February 7, 2012 world of men's style / fashion / grooming RSS
“Summer”
08/10/11
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The Past

Dusting Off: The Summer Cabin

Summer Cabin

As connoisseurs of history, we sometimes find styles, habits 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 the summer cabin.

Nowadays the words “summer vacation” usually imply a plane ticket to a southern island and an anonymous and freshly scrubbed hotel room. We’re not knocking it, but there was a time when those words meant something a bit more traditional, a bit more familial.

And the resulting few weeks were often spent in a cabin of some kind…

Wherein we extol the virtues of living the simpler summer life»

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07/12/11
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Object

The Big Short

unisshort

Ladies and gentlemen, the perfect pair of shorts.

We’re not just saying that because they happen to be on sale. The next time you step into a fitting room, this is what you should be looking for: the snug waistline, the bare minimum of extra room in the legs and, more importantly, a few all-important inches between the bottom hemline and the top of your knee.

And just for extra credit, a pair of white sneakers with no socks. Well played all around.

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07/05/11
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Good Idea

The Kempt Guide to Extremely Hot Weather

Summervia Flickr

It’s official: July fourth is past, and we’re now into the “soul-crushingly hot” portion of the summer.

But don’t despair—or worse, turn to t-shirts and shorts. We’ve got five bits of wisdom to see you through the dog days in style. They involve madras, handkerchiefs and rum…

Kempt’s five tips for keeping cool…»

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07/01/11
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Good Idea

Starting Beef

beef

Here’s a summer rule that’s close to our heart: It’s never too late to start planning a barbecue. We’ll even give you a head start on your steak source. 35 Degrees is our new favorite—courtesy of our friends at UD—offering up the same steaks you’d get at Cut and Bouchon. Sadly, they won’t make it to your door in time for this weekend, but we have a sneaking suspicion this won’t be your only barbecue of the year.

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06/27/11
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Sale-ing

Blank Check

summer plaids

File this one under “summer plaids.”

Granted, it’s not the first pastel-hued windowpane check you’ve seen this summer, but it’s one of the better ones. And more importantly, it’s on sale.

And since you’ve got a minimum of four colors working through the check, you’ll have a lot of options in terms of pairing it up. The classic navy blazer will play off the dark blue stripe, while your khaki suit plays off the small horizontal stripe running across your chest. Even a white blazer will have something to play off, thanks to those tiny squares above and below the pocket.

And if you happened to have a sea-foam-colored cardigan…

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06/23/11
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Sale-ing

The Summer Parka

Monitaly parka

As we’ve recently been reminded in New York, just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you can’t get soaked. And while wearing sockless plims might keep your feet rain-ready, you’ll need something to protect the rest of you.

This Monitaly parka is one of the better ones, able to protect you in case of sudden showers and blend in seamlessly at any clambakes that survive the storm.

Since it’s Monitaly, unusually perceptive menswear heads might notice a touch of Italian style—the non-madrasy blue or the hacking-style front pockets, for instance—alongside the classic preppidom. But in the meantime, we’ll settle for calling it handsome.

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06/16/11
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Object

The Summer Jacket

Nigel Cabourn

White jeans have made a strong showing this summer, but we’d like to suggest a secret weapon: the white jacket.

Case in point: this Nigel Cabourn button-up, a lighter take on the work jacket and the first nautical item you could safely wear to Diddy’s house. Instead of weather-beaten canvas, there’s ivory-white sateen (translation: it may feel like you’re wearing a bedspread), but there’s no mistaking the nautical cut.

Think of it as the slick-bastard end of workwear.

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06/16/11
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Good Idea

Men in Hats

Men in Hats

These two Street Peeper snaps reminded us of just how useful a hat can be once the sun gets serious. Neither of these are exactly beach hats, but they manage to keep the gentlemen out of the sun and add a bit of off-beat style along the way. The cardinal rule: in the name of functionality, steer clear of the stingy-brimmed Bruno Mars vibe. A healthy overhang is the whole point.

And be ready to doff it once you get inside.

