanned leather to the impeccable stitching and metalwork, this is the genuine article so many other hard shell cases are imitating. It’ll take some legwork to find your own set, but it should be more than worth it.

See more shots of the Ghurka cases»

We’ve gushed about the nostalgic charms of the steamer trunk, but it seems we overlooked the one thing they were missing: a sense of humor.

Globe Trotter’s new Surf Rider collection corrects the oversight with the strategic use of Hawaiian shirts, possibly the most whimsical item in the menswear canon. The cases are lined with an earth-toned Hawaiian print that could have been lifted straight from Don Ho’s closet.

As for what you’ll put inside…a little bit of whimsy goes a long way.

Lapels have been migrating north for quite a while now, and in this Oliver Spencer blazer—pulled from his latest lookbook—they seem to have moved all the way to the collar.

It’s not for everyone—Tom Ford is on record as hating the look—but Spencer knows how to pull it off better than anyone.

You’ll want a smaller collar than usual and a thin knot to keep everything roughly in proportion, but the real trick is leaving the top button unbuttoned. The jackets in question are usually three-buttons, and fastening the top one is every bit as bad as fastening the bottom.

And if you want to throw in a quick lapel trinket to show off how clever you’re being, we’d say you’ve earned it.

We’re used to buying complete packages, and the iPhone certainly looked like one. Lately though, it seems more and more like what we bought was just an empty box waiting to be filled up with awesome. And they’re finally getting around to it.

Exhibit A: the Coachella app that keeps you up to date with all the showtimes and lets you plot your own course through the madness of the festival. If only there were some kind of social network…

Exhibit B: The best work we’ve seen from Trent Reznor since those videos that terrified your parents. We’re talking about the Nine Inch Nails iPhone app, which brings together just about everything you could want.

Let us count the ways»

The expansion of bespokery is old news by now, but it’s reaching to areas that never occurred to us. For instance, that maple wand in your closet could probably stand to be a bit more customized.

The Hanger Project is making a play at setting up the luxury wooden hanger market by offering wooden suit hangers made to measure. It’s a familiar idea to anyone versed in the art of the shoe tree, but it’s still a welcome addition to our sartorial arsenal.

They’re a bit expensive, but so was your suit, and there’s no point in letting it spend its days on shoulders that are narrower than yours.

Of course, we prefer all-leather satchels, but if you’re looking for something a bit less fragile, this canvas and leather stowaway bag (via SwipeLife) should do the trick.

The staid green is our favorite for a touch of the old-world luggage feeling (i.e. what Louis Vuitton was into before they discovered branding) and the reverse clasps are a clever way to set it apart from the usual satchels.

But if you’re interested, you’d better strike while the pound is low.

The animated gif is just a few great works away from being a legitimate art form—in fact, they’ve already got their own museum—but this is the first time we’ve seen it turned on the celebrity class.

We just ran across this gif of one Scarlett Johansson in a variety of charming poses. As PR, it does more than a dozen Esquire spreads—and we’re quite partial to those. Think of it as one more step towards flacks becoming surrogate blogmasters.

And, needless to say, it’s better than The Nanny Diaries.

See the gif in question»

It’s no secret that the blogosphere runs mostly on caffeine—much like the banks, the government, and the bulk of the western world. In fact, we’re inclined to chalk most of the achievements of human civilization up to the arabica bean. How else would we get anything done?

But like most fun things, we assumed it was bad for us.

Not so, apparently»

We’ve always thought bespokery was the answer to most of the worlds problems (think about it, Geithner), but we never would have thought of it for the sporting world. But the Brits can only do soccer and tailoring for so long before they put the two together…

Umbro recently paired with Aitor Throup to produce a line of bespoke jersey for England’s national soccer team. Of course, Throup being Throup, that came along with a lot of high-minded anatomy and material design research, but the result a team with a set of well-shaped jerseys—and an Imperial sales bonus for Umbro.

See the “making of” here»

There are big changes afoot in the sneaker world, but so far, it hasn’t been clear what was going to trickle down to the Reeboks and Converses of the world. But, opinionated gentlemen that we are, we have a thought or two on the subject.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we present the canvas oxford. If it hasn’t gained serious ground in the shoe racks of the world by next summer, we’re going to be very disappointed.

We expound on the matter still further»

The duffel bag has a long way to go if it’s going to come back into style. But this isn’t a bad start…

These particular items come from our friends at Norsea Industries, and we’re ready to call them the beginning of the duffel revival. Trading industrial performance cloth for warm, vintage-looking fabrics and a healthily grungy approach to color, they end up with what the duffel bag always should have been: a casual approach to luggage.

See more of the bags»

If the shades on the top look familiar, they should. But they just got a whole lot less vintage.

As a response to the popularity of their vintage gear, Carrera dug into their archive for a set of their best old styles, and brought the resulting models back into production. Naturally, it’s still better to get the Real McCoy, but for a couple hundred dollars less, the revival isn’t too bad either.

Carrera’s newer styles haven’t done too much to catch our eye, but this reboot might be just what the brand needs to get its legs back. If they can jump back to 1986 and start over from there, they may start digging up a lot more than just nostalgia.

What this means for heritage brands in general»

We’ve seen a lot of cardigans but this one from L.A.’s Kzo stood out by virtue of those two lines running down either side.

