Next weekend marks the unofficial start to summer—which means it’s time to kick your summer preparations into high gear right now.
And above all else, you’re going to need to pick up the right pair of shades for wherever it is you plan on summering—because the sun in Cannes requires a different UV protection than the sun you’ll encounter on the music festival circuit. So we put together a handy guide for your summer’s eyewear-related needs.
With the triumphant return of black tie to red carpets everywhere over the past few awards seasons, we’re especially looking forward to the upcoming Oscars. But with the parades of grosgrain on each red carpet ever-growing, it begs the question: what makes one tuxedo different from—or better than—another? So this week we’ll be dissecting the few subtle nuances to keep an eye out for on Sunday—and to consider incorporating into your own formalwear routine.
First up: the tuxedo slipper. It’s the traditional footwear of the black-tie trads, and if you’re adventurous enough to forgo the ubiquitous patent leather lace-ups, we’ve got a few ideas for you:
Sold in Bundles: Valet uncovers the ingenious Japanese retail tradition of furoshiki—and how Hickoree’s Hard Goods is employing it to fantastic effect with their pocket squares and bandanas.
I’ll Take YOLO for $18,000, Alex: Grantland recounts the story of the greatest contestant of Teen Jeopardy—nay, of all Jeopardy history: a gutsy olive-shirted wunderkind named Leonard Cooper.
Getting Personal: BuzzFeed catches up with the gents behind Duckie Brown to break down the four things every guy should know about personal style.
Tie Optional: Just in case Justin Timberlake has yet to make it totally clear that he’s definitely on his “suit and tie shit,” Esquire has the final cut of his with-artistic-director-Tom-Ford video.
News of Justin Timberlake’s return to music took the Internet by storm—but we were more interested in the actual suit and tie he repeatedly mentions in the intro (of his appropriately named single, “Suit & Tie”).
Turns out it’s a Tom Ford number—not surprising, since JT chose to wear a Ford tuxedo during his secret wedding in Italy last year—but it doesn’t stop there. Timberlake and Ford have collaborated on a collection of suits (and ties, presumably) that will be “feature[d] heavily” in the album, The 20/20 Experience (presumably in the videos, but perhaps also the lyrics?). Mr. Ford styled the music video for the single. More than anything, we’re happy to see that JT is really taking the whole suit-and-tie thing seriously.
We meet again, Mr. Firth…
We haven’t seen much of Colin Firth since his meteoric King’s Speech-era run, when he left red carpets and Oscar acceptance podiums in his Tom Ford-fueled wake. And then he showed up this week at the premiere of his new film, Gambit, looking like he hadn’t missed a beat. We’ll assume this three-piece was another Tom Ford joint, which Firth lends his quintessential British unassuming-dandy-ness to perfectly. The whole thing is harder to pull off than he makes it look—especially the peak lapels—but he does it by keeping it simple in the tie and shirt department. And having some American-born arm candy doesn’t hurt either.
Bravo, sir.
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Pictures of the Timberlake-Biel nuptials that went down in Italy about a week ago hit the newsstands today, and we’ve got to hand it to the guy—he cleans up well and married a very attractive lady. (That’s Kempt Man of the Hour material.)
The key was his tuxedo (a custom job from Tom Ford). It was a peak lapel, tipped in grosgrain and cut with a trim fit with some wiggle room that we’ll assume had the dance floor in mind, not the mid-photo-shoot jumping. He also went the extra mile with the studded shirt buttons, which is always a classy touch.
All in all, not a bad way to spend a long weekend in Italy.
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Fass’ and Loose: GQ cover boy Michael Fassbender wore a lot of Tom Ford during this shoot, and it shows. [GQ]
Feeling Campy: A nostalgic collection of summer camping gear inspired by Wisconsin and Moonrise Kingdom. [Valet]
Beet It: Outside extols the recently discovered virtues of drinking beet juice. [Outside]
More to Offerman: We’ve got the full transcription of our Nick Offerman interview below, but here it is in article form. [UrbanDaddy Chicago]
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It’s no secret that Tom Ford has been the driving force behind Colin Firth’s recently impeccable run at premieres and awards podiums everywhere—so it should come as no surprise that Mr. Ford can dress himself for the red carpet. Here he is at last night’s Met Ball, standing out in a field that was particularly formidable—everyone seems to be taking black-tie seriously again, thank goodness.
