by Beau H.

The Thursday Buy: The Proof PatinaTech Hoodie Is a Vintage-Inspired Seasonal Essential – Trust Me

When you find a great thing in your men’s style rotation, it pays off to stick with it. That might be finding a pair ‘of selvedge denim you love to wear, or a set of the best leather boots you look forward to breaking in with each and every wear. And so it goes with a new favorite style find in my neck of the woods, one of the best hoodies for men I’ve worn in some time. It hails, of course, from Huckberry, and expertly blends form and function, plus exceptional comfort.

Find out more and shop new gear at Huckberry

Yessir, I’m talking about the Proof PatinaTech Hoodie, which merges a vintage look and feel with the comfort and performance you expect from the Huckberry house brand– how about it, ehh? I picked out the Wood Smoke color to lean into rugged versatility this season, and if that’s what you expect from your loungewear and your performance gear, well, my friend, you’ve come to the right place.

The Proof PatinaTech Hoodie gets its structure and style from performance-minded CoolSoft fabric for moisture-wicking comfort, while Huckberry also uses its own custom-developed, pigment-dyed fabric for tons of softness.

That holds true whether you wear it with dark blue jeans in casually rugged fashion, or pair it with Huckberry sweatpants for laidback lounging (or a morning at the gym or on the trail, of course).

It’s so comfortable as to feel remarkably broken-in and easygoing from the first wear, not a feat that too many hoodies accomplish these days. It’s also hard not to love the brushed fleece interior for even more extreme softness — comfort is the name of the game with your new favorite hooded sweatshirt, my friends.

And as with any good hooded sweatshirt, the hood itself is large and substantially built, ideal for braving frigid weather conditions this season. It’s a true grab-and-go hoodie, the sort of piece that takes on its own character with each wear – that’s what layering is all about this season, after all, right? You’re also in luck: The Proof PatinaTech Hoodie is available in an array of rich and rugged colors in a variety of sizes — find your new casual layering essential now at Huckberry, my friends.

by Beau H.

Guest Post: Wearable Technologies Are Changing What Stylish Technology Looks Like

For most of its history, wearable technology has asked the same uncomfortable question of the people wearing it: Are you willing to look like you are wearing technology? The answer, for a significant portion of the market, has consistently been no. Gadgets strapped to wrists and clipped to ears have always been tolerated more than embraced from a purely aesthetic standpoint, and the category has lived in a perpetual tension between what a device can do and how it looks doing it (this is certainly my experience as a style and gear writer). 

That tension is finally beginning to resolve, and the resolution is happening not because technology has become less visible but because the design surrounding it has become genuinely considered. Case in point In 2024, 17% of luxury eyewear launches included at least one smart technology feature, and luxury brand collaborations in the eyewear space increased by 28% – the fashion world has joined the conversation, no longer watching from a distance, and plentiful companies are embracing the blend between function and form. 

Editor’s note: Today’s post is brought to you in partnership with a series of major eyewear companies. offering food for thought on the balance of form and function between stylish eyewear and wearable technology. A conversation worth having – thanks for supporting brands that support The Style Guide! 

Eyewear – The Most Interesting Space in Wearable Design

Of all the categories in wearable technology, eyewear has made the most progress on the design question, and it’s not hard to see why. Glasses occupy a uniquely prominent position in personal style. They sit on the face, they frame the eyes, and they are among the first things another person registers in a social interaction. A wearable device getting design right is not a tech product in a fashion disguise. Rather, it’s an accessory in the fullest sense of the word, chosen because it works with a face and an outfit as much as because of what it can do.

EssilorLuxottica tripled its Meta AI glasses sales to over seven million pairs in 2025, and the smart glasses market shipped 9.6 million units in 2025, with a forecast of 13.4 million in 2026. Those numbers reflect a broader shift in how smart eyewear is being designed. 

Instead of looking noticeably different from conventional frames, Ray-Ban AI glasses bring connected features into familiar eyewear shapes, making the technology feel less separate from everyday style. That is an important change for a category that has often struggled to balance function with appearance.

