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A blog dedicated to the interesting, scandalous, useful and cutting edge in the world of men’s style, fashion and grooming.
Photographed by our fearless lensman, Patrick McMullan.
Cuban painter, sculptor, illustrator, chronicler and critic Ruben Toledo is in an enviable position for a well-dressed man about town: his wife Isabel is a fashion designer who frequently whips up bespoke threads in their sprawling loft-cum-atelier hidden atop a turn-of-the-century building.
Our friends at UrbanDaddy gave us an inside peek at the latest J. Crew outpost in Tribeca, and it’s pretty impressive. Lower Manhattan can be a tough locale, especially for national brands, so for this spot they’ve approached things more like a boutique, flooding the store with collaborations, cross-branding, and plain old outside labels.
Oregon’s really on a roll lately. Winn Perry—previously known as the northwestern source for Sovereign Beck ties—just reminded us that they’re also the northwestern source for Alden shoes, one of the best cobblers still producing shoes in America.
Naturally, the best work comes from the custom shop, but anyone passing through Oregon should stop by if they want to see what modern American leatherworking looks like. Of course, if you’re closer to New York, we know a place there too.
The sneaker/oxford divide isn’t what it used to be. Take Generic Man, for example. They’re one of the best sources for streetwear-ready spaceman sneakers, which carry a decent price tag but run a little low on prestige. But that doesn’t mean they can’t take on something a little more upscale.
These cap-toes aren’t exactly Alden material—there’s still no substitute for a real cobbler—but as far as avant-garde formalwear goes, it’s hard to do much better. It may be patent leather on the toes, but that just adds to the synthetic vibe created by the clever double-front and strangely clinical powder blue.
There’s also a denim-colored version, but we’re guessing you’ll want to keep things neutral.
The folk at J. Crew have been on quite a hitting streak lately, and it look like they have every intent of keeping it going.
We got our hands on their latest fall catalog, and once again, we’re impressed. There are the usual assortment of old school ties and cardigans that J. Crew made their name on, but this time there’s a more rustic edge too, with a few of the usual easy-iron button-ups traded for chambray workshirts.
As usual, the real gems are in the collaborations. They keep up old collabs with Mackintosh Coats and Alden Shoes, but our favorite is the boots from W. C. Russell Moccasin Company out of Berlin, Wisconson of all places. It would be a pretty good find for a boutique, but for a national brand it’s practically a statement of principles.
Bringing heritage brands onto a larger stage is what the workwear movement is all about…and bringing a bit more chambray into the world isn’t so bad either.
A Swiss army knife does not really need a holster.
But shell cordovan is a terrible thing to waste, so the leftovers from Alden’s factory floor have become these handsome (if unnecessary) trinkets, sold with a Swiss Army pocket knife tucked inside. Luckily, it’s always nice to have a bit of leather in your pocket as a lucky charm, especially when it’s as perfectly tanned as this.
And if you happen to run across a few Phillips head screws…
Wave of the Future: The world’s first Skype-based editorial hits the web. The Google Voice folks must be kicking themselves… [Refinery29]
On the Wingtip: A guided tour of Alden’s Middleborough factory. [Selectism]
Faced: The men’s market for skin care and toothpaste grows ever larger. Brush regularly. [The Cut]
Not Dark Yet: A catalogue of the 14 types of Twilight Zone ending, not counting the Reverse Robot Reveal. [A.V. Club]
Alden has turned out quite a lot of boutique collaborations in the past year, but this might be our favorite—and the first shoe we’ve considered dropping more than $400 on in quite some time.
It’s called the Greenwich Boot, and it’s the result of some spectacular taste on the part of the West Village cobbler Leffot. It combines just about all of our favorite dress-casual moves: ornate wingtipping, a navy wash, and waterproofed nubuc in place of the usual impenetrable cordovan. And, of course, it’s got the Barrie welting that means, with regular resoleing and the occasional boost to the waterproofing, it’ll last just about forever.
And with only 20 pairs kicking around, we’d call it an extremely limited edition.
