Wardrobe Essentials: The Garment Bag

Its snowing, it's raining, its windy, and sometimes it happens to be sunny. This is the reality of spring weather, being as moody as a pregnant woman until the coast is clear and summer makes her appearance. Figuring out what to wear to be prepared for this uncertainty is one thing, but protecting your clothes is another thing entirely.

Whether its commute to the gym before work in the morning or a full blown business trip, its essential to guard those nice clothes from the outside world, and that job is reserved for the garment bag. Not just any garment bag will do, a heavy duty twill will serve best to remain flexible and protective at the same time with the added convenience to launder it yourself if it gets too dirty.  If that isn't quite suitable for the rigor of your lifestyle, than a leather or nylon option will be available but without the convenience to clean off any built up stink. Seeing that this isn't a piece of your wardrobe, there is no need to get anything too flashy, a simple neutral piece will do just fine!

Louis Vuitton: $4550

Tumi: $395

Filson: $275

Check in tomorrow for a fashion piece that deserves your consideration and next Wednesday for another essential style piece!

Tech Tuesday: Ajust Online Shopping

Online shopping has opened up the world of fashion to everyone from the bustling city folks to the wayward countrymen, but the bane of this whole process are the uncertainties of the fit. Footwear is no exception to these concerns, but with the help of some ingenuity and technology that most people already have at their disposal. Thanks to Selma Durand and the first ever Ajust Shoe Template, you can now "try on" shoes at home with just a printer and some scissors. Each template features a foot bed outline for the desired size and then has a instep strip to give the potential buyer an idea of how each shoe will fit. Unfortunately for now, this new process is only a concept, but hopefully fashion houses will catch on to this genius and apply it to their footwear lines!

Check in tomorrow for a style piece that needs to be in your closet and next Tuesday for more exciting tech!

Monday Outlook: Solid Seersucker

There is a big event coming up this weekend that holds major ramifications in sport and in fashion. The Running of the Roses at the Churchill Downs in Kentucky, better known as the Kentucky Derby, which has been a notable venue for all the whose who to show off some serious summer style. Seersucker has been the go-to fabric for the Derby for as long as it has been run, but now its time for a new variation.

Seersucker is most noted for its texture and striped nature that helps to give the fabric depth and much needed pattern where the summer palette is usually lacking. This summer keeps the seersucker coming, but with a new twist, solid seersucker to create a lightweight cotton option for the warm weather months. All the texture will remain as with regular seersucker while substituting a tonal stripe look for the traditional graphic stripe.

Luckily for all the menswear enthusiasts, this fabric will be made in everything from a full suit down to ties, and all of them are suitable to adopt this great trend. My favorite solid seersucker is the navy on navy which remains classic with a youthful edge that you don't really get with the classic look. If you're already set up with a suit, then a shirt, or tie, or trousers will complement the existing wardrobe staple without putting such as dent in the budget. Be sure to get yours before Saturday so you can be the star of whichever Kentucky Derby event you end up attending!

Check in tomorrow for some exciting new tech and next Monday for further fashion trend insights for the coming months!

Celebrity Saturday: Eric Clapton

If you don't have a clue about music or about who this next guy is, you might very well think that this picture is just a black and white filter on some new band's guitarist. Not so, this is Eric Clapton in 1978, one of the greatest guitarists of all time and as you can see, a timeless style icon. Just like his music, his garb had a certain rugged verve and edginess that was synonymous with the time period, but most other musicians' style seem dated compared to the master. The best part of all this swagger from Clapton is it's second-hand nature; despite all of his talents, he remained a very humble man and was never one to preen, he just walked, talked, strummed, and styled to the beat of his own drum. Sure seemed to work out in his favor!

Check in tomorrow for a recap of the week's topics and next Saturday for another stylish celebrity influence!

Friday Faux Pas: Buttons Left Behind

Today in Florida, it seemed like the sun was only a few feet away from instantly frying your skin, and the humidity didn't help the cause. Many times the thought came up to undo a few buttons and air it out, but there is a threshold that all men should be privy to with those buttons.

