June 19, 2013 world of men's style / fashion / grooming RSS
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06/19/13
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High & Tight

Smelling Summery

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With the official start to summer only two days away, it’s only getting hotter, and decidedly sweatier, from here on out.

And since no doubt you’ve already transitioned your closet to lighter fabrics for the impending dog days of July and August, it’s time to focus on summer-izing your scent.

And we’re not just talking about deodorant.

It’s time for some fresh summer updates to your everyday grooming arsenal. Fact is, a light fragrance in all your primping products can really help keep the stench at bay. (Yes, even in your soap.) And when nature’s cranking the dial on the thermostat, we like to use the same rule of thumb with our grooming as we do our beverages: always better with a hint of citrus and herb.

Now, for a few of the best options to keep you smelling your freshest this summer, keep on scrolling, after the jump…»

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06/19/13
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About

The Kempt Five

This Is The End

Every Wednesday from here on out, we’re giving you a piece of our minds. Actually, more like five pieces. It’s a chance to get a deeper look into what makes the minds behind Kempt tick—you know, beyond the usual Internet handsomeness we’re serving up daily. So welcome to our newest and most personal weekly feature: The Kempt Five.

Without further ado: here’s what’s on our minds this week.»
 

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06/19/13
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Good Idea

Your Pitti Uomo Primer: From A to Z

Pitti

The international menswear cognoscenti are descending upon Florence as we speak, for the 84th installment of Pitti Immagine Uomo.

And as any well-read menswear enthusiast will tell you, it pays to know what exactly all the fuss is about (especially if you find yourself flipping through Tumblr or in a heated debate with your tailor in the next few days). So with that in mind, we’ve prepared an A-to-Z primer of talking points and trivia that should get you through the semi-annual spectacle of peacockery.

Herewith, the ABCs of Pitti Uomo.»
 

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06/19/13
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LinkOut

Burberry at London Fashion Week, Quick Summer Cocktails and Fostering Brotherhood

Burberry

The Burbs: T Magazine takes a behind the scenes look at Burberry’s latest presentation at London Fashion Week.

Quick Drinks: Here are nine easy summer cocktails that only require an aperitif and ice, courtesy of Details.

Hardy, Har, Har: Ed Hardy pins the blame for his namesake’s demise squarely on John Gosselin.

Old School: Art of Manliness extols the virtues of manly brotherhood. Read it. Weep. Make some phone calls.

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06/18/13
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Big Picture

Chloe Hayward Has Dropped Her Rubber Duck

Chloe Haywardvia Fashion Faves

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06/18/13
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Big Picture

Kate Moss: A Nudity Retrospective

Kate Moss

Last week, we heard from someone, who heard from someone else, who heard from her hairstylist, that Kate Moss will be toplessly gracing the cover of Playboy’s upcoming January 2014 issue.

You know, all reliable sources.

Don’t get us wrong, we’re very excited about it. Though it is kind of a long time to wait for a girl who hasn’t exactly been nudity-averse for the majority of her career.

So, in the interest of holding you over until the—ahem—spread comes out next year, we’ve compiled 65 of Kate’s least clothed moments for your viewing pleasure, after the jump…»
 

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06/18/13
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The Past

Dusting Off: The Pneumatic Tube

Pneumatic Tube

Countless devices have become obsolete since the advent of the digital age, but one of the most overlooked casualties has to be the pneumatic tube.

It went the way of the telegram decades ago (you’ll still find a few intact tube systems here or there—in a Midwestern packing plant or an old airport terminal—but even those are rarely used nowadays). This was the instant messenger that predated AOL by a century, thanks to some Industrial Age ingenuity and a giant air compressor. And we think it needs to make a comeback.

A case for dusting off the pneumatic tube.»
 

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06/18/13
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LinkOut

90′s Wall Street Style, A Top Secret Town and Superman’s Legal Obligations

Leo

If You Pleats: Esquire dissects the quintessentially terrible 90s wardrobe in Scorsese’s upcoming Wolf of Wall-Street.

