Tag / cole haan

by Beau H.

Signs of Light: A December weekend in Baltimore

Layered up for a pit stop at Artifact Coffee. Wool-Blend Topcoat by Old Navy. Snow Bridge Cardigan by Eddie Bauer. Denim shirt by JackThreads. Travel Jeans by Bonobos. Lockridge Moc Toe Boots by Cole Haan. Calypso Watch by MVMT Watches. Glasses by Frameri. Cashmere hat by Club Monaco.

Layered up for a pit stop at Artifact Coffee in Baltimore. Wool-Blend Topcoat by Old Navy. Snow Bridge Cardigan by Eddie Bauer. Denim shirt by JackThreads. Travel Jeans by Bonobos. Lockridge Moc Toe Boots by Cole Haan. Calypso Watch by MVMT Watches. Glasses by Frameri. Cashmere hat by Club Monaco.

As I traveled down the East Coast this past Friday morning, I was able to look back on a heck of a lot of things besides the crisp winter scenery. It was outstanding to reflect on a great year of work, of time with family and friends, of travel and a great year of celebrating some of my passions — including live music and menswear, all rolled into one. And it was as good a time as any for this Style Guide author to catch a great show and bring along some of my favorite men’s style essentials, yet again. My travels this time around took me to the unique and ever-changing city of Baltimore to see joyous indie folk rockers The Head and The Heart — that’s a definite recipe for success. I’ve been really lucky to be able to travel in style (of course) so frequently to see great bands, from an upstate trip to see Lucius to a weekend trip to Providence to see (perhaps) my favorite band, West Coast indie rockers Local Natives. So it was fitting that on one of the last weekends of the year, I took to the trail again. What did I bring with me? Only the best gear I could pack into my Owen & Fred weekender bag — you knew that bag was sturdy as heck and travel-friendly, right?

Rugged layers for a chilly weekend. Wool Shirt by Abercrombie & Fitch. Yosemite Shirt by Taylor Stitch. Donegal Trousers by JackThreads. Red Wing Leather Waterbury Chrono by Timex _ Todd Snyder. Ranger Gloves by Grifter Company. Glasses by Frameri. Cashmere hat by Club Monaco.

Rugged layers for a chilly weekend. Wool Shirt by Abercrombie & Fitch. Yosemite Shirt by Taylor Stitch. Donegal Trousers by JackThreads. Red Wing Leather Waterbury Chrono by Timex _ Todd Snyder. Ranger Gloves by Grifter Company. Glasses by Frameri. Cashmere hat by Club Monaco.

As seems to be the case with the weather across much of the country, the weekend was an especially frigid one in Baltimore — and NYC. For my train ride down the coast and a day exploring Baltimore, I layered up accordingly as seen at the top of the page, starting with my trusty JackThreads denim shirt. Of course, a stylish shawl cardigan proved a crucial layering piece given the chill, and I prepared accordingly with the durable, thick-knit and unique Eddie Bauer Snow Bridge Cardigan. I topped those layers off with the slim, warm Old Navy Wool-Blend Topcoat, an unexpected offering from a brand that keeps improving its apparel and outerwear game. For a blend of flexibility, comfort and style — crucial when sitting on a train for a few hours, then moving about the city — my trusty Bonobos Travel Jeans in Allegheny Oak fit the bill perfectly, and played nicely in terms of color off my sturdy, tough-wearing Cole Haan Lockridge Moc Toe Boots. You might recognize those boots from this site’s piece on how to dress for the first snowfall, and they’ve got plenty of weather-ready bells and whistles — they’re waterproof and feature the brand’s Grand.OS technology, for starters. When paired up with my reliable-as-ever MVMT Watches Calypso Watch and tough accessories like my Grifter Company Ranger Gloves, I was more than set to battle the chill.

I also brought along my trusty Brothers Leather 810 Wallet .It’s a beautiful, handmade and essential wallet — and you can get 15% off that wallet, or any Brothers Leather item, using the code ‘BrotherBeau15’! Seriously, look into upgrading your everyday carry ASAP. Know that the next time you hit the road to a chilly locale, you should pack as many durable winter accessories as you can, too.

The everyday carry for a quick road trip. Ranger Gloves by Grifter Company. Wallet by Brothers Leather (Get 15% off with the code 'BrotherBeau15'! Calypso Watch by MVMT Watches. Pen by Owen & Fred.

The everyday carry for a quick road trip. Ranger Gloves by Grifter Company. Wallet by Brothers Leather (Get 15% off with the code ‘BrotherBeau15’! Calypso Watch by MVMT Watches. Pen by Owen & Fred.