Trying to hard.

Fall and winter brought us the advent of the air tie, or buttoning a shirt up all the way as if to wear a tie. That look will be sticking around for awhile and not to knock the style, but in the warmer climates, it's just not something that can be turned to everyday. Leaving a few buttons undone is more than OK, it is encouraged, but the one too many puts you in a  time machine back to the 70's; even though that's the current trend, there's a reason that look was left in the past. Leaving open the top button is a good look for business casual, two buttons is the sweet spot for most men as it lends to a looser vibe, and three buttons is only reserved for the taller men who need to accommodate their proportions. Anything more than three is either excessive laziness or rampant hubris in your physique, and neither are a good trait to claim.

Effortless.

Check in tomorrow for a stylish celebrity influence and next Friday for another edition of my fashion faux pas!

Threads for Thought: Long Hair, Don't Care

For a few years now, the focus for men's grooming has been on the facial hair and growing out that face fuzz to Duck Dynasty proportions. Meanwhile, the top of the head has become more streamlined with short dues that helped to complement the beard, but hey, if E-Trade is predicting the end of beards, then we should be prepared.

In a similar fashion that the facial hair was grown out, so should you let the top of your head cultivate a flowy mane. Letting it all go and getting some length  on your hair certainly isn't a quick procedure, its a war of attrition against your own impatience, but the wait is well worth it. Short hair is convenient, but longer locks allow for more options when it comes to styling; slicking down the sides can give you the same results as a short cut while leaving them natural will give you a completely different look. The battle is long and seemingly undying, so make good friends with a hair stylist to help you develop a long due that will work with your hair style and then get some sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to keep those follicles healthy for growth as long as possible between visits to the salon. Sooner than later, the long hair will come!

Check in tomorrow for this week's edition of Friday Faux Pas and next Thursday for another style tip that deserves your consideration!

Wardrobe Essential: The Wide Belt

For the style newbie, a belt is a belt is a belt, and they aren't completely wrong even if there are countless options when it comes to keeping your pants properly on your waist. Some belts are fabric while others are leather or some shiny and polished while others are given a vintage treatment.

One this to consider is the width of the belt, where the skinnier options tend to be dressier and more streamlined, perfect for a suit or other formal ensemble. Today we'll be focusing on the belt that's on the thicker side, that can take the wear and tear of everyday use, that can be worn day in and day out without a second thought. That's where the wide belt is the most useful, acting as a rugged mainstay that will go perfectly with each and every casual outfit that it may encounter.

The great part about a wider belt is all the real estate for detail to be included into the piece, whether its that little bit of extras gator skin or adding a unique whip stitch accent to the edge. Whatever your flavor, this variety pairs nicely with any pair of jeans, complementing the durability of the denim while adding a distinguishable border between your top and bottom. The same belt and shoe matching rules apply to this type of belt, so which ever color shoe you most often wear casually should be the color of belt you're looking for on your hunt.

John Varvatos: $245

All Saints: $90

Ralph Lauren: $65

Check in tomorrow for a fashion piece that deserves your consideration and next Wednesday for another essential style piece for your wardrobe!

Tech Tuesday: Sideclick

The problem with all of this technology, especially in the home entertainment realm, are all the remotes that come with each unit. One for the TV, the DVR, the DVD player, the game console, its all just a bunch of clutter after a certain point, and for those with a streaming box like Roku of Apple TV, that extra clutter is really just a liability to get lost between the couch cushions. But aside from that little problem, these remotes are all lacking basic TV controls like volume, channel, and power. Sideclick is a simple clip on attachment that pairs with the remotes for Apple TV, Roku, and both Amazon Fire TV styles to easily integrate those much needed controls to the existing interface, and all for just $30. How many times are you going to have to get up to change the volume before you realize that type of value is just what you need?

