We’ve filed the appropriate paperwork and submitted the requisite $89.50: from now on, May 10 will also be known as No More Bullshit Holidays Day. As you may have gathered from our recent posts on No Socks Day and National High Five Day, we’re done with meaningless celebrations of nothing at all.
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via Dazed DigitalRIP, Maurice: We’ve lost one of the most celebrated authors of our time, Mr. Maurice Sendak—our childhood wouldn’t have been the same without him. The Times looks back on his remarkable legacy. [NYTimes]
Return to Sendak: Another fitting tribute to Mo would be to watch his two-part Colbert Report interview. Things get tense, they huff markers, classic Sendak stuff here. [The Colbert Report]
Bespoke and Mirrors: The Wall Street Journal looks into the troubling overuse of the word “bespoke” and the continuing erosion of the term’s meaning. [WSJ]
Hey, Ma: Just in case you’d like something more to go along with our Mother’s Day card suggestion, this Esquire list of 50 gift ideas ought to work. [Esquire]
And a happy No Socks Day© to you, too. According to Thomas and Ruth Roy, creators of the holiday, “If we give up wearing socks for one day, it will mean a little less laundry, thereby contributing to the betterment of the environment. Besides, we will all feel a bit freer, at least for one day.”
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We’ve spent the past few days getting excited about the Kentucky Derby but we’d be remiss not to mention Cinco de Mayo is also on Saturday. So, in the spirit of bipartisanship, an intrepid soul might want to top off his seersucker suit with a stately sombrero. (A time-efficient way to dress for both parties you’ll be attending.) We’re not going to outright endorse the idea, but we’ll leave you with this: when dealing with anything costume-y, you should proceed with caution and aplomb. Remember, your sartorial reputation is at stake, so make sure it’s nothing flimsy or that you received for your birthday at a restaurant. We’d suggest keeping it authentic—like one of these from El Paso, let’s say—and knowing when it’s time to take it off.
Most importantly: it’s not a license to mix bourbon into your margarita.
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Here’s an alternative to the New Year’s mass text: the multiple choice card. The “Happy ____” version covers your holidays, while the “Congratulations” model works for anything from a new baby to a great hair day. Check any and all that apply.
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Yes, the holidays are chaotic: stores are packed. Traveling is a nightmare. Hangovers come in size XXL. But they’re also whimsical: the sweaters. Drunk Santa. Singing about snowmen.
Our advice? Embrace it all. Like an adorable doggy video on Kempt, it only comes once a year.
To that end, we’d like to tip our hat to the folks at Bergdorf Goodman for the short film Unleashed, which features a pack of dogs running wild through Bergdorf’s various departments in search of the perfect gift for their owners. Maybe it’s the eggnog talking, but we think it perfectly encapsulates two dominant themes of the holidays: chaos and whimsy.
Note: Film is best viewed after three to five glasses of eggnog…»
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via WBEMr. Darmody Returns: Our old friend Michael Pitt takes a turn modeling for Prada, braving double-breasted suits and Eisenhower-era prints. [F-Tape]
Inside Out: A welcome look at the guts of a pair of unsanforized Cone Mills jeans, courtesy of Roy’s. [Selectism]
The Very Last Minute: An extremely last-minute gift guide, full of high-design trinkets. In our experience, everyone needs a wooden radio. [Better Living Through Design]
Bike vs. Mountain: Three crazy Germans (one of whom is named “Jello”) tackle an unbelievably treacherous mountain path on bicycle. Yes, there’s video. [Kottke]
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We’d like to be clear on this.
We do not endorse wearing a Santa hat to every party you attend over the next two weeks—especially if any of the parties in question are Kwanzaa-themed. There will be cameras, old friends and alcohol. A single costume-y element—like, say, a socklike, red velvet topper—could throw the whole thing out of whack, doing permanent damage to your reputation and your dignity.