The difference here is that, even though we’re dealing with a double-breasted tux, a large bow tie and a larger boutonniere—all potentials for overdoing it—he keeps it in check, and in a black-and-white palette that manages to not look so, um, “Tom Ford.”
And having a supermodel at your side never hurts.
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In Another Photo, Neither Are: Tom Ford’s latest lookbook is his raciest yet. (And that’s saying something.) Proceed with caution. [Selectism]
Come to My Window: Barneys New York catches up with the Brothers Ovadia—always nice to see them get some shine. [The Window]
Denim and Desert: William Yan spends a day with the Ramblers Bone fellows. Wearing at least two pieces of denim: mandatory. [WY]
Leaning on Hank Williams: The soundtrack list for Moonrise Kingdom has been released. You’ll also be pleased to know there’s still a lot of pitter-patter-y French stuff. [NY Mag]
Tom Ford unveiled his fall/winter lookbook this morning, complete with the usual furs, scarves and playboy aviators. But this time, something was different.
The clothes are still great (at this point, that goes without saying), but we couldn’t help but notice that nearly half of the models were rocking a single hand on their hip—known to laymen as the “little teapot” pose.
To break the pose down in technical terms, this model’s right hand, propped on his hip, would represent his “handle,” while his left hand dangling free would represent his “spout.”
Sadly, short and stout models are still underrepresented within the industry.
The gentleman before you is Hedi Slimane, occasional photographer and sculptor, and (as of this morning) official creative director of Yves Saint Laurent, a post once held by Tom Ford, Stefano Pilati and, just 12 years ago, Hedi himself.
It’s big news in the capital-F Fashion world, but it should make a difference for anyone with lapels—even if you’re not keeping an eye on runway shows. So we’ve put together a quick guide to why you should care…
In many ways, we were glad for the lightly humdrum proceedings last night because it gave us a chance to concentrate on what’s truly important: the tuxedos. The competition was fierce, between Plummer’s playful velvet and Clooney’s usual impeccable kit, but we were able to pick out five getups that rose above the crowd to make a statement. In case you missed it, here are the five takeaways…
Nice Pants: Tom Ford’s latest hyper-sexual lookbook has arrived. Naturally, we’re shocked and scandalized. More pics after the link. [Hypebeast]
Bundle Up: The Midwestyle kids show you how to dress for the Chicago winter without turning gray. [Details]
Pumped Up Kicks: This one is strictly for the sneakerheads: a gallery of limited edition high-tops, from Le Coq to Karhu. Read it and weep. [Sneaker Freaker]
The Impossible: And just to finish it off, a post explaining the Bronco’s inexplicable win last night. [Deadspin]
Catching the Moneyball: Would you like to know what Yogi Berra thinks of Moneyball? Of course you would. [WSJ]
The Raleigh Crowd: Raleigh Denim has been getting into indigo-dipped chambray, to great result. [Selectism]
The Punk Tailor: Tokyo lost one of its more interesting tailors this week. Raise a glass, gentlemen. [neojapanisme]
Nice Suit: Tom Ford is returning as James Bond’s tailor for Skyfall. We were foolish to doubt. [Telegraph]
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Here’s one thing we like about sunglasses: not a lot’s changed. If it looked good in ’56, it looks good now. So to help you settle on your own personal style for the summer, we’ve brought together some of the most stylish gentlemen ever to block out UV rays, together with the modern equivalent of their signature shades.
And Her Name Was Veronica: Jon Patrick (of the Selvedge Yard) weighs in on the enduring appeal of Veronica Lake. [Details]
Built Ford Tough: Tom Ford drops a clothed-but-revealing interview. The best part, why he doesn’t really feel guilty about things. [Interview]
Like Tears in Rain, or a Hobo with a Shotgun: The enduring coolness known as Rutger Hauer takes a look at his best work. [Vulture]
Fare Thee Well: Charlie Louvin, of the beloved gospel duo, the Louvin Brothers, passed away today. In his honor, here’s a vintage longform piece about just how awesome he was. [Killing the Buddha]
In honor of the New Year, Tom Ford’s released his Spring/Summer collection to the wilds of the internet. On some level, it’s the same bombastic 70s loungewear we’re used to from Tom Ford—but as a vision of things to come, it’s downright exciting.
The big winners so far are spectators and dangling belts, along with the same safari jackets, wide-lapeled tuxes and neckerchiefs he’s been pushing since ‘09. Also, if you have a pair of white pants cluttering up your closet, you might want to start airing them out now.
