February 9, 2012 world of men's style / fashion / grooming RSS
“cotton”
08/04/11
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Good Idea

A Gentleman’s Guide to the Faja

Faja

These days, we’re pretty much living on linen pants and camp shirts these days. And since that doesn’t leave much room for thick leather belts, we’ve had to get creative with our trouser support.

Our solution of choice so far is Industry of All Nations’ Faja, a strap of woven cotton Argentine gentlemen have been using to hold up their trousers for ages. It’s light, casual, and a much-needed breath of Southern Hemisphere style. But since there’s no buckle, first you’ll have to figure out how to tie it.

Which is where a few videos come in handy…»

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07/19/11
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Good Idea

The Tucked T-Shirt

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It’s a little warm out there.

So once the weekend rolls around, we understand if you choose to take to the streets in a weathered t-shirt that normally doesn’t see the light of day. It’s not ideal, but desperate times call for desperate measures—and sometimes, that means dressing like an unusually well-groomed mechanic.

We only ask one thing: think about tucking it in.

Allow us to elaborate…»

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05/31/11
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Labeled

That Feel

Sunspel

It’s easy to forget in a world of e-commerce and blogs, but how a shirt feels can be every bit as important how it looks—especially when you’re dealing with clothes more suited to Sunday afternoon than Monday morning.

Which brings us to Sunspel. They cut their teeth making some of the best undershirts in England, but their latest lookbook finds them branching out into hoodies, sweatshirts, and something they’re referring to as “long john pants” that probably shouldn’t leave the house. In other words, it’s loungewear made from some of the softest cotton and wool you’ve ever laid hands on.

Oh, and they still make a pretty handsome polo shirt.

See the rest of the lookbook»

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05/24/11
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Labeled

The Circular Loom

Circular Loom

Fair warning: this is one for the fabric nerds.

Tenue de Nimes dug up a century-old German cotton company called Merz B. Schwanen, and it’s lured us back into the world of intensely intricate fabric details. The clothes are all staples—sweatshirts, henleys, the occasional smock—but the real prize is how they stitch it together. Instead of the standard back-and-forth flat looms, these stitch together fabric around enormous circular molds.

That means no side seams under the arms, since the fabric comes off in circular sheets—a pretty neat trick if you manage to pull it off without a tailor. The shirts will be arriving at TdN next season, but in the meantime…there’s always factory pics.

Take a look at the legendary circular loom firsthand»

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04/18/11
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Conversation

A Gentleman’s Guide to Bike Style

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Around this time of year, a two-wheeled jaunt through the city starts to look pretty good—provided you can do it without looking like a bike messenger. To help you face down the considerable challenge of looking good on a bike, we sat down with Aldan Shank of Seattle’s Hub and Bespoke—a combination bike shop and boutique—for a primer on sophisticated bike style.

Wool shirts, slim jeans and the secrets of bike style…»

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03/02/11
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Good Idea

The Half-Button

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On the heels of Mr. Aronofsky’s Oscar tux, we’ve had our eye out for double-breasted blazers that stick to two buttons. Luckily, Steven Alan seems to be on the same wavelength.

This Steven Alan jacket pulls off the look into relaxed cotton territory, complete with the recommended soft shoulders and a utilitarian zip pocket. It’s as informal as double-breasted jackets get—ideal if you’re planning to wear it somewhere other than the Academy Awards.

Of course, if you’ll want to keep it a bit better starched than your usual cotton jackets—you’re going for continental elegance, not colonial rumple—but we’re guessing you’re up to the task.

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08/02/10
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Scene

Kempt Man of the Hour: Ben Kingsley

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Summer polo matches like last week’s Cartier International usually call for a uniform of khaki suits and lightweight gray wool, which tends to produce solid results. Sir Kingsley gets this week’s prize for bucking the trend with a powder-blue blazer, a midnight-blue shirt and weather-defying black pants.

The cotton blazer is as close to a summer staple as you get, but one in this color is a lot harder to pull off than it looks, and pairing it with ink-black pants is the kind of sartorial vision that takes you beyond the basics.

Nicely done, sir.

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03/24/10
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Good Idea

Out of Pocket

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The trads may wear them all year round, but we’ve always thought of the pocket square as a quintessentially summer item.

We don’t mind a charmingly ostentatious flash of red silk in a black suit, if you have occasion to pull it off, and heavier suits can occasionally benefit from a white linen square, but for our money, there’s nothing quite like a light, solid suit with a touch of brightly patterned tattersall peeking out of the breast pocket. We’re thinking cotton suits, seersucker, and just about anything you’re pulling out of your closet now that the ice has melted. But while you’re matching, remember this: You want the fabric of the pocket square to echo the fabric of the suit. That means nothing too shiny and nothing with too rough a weave.

As for finding the square itself, $20 can get you remarkably far. Our favorite is this Brooks Brothers item, but there’s plenty more where that came from, if you prefer second-hand finds or ridiculously expensive heritage items. Either way, your jacket will get a cheap upgrade, and you’ll never run short of something to wipe your brow with.

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03/23/10
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LinkOut

Mila Kunis is in Repose

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Cowboy Hats Are Still Not a Good Idea: Stopping by GQ for Date Night. [GQ]

Staying Light: A lifelong trad airs his misgivings concerning the cotton suit. [A Suitable Wardrobe]

The Original Screwball: Cary Grant, seminal dandy and Old Hollywood icon, apparently didn’t mind a little LSD from time to time. It certainly would have spiced up Bringing Up Baby. [Boing Boing]

Dropping Math: A magnificently bearded math whiz solves a century-old paradox, forgoes the million dollar prize and returns to his Eastern hovel.
[Daily Mail]

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03/23/09
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Bad Idea/Good Idea

Join the Club

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We like our socks black, cotton, and plentiful. And unlike most items, we’re open to getting them through nontraditional means.

Blacksocks.com (hat tip to Crains) just launched what can only be described as a sock club for men, pledging a package of three pairs, three times a year.

It’s not a bad plan, and the frequency can be tailored to your own needs…but we wonder if this is a bit too much of a commitment. After nine pairs of dour Peruvian cotton, who’s to say you won’t be yearning for a bit of color?

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