June 20, 2013 world of men's style / fashion / grooming RSS
“Etiquette”
06/05/13
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The Code

The Gentleman’s Guide to Sleeping with Exes

Sex with an Ex

As happenstance would have it, one day you might run into that girl you dated sophomore year. Or post-college for a month or two. Or whenever. And after a quick catch-up over coffee, she’ll invite you to dinner. But you’ll just know she doesn’t mean dinner in the traditional sense.

Though food might still be involved, if you remember correctly.

Wait, why did you break up again? Doesn’t matter. You’re both single, and over each other, and she’s got legs till Saturday. This is your moment. Do something crazy. Hell, maybe even call it “closure.” But before you go ahead and bury the hatchet, so to speak, we’d like to set up a few guidelines to help you survive such a risky endeavor unscathed. Besides, we wouldn’t want this to end like last time, now would we?

For that express reason, we’d like to present to you: The Gentleman’s Guide to Sleeping with Exes…»
 

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05/22/13
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What's What

Making the Most of Memorial Day

Drinking Games

There is no better season for drinking during the day than the summer.

Fine, spring is pretty great, too. And yeah, spiked cider in fall definitely doesn’t suck. But winter… all right, winter too has its perks. So let’s rephrase: there’s no better season for drinking and getting tan than the summer.

Traditionally, Memorial Day is when it all starts. Sure, maybe it’s not officially summer, but with a cooler of beer, good friends, good music and an entire farm’s worth of barbecue, it sure as hell does feel like it. Though like all good things, winning this glorious three-day jaunt requires some solid forethought. Luckily for you, we’ve done it already.

So settle in, crack open a cold one and listen up as we lay out the finer points of this weekend’s impending festivities…»
 

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05/14/13
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The Past

Dusting Off: The Summer Fling

Flings

Travolta and Newton-John in Grease. Swayze and Grey in Dirty Dancing. Peck and Hepburn in Roman Holiday. Hell, basically any pair of characters in Wet Hot American Summer.

With the sheer volume of steamy summer romance we find in pop culture, you’d think we’d all be bumping uglies the second the temperature peaks above 70.

It would seem that falling madly in love with a stranger was totally acceptable—as long as it began and ended within the confines of June and August, on break from school, of course. Then we’re to believe that once your mandated summer breaks are a thing of the past, so are your chances for a casually balmy two months of abbreviated love.

But we don’t think that has to be, and here’s why…»
 

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05/09/13
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Bad Idea/Good Idea

A Gentleman’s Guide to Not Swearing

George Carlin

If there’s one day of the year you should really feel obligated to clean up your act, it’s Mother’s Day.*

Which means a clean shave, tucking in your shirt and, by all means, absolutely no foul language. (A card wouldn’t be a bad idea either.) Yes, even if you’re just planning on spending a few heartfelt moments over the phone with your salty seafaring sailor of an old lady.

But chances are, you’re going to be seeing dear old mum, face-to-face, over brunch—possibly with an impressionable child or two within earshot of your every syllable. We understand it can sound like a tall order to keep it clean (especially when you’ve been waiting all spring to tell the family your Dennis Rodman story), but we’ve got you covered with this handy list of euphemisms and campy alternatives to your favorite four-letter words.

Presenting: a truly exhaustive list that should steer you clear of any run-ins with furrowed brows or mouthfuls of soap.»
 

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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.»

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04/16/13
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The Code

A Gentleman’s Guide to the Wedding Toast

vince toast

The wedding toast. A time for tears, a time for laughter… a time when that drunk cousin is given a microphone and free rein to ruin a lovely evening. To ensure you’re not that cousin, our team of glass-raising aficionados has laid out some tips. Standing ovation not included.

Now, if we could have everyone’s attention for a moment…»

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04/12/13
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Bad Idea/Good Idea

A Gentleman’s Guide to Sexting

Tiger Woods

And now for some wise words of advice from Kempt’s resident phone etiquette expert and certified lady-person, Michelle Ong.

Let’s get one thing straight: nothing ruins romance faster than a bad sext.

Even a perfect date can be spoiled if your best-intentioned goodnight message turns into a slightly vulgar description of your “peepee”—or worse, a deluge of winking emoticons and a picture. Ugh. Sure, the standards of courting a lady online aren’t much different from doing it in real life these days, but sexting comes with its own nuanced set of rules.