Secret City: A Continuous Lean digs up some dirt on the US’s secret project site in Oak Ridge, TN that managed to stay top secrete while housing upwards of 80,000 people.

Great Samaritan: Wired taps a lawyer well-versed in superheroes to study the legal obligations of Superman to save lives.

Air Bud: A very scientific breakdown of the economics of choosing between staying at a hotel or using AirBnB in popular tourist cities.

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06/17/13
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Big Picture

Blanca Suárez Thought She Fell Asleep with Her Shoes On

Blanca Suárezvia Selectism

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06/17/13
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What's What

Head to Toe: Madras

Madras

The 113th US Open went off this weekend, and it had us pining for the glory days of golf fashion. Back when the hair was feathered, the caps were newsboy and the prints were bold.

The ostentatious culture peaked around the time of Caddyshack, but thankfully, some pieces have remained steadfast. Most notably, madras.

The fabric is lightweight, easy to maintain and stays sharp when traditional suiting would fold under wrinkle-inducing humidity. So versatile, you can pretty much find any garment rocking its signature tartans. Hence, we went ahead and found all the gear necessary to don you from head to toe.

Wearing them all at once, well, that’s a lifestyle choice you’ll have to make for yourself.»
 

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06/17/13
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Good Idea

Summerizing Your Formalwear

Formalwear

Formalwear, by design, is usually pretty stuffy.

But with the warmer, more carefree summer party circuit on the horizon—weddings, society croquet galas, et cetera—you’ve got permission to lighten things up a bit. That means cotton instead of silk, linen instead of cotton and, for the love of all things holy above 90 degrees, not a stitch of velvet in sight. So we’ve rounded up a few lightweight substitutions for your tuxedo routine that will keep you just as dapper through the hotter months to come. No sweat.

Summerizing your formalwear in four easy steps…»
 

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06/17/13
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LinkOut

Touring A Shirt Factory, A Guide To Japanese Menswear Mags and the Campaign for Bush 41 as Preppiest President.

Links

A Shirt Thing: Unabashedly Prep gives New England Shirt Company the factory tour treatment.

Free and Too Easy: An irreverent guide to Japanese men’s magazines, courtesy of the Times.

GTH Hosiery: Ivy Style makes the case that George Herman Bush was the preppiest president of all (contrary to popular belief that JFK holds that title).

Hit or Miss: A new Miss USA was crowned yesterday, and here’s a look at the 61 winners that came before her.

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06/14/13
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Big Picture

The Friday Kemptress: Father’s Day Edition

Liv Tyler

In honor of Sunday’s festivities, we bring to you a very special edition of the Friday Kemptress, celebrating the greatest gift of celebrity fatherhood: their lovely, lovely daughters…»
 

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06/14/13
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Sale-ing

The Weekend Sales Report Card

Weekend Sales

We’ve filtered through all of the online sale noise and graded your best options out there, should you feel inclined to do any menswear browsing this weekend…

For Handsome Sweat-Protection: Check out the quality undergarments over at Choctaw Ridge, because they’re all 15% off this weekend with the code FATHER15.
Discount: B-
Sizes Available: A
Selection: A-

For That Sought-After Edge: The boys at Rogue are slashing 30% off select merchandise for their summer sale.
Discount: B+
Sizes Available: A
Selection: A

For Weathering the Elements: Shield yourself from that cool summer breeze with jackets and sweaters on sale at French Garment Cleaners for 20% off retail.
Discount: B
Sizes Available: A-
Selection: C+

More of the good stuff on sale, after the jump.»
 

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06/14/13
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Storefront

Sneak Peek: Hickoree’s Summer Sample Sale

Hickoree's

Sale season’s in the air, and the second annual summer sample shindig over at Hickoree’s is at the top of our weekend to-do list.

For today and tomorrow only, they’ve turned Floor Two into a pseudo-warehouse pop-up, packed to the beams with overstock and never-produced samples from five stellar NYC brands.

