FAHLGREN TIES AT STAG
I’m excited and honored to have my new spring tie collection carried at Stag in Austin, Texas – one of the top menswear stores in America. Check out their newly designed web shop, a testament to the vision and creativity of owners Steve Shuck, Don Weir, Ted Allen, Bobby Johns & Joel Mozsersky. Their mission statement says it all: “STAG is classic and modern; traditional and progressive; new and old; respectful and rebellious. We’re several parts clothing, part antique, part gift, part accessory, and part apothecary. We’re a modern day general store for every man.” www.stagaustin.com
SPRING LAYERING
This is an interesting color combination inadvertently put on while traveling on the west coast last week. It was a result of not packing properly, with LA a cold and rainy city. It worked out ok, and even looked refreshingly spring appropriate. Layering darker colors under a lighter color sweater often doesn’t look so hot, the whole thing tends to look unbalanced. But when you start with a beautiful sky blue shirt like this version from Steven Alan, (more…)
TOP SITE: BEST MADE COMPANY
Best Made Company’s website is an example of branding at it’s absolute best. Cleanly laid out, easy to navigate, stellar photography and perfect packaging that all leads to the obvious: higher sell-through. It certainly doesn’t hurt that they sell axes! Sites with flash that immediately launch into a far off journey might look pretty, but more often than not they are annoying. And annoying translates into a mouse-click goodbye. So take a lesson from the boys at Best Made Co and clean it up, par it down and simplify the process. Their still photography in particular is the best I have ever seen on a website. And make sure to always pay special attention to the critical ‘purchasing’ (more…)
BEST OF: J.CREW HOLIDAY EDITION
For over a decade now J.Crew has been leading the pack when it comes to moderately priced, well-tailored clothing that repeatedly does the trick. Their recent endeavors with the slightly upscale Wallace & Barnes collection looks promising, but it’s all the same brand nonetheless. Which brings us to a few top picks from the site that are safe – and thus perfectly suited for the holiday office party: Charcoal Corduroy 18-Wale Sports Jacket. $158. Campus smarts meets cold weather performance. Pay attention to the width of the corduroy, thinner always looks more modern. Norwalk Glenplaid Tie. $69. (more…)
BEST OF: BARNEYS CO-OP
A lot of people equate Barneys with finely tailored, slim fitting, dare we say, precious clothing. But after a quick review of the CO-OP site, many beautiful items can be had that are ideally suited for a weekend in the country (or a city park). Here are five of my top holiday picks from the site, all reasonably priced:
Shipley & Halmos fair isle sweater $179. Muted charcoal color, just enough pattern. Luminox original navy seal watch $335. Tough canvas strap, (more…)
TOP SITE: HESTRA OF SWEDEN
I like how this website from Swedish glove maker Hestra seamlessly blends their rich history with an innovative and well designed layout. Their branding is just about pitch-perfect, including the beautiful photograph and authentic looking logo that makes you want to drop everything and go skiing – after buying a pair of gloves first. The graphic color bars to the left are (more…)
MADE IN THE U.S.A. BY CLUB MONACO
Do men really care where their clothing is made, and, are they willing to pay more for a sport coat if it comes from Westminister, Maryland and not China? Club Monaco is betting that the answer is yes, and not only amongst the fashion savvy, celebrity blogger crowd but mainstream America. From the outside, it looks like a modest and smart gamble, as most of Club Monaco’s 35 stores are based in or around cities nationwide where shoppers tend to follow trends and are more fashion conscious. Is “Made in the U.S.A.” a trendy label thing, or is it an actual movement that will help pull up the moribund American garment manufacturing business? Unfortunately such (more…)
BEST OF: J.CREW WEEKEND WEAR
There’s almost too much to pick from on the J.Crew site so we’ve narrowed it down for you and focused on a few top picks, ideally suited for adventurous weekends spent in the great outdoors. Twill Camp Shirt, $88. The heavier cotton gives this shirt a nice rigidity allowing it to hold up under bad weather and rough conditions. Aviator Ray Ban’s, $139. Timeless classics. (more…)
BEST OF: L.L. BEAN SIGNATURE
L.L. Bean has always been a leader when it comes to outdoor performance gear and apparel. Here are two versatile items for battling the bleakest of conditions, whether in the field, or city. Using a waxed cotton material you might normally equate with a Barbour jacket, this down vest is highly water proof, wind resistant and well priced at $99. For added warmth, (more…)
BEST OF: BARNEYS
Barney’s makes some of the finest private label shoes, jackets and accessories out there. Here are a few highlights to keep you looking sharp while in a dark mood this winter: Dark navy, wool, 3/4 length topcoat $495. Cut nice and trim. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you have to go up a size to accommodate your suit underneath. If you are a 40R suit jacket, you should (more…)
BEST OF: ORVIS
Orvis is best known for their high-end fly-fishing equipment, hunting gear and sporting goods but you can find plenty of everyday use items that are perfect for staying warm during the upcoming colder months. Founded in 1856 in Manchester, Vermont, the family-owned retailer began as a tackle shop and has now grown to 51 stores and 9 outlets nationwide. Here are three top picks that will keep you warm while driving through the back roads of New England on a brisk fall day. (more…)
BEST OF: URBAN OUTFITTERS
I really dig Urban Outfitters because you can still bargain shop and discover new brands despite it’s status as a massive chain. There are 140 stores across the U.S. and in Europe – impressive considering they originated in 1970 in Philly as a funky seller of fashion and household products under the name “The Free People’s Store.” You also have to give credit to their talented new Creative Director, Duncan Hamilton, who’s tightened up the look and feel of the brand. They’ve also done a terrific job updating and cleaning up their men’s clothing offering and (more…)
BEST OF: LL BEAN
I grew up in Yarmouth, Maine, about 5 minutes south of L.L. Bean, and was lucky to have such an iconic store nearby. It’s open year-round, 24 hours a day and my buddies and I would end up there inevitably around midnight shopping for camping gear, Maglites, hiking boots, wool socks and other essentials. It’s just a fun store to roam around and check out skis, mountain bikes, fly fishing gear, hunting equipment – a truly interactive store where you can sit and watch videos and learn new stuff. The entire LL Bean complex expands each year and what was once limited to a creaky old store is now (more…)
BEST OF: ZARA
I just returned from a two week trip to Italy and Spain and found it interesting to see the differences between Zara in Spain and here in the U.S. Despite the intimidating Euro, prices can still be cheaper in Europe, which was a surprise. Take the jacket above, my favorite item in the Zara store in the massive Madrid airport. It was priced at 99 euros, or $143 dollars based on today’s (more…)
