Month / March 2015

by Beau H.

Style Pick of the Week: J. Crew Cotton Sweater

Editor’s note: Expect these posts with some regularity detailing one standout item coveted by yours truly. Sometimes, these fit within budgetary restrictions and other times, they’re expensive splurges worth saving for. For more Wish List items from Beau, head here.

Affordable. Spring-ready. And perfect for fall layering. All in one sweater.

Affordable. Spring-ready. And perfect for fall layering. All in one sweater.

This week’s style pick of the week is on a decidedly more affordable tilt than the somewhat pricey (but no less alluring) Stadium Jacket from Welcome Stranger featured last week. Specifically, the sweater above comes from standout everyman retailer (and personal favorite) J. Crew. The brand does a lot of things great, from its Ludlow suiting collection to casual washed buttondown shirts, sweaters and even a relatively new line of luggage & accessories.

You could absolutely get dressed head-to-toe in J. Crew and go just about anywhere (and I often do just that!). And this sweater would be a great place to start. It also comes in navy or a light tan or “pumice” color, but it’s the rich caramel shade that really caught my eye. The use of cotton should make this sweater light enough to wear in the spring over crewneck T-shirts or a basic buttondown, but that deep color would also fit well layered in the fall under a waxed coat with dark jeans. At $70, it’s a bit of a reach — sales and discounts by the brand should eventually drop that down into the low $50’s, hopefully. With the looks and potential for this piece, it might be gone before then though!

How would you style this sweater? How much J. Crew do you have in your wardrobe?

Stay stylish and have a great weekend!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The H&M + GQ Modern Essentials Collection Launch Event

A collection of spring staples curated by the former British soccer star.

A collection of spring staples curated by the former British soccer star.

Wednesday night, I had the chance to attend the launch of the H&M Modern Essentials Collection (as selected by David Beckham) — a party put on by GQ, as luck would have it. I don’t often get the chance to attend fashion-type events like these, but as a member of the GQ Insider program, this launch was too good to pass up. Inside the 48th Street H&M here in New York, a DJ spun remixes, free drinks were on tap and the entire basement floor of the store turned into a showcase of everything menswear-related that H&M had to offer — including a specific selection of goods curated by Mr. Beckham for the collection (seen below). It was a pretty packed event but there was still plenty of room to shop Becks’ picks and more .

Beckham's collection has the basics covered from striped shirts to a tan denim jacket.

Beckham’s collection has the basics covered from striped shirts, a plain white tee and a tan denim jacket.

Thankfully, this year’s David Beckham collaboration reaches outside loungewear for crisp essentials, including a nice line of five-pocket pants for spring,  pastel crewneck sweaters, a now sold-out striped pique polo and a quick-selling linen mac coat (see the full line-up here). He also has evening wear covered for the warmer months with a sharp dark navy linen blazer (also sold out!). Beckham’s picks include staples like a white poplin shirt that could see lots of use if you follow some of these classic suggestions, too.

The pieces picked up by yours truly at the event. A light blue V-neck, checked navy trousers, a khaki cotton blazer, a grey twill shirt and a repp stripe tie.

The pieces picked up by yours truly at the event. A light blue V-neck, checked navy trousers, a khaki cotton blazer, a grey twill shirt and a repp stripe tie.

Elsewhere outside the Modern Essentials collection, H&M is a brand that delivers fast-fashion pieces for those of us on a budget — and they certainly do some things well. A lot of that inspiration was on display during last night’s event, and thanks to a nice 25% discount, I brought home some spring styles for myself. As Beckham wears so nicely in promo shots for the collection, the above navy mini-plaid trousers would pair nicely with white sneakers (like these here) and a crisp white polo in the warmer months.

I also snagged a slim-fit khaki cotton blazer and a discounted grey twill shirt, both of which should complement the navy, brown and silver repp stripe tie I picked up. Events like these don’t come around that often, but it was nice to be able to get out, do some shopping and pick up a discount in the process — hopefully, more are in the works as part of the GQ Insider program. Stay tuned!