Check in tomorrow for a style piece that needs to be in your closet and next Tuesday for more exciting tech!

Monday Outlook: Separates

The suit is the epitome of men's styling, and if it's tailored correctly, will be the best a man will ever look in clothing. But like all things good, moderation is key, and wearing a suit too often will make it much less special than it should be; and this is where suit separates come to play.

Separates allow for some differentiation between the jacket and pants, with countless classic combinations and plenty of new pairings to discover this season. Color mixing is the first type of separates fun that comes to mind, but pattern, texture, and fabric mixing are also a major part of the combination equation.

Seeing that its beginning to warm up, the fabric choices should only go as heavy as a tropical wool, with everything lighter being prime for spring and summer. Fabric mixing is as easy as not wearing the same fabric up top that you're wearing on the bottom, meaning that all the fun comes with the patterns and colors. Plaids and florals are king this spring while stripes dominate summer, and all are conveniently pairable with solid pieces. Use the pattern on the pants to stay in tune with the loud-mouth bottoms trend and pair any solid sport coat that you already own for a stylish get-up!

Check in tomorrow for some exciting new tech and next Monday for further fashion trend insight for the coming months!

Threads for Thought: Take Care of Those Feet

Guys, we all know what time of year it is. When the sun comes out, so do the bikinis and shorts, and with that territory comes the bearing of the feet after a long winter hibernation. It is about time to give the boots the boots a rest, but before you do, stop by the local nail salon.

Most men's feet are an after thought when it comes to overall style and health; "only my girlfriend sees them" or "they're just my feet" being the common response to those two issues respectively. There's a universal saying out there, something about starting from the ground up? Guess where your body starts and you might start to question the importance of having healthy feet. The best way to maintain their health is none other than the pedicure, so do not shriek from the femininity of going to a salon when you know its good for you.

The lovely ladies at any place will soak your feet in a warm tub, properly (keyword) clip your nails, scrape of those pesky calluses, and at the end, give you a relaxing foot massage. There's something wrong with a guy that doesn't like any of those things, but if it makes it better, bringing a lady friend on your first visit will help you feel a little less emasculated and the more happy that your feet are taken care of for the beach and pool days to come. Just make sure to make a visit every month to maintain the healthy status of your little piggies.

If Kobe is getting one, so should you.

Check in tomorrow for this week's edition of Friday Faux Pas and next Thursday for another style tip that deserves your consideration!

Tech Tuesday: Brixton ReStitched

Most times, new technology tends to be more of an evolutionary change, changing an existing norm by doing it in a better and more efficient way. Take the new smart watch craze for example; by no means is the concept of a watch new, but combining it's everyday wearability with a phone's functionality helps to further digitize your lifestyle and stay connected. Taking an old concept and recreating it as something new is a very satisfying feeling. If you're the team at Brixton, this idea is taken to heart in the new ReStitched collection, which takes old clothing and turns them into some super stylish hats. The only downside to this will be the limited availability of styles due to the nature of their construction, but are otherwise great products at a great price. Make sure to buy when you see the one your like!

Check in tomorrow for a style piece that needs to be in your closet and next Tuesday for more exciting tech!

Monday Outlook: Matching Shirt & Tie

With all the shirt and tie options out there, with the alleviation of pattern combinations, and with the rules of neck wear pairing giving way to creativity and edge, men everywhere are experimenting and tackling some visually tantalizing chest duos. All this is very positive for the upward bound world of menswear, but this peacockery can only be outdone by blending in.

So what better to do to blend in than matching the shirt to the tie and vice versa, and not just in color or fabric, this is full fledged matching. This look takes it's heritage back to the Army dress uniform, that khaki-on-khaki look underneath a beautiful brown suit, pure neutral dominance that only the military style can bring. Now fast-forward to the 21st century and remember all the options that we have at our disposal, the combinations are no longer limited to solid colors or typical fabrics. We're talking the likes of silky Hawaiian floral matching all the way down to a solid navy cotton seersucker ensemble. The biggest obstacle in following such a simple trend is finding the matching pairs, which may mean having to look outside of a single label, its time to expand those horizons!