Here’s how to go public with your privates… gracefully.»
 

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04/08/13
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The Code

A Brief Gentleman’s Guide to Fear

Fear

Fear comes in many forms.

There are fears with a logical evolutionary basis—the fear of heights, for example, was embedded pretty deep in our psyche so that our idiot ancestors wouldn’t go jumping off cliffs. Google would have you convinced that the only thing men fear is commitment (which, we’ll admit, is an objectively terrifying sentiment). Then there are ones you’re hesitant to bring up on a date in fear of coming off… soft.

Carnies. Insects. Stand-up comedians. We’ve all experienced those minor terrors of irrational fear. And that’s what we’re here to discuss. With a brief, uncontrolled and wholly unscientific polling of the Kempt staff, we’ve taken the time to learn about what makes men break out in a cold sweat and duck for cover. And we’ve uncovered quite a bit.

So close your eyes and pinch your nose as we plunge into: A Brief Gentleman’s Guide to Fear.»
 

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03/14/13
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The Code

The Gentleman’s Guide to Becoming a Regular

Regulars

Becoming a regular seems pretty easy: go to a place. Go there again. Go again and again until they know your name. Repeat ad infinitum.

But that’s only half the battle…

It requires dedication. It requires patience. And once you’ve made it, like any good relationship it’ll require some maintenance. But we promise, it’ll be worth it.

Without any further ado, Kempt presents: The Gentleman’s Guide to Becoming a Regular.»
 

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03/07/13
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LinkOut

Stylish Dictators, a Significant Moment in Menswear and How to End a Conversation

River Phoenix

Despot On: Esquire mourns the death of dictatorial style with the passing of Hugo Chávez.

Going Ham Leg: Peeking into the New York loft of world-renowned chef Seamus Mullen.

Private Eyes: Wax Wane dissects what might be the greatest menswear line of the past decade, from long-lost label Number (N)ine.

The Endgame: While they’ve taught you many tricks to the nuance of stimulating conversation, Art of Manliness now tackles how to end one.

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02/26/13
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The Code

A Gentleman’s Guide to Dining Alone

Dining Alone

Dinner plans: you’ve got ’em.

Tapas with friends. Family-style Italian feasts. Surf-and-turf date nights. Late-night tacos. Bottomless mimosa power brunches. All of which have one thing in common: other people.

Which, one could argue, is the entire point of eating. Hell, entire books have been written on this subject. But those who fear the company of no one are missing out on a truly noble and gratifying experience.

Which is why every once in a blue supermoon, it’s a good idea to dine alone. Not because you have to, but because you can. And just because you’ve chosen to spend the night in your own good company doesn’t mean microwavable burritos on your couch—in fact, we believe it should prompt the opposite.

And so allow us to present: the Gentleman’s Guide to Dining Alone.»
 

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02/19/13
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What's What

The Gentleman’s Guide to Breaking Up

Heartbreak Hotel

Persistence is generally considered a virtue. Also: knowing when to call it quits.

Today we’re talking about that second thing.

Because even with the aid of Valentine’s-enhanced romance—and the champagne, the roses, the long weekend in the woods—your last shot still came up short. It’s not that she isn’t a spectacular gal and it hasn’t been great getting to know her… but, alas, the time has come to part ways.

So take a deep breath. Prep some band-aid metaphors. There’s no sense in putting it off:

This is the Gentleman’s Guide to Breaking Up.»
 

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02/04/13
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The Code

A Gentleman’s Guide to Kissing Strangers

Hepburn

You’ve been lauded for your handshake since you were a teen. A beautiful union of eye contact, pressure and two perfect pumps. But the world is a diverse and sometimes nefarious place full of French women, Argentine men, Real Housewives, wealthy grandmothers, amputees… none of whom care about your handshake.

This week is especially dangerous: it’s Fashion Week, when New York City will be flooded with designers, Europeans, the wealthy, people who have become wealthy via designing things in Europe… In short, you’re going to need this more than ever:

The gentleman’s guide to the cheek kiss.»
 

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01/24/13
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The Past

The Updated Gentleman’s Guide to Chivalry

The new year has been full of disturbing news. Online dating? Ruining everything. Courtship itself? Dead. Chivalry? Also dead.

Apocalypse-heralding horsemen? Nigh.