What are your favorite items from Beckham’s collection? Experience with H&M menswear? Let me know!

by Beau H.

Spring Style Wish List

It might not feel much like spring yet around these parts (or elsewhere for that matter), but rest assured — it’s on its way. That probably has lots of us plotting and scheming how to get our hands on product geared toward spring weather. (Just picked up one of these in white earlier this week, in fact). Whereas fall and winter dressing centers around layering up, spring style is about using crisp, lighter-weight basics combined with transitional pieces to bridge the gap between seasons. That most likely means taking a few items and using them consistently for weeks on end. And that means reaching for quality essentials that gel with the rest of your wardrobe. Read on for my take on a few spring must-haves.

#1. GREATS Brand Wilson Sneakers — $49

Classic-looking sneakers from the Brooklyn brand GREATS.

Classic-looking sneakers from the Brooklyn brand GREATS.

There’s a reason these shoes made the top of this list — an awesome pair of white sneakers can be a great workhorse piece all through the spring and summer months, pairing with everything from dark denim and a colorful V-neck tee to more polished get-ups, like a slim blazer and khaki chinos. And these kicks from GREATS (based in Brooklyn) are redefining the standard for what a sneaker can be. They look tremendously well-made, they feature classic lines and relatively minimal branding (aside from the blue ‘G’ on the heel), and the price is enough to make you spit out your morning coffee. Heck, buy those and a pair in light grey (or maybe navy) and you very well might set for spring and summer sneakers. It’s also worth noting the brand has some stellar-looking new releases launching on the site soon. (Note: Use this link here and get $10 off when you buy a pair of GREATS sneakers!).

#2. Bonobos Striped Jersey Crewneck — $98

Yet another piece that Bonobos is doing extremely well, from construction to the slim fit.

Yet another piece Bonobos is doing extremely well, from construction to fit.

Bonobos does an awful lot more than pants well these days — that much becomes apparent by the season. Here, they’ve taken a traditional nautical look — the Breton stripe — and slimmed down the fit, bulked up the neckline and cuffs and added some nice-looking shoulder detailing. The cotton fabric should be nice and soft, ideal for layering over a white OCBD or crewneck T-shirt. Combine this crewneck with another neutral staple (like an olive chino) and those GREATS sneakers above and you’ve got a casual outfit ready for a boat ride and drinks at the marina after (or just a regular day away from the water, your call).

#3. Combatant Gent Khaki Slim Fit Travel Jacket — $70

A warm-weather staple from a relatively new online retailer.

A warm-weather staple from a relatively new online retailer.

Compared to some of the other options on this list, this khaki blazer from Combatant Gent is a steal for your wallet. Combatant Gent has received what seems to be a positive reaction  in terms of quality and fit from the digital menswear community, a bonus given that products with low, low prices can often be poorly made and even more poorly received. This khaki “travel jacket” features large patch pockets and is allegedly made with 100% cotton twill — no mention however, of whether the travel jacket name comes from the fact that it’s made with stretch fabric, a la J. Crew’s Traveler suiting line. Regardless of that, it’s time to take the plunge on Combatant Gent — for the price, this blazer should be a nice spring and summer change of pace over casual OCBD’s (and maybe even white sneakers).

#4. Welcome Stranger Stadium Jacket – $149

The Stadium Jacket from San Francisco's Welcome Stranger.

The Stadium Jacket from San Francisco’s Welcome Stranger.

This piece makes a triumphant return to the blog this week following its inclusion as a Style Pick of the Week last weekend. This lightweight jacket is made in the U.S. with lots of attention to detail by San Francisco boutique Welcome Stranger. The lightweight heather grey cotton-blend gets a lot of things right – bomber-inspired construction, a slim fit and the ability to be dressed up or dressed down. And because it’s a neutral color, it wouldn’t look out of place with pants in nearly every shade imaginable – practically anything besides light grey, unless you’re into the monochromatic look that seems so in vogue nowadays. So it has all that going for it — that price is another thing entirely, however.