Designers from Stanley & Sons, Left Field, Battenwear, 8.15 August Fifteenth and The Hill-side will all be stopping by the scene, so there’s a pretty good shot you’ll be able to seek styling advice straight from the source.

We swung by last night to check the scene and found everything from swim trunks to trousers, shearling bombers, anoraks, henleys, oxfords, ties, tees and seriously handsome bags, among a host of other gems. They’ve even brought in a rack of goods for the ladies in your life by way of 8.15.

Here’s a closer look at what to expect…»
 

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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

Forget everything you know about Miami style—today’s Miamian is more LeBron and Wade than Crockett and Tubbs. So we started in the slicked-up South Beach and made our way to the hip, artsy enclave of Wynwood to get a good look at what Miami style is all about. See it all below...

Miami, FL

  • Gerardo Gutierrez Photographer
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: New York, NY

    What We Like Gerardo picked up his nautical hook wristwear from local Miami shop MIANSAI.
  • Gerardo Gutierrez Photographer
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: New York, NY

    What We Like Gerardo picked up his nautical hook wristwear from local Miami shop MIANSAI.
  • Alain Martinez Visual artist
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: Chicago, IL

    What We Like Alain’s vintage accents, including the tie clip and shoes.
  • Alain Martinez Visual artist
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: Chicago, IL

    What We Like Alain’s vintage accents, including the tie clip and shoes.
  • Michael Young Shoe expert
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC

    What We Like Michael finishes off his Miami-prepster look with a pair of tuxedo slippers from local shoemakers Del Toro.
  • Michael Young Shoe expert
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC

    What We Like Michael finishes off his Miami-prepster look with a pair of tuxedo slippers from local shoemakers Del Toro.
  • Carlos Darquea Hair stylist
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: Providence, RI

    What We Like Nothing beats out a cool haircut. (It doesn’t hurt that Carlos happens to know a thing or two about them.)
  • Beto Girardo Publicist
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: Colombia

    What We Like Beto isn’t afraid to layer even in the Miami heat. Extra points for that impressive hat.
  • Beto Girardo Publicist
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: Colombia

    What We Like Beto isn’t afraid to layer even in the Miami heat. Extra points for that impressive hat.
  • Marque Butler Stylist
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: Berkeley, CA

    What We Like Marque pulls off this leather jacket, thanks to the tailored cut and the interesting detailing.
  • Marque Butler Stylist
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: Berkeley, CA

    What We Like Marque pulls off this leather jacket, thanks to the tailored cut and the interesting detailing.
  • Manuel Benitez Stylist
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: Queens, NY

    What We Like Manuel shows us some neo-Miami style by keeping the white pants but edging up the rest of his kit with boots and a moto jacket.
  • Manuel Benitez Stylist
    Lives: Miami, FL

    Hometown: Queens, NY

    What We Like Manuel shows us some neo-Miami style by keeping the white pants but edging up the rest of his kit with boots and a moto jacket.
California

Los Angeles

Venice

Stylish Angelenos, past and present: Cary Grant. George Clooney. Arnaud Delene. About that last one: he’s among the well-dressed vanguard you can spot today on one of LA’s more trafficked street corners. We camped out along Abbott Kinney Boulevard in Venice in search of such figures—have a look at the results below. (Yes, including Arnaud.)

Los Angeles, CA

  • Adam Ulbarri Retail/sales at Enda King
    Lives: Venice, CA

    Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

    What We Like His boots (Fiorentini + Baker), his custom hat (Westbrook Maker) and his shirt (Civilianaire). Hell, the whole damn thing.
  • Adam Ulbarri Retail/sales at Enda King
    Lives: Venice, CA

    Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

    What We Like His boots (Fiorentini + Baker), his custom hat (Westbrook Maker) and his shirt (Civilianaire). Hell, the whole damn thing.
  • Arnaud Delene Architect
    Lives: Downtown Los Angeles, CA

    Hometown: Nîmes, France

    What We Like The Europe-by-way-of-SoCal vintage shirt.
  • Arnaud Delene Architect
    Lives: Downtown Los Angeles, CA