The Smartwatch: Now a Legitimate Accessory

The smartwatch took longer than anyone expected to become something people wanted to wear, regardless of whether they cared about the technology inside it. Early versions were rectangular, thick, and unmistakably electronic in a way that sat awkwardly on a wrist beside jewelry and tailored cuffs. Nobody was wearing one because they loved how it looked.

The current generation has addressed most of those problems: Round and near-round case designs, interchangeable bands in leather and woven materials, and proportions that work with both athletic and formal dressing are bringing the smartwatch into the genuine accessory conversation.

 According to the Council of Fashion Designers of America, fashion and technology are increasingly intersecting in ways that make design an essential part of how wearable products are developed and presented. That principle applies equally to eyewear, jewelry, watches, and other wearable categories.

The watches that have achieved real crossover appeal are the ones where someone who had never thought about wearable technology would pick them based on appearance alone, and the technology becomes something they use because it is already on their wrist.

Smart Jewelry Is the Category Quietly Gaining Ground

Smart rings, bracelets, and pendants have been developing in the background of the wearable tech conversation for several years, and in 2026, they’ve arrived at a point where the technology is genuinely useful and the objects are genuinely beautiful.

Smart rings that track sleep, monitor heart rate, and manage contactless payments now come in finishes and proportions that would not look out of place in a jeweler’s case or on your person. 

The design vocabulary of fine jewelry, clean lines, precious metal finishes, and objects scaled to sit elegantly on the hand, has been applied to health and connectivity technology in a way that produces something neither category could have produced alone.

Consumer preference for premium connected accessories rose by 34% in urban markets in 2024, and the smart jewelry category is one of the clearer beneficiaries of that shift, as consumers who want connected devices increasingly look for ones that do not require them to announce the fact. 

The appeal is obvious to anyone who has worn a fitness tracker and found themselves quietly removing it before dinner. A well-made piece of smart jewelry does not need to come off for anything.

Audio Eyewear Has Closed the Gap Between Sound and Style

Open-ear audio through eyewear frames has been one of the quieter design success stories of recent years. Early versions had the proportions of safety glasses and the visual vocabulary of a gadget. The current generation is built around frame shapes that work across face types and personal styles, with temples slim enough that the speaker hardware inside does not add visible bulk.

The result is eyewear that delivers calls, music, navigation, and AI assistant responses through the frame while the wearer stays acoustically aware of their surroundings, without anything in or on the ear. 

The growing coverage of smart eyewear and connected accessories in publications such as Vogue Business reflects how closely the fashion industry is now following this category and the way technology is being integrated into products people already wear.

That framing changes the aesthetic calculation entirely. The person is not buying technology that happens to look like glasses. They are buying glasses that happen to do more.

The Broader Shift: From Technology You Tolerate to Objects You Choose

The change that all of these developments point toward is not really about any specific category. It is about a shift in how the relationship between design and technology is being managed, and who is setting the terms.

For most of the wearable technology category’s history, the technology came first and the design tried to accommodate it. The results were predictable: devices that worked but that required their wearers to accept an aesthetic compromise in exchange for the functionality.

That is no longer the dominant model, and the market numbers reflect it. EssilorLuxottica’s plans to expand smart glasses production to approximately 10 million units annually by 2026, building on more than two million units sold since launch and representing a bet that design-forward wearable technology is a mainstream market rather than a niche one.

The wearable technologies genuinely changing what stylish technology looks like are the ones where the design question was treated as equal to the engineering question from the beginning. The object has to earn its place on the body the way any other accessory does, and the categories that have figured that out are drawing in consumers who never once thought of themselves as early technology adopters.

The Last Word 

The wearable technologies worth paying attention to in 2026 are not the ones with the longest feature lists. They are the ones that have resolved the fundamental tension between what a device does and how it looks while doing it, and resolved it in favor of the object.

Smart eyewear, evolved smartwatches, well-crafted smart jewelry, and audio frames that work as accessories first and foremost are all evidence of the same underlying shift: The tech industry has accepted that the body is a design context with its own requirements, and the products being built around that understanding are finding their way into the wardrobes of people who have always cared about both.

Editor’s note: How have you incorporated wearable technology into your own life? What’s on your wish list for tech advancements that merge style and sleek design? 

by Beau H.

