You'll know what we know.
A blog dedicated to the interesting, scandalous, useful and cutting edge in the world of men’s style, fashion and grooming.
The Other Side: It may have been something you said. [Fashion Copious]
Taking it Back: The bible of prep, Take Ivy, is finally getting an English reissue. [Mister Crew]
Dynamic Duo: In honor of Alice, Esquire digs up a vintage Tim Burton and Johnny Depp interview. [Esquire]
Milking It: T Magazine introduces us to the Cortado: espresso mixed with steamed milk in equal measure. [The Moment]
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.
Andrew Bangs inspired us to a little digging through the Sports Illustrated archives, where we found this snap of an NCAA-era Magic Johnson. The kicks are pretty fantastic, but mostly we’re glad he’s not afraid to show a little ankle.
Yesterday’s Girl: Sartorially Inclined takes a moment to appreciate Brigitte Bardot. [Sartorially Inclined]
Base Instincts: Molly Lambert dissects the orgy of crassness that is Basic Instinct. [This Recording]
I’ll Be Your Host for the Evening: Do the Oscars need a permanent host? We’re pretty sure Bob Hope is too old for that. [Esquire]
Twill for the Ages: A trip to an archival khaki warehouse proves to be all kinds of awesome. [A Continuous Lean]
We’ve already tipped our hat to Jeff Bridges, and he’ll probably be getting all the praise he needs come Sunday. But at the risk of piling on, we thought we’d pay our respects to an icon that’s drifted out of the public eye: the drunken rambler.
We’re quite partial to soccer shoes, but aside from the negative Samba, there hasn’t been a whole lot of innovation. It may be time to look to other hemispheres…
These Brazilian sneakers came onto our radar by way of Oi Polloi, stitched together from fair trade cotton and local rubber and dubbed Veja Taua. The shape might look familiar, but it’s lighter and simpler than anything you’d pick up at the usual sneaker shop. And if you opt for a suitably tropical color scheme, they might even guess where it came from.
Greatest of All Month: Liu Wen is Fashion Gone Rogue’s model of the month. [Fashion Gone Rogue]
Don’t Call it a Comeback: Kanye returns to his first love, the barely coherent, ridiculously emotional all-caps blog rant. It’s good to have you back, buddy. [Kanye West]
Vinyl Forever: An electron microscope picture of an LP groove instantly converts us to analog. [Gizmodo]
People are Strange, When You’re a Stranger: Details guides you through America’s quirkiest sex conventions. [DETAILS]
At the risk of coming off as music bloggers, we’re pretty excited about all this Black Keys business.
Blakroc’s been getting quite a lot of play around these parts, but they’re due for a triumphant return to form. Better yet, the duo trekked down to Alabama’s Muscle Shoals to record it, which might be one of our favorite places in America.
Tragically, we’ll have to wait until May for anything more than speculation. But we’ll think of this as a summer preview.
The chaps at Monocle are in the news again for launching both a Hong Kong bureau and a program on the BBC World News channel—a pair that would overjoy J-school purists, if it didn’t come attached to a magazine that’s looking more like a boutique every day. For those keeping score, Newsweek doesn’t have either.
The line so far is that they funded the new bureau with tote bag sales. Of course, all their revenue goes to the same place, so you might as well say they funded it with blackberry sales, retail money or (gasp!) good old advertising. It’s sort of true, but more than a little unfair.
Still, we’re going to call Good Idea on this one.
Nobody likes a grouchy critic, but if you put those same sentiments on a tote bag, you can get away with just about anything.
Case in point: this cloth sack modeled off a John Baldessari lithograph, currently on sale at the Tate Modern. If you can’t make out the cursive, it reads “I will not make boring art,” scrawled out a mind-numbing 26 times on each side.
That should teach him…
All Sparkles: An outsider editorial bears fruit. [TheOnes2Watch]
A Man in Full: The internet seems to have an inexhaustible supply of “Roger Ebert: Class Act” stories. In this chapter, he faces snark and beats it back with sorrowful resolve. [Deadspin]
No More Pleats: A gentleman’s guide to the chino. [Put This On]
Rampaging Junk Syndrome: Pondering the appropriate disease name for the Tiger Woodses of the world. [GOOD]
This umbrella dome popped up in Rotterdam Friday night—a cross between Jacques Demy and Buckminster Fuller—with a DJ and bar in tow to liven up the night. The cops shut it down some time around 2am. It’s part of a guerilla civic planning project dreamed up by local architects, but it looks like they might have a future in event planning.
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.
Via TimesOnlineJohnny Depp’s been rocking the same boho-rockstar look for upwards of a decade now, but it’s showing remarkably little signs of wear. In fact, it’s just a couple years away from classic.
At this weekend’s Alice in Wonderland premiere in London, for instance, he managed at least three things we’d normally consider red carpet poison—men’s jewelry, untamed hair and tielessness—but came away from it all looking like a man who belonged at a movie premiere. The trick? Well, the three-piece suit’s a good start. And if you’ve got a nice enough dress shirt, you’re allowed to pop a few buttons.
And, of course, it helps if you’ve got company.
V Mag For Victory: Somehow, she doesn’t seem like the patient type. [The Cut]
Second Time’s the Charm: Street Etiquette drops their second awesome black history slideshow. And unlike the last few “most stylish” lists we’ve seen, we actually learned a few new names. Required reading. [GQ]
The Screamin’ Jays: Johnny Depp, Nick Cave, Chrissy Hynde and Mick Jones of the Clash get together for Haiti with a downright awesome cover of “I Put a Spell on You.” And just like that, we’ve got a new favorite charity single. [Vulture]
Take My Card: Our new favorite way to get postcards. [Lifehacker]
The summer tie is one of our favorite items in the seasonal style continuum, and Gitman Vintage is looking more and more like the best place to get one. These just arrived at Blackbird for $68 a pop, and while they’re a little skinnier than our normal preference, but when it’s large-check cotton, we’ll make an exception.
Normally we wouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but since all travel kits are more or less the same, we feel a little better about choosing the one with the best box.
In this case, that means the latest package from Molton Brown. The inside is the usual travel essentials—shampoo, deodorant and so on—but what we really like is the shoe box-style exterior, adorned with what might be the most dapper x-ray we’ve ever seen. Consider it the next time your dopp kit’s at the cleaners.
Knives Out: We’re not sure what she’s looking at, but we’re glad it’s not us. [Fashion Gone Rogue]
Silent Kids: Chuck Klosterman sits down with Stephen Malkmus, in what we can only assume was the most deadpan interview ever. [GQ]
Full Coverage: George Lois looks back on his favorite twelve covers, including Sonny Liston as Santa. [Vulture]
Matchstick Men: An exhaustive record of matchbooks handsome enough to make us cash in our Zippos. [The Matchbook Registry]
Sometimes conversations work better boiled down to their most basic elements. What does an elaborate introduction do that a letterpressed “hello” card can’t? That is, other than all that “social graces” business…
Fortunately, You, Me and the Royal We (via NotCot) has put something together for all occasions, or at least the three biggest ones. In this box, you’ll find cards reading “hello,” “fuck you,” and “I’m sorry”—a fairly common progression, if we may say so. We assume “stop calling” is soon to follow.
The Awl’s Cord Jefferson launched a few shots against preppidom yesterday, singling out J.Crew’s “Plantation madras” button-down and a pair of Ralph Lauren pants in “Old Money Green” as perhaps not the best naming choices in the world.
It should definitely be a wakeup call to a few marketing departments—even if we’d vouch for Mr. William’s niceness, in both the traditional and early 90s hip hop sense of the word—but there’s something else at work here, and it’s worth a little digging to find it.
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.
We’d rank Fantastic Mr. Fox as easily the best-dressed film of the year, but it looks like the academy is going to let this one slide. Unfortunately for the corduroy lovers of the world, Wes Anderson handled all the designs himself, so there’s no official costume designer for the movie and an Oscar nod is off the table. It’s the first time we’ve seen them penalize a director for being an auteur, but there’s always next time. Maybe he can nab a special achievement in back-split suits?
We Blame All Those A Single Man Junkets: Bulgari’s new campaign features a notable absence of jewelry. [Fashion Copious]
And Then There Were Nine: Alex Balk and Mary HK Choi discuss Nine, Penelope Cruz’s backside, and irresponsible sex hair. [The Awl]
Shapely Ties: Alexander Olch drops some tie science. [GQ Eye]
Knit Life: A peek into the marketplace/religion that is Etsy. [NYTimes]
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.
The beloved Swedes at Fjällräven launched their eCommerce site last night, which means those ubiquitous backpacks are one step closer, and we finally got a chance to peruse some of their more functional items, like this Oban parka.
It’s the same waxed cotton that keeps the packs sealed up, but with a fuzzy inner shell warm enough to get you through a Scandanavian winter. It’s a lot more low-tech than it looks, which might be its biggest strength. After years of seeing Barbour on the backs of outdoorsy scenesters for so long, it’ll be nice to see a fresh Swedish version.
Rated R: Ms. Fenty graces the cover of Gentleman’s Quarterly. [GQ]
Blue Man Group: Avatar is shaping up to be the feel-good cat people flick of the decade. [Vanity Fair]
On a Jet Plane: A gentleman’s guide to packing a suit. There are many folds, and they are all important. [Valet]
The Ninth Circle: A shadenfreude-filled stroll through the worst movies of the year. Megan Fox is well represented. [A.V. Club]
More fuel for the flecked sweater trend: They keep popping up at the world’s cooler boutiques.
Opening Ceremony, for example, just dropped the price on this speckled knit from the Tokyo-based Sabatino. At sale prices, it’s a good deal cheaper than the APC equivalent, and if you’re moved to jump on this particular bandwagon, it’s a pretty good place to start.
We’re entering the 11th hour of the gift guide roundup, but we’ve got a couple more that should be worth your while. You can see the full list here to catch up.
Temple specializes in deadstock WWII gear—mostly army green scarves and repurposed bags—but for their gift package, they had a very good idea: put it in a stocking. Specifically, it’s an army issue sock, with a wallet, keychain and a skeleton key necklace thrown in for good measure. It’s all good, rugged gear…and about as festive as military chic gets.
The clubmaster revival continues with Oliver Peoples’ latest campaign. We wouldn’t have pegged Elijah Wood as model material but he pulls off the wispy stubble look remarkably well, which is no mean feat. Yes, that’s Shirley Manson behind him and no, we’re not sure why either.
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.
A Simpler Time: World’s Best Ever’s 80s girl roundup tragically leaves off a young Jennifer Connelly. [WBE]
From All-Stars to Rod Lavers: An illustrated history of the sneaker, detailed enough to let you pass freely among sneakerheads. [The Shoe Buff]
It was a Very Good Year: An edited compilation of the year’s best viral videos. Fair warning: There are a lot of cats. [Videogum]
Around the Horn: Ornette Coleman’s What I Have Learned might be the best one we’ve ever read. On the sex/love divide: “Well, you’re not always sure you’re in love. But when you’re having sex, there’s really no mistaking it.” [Esquire]
Artist and pamphleteer Will Bryant just posted this helpful silkscreened one-sheet (hat tip), drawing our attention to the aquatic capabilities of the fairer sex. Take it to heart, gentlemen.
It’s hard living in a post-Snuggie world. Every garment in the modern arsenal is in danger of being replaced by a fleece-stitched curio, emerging seemingly at random from the troubled collective consciousness. What rough beast slouches towards QVC to be born?
This time, it’s called the Neckie, and it solves the intractable problem of loose, dangling scarves, prone to getting stuck in car doors, dangling loosely out of jackets, and (presumably) catching on fire near open flames. The solution? A fully adjustable fuzz bib. Also available in leopard print.
We could say something here about how the loose scarf ends are ideal for plugging up topcoat seams, how a little roaming bulk can come in extremely handy when winter sets in…but somehow, we doubt prospective Necky customers will listen to reason. Just say no, kids.
The khaki pant has gotten a rough shake over the past couple decades, but if you go back far enough, it was every bit as rough and tumble as denim. To the archives!
Fortunately for connoisseurs of indestructible clothing, Nom de Guerre has a pretty good recreation in stock—which just happens to be on sale at Context. It’s essentially dyed Japanese selvage denim, but the cut and the archival quality gives it a little more history than your average hipster jean. There’s even a cinching strap in the back for an extra bit of retro flair—another touch that would be out of place on the indigo version—but the fabric is the same stiff, raw weave you’d find at higher end jean shops. Well played, gentlemen.
Heart of Stone: To the applause of the masses, Lara Stone takes over for Madonna as the scantily clad figure in well-lit print ads. [Luxist]
So Hot Right Now: The monocle trend—also known as Klink-chic—is apparently sweeping the west coast. Maybe driven by the magazine? [All the Rage]
The Doorman Will Thank You: Emily Post advises on matters of holiday tipping. [Lifehacker]
Two States: The designer of the 50 state American flag has just passed away. Perhaps an Americana tribute is in order? [Unbeige]
It’s tough to pull off a pocket square without coming off like a trad, but if you choose wisely, it can give a staid suit some much-needed playfulness. Our advice: nothing too flashy and per A Suitable Wardrobe, stay away from silk.
Which is why a touch of homemade can be extremely useful. Like cufflinks, this is an instance where you may find the best stuff on Etsy. These cotton squares range from chambray and navy stripe to more complex graphic patterns—depending on your irony tolerance—any one of which would go over pretty well at a holiday party, if tucked into an appropriately rugged blazer.
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.
Fellini’s Other Muse: In honor of Nine, Maya Singer guides a tour of Fellini’s favorite women. Next week: Nino Rota’s favorite trombones. [Style.com]
Also, Truman Peyote: The epic annual Year in Band Names roundup. Highlights this year include Damage Pants, God Johnson, and German Beef Initiative. [A.V. Club]
First Look: An early peek at the Spring/Summer crop of J+ by Jil Sander for Uniqlo. [Nitrolicious]
Think of the Children: It’s a long weekend, but see if you can get through it without buying $248 cashmere sweatpants. [The Cut]
As popular as skate culture has been in the past 20 years, for one reason or another its influence has yet to reach the interior design world. But the nesting skater is finally getting his due, thanks to this clock, now available through its very own Paypal-fueled webshop.
It’s a ragtag outfit, make no mistake, but we’re actually a little charmed by this one. It might be the hub-and-spoke design, or the junk-shop vibe of the skate wheels, but we’d actually be pretty pleased to have this on our wall. Especially now that we’re open and have to be places on time…
We expect a lot from clothes. So when we’re steeling ourselves to buy something, it’s not enough for it to just sit there. We want it to stride down the steps of a preparatory academy, worn by someone with striking cheekbones.