Stop number one on my trip? Of course, a stellar coffee shop — that’d be Artifact Coffee, and I’d absolutely recommend a trip of your own if ever you get to Baltimore. It’s a rustic backdrop for a tasty egg-and-bacon English muffin and a rich cup of coffee, plus some quiet writing and reflection. Properly caffeinated following an early train ride, a stop at one of the city’s neat menswear shops was in order. 16Tons — not a far walk from Artifact — is packed to the gills with vintage menswear, including sturdy tweed blazers, stonewashed denim jackets and a fair selection of tough moto boots. With my fill of menswear shopping, it was time for a much-needed burger at the lauded Abbey Burger Bistro — add the Guinness cheddar to your burger and top it off with a local Union Red Foxy IPA. I walked off the burger with a stroll through the neat Inner Harbor and Federal Hill areas of Baltimore, filled with beautiful red brick historic homes.

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With a great lunch and a great day of exploration around Baltimore behind me, I was more than ready for a long-awaited show from The Head and The Heart — seeing as I missed the band’s NYC tour stop in October after years of listening, it was high time I got around to seeing them. Looking back on 2016, the group’s stellar third album, “Signs of Light,” was one of my favorites for its joyous, uplifting message, powerful harmonies, subtle pop influences and soaring guitars. It’s the kind of music we need a bit — or a lot — more of, and it resulted in a stunning live show that was a joy to watch.With a full day to look ahead to the show, I was beyond excited — and because I packed light and relied on style staples like the tough-yet-comfortable Cole Haan Lockridge Moc Toe Boots and the durable MVMT Watches Calypso Watch I was able to transition from day to night and fully enjoy the concert.

Checking out a new music venue in a new city is always a neat endeavor, and a packed Ram’s Head Live didn’t disappoint. The buzzing,  multi-level venue also drew a nice crowd for folk rock trio Joseph, themselves a group quickly on the rise and capable of producing some powerful songs in the vein of Lucius or HAIM — yes, they’re that good.  And they nicely complemented a beautiful performance from The Head and The Heart, who absolutely didn’t disappoint. I’d recommend you see them as soon as you can — the band’s beautiful vocals and soaring songs — soaring is the only way to describe it — were incredible. From the opener “All We Ever Knew” to a huge rendition of “Rivers and Roads” and stirring, fun versions of “Lost in My Mind” and “Shake,” it was among the better shows I’ve seen this year — and that’s saying something!
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With an amazing live show in the books, I looked ahead to an excellent Saturday of Baltimore, including an amazing brunch & Bloody Mary at Baltimore institution Miss Shirley’s. Of course, a delicious, rich Nutella latte from 3 Bean Coffee was also in order. With chilly temperatures in the forecast yet again, I went with sturdy layers to fight the cold.. Namely, my slim and refined JackThreads Donegal Trousers provided a bit of a high-low style complement to my heritage-inspired Abercrombie & Fitch Wool Shirt. Given the blustery, frigid weather, I also threw on my much-loved Taylor Stitch Yosemite Shirt, as seen at the top of the post. It’s a soft, warm and essential layering piece. And on the watch front, it doesn’t get any better than my rugged and durable Timex + Todd Snyder Red Wing Leather Chronograph, all of which helped me navigate Baltimore in warmth and good time — seriously!

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Unique, versatile layers for a blustery Brooklyn day. Wool-Blend Henley Sweater and Belted Shawl Cardigan by Abercrombie & Fitch. Kinzie Jeans by Mugsy Jeans. Sutter Boots by CAT Footwear. Red Wing Leather Chronograph by Timex + Todd Snyder. Socks by To Boot New York. Wallet by Brothers Leather (get 15 percent off Brothers Leather goods with the code ‘BrotherBeau15’!

Unfortunately, my trip was over much too soon, and it was time to head back to  NYC. The ceaseless cold weather showed no signs of relenting on Sunday, so I again reached for critical layers, starting with a brand-new, rugged-and-refined Abercrombie & Fitch Wool-Blend Henley Sweater. It’s a rich addition to any wardrobe, affordably priced and featuring a neat blend of sport and heritage-inspired style. For an afternoon spent exploring Williamsburg, I accented the sweater with a distinctive Abercrombie & Fitch Belted Shawl Cardigan — you can expect to see a lot more of this unique, comfortable layering piece soon. On the footwear front, I found myself reaching once again for my durable, tough CAT Footwear Sutter Boots — the brown burnishing is a handsome and classic design touch. And whether in cold weather or on a warm, sunny day, you really can’t go wrong with the ridiculously comfortable Kinzie Jeans from Mugsy Jeans, made with a ton of stretch for ease of movement. I complemented the ensemble with the Timex + Todd Snyder Red Wing Leather Chronograph yet again — it’s a tough watch to pass up wearing!