See Now, Buy Now: Embrace Fall With this Versatile Fair Harbor Flannel Shirt

Best flannel shirts for men.

For as crucial as it is to have a stable of the best fall style essentials close at hand, there’s something to be said for mixing in the routine and tried-and-true with the brand new. Yes indeed, the usual suspects as far as your flannel shirt, your trusted selvedge jeans or your favorite pair of leather boots are reliable and essential, but what happens when a brand that you know for one category — like the coolest swim trunks — surprises you by stepping into another seasonal category? Take my good friends at Fair Harbor, for instance.

Find out more now at Fair Harbor

Yes, that’s right: We’re talking Fair Harbor, makers of remarkably durable and stylish men’s swim trunks, now stepping on into the world of autumn style with an array of the best flannel shirts for men.

The brand is now designed to take you a long way from the beach and the boardwalk, and this time, they’re moving inland with rugged-leaning staples like the Fair Harbor Seaside Lightweight Flannel, which uses brushed fabric and an array of classic pattern options to suitably meet the demands of the season at hand.

Organic cotton, polyester and elastane lend softness and stretch to this lightweight take on the classic flannel shirt, which uses simple details like a right chest pocket to drive the timeless nature of the flannel shirt right on home. Better still is the fact that the company is offering up this flannel in four easygoing patterns — the kind you can toss on around the bonfire or rock atop a graphic tee at your indie rock concert of choice.

Yes indeed, I’d wager the Fair Harbor Seaside Lightweight Flannel is that versatile, especially when worn with dark tan or charcoal trousers a la a few other selections on offer at Fair Harbor. It might be time to stow away your swimsuit until a seasonal getaway to warmer climes, but if you’re lucky, the Fair Harbor Seaside Lightweight Flannel delivers just enough cozy comfort and rugged layering potential in the meantime.

by Beau H.

The Sunday Sale: Upgrade Your Everyday Carry with this Luxe Leather Wallet from Huckberry

Best leather wallets for men.

When you really start to pay attention to the little details in your daily style rotation, even the seemingly simple and small touches, you’d be amazed at what you uncover in terms of quality and timeless appeal.

That holds true for the construction of your leather belt or the cut of your denim shirt, along with the build of your go-to leather boots, and you can count one of the best leather wallets for men among that list of thoughtfully designed upgrades worth making.

Of course, the good folks at Huckberry have long proven the ideal source for style upgrades aplenty across the board, including the small touches that lend a sense of personal style and distinction to your daily looks. The Huckberry x One Of These Days Wallet checks the right boxes, using rich construction and a distinctive design from buzzed-about Americana and Western designer One Of These Days.

Shop everyday carry gear now at Huckberry

The right wallet serves as much a purpose in matters of function as form, something Huckberry notes of this handmade-in-L.A. wallet for your EDC. This handsome piece (dubbed “Into The Distance”) is here “artisanal leathercraft meets the poetic spirit of the American West,” the acclaimed retailer notes.

Oh, and the even better news: This ornate wallet is just about 50 percent off right now, a steal for the kind of hard-working piece you can use every single day (they don’t call it your everyday carry for nothin’, after all).

Fashioned from high-grade leather meant to develop a rich patina over time, designer Matt McCormick embraces the Wild West in a classic bifold design, something every man can put to good use for hauling cards and cash in his favorite pair of selvedge denim. That sounds like a deal worth ponying up for, ehh? Find the Huckberry x One Of These Days Wallet on sale now.

by Beau H.

Style Pick of the Week: Shinola Bronze Runwell Watch – An Elegant Update to a Modern Essential

Can you ever have too much of a good thing? More specifically, and in particular as a watch enthusiast, the answer to that question is a tricky (and often expensive) one, but modern classics in the watch world tend to hold their own — no matter the variation. Just as there are numerous dial and bezel options for classics like the steadfast Rolex Daytona, the same is becoming true of current-day favorites like my own trusty Shinola Runwell Watch.