However, if you decide to disregard all warning and go forward with your bizarre festivities, you will find an appropriately luxurious Santa hat here.
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s eggnog season—and while most holiday parties get by with either dark rum or bourbon in their mix, we’ve got a tip to set your tincture apart. It’s time to pick up a bottle of brandy.
It’s tastier than the other two options, with floral notes and enough sharpness to add more than just kick to the final mix. Unlike bourbon, it’s not something we normally keep on our liquor shelf, but if you’re mixing up a full bowl of the stuff, that’s hardly a concern.
If you’re really serious, the next step is making your own ’nog—but unless you’ve got a serious yen for whisking, you might be better off sticking with the dairy aisle.
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You’ve been tapped to play Santa Claus this year, the most beloved bearded man on the planet.
This is not a responsibility to be taken lightly. Properly projecting the triplet of “Ho’s” will require core strength. Properly responding to a kid who’s just asked you to save his house from foreclosure requires a good excuse to take a five-minute break. Parents and children alike are depending on you. (As are the 12 “little people” you hired as elves.)
To help with your preparation, we’ve drawn up a few rules and provided real-life cautionary tales of what happens when those rules aren’t followed.
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Stockholm’s Rose & Born just posted this bow tie/plaid pairing that just about sums up holiday style. You’ve got loud patterns, offbeat styles and the kind of eye-popping fearlessness that plays a lot better around the winter solstice. Our only complaint is that they could do a better job of hiding that top button—but let’s not ruin the season by nitpicking.
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The holiday tie doesn’t get much respect, but we’ve got a definite soft spot for them. Here’s why.
There’s nothing like the feel of wearing something you’ve bought specifically for an occasion—whether it’s your first obligatory tuxedo or just a new pair of wingtips. And since you’re guaranteed to have a few holiday parties coming your way in the next few weeks, you’ve got a jump on planning out uniquely seasonal affectations. They’re not as bad as you thought.
Take this newly arrived set of David Hart ties, for instance. It’s definitely more snowflakes and reindeer than we’re used to having in our wardrobe, but the intricate patterns that seem so unworkable in a sweater play a lot better on a three-inch tie. (They’d also play pretty well in an après-ski setting if you’re wondering when else you’d wear them.) The tricolor scheme plays nicely with a navy blazer, so they’re a lot more wearable than you might think at first.
But most importantly, they go great with eggnog.
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This well-appointed kit just arrived as part of Gant Rugger’s holiday collection—and it’s pretty spectacular.
For the moment, we’ll pass over the (cognac-colored!) gloves and the unfussy light-wash denim to focus entirely on that jacket. It already passes our 50-foot test, and the shawl collar pushes it into Bing Crosby territory. This is how holiday party legends are made.
Trads won’t like the high cut (it won’t, as Mr. Wong will remind you, cover your posterior), but we’ve never been shy about breaking a few rules.
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We’re across-the-board fans of old-school etiquette, but the Thank You card in particular deserves more credit than it gets. It’s a simple gesture, easy once you’re in the habit and it makes an impression like nothing else—especially since it’s so unexpected in the modern day.
Our gameplan: keep it short, and let the stationary do the talking. There’s a pretty good crop on Etsy (our favorite is here), which makes it that much more personal. It’s the kind of social meticulousness that makes gentlemen—not bad for a piece of paper.
We’re heading to the hills for the rest of the year, but we wanted to leave you with good vibes and one final, triumphant plug for our gift guide. It’s been a great year for Kempt, and we hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have. See you in January.
Moncler Science: The physics behind your goosedown parka. Stay warm out there. [Gizmodo]
Some Weather We’re Having: A gentleman’s guide to making small talk—in case you have a holiday party in your future. [MIEN Magazine]
The Arrival: Engineered Garments ’11 is looking pretty, pretty, pretty good. [Mister Crew]
Be Afraid: The most frightening holiday-themed videos the internet has to offer. Be brave. [Mashable]
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As connoisseurs of history, we sometimes find styles, trends and turns of phrase from the past that we wouldn’t mind bringing back to the present, Doc Brown-style. This time around, we’re dusting off semi-formal air travel.