In these tumultuous times, we’ve decided to revisit the rules of the past—to see if they’re really dead, and if so, if any are worth reviving. To kick it off, Kempt etiquette-tician and really polite soup-eater Gabby Kruschewsky looks at the rules of chivalry.

To start the assignment, I headed to the public library (libraries: also still real), where I came across a dusty tome, Esquire’s Guide to Modern Etiquette, published in 1969.

According to the gents at Esquire of old, the rules of conduct for men, when women are concerned, boil down to just 10 things.»
 

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01/17/13
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The Past

A Few More Condescending Nicknames…

Earlier this week, we made the case for dusting off the slightly condescending nickname, and we’ve been inundated with an outpouring of support for the idea ever since. We’d also like to thank everyone who (non-condescendingly) pointed out some very glaring oversights. (You can’t win ’em all, toots.) As it turns out, there’s such a wealth of lesser-known noms des condescension out there that we felt obligated to make an addendum.

So, hotshot, here’s every condescending nickname we left out last time. We think.»
 

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01/15/13
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The Past

Dusting Off: The Condescending Nickname

Here at Kempt, we always endorse abiding by the due prescriptions of social courtesy and politeness.

But sometimes you need to take someone down a peg. You’re not trying to be disrespectful or mean outright—just to give a subtle reminder that you’ve got their number. After all, there’s a difference between a slight dig and fighting words.

Since in a few months Jay Gatsby will return to screens everywhere to give a master class on the subject, old sports, we decided it was high time to dust off the practice (and give you a few ideas on where to start).

So, eyes up front, champ—this is the Kempt guide to the condescending nickname.»
 

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12/27/12
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What's What

A Gentleman’s Guide to the New Year’s Eve Kiss

Advice from Kempt’s resident lady and expert on all things French, Michelle Ong.

If you play it right, the New Year’s Eve kiss (henceforth, the “NYEK”) is the cherry on top of a perfect evening. Like cherries, it shouldn’t be that stressful. Here’s why: both parties are on the same page—no one, man or woman, would rather ring in 2013 blowing on a party horn like some lonely elephant.

And really, those 10 golden seconds leading up to the NYEK are—by far—the easiest window of opportunity you’ll get all year, kissing-wise. The next 31,535,990 won’t even come close.

But as for all things, you need a game plan, so I’ve cooked up a how-to for the three types of girls you might encounter. (Girlfriends and wives aren’t listed—Lord help you if you can’t figure that one out.)

Ahead: a holiday guide to planting a wet one, breath mints not included.»
 

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12/17/12
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The Code

A Bartender’s Guide to Cell Phone Etiquette

Eddy Buckingham is the owner of New York cocktail den The Liberty and Kempt’s resident Fernet Branca expert. Periodically, he offers us wisdom gleaned from his years behind the bar.

Before it was cell phones, it was cigarettes.

I saw it for years from behind the bar. You’re out and about, your companion disappears for a split second, and you fire up a Camel. It’s a defense mechanism; smoking, you’re not a creep or a drunk staring mutely into your whiskey—you’re thoughtful, and aloof, maybe even a little mysterious.

Then along came Bloomberg, and the cigarette was relegated to the curb outside. In its place arose a more insidious behavioral crutch: the cell phone.

Walk into any bar in the country and you’ll see a crowd of would-be revelers tapping mutely at their illuminated crotches. (And I assure you, the most interesting action is not happening down there. If you’re lucky, that comes later.)

That’s why, just like you did with cigarettes your sophomore year of college, it’s time to quit. Herewith: a bartender’s guide to cell phone etiquette.>>

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12/04/12
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The Code

A Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Drunk* with Your Boss

*Please enjoy this list responsibly.

It’s officially holiday party season, which means your annual office gathering is just around the corner. And with it: an open bar. Last year, you heeded the conventional wisdom, had a couple drinks, some non-memorable conversations with your coworkers’ spouses. Briefly ruminated on the inevitability of death. Ate some goddamn cheese cubes on toothpicks.

But last year, you were missing an important bit of knowledge—see, the holidays are a competition. And by pairing your natural ability with a little insider knowhow, we think you’ve got a good shot at winning. Everything. But to start, we’ll tackle the nuanced art of drinking at your office party.

Because let’s face it: you work hard, you like parties. This time of year is your time to get one-drink-less-than-dead drunk while singing a few lusty ballads with a choice group of like-minded coworkers.

