Threads for Thought: Cut the Collar

The latest and greatest for this summer is the tab collar shirt. It goes by many names depending on the age of who is referring to it, but all that you need to know is that its the shirt without a collar on it; very Parisian and sleek and perfect for the warm weather.

There is only one problem in this equation, and that's being limited to the patterns and fabrics that designers decide to make them in. But luckily, there is a thrifty and fun way to turn the control in your favor with a pair of scissors and steady hands, just chop the collar off! Not only will it give the shirt a vintage look, but it will open up the tab collar movement to pieces that you choose; it'll be the only piece like it as well. The option to use a professional tailor is always there, but instead of spending $5-10 (depending on the tailor) for that alteration, just do it yourself and embrace the fray and distressed look that you will give your new tab collar.

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

Wardrobe Essential: Summer Chinos

Summer is reserved for the shorter variety of leg wear, but that's not always an allowable luxury. The office is certainly not a place for shorts and neither is your Friday night date, so a compromise needs to be made here.

So when the occasion calls for more than a 9 inch inseam, turn to the chinos that feature a breathable, lightweight fabric that will keep you comfy through every step of the day. Chinos are a preppy staple due to their relaxed nature while still looking put together, but lighter options will provide a sleeker and more refined look. Linen gets a little too much play during the warm months, so by having chinos, you can pair with a linen shirt or sport coat.

Literally every fashion house makes chinos, so this is your chance to be picky for once. For the traditionalist, there will be no shortage of tan or navy, but why not embrace the exciting printed fabric trend and get something with a little bit of character. Or even simply changing out the classics for a summer shade, mint is the color of choice (hint hint). At the end of the summer, these pants will help to ease the unwanted transition into fall, but it'll be one less thing to worry about.

Bonobos: $128

Ralph Lauren: $125

J. Crew: $75

Check in tomorrow for a fashion piece that deserves your consideration and next Wednesday for another style piece that needs to be in your closet!

Tech Tuesday: Suit Luggage

Ask any traveling man what his biggest concerns are when on the go, and 10 out of 10 times, packing their suits without creasing or wrinkling will be at the top of the list. YouTube has no end to the video tutorials on "how to pack a suit", but no matter what you do, suits just aren't meant to be confined in a carry-on bag. Luckily, Vocier recognized this problem and designed a stylish solution in the C38 Luggage. With a main compartment measuring up to a whopping 1.5 cubic feet of space while meeting all international carry-on standards, you can stow all your essentials, and then with the patented Zero-Crease System to store up to two suits, there has never been a suitcase to match. With plenty of other useful features, like a coat hanger for those long layovers, the only downfall for the C38 is the two-wheel design in lieu of the more versatile 4-wheel construction, but I won't hold that against Vocier. Well done!

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

Threads for Thought/Friday Faux Pas: Mankles

Warm weather, sunny days, hot nights. there are only so many ways to say it, but summer is upon us and its better to be prepared to own this season. With limited layering, its the subtle things that play a not-so-subtle part in your wardrobe, but the little things need to be done right!

Bearing some ankle can be a risky move, but one that yields serious style points, and it can be done with almost all of your wardrobe. All of those warm weather pants styles, distressed denim to the tan suit trousers, can be adapted to fit the bill. If the inseams are too long, there is the option to hem them up or roll them up, with rolling being the least permanent and preferable of the two. Impromptu cuffs add a disheveled motif to a look without changing anything major and really flexes some serious style  know how; just avoid it with suit trousers, those need real cuffs.

And since this is the season for beach babes and bare ankles, it's important to know your bounds with this style move that is almost too easy to mess up. A normal pant break should happen right at the top of the vamp, any lower will look sloppy, but to show off some ankle, you'll need something just a tad higher. For the conservative, a quarter inch will be enough to embrace the look without making any of your pants too seasonal with a hem. The more aggressive may be comfortable with a full inch, but any higher is working towards cropped pants/manpris, and lets face it, we're not all Thom Browne models on the runway.

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

Wardrobe Essentials: The Trusty Steamer

The world would be a much better place if clothes just stayed the same way you bought them, wrinkle free and (presumably) clean. Alas, wearing clothes requires putting through the daily grind of sitting, standing, stretching, bending, and worst of all things, sweating. We have to keep things fresh, but nothing puts a damper on dapper like the monthly dry cleaning bill.

Go out and get yourself a solid steamer! For those that don't know what they are, just think of an iron that doesn't need an ironing board. Instead of pure heat, the steamer does exactly what the name implies, using steam to lightly cleanse clothing fibers while relaxing any wrinkles. To add to the ease of steamers, they are also able to tackle much more than an iron, including suits, pants, ties, and any other pieces that you can't otherwise wash. Standalone steamers are ideal, providing a "work space" for your efforts, but if the space is limited, portable steamers can be stowed in the laundry closet or bathroom until the weekly steam ensues. Now go ahead and watch that cleaning bill of hundreds of dollars drop to probably $100!