So today, Ralph Lauren’s holding the first ever online Rugby runway show, but they’re swapping the usual Chelsea showroom for the digital confines of Rugby.com. That also means some crazy 3D settings and direct eCommerce links to every item on show—in case the commercial urge happens to strike you. One standout so far is the buffalo-check-lined toggle coat, but we’re also glad to see suspenders making such a showing. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Cole in the Stocking: Lily Cole hits the Interview circuit. [Interview]
Here Come the Wolves: In the top ten viral videos of 2009, the Twilight trailer beats out Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” For the first time in my young life, I feel somewhat betrayed by the internet. [TechCrunch]
I Turn My Camera On: A gentleman’s guide to the bewildering world of digital cameras. [Gizmodo]
In Bad Health: Men’s Health accidentally repeats a cover. The sound you hear is hundreds of people smacking their hands to their foreheads. [Gawker]
If you’re suffering over your bag choices as much as Guy Trebay is, we may be able to offer some assistance. Don’t worry, it involves waxed cotton.
Previous Killspencer creations focused on rescuing great fabrics from the trash pile—specifically disused military tarpaulins, conditioned to withstand just about anything—but this time around, for the Classic Collection, it’s a little more basic: a black filter twill recipe dug up from military outfitters circa 1837, treated with water repellant wax and stitched into everything from a weekender satchel to a briefcase.
The collection hit the online store launched this morning for your browsing pleasure, and while you won’t find any day-to-day totes, but we’re guessing this utility bag would make a pretty good substitute.
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.
Second Hand: She better hope Bloomberg doesn’t find out about this. [Fashion Gone Rogue]
Goody Two Shoes: A charitable gift guide, for any leftover bag money you have lying around. [TBD]
Thugs and Backpackers: Harris Tweed goes in for a streetwear collab. We’re just not sure how to feel about this one. [Hypebeast]
The Who Sell Out: David Lynch tries his hand at directing ads for Christian Dior. We guess this means they’ve forgotten about this. [Telegraph]
The music issue of the Oxford American is a pretty reliable source for forgotten gems from the early days of rock ‘n’ roll—not coincidentally, they tend to be southern—and the latest issue digs up a gem from one of our favorite forgotten corners: rockabilly.
The gentleman in question is Larry Donn, a would-be Jerry Lee Lewis figure who cut a few good singles and a few more great ones, but got lost among the cultural upheavals of the 60s, and is resurfacing these days as a cultural curio on the European circuit. Thanks to the magic of mp3s, his early stuff is trickling back into circulation, but the original 45s are among the more valuable rockabilly vinyls on the market. For now, we’ll stick with the digital version.
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.
This one is for advanced gifters only, but if you’re intimately familiar with a particular gift-worthy acquaintance—and she’s got an appreciation of carefully considered design—this might be just about perfect.
It’s called the Form 2, and judging by the cleverly cordless charging system, it’s staking out an early claim as the iPod of vibrators. It’s also waterproof and stereophonic (hence the name) and comes with packaging impeccable enough to be a pleasure to unwrap. The first of many, naturally.
Dearly Departed: Expect to see a lot more of these as Oscar season picks up. [Esquire]
The Shining: Barker Black’s guide to caring for those oxfords. [Valet]
I Am a Scientist: Kurt Andersen sings the praises of the Large Hadron Collider. It is large and collides hadrons. [Vanity Fair]
Back in the Day: A tour through the archives of Hart Schaffner Marx. Not as many mustaches as you’d hope. [Fine and Dandy]
Stop everything. Are you sitting down? Good.
Remember all those orange-colored socks and plates and credenzas you ordered last year, in celebration of Mimosa’s 2009 reign? Well, 2009’s over, so get rid of them. This is turquoise’s year.
We’re not thrilled to be honest—this new shade seems a bit too subdued to make much of an impact—and all that talk of it being “a color of deep compassion and healing” isn’t helping. But maybe we’ll like it better when we see it in the background of an Esquire cover.
Plus, by then we’ll have new socks.
This might be for tie aficionados only, but if there’s a particularly accessory-minded person on your list, you may want to consider wrapping up a cravatte or two. As the trend pieces may have told you, it’s not just for grandmothers anymore.
This Band of Outsiders crest tie is piece of sly preppidom currently on sale at Aloha Rag and, while it’s not as obvious as candy stripes or snowmen, something about the tongue-in-cheek classicism says holiday spirit to us. Now you just have to find a matching sweater…
White Room: Love is an ottoman, in the latest issue of Elle. [Fashionising]
Trending Downwards: A gentleman’s guide to the short-lived trends of the aughts. We’re surprised the anachronistic mustache didn’t make the cut. [NYMag]
A Few of My Favorite Things: Starting tomorrow, an all-star list of men’s style bloggers is counting down the favorite items in their closet. Is it too late to throw our Spiderman PJs into the mix? [Components of Enthusiasm]
Fam in the Biz, It Is What it Is: Shakespearean intrigue in the world of online sample-sellers. The bottom line: Amazon may be poised to out-flank Gilt Groupe. [The Fashion Beat]
Trivia and geekery have flourished on the internet since the DARPA days, but one species of obsessive may be finally getting his flash-enabled due: the cratedigger.
WhoSampled (hat tip) is a site specializing in tracing rap samples to their original sources. So if you type in “D’Evils,” and you get pointed back to the Allen Toussaint song where the piano riff began life. And if you were wondering exactly how many producers had taken cuts from Isaac Hayes, this would be the best place to find out.
It’s trivia, and not obviously useful, but we wouldn’t be surprised if a few 90s rap fans were accidentally converted to the gospel of 70s soul.
The latest crop of APC gear is landing in stores this week, which means the usual assortment of close-cropped flannel, some intensely speckled sweaters…and this hat.
We’re not quite ready to call it a trend just yet, but we’ve been waiting quite a while for a faux-fur earflap hat that didn’t make us look like a Cossack or a duck hunter—and we suspect we’re not alone. This one doesn’t ditch the woodsy vibe entirely, but adds enough rough plaid grunginess to give urban dwellers a little cover. And since it’s a good deal warmer than all the equally handsome alternatives, the cold should do the rest.
If you caught a screening of Brothers this weekend—or even a trailer, really—you may be just about melodrama’d out. In which case, we’d suggest a pulpier take on the “soldier’s return” genre. With a side of hook-hand.
Back to the Wall: Apparently Corrine Day is a photographer to watch. [Fashion Gone Rogue]
One Last Q: Quentin Tarantino and Japanese commercials…how did it take this long? [Gawker TV]
Oh Black Water, Keep on Rolling: A longform peek at the Blackwater CEO, courtesy of Vanity Fair’s “War Watch.” [Vanity Fair]
Also, Booze: Blackbird’s latest “workaholic traveler” gift guide seems remarkably close to the plot of Up in the Air. [Blackbird Blog]
Palladium Boots generally deals in heavy cloth-and-rubber boots, so we were pleased to see them moving in a sneaker-y direction with this Pampa Boot. It’s essentially a beefed-up version of the Chuck Taylor, but the rugged rubber bottom means it won’t fall apart after a year like every latter-day Chuck we’ve ever owned. The result is something light enough to wear through the summer, but heavy enough to take a few concerts’ worth of stomping. The light canvas version hasn’t found its way to retailers just yet, but if you can’t wait, you can find a heavier ones here.
Semi-Broken Embraces: Unfortunately, Pedro Almódovar seems to have locked Ms. Cruz in a dungeon. [Fashion Copious]
Mr. Ford Goes to Hollywood: Tom Ford’s A Single Man earns him the Times profile treatment. Also, Jason Reitman should be nicer to reporters. [NYTimes]
Short Cuts: Snippets from the best film scenes of the decade, including a balrog, a strip club, and a hammer fight. [A. V. Club]
The Dandies of the Congo: Central Africa has some damn good tailors too. [Coolhunting]
At the moment, flannel’s more associated with bearded mountain men than flaxen-haired Californians, but it wasn’t always so. For proof, check out this picture of the Beach Boys—erstwhile masters of summertime Americana—decked out in five matching lumberjack shirts and impeccably geeky white undertees, and somehow still channeling the endless summer.
We’re not alone in being impressed. As it happens, Hurley seized on this particular photo to turn out red and blue versions of the Pendleton flannel, which has since found its way onto racks at Bloomingdales and Fred Segal. It’s a pretty good twist on a classic item and some classic style icons.
But mostly, we’re glad no one showed them this.
The road trip is one of the most enduringly low-tech pastimes—all you need is gasoline and patience. But if you had an iPhone handy, it probably wouldn’t hurt.
On the Road is a website/smartphone app designed specifically for highway meandering, offering location-pegged blogging tools to map out every last memorable spot for in a 21st century travelogue. You’ll be able to upload pictures, video and whatever musings you can muster via their iPhone and Android apps, or just blog-worthy text messages for the low-tech. Fair warning: This does not mean you’re too cool for postcards.
Siren, Anyone?: Paris Vogue seems to have a thing for Roxy Music covers. [Refinery29]
It’s a Gift: We know we just complained about gift guides, but this is one of the good ones. There’s flash animation and everything. [Valet]
Don’t Call it a Comeback: Jewish girls…so hot right now…you heard it here first. [Details]
Maybe One of the Beastie Boys: Ladies and gentlemen, the world’s first diamond-encrusted dreidel. If you buy it, please rap about how awesome it is. [Luxist]
If our editorial calendar is any judge, you may be putting together a gift list around now. You may also be dreading the flood of gift guides currently swallowing up publications from GQ to Cat Fancy. So in the interests of appeasing Simon Doonan, we’re going to try to walk the line.
We won’t be doing a gift guide per se, but if you find yourself in desperate need of material guidance, you can direct yourself to our continually updated virtual gift guide. We’ve been filling it up all week with gift-worthy posts, past and present, and we’ll continue to do so throughout December. The gear may be familiar, but it’ll also be interesting, offbeat, and available for purchase, which is enough for us.
Happy holidays?
Despite the mind-boggling volume of men’s mag articles on the subject, shoe maintenance is never going to be fun, sexy or exciting. But, with the right set of gear, maybe it can be handsome.
This truffle leather shoe cleaning kit contains everything you need for a vigorous session of loafer scrubbing—including three brushes, two tins of beeswax polish, a rubbing cloth and a shoe horn—but the important thing here is the dopp kit style, which lets you keep it on your closet shelf without feeling like you’re prepping for a second career at a stand in the airport. It’s a radical idea but a good one: If your cleaning gear looks good enough, you might find yourself inspired to use it.
As you may have noticed, we’re pretty impressed by fabric innovations. Which is why we’re both awestruck and perplexed by these made-to-order fedoras, made from an innovative combination of colored thread and recycled cassette tape.
The idea originated with the more understated Mixtape Tie, but it was only a matter of time before it made it to sturdier items. The crucial detail is that all the tape still has sound on it—specifically, tracks pulled from the designer’s homemade sound collages—so your precious noggin will get a dose of magnetic good vibrations for as long as you keep it on. You can even generate some music of chance if you run a tape head over it, which would certainly be a first for our wardrobe.
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…
Little Black Book: We’re still waiting for someone to use the phrase “sephardic stunner.” [BlackBook]
Can’t Beat It: Our tech overlords recap the top trends of the year that was. Apparently some guy named “Jackson” got famous in a hurry. [Google Zeitgeist]
I Don’t Mind Choppin’ Wood: The L.A. Times convinces us we were a little hasty with the whole “designer ax” craze. Extra points for coining the phrase “axficianado.” [All the Rage]
The Punk and the Godfather: Mod style gets another glossy tome, in case you weren’t sure what to get Pete Townshend for Christmas. [GQ Eye]
Other than periodic sea changes—most recently from silk to wool and from wide to narrow—the tie world doesn’t have much in the way of innovation. Which makes the exceptions all the more interesting.
C. Chauchat is a tie line based around one of the more interesting fabric innovations we’ve seen in quite some time. The pictures don’t quite do them justice, but here’s the gist: classic fabrics like seersucker and checked poplin covered up by a sheer layer of cotton voile. The result is an item that looks a little different every time you glance at it, and probably one of the more compelling fabrics in your closet.
So far it’s only at two shops—Bblessing in New York and Creatures of Comfort in L.A.—but we won’t be surprised if that number starts growing before the winter’s up.
Schott’s Perfecto motorcycle jacket is in the midst of quite the revival lately (it’s better known as a Ramones jacket, if that’s not ringing any bells), but the biggest surprise of the movement has been the non-leather side-zips popping up in its wake.
This Haversack knit, for instance, takes the style to the twee confines of the cardigan, swapping in a shawl collar for the Schott’s iconic notch collar, and ends up with a light jacket that looks considerably more rugged than it is. It won’t stand up to any wipeouts—even if you’re on a Vespa instead of a Harley—but if you’re looking for a clever twist on biker style, it’s the best one we’ve seen so far.
Flash sequencers like this one were one of our favorite time-wasters of 2009, but they’ve been remarkably slow making their way to the tangible world. The first big step was the Tenori-On, but the thousand dollar price tag and cryptic controls were enough to scare away the casual fiddler market.
The Bliptronic (hat tip) offers a fifty dollar version of the same, putting it well in the reach of less ambitious bleepsters. The controls should be familiar to internet denizens, and—should you be struck with a flash of inspiration—there’s all manner of fun to be had by hooking multiple models up together, running them through effects modules, or even a little light circuit-bending. It’s definitely on the lo-fi end of things, but that’s just part of the charm.
The Abstract School of Makeup: Highbrow fashion spreads win again. [Fashionising]
Hot Fuzz: The mustache craze reaches England, with shocking results. [The Independent]
Type Casting: The Moment delves into the seedy typography underground. [The Moment]
Up Top: Just because it’s Monday: here’s the view from the top of Mount Everest. [World Hum]
Last time we checked in with Swatch, they were cataloguing the wristwear choices of Bond villains and tweeting up a storm, but it looks like they’ve made a fair bit of progress in the meantime.
The classic brand just debuted five new sport models, including this gray number aptly titled “Sign in the Sky.” They’re not quite as villainous as we would have liked, but you can never have too many stripped-down sports watches on hand. If you’ve given up on the vintage watch hunt—and you’ve got understandable moral objections to checking the time on your phone—this might be a pretty good place to start.
When weighing gift ideas, it’s hard to go wrong with a handsome, marginally useful trinket—which is why we find ourselves inexplicably drawn to this card holder.
