May 23, 2013 world of men's style / fashion / grooming RSS
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05/03/13
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LinkOut

Sean Sullivan Hits the Road, Becoming a Funnier Tweeter and an Immersion Course in Brooklynese

Road trips

Road Range: Mr. Impossible Cool shares some road-trip wisdom and hits the road in a vintage Benz with an impossible amount of Ghurka luggage.

Funny Business: Twitter’s most successful quipster @MeganAmram shares her secrets for being a funny tweeter.

Going Full-Hipster: The Times has outdone themselves on their Brooklyn coverage, as a middle-aged “avowed Manhattanite” goes in-country for a long weekend of fixies and straight-razor shaves.

Pass the Bar: For the shower-gel averse, here are a few new bar soaps to consider that don’t have the word “Irish” or “Spring” stamped into them.

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05/02/13
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Big Picture

Ashley Smith Uses an Industrial-Strength Beach Towel

Ashley Smithvia Fashion Faves

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05/02/13
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Scene

The Not-So-Great Gatsby Premiere

Gatsby Premiere

We must say, for all of the excitement over what most cinephiles are predicting to be 2013’s most stylish movie, we found ourselves gravely underwhelmed by the cast and crew’s showing on the red carpet for last night’s The Great Gatsby premiere in NYC.

GQ’s The Eye has graciously distilled the press photos down to all of the menswear, but the above triptych is all you need to see to understand the train wreck of a step and repeat—DiCaprio buttoning both suit buttons, Maguire mailing it in (or planning to pick up a few extra bucks as an usher once they got inside)—and that was just the tip of the uninspired iceberg. The only glimmer of hope was Jay-Z’s gray windowpane suit, but the dull matching tie made him look more like a well-dressed businessman than a business, man.

Somewhere, Redford’s Gatsby is rolling in his grave.

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05/02/13
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Bad Idea/Good Idea

Head to Toe: Seersucker

Seersucker

Around Derby weekend, the seersucker suit gets all the attention.

But the fabric itself is so versatile—and cooling, with its uneven weave lifting the cotton off your skin and leaving hundreds of tiny pockets of air to cool you. So, in the event you’d like to outfit another part of your body with seersucker—say, your neck, or your feet—we’ve gone ahead and found enough gear to swathe you from head to toe in the legendarily cooling fabric. Now, we’re not saying you should try wearing every single piece here at once…

But we’re not not saying that either.»
 

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05/02/13
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LinkOut

The Cape of a King, Going Internet-less for a Year and Finding the Julep Recipe for You

King Willem Alexander

Draped Up: The Netherlands had been kingless since the 19th century until Prince Willem Alexander was crowned this week—to celebrate, he wore the most spectacular ceremonial cape we’ve ever seen.

Back Online: One man swore off the Internet for exactly one year, on May 1, 2012, and lives to tell his tale, on the day of his return.

Horse-Headed Bartenders: Just in time for the Derby, Now This News has a handy guide on which mint julep recipe is right for you.

Twitter Karma: The Times explores the social tolls of using the social network Twitter.

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05/01/13
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Big Picture

Michella Cruz Is Ramping Up Her Efforts

Michella Cruzvia Fashion Gone Rogue

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05/01/13
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Object

Don’t Forget Your Mother

Terrapin

With the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo coming up this weekend (Saturday and Sunday, respectively), it’s easy to overlook that Mother’s Day is right around the corner.

Exactly 11 days around the corner, that is.

So before the juleps and margaritas set in, and it slips your mind to get a card for the woman who birthed you, we recommend you check out the selection at Terrapin Stationers. Perhaps you want to thank Mom for her genes. Or maybe you just want to tell her that she doesn’t suck. That’s your call. We just suggest that you do it on handsome, 70lb, beautifully engraved stock.

That way, she’ll have to forgive you for those angsty teenage years.

