My friends and Style Guide readers, thanks for joining me for a special edition of The Friday Read. Well, my weekly recap is special every time in its own way, but this is a big one in particular. Earlier this week, as part of my many freelance writing pursuits, I had the chance to share a pretty major story.

Over at Maxim, I caught up with the one and only Mr. Matthew McConaughey as part of a trip to Texas Hill Country last month! Yes, it’s true. We spoke about his work as creative director with Longbranch Bourbon (which you can order for home delivery from Drizly for a downright steal), and we also talked about the seriously cool new Longbranch Ranch experience at the rugged-meets-refined Walden Retreats. I found the brief conversation delightful and a total blast — and again, you can read the results of that interview over at Maxim.

I’m ever so grateful for the experience, and truly so grateful for the chance to travel to seriously cool locales while meeting icons and new friends along the way (you can view some snippets of my Texas trip on my Instagram). It’s all in a day’s work, as they say, and the freelance writing world can be a bit of a grind from time to time, but the pay-off and the rewards are immeasurable,

On the best of days (and most of the time, in fact!), I’m very proud of what I get to do — and I’m surely grateful for readers and companies who show an interest in my work! Gratitude is the name of the game this season, what with the holiday next week, but for now, let’s get back to chatting all things men’s and men’s style grooming (and perhaps Longbranch Bourbon) to start your fall weekend properly.

• How about we start your late fall weekend with a look at some of the best new cologne, yes? And the two new scents you see above come from one of the best men’s grooming brands, and one of my personal favorites: That’d be Chicago-based Oars + Alps, makers of some of the best natural grooming products for guys. On that note, meet the Oars + Alps line of colognes, featuring scents like marine and citrus (the Venture Cologne) and an alpine-inspired fragrance (Ascend). You can score your new favorite cologne online right now for $60 — the perfect gift for you or the guy (or guys!) in your life this holiday season.

• Step right up and score one of the coolest new accessories this holiday and winter season — that’d be one of the best hats for men from a new personal favorite brand, Storied Hats. The upstart company makes its stylish hats for men using sustainable materials like recycled wool and upcycled, plant-based leather (in its carefully designed adjustable back straps). Better still is the fact that they also make some of the best wool hats for men in styles more commonly found in traditional tailoring. And of course, they’ve got a line of stylish activewear hats, too. All of this is to say, you’d do well to read my recent guide to the best hats for men from Storied Hats. Cheers and happy shopping!
• Let’s close out today’s weekend reading and shopping guide with a quick look at a very fun splurge for all you photography enthusiasts. Over at Maxim, I wrote about an insanely cool, special-edition Leica camera made in collaboration with the watch experts at Hodinkee — think of it like the perfect blend of precision, heirloom looks and modern-meets-classic style. Get that wallet (or wish list) ready, folks.

And with that, my friends, I’m going to leave you to venture into the rest of your weekend in style. If I were you, I’d strongly consider ordering up Longbranch Bourbon (remember, you can order for home delivery from Drizly!), and I’d also consider investing in a stylish men’s hat or two from Storied Hats as we move into the winter season. Let’s go to it, folks – thanks for reading, thanks for your support!