For the unfamiliar, they’re tailoring seams, and they go a long way to explaining why the cut is so trim, and why the item looks as much like a lapel-less blazer as a cardigan.

Ever since the new bespoke movement took off, we’ve been seeing tailoring toucheslike this sneak into casual clothes. This is as good an example as we’ve seen so far—but we’re hoping to see far better before the year is out.

Is anyone out there brave enough to put a set of buttonholes on the cuffs of their hoodie?

Modern watches have piled on a lot of functions, but there hasn’t much in the way of philosophical ponderings…until now.

This watch from the British marque Mr. Jones adds a daily planner in place of the usual numbers, giving you a sense of how long you have for each activity. Of course, there are no guarantees it’ll fit your own personal schedule—the chap in question makes it into bed before midnight each night and clocks three solid hours of daily television—but it should give you some idea of how to map out your day.

And exactly how much time you have for lunch.

In case you were puzzled by the French sizing of the F-Troupe lace-ups, we thought we’d lend a hand.

This chart should help you make sense of a fairly confusing system. There are a lot of different systems out there, but it’s probably simpler than you think. British sizes are more or less the same, European sizes don’t vary too much from country to country, and we doubt your sartorial travels will take you much farther than that. When in doubt, round up.

And avoid Chinese sizes at all costs.

With the rainy season on the horizon, it’s time to consider your umbrella options. There’s the usual black-sheeted version, possibly spiced up with a cane handle…or you can go the adventurous route.

This Finnish model from Marimekko might seem a bit flowery for the reserved man of style, but it’s not too far from the dandyism Paul Smith has made his name on. Paired with a dark suit, it might be just the touch of spring required.

Watch culture is full of mini-obsessions to get lost in, each one promising its own unique style. And, based on our love for the mid-70s, it was only a matter of time before we found something that fit.

Seiko Bullheads might just be the official watch of the era, even if you have to dig through collector’s shops to find them. These days, eBay makes the hunt a lot easier—for watches and for vintage gear in general—so there’s even less keeping you away from your own personal bullhead.

See a few more bullheads»

One of the brilliant things about personal style is it can float along independent of trends.

Most designers would never let a jacket this baggy onto a runway. But while the rest of the fashion world is busy trimming the sag off their cardigans, this Parisian gentleman is off refining his own rumpled look, thanks to a baggy blazer, a few loose scarves, and a perfectly grizzled beard.

And, for the moment at least, he has a style all to himself.

The downturn’s hitting people in a lot of different ways, but none is more benign than beer selection. A whole generation of Magic Hat hop snobs are waking up to the breadlike charms of working men’s beer.

In response, the working class heroes at Men.Style have put together this handy guide to guide you through the 30-packs of your future.

Our only complaint: Where’s the love for High Life?

After years of tireless effort, it looks like the blazer might finally be coming back.

A Continuous Lean just posted a few snaps of Band of Outsiders’ latest fall line, and we couldn’t help but notice the 70s vibe running through the whole thing. Tweed and corduroy both make strong showings, along aviator glasses and uncannily helmet-like hair.

At the risk of sounding gushy, this is pretty much the fashion line we were looking for when we started praising the 70s. They even got the button tabs right! Well played, gentlemen.

More from Band of Outsiders»

The painter Alex Katz has a lot of fans out there, but before now we would have hardly thought they were J. Crew’s demographic.

Apparently a few of the more Pop Art-inspired minds at J. Crew decided Mr. Katz would make their clothes look better than any model, and put together a few shoots with the grizzled master for their March catalog. There are a few other icons thrown in there for good measure—including some San Francisco shots and, possibly more importantly, Lauren Hutton—but there’s no better way to add cachet to a shoot than bringing putting a veteran artist in front of the camera.

And if he got a few crew necks out of the deal, all the better.

See more of Katz’s catalog shots»

These are rugged times. Rugged materials are called for.

But hopefully we can keep them confined to garments that won’t actually touch your body. After all, it’s all fun and games until somebody gets a rash.

This burlap tie may be the first good item we’ve seen to make use of rougher fabrics, but we’re pretty sure it won’t be the last. (Hat tip to UD Chicago.) A good contrast of fabrics can make a whole outfit, and burlap is pretty much guaranteed to set off whatever texture your suit is. Plus, it’s tough enough to last until the next bubble.

Naturally, versatility can be a mixed blessing, but if you’ve got the right tailor on board things tend to turn out ok. And it’s hard to make bike clothes uglier than they are already…

Rapha Performance Roadwear recently commissioned traveling tailor Timothy Everest to make a suit designed for bicycling, and the result is surprisingly palatable. The jacket’s lower flaps can be fastened to the pockets to keep them from flapping, and an extra length of sleeve can be rolled down to keep the wrists covered when the rider leans over the handlebars. Best of all, the pattern is a simple gray check that won’t announce itself too loudly. (Don’t be fooled by the zebra stripes; that’s just the camera).

Think of it as just one more example: tailors can do anything if they put their minds to it.

We’re on record predicting the return of the belt buckle…and we’ve finally found a more reliable source. If you happen to be in the market for a waistline trophy—and you’re in the New York area—our friends at UrbanDaddy put us onto a belt-buckle exhibition currently passing through town.

And if you happen to have a chambray shirt lying around, it might not be a bad idea.