So do it. And keep your job. Here’s how.»
 

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12/03/12
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The Code

The Kempt Guide to Sending Back Food in a Restaurant

Here we are: the height of feasting season.

That means your focus for the next month is fitting in as many dinners as humanly possible. But be forewarned: increased feasting frequency means busier kitchens and a higher chance of culinary errors—namely in the form of undercooked eggs, overcooked steaks and rogue hairs.

In seasons past, you may have let these sorts of things slide. But this year, you’re winning the holidays. And that means exercising your God-given right to eat dinner the way it was intended to be—even when it means sending it back. It’s an essential move, but not without risk: it can irritate your server, create tension among your dining companions and seriously diminish your dining-out cred. Unless you do it correctly.

Herewith, a five-point plan to knowing when and how to give your chef a mulligan.»
 

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11/26/12
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The Code

The Kempt Guide to Ensuring a Well-Attended Holiday Party

In the event that you’re romancing the idea of throwing a holiday party, you should plan on sending out invites by week’s end.

And since we’re here to help you win the holidays—this time, by filling your party with top-tier friends—we’d like to suggest putting pen to pad and sending real-life invites on honest-to-God flammable paper. (Stick with us here.)

The digital age has made it easy to ramble off a few nondescript lines and mass-message your nearest and dearest 437 online friends. But sitting down with a pen and pad should help give a more personal touch to each invitation, guaranteed to win over the people you really want to attend—and make you rethink the size of your guest list. (For party guests, like for most things, it’s best to favor quality over quantity.) And since there are a lot of competing festivities this time of year, you want anything that will give your party the edge. Like the tactile joy of engraved cardstock coupled with your finest handwritten bons mots. (Bonus points for cursive.)

And don’t think your cards have to be stamped with a Douglas fir just because it’s the holidays. A few Kempt-approved stationers to get you started, after the jump.»
 

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11/15/12
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The Code

A Gentleman’s Guide to Dancing in a Nightclub

Advice from resident dance expert and certified lady-person Michelle Ong:

As a lady with a deep, undying love for (disco) balls, there’s a reason why I only go to nightclubs with girls and gays: a lot of straight guys have trouble with dancing. A lot of you treat it like an advanced mating ritual you have to decode, or else you look downright pitiful, blinking nervously while shuffling around in a circle. But it doesn’t have to be like this.

Here is the essential 10-step, foolproof, lady-approved guide to dancing in a nightclub.»
 

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10/24/12
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Pony Express

Welcome to the Blogosphere, Superman

Dear Mr. Kent,

On behalf of bloggers everywhere, we’d like to welcome you to New Media.

Like you, we once believed in print journalism. We had subscriptions to things. We creased newspapers and dug into below-the-fold stories about stray dogs and corruption within the gas company. We snickered at comics, replied to classified ads and (acted like we) did the Sunday crossword.

We saw Newsies twice.

But as you so Jerry McGuire-ly (and Sorken-esque-ly) announced to the staff of the Daily Planet, the thrill is gone—journalism has given way to entertainment.

Consider us the best of both…»
 

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07/26/12
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This Sporting Life

Can We Cool It with the Walk-Off Celebrations?

(Left) The Philadelphia Phillies pile on Jimmy Rollins after he singles in the winning run Wednesday. (Right) The San Francisco Giants pile on Brandon Crawford after he singles in the winning run Tuesday.

Major League ballplayers sure do like to jump all over each other. And we get it: there’s nothing quite like a walk-off hit to win a baseball game in extra innings.

That is, except for all the other walk-off hits to win a baseball game in extra innings…»
 

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07/20/12
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Good Idea

Weekending Right: The Vacation Houseguest Edition

In this new weekly series, we peer into your summer weekend agenda and offer a few essential sundries to help you make the most of your upcoming escapade. This weekend, you’ve been invited to a friend’s summer home.

The vacation home. It is a sacred thing come summer, when escaping the city’s summer heat for an easygoing bucolic weekend is your only hope for keeping sane during the dog days. If you don’t have a place of your own, it’s likely you’ve got a friend who does. So, when you get the invite, you’ll need to be prepared (aside from the usual necessities) with a few extras that’ll make you the perfect houseguest in every way.

Stock your weekender bag with these five things and you’ll be invited back sooner than later.»
 

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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.