Assembled in Detroit from Swiss parts by one of my favorite companies out there (period), the Shinola Runwell is — at least in my experience — a versatile daily driver, as wearable with a crisp charcoal wool suit as with stretch chinos, an Oxford shirt and a classic cardigan. With a watch like the flagship Runwell from the decade-plus-old company, its presence is both commanding and reassuring, watch snobs be damned.

Learn more and shop now at Shinola

I’d call the Shinola Runwell a surefire example of a Mid-Century-Modern-tinged inspiration made into an easily wearable everyday carry accessory with each passing season. Lofty praise, ehh?

And speaking of new twists on a classic (which comes in a range of sizes from 36mm to 47mm), well, the Shinola Bronze Runwell Watch puts a fresh spin on a time-tested favorite, one I find myself wearing in particular as I trek back to Michigan (follow me on Instagram for more!).

The Shinola Bronze Runwell Watch carries forward many of the same design cues as its much-loved predecessor, using a brushed bronze case for plenty of distinction and the kind of handsome patina made to develop distinctly over time. At 43mm, the case size rests nicely in between 41mm and 47mm, with a few fresh updates — like its outer cream concave tracking ring and a 6-o’clock sub-second sub-dial.

Matte brown hands take their own design inspiration from rugged field watches, while a squared black leather strap blends the utilitarian with the elevated, the famed watchmaker and design brand notes. Take heed, watch enthusiasts: This timepiece, like other editions of the Runwell, uses an Argonite 1069 quartz movement.

With a timepiece like the Shinola Bronze Runwell Watch, the question arises — how can one style this watch alongside autumnal ensembles (and beyond)?

Team this durable bronze timepiece with casually cool staples like charcoal jeans and a navy shirt jacket, rock it with a red-and-black plaid flannel shirt and tan chinos for a mix of high-low style, or add it to your wrist game alongside a light grey sportcoat and olive chinos (don’t forget matching black boots).

The great news is, with each passing wear, the Shinola Bronze Runwell Watch becomes all the more your own — that’s a fashion-and-function move I can get behind.

by Beau H.

The Friday Find: Crown Northampton Showcases Standout Sneaker Craftsmanship

Crown Northampton men's sneakers.

There are levels of quality to just about every category in the menswear world, a difference you can feel in each and every step when it comes to the best men’s sneakers, for instance. There are other plentiful ways in which quality shines through, of course, but it’s especially impressive when heritage craft meets modern style in a way that remains true to the past.

Indeed, when you know, you really know as far as standout worksmanship is concerned. And that brings us quite neatly to Crown Northampton, which makes exceptional footwear in its namesake town, which it calls “the heart of the world’s shoe trade.” That lends itself to plenty of shared knowledge and expertise, no doubt about it.

It’s quite the mantle to meet, but England’s Crown Northampton takes great pride in its hand-stitched and hand-welted sneakers, traditional boots and desert boots.

I’ve had the chance to try out Crown Northampton sneakers in the past (see my Crown Northampton review for a deeper dive into a standout pair of high-top sneakers), and the opportunity arose once more to put a distinctive pair to the test.

That pair would be the Crown Northampton Abbey Unlined Oxford, a handsome set of shoes so refined as to rival the quality found in some dress shoes — that word, “quality,” indeed comes up a lot as far as these stylish sneakers for men are concerned.

The Crown Northampton Abbey Unlined Oxford separates itself from the pack in a number of ways, including the use of remarkably supple yet sturdy Horween Dearborn Leather. Closed-toe Oxford lacing gives these shoes a sleek profile that I’ve successfully worn (at least in my opinion!) with stretch chinos and blue denim in equal measure.

Another selling point as far as these fashionable-yet-classic brown leather sneakers are concerned? A hand-filled cork footbed for springy comfort and rebound, plus a sustainable Lactae Hevea sole. French-bound edges offer a clean finish, whether you opt for a natural gum rubber outsole or a black sole.

Take heed: With made-to-order sneakers like the Crown Northampton Abbey Unlined Oxford, the wait time runs 9 to 12 weeks. And yet, I can quite confidently say these absurdly comfortable, incredibly well-crafted sneakers are more than worth that wiat.

by Beau H.

