Basquiat Style

“Trads”

03/05/13

Basquiat Style

Basquiat

The recent opening of the Basquiat retrospective at NYC’s Gagosian Gallery reminded us of one of our favorite peculiarities about the artist: his penchant for painting while wearing shockingly expensive Italian suiting. And for that matter, while generally regarded as a subversive vanguard, the man knew his way around a pocket square and bow tie pretty well. So we dug a little deeper, and found a good deal of trad items hiding in his wardrobe—even a herringbone blazer.

Which is why we’d like to take a moment to look back at some of the finer moments in his artful dishevelment.»

ALL Art Threat

TAGS

10/18/12

Shelf Life

Textbook Ivy Style

Here’s a handsome addition to any well-appointed bookshelf or coffee table in need: the madras-wrapped Ivy Style.

In addition to its obvious clothbound charm, the book is filled with a wealth of information on the habitudes of the trad—published by Yale Press, naturally (and released just this week). The book serves as a companion catalog to an ongoing exhibit at New York’s Fashion Institute, but should serve you just as well if a trip to NYC by year’s end isn’t in the cards. Contributors include the exhibit’s curator, Patricia Mears; Esquire’s G. Bruce Boyer; and Christian Chensvold of the blog Ivy Style (no relation). And with the holiday season around the corner, it might be wise to earmark this for any bookish Ivy League enthusiasts in your life.

Or any collectors of plaid books.

ALL Shelf Life

TAGS

09/10/12

Good Idea

Going Green

Here’s a snap we took at the presentation for the highly anticipated York Street capsule collection between J. Press and Ovadia & Sons. (Expect a larger recap of the madness that has been Fashion Week once it all wraps up.)

The fresh-faced preppiness was on point as expected—a master class in updated and tailored versions of trad standbys. But we noticed something a little different on some feet: the cotton tennis shoes weren’t all the white we’ve been seeing for the past few springs and summers. And most noticeably, there was a bright green pair—Tretorns like the rest of them—and we’re hoping to see more of it in the upcoming year.

After the hell you put them through this summer, your white plimsolls ought to be replaced anyhow.

ALL Good Idea

TAGS

08/06/12

LinkOut

Nora Arnezeder Got Jokes

via Esquire

Une Blague: Esquire’s latest installment of “Funny Joke from a Beautiful Woman” is not as much about the punch line as it is the wonderfully Parisian-accented journey, with Miss Arnezeder. [Esquire]

Over Andover Again: Ivy Style catches up with one of the most influential men in the American trad universe, Charlie Davidson. [Ivy Style]

Road Dog: Mashable has unearthed a rejected cover design for On the Road drawn by Jack Kerouac himself. [Mashable]

Hello, Brooklyn: In a surprising twist of sartorial-based economics, the Spanish hat trade is being supported by the dapper Hasidic Jewish population in Brooklyn. [NY Times]

ALL LinkOut

TAGS

03/09/12

Scene

Scenes from the Armory Show

The Armory Show started up this week, with hundreds of galleries piling into two piers on Manhattan’s western edge. It’s the closest you’ll find to a pop-up MoMA—and more importantly, it has nearly every variety of gentlemanly style you could want, from British Museum trads and disheveled artists to the Harajuku avant-garde. (Also, every conceivable hairstyle.) We stopped by yesterday with camera in hand to document the splendor. Check it out below.

The scene at the Armory Show, as seen by Kempt»

ALL Scene

TAGS

01/30/12

LinkOut

The Focus Is Soft

via YHBTI

A Good Trench Will Make You a Spy: Marisa Zupan goes all Nerd Boyfriend on this year’s Best Actor nominees—including one of our favorite pairs of glasses. [The Significant Other]

The Gentlemanly Go-Bag: An emergency kit we can get behind, including everything to revamp for an after-work date. [Valet]

Going Big: A trad’s case for big plaids, outside of the Pitti crowd. [A Suitable Wardrobe]

Florentine Details: And speaking of Pitti, here’s Mister Mort’s favorite style from Florence. [Mister Mort]

ALL LinkOut

TAGS

11/09/11

Good Idea

The Kempt Guide to the Winter Coat

via Mighty Sword

You can take or leave most of the style advice we dole out. As cool as they are, you don’t need a checked blazer. You don’t need an advice-giving pen. But if you’re living anywhere that sees snow on a regular basis, you’re going to need a winter coat—and you’re going to be living with whichever one you choose for quite a while.

So choose wisely.

And to help you survey the territory, we’ve broken the world’s winter coats into three easy categories and singled out the best items in each one—starting with the most classic item in the bunch, the overcoat…

The three kinds of coat that matter…»

ALL Good Idea

TAGS

11/08/11

Labeled

Happy Holidays from Gant Rugger

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.