Check in tomorrow for some exciting new tech and next Monday for further fashion trend insight for the coming months!

Threads for Thought: Lightweight Scarves

It doesn't matter whether its hot or cold, neck wear is a part of everyday life in men's fashion. But we can all admit that the tie can become a little bland after awhile, no matter the pattern, and changing it tends to be more of a "lose the noose" than it is "what else"; let's change the dialogue.

Scarves are best known for keeping warm in the winter, made of thick wools and hefty knitted fabrics to keep the elements at bay. Now in the spring, when the bluster is much less intense, the scarves follow suit, lightening up while adding another layer of depth in this diverse spring palette. Wearing a jacket? Slip the scarf over your shoulders, in between the jacket and shirt for an eye pleasing pop of color. Just a shirt today? Pull the same move underneath the shirt, but this time tie it in the front for pseudo-cravat look that will elevate that shirt to new levels. Keep in mind that it is spring now and soon summer, the scarves you're looking for should be light in weight and light (read bright) in color to fully embrace the season!

Burberry: $295

Ralph Lauren: $125

Suit Supply: $65

Check in tomorrow for this week's edition of Friday Faux Pas and next Thursday for another fashion piece that deserves your consideration!

Wardrobe Essential: The Go-To Tee

Tee-shirts are commonplace in the current menswear landscape, everything from a logo emblazoned print to a vintage henley. Originally reserved as Sunday wear or for use under a dress shirt, tees have made an amazing amount of head way in style, but none has been more iconic and everlasting than the basic white tee.

A crispy clean t-shirt, despite their casual nature, can take an outfit from ordinary to extraordinary by grounding the whole ensemble back to the stark white surface. Cotton is the preferable fabric here, being that it is the easiest to clean, so the only long-term issue that arises is the integrity of the shirt after the first few washes. This can't be just the 5-pack of Hanes undershirts, although its definitely an eco-unfriendly option, which means that a more elevated tee is in order.

We're not saying that you have to go splurge $300 on a Kanye Tee or anything remotely similar, but rather spending anywhere between $30-$40 isn't out of the question. At that price point, the quality and construction of the t-shirt should be strong enough to hold its shape and wear for months and months as long as it manages to stay clean. Sale shopping is going to be your best friend in this instance and luckily white tees are always a high ownership style for fashion houses, so be on the lookout!

A.P.C.: $95

Ralph Lauren: $60

J. Crew: $45

Check in tomorrow for a fashion piece that deserves your consideration and next Wednesday for another essential style piece!

Tech Tuesday: Level by FluidStance

Anyone that sits at a desk all day will tell you just how awful it can be and any of their chiropractors will tell you that is downright awful for their backs. On the opposite end of the spectrum, being on your feet all day can lead to bad posture and sore feet, thanks to the tendency to rest in a specific position that is equally frowned upon by chiropractors. The team at FluidStance takes this issue to heart and has developed Level as a result, a new means of increasing productivity in the work place while promoting proper posture. There is a direct correlation between active employees and productivity, and using the pivot structure of the Level encourages a constant, subtle movement helping to stimulate brain function, and in theory, increase productivity. Going for as much as $400, this gadget may be something that you ask your employer to invest in for the office, but its worth the investigation!

Check in tomorrow for a style piece that needs to be in your closet and next Tuesday for some more exciting tech!

Week in Review

Here are the links from the past week if you didn't have a chance to see them earlier this week:

Monday: Suede
Tuesday: Huawei Watch

Wednesday: Ribbon Belts

Thursday: Colorful Frames

Friday: Grandpa Loafers

Saturday: Mark Ronson

Check in tomorrow for some upcoming fashion trend insight and all next week for more tips and advice on style!