The Thursday Buy: This Buck Mason Bruiser Jacket is a Heritage Throwback for Autumn

Best leather jackets for men.

To build your best style wardrobe in the modern era, you’ve got to look backwards on occasion. Not all the way back, but to the days when, for lack of a better term, men were men — when guys like James Dean or Steve McQueen solidified themselves in the style pantheon as purveyors of timeless cool.



That’s just one man’s take: Adding a dash of rugged, retro cool to your wardrobe can add a heck of a lot to your fall wardrobe, when the best layers and the best leather jackets for men reign supreme. There’s inspiration to be found wherever one looks, including — of course — Mr. James Dean, but where’s a guy to be a jacket that nearly mimics that sense of adventurous style?

If there’s one brand that knows this better than anyone, it might be Buck Mason, at least in my experience: The Los Angeles-based brand first looked to America’s Rust Belt when developing its soft yet supple tees and basics well over a decade ago, later moving on to felted chore coats, overshirts, expertly cut denim and leather goods to go along with it all.

The heavy hitters of the Buck Mason men’s style rotation are clearer and more present than ever — take the handsome Buck Mason Bruiser PCH Jacket showcased here to great effect (if I do say so myself).

Inspired by 1940s Hercules horsehide jackets and fashioned from full-grain cow leather with a hefty handfeel and autumn-ready thickness, there are classic details aplenty accounted for here, from the foldover collar to the back belt, single-welt slash zipper pockets and a zipper chest pocket.

And with a classic fit made for layering other Buck Mason menswear staples, there’s plentiful opportunity to incorporate timeless moves like a durable chambray shirt or a sturdy heavyweight pocket tee beneath this investment-quality leather jacket. There’s even vintage-inspired chain-stitch detailing finishing off this hard-hitting leather jacket, made all the better by the fact that it comes in tough-as-nails black, the kind of leather jacket you can easily pair up with faded black jeans or expertly faded blue denim.

If you want the best of the best, I’d wager you’ll want the Buck Mason Bruiser PCH Jacket on your back this shoulder season.

by Beau H.

See Now, Buy Now: The AETHER Apparel Coastal Waffle Sweater is Adventure-Ready

It seems that every time fall rolls around, there’s a certain itch, a certain desire to go far afield and into the wilds — or at least, onto the nearest hiking trail or out near your favorite likely for a timely autumnal stroll. The right gear and layers for the job are critical in that regard, make no mistake about it, and companies like AETHER Apparel know this intuitively. In fact, they’ve taken classic styles like the trench coat or the bomber jacket, and given them a dash of 21st-century technicality.

The company was founded in southern California to make gear that’s as stylish for the city as it is functional for the trail, and the new AETHER Apparel Fall Collection carries on that lineage with a focus on modern performance and effortless, rugged style. Sounds mighty enticing, does it not?

Learn more at AETHER Apparel now

That brings us neatly to our featured seasonal style pick of the day, the AETHER Apparel Coastal Waffle Sweater, which calls to mind the sort of old-school sweater Hemingway might have worn, in looks if not in its modern function (vastly different from Hemingway’s days, but the need for insulation still stands, does it not?).

This handsome twist on the fisherman sweater is a prime example of what AETHER Apparel does best, using a technical cashmere blend for insulation, further accented by what the company calls “a distinctive waffle stitch.” A ribbed collar and cuffs offer a secure fit as you layer this sweater over a thermal base layer for the field or a chambray shirt for a touch of dashing good looks.

Available in two highly versatile colors — both of which you can wear with anything — there’s both a sense of rugged good looks and easygoing style at play here in either Heather Grey or Onyx Black when it comes to the AETHER Apparel Coastal Waffle Sweater.

Like other AETHER Apparel menswear essentials, this sweater should offer just enough room to layer without proving too relaxed — or too snug, on the other hand. And as fall rolls into town, it’s crisp enough to wear alongside dark blue jeans or else pair with olive green corduroy trousers, not to mention a favorite of mine — the reliable British Khaki-hued chino.