Peruse the selection»

The tech world is one of the few areas left that still gives visionaries enough room to work, so when we see a sea change coming, we try to call it as early as we can. Amazon’s Kindle is as close as we’re likely to come for this year, so when the fine folks at NotCot got their hands on one, we figured we’d give it a look.

Our thoughts on the Kindle»

In general, the world of custom tailoring is small enough that there isn’t room for big ticket items. But if you come across the right materials, it can be hard to resist…

Luckily, Vicuna wool may well be the most valuable fabric on earth, and the Savile Row firm Holland & Sherry is feeling inspired. A vicuna can only be shorn every three years, so harvesting a usable amount of wool took a solid five years, combined with a year and a half to develop the cloth into a usable worsted pattern. So far, they’re charging $50,000 a piece, and they should have enough cloth for 18 suits—provided there aren’t any sumo wrestlers out there with a taste for bespokery.

In Medieval tradition, the Carnival is a day when the typical rules of decorum do no apply. Nobles can pass as commoners, people can paint their entire bodies green, or beads can be exchanged for moments of toplessness. Ah, tradition.

We’re more partial to the Rio festivities—as you might have guessed from our choice of pictures—if only because there’s less of a spring break feeling to the festivities, but there’s nothing wrong with the crescent city. The important thing is that no matter where you find yourself, you spend at least part of the day turning things on their head.

Don’t worry. It’ll all be back to normal tomorrow.

via Street Peeper

Speaking of male accessories, we’d like to point out one of our favorite benefits of wider lapels: space for a few adornments.

This gentleman from Seoul has the right idea, pinning an interesting trinket onto both lapels. Of course, the trad in us prefers the old Victorian buttonhole carnation—a trademark of British gents from Evelyn Waugh to John Steed—but we understand you’d prefer a more modern approach.

Just try not to poke too many holes in your jacket.

Dressers haven’t changed much in the past few decades, which may explain why most prefer antiques to newer designs…but there’s something to be said for the occasional new idea. Even if we have to ship it in from Britain.

This floating cabinet lets each drawer hover a few inches in the air, giving them a sense of weightlessness. Of course, it means each one needs its own slideable lid, but it’s a small price to pay for progress.

And it should fit perfectly into that empty circle near the closet…

The charitable fashion stunt is a well-worn trick, but we still like to watch it play out from time to time. Our current interest is LENY, a limited-edition tee series to benefit (or is it combat?) global warming.

The tees are currently making the rounds, but we’re more impressed by the lineup, which includes Kate Moss, Lapo Elkann, Waris Ahluwalia, and best of all, the lovely Eva Herzigova, at left. It’s enough to make any man green with envy.

After a while, the Sartorialist-style shots start to blend together, so it was about time someone brought a more personal touch to people watching.

Our candidate is What I Saw Today, which throws a few colored pencils and a playfully sketchy style into the mix. Street style blogs have always aspired to be a kind of notebook for designers, so making one that actually looks like a notebook brings a certain authenticity to the project.

And if it helps a few more people appreciate the subtle texture of a Chesterfield coat…all the better.

Fashion Week isn’t all glitz…although there’s plenty of it to go around. The outerwear marque Mackage has teamed with the New York thrift store Housing Works to organize a coat drive coinciding with the annual fashionfest.

It’s fitting enough, since the festivities should inspire a lot of people to ditch their older gear, but Mackage is hoping it inspires them to pick some up too. They’re also auctioning off three coats (two female, one male) to raise funds for the drive. The men’s coat can be found here, and while the bidding’s still just getting started, we’d guess it should buy more than a few wraps for the city’s less fortunate residents. As a bonus, it’s signed by actor and recent off-broadway star Peter Sarsgaard…

…which we guess makes it more valuable?

It’s hard to find a good cobbler this side of Florence…but maybe we just haven’t been looking hard enough.

Our old friends at Michael Andrews Bespoke are starting up an eponymous cobbling line, with 30 styles, 50 leathers and a fit molded to the unique shape of your hoof. It’s the kind of service that’s a lot easier to find in Savile Row and Hong Kong, but surprisingly thin on the ground in the states. It’s also a lot easier to find if you’re willing to drop a few thousand dollars, but this time around the damage is limited to six to eight hundred dollars, especially useful if you’re a banker with a new budget.

Get the address here»

Much as we’re inspired by more Eastern peaks, it may be the Rockies have gotten a raw deal. Western looks come and go, but they rarely head that far north. We’re not sure what it would look like, outside of the occasional sheepskin, but after these pictures, we’re definitely ready to find out.

A few more pics»

via Tsutpen

Inspiration can come from many places, but it’s usually best in small doses. So while we heartily endorse fedoras, peak lapels, and even the occasional pinstripe, you should resist the powerful temptation to dress like someone on the cover of a dime novel.

For women, of course, this rule does not apply.

Tumblr is a many-splendored thing, but the casual nature of the microblog, together with the ocean of images now available online, make it perfect for the peculiar phenomenon known as the inspiration blog.

Our current favorite is The Barstool Romantic, a more literary cousin to The Impossible Cool. They’re most impressed by the motorbike style of the 50s—in fact, we know a store they should check out—but the blog is broad enough to throw in a Rimbaud quote, pictures a few Francophone chanteuses, and a quick introduction to flaneurism—something any dedicated man about town should look into.

Our new president has already inspired his share of sartorial fawning but, as always, the British take the cake.

