Kempt

The Tweedy Side of Italian Style

Once upon a time, half the eye-popping menswear on the internet was only sold in Japan. Now Milan seems to have taken up the crown.

This shawl-collar/bowtie combination comes from Coast + Weber + Ahaus, a Milanese line that’s been getting some much deserved love lately. Despite the address, they’re more interested in knits and khakis than sprezzed out suits, which makes for a remarkably sober spin on typically excellent continental tailoring.

The only bad news is, nobody’s managed to talk them into an e-commerce shop. Or at least not yet.

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07/21/11

LinkOut

Beegee Margenyte Can’t Remember Why She Walked Into The Room

via Fashion Gone Rogue

Yes, If It’s One Of Mine: Valet talks to internet famous designer Kent Wang about his spread collar polos and whether or not to wear one under your blazer. [Valet]

Too Far: Upon the sight of deliberately unfastened bow ties, Ivy Style recommends we wrangle in our new-found obsession with Sprezzatura. We might even take it one further and put the word on timeout for a while. [Ivy Style]

NASA’s Most Excellent Outfits: The title says it all. [Life Archives]

No relation to the Brothers Gibb: A few more of Beegee antique-ing in various states of undress, here, here and here.

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04/26/11

See the rest after the jump»

The Knit Bowtie

Our rules for bowties are fairly simple: keep it small, quiet colors and as interesting a fabric as possible. So we were pleased to run across Steve & Co., an Italian accessories line that just rolled out a new crop of knit wool ties. They’re pre-tied (purists, fire away), but that’s the price of an unconventional fabric. And for around $50 a pop, you can afford to break a few rules.

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09/20/10

Kempt Man of the Hour: K. Cooper Ray

via GoaG

It’s the pants.

This week’s MOTH comes from the preppiest place on earth, the Madison Avenue Brooks Brothers shop, during the release party for True Prep. It’s also quite possibly the only place in the world you could fearlessly sport a pair of moleskin pants embroidered with miniature pictures of dogs.

The red-headed gentleman without fear is K. Cooper Ray, proprietor of Social Primer, and give or take a pair of Gucci loafers, he’s dressed in head to toe Brooks—including that two-tone bowtie, which he had a hand in designing. It’s a lot to take in…but we’re pretty sure it’s the only way to pull off the eye-popping trousers. If it weren’t for Thom Browne lurking in the background in a shrunken gray suit, he’d easily be the best-dressed gentleman in the place.

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08/05/10

The Bow Tie, Revisited

Bow ties are getting pretty daring these days. Case in point: this refreshing counterpart for your club collar.

These Forage bow ties are handmade in Philadelphia by the Etsy celebrities who brought you the famed Mustache on a Stick. They’ve deviated from conventional tartans and stripes in order to bring you a whimsical collection of sixteen designs. We like to think of them as the perfect accessory for the daring sentimentalist—the gentleman who takes his trad in moderation.

And unlike the Band of Outsiders version, these don’t come with clip-ons or any other shortcuts. You’ll have to knot these all by yourself. We like to think of it as the opportune moment to show off your manual dexterity. This should be of assistance if you need to brush up on your skills.

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·Bow Ties
·Etsy

05/13/10

The New Formality

Today’s NYT brings to light a new red-carpet trend that’s been simmering since the Oscars, and for once we agree with them: The bowtie tuxedo is making its triumphant return.

Welcome back. We’ve missed you.

Here’s why»

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05/06/10

Double Down

The bowtie is already a pretty advanced item, so adding a little extra flash isn’t going to change anything too much. This version comes from Brooks Brothers, with a little inspiration by way of Social Primer founder K. Cooper Ray, and we’re pretty pleased—particularly with the madras-seersucker combination. It may be tiptoeing into J.Press territory, but nab the right tweed jacket and you should be all set.

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02/09/10

Big Picture

I’m On a Boat

The latest polaroids from Band of Outsiders define spring as something spent on a yacht, while wearing a bowtie and a white suit. But two out of three should be enough…

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·Band of Outsiders
·Bow Ties

12/18/09

A Soft Touch

With the Trad’s clout at an all-time high, we thought we’d check in with one of Manhattan’s most scrupulous dandies, Mordechai Rubenstein a.k.a. Mister Mort. His latest project is a line of velvet bowties in conjunction with fellow trad Baron Von Fancy, popping up soon for a cool $80. They’re pre-tied to spare you the near-impossible task of knotting velvet, but otherwise they’re as impeccable a throwback as you could want for a holiday party, especially if you’ve got an undersized suit handy.

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·Bow Ties
·velvet

06/02/09

Color Me Impressed

Madras has been picking up steam as a look for some time, but it’s still best kept to the fringes of your outfit to keep from overdoing things. Maybe a bowtie or two?

Luckily, the ur-preppy outfitters at J. Press (via ACL) happen to be in the midst of a spring sale, meaning you can walk away with this particular bowtie for less than $40, and plenty of statelier neckties for only a little bit more. And if you have a seersucker jacket handy…it might be time to get it out of storage.

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05/06/09

Outsider Art

This Band of Outsiders bowtie just made an early appearance at Seattle’s Blackbird, and we’re immensely pleased. Of course, after last season we already have a bowtie or two in our closet…but there’s always room for one more.

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01/22/09

A Familiar Face

The fine folks who brought us the Umbuster have apparently stayed busy. But this time around it’s a more sartorial accomplishment.