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05/01/13
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What's What

The Most Stylish Cartoons of All Time

Cartoons

You may not have realized it, but your sartorial consciousness was already being formed at a much earlier age than the day you discovered your first Americana blog or received that particularly slick belt on your 12th birthday…

It all began during your footie-pajama’d Saturday morning routine, thanks to an assortment of surprisingly stylish characters (of the cartoon variety). Whether it was Curious George’s yellow-hatted caretaker, Beast’s Renaissance-chic or Smithers’s bow tie. There was a lot to learn from the fastidiously drawn fashionistos of animated film and television—most importantly, the cardinal menswear rule of “building a daily uniform.” But who were the most stylish?

We’re glad you asked, because we’ve rounded up all 24 of them, with respect to their signature looks. Pants optional.»
 

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05/01/13
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LinkOut

The Lonely Island Phenomenon, Ballpark Snacks and Comedians Talk Style

Lonely Island

Shtick in a Box: Paper charts the viral rise of the Lonely Island trio, proclaiming them the Internet’s biggest stars.

Batter Up: The 15 most exciting new stadium snacks in major league baseball, according to First We Feast.

Unserious Style: Esquire chats with today’s generation of comedians about how onstage style still matters today, just in a different way.

On the Ropes: Valet makes the case for picking up a jump rope as part of your fitness routine.

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04/30/13
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Big Picture

Vika Kuropyatnikova Is Straightening Her Art

vika-kuropyatnikovavia The Libertine

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04/30/13
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Good Idea

The Socks of Spring

corgibadminton

Not to belabor the point, but… it’s still spring.

Hence, we’re not into the sockless, throw-caution-to-the-warm-breeze weather quite yet. Odds are, you’re still spending most of your week in socks, but you should be ditching the wool blends for lighter, airier cotton knits—the same way you switched out your sweaters a few weeks ago.

So we dug up the six finest cotton-blended sock specimens on the market right now, all guaranteed to put a spring in your step.»

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04/30/13
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Pony Express

A Question on Menswear Sizing: Going Big

Arnold-Schwarzenegger-Polo

Here at Kempt HQ, we often receive letters from our readers—most of it adoring fan mail, but every so often we get a nude photo. Also every so often, we get an inquiry from a wayward soul that we feel compelled to answer…

As a 6′ tall and 305lb bodybuilder, I am far from a meathead and can actually appreciate clothiers you feature, like Harry Stedman. However, when Large is a 43-46… I could buy a sweater to use as a leg warmer, but that’s about it. I know it’s a tall order, but there is a large (no pun intended) group of guys out there looking for something more than their corner Big and Tall mall box.
—Brian, AZ

We understand your dilemma—in fact, it happens on both ends of the spectrum: a lot of this heritage stuff we cover can have a cut that’s not exactly tailored to a smaller frame. Finding the right size can become even trickier when we’re covering brands as they’re launching, which can mean the line and their sizing may be limited—because they’re starting out slow and have yet to gauge their market demands. So unfortunately, for now, the Harry Stedmans of the world just haven’t caught up to you yet.

That’s not to say there isn’t a slew of handsome brands out there that will work for you.

In fact, we’ve done some research and turned up a few great options that should steer you clear of the mall circuit.»

ALL Pony Express
04/30/13
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LinkOut

Africa Goes Heritage, Jason Collins Stands Tall and the Evolution of Brad Pitt

africashoes

Africana: The neo-heritage trend has officially reached the cradle of civilization—as evidenced by this handsome new crop of made-in-Africa sneakers.

Standing Tall: In what will surely be the most impactful article Sports Illustrated will publish this year (if not decade), Jason Collins becomes the first openly gay active NBA player.

Pitt Start: Vanity Fair charts the career, philosophical views and hair lengths of Brad Pitt over the past three decades of interviews in their magazine.

Slug Fest: Recounting the boxing match that made Howard Cosell swear off covering the sport for good.