No one actually needs a card holder—a rubber band in your pocket and a desk drawer in your office will do the job every bit as well—but they’re nice to have, and all the more memorably for being unnecessary. Throw in a clever film-slate design and you’ve got a placeholder for just about anyone on your list. That is, as long as you can’t think of anything better…
Outerwear: Disappointingly, this is not from an overcoat ad. [Fashion Gone Rogue]
The Death of the Uncool: Brian Eno says that, in a broad enough culture, nothing is uncool. Maybe this is a good time to get that Aja post ready. [Prospect Magazine]
He’s Got a Knife!: French kitchen knives are actually kind of sweet. [The Shoptometrist]
Tailoring: The tailor’s second fitting may be the most important. So, store that one away. [A Suitable Wardrobe]
Who’d have thought a few tables of gear would cause so much ruckus?
Last weekend’s Pop-Up Flea (co-helmed by our esteemed editor, Mr. Randy Goldberg) has attracted the ire of some internet denizens, and it was enough to call forth this downright brilliant post from Put This On’s Jesse Thorn, defending well-crafted denim, designer interpretations of classic work shirts, and the Americana movement in general.
We’re not much for dwelling on the negative, but with all the accusations of bad faith, it seems healthy to bring things a bit down to earth.
Fjällräven made a splash in New York last week thanks to a brand new retail outpost—including a wall-mounted rainbow of waxed cotton mini-backpacks—but their best item may still be under the radar. The cropped city pack is fine, but if we had to pick one, we’d go for something a little chunkier…
This retro twenty-liter pack has enough strapped pockets to stand in for your weekender bag on any interstate voyages you may be taking this week, but unlike almost every other pack that fits the bill, it’s sharp enough to bring into first class. Pick one up at the store and they’ll throw some Greenland wax in with the bargain, in case it gets banged up enough to need rewaxing.
Somewhere in Italy…: We don’t know who this is, but she should email us. [Fashion Copious]
The Tweed Revolution: A closer look at the origins of Japanese preppy style. Legitimately fascinating stuff. [IvyStyle]
The Northwest Passage: The style of early grunge gets a closer, more adoring look. This may be vintage flannel’s first hagiography. [The Moment]
Stiff Upper Lip: Your guide to this season’s mustache-shaped jewelry. [All the Rage]
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.
Cheesecake Photos Want to be Free: More embargoed shots from Terry Richardson’s Pirelli calendar. [BlackBook]
Sale-Ing: In the face of Black Friday, Gargyle is offering 25% off their stock when you use the checkout code “Uno.” Good to know. [The Choosy Beggar]
Hall of Fame Material: Apparently James Cameron has a HMFIC ballcap. Also, his wallet says “Bad Motherfucker.” [Vulture]
It’s Inflation: Would you like an electric Rolls Royce Phantom? Do you have half a million dollars? Where are you going? [Gizmodo]
Most of our winter gear tends to be bulky outer layers, but it may be time to revisit one of the unsung heroes of the ski set: the long john.
And thanks to Uniqlo’s heat-tech gear, they may be a bit slimmer than you remember. The latest models use special weaves to stay dry, trap in heat, and generally protect your bottom half. We’d opt for a non-waffled pair to preserve the drape of your trousers, but don’t be surprised if these trunks are thinner than you remember. We always knew technology was good for something…
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.
The Only Ten I See: She’s also singer/drummer for The Like. What is it about lady drummers? [Refinery29]
Flea!: If you hadn’t heard, there’s some fine shopping going on in Manhattan this evening. [Racked]
Pulling the Wool: Ladies and gentlemen, our new favorite pants. [Put This On]
Caveat Emptor: Because it is indeed Friday, here is a coffee cup made out of bacon, and filled entirely with (what else?) melted cheese. Take care of yourselves. [Neatorama]
The lightly structured blazer has been a favorite item of ours for quite a while now, but we’re always glad to see a new one hit the market.
This item, dubbed the Shanahan Blazer, comes from Company of We, a “democratic luxury” brand hitting the wholesale market in January, but available through eCommerce in the meantime. And, in the spirit of Movember, if you order before Dec 1, they’ll donate 20% of your order to charity—provided you put in the right coupon code. Sounds democratic to us…
Mark Your Calendars: The latest Terry Richardson-lensed Pirelli Calendar just went out through the mail—but unless you’re a subscriber, you’ll have to make do with teaser shots like this one. [Fashion Copious]
The Big Thirteen: Esky gets its MacArthur on, naming thirteen renegades currently changing the world. [Esquire]
Bad Lieutenant! Bad!: Werner Herzog talks about coaxing the crazy out of Nicolas Cage for the upcoming Bad Lieutenant. We’re a little excited, if you couldn’t tell. [Movieline]
We’re All Cousins, Aren’t We?: Vampire Weekend’s latest single is actually kind of badass. [BlackBook]
Pharrell can be grating, but he still manages a flash of brilliance from time to time. Like this. Or, more importantly, the item on the left.
To be fair, he had a lot of help from Moncler—who have a bit of experience with this sort of thing—but the basic conceit is unmistakeably his: a “pacifist” bulletproof jacket. Of course, it’s not exactly bulletproof. In fact, it bears a striking resemblance to a style of puffer vests currently making its way onto boutique shelves, but this one’s a little darker, a little stranger, and a whole lot more interesting thanks to the sinister undertones.
Not all German cars are created equal.
To anyone weathering the sea change after the wall fell, the Trabant was the brightest symbol of clunky East German industrialism. It boasted a ridiculously complex refueling process, a ten year waitlist, and a two-stroke engine that did 0-60 in a blistering 21 seconds. In short, quite possibly the worst car ever made. So naturally it’s due for a revival.
The new Trabbi, currently hunting for investors, swaps out the moped engine for a gas-free electric motor that should give the notoriously smoky vehicle a fresh green face, but the basic question remains: Why not give it a new name? The Trabbi’s boxy silhouette’s as reviled as it is beloved, so it might have been worth just starting from scratch. Unless the GDR’s coming back into style…
Ms. Waldorf, We Presume: Maybe it’s time to start watching Gossip Girl. [GQ]
Way Out West: ACL takes a tour of San Francisco’s UNIONMADE. What is it about places with giant flags? [A Continuous Lean]
Heavy Stuff: The well-aged charm of the medicine ball (and where to pick one up). [Valet]
Woah: The 12 trippiest drug scenes in the history of film, in order of batshit audacity. Iguana not included. [Vulture]
The biggest problem with rugged items is that sometimes, they outlast your desire to wear them. That’s why you have more old jeans in your closet than old undershirts and why they’re so hard to part with—after all, they still have some good wear left in them.
Luckily, the grunge-inflected denim-lovers at Volcom have an idea. In the spirit of denim-based charity, they’re teaming with the National Coalition for the Homeless to collect as many wearable pairs of jeans as possible and direct them to less sartorially demanding hips. Drop off a pair at a local retailer and you’ll be entered to win a year’s supply of Volcom stock.
It’s called Give Jeans a Chance and it’s a marketing gig, make no mistake—looking up local retailers yet?—but as long as it’s helping out the less fortunate, we can’t say we mind. We’re even willing to indulge in the animated psychedelic promo video…provided it’s for a good cause.
Ralph Lauren’s take on Americana has had a lightly ironic touch to it, but it’s been getting heavier in recent years.
Case in point: This latest pair of slippers, which tops off a handsome plaid pattern with a pair of playfully kitchy hunting figures. If it were just the gentleman with the long gun, we could take it in stride, but the sight of a Canadian Goose in mid-plummet was almost enough to make us laugh out loud. Which, for a pair of cozy Sunday slippers, is a pretty good quality to have.
Baseball and football movies are thick on the ground, but without crowds to go wild or a big game to close on, skiing movies tend to be a pretty dicey proposition. Luckily, Criterion has dug up what might be the best one, and you can pick it starting tomorrow—just in time for ski season.
Downhill Racer takes Robert Redford through the thrills and doubts of the downhill ski circuit circa 1969. Over the course of 100 minutes, he bristles under authority, makes the acquaintance of an appropriately appealing Swedish woman, and tears through some of the Alps’ better scenery—all a good deal more cinematic than anything you’ll find on a gridiron.
Like The Hustler, it stretches the underdog sports premise into a conflicted meditation on the nature of success. Redford’s great, and so is Gene Hackman as his coach, but for our money the real credit goes to the writer, James Salter, who got the gig by writing some of the era’s best books on machismo. (Further reading here.)
Watch close and you might even pick up a few slalom tricks.
Back to the Garden: Either that, or she’s planning an organic farm. [Fashion Gone Rogue]
Knit Picking: Selectism takes a peek inside the SNS Herning factory. [Selectism]
Ride, Sally, Ride: The Tweed Ride comes to Washington, D.C.. [Washington Post]
Still the Greatest: If you need a palate cleanser from the NME business, here’s a list of the ten worst albums of all time. At the bottom… Muhammad Ali? [Neatorama]
Valet just did a roundup of scarf knots, ranging from the LA hipster look to the presidential style. Unfortunately, they stayed a little too neutral for our tastes, so we thought we’d toss in our two cents: If you’re breaking out the scarf, you can’t go wrong with the slipknot.
The style has been gaining on the usual wraparounds for quite a while now and, for one reason or another, most of the product shots we saw this year found the scarves pulled through in just this way. The slight asymmetry makes just about any outfit more interesting and, more importantly, the front knot protects the throat better than the single loop or formal half-loop. Valet gives the Sartorialist credit, which is certainly due—where do you think we got the picture?—but this one has been building steam in the preppy crowd for quite some time.
If you were waiting for a cockney-inflected counterpoint to Pitchfork’s recent decade-spanning mega-list, wait no more. NME just unveiled their 100 favorite discs (or possibly downloads) from the last ten years—each equipped with a few perfunctory links and a video—kicking off drunken arguments in pubs, schoolyards and hospitals throughout fair Albion.
The Strokes’ Is This It lands in the top spot, which we must admit is a pretty solid call. But to get you started in your own ranting, here’s a few outstanding grievances:
Did they really put Speakerboxx/The Love Below higher than Stankonia? And Bloc Party higher than either one? How many Damon Albarn side projects do they really expect us to listen to? And if they think we’ve forgotten how much they slagged Kid A when it first came out, they’re wrong.
Enjoy yourselves.
Print magazines have been having a pretty rough year, but by our lights, the glossy-pic-and-glossy-ad formula still has some life left in it. Especially if you’ve got an iPhone.
A high-fashion aggregator called Distill just launched their third issue and their first foray into the world of mobile magazining, currently available for a comparatively steep $5 in the iTunes shop. Inside, you’ll find a bundle of editorial wisdom drawn from magazines like Vice, Interview and Acne Paper, along with ads from Swatch, who’s footing the bill. The business side is still a little bit murky, but if it pays off, you may be getting a lot more of your style wisdom on the go.
Of course, we’ll always have a sentimental weakness for blogs…
We Are Entirely in Earnest: A gentleman’s guide to Blake Lively’s cleavage. [DailyIntel]
Cougar Warning: The latest dispatch on the cougar trend is quite possibly the most depressing thing we’ve ever read. But don’t let that stop you… [NYTimes]
The Sky is Falling: Astronomy buffs take heed. Early tomorrow morning, we’ll be enjoying the non-apocalyptic kind of meteor shower. [Lifehacker]
In a Word, Jackets: Esky does what it does best: Tell you how to dress. [Esquire]
The term “heritage brand” gets thrown around quite a bit these days, but it always helps when someone’s got a photo to prove it. This snap comes from the Red Wing cutting room, circa 1909. It may be time for the apron-and-tie look to make a comeback…
We’ve never been much for sale chasing, but Billy Reid’s 30% off sale just led us to this winter jacket, which might be enough to convince us to change our ways.
It’s the same heavy wool that makes pea coats such a staple, but the inspiration here is more Southern than nautical. The jacket’s named Tishomingo Woods after a spot in the northeast corner of Mississippi where you can find similar items on the backs of bird hunters. Of course, the down-country version won’t have quite as trim a cut—but that’s what we have designers for.
Kroesin’: Fashion Gone Rogue has good choice in muses. [Fashion Gone Rogue]
A Cordial Occasion: In the shadowy den of the Corduroy Appreciation Club. [The Moment]
Is There Anything it Can’t Do?: No Mas graces us with an animated retread of Dock Ellis’s acid-assisted no-hitter. [Gawker]
Fantastic: Glenn O’Brien really liked Fantastic Mr. Fox, which is usually a good sign. [GQ Eye]
Call it a case of bad timing.
This Our Legacy shirt is one our favorite items to come out of the recent plaid revival…but we’d wait at least a couple months before you put it on.
It’s not quite in espadrille territory—i.e. you won’t catch pneumonia—but as long as the sun’s touching down before 5pm, anything this colorful is apt to be downright depressing. Of course, if your summer wardrobe needs a refresh, we still heartily endorse picking one up, but you’ll have to delay gratification for quite a while.
On the other hand, we bet it looks great in sunlight.
Polaroid devotees tend to be a pretty crafty lot, and it looks like all that tinkering finally paid off. The Austrian experimentalists at Polar Premium just released a limited edition set of film called Fade to Black that does a whole lot more than the average strip of film. Over the 24 hours after exposure, it, well, fades to black.
There’s an extra chemical cocktail alongside the usual film, so it cycles through a series of increasingly dark exposures after you take it, before eventually blacking out entirely. It’s a pretty smart trick for a camera that’s ephemeral to begin with, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the resulting snaps got a lot more attention than otherwise. The lesson is something like “live in the moment”—or at least 24 hours at a time.
Of course, if you’re particularly attached to the snap, there are a few tricks you can use to stop the march of time…but where’s the fun in that?
Fox on Fox: The New York Times Magazine boldly defies the Megan Fox embargo. [NYTimes]
Protect Your Neck: The scarves of the world, just in time for winter. [CoolHunting]
Bag Man: Checking in with Apolis Activism’s Ugandan cotton briefcase. [Valet]
No Flipping: A countdown of the top 30 television series of the decade. Taken as a whole, they will swallow up an entire year of your life. [AV Club]
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.
Via NotCotIn honor of rainy days and semi-waterproofing, this is Wayne Levin’s take on the watery leg of a triathalon, from a fish’s eye view.