This column from the The Independent’s Howard Jacobson (via Balk) begins by wondering how our new president gets that dimple in his four-in-hand tie. Of course, we’ve always thought Obama was over-dimpled, but if Mr. Jacobson really wants it, all he has to do is pinch the front part of the tie before he pulls it through into the knot. But the tie quandary is just an intro to Jacobson’s musings on the nature of political style…and he ends up with one of the best quotes we’ve heard on the topic.

The question is, now that Obama’s leading the free world, isn’t focusing on his style just a distraction? Shouldn’t we put more faith in leaders too busy to care about how they dress?

The answer, as you might expect, is that style matters»

In case you were wondering how the Python chaps were holding up on the web, we’ve got some good news.

On the strength of their new YouTube channel, Python’s DVDs have climbed to the #2 spot on Amazon, an increase of 23,000 percent.

Now if we could just get the Kids in the Hall on board…

Modern gadgetry is moving in lots of different directions at once, but one thing that’s pretty clear is that the world is going to have fewer wires in it. Tenqa is a west coast company trying to bring Bluetooth wireless tech to home stereos, but they’re having to do it without any corporate partnerships, which makes things significantly more interesting.

The tale of Tenqa»

Loose-knit fabrics were one of the biggest trends to emerge from this season’s capsule show, and while we got a tiny taste of it with Raf Simon x Fred Perry’s S/S 09 collection, we’re now ready to upgrade it to a full blown happening.

This version is from Raf Perry’s Fall/Winter line, but we’d say approach it with caution. If you’re an undershirt type, you’re going to have a lot of glaring white peeking through…and even if you aren’t, you might have to worry about a few chest hairs making a break for it. It’s a good look if you can pull it off, but it’s not for everyone.

A more accessible option…»

Having already enlisted Tim Hamilton, Loden Dager and creepy retail mimes, Uniqlo is setting their sights on one of New York’s finest: Opening Ceremony.

Opening Ceremony’s light kitch and occasional summer-in-Stockholm vibes should fit well with the Japanese megabrand, and it’ll be nice to see them get a little more recognition. For now we’ll just cross our fingers and hope it’s a men’s line.

Web photography tends to mean wringing changes on a simple theme, whether it’s man-on-the-street style or upside-down dogs. Naturally, we prefer the former…

Todd Selby’s gimmick is simple: semi-famous creatives in their impeccably designed living spaces. It’s equal parts social scenery and interior design, making it required viewing for anyone looking for ideas about how to set up a homebase.

See more of the Selby»

The award for most interesting market niche so far goes to Kibsgaard, a Danish company that specializes in the inch-long metal logos affixed to the bottom of most TVs…or at least most TVs made in the 90s. It’s not an aesthetic you see a lot in the age of the iPhone, but it’s nice to know where it comes from.

It’s been kicking around since the 60s, but despite being a legitimate cultural icon, nobody’s given it the respect it deserves. But it looks like the afro pick’s time has finally come.

These gold- and silver-plated models from Social Creatures are made from cutlery grade aluminum and buffed to a high polish to help them negotiate the tighter curls. The handles are ornately embossed in the style of European trinkets, but don’t be fooled: this is entirely new. The silver model will set you back 275 UKP—they’re too bashful to give a price for the gold—but we never said cultural progress would be cheap.

Count on the Brits to bring us up to date.

Oregon’s really on a roll lately. Winn Perry—previously known as the northwestern source for Sovereign Beck ties—just reminded us that they’re also the northwestern source for Alden shoes, one of the best cobblers still producing shoes in America.

Naturally, the best work comes from the custom shop, but anyone passing through Oregon should stop by if they want to see what modern American leatherworking looks like. Of course, if you’re closer to New York, we know a place there too.

Now that we see it popping up on royalty, we realize there’s a type of beard we didn’t see in Portland: the self-consciously Arthurian muzzle.

Granted, it’s a pretty specific case, but if you’re an English prince out to establish your maturity, it’s really the only way to go.

By now, we bet you’re looking for a gift or two, so we thought we’d open up our archives for any last minute seekers. A tie may not be breaking much new ground, but a well-kept notebook or a well-bound book is always enough to raise a few eyebrows, especially if you choose the right one.

With that in mind, we present: the Kempt gift guide, a handful of very good ideas for any refined gentleman on your list. And you’ll have just enough time to get them to your door for the main event.

Just don’t sweat the shipping charge.

The cardigan resurgence is in full swing, but our favorite finishing touch has yet to take hold. We’re talking, of course, about the patched elbow.

It’s hit and miss on blazers, but on a sweater it gives a sense of permanence that can be hard to come by. This version comes new from Brit firm D.S. Dundee, but we bet it’ll look even better after it starts to show wear.

Robots have been male by default since the 50s, but the female robot has been around for almost as long, whether as a mechanical temptresses or a cold automaton—or usually both.

Apparently the folks at popular science are as intrigued as we are. They recently counted down thirteen real and fictional fembots, and it led to some interesting conclusions. First of all, the best we can do still looks eerily like a mobile mannequin, which is pretty shameful—unless that’s your thing.

And more importantly, that Svedka robot really was that creepy.

Powerpoint is responsible for a lot of bureaucratic frustration, but the times it’s actually improved someone’s life can probably be counted on one hand. This would be one of those times.