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04/29/13
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Big Picture

Ashley Greene Is Evening Out Her Tan

Ashley Greenevia Esquire

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04/29/13
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The Code

The Gentleman’s Guide to Coming Up Short

secondplace

It’s the harshest reality of competition: sometimes your best efforts just won’t cut it, if only by a hair.

We’ve seen it all before: sweat. Slow-motion. And a final step, swing or buzzer-press that secures the glory of victory, with nothing to thank but a bit of luck. It’s the stuff that mediocre inspirational movies are made of.

But sometimes you’re the other guy.

And we’re talking big losses here, like being the wrong horse in a photo finish at the upcoming Kentucky Derby or the second guy on the moon. These moments we don’t plan for. But sometimes they happen, and just knock the wind right out of us.

For those moments, we’re here to present this: the Gentleman’s Guide to Coming Up Short.»

ALL The Code
TAGSTags

Style: some people have it, and some neighborhoods really have it. To show you what we mean, we’ve partnered with Cadillac to present Style Shifters—a five-part, in-depth look at what the hippest gents in some of the country’s coolest neighborhoods are wearing now. Our intrepid photographers have roamed the streets in search of the most stylish guys around. Herewith, a few photos of what they found...

New York

Brooklyn

Williamsburg

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is home to some of the country’s best bars and coolest restaurants—and, of course, some of the best menswear shops in the world. Naturally, you’ll find more than a few stylish individuals perched outside those locations (and no, not all of them are Billyburg hipsters). See what we mean below...

On The Streets: Brooklyn

  • Drew Ledbetter Actor
    Lives: Providence, RI

    Hometown: Chattanooga, TN / Bay Area, CA

    What We Like Drew’s shoes are made by Cole Haan.
  • Drew Ledbetter Actor
    Lives: Providence, RI

    Hometown: Chattanooga, TN / Bay Area, CA

    What We Like Drew’s shoes are made by Cole Haan.
  • Justice Hampton Works for Club Monaco
    Lives: Greenpoint, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Dallas, TX

    What We Like Leave it to a Texan to know that a linen jacket is the perfect bit of outerwear to transition you from spring to summer.
  • Justice Hampton Works for Club Monaco
    Lives: Greenpoint, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Dallas, TX

    What We Like Leave it to a Texan to know that a linen jacket is the perfect bit of outerwear to transition you from spring to summer.
  • Jamie Clawson Runs a leather accessories business (valentinegoods.com)
    Lives: East Village, New York

    Hometown: Cleveland, OH

    What We Like Jamie’s shirt is called the “Expensive” shirt by Wil Fry. Ironically, it goes for about 30 bucks.
  • Jamie Clawson Runs a leather accessories business (valentinegoods.com)
    Lives: East Village, New York

    Hometown: Cleveland, OH

    What We Like Jamie’s shirt is called the “Expensive” shirt by Wil Fry. Ironically, it goes for about 30 bucks.
  • Koppel Verma Researcher at Google
    Lives: Williamsburg, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Cambridge, MA

    What We Like Turns out, the Swiss Army makes more than knives—they also made this jacket (it’s vintage).
  • Koppel Verma Researcher at Google
    Lives: Williamsburg, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Cambridge, MA

    What We Like Turns out, the Swiss Army makes more than knives—they also made this jacket (it’s vintage).
  • Chris Afzal Audio engineer
    Lives: Williamsburg, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Baltimore, MD

    What We Like If you needed any more proof that Brooks Brothers has shed its stodgy image, these shoes should do the trick.
  • Chris Afzal Audio engineer
    Lives: Williamsburg, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Baltimore, MD

    What We Like If you needed any more proof that Brooks Brothers has shed its stodgy image, these shoes should do the trick.
  • Malik Alokpovi Host for a hotel
    Lives: Williamsburg, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Born in Togo, West Africa, but lived in the South of France

    What We Like Malik’s red suede shoes came from A.P.C. Try not to step on them.
  • Malik Alokpovi Host for a hotel
    Lives: Williamsburg, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Born in Togo, West Africa, but lived in the South of France