No Schvets: Getting back to nature never looked so good. [Fashion Copious]
I’ll Be Out in a Minute: Details ponders the literature of self-pleasure. [Details]
Blimey: Michael Caine returns to the bloodthirsty British revenge picture. We can’t wait. [Movieline]
MacGuyver Lives: In the name of using every part of the produce aisle, it’s time you started polishing your shoes with banana peel. [Lifehacker]
Wes Anderson can usually be counted on for a pretty impeccable sense of filmic style, but dressing melancholic sea captains is one thing, and dressing stop-motion foxes is quite another. Fortunately, he seems to be up to the task.
His latest, Fantastic Mr. Fox, hits theaters tomorrow, and in honor of today’s national holiday, it’s only fitting that we point out the title character’s impeccable corduroy suit. As far as we’re concerned, it’s the real star of the movie. Granted, the fit could be a little bit better—that can happen when the garment in question splits at the back—but it might be the perfect sartorial choice for the movie’s offbeat style.
And since the suit’s only a few inches tall, it means the mini-costume designer tracked down some truly tiny wales. Well played, Wes.
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.
Also, Six Other Women: Nine just gets better and better. [Style.com]
The Augmented Interview: Eighteen surprisingly intense quotes from Robert Downey Jr., courtesy of Esquire’s latest hi-tech issue. [Esquire]
Moc Trial: After declaring war on the half-zip sweater, the new kids of style blogging shine a light on Arrow Moccasins. [Put This On]
I Have Not Yet Begun to Twee: A discourse on airports, sketchily rendered in colored pencil. [The Awl]
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.
Adidas’ Rod Laver has seen a lot of different variations over the year, but the latest version is enough to catch our eye. It seems like furriness is having quite a renaissance in the sneaker world. If you count these Vans, that makes for just one shy of a trend. We’re guessing Spike Jonze has something to do with it…
Oh, See: Flaunt catches up with the starlet in her unseasonably warm apartment. [Refinery29]
Rise of the Android: The pros and cons of picking up one of these. [Gizmodo]
Pulling the Wool: Wool ties continue to gather strength in the east. [NYMag]
Dazed, Confused: Richard Linklater weighs in on what it means to be an icon. Is it too soon to nominate John Hodgman? [BlackBook]
We tend to be pretty wary of high-concept tees, but this pair (via NotCot) does just about everything right. There’s a simple, geometric design, low-key colors and an unmistakable message. The only downside: if you were pondering a purchase, you’ll have to get both or neither. Wouldn’t want to be too optimistic…
The trench coat is already one of the more iconic items in the menswear canon, so it hardly needs the ad treatment—but it couldn’t hurt.
Today, Burberry launched a site called Art of the Trench dedicated to classic outerwear piece in all its forms. You can see street style shots from all over—including this one from Mr. Schuman himself—which should give you some ideas on how to style yourself. We prefer a dark navy or black like the gentleman here, but dig around the site and you’ll find plenty of other ideas.
As for the timing, it might have done us a bit more good a few weeks back…but we’re not complaining.
All’s Fair: We’ve always said, appearing nude in a national publication is the best revenge. [Vanity Fair]
Going Mad: The impeccable Glenn O’Brien ponders the latest Mad Men developments. [GQ Eye]
The Internet Wins Again: MSNBC’s twitter gets hacked, says ungentlemanly things about Don Imus’ wife. (Warning: You are about to peer into the dark heart of the internet.) [TechCrunch]
The Getaway: Four of the coolest bank robberies ever, almost all of which have found their way to into films, one way or another. [Neatorama]
The iPhone’s been ruling the gadget world for upwards of two years now, but it’s finally got a worthy competitor. As of today, it’ll be splitting the gadget-obsessed market share with the Motorola Droid, a Google-powered, open source contender for the title of Best Phone Ever.
The big additions are a Blackberry-style physical keyboard for those tired of touchscreen tapping, along with a supercharged navigation system courtesy of Google Maps, but the real pull is a chance to get a little techier. Unlike the iPhone, the Droid lets you customize just about everything about the interface, with the help of third-party apps, downloadable skins and old-fashioned tinkering. If you feel like making the gadget your own, it’s easy to do—unlike the iPhone, which will always belong to the folks at Cupertino.
If you’re looking for a more thorough blow-by-blow, we recommend this one…but at this point, you might as well just see it for yourself.
Also Known as a Femme Fatale: Someone runs a garters-and-tights editorial spread every few months…and we have no problem with that. [Fashion Copious]
All Together Now: Popular music’s greatest hits, scrambled, courtesy of the fine folks at Eclectic Method. [Boing Boing]
Panda Panda Panda: How cute is too cute, asks an article topped by a picture of a panda. [Vanity Fair]
Hooray Success: Alain de Botton ponders the true meaning of success. His conclusion: Most of it is having an awesome name. [TED]
As you may have heard, the Olsens are trying their collective hand at menswear. And surprisingly enough, they’re pretty good at it.
Exhibit A: this narrowly double-breasted cardigan. The big loose-knit, shawl-collared style makes for an extremely cozy item, and a little overlap between the buttons only makes it cozier. It’s one of the best deep winter sweaters we’ve seen all season—and easily their best work since Passport to Paris.
The cigarette case might be the perfect accessory. It’s palm-sized, functional, and leaves lots of room for cool design touches. The only problem: As you may have heard, those things’ll kill you.
But there may be a replacement in the works. These slim leather-and-steel hard drives from Brinell fill the same empty spot in your jacket pocket, but they manage to fit 160 to 500GB in there. That means that instead of a pack of Nat Shermans, you’ll be carrying around your resumé, Miles Davis’ first eight albums, and the entire third season of The Sopranos with a little room left over for any crucial Flickr pics you may run across. Not bad for a trinket.
The Pompadour Rises Again: This is as threatening as Natalie Portman has ever looked, including when she was waving a pistol around. [Fashion Gone Rogue]
Just in Time for Movember: An in-depth interview with John Oates and some other guy. [A.V. Club]
Japan Wins Again: Behold the strangely transfixing trailer for a game called My Boyfriend is the President. [Gizmodo]
Take This Broken Menswear and Learn to Fly: Valet sits down with the mastermind behind our second favorite Northwestern boutique, Blackbird. [Valet]
Following in the footsteps of Radiohead’s USB box set earlier this year, the Fab Four’s catalog is being digitally repackaging into a handy USB drive, concealed in this plastic apple along with a few mini-documentaries, rare photos from the archive and digitally enhanced liner notes.
It’ll set you back nearly $300—thanks to the usual New Medium price hike—but it’s handier than carrying around a dozen jewel cases. Still, we might hold out for the Stones’ tongue drive.
These Persol-ish shades come from an unlikely source: Fiat heir and occasional Kempt icon Lapo Elkann. His Italia Independent marque tends to the “millionaire playboy” look—we can’t imagine why—but if you’re looking for something to get you through ski season, this may be the perfect item.
One of the charms of travel is seeing the world’s different style quirks: drop-crotch pants in Seoul, flat grays in Stockholm and in Shanghai…pajamas. Since the Middle Kingdom’s home to some of the better PJs in the world, it’s a sartorial highlight in an otherwise drab town, but it looks like the tourist bureau doesn’t see it that way.
In anticipation of the city’s 2010 world expo, the cops are getting the city dressed up…which includes cracking down on anyone seen outside the house in loungewear. It’s a debatable point, but a style fiat is never a pretty thing and it’s already drawing criticism. Even beyond the indignity of fashion police, Shanghai is likely to look a whole lot worse when they’re done with it.
Anyone up for holding a pajama day in protest?
Run This Town: Rihanna graces TWBE’s globe-spanning favorite women list. [TWBE]
The New Kids on the Internet: A newly minted men’s style blog ponders the denim jacket. Welcome, gentleman. [Put This On]
Jesus: Developing Story: Willem Dafoe is still incredibly cool. [Blackbook]
Campfire Tales: An old gem, recently unearthed, looks into Haitian zombie culture. [Men’s Journal]
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!
This snap comes from Chinese photographer Cao Fei, who was just shortlisted for the Hugo Boss Prize for his work raising awareness of the growing Golden Warrior threat.
The design crowd prides itself on being able to turn just about anything into an art object, so it was only a matter of time before they got around to toys.
These tops come from Herman Miller’s workshop, supposedly inspired by Charles Eames preoccupation with childhood playthings. Of course, because it’s a serious design house, the tops are all lathed and lacquered like the leg of a dinner table.
Watch your back, Hasbro.
Range Life: She seems underdressed for farming. [Refinery29]
A Gentleman’s Guide to Not Getting Sauce on Your Face: The mechanics of eating a chicken wing, explained. Seriously, take notes. [Lifehacker]
Smash!: If you only watch one forklift catastrophe video today, make it this one. [Gizmodo]
Glow in the Dark: Seeper Interactive takes over Branchage, UK with one of the more impressive light shows we’ve seen. [wejetset]
It would appear the art world isn’t immune to a little financial chicanery. This gold brick is currently on sale at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art as a paperweight/doorstop, but if the $80 price tag seems a little low for ten ounces of gold there’s a reason: it’s gilded aluminum stamped with a few significant dates and christened as art.
Of course, you could always pick up the genuine article for a few hundred more…but you’d have to leave the museum first.
The Tokyo Motor Show finishes up this Wednesday, and if there’s a takeaway, it’s that cars are about to get a lot smaller and a lot shinier. Nissan’s big concept offering was the Land Glider, a motorcycle/car hybrid that leans into turns like a motorcycle and, more importantly, does away with the passenger side entirely. If you’ve got a guest—or groceries, for that matter—they’ll be riding in back.
Better for your Back, We Hear: MTV’s latest celeb is lying on the floor in this month’s V Magazine. [I Know What You Wore]
On the Road: Jay Carroll takes a menswear driven tour of America. [Valet]
Don’t Go in the Basement: Gawker’s Halloween horror movie death roundup is basically rap music in video form. [Gawker]
G.O.A.T.: The greatest Halloween costume of all time, ever. [Shortform]
A lot of work goes into a good graffiti mural—you just don’t see it because of the whole “rule of law” thing. Fortunately, a crew called the Central Illustration Agency was able to get together with a camera crew and a wall-owner to produce this video to show you how it’s done. Consider it a devil’s night gift.
Unless you’ve got an unusually thorough sports calendar, you may have missed one of the most important boxing anniversaries on the books. 35 years ago today, Muhammad Ali and George Foreman converged on Zaire for the Rumble in the Jungle—cementing Ali’s legend and unleashing Don King on a more or less unsuspecting public.
In honor of the occasion, New York’s No Mas is taking a break from their usual diet of vintage-styled tees to produce a trio of animated shorts about the Rumble, including a spirited faceoff between Ali and a jumpsuited James Brown. Using live radio transcripts, audio collage and oil paints, it might be as close to the feeling of the real thing as we can get…at least on the internet.
It Gels: Iekelene Stange is at the mercy of idiosyncratic designers. [Fashion Gone Rogue]
Alone in the Dark: Martin Scorcese names his eleven favorite horror movies. Apparently he’s not a Wes Craven fan… [The Daily Beast]
God’s Country: Des Moines gets a dose of sculptural clout. Does this count as the Bilbao Effect? [NYTimes]
My God, It’s Full of Stars: Esquire is planning something hinky and potentially earth-shaking with Augmented Reality. We think it involves Robert Downey Jr. pulling a Lawnmower Man. [Esquire]
An advance warning: This past June’s Pop-Up Flea is getting ready for a repeat performance from ACL’s Michael Williams and our very own Randy Goldberg. We’ll pass along more info on who will be peddling their wares soon, but expect some new names and fun offerings. In the meantime, we’d save the date. And, of course, prep yourself.
Last time we checked in with Hard Graft, they were reinventing the wallet with a little help from raw felt, but it looks like they’ve been plenty busy in the year since.
Today, they unveiled their latest creation, a gray leather satchel that can transform into a laptop case, a portfolio or a weekender bag. It’s called the 3Fold, and depending on how you button, snap and fold it, it can be perfect for anything from a coffee shop run to a weekend in the country. Hopefully the leather’s tough enough to stand up to all that creasing, but in the meantime you’ll get a little extra use out of the day-tripping bag that usually sits in the back of your closet.
Christmas Lights: Mme. Moss graces a few holiday Topshop spots. [Les Mads]
Boo!: Halloween costumes from the fashion crowd. 70s Rod Stewart may be a stroke of genius. [Refinery29]
A Matter of Taste: The Ed Hardy Boyz go viral. The name pretty much says it all. [Racked]
Anka Lives: Michael Jackson’s last stand turns out pretty well after all. [The Projectionist]
Old Hollywood had its share of great directors, but genuine iconoclasts are in surprisingly short supply. So when one like Samuel Fuller pops up in the archive, we tend to take notice.
From the 50s on, he was a reliable source for brutally effective flicks delivered in the most direct style possible. He became a French new wave favorite a little later, but he’s only now getting his due as one of the great macho filmmakers Hollywood ever produced.
A collection of some of his lesser known works hit shelves yesterday with a gem called Underworld U.S.A. bundled up inside. The movie’s a standard issue mob revenge story—as in, “My name is Tolly Devlin. You killed my father. Prepare to die”—with Cliff “Uncle Ben” Robertson in the icy central role. It’s high-grade pulp, make no mistake, but it’s got the kind of paranoid edge that makes good pulp into great film. And if you’re looking for a lost gem to fill out your DVD collection, it’s hard to find a better one.
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.
Grab a Brush: Saga Magazine must have quite a hairspray budget. [Fashion Copious]
The Big Ticket: Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the $1100 earbuds. [Gizmodo]
Yikes: The YikeBike challenges the Segway for the inept magician market. [PSFK]
Really, Anything: Edmund Mullins looks at Say Anything at 20. Apparently Pauline Kael was a fan? [BlackBook]
We warned you before, and now it’s happening. Google is taking over your voicemail, and even though resistance isn’t exactly futile, we’re not sure why you’d bother.
As of Monday, you can import Google Voice to your current phone number, which means that, among other things, you’ll never have to listen through your voicemails again. Once you’re plugged into the Google Voice network, you can convert all your voicemails to text and sort through them like emails, which means you won’t have to skip through Aunt Gladys’s dictation of her travel arrangements before you hear from your Thursday night date. It’s simple, easy, and it’s the first step in a long road that most likely leads to the end of the phone bill.
But for now, let’s take it one step at a time.
Trovata’s been overshadowed by their former collaborators Shipley & Halmos these past few seasons, but they’re still a pretty reliable source for breezy West Coast gear. This Miro shirt, for instance, is the kind of garment they can turn out pretty reliably, a linen-weave summer shirt lined up for their Spring/Summer 2010 line.