Make no mistake though, this sweater doesn’t come cheap, thanks to the cashmere blend – this stylish fisherman sweater for men will set you back $550, making it all the more critical that you get as much wear as possible out of it. Sounds ideal to me for the fall season, my friends. Shop the AETHER Apparel Coastal Waffle Sweater as the temperatures drop, my friends.

by Beau H.

The Tuesday Steal: This Flint and Tinder Bone Button Western Shirt Delivers Rugged Style at a Discount

We often talk about finding the sweet spot when it comes to scoring rugged style and savings, as the headline so implies – and today’s your lucky day, as an expert pick from one of your favorite retailers gets a markdown ahead of a prime time for fall layering and a reliable seasonal discount.

If your wardrobe looks anything like mine at the moment, it’s a mix of transitional style staples like denim shirts — the kind that remained largely in the closet during the summer — plus pieces just itching to get a proper introduction to fall, like the mid-weight cotton waffle henley.

Shop the best new gear for fall now

The great news is, of course, that Huckberry, your favorite rugged Americana gear retailer, sells each of those trusty menswear pieces and more, with the Flint and Tinder Bone Button Western Shirt getting a solid markdown below $130.

It’s the sort of just-right shot towards the proverbial menswear green that can prove wearable now and in the months ahead when layered properly underneath a cardigan, a fisherman sweater, a waxed trucker jacket — hello again, Huckberry — and atop that trusty henley you’ve been waiting to wear for weeks.

Yes, my good man, whether paired with tobacco-hued chinos or mid-wash blue jeans for a shot of Western-wear contrast, the Flint and Tinder Bone Button Western Shirt comes through when you need it the most (the dive bar, the rock concert, the waterfront or somewhere in between).

In fact, with its on-trend yet classic Western design, it also meets a trend of the moment without going too overboard — and that’s another sweet spot that’s tough to pass up when on sale.

Best of all is the fact that the denim shirt is a style classic no matter the era, the kind that Steve McQueen and James Dean wore from time to time with great aplomb and dashing good looks. Never overwrought or overstudied, just right — Huckberry carries on that tradition in fine fashion this season and beyond, at least in my experience.

by Beau H.

See Now, Buy Now: Todd Snyder’s Suede Dylan Jacket is a Luxe Outerwear Move for Autumn (And Beyond)

Todd Snyder Dylan Jacket review.

There are certain fall style essentials you can set your watch by, so to speak, in terms of their much-welcomed, stylish arrival. The trucker jacket silhouette certainly fits the bill in my book, and the arrival of a host of new seasonal colorways and fabrications is also always welcome for the modern man, is it not?

I certainly think so, whether it’s the rugged design of the Flint and Tinder Waxed Trucker Jacket or the more refined, elegant and effortlessly cool Todd Snyder Suede Dylan Jacket shown above. Options aplenty abound when it comes to the best fall jackets for men, the one shown above very much included — let’s take a closer look, shall we?

Year after year, this refined take on the iconic trucker jacket is a fan favorite, or so it seems, an investment-level purchase that’s almost as easy to dress up as a traditional fall blazer.

In fact, for the price tag, I’d wager you’ll want to get as much wear as possible out of your new favorite trucker jacket — if waxed cotton trucker jackets are fit for the yard and the garage, this jacket is fit for speakeasy cocktails and twilight strolls on cobblestone streets during a seasonal getaway.

And this time around, the Todd Snyder Suede Dylan Jacket is billed by the famed American menswear designer as a “luxurious update on a time-honored classic,” with the specs and style points to match (to say the very least). The Todd Snyder Suede Dylan Jacket takes its ultra-premium cues from the use of  Italian calf suede, accented with a leather collar for an eye-catching finish.

And when it really comes down to it, sleek details like shank buttons and adjustable side tabs deliver the proper details for the well-dressed modern man , with a fit that should hit nicely at the hip while wearing alongside everything from a fall-ready waffle henley to a durable chambray shirt.

The classics, as we often say, are classic for a reason, and Todd Snyder certainly delivers the goods on a consistent seasonal basis — the Midwest meets New York City downtown cool, at least in my experience wearing the designer’s garb over the years. If that sounds to you like an investment worth making, I’d wager you’ve come to the right place ahead of — yes, you guessed it — the very best season for men’s fashion.