    What We Like Malik’s red suede shoes came from A.P.C. Try not to step on them.
  • Billy Cadden Musician
    Lives: Williamsburg, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Woodstock, NY

    What We Like Billy’s worn this shirt, which he got at H&M while on tour, at every show since.
  • Billy Cadden Musician
    Lives: Williamsburg, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Woodstock, NY

    What We Like Billy’s worn this shirt, which he got at H&M while on tour, at every show since.
  • Sam Bowstucky Bartender
    Lives: Greenpoint, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Chicago, IL

    What We Like He’s actually on his way to a working audition for a bartending job at the Blind Barber. Good luck, Sam.
  • Sam Bowstucky Bartender
    Lives: Greenpoint, Brooklyn

    Hometown: Chicago, IL

    What We Like He’s actually on his way to a working audition for a bartending job at the Blind Barber. Good luck, Sam.
California

San Francisco

Mission District

Style. The Mission’s got it. Union Square’s got it. But each of them goes about having it in a different way—the Mission rocking a more bohemian coffee shop vibe, Union Square hosting some of the best higher-fashion shops (and shoppers) on the West Coast. We rounded up a few of the most stylish folks from both. Have yourself a gander below…

On The Streets: San Francisco

  • Brian Cunningham Shop clerk
    Lives: San Francisco, CA

    Hometown: Boston, MA

    What We Like The first rule any SF transplant learns: always bring a light coat. Brian sticks with a denim jacket from AllSaints. (Button to taste.)
  • Brian Cunningham Shop clerk
    Lives: San Francisco, CA

    Hometown: Boston, MA

    What We Like The first rule any SF transplant learns: always bring a light coat. Brian sticks with a denim jacket from AllSaints. (Button to taste.)
  • Erik Newton Attorney
    Lives: San Francisco, CA

    Hometown: San Diego, CA

    What We Like Erik likes to throw on an interesting sport coat with a pocket square and skip the tie—on days he’s not in the courthouse, naturally.
  • Erik Newton Attorney
    Lives: San Francisco, CA

    Hometown: San Diego, CA

    What We Like Erik likes to throw on an interesting sport coat with a pocket square and skip the tie—on days he’s not in the courthouse, naturally.
  • Jason Moo Banker
    Lives: San Francisco, CA

    Hometown: New York, NY

    What We Like Jason picked up his prized pocket square at his favorite tailor, tucked away in NYC’s NoHo—Michael Andrews Bespoke.
  • Jason Moo Banker
    Lives: San Francisco, CA

    Hometown: New York, NY

    What We Like Jason picked up his prized pocket square at his favorite tailor, tucked away in NYC’s NoHo—Michael Andrews Bespoke.
  • Presyler Galvin Bon vivant
    Lives: San Francisco, CA

    Hometown: San Francisco, CA

    What We Like A good carry-all bag is a necessity in the city—and you won’t do much better than a Goyard. Extra points for the monogram.
  • Presyler Galvin Bon vivant
    Lives: San Francisco, CA

    Hometown: San Francisco, CA

    What We Like A good carry-all bag is a necessity in the city—and you won’t do much better than a Goyard. Extra points for the monogram.
  • Randal Ruiz Design student
    Lives: San Francisco, CA

    Hometown: San Jose, CA

    What We Like Randal fashioned those elbow pads himself—ensuring he’ll never bump into the same blazer anywhere else.
  • Randal Ruiz Design student
    Lives: San Francisco, CA

    Hometown: San Jose, CA

    What We Like Randal fashioned those elbow pads himself—ensuring he’ll never bump into the same blazer anywhere else.
Florida

Miami

South Beach
June 6

Forget everything you know about Miami style. Today’s Miamian is more LeBron James than Crockett and Tubbs—as you’ll soon see in our next edition of Style Shifters…

Kempt
Style Shifters
Cadillac