It’s not enough to call a comeback, but if they meet January with a whole line of these items, they’ll definitely raise a few eyebrows—even more than the storytelling stunts that got them noticed in the first place. Four years in, they may finally be hitting their stride.
Wave of the Future: The world’s first Skype-based editorial hits the web. The Google Voice folks must be kicking themselves… [Refinery29]
On the Wingtip: A guided tour of Alden’s Middleborough factory. [Selectism]
Faced: The men’s market for skin care and toothpaste grows ever larger. Brush regularly. [The Cut]
Not Dark Yet: A catalogue of the 14 types of Twilight Zone ending, not counting the Reverse Robot Reveal. [A.V. Club]
In the interest of striking while the iron’s hot, we thought we’d direct your attention to the Baracuta shop, where jackets are currently going for half off.
Of course, we’ve weighed in on your short-cropped options before, so this time around, we’re going with a slightly more offbeat option: the Donegal wool jacket. While you’re at it, we’d order it a size smaller than your average number to make sure the fit’s appropriately mod.
Unfortunately, it’s too thin to stand up to winter winds so you probably won’t get too much wear out of it until March…but patience is a virtue too.
In honor of your busy weekend, here’s five of our favorite new terms for the state of intoxication, as gleaned from Paul Dickson’s Drunk: A Definitive Drinker’s Dictionary.
Whipcat
Fish Eyed
Vulcanized
Nimptopsical
Merle Haggard
Use them in good health.
Central Heating: Hungarian fashion magazines do some very good work, apparently. [Fashion Gone Rogue]
Jingle Jangle: Simon Spurr joins the CFDA club. Congrats, sir. [Style Section LA]
Glove Love: Sing a song for the glovemakers of upstate New York. [NYTimes]
Dunston Checks Out: Pet costumes once again work their way into highbrow media discourse. [Vanity Fair]
Since Halloween brainstorming is currently underway in walk-in closets across the country, we thought we’d drop a little advice. In terms of big-picture wisdom, we follow Esquire’s tweeted lead: make sure it preserves your looks, involves no makeup and can be quickly removed in passion. (Luckily, our Lord Willy costume fits at least two out of three.)
But in the interest of avoiding faux pas, we thought we might help you avoid some of the riskier costume ideas currently making the rounds. Consider yourself warned»
We’ve heaped a lot of praise on vintage flannel, but we’ve finally found a new model that measures up. Naturally, it’s from Gitman Vintage…
The menswear archivists have finally worked their way around to the flannel part of the fabric archive, and the result is a handful of new shirts that provide brand new renditions of the same pleasantly fuzzy shirts you’d find in your neighborhood vintage shop. This particular item just arrived at Roden Gray, but you can expect plenty more making their way into stores over the next few weeks.
Behind You!: This is by far the least revealing photo in the decidedly NSFW spread. [Fashion Copious]
Wild Eyes: Complex talks their way into a Moscot factory tour. Our jealousy, as always, is thinly veiled. [Complex]
Don’t Fuck Around With Love: Unearthing a lost, dirty-mouthed doo-wop track. [BlackBook]
Book ‘em: Bruce McCall ponders how to make use of the world’s books. Options include skeet shooting and ritual immolation. [Vanity Fair]
By now, you’ve probably got a few ideas about winter coats, but the coming snows require a pretty specialized set of footwear too. Our suggestion: something thick, heavy and completely impenetrable.
This newly arrived Wolverine Montgomery Boot fits the bill quite nicely, with thick leather and an inch and a half of rubber separating you from the slushy wilds. Throw in a rust-belt history that rivals Red Wing, and you’ve got a bonafide American stomper. Hopefully you’ve also got an industrial-strength shoehorn handy…
The ad world is still figuring out exactly what to do with the iPhone, but an early test case was unveiled last night. Instead of a print campaign or a TV spot, the campaign for the new Volkswagen GTI is leading off with an iPhone game.
Real Racing GTI is a standard 3D racer—remarkably similar to the unbranded Real Racing, except that winning enters you into a weekly sweepstakes and every car in the game is Volkswagen’s new 2010 GTI. That means you’ll get a firsthand, mobile look at the dashboard, and no matter how you drive, a VW always wins.
As a game, it’s not much to write home about; but as marketing, it’s one of the bolder moves we’ve seen this year. VW drivers are a pretty tech-y bunch to begin with, giving away a car a week will draw a fair number of them to the app, and in the process both the GTI and the iPhone will get a whole lot of converts. Maybe the Android folks should give Vespa a call.
Nice Pants: Also, a certified health counselor. The more you know… [The World’s Best Ever]
Off the Board: The National Film Board of Canada takes a break from inspiring ambient techno to produce our new favorite iPhone video app. [LifeHacker]
He Had it Coming: Dave Bry recounts being punched in the face at a Pixies show in 1991. [The Awl]
Forever: RZA makes the book tour rounds, continues to be the coolest person alive. [A.V. Club]
We got a look at the J.Crew Spring/Summer 2010 preview today, and in addition to adding Hill-Side ties and Clarks Wallabees to their stable of collaborators and buddy brands, they’ve kept things moving in the same solid direction as the last few seasons. If it ain’t broke…
There’s a new navy sharkskin version of the Ludlow Suit and a reliably pleasing assortment of chambray, but we also really liked the rugged Fireman’s Jacket, a light, clasping jacket that should be the perfect antidote to summer rainstorms. (No word yet on how it holds up against fire.)
Public art can mean more than just posters on walls…but when it starts to move to denim jacket liners, we get a little queasy.
Shepard Fairey’s Obey label just announced a large-scale collaboration with Levi’s and this jacket is only the beginning. Next Thursday, Fairey will take over the façade of Levi’s Times Square shop, and unveil four new posters to be given away with a Levi’s purchase.
Fairey’s pleading “public art”—it’s populist denim, after all, not Louis Vuitton—but we’d prefer calling it what it is: marketing. It’s not such a dirty word, really, and Fairey has to pay those legal bills somehow. But next time, he should probably start by looking into spray paint endorsements.
Via Raw FileThis snap comes from Michael Jang, a San Francisco-based lensman whose recent career retrospective includes tours through punk shows, garage band rehearsals, and some of the best afterschool hootenannies of the 70s.
Furries: Actually, that may be an animal of some kind… [Fashion Gone Rogue]
Ring the Alarm: Malaysia tries to ban Beyoncé, ignoring the desires of all the single ladies in Malaysia. [BlackBook]
Sparks Will Fly: Five eco-outfitted cars get the blog treatment. To be fair, we’re not sure installing an electric motor qualifies as “pimping out” a car. [Inhabitat]
Moskowitz, No!: Seymour Cassel, also known as Max Fischer’s dad, cannot keep his hands to himself. [The Wrap]
This shirt comes from What Comes Around Goes Around, which was best known as the most selective, semi-secret vintage shop in New York until this year, when they started putting out clothes of their own. Not surprisingly, it’s got a bit of a retro feel…
It’s called the Iggy Shirt, and while they say the inspiration is 80s punk, it strikes us as closer to early 60s mod. We wouldn’t be surprised to find a shirt like this on Mick Jagger or an ex-mod like Pete Townshend.
Or on the shelves at Paul Smith, for that matter.
Here’s a quick primer in international relations, courtesy of the Wall Street Journal: The U. S. bails out banks, and France bails out tailors. We’re not going to say which we prefer…
Motivated by a sartorial sense of culture and the rising tide of ready-to-wear fashion, France’s prime minister is currently pondering sending a little aid to the ailing fashion houses of France. Most of them specialize in extremely specialized womenswear, so we won’t see any of our favorite brands on the dole, but if it catches on, it may mean good things for Savile Row.
Unfortunately for the old fabric houses (and the old tailors), style has moved on from the times when well-heeled customers spent their wardrobe money on a few personalized big ticket items. Bringing a little government cheese into the mix isn’t going to make them any more up-to-date…but that might not be such a bad thing. Like Savile Row, they’ll end up frozen in a particular moment—probably around the time they were stitching up ball gowns for Grace Kelly. It’s a museum piece, but a pretty good one.
And maybe Carla can get a few new dresses in the bargain.
ROFL: Blush Lingerie scores a few well-earned points. The heels are sold separately. [SwipeLife]
Simon Says: Simon Spurr throws us some exceedingly kind words. [Forbes]
La Vie en Rose: APC’s Jean Touitou continues to be crotchety, declinist. [Selectism]
We’ll Always Have Thursday Afternoon: Past the 72-hour mark, Balloon Boy has veered off into kitsch. Luckily, NYMag is there to source the five best ironic anthems to bring this episode to a close. Play him off, metaphorical keyboard cat. [Daily Intel]
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.
Lobster aside, Prince Edward Island’s main exports seem to be cold fronts and grandmotherly affection, so it’s only natural they make a hell of a cardigan.
Brooklyn outlet C’H’C’M’ just restocked their knitwear section with a few hats, scarves, and this cardigan from PEI’s Northern Watters. The color scheme is pretty twee, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and the wool is thick enough to inspire all sorts of warm, fuzzy feelings.
Your move, Nantucket.
A Woman and a Camera: Also, a hairbrush. [FashionIndie]
Yeah, Me Neither: Aziz Ansari interviews Jason Schwarzman, admits he hasn’t seen The Darjeeling Limited. [Interview]
Who Moved My Cheese?: Apparently the recession is cutting into the demand for cheese, except of the government variety. [Grub Street]
The Kempt Guarantee: We will heartily endorse any detective movie with Michael Shannon in it. Your move, Hollywood. [Vulture]
For 126 years, Houston shirtmaker Hamilton has been making some of the best custom dress shirts on the market. And now, for the first time, they’re offering something straight off-the-rack—the new Hamilton 1883 line.
The shirts don’t sacrifice on quality (they’re still made in the U.S., and are as soft as you’re likely to find), and include smart details like western-style stitching and dedicated pockets for pens. (Or, we suppose, more illicit things—we smell a trend.) And we’re not just being because we did some of the modeling—though we suppose it doesn’t hurt.
In the wake of our earlier etiquette lesson, you may still be wondering what in the world Google Wave actually does. Luckily, the internet’s tendency towards one-note regurgitated jokes has produced what may be the ultimate user’s guide to the ornate messaging tool. Instead of a dry tech demonstration, this video walks you through one of the most memorable scenes in Pulp Fiction via Google Wave, offering an effortless, Rosetta Stone-style explanation of embedded image searching and conversation replay and various other previously confusing gadgets. It’s everything you need to know…and it’s hilarious.
Poultry Farming: We cannot begin to tell you what is going on here. [Fashion Copious]
Rags and Patches: Glenn O’Brien is not pleased with Bono’s choice of jacket. [GQ]
Suit Up: WWD counts down the suit’s best moments on screen. We won’t dispute Wall Street, but Miami Vice might be more controversial than they think. [WWD]
In Retrospect, This Was Inevitable: Terry Richardson has his own, semi-NSFW action figure. [Colette]
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.
This tweed-on-tweed tie comes from Motto and Crest’s New Forest line, available online as of this morning. The double tweed is a nice twist on the usual wool tie, but more importantly—like most of the rest of Motto and Crest’s stock—it allows for a uniquely stealthy sartorial move.
If you’re wearing it under a jacket (or waistcoat, or cardigan), you’ll only show the lighter top half of the tie, turning a piece of deconstructed neckwear into a surprisingly staid item. And later, possibly after the boss has left the room, you can unbutton and put your bifurcated sartorialism on full display. It makes for a pretty versatile item…provided you don’t blow your cover.
Baring All: GQ Italy wins again. [Fashion Gone Rogue]
Sluggers: Babe Ruth’s 1918 game bat just sold for $537,750. If you only steal one collectible this season… [Selectism]
D’oh!: James L. Brooks is possible not as affable as he seems. [The Daily Beast]
The Chef: Apparently Raekwon’s a pretty big Penfield fan. [We Are the Market]
Photo via Eric TrineIn a heartening bit of news for retro gadget fans, Polaroid has announced they’ll resume production of instant film and the iconic one-step camera. We’re not sure what brought on the year-long production stutterstep, but we imagine the wave of nostalgia-driven art and digital filters made them realize they were giving up a pretty good thing. Not everyone wants their photos on Facebook…
We can never get enough English wool ties…and apparently neither can Alexander Olch.
The latest version isn’t too much a break from his earlier work—the same impeccable English wool and rough weave—but the story behind it is a little more complex than usual. It’s part of the first batch of Ryan Willms’ Inventory stock, which means the wool was selected by Mr. Willms himself, and the 20 ties he has in stock are the only ones of this kind you’ll find anywhere.
Of course, you could always look elsewhere in the Olch catalog if they sell out…but that shade of navy seems worth snapping up early.
Private Eyes: This cannot get on newsstands fast enough. [GQ]
Down Low, Too Slow: NPR surveys a few flu-safe alternatives to the high five. Maybe now, fingerguns will finally have their day. [NPR]
Now, What Will 50 Rap About?: Kanye’s Pastelle line has merged with the infinite. Despite years of “first looks” will never, ever see store shelves. [High Snobiety]
I Turn My Camera On: Wired’s photoblog goes inside the Leica factory for a series of camera production pics. The entire post may turn out to be an elaborate visual pun. [Raw File]
Iran has produced some pretty fascinating contradictions in the past 50 years, and we’re only starting to work through them. But a good coffee table book never hurts.
Life as a Visitor, which arrives this month from Assouline, takes a look at the more than twenty exotic spots through the eyes of Iranian ex-pat Angella M. Nazarian, and comes away with something between a travelogue and a memoir. That means vignettes on cultural alienation share space with memories of the best sunbathing spots in Postino.
Both of which should come in handy next time you’re abroad.
via BehanceIn honor of the definitive end of beach season, here’s a peek at Jones Beach during the deepest stretch of the off-season, courtesy of Lee Balzano. If you were waiting to get your duffle coat out of storage, now might be a good time.
Michael Jackson’s posthumous single, “This Is It,” debuted online Monday, but after a little legal wrangling, it looks like it’s going to be a grand comeback for more than just Jackson. In what has to be the unlikely pop culture development of the new millennium, jinglemeister Paul Anka will be taking home half the royalties, thanks to a co-writing credit.
Apparently “This is It” was originally planned for Anka’s 1983 album, but Jackson slipped away with the demo tapes after they were recorded. We’re not surprised he ran off…but we’re a little surprised Anka got him in the studio at all. Jackson was still riding a shockingly long string of #1 singles and Anka was certainly no McCartney.