Peruse, for a moment, this picture from Midway Airport circa 1956. The gentlemen in question are wearing suits, hats and pocket squares—formal even by the standards of the day. They’re dressed for an occasion, an event. In other words, for taking part in the miracle of industrial flight.
Some of Their Early Stuff is OK…: Nitsuh Abebe offers a master-class hipster guide to hating the Beatles at parties. [Vulture]
Flipped: The Italo-trads of Japan are flipping up the ends of their collars. We’re all for affectations, but this one doesn’t quite make sense. [The Sartorialist]
Tales of the Krampus: Say hello to the Krampus, the evil leader of Christmas. He does make the holiday a lot more metal. [The Storque]
Stay Warm: In praise of the shawl collar cardigan. [Men’s Flair]
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Over the next month, you’re going to be invited to a number of holiday functions. And, at the risk of wearing something with a snowman on it, you’re going to want to dress the part.
This, for future reference, is how it’s done.
That’s a velvet jacket, in case you can’t tell from the sheen, and it’s the most dignified holiday item you’ll find. The trick, as Clive Owen demonstrates here, is to keep the rest of your ensemble as toned down as possible. Here, he ends up with a seasonal twist on the tuxedo, which is just about perfect for a wintry red carpet jaunt. And if you can find a jacket with peak lapels, all the better.
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The world is a complex and terrifying place, and never moreso than when we are seeking out the appropriate gifts for our friends and family.
Fortunately, help has arrived in the form of our latest gift guide. We’ll be updating it down to the last minute, but if you stop by now you’ll find a healthy selection of giftable items—including an old-school medicine ball, a fisherman’s sweater and a miniaturized version of De La Soul.
That should be enough to get you started.
via AntennaPutting Pen to Paper: Examining the pros and cons of writing love letters. Courage, gentlemen. [Magnificent Bastard]
Thou Shalt Not: The 17 commandments of holiday style, according to Esquire. For what it’s worth, we’d offer dispensation on the “seasonal colors” rule. [Esquire]
Trunkless in Budapest: A writer examines the deep, enduring shame of forgetting one’s bathing suit at a Hungarian bath. Apparently black boxer-briefs really do come in handy. [World Hum]
All the Colors: A visual guide to the latest Girl Talk album. [Mashup Breakdown]
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One of the highlights of that Free & Easy editorial that popped up yesterday was the handsome fair isle tie popping up on the third gentleman. It’s a clever way to channel the classic holiday sweater without being completely swallowed up by patterned knitting.
It’s also a surprisingly scarce item, compared with the omnipresent sweater, so we’re always happy to see a new one cross our RSS.
The best option is still this J.Crew version, but if you’re willing to shell out a bit more in pursuit of neckwear perfection, this jacquard model from White Mountaineering just arrived at L.A.’s Union with a point-end and a more versatile pattern.
And if you balk at the sticker price…we’re guessing it’ll be on sale by January.
If our editorial calendar is any judge, you may be putting together a gift list around now. You may also be dreading the flood of gift guides currently swallowing up publications from GQ to Cat Fancy. So in the interests of appeasing Simon Doonan, we’re going to try to walk the line.
We won’t be doing a gift guide per se, but if you find yourself in desperate need of material guidance, you can direct yourself to our continually updated virtual gift guide. We’ve been filling it up all week with gift-worthy posts, past and present, and we’ll continue to do so throughout December. The gear may be familiar, but it’ll also be interesting, offbeat, and available for purchase, which is enough for us.
Happy holidays?
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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...
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...
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…
Forget everything you know about Miami style. Today’s Miamian is more LeBron James than Crockett and Tubbs—as you’ll soon see in our next edition of Style Shifters…
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