ALL Labeled

TAGS

09/15/11

Good Idea

The Old-Man Tie

Madder Drakes

As we head into tweed-jacket season, we thought we’d remind you of one of our favorite fall style moves. It’s a bit of understated traddism that happens to match perfectly with the rough fall jackets you just took out of storage.

Gentlemen, feast your eyes on the old-man tie.

Advanced age not required…»

ALL Good Idea

TAGS

08/22/11

Good Idea

The Old Shave

Marlborough

Our love of old-school shaving cream got a boost today, with trad king Will Boehlke unveiling a new crop of British-style shaving soaps at his in-house shop. The scents are all old-man perfumes like cedar and sandalwood, but it’s really about the ritual of the wooden bowl and the badger hair brush, something Boehlke calls, “the second best experience a man can have with his pajamas on.”

We assume #1 involves a trampoline.

ALL Good Idea

TAGS

04/28/11

Current Affairs

The Twilight of the Trad

So far, we’ve resisted the urge to write about tomorrow’s Royal Wedding, but since he’s going to be in a very big spotlight, we couldn’t let the occasion pass without a few words concerning William’s status as the standard bearer for British style.

In short, the prince dresses like a banker. And it’s bad news.

Allow us to elaborate»

ALL Current Affairs

TAGS

03/30/11

LinkOut

Victoria Vetri Has Invisible High Heels

via WBE

The Weave of Our Lives: A gentleman’s guide to the latest developments in oxford cloth. There have been quite a few. [Valet]

Around the Neck: A trad’s take on the spring scarf. They’re in favor. [A Suitable Wardrobe]

The Same Old Crew: J.Crew’s F/W presentation is pretty handsome. Also, a lot of tucked-in scarves. [Hypebeast]

There Can Be Only Four: The style choices of the final four. [Sports Illustrated]

ALL LinkOut

TAGS

02/02/11

Icon

The Icon: George VI of England

George VI is getting a lot of press lately thanks to a certain Oscar contender, but it’s time the man got his due from the style set. As it turns out, the man knew his way around a tailor’s.

Allow us to elaborate»

ALL Icon

TAGS

12/06/10

LinkOut

Sarah Van Raden Really Loves These Curtains

via

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]

ALL LinkOut

TAGS

12/01/10

Icon

The Icon: Graham Greene

We’ve got a soft spot for trad writers, but when one of them manages to carry the look through to the colonies, we start taking notes. So in honor of his latest adaptation, we’re bringing you a quick appraisal of the glorious mound of v-neck sweaters and linen suits known as Graham Greene.

Allow us to elaborate»

ALL Icon

TAGS

09/27/10

Scene

Kempt Man of the Hour: Bryan Schneider

via GoaG

This week’s MOTH comes from the rarefied world of competitive bartending—specifically a competition held last week at New York’s Macao Trading Company. The gentleman in question is Bryan Schneider, barman at Clover Club and one of the two winners of the shindig…but really, we’re more interested in that tie clip.

Mixologists tend to be a traddy lot, but they’re also working with enough liquids that they need to keep their arms clear and their torsos clear of any dangling ties. More impressively, Mr. Schneider pulls off the trick without any outsized affectations like sleeve garters. A tight roll is enough, which, paired with a high tie clip and a sleeveless sweater, made him the best-dressed man in the place.

And we’re guessing he can mix a decent drink.

ALL Scene

TAGS

09/14/10

Dept. of Corrections

Against the Ascot

Over the weekend, A Suitable Wardrobe offered up this picture with a general endorsement of the casual ascot, suddenly a very real threat to crewnecks everywhere. It’s advanced tradwear, to be sure, even if the knot’s not as complicated as you think—but we’re still going to have to give this one a pass. The reason is simple: most ascots are hideously ugly. It’s quite a job to find one that’s not paisley or polka-dotted. Even then they tend to be made of lounge-lizard satin, which makes them hard to work into an even minorly rugged wardrobe. That’s not to say there isn’t possibility—this kind of trad trickle-down has produced good results in the past—but until someone starts making them in chambray, it’s going to be a tough sell.

ALL Dept. of Corrections

TAGS

06/21/10

Scene

Kempt Man of the Hour: Charlie Watts

Via AP, see full size image here

The Royal Ascot is the closest Britain gets to a Kentucky Derby, and while it tends to slip by unnoticed for most Americans, for connoisseurs of dandyism it might as well be the Olympics.