Sruli Recht’s latest bowtie (via Josh Spear) claims to draw on Laotian textile secrets, but we’ll believe it when we see it. In fact, a more plausible source of inspiration (especially for the white piping) is Thom Browne’s work for the Hives, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Now that we think about it, we were looking for a place to pick up one of those…

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01/06/09

Formed a Band

The Spring 09 collection from perennial favorites Band of Outsiders is currently making the rounds (thanks, Kanye), but this time they’re in video form.

Instead of a set of static pictures, we get a series of people fading gently in and out of frame in madras hoodies, tartan shorts and, of course, bow ties. The shoes are mostly Topsider-esque boaters, but there’s nothing here to suggest the BoO folks are slipping. Mostly, we just wish it were warmer.

See the videos in full»

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12/03/08

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Beards, Toggles and the Last Breath of Chivalry

The Beardless Leading the Beardless: The recently shaven Bill Richardson stops by to offer some life lessons. [Esquire]

Naval Gazing: Military research finally pays off. In the form of toggle coats. [Selectism]

Bows and Arrows: If you have lived this long without knowing how to tie a bowtie, all hope is not yet lost. [The Pursuit Aesthetic]

Sloppy Suspensions: Sean Avery proves himself to be less than a gentleman. The NHL disapproves. [Gawker]

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11/19/08

Great Scot

Scotch plaid has always been a little too garish to be taken in anything but the smallest doses, but a bowtie happens to be just the right amount. It’s so colorful that you’ll have to be careful not to clash, but we assume you’re clever enough to handle it.

And it should stay comfortably above the waist.

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11/12/08

Camouflage

Although the bowtie has been getting more cred lately, it’s still a flashy move with an uncertain payoff in many circles. The best bowties are the ones that keep their heads down, usually through softer fabrics that make them almost scarflike, but we may have found another solution.

This shirt-and-tie outfit comes from our old friends at Commonwealth Utilities, and though it’s still months away from stores, we’re ready to call it as the second coming of the bowtie. It looks like a natural outgrowth of the shirt, and surprisingly enough, ends up looking more casual than a regular tie would. A loose knot, an ascot-esque drape, and a little fabric matching is all it takes, apparently.

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11/04/08

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Cloud Power, Ford’s Ingénue and Urban Camo

Can’t Tell Me Nothin’: Kanye goes through his favorite Obama pics. In other words, if things turn south, we can expect one hell of a blog post. [Kanye West’s Blog]

Very Big Love: Tom Ford adds Ginnifer Goodwin to his stable. Of actors. For the movie. [The Cut]

Take a Bow: If you have managed to get through life so far without knowing how to tie a bowtie, this is the video for you. Live in fear no longer. [His Fashion Eye]

Industrial Camoflage: Graffiti meets civic beautification when fire hydrants are painted the color of their surroundings. We expect a lot of bruised shins. [PSFK]

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10/07/08

Below, the wisdom of Mr. Williams»

Lean With It

We may be saps, but we love a good shoutout. Especially when it’s directed at us.

The latest one comes from Michael Williams of A Continuous Lean, who managed to land an interview in this month’s MR to big-up bowties, J. Crew, and the rise of men’s style. It’s required reading if you happen to be running a menswear store.

If all you’re doing is dressing yourself…you still might learn a thing or two.

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09/29/08

Kempt Man of the Hour: Manolo Blahnik

*Photographed by our fearless lensman, Patrick McMullan.*

Manolo Blahnik‘s name is of course familiar to shoe fetishists and *Sex & the City* slatterns. Quite apart from that however he is also one of the world’s best-dressed men. The dapper designer has both the panache and gravitas to pull off the old school double-breasted suit and bowtie look in a way that few men really can. Note that he does not look remotely silly even when clutching a satin stiletto (he’s about to sign it for some Bergdorf Blondes, not try it on).

Note also the ticket pocket and turned-back cuffs on the jacket which fairly shout “bespoke”; the jacquard bowtie of perfect proportion, disheveled just enough so that there can be no question of its being one of those horrific pre-tied affairs; the natty tortoiseshell specs; and the bodacious boutonniere, a nice Wildean touch. Whether he chose the suit to match the shoe we wouldn’t venture to say.

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08/27/08

Shelf Life

Grand Prix

Photo courtesy of the Fondation Le Corbusier, Paris / Phaidon Press

If it hadn’t been for a certain dapper Swiss genius named Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris—Le Corbusier to you—the likes of Richard Meier and would still be playing with Legos. Perhaps the very first starchitect—and way cooler than Frank Lloyd Wright—the dapper fellow in the bowtie and black specs masterminded the Modern movement and laid the foundation, literally and figuratively, for all avant-garde design to come.

The Phaidon Press has just come out with a $200, 20-lb., 2,000-image tribute to this towering talent, entitled *Le Courbusier: Le Grand*. In it you can see how came up with groundbreaking designs for everything from chairs to skyscrapers, dressed to the nines all the way.

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07/07/08

Bleedin’ Madras

*Photographed by our fearless lensman, Patrick McMullan.*

Ah, a benefit bash in Southampton during the high season. Where the fuck else would you find people dressed like this? And god bless ‘em for it. It’s been rather a dull summer so far sartorially, and we welcome this demonic display of madras as much as we would one of those cocktails they’re clutching.

Now let’s examine their full tribal regalia a little more closely – not only are they wearing madras, which any amateur can do, but *patchwork* madras *and* clashing bowties. Guy on the left – we’ll call him C.K. Dexter Haven – also has on shorts embroidered with little green lobsters. Guy the right – aka Sniffin K. Bellows IV – is wearing a contrast club collar shirt and a chronic case of lockjaw.

Now please put those jackets away until next year.

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04/30/08