Swash: $499

Shark: $85

Conair: $60

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

Tech Tuesday: Sole Socks

Everyone's favorite season is just around the corner! Summer provides so much to look forward to like beach bods and tropical drinks, but it does bring with it some unbearable heat; even the spring can bring some temperatures that aren't exactly the most comfortable. So one of the more popular looks this time of year is to go sock less, and judging by the average level of sweating that goes on when it gets hot, the look can't exactly be healthy for your feet or your shoes. The team at Sole Socks recognizes this issue and has developed a solution that can be interchanged between every pair of shoes you own, without need for constant washing or likelihood of getting misplaced like socks. Using uber comfortable terry cloth and a simple construction technique, Sole Socks act like insoles that act to keep your foot cool and dry without wearing any socks. Its great when innovation is timely, so grab a pair or two today!

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

Monday Outlook: French Riviera

If your state was part of the whole May snow flurry this weekend, then you are in the minority. The rest of The States have stopped complaining about the coldest, harshest winter in recent memory and has shifted gears back to Al Gore's corner in full belief of Global Warming. Luckily the French figured out a way to look suave and chic while keeping their cool, and its time to take some notes.

The French Riviera or Cote d'Azur, is the southern most coast of France between the sovereign Monaco and the Italian border. Throughout history, this has been a place for the rich to play during the winter and, as a consequence, a place for plenty of cultures to mix; this may have been the closest to the melting pot of America that Europe could handle. Fashion and style was no exception as the sartorial natures of Russia, England, Italy, France, and countless others came together to create a breezy look that maintained a tailored sharpness.

This stretch of real estate was the first true resort destination, so the style should be thought of as such with lightweight fabrics, comfortable constructions, and minimalist patterns. Linen and cotton are key to a successful Riviera look, with outer layers being as toned down as possible. Chinos and a linen blazer paired with a horizontal stripe tee will put you right on trend for this summer, but add some driving loafers (Cote d'Azur means Monaco) and your look will be over the top!

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

Threads for Thought: Inside Out

Men are trying just about everything these days, and it certainly doesn't hurt when fashion idles are leading the way like A$AP Rocky and Jared Leto. But these moves are of the upper echelon of style moves to the tune of shorts over pants or a unicolor track suit with matching shoes (I'm talking to you Pharrell).

Here's a fun new move to try out that can be done with your existing wardrobe, it just takes some thinking outside the box, or rather inside out of the box. I'm talking simply flipping pieces inside out to reinvent old pieces into something with a refreshing new edge. This move plays very well with graphic tees so that the patterns are subdued through the fabric; that's not to say that other pieces can't be part of it. Turning a shirt or pants inside out should add a rugged sensibility to any fine tuned outfit, but it should be left at that, layer or base pieces of the daily garb. Top layers are off limits! This style move should be a covert accent, not a glaring and pathetic attempt at calling for attention.

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

Wardrobe Essentials: The Swim Suit

Its finally that time of year when pools begin to open, beaches are a tolerable place again, and bikinis start to make their long awaited appearance. So outside of having to get that beach body back together after a long winter, us men need to find our go-to water wear to get us through this glorious season.

And weather its the beach, pool, pond, lake, river, or even just a slip'n'slide in the back yard, classic swim trunks will be there to keep you looking cool and enjoying the waterworks. Swim trunks are the variety of swimwear that are shorter by nature, usually a five or six inch inseam, that is perfect for working on that upper thigh real estate; which by now, probably looks like the arctic snow they were trapped in all winter. This summer, geometric patterns are king with florals and nautical stripes following close behind, but if you plan on keeping this new pair around for a while, then opt for a solid color that you'll feel comfortable with.

Vilebrequin: $280

Bonobos: $85

Ralph Lauren: $85

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

Monday Outlook: Sportcore

The fall brought us the whole laissez faire trend, lending to amazing new high-low contrasts and comfortable new alternatives to classic menswear mainstays. This was a mini revolution with in men's styling and has since evolved into something much more impactful, encompassing all genre of male.

Thanks to all the athletes embracing this trend and then making sure everyone sees it at their press conferences, laissez faire became athleisure and then morphed into a full on sportcore movement. Sporty staples like sweats, thermals, and runners have been updated to embrace a new tailored nature and then paired classic pieces, developing and edgy look that everyone can appreciate. Not to mention that, by nature, this whole look is cozy and comfortable thanks to relaxed, breathable fabrics.

To fully embrace this movement, you only need a few key pieces and the willingness to think outside the box of what can go with what. Trainers will be the most wearable option and offer the most bang for the buck; pairing them with a suit is by far the coolest combo to pull off. Below that would be integrating some sort of sweatsuit piece into a more formal outfit, like a hoodie under a blazer or sweatpants with a leather jacket. Joggers are a major component too, they look and feel sporty, but can be as dressy as you want with all the fabric choices to choose from. All in all, if there's something you think that can go from the gym to the office without skipping a beat, pick it up, try it out, and turn some heads.

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