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A blog dedicated to the interesting, scandalous, useful and cutting edge in the world of men’s style, fashion and grooming.
Vrrrrom!: Battlestar Galatica’s Grace Park drives us a little crazy. [Egotastic]
Short Suit: Don’t, okay? Just don’t. [TelegraphUK]
For the Boys: Hermès to open men’s only shop in our fair city. [DNR]
“What Makes Brad Pitt’s Shirt Style So Great?”: Maybe because he’s Brad Pitt? Just putting that out there. [Tailor in Style]
Bang for Your Buck: It’s a good time to be a cheap ass. [NYTimes]
Hat Head: Tips for capping your big, fat noggin. [Art of Manliness]
Like its cousin the workshirt, the smock doesn’t get the respect it deserves.
This one comes from the folks at Norsea, and between the well-seasoned fabric and the diagonal-striped panel in front, we’re ready to call it one of the best showroom pieces we’ve seen all year. Put this under a roughly worn suit, or maybe even a three-piece, and you will have pulled off the formal workwear look to perfection.
Naturally, there’s no collar required.
Quiksilver isn’t a brand that’s on a lot of people’s minds these days now that the surfer and skater crazes have gently passed us by, but they’re still up to some interesting things.
The Limited Collection—shorthand for the more experimental wing of the brand—just put out their Spring ’09 line, and there are more than a few pieces worth checking out. Most of it stays firmly in Spicoli territory, but that’s not such a bad thing these days, especially with winter beach season rolling around. On the creative front, they’ve got hoodie oxfords, cardigan shirts (which they endearingly refer to as “shirtigans”), and this electric blue number, which may be the most unapologetically sunny piece we’ve seen in showrooms in quite some time.
Although the bowtie has been getting more cred lately, it’s still a flashy move with an uncertain payoff in many circles. The best bowties are the ones that keep their heads down, usually through softer fabrics that make them almost scarflike, but we may have found another solution.
This shirt-and-tie outfit comes from our old friends at Commonwealth Utilities, and though it’s still months away from stores, we’re ready to call it as the second coming of the bowtie. It looks like a natural outgrowth of the shirt, and surprisingly enough, ends up looking more casual than a regular tie would. A loose knot, an ascot-esque drape, and a little fabric matching is all it takes, apparently.
We focus on big-name designers so much that it’s easy to forget how many different pieces go into making a clothing line. For instance, if you’ve ever bought a shirt from Thom Browne, it actually came from the shirtmakers at Gitman Brothers, an American List-approved firm out of Ashland, P.A..
They’ve gotten where they are through impeccable craftsmanship—extra touches like handmade plackets, tight stitching and hand turned, stitchless pockets—but they haven’t flexed their design muscles more than they needed to…until now.
They recently made a splash reintroducing old fabrics under the name Gitman Original Vintage. We haven’t seen the shirts yet—they’re debuting at the AW09 capsule shows—but judging by their reputation, we’re in for quite a collection.
Throwing Pies: Mary-Louise Parker is one of our favorite people…and apparently an accomplished drunken pastry chef. [Esquire]
Condolences are In Order: Ladies and Gentlemen, Gisele is off the market for real. And this Brady character sounds highly suspect. [People]
Individualism: ACL unearths yet another quality domestic shirt-maker. [A Continuous Lean]
Keeping an Eye Out: The Times catches on to our favorite opticians, thanks to a few well-selected collabs. Congrats, fellows. [The Moment]
eCommerce and Flash media have developed together to the point that it’s possible to customize just about anything—with the right site, naturally. But we’re a little unsure of whether taking on tailoring was a good idea.
Shirtsmyway.com is a customizable shirting site that lets you enter your measurements, select a style, and generally oversee your oxford from conception to completion. Then it’s stitched together in China and shipped to your doorstep, just the way you imagined. Of course, we would never speak ill of tailoring, but something about this setup just doesn’t seem right…
The buttoned dress shirt is such a staple that it’s easy to overlook. That is, until an enterprising designer reminds you that it’s not all easy-irons fronts and spread collars.
Our friends at UrbanDaddy just turned us on to Lee Harkness Shirt Co., a New York shirtier (and American List candidate) with a few changes in mind. The label brings together designers Oliver Harkness (a famed vintage dealer) and Jussara Lee (a upscale woman’s designer) to create a middle ground somewhere between bespoke and vintage. The result is a line full of well-shaped club collars, tuxedo-esque pullover shirts, and shackets (high fashion for “shirt/jacket”) that give Freeman’s a run for their money, all available in sizes and made-to-measure.