Apparently Alexandra Carmichael has been tracking her personal patterns—including exercise, weight, pharmaceutical intake and sex—for four months in the interest of getting a handle on a few medical issues and learning more about herself. So far it’s all common sense stuff like eating more during bad moods and feeling better after Tai Chi workshops, but the possibilities are endless.

Our personal recommendation: tie in your wardrobe. A few years down the line, you may finally discover how you really feel about cardigans.

Outside of Cronicles of Never and Ksubi, Australia’s style footprint has been pretty small. But we’re always willing to take another look.

This snap (courtesy of Street Peeper) comes from the opening of Alphaville, Melbourne’s latest Godardian boutique. The jeans are from Ksubi, and look familiar enough, but the rest of his getup comes from labels we’ve never even heard of, including Alpha 60 and The Vanishing Elephant.

Judging from the getup—and the success Ksubi has had with the Soho crowd—we’d say the continent’s ripe for a larger crossover, especially in sunnier climes like California.

We’ll call it the trans-Pacific look.

The idea of cashing out and moving to a cabin in the woods is getting more and more appealing each day. And if you feel like leaving behind all your possessions, you’re probably looking for something minimalist…

Allow us to introduce Weehouse, a St. Paul-based firm that’s managed to turn modular pre-fab housing into a genuinely attractive option. The houses come fully assembled and furnished, and the flat rate means you know exactly how much you’ll pay. Prices range from $65,000 to $255,000 for a quadruple-sized three-bedroom unit.

They also do custom work under the name Alchemy, but you can find carpenters anywhere. Finding a good cabin is quite a bit harder.

See the various models»

It looks like the matching shirt and tie is catching on. We first spotted it in the Commonwealth Utilities line, and now the West Coast brand Howe is pulling the same move in their SS09 collection.

We don’t like to say it, but we told you so.

Tweed has never been the hottest look, but it may be having its own trendlet. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to academic-chic.

This “Academia Jacket” from Visim has been making the Japanese retail rounds, and caught the eye of the streetwear tastemakers at High Snobiety and nascent King of all Media Kanye West. It’s a natural step from the accountant fetishism of Thom Browne—who, coincidentally, was just named GQ’s Designer of the Year—but we can’t help but wonder where this leads. Glasses can always get nerdier, but we imagine we’ll see library-themed nightclubs popping up next summer.

Our advice is to start snapping up hardcovers now. After all, you’ll need accessories.

Since the bicycle was invented, bike clothes have been uniformly embarrassing, and with bikes and scooters on the rise, it seems like material-minded designers have their work cut out for them.

These aren’t perfect, but they meet the challenge of producing a good biking pant better than anything else we’ve seen. They come from Outliers, a brand-new Brooklyn marque devoted to performance over form. In this case, that means pants that repel water, grease and stains and can stand up to the grinding gears of the average bike commute. It’s mountain climber stuff, but they’ve managed to fashion it into a slim pant that won’t look out of place at the office. It’s hardly a triumph of style, but as far as bike-safe clothing goes, it’s a big leap forward

More close-ups after the jump»

The French futurists at Impasse 13 just put out a pretty impressive spring line, but what caught our eye was this lepidopteral pocket square.

Good men’s accessories are hard to come by, so we’re happy to see something more colorful come down the runway. And as far as fabrics go, butterfly wing is definitely eye-catching.

We’re assuming they didn’t jet down to the Amazon for it, but judging by the rest of the line we’d say it’s a distinct possibility.

American manufacturing has been hit pretty hard lately, but boutique brands have a little more flexibility…and at least some of them are staying put.

Of course, it’s hard to know for sure, so A Continuous Lean has put together The American List, a handy guide to which brands are manufactured stateside, and it’s required reading for anyone interested in modern Americana. It’s also a surprisingly short list.

Our favorites are Red Wing, Billykirk, and Engineered Garments, but it’s striking how much they all have in common. There’s a lot of denim, a lot of flannel, and a lot of weathered fabrics; it’s what you might call the American style.

At least, the part of it that isn’t made in China.

Among all the rising greenery, mopeds may have been lost in the shuffle. Without the Mediterranean charm of a Vespa or the simian appeal of the Segway, we’d almost forgotten they were out there. Luckily, a clever designer was out there to remind us.

This Derringer model sprung from the mind of Adrian Van Anz, modeled off the board track racing motorcycles of the 1920s. After a few extra modernist curves and angles, he ended up with a Parisian style peddler that just happens to get 150 mpg. Of course, like Segways, this gadget is primarily a West Coast operation, so if you want one you’ll have to head out to their shop in West Hollywood.

Pictures and an address after the jump»

We’ve always said you’d miss analog when it’s gone, but we didn’t expect things to go this far.

Now that the down-and-dirty look of the Polaroid has gone the way of the dinosaur, we’re scrambling to get it back. Poladroid is a program that takes digital camera images and adds a touch of blurring, that familiar light green tint, and ends up with something that looks like it was printed from a handheld camera and shaken impatiently until it developed. Just like grandma used to make!

The only thing better would be if they started making actual Polaroids again.

One of New York’s most influential boutiques just made the leap to the internet, and we’re happy to say they’re in fine form. Eddie Chai’s Odin has had ecommerce on the mind for a while, but they finally managed to take their extremely local operation—East Village, to be specific—to a national scale.

