My friends, good morning and welcome to another Friday Read here at your favorite menswear blog. We’re kicking things off in a slightly different fashion today, as my locale at the moment is a bit different from the ordinary. As we speak, I’m in the iconic city of London for a long-awaited trip to the very festival you see at the top of the page: That’d be All Points East, headlined by my favorite band… The National. Over the years, perhaps you’ve read my musings on the importance of travel, music and of course, traveling in style to see music, and it all comes together now on a fine, hot London summer day.

I was just in London — staying in the exceptionally cool neighborhood of Shoreditch — to celebrate 100 years of Dickies workwear (check out that link for a full story on the brand!), and I’m so thrilled to be back. Seeing as I bought these tickets last November, it’s been a long time coming.

You can follow along on my Instagram to keep up with all the fun, but in the meantime, just know that I’m very excited to see such a stunning band in such a cool city — and that’s an understatement. Also in the meantime: Let’s get back to menswear and get the rest of your weekend started in style, shall we? Sounds great to me. Cheers!

• Here’s something I think you’re going to like quite a bit to start your weekend. Billy Reid, one of the country’s finest menswear designers and a personal favorite of your Brooklyn style writer, is giving stylish folks like yourself the chance to save an extra 25 percent on Final Sale items, now through September 5th. Go to it and refresh your wardrobe with the best men’s style essentials in time for Labor Day weekend and beyond.

• We’ll keep the fall style must-haves rolling right here with my next recommendation. The team at Free Fly Apparel, makers of surprisingly stylish performance menswear that can take you anywhere, just launched the Free Fly Apparel Fall Collection, and it’s packed with durable canvas pants, easy-to-layer quarter-zip sweaters, lightweight hoodies and much more. Be sure to shop the best new fall menswear in time for your first fall getaway.
• Now here’s a fun, aspirational way to close out today’s Friday Read. Over the past year and change, I’ve become a fan of fine Scotch (acquired taste though it might be!), and that’s why it’s so cool to see the jaw-dropping new whisky prototype from The Macallan and Bentley (yes, the automaker Bentley). Head to Maxim to read about some of the coolest whisky on the market.

So, that trio of reading and shopping picks is going to round out today’s Friday Read. I’ve got some London pints to enjoy — I especially loved Camden Town Brewery during my June trip, along with the speakeasy Bermondsey Arts Club, and I’m hopeful to get back to both this next time around, too! Again, you can (and should!) follow along on my Instagram to keep up with my travels across the pond. Cheers and thanks for reading!