With due respect to the man who wrote “My Way,” it looks like Jacko held him in higher esteem than just about anyone in Los Angeles—and we have no idea why. If you’re so moved, you can dig through Anka’s back catalogue to try to figure it out, but we prefer to chalk it up to creative eccentricity.
Alluring: Allure sits down with Isla Fisher, who has apparently never seen a Foghat album before. [SwipeLife]
Say It Out Loud: A look at the great ‘fros of the past. Sadly, Seth Rogen did not make the list. [All the Rage]
One Leg at a Time: A brief treatise on the origin of the trouser, which was apparently roundly condemned by Pope Pius VII. We’re curious what he’d make of the utilikilt. [This Recording]
Moving Out:h(y)r collective’s Ryan Willms has set up a new, flash-equipped homebase. Check it out, won’t you? [Inventory]
The first Google Wave invites went out late last week, which means the next couple weeks should see the ground breaking email/instant message/document sharing hybrid spreading through the public at a buzzworthy rate. On the off-chance you’ve missed the hype, we’ll sum it up for you: Wave reinvents email as a long string of chatroom-style reply-all messages, viewable all at once to everyone involved. TechCrunch is calling it the dawn of passive-aggressive communication (they seem to think that’s a good thing), but it doesn’t have to be that way.
In the interest of progress, we to suggest updates to email etiquette. It’s an incomplete list, but it should keep you safe for long enough to figure out what’s kosher in the new medium.
They grow up so fast…
We got a peek at the latest Shipley & Halmos gear this week, and it sees the two-year-old line growing into a playfully poppy style. (The pics here don’t really do some of the fabrics, and the easy feel of the collection justice.) There’s still the same understated cosmopolitan vibe, but now the cardigans are a little longer, the colors are a little more daring, and the whole collection is a whole lot more wearable and assured. It might be the best stuff we’ve seen from them since their debut collection. Look for it to hit stores in January…you might even see us in line.
The Hef Rides Again: We can’t help but feel that some line has been crossed. [Empire Movies]
A Hack: Michael Pollan graces us with still more rules to live by. Since he doesn’t mention candy corn specifically, we’re going to assume it’s ok. [Lifehacker]
It was a Dark and Stormy Post: Secret Forts gets a turn in the spotlight. [Choosy Beggar]
Heart on Sleeve: Gitman Brothers takes us through their label archive, via an oxford button-down. [Selectism]
As Italian motos have worked their way into American culture, two distinct schools have appeared. There’s the polished Vespas for the Apple crowd, and then there’s the ones with a little more kick…
This would be the latter. Ducati’s new Hypermotard 796 is smaller and lighter than the two-strokes they’re used to turning out, making it more useful for urban pursuits, but it still has the look of a powerful, well-engineered machine—and it doesn’t have to cover it up with polished metal. If you were looking for something to bridge the gap, this is it.
She Means Business: And don’t give her any of this Linux crap. [Refinery29]
Hooverville: George Saunders takes a stroll through a modern tent city. [GQ]
Web Civics: Choire Sicha ponders the ethics of blogging. Sadly, it’s in the Times, so he can’t call anyone a douchebag. [NYTimes]
Victory!: After literally hours of pleading, Tracy Morgan has finally joined Twitter. [Twitter]
The British Design Council has been responsible for a surprising amount of the Really Cool Stuff in the world so far, so we’re glad to finally get a peek at some of it. As of today, they’re opening up their slide archive to give design-minded net-dwellers everywhere a chance to see what they’ve got in there. It includes a wealth of early 60s gems—somebody should really make a show set back then…—but also a few accomplishments we never would have guessed at. Who would have guessed that the same folks that were polishing up tea kettles in the 50s ended up designing power lathes and furnaces?
Your eyes do not deceive you. 35 years of solid rock ‘n’ roll has finally earned KISS the greatest of all accolades, a line of limited-run M&Ms, available just in time for Halloween.
Funny Business: Her joke, unfortunately, is not all that funny. Esquire]
I Want Them Back: The Jackson 5 return for one last hit, currently streaming from their website. Vulture]
Lap it Up: The era of excess returns, in the form of a bejeweled laptop. [Gizmodo]
Going Disney: Michael Williams takes us on a trip to Disneyland, thanks to a newfangled technology called Kodachrome. [A Continuous Lean]
Sad news today: Bravura lensman Irving Penn has ascended to the great lightbox in the sky. Whether you recognized them or not, you’ve seen dozens of Penn snaps in museums and magazines over the past few decades—a tip: look for the billowy backdrop—and at least that many from photographers directly in his shadow. We imagine the staffers at Vogue have other things than history on their mind at the moment, but Penn’s career is a reminder of what fashion photography is capable of when it’s given the chance. Fare thee well, sir.
Today’s UrbanDaddy jogged our memory about one of our fonder memories from the 80s. If you were a bored kid with a television, at some point you probably ran across the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, also known as GLOW.
The episodes are a late eighties time capsule, full of spandex-clad stuntwomen furiously mugging their way through some of the more sloppily choreographed bouts this side of boxing. It only survived four seasons, but there was a certain charm that hasn’t been recaptured since. We can’t help but wonder if there’s a place for it in the age of derby girls and post-post-post-feminism—especially now that lingerie football is a reality.
If you’re curious to see the ladies in action, you can pick up a few DVDs here, or see a few of the finer bouts after the jump»
A Serious Man, the Coen Brother’s latest, hits theaters this week, and if you’re a frames nerd like us, you’ll notice one sartorial item getting an unusual amount of screen time. In addition to a shlubbified Mad Men closet and a truly impressive selection of early 60s ties, Larry Gopnik spends the film sporting an enviable pair of Moscot Lemtoshes. In fact, it may be the only enviable thing about him.
Gopnik also spends the movie being pummeled by metaphysical torment, which is probably why the Coen connection hasn’t found its way into more press releases. As a costume, it’s pitch-perfect: Moscot’s such a beloved brand because people like your dad wore them—or at least the better dressed version of your dad who ends up in movies—but mortgage payments rarely find their way into that particular pitch.
Personally, we came out of the movie with a greater desire for nebbish frames…but results may vary.
Lounging: We’re not going to speculate on what that is. [Fashion Copious]
TSA Suckas: Snoop Dogg valiantly crusades for the rights of bullet-shaped jewelry-wearers everywhere. [Luxury Launches]
Decline and Fall: Gawker surveys the remnants of Gourmet.[Gawker]
All Hat, No Cattle: Nathan Rabin stares into the dark, soul-consuming void that is Garth Brooks’ career. [A. V. Club]
With the weather taking a turn for the brisk, it may be time to revisit our favorite supergroup-inspiring heritage item, the rubberized cotton raincoat known as the Mackintosh.
Now that their J. Crew collab’s a bit harder to find, you’ll have to track down the real thing. You can find one at C.H.C.M with classic tan instead of the showier black watch plaid. Stroll through the virtual shop and you’ll see extra details like adjustable shoulder pads and riveted vents under the arms that never quite made the transition to its stateside counterparts. Of course, heritage isn’t cheap, so it’ll also set you back just under a thousand bucks.
Just close your eyes and think of Scotland.
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.
It’s Still in the Same Place: Cindy Crawford gets a book cover, thanks to Michel Comte. [Luxist]
City at Night: Night is now officially endangered. [PSFK]
All Over the World: Your daily Dubai horror story. [The Awl]
We’ll Miss You, Harvey: Miramax cuts back to seven films a year. [Thompson on Hollywood]
We love Engineered Garments, so it pains us to say this, but this is a bad idea. It’s almost impossible to make a belly-side pouch attractive, even when you’re working with the most respectable fabrics in the world. You can cover it in tweed and call it a “waist bag,” but it’s still a fanny pack. Sorry gents, but we’re not buying it.
The double-breasted peacoat has been a staple since the days of the Victorian navy, so it could use an update.
This Comme des Garcons jacket keeps the basic pea coat design, but makes three very important tweaks. They raise the hem (for colder legs but a trimmer cut), they swap navy blue for electric blue, and most importantly they take the whole thing into the world of synthetic fabrics. The futuristic shift is classic CDG, but it also means the jacket should stand up to the wind a whole lot better than plain old wool.
At Least, According to Esquire: Somewhere, Sophia Loren is fuming. [Esquire]
She Seems Cool: Planet Magazine breaks the news on a possibly fictitious group of Ukranian Amazons. [Boing Boing]
Clowns in Space: Really, the headline says it all. [The Guardian]
Protect Ya Legal Exposure: Wu-Tang, while forever, is also surprisingly litigious. [Vulture]
The rules of the flight bag are pretty simple: Keep it slim and keep it simple. If you do it well, you’ve got a
And in this case, BillyKirk did it very well indeed. This flight bag brings together waxed cotton and beautifully worn leather trim for a one of the better carryalls we’ve seen this year (at least of the ones that didn’t say Filson on them). Luckily, the retro vibe didn’t stop them from sizing it just large enough for a laptop.
But it should fit in that overhead compartment.
Like a Bird: We’re guessing it was something he said. [Fashion Copious]
Needs More Logo: A look at Takashi Murakami’s latest show. [The Moment]
I’m Tired of Your Selvedge Demands: A talk with the denim guru behind Self Edge. [Complex]
Together Again: Mr. Seinfeld chats nervously about the Curb-based reunion. Also, what’s the deal with those Corona ads? [Vulture]
via NotCotThis crossroads was the site of the car crash that killed James Dean in 1955. The photograph is thanks to the British lensman Dean Rogers, and it’s snapped in the precise position of the car before impact, at the same date and time as the original crash. Other snaps in the series include Marc Bolan, Jackson Pollock, and Albert Camus.
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if the Wall Street Journal is kidding.
Take, for instance, their latest style dispatch, aptly titled “Toupee Test.” The fact that the phrase “Hair Hat” is used in the subtitle seems to suggest that they know no one who cares enough about style to read newspaper articles about it would ever consider following through on a wig purchase. But the piece itself is a fairly straight consumer report comparing the fiber density cost and return policies (don’t think too much about that last one) of fine retailers such as Best Wig Outlet, Lori’s Wigsite and Wigs.com. Clearly someone, somewhere is thinking about buying a wig
For the benefit of the uncertain, we’ll offer a bit of contrary wisdom: Don’t. Please. Embrace the donut and you’ll be a better man for it.
We just got a peek at the latest Fall/Winter gear from southern gentleman Billy Reid, and it looks like he’s been spending a little time on the water.
He hasn’t lost his affinity for seersucker suits and elegantly cut slacks, but now there are a few more nautical pieces mixed in, including a Roguish anchor sweater and an eye-catching bright yellow slicker, which might be our favorite of his outerwear pieces. It’s more Newport than Tupelo, but we’re certainly not complaining.
Cruz Control: Ladies and gentlemen, the best reason to see Nine. [Vanity Fair]
Let’s Go Make a Picture: When Hollywood starts being compared to Detroit, you know things are getting bad. The good news? At least Coraline was a hit… [Thompson on Hollywood]
Man Up: A discourse on masculinity, courtesy of the internet. [This Recording]
The Daily Nudes: There is no problem that cannot be solved by nude calendars. [NY Daily News]
A lot of brands talk about bringing function to style, but when you’re talking about your outer layer, that function means a whole lot more than just a cleaner stitch or a tougher fabric. It means keeping you dry during Manhattan’s monsoon season, shiver-free through your next heli-skiing jaunt, and thoroughly protected from any element you happen to run across.
If you were wondering what the cargo-pant resurgence was all about, here’s a helping hand: It should look something like this.
This field pant from Woolrich Woolen Mills packs bonuses like ripstop fabric and a pleasantly colorful plaid lining, but we’re most concerned with those pouches on the front. It won’t feel too different from jean pockets (give or take a snap), but the look is a pretty big leap forward. And because of the central pleat, you should be able to stash a blackberry in them without throwing off the drape. Eddie Vedder would be proud.
Prepare your eulogies. The button is not long for this world.
TechCruncher and professional prognosticator MG Seigler just rounded up a few recent Apple and Microsoft advances and came to one solid conclusion about the future: it involves a lot of touchscreen-tapping. Keyboards and remotes are being replaced by tablets and smartphones, and the first casualties will be the strangely pleasing mash of buttons that’s sitting in front of you right now. We’ll miss it—hey, we still have a typewriter somewhere—but we’re not about to stand in the way of progress.
Just savor every keystroke.
An Uplifting Experience: We don’t know why it took this long, but Dita Von Teese has finally connected with Wonderbra. [The Daily Mail]
Yoko?: Comme des Garcons and the Beatles may be eyeing each other for co-branding. Much as we love them both, we really hope this doesn’t happen. [Selectism]
Billions and Billions of Fans: Carl Sagan gets his posthumous recording career started. [Nerdist]
One Simple Rule: The name says it all. You may never need another productivity blog. [The Ultimate Productivity Blog]
With the gas-fueled land speed record hovering safely around the speed of sound, it’s time for gearheads to see what they can do with hydrogen. So just a few months after Jesse James (not that Jesse James) set the fuel cell-powered land speed record at 199mph, a group of Ohio State engineering students have set it even higher: 301mph, to be precise. Keep it in mind the next time you need to hitch a ride across the Mojave.
The goretex school of outerwear makes its name on gadgety extras like foldaway hoods and Velcro fasteners, but the older gentleman-hunter style has a few tricks of its own. And if you don’t mind a little adornment, you might even prefer them…
This Nigel Cabourn Rucksack Parka packs in gadgetry like a built-in leather belt, a contrast-colored throat tab and a something called a “storm flap” that acts as both a hood and an impromptu cape in case you need some sudden waterproofing. It’s refreshing to see in a bit of old-world outerwear, but it’s also just plain fun to play with. And since the gold standard of parkas is still whether they’ll keep you warm and/or dry, a little extra functionality is always appreciated.
Chalk it up to the long tail if you want, but niche tastes are starting to get their due on the iPhone. It started with ambient museum pieces…but now developers have worked their way around to something a little more fun.
Outsider troubadour Daniel Johnston just released his first iPhone app, a Mario-style platform-jumping game featuring characters from his artwork, music from his recordings and the same sense of addled optimism that pervades just about everything he does. The froglike main character should look familiar from a mural or a t-shirt or two, but this is the first time we’ve actually seen him jump.
If you’re looking for it in the iTunes shop, the game is titled “Hi, How Are You,” after the mural’s inscription. (We’re guessing “Jeremiah the Innocent” wasn’t catchy enough.)