That’s not to say we expect Iowa City to get nattier overnight, but it matters that Chai’s impeccable selections are now available to anyone who cares enough to punch in the url. And the site offers a lot more than just a box for your credit card number. In addition to lookbooks for each featured designer, the site features remarkably in-depth interviews to give you a sense of why each designer was chosen. It’s the kind of thoughtful curation that our corner of the web desperately needs.

More on our new favorite shop»

The shaved head was enough of a 90s staple that it had a Seinfeld episode dedicated to it (“The Little Jerry”, for the curious), but it may be time for something else. The folks at GQ believe they’ve found it in “The Power Donut,” a look championed by the deftly macho Ed Harris and lovably bumbling Gerald Ford. The slideshow makes a pretty good case for letting your follicles make a last stand.

It’s definitely time for a change, but we can’t help but think wistfully of the 90s icons to rock the cueball: Andre Agassi, Michael Jordan, and even Natalie Portman. It was so good for so long! But by the time Moby came along, we knew it was on the way out.

We’ve sifted through a lot of advice, but it’s rare that you find anything approaching real wisdom in a magazine. To get the good stuff, we recommend going to a slightly smellier, more grizzled source.

We’re talking about the Hobo Code.

Inscribed in the Annual Convention Congress of the Hoboes of America in 1894 (we hear the buffet was amazing), the Hobo Code has stood as the gold standard of vagrant ethics for more than a century, guiding famous vagabonds like Fry Pan Jack, Stormin’ Norman and Waterbed Lou as they rode the rails through the country. It holds up surprisingly well, especially if you ever find yourself in Hobo Court…

A selection from the Hobo Code»

More than a few designers have made their names on the transformative qualities of black leather—Mr. Varvatos, for one—but nobody’s taken it as literally as this.

Welcome to the Men’s 09 line from Natalia Brilli, a French designer who specializes in making leather-coated embossments, like this credit-card covered wallet, or a laptop sleeve with a keyboard cut into the top. It’s not all mind-blowing, but the craft involved is much more complicated than you might think, given the way leather stretches.

And naturally, it’s all pretty tough.

Get a few more examples»

We’ve been pushing the lomography cause for a while, but apparently someone’s been listening.

Fresh off his furry jaunt, Sir Paul Smith has put together a lomography camera with his trademark stripes. It’s a solid accessory, and he certainly has the retail reach to pull it off in a new way. It’s quality trend-watching all around…although this may be the first time Sir Smith has lifted an idea from the White Stripes.

Modern style tends to be a bit too skewed to the urban, so it’s nice to see a good pair of creek boots every now and then…and nice to have companies like Rogues Gallery around.

They’ve been holed up in Portland, Maine, stubbornly resisting the lure of the city, ever since they launched. Luckily, they’ve set up a blog to let us city dwellers get a taste of the New England wilderness. The blog is called PTLDME (try here to skip the eye-catching intro), and they’ve been dropping bonus bits of inspiration there all month, like this snap from the Bailey’s Island photoshoot for their Spring lookbook.

See a few more shots here»

If you’re still scrambling for a Halloween costume, here’s a good tip: a fake mustache will turn anything into a costume.

We recommend the Selleck in the lower left, but with a crop like this, it’s hard to go wrong.

Splash via Jezebel

Some are born with accessories, some acquire accessories, and some have accessories thrust upon them.

Mr. Craig may not have been thinking of spicing up his tuxedo when he injured himself, but it couldn’t have worked out better. It may throw his bowtie a bit off-center, but it was well worth it.

With the Oscars just five months off, it may be time for George Clooney to start planning a discreet but manly boating accident.

Our friends at UrbanDaddy turned us on to an activity we were dangerously close to forgetting: Halloween vintage runs. For our money, the best costumes are the ones that take usual sartorial choices a few steps further—zoot suit, anyone?—and the best place to find the goods is usually in a vintage store.

These snaps come from Brooklyn’s own Houndstooth, but non-New Yorkers should be able to find a suitable place nearby. And if nothing else, these snaps should give you a touch of inspiration.

If you’re thinking of Mr. Draper, though, be warned: you may not be the only Don at the party.

Take a look around»

AskMen just put up its list of the 49 most influential men of the year and, naturally, we’re furious we didn’t make the list. Of course, we would have been the only blogger other than Kanye…

Now that we’ve gotten over the initial shock, we have to admit it’s pretty good work. It’s got its share of our favorite movie stars—The Cloon (22) and Robert Downey Jr. (4)— mixed in with who-the-hell-is-that picks, like Jonathan Ive (23), the design mastermind behind the iPhone, and Rob Kay (8), the brains behind Guitar Hero. On the style front, Kempt favorites Thom Browne (43) and Tom Ford (4) also weigh in, although we’re surprised Ford is so high and Browne is so low. Maybe the accountant look isn’t as popular as we thought.

But any list that puts Kanye two spots ahead of Ben Bernanke can’t be all bad.

Breaking in your own jeans is a bit too personal for some, but it never occurred to us to let someone else do the work…

A.P.C. has come up with a novel solution: Buy back broken-in jeans at half-price, then resell them to folks who prefer their denim a little softer. We wouldn’t want to be on the broken-in end, but we suppose it’s a matter of taste, and it’s still better than a trip to Diesel. No one has to suffer through mass washes and the indigo-stained masses get a little financial relief.

Then again, New York’s hipsters may have more money in denim than stock at this point. If A.P.C. isn’t careful, there’ll be a run on the bank.