#5.  Michael Bastian x UNIQLO Polos 

A washed cotton polo from the Uniqlo x Michael Bastian collection. Jeans by J. Crew (484 fit). Belt by Merona. Desert boots by Clarks. Sunglasses by Tom Ford.

A washed cotton polo from the 2014 Michael Bastian x Uniqlo collection. Jeans by J. Crew (484 fit). Belt by Merona. Desert boots by Clarks. Sunglasses by Tom Ford.

There hasn’t been any official word yet as to whether the famed American menswear designer will be back with a third iteration of his fast-selling collaboration with, appropriately enough, fast-fashion retailer Uniqlo. If last year’s success is any indication though, odds are definitely looking up for another run of well-designed, comfortable and ridiculously affordable polos. Last year’s offerings served up some unique, more fashion-forward designs that some liked and some didn’t, so we’ll see if this year’s collaboration yields a return to more classic styles (think bold, Americana-inspired rugby stripes and ’70’s vibes, perhaps). If they’re priced as last year’s styles were — roughly $29 on-sale — these pieces will likely fly off the shelves in good time.

What’s on your spring wish list? What picks do you like from the list above?

by Beau H.

The Product Review: Linjer Leather Goods Mocha Billfold

Editor’s note: Thanks to all who participated in the recent giveaway run in conjunction with Linjer Leather Goods!

Enough room for the essentials and some cash. Much slimmer than a regular wallet.

Enough room for the essentials and some cash. Much slimmer than a regular wallet.

Now that the blog’s given away a fantastic Linjer Leather Goods piece to one lucky winner, it’s time to turn our attention to an alternative way to snag a great leather piece from the company for those who didn’t come out lucky — and that way, my friends, would be through yet another fundraising round. Uf you’re unfamiliar with Linjer, they launched early last fall and delivered successfully on a popular INDIEGOGO campaign, promising to cut down on the cost of leather goods while delivering the same top-line quality as more expensive brands. Funding opportunities for company’s new line launch today via the link at the start of this sentence. Linjer’s second push is shooting to raise about $15,000. The new line includes a card holder, a vertical wallet, the billfold seen here and a passport wallet, along with a tote bag. If funded, those items would join a selection of briefcases, a satchel and a messenger bag, among other items in luxurious-looking leathers, already for sale at the company’s official website.

The mocha billfold in action. What bank do I belong to and where am I from? There you go.

The mocha billfold in action. What bank do I belong to and where am I from? There you go.

Roman from Linjer Leather Goods was kind enough to send me the first mocha billfold they produced, and it’s a piece that delivers on the quality the company promises. Some crowd-funding campaigns can be quite iffy in terms of actually delivering nice items in time (or at all), but Linjer’s stepped up to the plate, for sure. This particular mocha billfold is a lot slimmer than even typically slimmed-down wallets (about 40% of the traditional thickness) and uses exceptionally soft leather that should develop a nice patina over time.

The first-ever mocha billfold from Linjer Leather Goods.

The first-ever mocha billfold from Linjer Leather Goods.

This same leather features prominently in the company’s briefcases, satchels and messenger bags — it’s vegetable-tanned, giving it that soft-to-the-touch feel. It features two pockets for cash (one of them dubbed a “secret pocket” and enough space for 6 cards, which should be the perfect amount for most of us. Crucially, the presentation of the wallet in terms of packaging was also on-par with what you might expect from a reputed company — Roman and the team were kind enough to include a handwritten card.

I currently carry a brown leather card case, but this presents a sturdier, more durable and attractive option. There’s more than enough space for cards I need and the cash slots offer enough room for some bills. The inner lining of those sleeves is a soft twill that’s also a step up from the plastic-like lining you find on some brands. While these pieces are close to $50 right now, it’s an investment that’s worth making — doubly so when you consider a wallet’s on your person every day with both casual or dressier outfits. This Linjer billfold is sharp enough to go with both — and everywhere in between.