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06/15/11
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LinkOut

Renata Sozzi Has Plans for Her Cat

Renata Sozzivia WBE

These Pitti Uomo People Make Really Great Clothes: A truly staggering number of aviators and double breasted blazers in Milan right now. [GQ]

Uomothon: Everything else you might want to know about day one of menswearpalooza. [Sartorially Inclined]

The Master of the Club: Perhaps you should buy your father a pair of alt clubmasters for Father’s Day. [Men of Habit]

It’s Still Kind of Wintry: The British summer, in pictorial form. We’ll come out and say it: not a lot of smiles. [The Three Threads]

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06/03/11
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The Summer Sweater

Gant Summer Sweater

If you can get your mind around the counterintuitive thought of wearing a sweater in summer, a light cableknit item like this can be one of the cozier items in your closet. And as we’ve noticed before, they’re having a moment. This one comes from Gant, swapping in blue for the traditional tennis white, but the key is the extra-deep V-neck. Racket not required.

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06/03/11
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Dept. of Corrections

The Summer Dress Code

Silly Hat

You’ll be seeing a lot of summer gear in the blogodome over the next few weeks, and to the untrained eye it might seem like everyone’s going to spend the next three months in shades, shorts and brightly colored t-shirts.

Not so.

They’re all good things to have in your closet, provided you know when and where to break them out—but in the wrong hands, they’re a faux pas waiting to happen.

So as a public service, we thought we’d share the sartorial code we live by during the summer.

Gentlemen, take notes»

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06/01/11
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LinkOut

Happy Birthday, Marilyn

Marilyn Monroevia WBE

And the Suiting Is Easy: Three handsome summer suits, courtesy of Deets. Nothing mind-blowing here, but very sharp all around. [Details]

The Chairman Speaks: A dug-up doc on Frank Sinatra from 1965, making a strong claim on the next 32 minutes of your life. [Brain Pickings]

Sewn Up: The Blackbird guide to sewing the buttons back onto your shirt after you’ve ripped it open in a fit of passion. [Valet]

A Gentleman’s Guide to Intimidation: A supercut of the 100 greatest film threats of all time. We advise that you not mess with the bull. [Pajiba]

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05/31/11
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Scene

Kempt Man of the Hour: Terence Koh

Terence Kohvia GoaG

With Memorial Day already receding into our hazy memory, we thought we’d single out one of the better uses of summer whites we’ve seen. Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Terence Koh…

This snap comes from last week’s Volkswagen dinner at the Museum of Modern Art, where the rest of the crowd was clad in wool suits and silk ties. Mr. Koh opted for something both summery and avant garde.

Step one is getting genuinely white pants: none of this cream or off-white business. (Those beat-up bucks are allowed to be a little hazier, but don’t start getting sloppy.) The masterstroke here is the spread club collar, just to remind you he’s a forward thinker.

The result is what the aliens will look like when they land on Southampton.

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05/26/11
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Big Picture

Summer Days

Summer

As you may have noticed, we’re pretty excited for summer. So to keep you inspired through Memorial Day Weekend, we’ve put together a pictorial celebration of what the next three months have in store. Enjoy.

Summer, in blog form»

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05/20/11
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Object

Half and Half

Robert Geller Shades

In honor of the Preakness this weekend, we thought we’d provide you with one more pair of shades before kicking off the long, bright summer. These Robert Geller shades split the difference between white-framed hipster sunglasses (see: Williamsburg and/or Silver Lake) and the classic dark framed wayfarer, which means they’ll play wherever you happen to find yourself on Saturday night.

As for the icon scale, we’d file them under Godard…if he’d gone Hollywood and started making formally adventurous action comedies.

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05/17/11
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Object

The Salmon Run

Pierrepont Hicks

There’s nothing like a bright linen tie on a warm day.

Today’s summer tie comes by way of Pierrepont Hicks, newly available for preorder.

The fabric is a blend of orange, salmon and pink, which means it’ll blend in with just about any number of summer shirts (including any slightly pink spread-collars you may have squirreled away)—but more importantly, it’s likely to be the most summery collections of hues in your closet.

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05/12/11
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Object

The Eton Collar

Eton Collar

The club collar’s been popping up on the tweedier variety of dress shirt for a while now—we’re looking at you, Mr. Alan—but it’s finally made the leap to more casual climes. This is Baron Wells’ Eton Collar Polo, and it manages to dodge the stuffy Edwardian vibe in favor of rugby-ready playfulness. Keep an eye on the sleeves and it’ll be hard to steer this wrong.