Take for example, Mr. Charlie Watts, who in recent years has blossomed into quite the trad. (There were some speed bumps along the way, but nobody’s perfect.) This past Thursday, he broke out a classic morning dress complete with topcoat, top hat and buttonhole carnation. The shades let you know he’s still a rocker, but otherwise he’s dressing the part just about perfectly.

When you’re sharing a stadium with the queen, we’d expect nothing less.

ALL Scene

TAGS

05/21/10

LinkOut

Catherine McNeil is Watching You Right Now

Don’t Look Now: From the picture, we’re assuming she has super strength. [Fashion Spot]

Hands Down, The Funniest Thing you Will Read All Day: Pac Man hits thirty hard, and comes clean about his long-standing speed addiction. [The Awl]

The Player: A guide to the life and style of a Hollywood power broker. [LA Times]

On the Other Foot: Tres Bien lands a Mark McNairy interview and, somehow, beats us to the “Jack of all Trads” pun. [Tres Bien]

ALL LinkOut

TAGS

04/16/10

Across the Sea

Tradfest 2010

This weekend saw the 2010 incarnation of London’s tweed run, the trad version of critical mass. Naturally there were plenty of curled mustaches and boneshakers on hand, but we were most impressed by the staggering volume of fantastic fabrics on hand. But strangely enough, the gentleman in the red cravat was the only one with the wit to sport an actual biker’s brim.

ALL Across the Sea

TAGS

03/09/10

Bad Idea/Good Idea

Sleep With One Eye Open

Scanning the catalog of the newly landed Warby Parker Eyewear, we were pleased to come across this tradwear gem: the monocle.

Currently available under the Lewis Carroll-esque name, “Colonel Whisky Tortoise,” it’s one of the few monocles that we’ve seen actually make it onto a line sheet in quite some time. It’s pretty far along in the trad continuum—i.e. on your wishlist, it should go somewhere below your second plaid three-piece suit—but if you need to break something to register comic disbelief, accept no substitutes.

ALL Bad Idea/Good Idea

TAGS

·Monocle
·Trads

02/24/10

LinkOut

Karolin Wolter Doesn’t Quite Have the Knack of the Back-Zip

On the Table: Clearly, she is in need of some assistance. [Fashion Copious]

We’re Going With Trad: Esquire gives you the 12 styles of American man. Notably absent: gangster, CPA, and gangster CPA. [Esquire]

Aggy’s Back: Agyness Deyn gets into the movie business, via a 12-minute film noir. [The Moment]

Very Distressed: Burton’s Olympic snowboarding uniforms get the takedown they so richly deserve. [Murketing]

ALL LinkOut

TAGS

12/09/09

Good Idea

Suspended

This one has been building steam for a while (exhibits A and B), so we’re hesitant to call it a trend, so instead we’ll put it this way: You should think about wearing suspenders.

No, seriously.

Slip a pair on next time you doff a jacket and you might be shocked to find your pants draping a whole lot better, and avoiding the cinch-and-billow look that plagues the belted trouser. You can take off the jacket for a more adventurous look—joining the trads, the Americanists and the tie revivalists all at once—or keep it on and enjoy the benefits in relative secrecy.

It can still be hard to find a good pair, but we recommend these from Alexander Olch, which you might have seen at a shop or two recently, or trying the vintage route. One advantage of picking up the trend on the early side: you’ll have plenty to choose from.

ALL Good Idea

TAGS

11/23/09

Good Idea

A Test Drive

As the growing crop of Movember soupcatchers indicates, the yen for creative facial hair is at an all-time high. The only thing working against this particular trend—other than the rising price of mustache wax—is the uncertainty involved in growing one. Why commit three weeks to cultivating a bushy lip if you don’t have a game plan? Fortunately, it’s nothing the internet can’t solve.

This snap comes from a sartorial consultant/timewaster called Lord Likely’s Moustache-o-Rama (via NotCot), who’s currently modeling thirty-six styles of ‘stache, ranging from the bushy Spunkleford to a sharp number known as the Strumpet’s Delight.

Naturally, it’s hard to pick a favorite—but you can’t go wrong with a Chin-Wagger.

ALL Good Idea

TAGS

·Mustaches
·Trads

09/14/09

The Biz

A Trad in Full

The dandy is a dying breed, and there’s one less today than there was a week ago. This morning’s New York Times brings word that Mr. Richard Merkin—an artist and a bon vivant, has passed away.

Of course, we have great respect for anyone who can pull off the bifecta of the bowler and boutonniere, but there’s plenty behind the outfits too. Merkin pulled off the rare, enviable trick of making a career out of a personal fixation—in his case, the more dapper corners of 20s and 30s style. It’s a subculture that’s still alive and well, and anyone with a trad streak would do well to leaf through Mr. Merkin’s catalog.

ALL The Biz

TAGS