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As I bundled up heading back through Brooklyn, it was great to be able to reflect on a stellar weekend. It featured some of my favorite things — live music, menswear, travel and a requisite helping of craft beer and great burgers! It doesn’t really get any better, especially packed into the span of a few days. And any time I get to spend at my favorite spots in Brooklyn is also time well-spent. It’s been a whirlwind month of December — and a whirlwind year — but I’m really thankful to get the chance to travel, see great shows and bring along stylish menswear in the process. If you’ve got your own holiday travel coming up, I hope it goes well — and if you’ve still got gifts to buy, check out our men’s holiday gift guide, along with the women’s holiday gift guide. Happy shopping!

Thanks as always for reading — stay stylish!

-Beau

by Beau H.

Online Shopping Picks: Best Men’s Winter Boots

Pick a boot, any boot. Back left corner: Wolverine 1000 Mile in Navy Suede. Back right corner: Timberland Britton Hill Waterproof Moc Toe. Center: Timberland West Haven Chukka. Front left: Thursday Boot Company Chocolate Suede Scout Chukka. Front right: Thursday Boot Company Roughout Captain Boot.

Pick a boot, any boot. Back left corner: Wolverine 1000 Mile in Navy Suede. Back right corner: Dr. Scholl’s Burke Boot. Center: Timberland West Haven Chukka. Front left: Thursday Boot Company Chocolate Suede Scout Chukka. Front right: Thursday Boot Company Roughout Captain Boot.

Welcome to our first Online Shopping Picks post of 2016! The extremely gradual change of the seasons this past fall & winter has left me a bit caught off-guard stylewise – as soon as the calendar hits late September and early October, I’m normally all about wearing sturdy denim, thick cardigans and tough boots whenever possible, on through December and January. But the fairly temperate climate in NYC made it somewhat difficult to do that when compared to previous years – I still have yet to see snow in NYC, an oddity for me considering cold winters growing up in Michigan. If you find yourself in the same situation, rest assured – winter will get here soon enough, likely with a vengeance. And when it does, make sure you’re prepared ahead of time with a standout pair of reliable winter boots. The picks that follow here were selected by yours truly for their combination of versatility, functionality and overall style. So you won’t find any steel-toed boots or extreme hiking boots below – just reasonably rugged, tough pairs that can work going into the office, going out after and maybe doing some light trekking off-road on the weekends. Check out these picks below, and let me know if I missed any!

#1. Jack Erwin Chester Captoe Boot — $220

A lovely shade of dark brown and a refined captoe merge with a hand-stitched rubber outsole.

A lovely shade of dark brown and a refined captoe merge with a hand-stitched rubber outsole.

The Chester Captoe Boot as seen here checks off three key boxes in rapid succession – great looks, a really solid price and that crucial rubber sole. Jack Erwin has been doing a great job releasing well-curated collections by the season (Exhibit A: its loafers), and its boots are no different. The captoe makes this pair sleek and office-ready like a dress shoe, particularly in the Espresso color, while the rubber sole can definitely get you where you need to go this winter. It’s likely the next step up pricewise from other picks, but well-worth it.

#2. Thursday Boot Company Brown President Boot — $199

No captoe, but still a relatively slim profile -- the President Boot from Thursday Boots.

No captoe, but still a relatively slim profile — the President Boot from Thursday Boots.

Whereas the Jack Erwin captoe is fully suit-ready, the Thursday Boots President Boot is a little more business-casual thanks to the slightly lighter brown leather and lack of a captoe. But that doesn’t make it any less sleek – it’s still got a slim toe shape, yet the rubber sole you’d expect from a durable winter boot. If the sole is anything like that on the Roughout Captain Boot or the Chocolate Suede Scout Chukka, it should provide great traction while holding up reasonably well. These can definitely be worn with a slim pair of denim and a navy blazer-chambray shirt combo as part of a daily uniform – throw in a sharp V-neck sweater if it gets cold.

#3. Wolverine 1000 Mile Boots in Navy Suede — $360

The Wolverine 1000 Mile Boot in Navy Suede, in person -- a Style Guide favorite.

The Wolverine 1000 Mile Boot in Navy Suede, in person — a Style Guide favorite.

The classic 1000 Mile silhouette gets a suede-centric upgrade – which also bumps up the price and knocks it a bit further down this list. However, these Navy Suede boots are true beauties – the suede feels smooth & rich, and the sturdy construction lives up to Wolverine’s standard. The profile is fairly slim as far as a boot goes, so these have looked right at home even alongside dark blue denim. I’d also recommend you try these out with light grey chinos, which should really make that navy suede pop. The price is going to be an investment that merits proper care, so they might be less ready to wear in all kinds of weather – but it’s going to be hard to leave them inside.