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05/04/11
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Big Picture

On Board

The Hundreds

We’re not sure we vouch for the board shorts, but The Hundreds still knows how to put together a hell of a lookbook. Surf’s up, gentlemen.

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05/02/11
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LinkOut

Kate Jones Feels No Need for Blankets

Kate Jonesvia YHBI

Also, Our New Favorite Loafers: A Suitable Wardrobe shows how to do the summer suit right. [A Suitable Wardrobe]

I’ve Got More Hits than Sadaharu Oh: In honor of their new album, a guide to the obscure references of the Beastie Boys. [A.V. Club]

The Silver Ball: Vintage pinball shots, in their purest and simplest form. [Wired]

The Internet Will Continue To Be The Internet: There is a blog entirely devoted to Fox Mulder’s various wristwatches, because of course there is. [Fox Mulder’s Wristwatch]

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05/02/11
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Good Idea

A Gentleman’s Guide to the Panama Hat

Panama Hat

Consider the Panama Hat.

It’s the perfect tropical accomplice, a mesh of finely woven straw designed to protect you from the sun without interfering with any nearby breezes. Obsessives have been known to drop up to 35 grand for the perfect one, but just finding it takes a good deal of legwork. Luckily, we’re here to help.

Everything you need to know about the Panama Hat»

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04/29/11
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The Other Contrast Collar Polo

Wings + Horns Polo

The contrast collar marches on. Our latest example is this plaid-collared polo from Wings + Horns.

It’s quieter than the Left Field version (think David Byrne instead of Golden Age Burt Reynolds), but still summery enough to see you through any road trips you might have planned. You can count that collar as your daily allotment of plaid.

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04/28/11
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Object

The Ridiculously Colorful Shirt

Gant

Man does not live by blue oxfords alone.

And now that the sun’s out, you’ve got room to get a little colorful. Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, a lot colorful.

This Gant button-down comes from one of our favorite strains of dandyism: the ridiculously colorful shirt. Naturally, you’ll want to ease into it—maybe under a black suit, or peeking over the collar of a light sweater.

The game is showing just enough pattern to liven things up…but not so much that you’re blinding anyone. Once you turn your mind to it, you’ll be surprised how many ways there are to make it work. (Gilbert & Lewis also makes a slightly less sherbet-colored version, if you feel like playing with a handicap.)

And if you stare at it for long enough, you’ll be magically transported to a clambake.

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04/27/11
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Labeled

The Rumple

Hentsch Man

Hentsch Man, one of our favorite British labels, just unveiled their High Summer catalog—and given what the weather’s been doing to our heavier blazers, it’s not a moment too soon.

Our favorite pieces so far are this gentleman’s linen shirt, their double-breasted seersucker jacket and an eye-popping madras, but it’s worth flipping through even if you’re not likely to buy anything listed in pounds.

We’re particularly taken with the elegant rumple in the arms of the jackets, or the generous break in the pants—touches you don’t see much in the cropped and pressed stateside styles. It’s a more restrained, raffish kind of style, and there aren’t too many places you can find it in the U.S. just yet. But there’s always London…or the internet.

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04/25/11
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Good Idea

The Contrast Polo

Contrast Polo Shirt

The polo shirt hasn’t changed too much in the past few decades…but it’s never too late to learn a few new tricks. And this summer, that means contrast collars.

It’s the same offbeat vein Fred Perry has been mining for years, but lately Band of Outsiders has gotten in on the game with some pretty handsome items as well.

But our favorite of the bunch is this one from Left Field, a brand that’s been creeping into our favorite shops quite a bit this season. Something about the heathered front and the floral jolt on the placket puts this at the head of the pack—although something tells us we’ll see plenty more over the next few weeks.

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04/21/11
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Labeled

The Latest Breakthrough in Sunglass Technology

Activist

We mostly pay attention to the front-facing part of our sunglasses, but apparently there’s been a huge breakthrough in the ear-related department. These Activist Eyewear frames boast an extra pair of arms for more stability and a lot less pressure on the tops of your ears.

It’s good news for anyone planning on jogging or dramatically turning their head this summer. And naturally, it doesn’t hurt that they’re pretty handsome begin with, with models taking after wayfarers, aviators and circular, Lennon-style frames.

Take a look after the jump»

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