    Hometown: Nîmes, France

    What We Like The Europe-by-way-of-SoCal vintage shirt.
  • Colin Prothero Architect
    Lives: Venice, CA

    Hometown: Santa Ana, CA

    What We Like The pin Colin just found and put on. Spontaneity’s a virtue.
  • Colin Prothero Architect
    Lives: Venice

    Hometown: Santa Anna

    What We Like The pin Colin just found and put on. Spontaneity’s a virtue.
  • Mark Wystrack Cofounder and creative director of MOVMT, a shoe-and-wallet line
    Lives: Malibu, CA

    Hometown: Sonoita, AZ

    What We Like The connections behind the ensemble, including the shirt (from Deus Ex Machina, with whom he’s collaborating) and the rest of it (much is from The Stronghold, where he’s friends with the owner).
  • Mark Wystrack Cofounder and creative director of MOVMT, a shoe-and-wallet line
    Lives: Malibu, CA

    Hometown: Sonoita, AZ

    What We Like The connections behind the ensemble, including the shirt (from Deus Ex Machina, with whom he’s collaborating) and the rest of it (much is from The Stronghold, where he’s friends with the owner).
  • Nick Fuquet Owner of Westbrook Maker
    Lives: Santa Monica, CA

    Hometown: Palm Beach, FL

    What We Like That almost everything you see is vintage.
  • Nick Fuquet Owner of Westbrook Maker
    Lives: Santa Monica, CA

    Hometown: Palm Beach, FL

    What We Like That almost everything you see is vintage.
  • Timur Dmitriyev Retail manager
    Lives: Venice, CA

    Hometown: Minsk, Belarus

    What We Like The jacket and pocket square—both from Gant Rugger.
  • Timur Dmitriyev Retail manager
    Lives: Venice, CA

    Hometown: Minsk, Belarus

    What We Like The jacket and pocket square—both from Gant Rugger.
  • Francisco Fernandez Musician
    Lives: Los Angeles, CA

    Hometown: San Francisco, CA

    What We Like The shark boots from Al’s Attire. Perfect for a guy whose band is called the Ferocious Few.
  • Francisco Fernandez Musician
    Lives: Los Angeles, CA

    Hometown: San Francisco, CA

    What We Like The shark boots from Al’s Attire. Perfect for a guy whose band is called the Ferocious Few.
Texas

Dallas

DOWNTOWN
June 21

Dallas: home of Jerry Jones, Bobby Ewing and... a bunch of guys who don’t dress like Jerry Jones or Bobby Ewing. Behold the new Dallas in our next edition of Style Shifters.

Kempt
Style Shifters
Cadillac

  • cartier style #1

    W7100045

    This stainless-steel number is the sportiest of the bunch—it’ll put a run-of-the-mill diver to shame on the high seas, but it’s still polished enough to wear into the boardroom.

  • cartier style #2

    W7100042

    This watch has the best of both worlds: the strength of stainless steel and the luxurious touch of rose gold—which solves any questions you might have had about matching your watch to your cufflinks.

  • cartier style #3

    W7100046

    Switching out a stainless-steel band for the handsome warmth of leather can give a watch a whole new life. Luckily, that doesn’t mean sacrificing any of the top-notch mechanics for the added dressiness.

  • cartier style #4

    W7100043

    If you weren’t sure which way you were leaning between stainless steel, rose gold and leather, your decision has just been made easier: all three. Opting for the brown leather band in this situation only serves to improve the watch’s warm and luxurious feel.

  • cartier style #5

    W7100047

    This is the statement piece: a rose gold case and band with all of the trappings of a meticulously crafted chronograph. There’s something here for bons vivants, race car drivers and titans of industry alike. The two registers circled in gold to match the case add a particularly dapper grace note to the white dial.

  • cartier style #6

    W7100044

    Switching out a metal band for the handsome warmth of leather can give a watch a whole new life. And when it comes to this Cartier, that new life involves a calendar full of cocktail attire and using “weekend” as a verb.