Celebrity Saturday: Mark Ronson

The British always seem to have a leg up on us Americans; whenever we do something good in the fashion world, they find a way to do it even better. One of the brightest minds behind some of the greatest pop hits of the past decade or so also happens to be a Brit, and he goes by the name Mark Ronson. And for a guy that has some incredible music credentials, you'd think he'd have some serious style, and you'd be right. Artists heed his advice when it comes to music and something suggests that he has been giving them style advice as well. His street style pics could be confused with photos taken from Pitto Uomo or a MBFW and when he really puts in the effort, the pages of a London look book. Either way, take notes on how to nail just about every look of his!

Check in tomorrow for a recap of the week's topics and next Saturday for another stylish celebrity influence!

Friday Faux Pas: Grandpa Loafers

Today, having so many options with footwear gives the educated reveling in the diversity that is at their fingertips and the under served buying pieces that may seem stylish, but for one reason or another, fall incredibly short of that mark. No shoe style is so easily messed up as the loafer, with its simplicity either being its shining trait or epic downfall, but the greatest issue happens with the vamp.

These here, are the culprit.

The vamp, or the top portion of the shoe helps to dictate the motif of any particular shoe, and with the loafers, that's about the only piece to the stylistic puzzle. When the vamp is nice and high, it adds to the dressy nature of any loafer, making the normally casual footwear option become one of the most versatile pieces of a wardrobe. As the vamp shortens, exposing more of the foot, the more casual tones start exuding from the leather. Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but there is a threshold (relative to your own foot) that is crossed, where a casual loafer becomes the dreaded grandpa loafer. The name says it all, and if you jog any memories of a classy nursing home or similarly elevated bingo night, it's easy to recall exactly what they are; stingy vamp, classic penny or horse bit styling, and usually in one of the classic shades of leather. Do yourself a favor and save the humiliation for a style risk, not a mid-century misstep.

These here, are part of the solution.

Check in tomorrow for a stylish celebrity influence and next Friday for the next installment of my fashion faux pas!

Threads for Thought: Colorful Frames

The classics have always dominated in the eye wear department. The average Joe should at least have wayfarers and/or aviators at their disposal, but it's fun to get a little adventurous with in the spring. Last spring the trend was mirrored lenses, now we're taking it a step further with colored frames.

The beauty of this movement is that it doesn't pertain to a specific frame style, if anything it may limit the options with metal frames a little bit, but everything else is wide open. Obviously color plays a major role in this decision process, getting a color that is comfortable with you and your wardrobe is key or else their just going to look nice on a shelf somewhere. Once the color is all squared away, the frame shape is next and one of the coolest looks is circular frames, really throwing back to 70's style and staying on-trend with this spring's style. The only thing that is for sure is trying them on before you buy; luckily some eye wear purveyors send multiple pairs for you to try on before purchasing.

Persol: $210

Ray Ban: $100

Warby Parker: $95

Check in tomorrow for this week's edition of Friday Faux Pas and next Thursday for another fashion piece that deserves your consideration!

Wardrobe Essential: Ribbon Belts

After a long stint through a stormy and snowy winter, its about time to liven up the wardrobe in anticipation of a balmy, beautiful spring. When all the main stay pieces have been found, the suit, sport coat, shirts, etc., then it's time to get things figured out around the belt.

More specifically, the ribbon belt, the quintessential collegiate accessory that shows off some true colors while holding up those chinos of yours. Similar to the effect of using a tie as a belt, there will be plenty of attention focused on the top-bottom transition, so its essential that the colors complement or contrast those pieces in some way. Playing off of the cool tones of an outfit with a predominantly red or yellow belt or creating a buff between hot and cold with a black and white belt. The options are only limited to what designers have made, but luckily, any Americana fashion house will have plenty to choose from. Happy hunting!

Ralph Lauren: $85

Vineyard Vines: $50

Brooks Brothers: $34

Check in tomorrow for a fashion piece that deserves your consideration and next Wednesday for another installment of Wardrobe Essential!