No Big Hair: This is Vogue Russia, so we imagine she’s quite cold. [FashionIndie]
Life Lessons: Esquire digs a Roman Polanski’s “What I’ve Learned” piece out of the archives. Notably absent: “Never trust the Swiss.” [Esquire]
Take it Straight: Whisky gets its own social network. [Lifehacker]
Smash and Grab: Art theft continues to pick up steam. Also, it’s pretty awesome. [UnBeige]
So far, iPhone cases tended towards the organic. We’d wager that most of the sleeves you’ve actually seen in use are either leather, woodgrain or some variation on matte black.
Which means the world of the iPhone case is ripe for a little new wave jolt.
This jagged black-and-white shell comes from Gareth Pugh, with a little help from Colette and AnOther magazine and a laptop case in tow. It manages to avoid both the usual organic patterns and the friendly-alien aesthetic you find at your friendly neighborhood Apple store, in favor of something that might be more at home on an album cover.
Let’s just hope your mp3 collection can keep up.
As you may have heard, Roman Polanski was arrested this weekend at the Zurich Film Festival, as part of an extradition planned by L.A. prosecutors. It’s a remarkable moment, for anyone who had grown used to Polanski’s French exile. Without defending the man, or appealing to traumatic life or his work as an excuse, it’s remarkable how much desire there still is in the L.A. prosecuter’s office to finally bring him to sentencing.
Fame works very differently in 2009 than it did in 1977, but a celebrity trial is still a celebrity trial. And if there’s one in the offing, not even 30 years and 6000 miles will stop it.
Really?: To be fair, the blindfold does make things difficult. [Fashion Copious]
Threadless: The future of Harris Tweed is surprisingly bleak. Get it while you can… [Style Salvage]
Designers Gone Wild: Where the Wild Things Are finally leaches into the fashion world. [High Snobiety]
To the Dogs: Dubai’s Ed Hardy shop just got busted for selling pets. We’d say we’re surprised, but after this, nothing that happens at the Dubai Ed Hardy shop could surprise us. [Transracial]
If you need a bit of piano pop and existentially troubling cinematography to tide you through the weekend, the new video from Au Revoir Simone is premiering here at noon on Sunday, and the man behind the camera is none other than David Lynch.
Which means it’s guaranteed to make you smarter.
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.
We ran across this short collared oxford in Gant’s 60 year Anniversary catalog, and we couldn’t help indulging a little nostalgia. Dubbed the “Rugger,” it debuted in the early 70s and finding its way back into stores (specifically Barneys flagships and New York’s Gant outpost) on the heels of the brand’s 60th Anniversary.
But for a shirt that’s pushing 40, it’s handling the years pretty gracefully. It’s a combination of the oxford and the rugby shirt, both longtime staples of the Gant catalog, but the last few years of Americana-fiddling make it look strangely adventurous. That white placket, for instance, wouldn’t look too out of place at a Gilded Age show. Fortunately for the price point, Gant got there first.
The Heiress: Lydia Hearst pops up at Dior J’Adore’s 10th Anniversary bash. [Refinery29]
The Real McCoy: A peek into the mind of a $38 million dollar gigolo-grifter. He must be one hell of a listener. [DETAILS]
Maybe It’s Us: E. Tautz debuts the only apparel promo that’s ever given us nightmares. [The Choosy Beggar]
What a Nice Blog!: Tom Chiarella perfects the art of the compliment. [Esquire]
These EarPollution Timbres have been out for a few months, but they’re just now rising to the top of our audiophile pile, for a couple of reasons. For one, those wooden nubs aren’t just for show: They act as anchors for the mini-speakers, providing acoustic backing that allows for a thicker mid-range, bass that’s present without being overpowering and…well, better sound.
But more importantly, they’re equipped for the new generation of player/phones. If you’ve got the Timbres plugged into your iPhone and your boss happens to call in the middle of a drum solo, you can carry on talking thanks to a microphone planted on the cord at chin level.
Which leads us to the most recent addition to the gentlemanly code: As with all Bluetooth headsets, if you aren’t using it right this minute, you should probably take it out of your ears. Consider yourself warned.
Scott Sternberg has always been good for a quote or two. Case in point: Last time the Band of Outsiders honcho checked in for a serious interview, he ended up dropping gems like, “Style fills the gap between how you see yourself and how you want other people to see you.” (Seriously, marinate on it.) So we’re always happy to listen in…
Most recently, he popped up as part of the Sundance Channel’s Full Frontal Fashion video series, comparing himself to more established icons like Ralph Lauren, J. Press, and Brooks Brothers: “We’re all drawing from the same well. But the filter through which we put it out there, and our personal quirks make it all quite different.” In Sternberg’s case, the preppy lineage comes by way of Jean-Pierre Léaud (he confesses a mild obsession in a separate clip), but Léaud’s not that far off from rugby players and businessmen—or at least not in Sternberg’s eyes.
But for variety’s sake, we’re hoping he doesn’t take up polo.
It’s Hard to Say: A Sam Haskins retrospective unearths an anonymous temptress. We’re going with Claudia Cardinale…but we’re open to suggestions. [The Moment]
I’ve Linked to the Future: Gizmodo gets the tech exclusive of the year with pics of Microsoft’s new booklet, dubbed “Courier.” [Gizmodo]
There Were Ghosts in the Eyes of all the Recording Engineers You Sent Away: A peek into the recording of Born to Run. [Slate]
Eccentricities Revealed: Mickey Rourke may have been gunning for the lead in a Qaddafi biopic all along. [Boing Boing]
It’s a rare magazine piece that seems to be working with too much material, but when you’re dealing with the man behind Ed Hardy, we suppose a little excess is to be expected.
This month’s GQ profile drops what might be the definitive profile on Christian Audigier, the man who gave us the trucker hat, Ed Hardy’s neon panther hoodies and the ugliest wine bottles on earth. Our favorite part: the Quarterly’s Devin Friedman (known to Audigier as “Darren”) reveals that the maestro of Fraunch has employed a film crew to follow him around more or less continuously for the past five years of his life. And yes, that includes a makeup guy.
It makes sense, given that Audigier arguably saw reality TV culture coming earlier than just about anyone else. And once you’ve made an industry out of huffing the exhaust of celebrity culture, there’s no point scoffing at a little self tanner…
Also, he may or may not be co-starring in an action-comedy with 50 Cent.
With the threat of winter already looming, it may be time to examine your footwear options. Galoshes are fine enough and by now you’re probably familiar with a few indestructible worker boots, but you may need something else to round out your options. Something a bit…puffier.
These Moncler slippers are a direct translation of their famous bubble coats into the world of footwear. That means they’re a little better suited for indoor lounging than outdoor trekking, but provided you don’t have more to do than fetch the paper, they should hold up just about perfectly.
And if you need to do a little trekking—you can always break out the boots.
The fashion world has provided fodder for dozens of movies, but this week’s model is definitely the most portable…
It’s called Rage, it features both Lily Cole and Jude Law (the latter in drag), and at the moment, the only place you’ll see it is on a mobile phone. The film takes the form of a series of faux-interviews—with a murder thrown in to keep the plot moving—so it should play pretty well on the small screen…but how many folks are willing to watch it there remains to be seen. Babelgum has been posting sections of the film serially through their mobile app, and you’ll be able to see the whole thing there by the time Monday rolls around. Of course, with a single camera setup and limited sets, it’s not quite as monumental as what you’ll find in theaters…but as the film equivalent of fast fashion, it does just fine.
This Might Count as “Fueling Speculation”: There will come a day when Sapphic titillation no longer generates automatic press coverage. But it is not this day. [Marie Claire]
Paul Lives: 45 years later, Google Trends confirms it: the Beatles are bigger than Jesus. [TG Daily]
It’s Ok With Us: Elliott Gould drops a little knowledge from a hipper plane. [Esquire]
Fare Thee Well: Glenn O’Brien eulogizes a departed man of style. [Style Guy]
On the heels of Mr. Varvatos, the Swedish Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair has finally opened up an online shop. The prices, while not bad for a boutique brand, are also all in Kronor, so you’ll want to keep Google handy. (It’s 15 cents to the kronor, if you’re the calculator type.) There’s all the avant-Scandanavian gear you’d expect—drop crotch trousers, check; contrast patch dress shirts, check—but on the off-chance you aren’t signed on for the Swedish look just yet, there are still a few items ripe for broader appeal—these wool scarves for one. If Sweden can be counted on for one thing, it’s a good muffler.
A Swiss army knife does not really need a holster.
But shell cordovan is a terrible thing to waste, so the leftovers from Alden’s factory floor have become these handsome (if unnecessary) trinkets, sold with a Swiss Army pocket knife tucked inside. Luckily, it’s always nice to have a bit of leather in your pocket as a lucky charm, especially when it’s as perfectly tanned as this.
And if you happen to run across a few Phillips head screws…
Walk Hard: Thank heaven for lingerie shows. [WBE]
Fighting Words: A branding guru takes on the fashion industry. Clearly, he’s never met Tom Ford. [PSFK]
It Was Worth a Shot: What if Google implanted an elaborate code into their site and nobody noticed or cared? [The Google Blog]
Name That Model: Identify a call sheet of models and win a classic of 19th Century literature. No, we’re not kidding. [Fashion Copious]
Valet has managed to somehow cram the pandemonium of fashion week into reasonable graphical form once again. Their well-appointed, color-coded, and designer-tagged representation of last week’s runway shows just went up here. Enjoy.
It’s been centuries in internet terms, but it wasn’t that long ago that soccer moms and proto-lifehackers were buzzing about something called the Mozart Effect, which claimed extended exposure to Austrian string quartets could improve everything from spatial reasoning to IQ and SAT scores. A lot of people listened to a lot of good music, but somehow the new generation of chamber music geniuses never quite materialized…
Well, get ready for another go-round. Researchers at UC Santa Barbara and the University of British Columbia (via BehanceMag.net) have found that working your way through Kafka’s “The Country Doctor” or David Lynch’s Blue Velvet can spur creativity, just like good old Wolfgang. Apparently the absurdism shocks the brain into out-of-the-box thinking by presenting what the researchers call “meaning threat.” Which, come to think of it, is a pretty Lynchian turn of phrase…
What does it all mean? It means the next time you’re getting ready for a brainstorming session, you may want to consider a Twin Peaks marathon. The jittery, loosely paranoid feeling means it’s working. Just don’t watch it on a telephone.
Last week’s Frankfurst auto show dug up some pretty awesome concept models—including a few standouts from VW and our French chariot of choice, Citroën—but our favorite was this electric one-seater (hat tip to NotCot) whipped up by E-Wolf and the Technical University of Dresden.
Dubbed the E1, it’s a pretty strange bird, but the specs may be the strangest part of all. It’s made from lightweight carbon fiber instead of metal, so the entire package weighs in at 991 pounds—and 600 of those are from the Li-Tec battery used to power it all. It does 0-60 mph in less than 5 seconds, with the same evenly torqued acceleration that’s currently turning heads at Tesla. Best of all, it’s actually going into production, albeit in “very low numbers,” and with a $220,000 price tag. Suddenly, that segway’s looking pretty stingy.
Frivolous Kitchen Shot of the Year: We boldly defy the internet’s Megan Fox boycott. [Just Jared]
Building Bridges: Finally, this silly war between Adidas and Puma comes to a close. Hopefully someone gets a Nobel Peace Prize out of this. [Neatorama]
Dropping Math: A gentleman scientist’s guide to stocking the bar. [Lifehacker]
Just Watch It: Nike enlists David Fincher for one of the most amazing 90 seconds of video we’ve ever seen. Can we nominate Guillermo del Toro for the next UnderArmor spot? [Thompson on Hollywood]
The world of Flickr photography is massive, but it doesn’t take much browsing before one wishes for something a little more tangible. But that’s nothing the internet can’t solve…
The UK-based Biscuit Tin lets you interact with online snaps the way you would with developed stills: you can spread them on the floor, check inscriptions on the back, and generally get the kind of object-pleasure that’s so hard to come by in the virtual sphere. And since you’re drawing from your entire flickr feed, you’ll have a very big tin to sort through.
Hello, There: Fashion Copious checks out the portfolio of Ms. Silwia Jankowska, and we’re beginning to think every model in the city has a “slinking on the floor” shot… [Fashion Copious]
Oh Man: A familiar face takes stock of the “manly advice section of the bookstore. The verdict? You’d better learn to tape drywall. [Slate]
Roll Out: Esquire takes stock of the latest runway trends, as applied to what you already own. Get ready to roll those pant cuffs. [Esquire]
Music for SmartPhones: Brian Eno fulfills his destiny with a generative iPhone version of Music for Airports. Maybe he was too cool for Android? [Gizmodo]
Good news for Varvatos fans who can’t make it down to CBGBs: The rock star designer just launched a newly redesigned site and, more importantly, an eCommerce shop, offering gear pulled direct from his runway shows. The soundtrack? “Sharp Dressed Man,” naturally.
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.
via Reuters
It’s official: The world has a new tallest man. Turkey’s Sultan Kosen, who measures a full eight feet and one inch, is seen here with the starting lineup of the Denver Nuggets.
Inboxes are pretty cluttered these days, and there are more than a few startups clamoring to clean them up. The latest is one called Gist, which aims to integrate email and social sites like Facebook and LinkedIn to give you a beefed-up version of your Outlook Contacts. But as often happens with Big Picture tech ideas, there’s a side effect that’s rapidly becoming the main story: You get to rank your friends.
Instead of arranging emails by time like every other PopMail app, Gist uses the power of social media to rank your contacts from most important (boss, date, tailor) to the somewhat less important (chain-mail loving aunt, tech-savvy president). The good news: you’ll get a head start on the next meeting request. The bad news: If it catches on, getting a foothold in a new contact’s inbox will get a whole lot harder.
Maybe you could send them a telegram?
Look Back in Amber: DETAILS makes the most of its time with Amber Heard. [DETAILS]
Great Scott: The Sartorialist gives GQ UK some style advice. One highlight: He recommends owning only one pair of jeans. [GQ UK]
Almost Blue: Complex counts down the ten best jeans under $100. Street or no, it’s hard to deny APC. [Complex]
The List: Counting down 50 things being killed by the internet. “Your spare time” didn’t make the list. [Telegraph]
Now that we’re all carrying clocks in our pockets, the future of the watch is uncertain. Vintage models are still unimpeachably cool, but anything designed closer to the present is playing to a pretty tough crowd.
If you’re Nooka, apparently the answer is to ditch the old “knowing what time it is” paradigm entirely. There’s a number, there’s a gauge, and for some reason, there are even dots, but anyone glancing at their wrist on the way to a breakfast date is going to be in for some confusion. Hopefully they’ve got a cell phone handy…
Fabric scraps are having quite a year. First, they gave Looptworks a business model, and now they’re giving New Balance a few hundred shoes to play with.