And maybe that fondue set.
We’re glad he made his movie and all, but it’s about time Tom Ford got back to what he does best: borderline pornographic ad campaigns. This one makes the pitch for Ford’s Private Blend lipstick, stubble, and symbolic eroticism. Welcome back, sir.
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There was a lot of good style on display last night, between Guy Pearce doing his best Thom Browne impression and Morgan Freeman completing his transformation into one of the coolest people in Hollywood, but our favorite had to be Tahar Rahim, star of the French gangster opus A Prophet.
The movie’s only playing in a handful of screens, and his chances of becoming a household name are just about slim to none, but somehow he managed to land the best tuxedo in Hollywood last night. Thanks to a particularly 70s-inspired vest, he manages to turn the uniform of the Oscars into something playful, without ever looking older than he is. Not bad, given he was sharing the red carpet with none other than Tom Ford.
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An Un-Single Man: Tom Ford leaves melancholy gay cinema behind and gets back to his first love, titillating ads. We’ve missed you… [Fashion Copious]
Wim and Vigor: A tour through the denim of the rebel state, via Paris, Texas. [The Moment]
The 80s Were a Special Time: We’re pretty sure Kathryn Bigelow is the first Best Director nominee to be involved in a Bill Paxton video. Well, except for Mr. Cameron… [Vulture]
Men at Work: Junya Watanabe and Carhartt join forces for some pretty awesome jackets. [Hypebeast]
Semi-Broken Embraces: Unfortunately, Pedro Almódovar seems to have locked Ms. Cruz in a dungeon. [Fashion Copious]
Mr. Ford Goes to Hollywood: Tom Ford’s A Single Man earns him the Times profile treatment. Also, Jason Reitman should be nicer to reporters. [NYTimes]
Short Cuts: Snippets from the best film scenes of the decade, including a balrog, a strip club, and a hammer fight. [A. V. Club]
The Dandies of the Congo: Central Africa has some damn good tailors too. [Coolhunting]
Tom Ford hasn’t popped up on our radar too much lately—something about the movie business—but his latest Fall/Winter collection recently arrived shops around the world, and Japan’s SENSE magazine put together an impeccably styled editorial spread to remind us why we were so excited about it to begin with.
This windowpaned gentleman, for instance, has taught us to stop worrying and love the loud suit. The colorful tie, the boots and the blublocker-esque aviators all suggest a kind of flash the fashion world doesn’t have nearly enough of. Hopefully Mr. Ford won’t find Hollywood too tempting.
Tom Ford’s latest Fall line has a lot of noteworthy goodies—including Moncler-style bubblegooses, windowpane suits and Matthau-esque check undershirts—but what stood out to us was this mildly costume-y velvet-and-plaid ensemble.
Most of the garments in question can be traced back to Mr. Ford’s well-documented yen for the mid-70s, but the tartan pants reach all the way back to the days of Leave it to Beaver. The jacket’s pure Hefner—familiar territory, to be sure—but it’s easy to forget that Hugh started out in the 50s too, even if it was more the decade of Henry Miller than Fred McMurray. Apparently Mr. Ford remembers.
It would appear the neckerchief is once again at the throats of the stylish populace. Don’t say you weren’t warned…
The Cut just shined a spotlight on a new line of western cravats out of Brooklyn, and took the opportunity to call “trend.” Of course, Mr. Ford was on this particular tip long before Williamsburg caught on, and Robert Downey Jr.’s Zodiac look included a well-placed foulard before just about anyone. But we’re crying foul on this particular retro kick for one simple reason: the weather.
The Brooklyn-based gentlemen of leisure are using the neckerchief to protect their neck and collar from summertime sweat. It’s rooted in function and comfort, making it a much better idea than most trendspotters realize. The problem is, it’s August, and while it’s still gross out there, nobody’s going to be gearing up for a neckerchief purchase until next spring. There’ll be a lot of options waiting for them after the thaw, but it’s a little early to start making predictions.
A well-managed handkerchief is more than just a pocket square. Used properly, it’s an emblem of chivalry.
Primarily used to comfort distraught women, it’s an indispensable accoutrement for the modern man, and Tom Ford seems to understand it pretty well. The pattern makes this one a bit too noisy to wear peeking out of your jacket, but it’s better off in your side pocket anyway. Who knows: you might need to use it.
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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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