#4. Cole Haan + Todd Snyder Olmstead Boot in Chestnut — $249

Certainly more unique-looking, and perhaps more suited to casual wear, but still a durable and stylish option.

Certainly more unique-looking, and perhaps more suited to casual wear, but still a durable and stylish option.

The Olmstead Boot is marked down to $249 from its original price, so it’d be a wise bet to jump on them now (sizes are somewhat limited, too — from 8.5 up to 13, pushing it further down the list). They’re perhaps the most unique-looking pair of boots on this list owing in part to that wedge sole – they’ll likely wear a bit more like the sneaker-boots that seem to be all the rage. The moc toe silhouette and contrast stitching could make these a bit more tough to pull off, but the dark brown color grounds them a little bit. That should help them sit just right underneath slim grey or blue denim in a casual workplace. Pair these guys up with a navy crewneck sweater and slim tan chinos on the weekends, too – trust me.

#5. Red Wing Heritage Iron Ranger Boots in Black — $319.99

A sharp Black makes these a tad more refined than the thicker profile might suggest.

A sharp Black makes these a tad more refined than the thicker profile might suggest.

One of the most recognizable boot silhouettes in the game today, the Iron Ranger is another certified classic. It wears a little more bulky than the sleek Jack Erwin or Thursday pairs at the top of this list, and it’s pricier, so it does get knocked down the list. BUT, the black color makes this pair both rugged and fairly refined – they’re going to be that pair you reach for in extremely deep snow, yet could still leave on for work if you take care of them properly and match them up with the proper style essentials (like sturdy chinos or denim and a refined chambray shirt). Like the Wolverine boots above, these guys are a definite investment – but as investments go, it never hurts to stock up on tough boots before winter.
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So that brings us to the end of this list – know that some other budget options were considered, like the much-loved JC Penney Stafford Deacon Wingtip Boot. I’d also urge you to swing through the seemingly ever-expanding footwear offerings at J. Crew – they stock a variety of boots, including the classic Alden Indy, and sometimes offer them up on sale. It might seem as if there’s plenty of time before winter really hits – but it’ll be here before you know it. So stock up on your favorite boots, and wear them well this winter.

Tell me – what pair are you thinking about buying on this list? What’s your winter boot go-to right now?

Florsheim

by Beau H.

Style Pick of the Week: Cole Haan x Todd Snyder Hammond Wing Oxford

Editor’s note: Expect these posts weekly detailing one standout item coveted by yours truly. Sometimes, these fit within budgetary restrictions and other times, they’re expensive splurges worth saving for — sort of like the wingtips below. For more Wish List items from Beau, head here, and to see other Style Picks, head here.

A spring and summer-appropriate suede wingtip.

A spring and summer-appropriate suede wingtip.

The start of spring and summer brings lots of opportunity for mixing in newer, brighter colors and prints into outfits —  but touches of texture shouldn’t be left out either. Suede is a material that works in the fall as well, to be sure, but it’s perhaps no more at home than on a standout pair of dress-casual shoes in the spring and summer. That’s what makese these Hammond Wing Oxfords from the Cole Haan x Todd Snyder collaboration such a stunner. The medium tan suede and darker brick-red sole would sit perfectly well under a pair of crisp chambray trousers and a lightweight blazer for working hours, and this is also the kind of shoe that can pair with lightwash or dark denim and a casual pocket T-shirt, too (if you’re willing to blur the lines between high-low style a bit). The suede wingtip would also work with a lighter grey chino and a crisp polo.

Two other color options are available in the same style — both equally ready for warm weather.

Two other color options are available in the same style — both equally ready for warm weather.

Now, there are certainly cheaper summer dress shoe alternatives out there (like these Kenton Suede Wingtips from J. Crew or an even simpler pair of oxfords from J. Crew Factory). However, Todd Snyder is running a private sale through this Sunday, and it looks like this style (as well as alternative color options like the above Navy or a medium grey Ironstone) get the 30% markdown — with a good range of sizes available, too (just use the code ‘PRIVATE30’ at checkout). In regards to that price, you’re really paying for quality and an innovative collaboration. The noted American designer has carved out a good chunk of his business from pairings with classic, sportswear-minded brands like P.F. Flyers and Champion, so this dressier-leaning footwear collaboration is a nice step forward.  The fact that the above shoes could pair with multiple different outfits (from summer weddings to summer barbecques and the office in between) should hopefully make that higher price point worth it.

Have you picked up any shoes from the Cole Haan x Todd Snyder collaboration? How would you style these?