This week, New Balance is launching the 574 Clips collection, a set of 480 shoes stitched together from pig-suede scraps in the semi-iconic 574 silhouette. And since they’re hyping their American manufacturing cred—as well they should, given the sneaker landscape—each pair will have “USA” stitched onto the tongue, courtesy of Lawrence, MA. (O amber waves of suede?)
Of course, just throwing up a few billboards wouldn’t be scrappy enough, so they’re getting a little creative»
Wildin’ Out: GQ spends some quality time with Olivia Wilde. [GQ]
Raiding the ‘Stache: You cannot stop the mustache. You can only hope to contain it. [Blackbook]
Mr. Lauren in Repose: Ralph Lauren is apparently a Batman fan. [VanityFair.com]
Ghost Ships: Malaysia is suddenly swamped with disused tanker fleets. Real talk. [Daily Mail]
European shoes usually vary between boxy British brogues and the slimmer Italian dress shoes favored by Mr. Ford. But it looks like Spain has a few tricks of their own…
Magnanni may be operating under an Italian name, but they’ve been using Spanish designs and cobbling knowhow for upwards of 50 years, including a trick called the Bologna Construction that uses a glovelike layer of leather in place of an insole—a pretty good idea, as far as we’re concerned. If you’re curious to see it yourself, they’ll be taking designs for custom models at Bergdorf Goodman on October 2nd and 3rd.
It was a long time coming, but we were sad to hear we’re now living in a world without Swayze. In his wake, we’ve got a couple of kickass action movies—in particular, Road House and Point Break—and two of the best chick flicks of all time—that would be Ghost and, more importantly, Dirty Dancing. Along the way, he added a bit of zen introspection to a decade that was sorely in need of it. Well done, sir.
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.
Very Accurate: From the latest editorial in VMAN, shot by Sebastian Faena and fittingly titled “Ana Claudia Naked.” [VMan]
Political Theater: Is Kanye a freelance mic-grabber, or mic-grabbing at the behest of MTV management. We’ll let him finish. [Defamer]
To the Moon, Alice: A gentleman’s guide to photographing the curvature of the earth. [Gizmodo]
Light Up: Watch Yohji Yamamoto smoke a cigarette. Yes, that’s all. [The Cut]
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.
The dandy is a dying breed, and there’s one less today than there was a week ago. This morning’s New York Times brings word that Mr. Richard Merkin—an artist and a bon vivant, has passed away.
Of course, we have great respect for anyone who can pull off the bifecta of the bowler and boutonniere, but there’s plenty behind the outfits too. Merkin pulled off the rare, enviable trick of making a career out of a personal fixation—in his case, the more dapper corners of 20s and 30s style. It’s a subculture that’s still alive and well, and anyone with a trad streak would do well to leaf through Mr. Merkin’s catalog.
Top of the World: Claire Danes is the cover girl for BlackBook’s monstrous September issue. [SwipeLife]
Radio, Radio: Last.fm comes to HD radio, aimed at the lucrative market of people who have HD radios but not computers. [Epicenter]
Robot Apologists: Gizmodo lists eight of their favorite robots dedicated to menial jobs. This will earn them no favors when the revolution comes. [Gizmodo]
We’re Going to Go Listen to the Phonograph: Apparently there’s something called the VMAs happening this Sunday? On some kind of musical television? [Vulture]
We’ve gotten lucky with the latest batch of smart phones, but don’t be fooled: Good-looking tech is in extremely short supply. And while external hard drives are finding their way onto more and more desks, this is the only one we’ve seen that won’t throw off your modernist feng shui.
LaCie has named it the Little Disk, but the design comes courtesy of British industrial designer Sam Hecht, moonlighting from his day job at Muji—which might explain the Japanese simplicity at work. Somewhere, Steve Jobs is drooling.
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…
Cornish Love: The heroine of the new Keats biopic offers some inspiring pics. [Esquire]
In Essence: Lux flannel, a fine gauge turtleneck and highbrow cargo pants all make surprise appearances on Men.Style’s ten essentials.[Men.Style]
Oh, Polo: Polo Rugby takes the customizable polo to the iPhone. Surely, a T-Pain special edition cannot be far behind. [Reuters]
It’s Just…So Beautiful: The L.A. Times talks their way into Brooks Brother’s Long Island City tie factory. Commence drooling. [All the Rage]
David Shrigley has amassed a fairly sizable following thanks to his net-friendly pics—a few good examples are here, here and here—so it’s hardly surprising he’d get picked up for a graphic tee or two. The surprise is the company he’s signed on for it: one Pringle of Scotland, the knitwear mark of choice for most Anglophiles. Shrigley’s even cooking up a print ad for Pringle, which might be turn out to be the most mainstream exposure he’s ever gotten—aside from the odd indie folk video.
Of course, since Shrigley’s niche lands somewhere between street art, web-comics and art brut, we’re guessing he didn’t mind adding t-shirts and billboards to the list.
Rogues Gallery just put this season’s fall/winter gear for sale online and, as you may have guessed from the lookbooks, it’s pretty good stuff.
Their take on the button-down already has us preparing for a nautical life, but our favorite item might be this unstructured cotton jacket. Unlike a fair number of its counterparts, it looks rugged enough to spend a few hours in a cabin-bound suitcase and emerge in wearable condition. Of course, those rough seams are getting to be an RG trademark, but this might be the best use of them we’ve seen so far.
Good Press: Page Six has an extremely persuasive photo editor. [Cover Awards]
The Anti-Trend: Trads make the trend page, despite not being a trend. Does this mean we can start wearing ascots again? [New York Observer]
Medieval Tech: South African internet is slower than a carrier pigeon. We think Mr. DeVaughn said it best… [Reuters]
You Can Never Have Too Many Ties: Seriously. You can’t. [Selectism]
For some reason, we never get tired of the mod look.
This particular snap comes from Horst A. Friedrichs’ new book, I’m One: 21st Century Mods, which means that while this gentleman may not be on the cutting edge of the cropped look, he’s got plenty of company—both in the book and on the streets of London.
Fabric scraps are responsible for a lot of things—most notoriously, American Apparel’s recent enthusiasm for the scrunchy—but a wearable jacket is a somewhat taller order.
That hasn’t stopped Looptworks (hat tip to Josh Spear) from trying, though. The jacket on the left is stitched together entirely from discarded fabric, and it might be the height of the discarded fabric-style so far. We’re not ready to jump on board just yet—we’re concerned about durability, for one—but if they can save a few thousand yards of cloth from the scrap heap, it might be worthwhile. Anything would be better than scrunchies…
Another Day: AnOther Magazine celebrates a decade of style with attractive pictures of attractive women. Seems like as good a way as any. [Fashion Copious]
Meet the Beatles: Chuck Klosterman reviews the Beatles’ box set, possibly maxes out on the number of times you can say “unheralded” ironically in a single piece. [A. V. Club]
Dubaiers Beware: Another Dubai horror story, this time from a British architect. [Building]
Going Rogue, Again: Anyone ready to pick up gear on the internet should head to Rogues Gallery for up to 60% off Fall/Winter gear. [The Choosy Beggar]
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.
Anyone wondering what Takashi Murakami would be up to next should start booking a flight. In Paris on the 15th, he’ll be exhibiting his first show of new work since a slew of retrospectives last year. There won’t be any Louis Vuitton, but Kanye should be well represented: out of 17 works, three will be statues of Kanye’s notorious bear figure. Well played, Mr. West.
Little-brother brands usually specialize in cheaper, simpler versions of the flagship brand’s gear. But Rogues Gallery’s kid brother Never Sleep is starting to have a few adventures of its own.
This baseball jacket from Never Sleep is the kind of item we like best: an Americana-soaked classic given a new cut and a new color scheme to pull it into modern times. In this case, that means a high school staple that can suddenly stand alongside the more adventurous shackets in your closet. Granted, the logo over the back is a little younger and more punk than we’re used to from RG…but what else are little brothers for?
Home Again, Home Again: Terry Richardson takes Sean Lennon into seriously Freudian territory. [Refinery29]
Grilled: Google starts tracking the value of luxury goods like jewels, precious metals, and unusually good coffee. [GoogleBlog]
Under the Mattress: You asked for a wallet made from a mattress…and the internet delivered. [JoshSpear]
Out of Your League: Talking to attractive women may render you temporarily less intelligent. In other news, talking to unintelligent women may render you temporarily more well-read. [Neatorama]
This in-room installation piece just debuted at The White Hotel in Brussels, making for one of the more hallucinatory hotel stays in Europe. There’s a microphone just off-camera, and any sound it picks up gets translated into colored bubbles, which projected onto the wall above the bed. The result is a cascade of Technicolor circles, which bounce over the headboard, the night table and (eventually) the ground. It looks pretty good…but for the sake of our sleep cycle, we hope there’s an off-switch.
No sooner did we gush about Seavees’ Gitman-inspired madras model than this flannel Chuck came down the transom from Woolrich. It’s not quite as drool-worthy as Gitman’s sneak, and both the flannel and the hijacked-Converse model land it pretty squarely in the grunge revival camp, but it’s a trend we’re happy to see continuing. Now if only the folks at Clae would come into some remaindered suits…
Subscription Card: Claudia Schiffer appears in Tank Magazine, at least doubling their subscription list. [Fashion Copious]
Be Kind: Bootleg pot farms are on the rise. As always, WSJ makes the case for entrepreneurship… [Wall Street Journal]
Mirrors in Space: It’s happening. [TG Daily]
Sniveling 101: Mad Men’s Pete Campbell is significantly more pleasant, less scheming off camera. [Vanity Fair]
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 Wall Street Journal has been taking on the Times pretty directly lately, and it looks like the style beat is no exception. We’re sure they were both racing for the “Steve McQueen is still cool” story, but credit the WSJ for pulling it in first.
The problem, as you might have guessed, is that he never really went away. Baracuta might be having a revival, but McQueen himself has never really fallen out of style. To the extent that he had a surge, we’re already on the tail end of it. That is, around the time when the big houses stomp in and large scale trend pieces start to water things down. None of it’s wrong exactly, but it’s also hard to pinpoint anything that wouldn’t have been true five years ago…or fifteen for that matter.
Bonus Round: Vanity Fair shares the leftovers of their session with Shakira. [Vanity Fair]
Working Class Heroes: The Times anoints The Beatles: Rock Band as the Most Important Game of Our Time. In other words, bigger than Jesus. [NYTimes]
Upgrades, Upgrades: Apple’s easy upgrading may be working against them. [Kottke]
Rocket Man: Our old friend Qaddafi just built himself a new whip, adhering to his usual standards of tastefulness. [Jalopnik]
Hypebeast just brought word on the latest batch of Seavees and we couldn’t help but ogle their Gitman Brothers collab. You don’t see madras and suede rubbing shoulders very often, but Seavees’ SoCal low-top works surprisingly well with Indian cotton on the toe. How long until we can get one in Glen Plaid?
We’re always on the lookout for late summer grooves, and My Morning Jacket’s Jim James just turned us onto one of the best ones we’ve heard in quite some time. In BlackBook’s summer roadtrip roundup, he recommends scoring a southern drive with a single song played over and over: William DeVaughn’s “Be Thankful For What You’ve Got.” And after keeping it on repeat for a solid 20 minutes, we’d have to agree.
The only problem? They forgot to provide a playable version. Luckily, we’re happy to oblige. Sunroof not included»
The Sartorialist has spent the past few days recounting a few of his favorite photographers, and it’s surprisingly far from the usual glossy editorial crowd.
Today, Mr. Schumann singled out the Weimar-era lensman August Sander, and while you won’t find his books in any fashion shops just yet, he makes a lot of sense as a proto-Sartorialist. For one, the poses are just about dead on.
Of course, instead of Italian businessmen and West Village doyennes, Sander’s lens seeks out carnival folk and country brass bands. But as luck would have it, they’ve got a pretty decent style of their own.
Vintage Gear: A new set of Brigitte Bardot pics shows her softer side. We’ll always have Contempt… [Art Knowledge News]
On the Rocks: Barneys may be in line for another bankruptcy, just fifteen years after the last one. [Bloomberg]
Furries: A guide to men in fur coats. We’ll help summarize: just don’t. [Magnificent Bastard]
It’s Close to Midnight: If you want to see 13,000 people doing the Thriller dance in a public place, click here. That is all. [Neatorama]
With the Weinstein kingdom resting on the success of Inglourious Basterds, it’s no surprise to see Quentin Tarantino hitting the press circuit as if his scalp depended on it. Knowing Harvey, it just might. But what’s bad news for the director’s sleep schedule is good news for connoisseurs of amusingly pompous movie rants.
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.
Academy Fight Song: W Mag finds Lara Stone a headmistress gig. [Fashion Copious]
Don’t Get Shirty: Esquire drops a few work-appropriate shirts, including the increasingly beloved rounded club collar. Just don’t call it “Peter Pan.” [Esquire]
It’s Always Design Week Somewhere: Copenhagen Design Week sees the world’s first human car wash. [The Moment]
Just a Minute: A new site lets you spend a minute in almost any city in the world. [PSFK]
The goal of collaborations is usually to point up the brands strength’s with a few new ideas, but it looks like Raf Simons was feeling a little restless when he took on the Doc Marten. And it’s fair to say the work boot never knew what hit it.
The resulting high-top ditches construction-worker grit for playfully useless gold sheen, swaps punk for glam, and generally embraces excess for excess’s sake. The general population should feel free to give these as wide a berth as possible, but if you’re part of Kanye’s entourage…your new shoes are in.
Via NotCotSo much for street art. Andrew van der Merwe has taken up a beach-based variant, inspired by writing styles from the North African Taureg culture and the West African Akan peoples. This particular calligraphy mandala can be found at Glencairn Beach in Cape Town, South Africa. He claims it doesn’t mean anything…but we think he just isn’t saying.
Dolled Up: Natalie Portman is actually just hanging out with Jake Gyllenhaal in a magazine. [Fashion Copious]
When He Says Jump…: A talk with the best stunt choreographer in the business. [Movieline]
The Ties that Bind: Mark McNairy and ACL continue to impress. [A Continuous Lean]
The End is Nigh: Your depressing media dispatch of the day. [Gawker]
iPhone art is still a pretty new game, but so far the big innovators are coming from Madison Avenue, not Silicon Valley.
This GeoArt app was cooked up for MoMa by a tec
via 