The saying goes, “If you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door.” But there should probably be something in there about lightbulbs too.

This one comes from global design firm Frog Design, and after five minutes we’re already converts. It’s light-bulb shaped (always a plus), more energy efficient than the average fluorescent unpleasantness, and its lifespan is measured in decades. They even drop a scattered leaf pattern on top to spread the light around. (These are dyed-in-the-wool design kids, after all.)

Of course, these days beating a path is as easy as putting up a blog post.

If any of you happen to be picking up this month’s GQ, you might happen to see a familiar name…

Our old friend and Style Guy Glenn O’Brien gives us a big up for calling him out all those months ago on a brief stylistic indiscretion. Giving advice to a similarly conflicted soul on how to correct his friends, O’Brien says, “Sometimes a guy needs tough love.”

Nothing but love, Glenn.

See the full page here (last question)

Even though we’re generally suspicious of band-aids as fashion statements, we have to admit this is a good idea. If you’re a manly guy who carries around a hammer, you can’t be messing with those wussy-looking pink things. You need to keep your skin together the same way you keep drywall together.

And for that, you need good old fashioned duct tape.

With the fashion industry’s constant focus on youth, it’s easy to forget there are some pretty sharp oldsters out there. Silver Sartorial, anyone?

The new blog addressing this imbalance—under a slightly worse name—is Advanced Style, an on-the-street stream of pictures dedicated to “personal style that advances with age.” The folks here pull off tweed sport coats and painter’s whites with more conviction than you’ll get from anyone under 30.

It’s only fitting. Street-style photoblogs are getting a little long in the tooth themselves.

We may be saps, but we love a good shoutout. Especially when it’s directed at us.

The latest one comes from Michael Williams of A Continuous Lean, who managed to land an interview in this month’s MR to big-up bowties, J. Crew, and the rise of men’s style. It’s required reading if you happen to be running a menswear store.

If all you’re doing is dressing yourself…you still might learn a thing or two.

Below, the wisdom of Mr. Williams»

Netspeak can be difficult to gauge sometimes, so we thought we’d provide you with a handy guide to typed laughter. We recommend keeping it with you at all times.

[NotCot]

Pre-distressed jeans have been around for a while, but we’ll be the first to admit we’ve never given much thought to how those wear patterns get there.

Luckily, someone was more curious than we were. New York-based photographer David Friedman took a trip down to Kentucky to check out a denim-distressing factory. The shop handles a bunch of different designers, and adds embroidery, tears and subtle fading wherever the designs call for it. It’s impressive stuff, given the scale they’re working on, and it’s always fascinating to see what it looks like behind the scenes.

Friedman says it pretty well:

I saw just how much work goes into distressing jeans, and I realized that these people are artists. You can’t just have any loose threads, you have to have the right loose threads. They can’t just be faded. They have to be the right color. A lot of work goes into making these jeans look just right.

See more pics after the jump»

Most analog technologies have gone the way of the 8-track by now, but film is making a decent stand, based largely on lomophile tricks like this one.

The above picture is “red-scaled,” meaning the film is inserted backwards and shot through a protective filter that cuts out most higher frequency light. A few clever folks have started making film specifically for red-scaling—meaning you won’t need quite as much technical elbow grease—but what they’re selling is really just pre-filtered film. It takes a good picture, though, as you can see.

Believe it or not, there’s still a lot of early 60s staples that have yet to make the retro jump. Our pick for the next candidate is the credenza, a staple of old school interior décor that’s completely dropped off the map in recent decades, but the Mad Men set dressers clearly haven’t forgotten. By our lights, it’s due for a revival, but only time will tell.

If you happen to be in the Second City, you can pick up this Herman Miller version (circa 1955) for around five grand at Chicago’s Wright Design Auction on October 7th, along with a few Eames chairs and an embarrassment of interior design riches.

But if you want to stick with your coffee table, we understand.

Speaking of workwear, we’re drawing perilously close to cold weather, along with seasonal appropriateness for our favorite piece of lumberjackwear, the flannel shirt.

This one’s from Penfield—also a solid spot for your coldest-day-of-the-year winter coat—but if you don’t feel like checking online, we recommend a trip to your local vintage outfit. Vintage stores do flannel better than anything else, and you’ll end up with something more offbeat than anything you could find firsthand…as long as you don’t mind sewing up a hole or two.

It’s a big internet, and while there’s plenty of snark, vanity, and free electropop, genuine wisdom is always in short supply. That’s why we were impressed when we ran across 1001 Rules for my Unborn Son. From sartorial advice (“If you are tempted to wear a cowboy hat, resist”) to a surprising number of hangover cures (including swimming in the ocean), the blog is a source of surprisingly good advice for the old school gentleman. Someone get this man a column in Esquire.

A few of our favorites after the jump»

Whether it’s flash mobs or tumblrs, a good idea can only last so long before someone turns it to commerce. The Sartorialist lasted longer than most, but after last month’s Gant advert, a third party has turned Scott Schuman’s idea of street style photo-blogging into a full blown clothing store.

The British site Stitsh has a familiar look, but if you roll over any of the pictures, it’ll take you to sites where you can buy any of the items on the screen. Like a few others, we like the idea, even if it’s a little too focused on British streetwear brands for our taste. Can’t they get someone over to the West End?

