Five of the best men’s grooming essentials to start this weekend the right way.

Alright, folks. You’ve got a lot on your to-do list, as do I, so let’s make hay while the sun shines and get into today’s Friday Read with a recommended weekend kickstart from one of my favorite grooming brands. If you read the blog, you’re familiar with Minnesota-based Duke Cannon, which makes cool grooming goods at affordable prices and supports veterans in the process. If not, you should know that (for starters), Duke Cannon gift sets deliver everything you need when it comes to men’s grooming essentials from A-to-Z, and that’s very good news for you (and anyone you know who needs a grooming upgrade this season). Case in point: The Duke Cannon Starting Five Bundle (as seen above), an easy and effective introduction to the Minneapolis-based brand, featuring the brand’s famed hair wash, plus body wash, face wash and Duke Cannon Proper Cologne to really round things out. I’m not saying it could be the best decision you make all weekend, but it could be one of the better ones.

Along with testing out my fair share of grooming products from Duke Cannon, I’ve got plenty more on my spring to-do list this weekend. I’ve started covering all things menswear at Jacob Graye, so be sure to check out my byline there. Oh, and there’s also the business of my (free) music-menswear-craft beer newsletter, The Style Guide In Brief — give it a read! Once I knock out my to-do list, I’m hoping to swing by Gold Star Beer Counter for an outdoor spring brew — it’s a perennial Brooklyn favorite, and all the better to enjoy a beer there now that temperatures are warming up. To get your own weekend rolling the right way, give these essential Friday reads and shopping picks a look below. Cheers, my friends!

A new favorite pair of laidback spring pants for all your adventures (and at-home lounging) this season.

• Let’s get into the spirit of spring the right way — by talking about some of the best men’s pants for spring. Those pants, in fact, are shown above, and they’re coming at you courtesy of Vuori Clothing, a brand I’ve had the pleasure of testing out these past few weeks. To get even more specific, I’ve been testing out the Vuori Sunday Performance Joggers, and they’re even more essential for the season — for days at home and running errands around Brooklyn — then I had previously thought. The technical knit, moisture-wicking fabric and handy details like a side zip pocket make them your new favorite pair of pants (and mine!) this season.

Another weekend shopping recommendation for you, this time from a brand making one of your favorite T-shirts.

• I’ve been talking pretty consistently about Alex Mill shirts and more from the NYC-based brand here on the blog, and with good reason. Allow me to offer up another spring shopping pick when it comes to essential Alex Mill menswear, the kind that’s classic and modern all at once. Case in point: One of the best men’s T-shirts just so happens to be this Alex Mill Vintage Wash Pocket Tee, made to fit perfectly and feel incredibly comfortable right out of the box. Start shopping for it, folks.
• As mentioned above, well, here we go: My guide to the best hair pomades for GearMoose, all the better to get your hair and your grooming routine in the best shape possible this season. After all, you’re going to have to do up your hair eventually, right? Yes sir, yes sir.
• Elsewhere on the writing front, I had a heck of a lot of fun covering the coolest spring jackets from some of your favorite brands, the kind that you know and love — I won’t spoil the surprise, but there are seven great picks for the best men’s spring jackets at Maxim this week. Cheers to the season, folks.

Speaking of toasting to the season, let me recommend one more pick for you — not a spirits selection, per se, but the kind of hard-wearing and yet laidback shirt you should wear for your spring imbibing sessions. Of course, that would be the Flint and Tinder Architect Shirt, as I covered here on the blog last week. It’s going to set you up for success in style, no doubt. Again, cheers to the weekend and stay safe out there!