Remember those carefree childhood days of assembling kites and replacing fan belts? Yeah, us neither. Apparently we were missing out.

Popular Mechanics has a “you kids” piece (via Neatorama) about the erosion of manual skills, most notably changing tires. It’s true that we’ve rarely seen it in the relatively frequent “things every man should know” circulating through upscale men’s mags. At the same time, PSFK is warning we’re counting on computers to do too much of our thinking for us. Maybe it’s time to bust out the slide rule. We’ve got some brushing up to do.

We’ve always assumed there was nothing wrong with a dedicated follower of fashion slipping an iPhone into his jacket, but it may be time to revise that opinion. Sometimes it helps to know where you are without having to check Google Maps. And if you happen to get a flat, you can break out the real tools.

Men.style’s Spring ’09 preview just went up and it looks like next year is going to be interesting. The names are all familiar—Condé Nast has clout for a reason, after all—but they all seem to be working just outside their comfort zone. Band of Outsiders shows up looking uncharacteristically yachty, Duckie Brown has a depressive moment, and Shipley & Halmos indulges their inner corporate raider. It’s good to know nobody’s getting too comfortable.

The outfit that really caught our eye was this vertical-striped number from Patrik Ervell. The stripes are a little on the carnivalesque side—coincidentally, Adam Kimmel has some matching pants—but it’s just bold enough to work, especially paired with a banker’s collar and neutral pants. Well played, sir.

Part of the genius of the internet is that almost any idea can find a home there, even ideas that seem best suited to stand-up routines and Wes Anderson movies.

For instance, The Toaster Museum.

When we first heard about this, we were understandably skeptical, but the overall effect is something like stumbling into the garage of an obsessed collector. The model above is from Munich circa the 1920s but others include the first stripped-down General Electric models or the obscenely flowery items marketed to 50s-era housewives. The high ticket models can go for up to six grand on eBay, so we hope there’s an alarm system.

The man behind the museum speaks»

Man is a complex creature, and plumbing his desires and fears can be a terrifying and eye-opening journey.

Unless, of course, it’s a survey.

The good folks at AskMen.com have done the latest work—for science, naturally—and rounded up 75,000 men for a comprehensive survey of the less-fair sex. The result is worth a look, so we’ve rounded up the most eye-opening numbers for your perusal.

Click through to learn the horrible truth»

We don’t do much show-going at Kempt, but we couldn’t resist a post or two on the upcoming Capsule show. The semi-annual hootenanny is one of the best places to spot up-and-comers, and one of our favorite stops every year. This year’s crop includes Endovanera, Public School, Clae and Loden Dager, along with a handful of others we don’t even know about yet.

The show is happening 10-7pm this Monday and Tuesday in Angel Oresanz with over 60 labels attached. If you’re in the neighborhood, you just might see us there.

If not, we’re sure you’ll hear about it.

Whether it’s insurance adjusters, WWII-era engineers, or just plain old WASPs, designers are always looking out for the next look they can make their own. And with white suits popping up more and more often as a summer staple, we have a suggestion that may surprise you.

Mormons.

Think about it.

More on the inevitable rise of Mormon-chic»

With sockless weather in full swing, we’ve been rediscovering an Iberian alternative to mandals or the usual deck shoe. Welcome to the wonderful world of espadrilles.

A footwear tradition in the Pyrenees—where rugged ventilation is a necessity—espadrilles date back to the 1300s, but recent years have seen them adopted as a unisex shoe by high fashion crowds. While they’re a common sight on the streets of Paris, they’re still catching on stateside. The trick to the canvas wonders is the braided jute rope bottoms, both surprisingly soft and slick enough to keep the shoes from getting too funky over the course of the summer.

More on the rope-soled moc»

Apparently the Rogues Gallery folks have kept busy since we last checked in. They’re expanding beyond the world of brick and mortar into the magical world of online sales, with a few online exclusives to sweeten the pot.

For instance, these nautical hats, which should go well with those deck shoes we noticed a while back. There are also a few T-shirts, a key fob, and an inexplicably shiny bag available as exclusives, along with the rest of the nautically minded stock.

Happy sailing?

With summer in full force, you may be looking for lightweight suits. Aside from the Wolfen white suit, your choices are mostly going to depend on your knowledge of the fabrics involved.

In that vein, allow us to repeat a bit of wisdom from A Suitable Wardrobe. Instead of putting stock in the weight of a fabric, you might do better paying attention to the weave. Woven properly, even heavy cloth can be allowed to breathe. Summer fabrics are likely to have “fresco” in the name, or something similarly breezy-sounding, and they can be made heavy enough to avoid too much flapping.

Not to mention the dreaded crumple.

The good folks at Bluefly have finally done something to get our attention: they’ve just launched Tailor, an online shop dedicated to our kind of menswear. Sadly, it’s not actually tailored, but they do have a tailor on staff giving advice, along with IM-ready personal shoppers.

More on the online store»

The phone wars have been heating up for a while, resulting in a bumper crop of cool gadgets and racking up a few casualties along the way. First the RAZR, then the iPhone…then the Diamond?

With Motorola’s phone division a distant memory and Apple looking surprisingly shaky, Microsoft is aiming to clean up with its Diamond, a new handheld that handles all the usual webbery but possibly with slightly more panache. And a full ounce lighter, which is what has the gadget-heads excited.