Tag / denim jackets

by Beau H.

#OOTD: Upgrade Your Henley This Season

If the title of today’s #OOTD has you scratching your head and asking,”Why are we talking rugged henleys in spring?” … bear with me here. After all, there’s really no reason that a slim henley — the style essential every guy should have — isn’t fit for the warmer temps of spring. The key with today’s ensemble involves re-thinking how you wear your henley. While the crisp temperatures of fall and early winter call for layering your stylish henley with tough pieces like a waxed trucker jacket, the breezy days of spring call for a lighter approach all the way around. And that lighter approach starts with the henley itself — today’s well-made, well-crafted and lightweight Flint and Tinder slub henley is just the piece you need to switch up your spring layering game. It’s wearable with your favorite chinos, it works with slim selvedge denim and well … I’ll leave the rest of these tips for the remainder of this post. But again, think lighter colors and fabrics, think spring and get ready to buy your new favorite henley — or at least, steal some #menswear inspiration from this post. If you’ve got questions, I can be reached 24/7 on Twitter or via email — well, nearly 24/7. At any rate, shop away and enjoy!

Greats

Flint and Tinder

We’re lightening up your spring henley and pairing it with classic staples fit for warm weather.

The Henley: Flint and Tinder Slub Henley in Vintage Pewter, $58 — Just as I mentioned above, you can’t beat this Flint and Tinder slub henley, especially in a welcome, spring-like shade of pewter. The slub cotton is lightweight, breathable and ideal for layering — get on board with this one, folks.

The Jacket: Levi’s Trucker Jacket in Rinse, $70 — Does it get any more classic than a rugged denim jacket for spring? Particularly one in a crisp, dark wash as done by Levi’s? Buy this one now, and break it in a ton this season.

NORDSTROM.com

The Chinos: Abercrombie and Fitch Cropped Chino Pants in Cream, $68 — Want to really go for this whole spring style thing? Try pairing some light cream chinos with a similarly light henley — it’s monochromatic style that’s nicely broken up by the denim jacket.
Sutro Shoes Inc.

The Sneakers: Gola Classic Comet Plimsoll Trainers, $60 — Yours truly was pleasantly surprised to stumble across the crisp, sporty and vintage-looking Gola plimsoll trainers seen here — excellent looks, great styling potential and more than a century’s worth of British sporting heritage to back ’em up.

The Socks: Darn Tough No Show Ultra-Light Cushion Socks, $29.98 — If you’re rolling your chinos and sticking with classic spring sneakers, you’re bound to need effective no-show socks — like these Darn Tough no-shows.

The Belt: La Matera Corbina Belt, $145 — The similarly light colorplay between the chinos and that Flint and Tinder slub henley necessitates adding a shot of color and pattern — the La Matera Corbina Belt is the way to do it.

The Watch: Form-Function-Form Horween Leather Chronograph, $118.98 —  When you’re pairing up rugged essentials like a classic denim jacket and a slim slub henley, you need an equally tough watch; the handsome Form-Function-Form Horween Leather Chronograph as seen here should be your go-to casual watch.

The Everyday Carry: This Is Ground Leatherback Writer, $74.98 — Never underestimate the importance of an essential everyday carry piece to stow everything from notebooks to pens & extra headphones — this is a good one to buy.

Beckett Simonon

Alright – that’s a wrap on this spring layering #OOTD. See, wearing a spring henley isn’t as difficult as it might seem — right? Hopefully? It’s admittedly taken some time for me to incorporate my beloved henleys into spring style ensembles, but I’m confident that if you start with a great Flint and Tinder slub henley, you’re going to be inspired to put together quite a few looks. Take a classic, inky blue denim jacket and pair up your new favorite henley with cream chinos, to start.  Sport-inspired sneakers can add a nice dash of color to any spring ensemble, particularly a more monochromatic outfit like this one. And you can never go wrong — never — with durable accessories like the Form-Function-Form Horween Leather Chronograph or the visually interesting La Matera Corbina Belt. Before you step out the door though, don’t leave behind a handy everyday catch-all like the This Is Ground Leatherback Writer. OK, all good? I, for one, am ready to get out and try a few spring-centric looks. Follow along on Instagram, and drop any questions via our comments section below.

Thanks, as always, for reading!

-Beau

Oxfords under $50 CAD_250x250

by Beau H.

Style Pick of the Week: Levi’s Trucker Jacket

Pairing the Levi’s Trucker Jacket in Spire with seasonal essentials. Short-sleeve Henley by Abercrombie & Fitch. 505C Denim by Levi’s. Expedition Watch by Timex. Buxton Boots by G.H. Bass. Glasses by Frameri.

Welcome to Saturday, folks! We’ll tell you all about the classic Levi’s Trucker Jacket today — kick back, relax and enjoy. After all, there’s no question that it’s among the best denim jackets for guys (at least in my humble opinion). Yes indeed, as the weather continues to warm up — with the occasional burst of breezy rain — I’d say there’s no more essential piece of stylish spring outerwear  you need more in your life than a rugged denim jacket. Why’s that? Well, bear with me here. We talked a few weeks ago about the need for hard-wearing transitional outerwear for spring — be it an edgy leather jacket or a on-trend bomber jacket — and the denim jacket just might be the new style you need to try. Especially when you pick one up from a well-respected brand like Levi’s, you’re getting a relatively affordable price, great fit and terrific quality. And with its use of lightweight cotton denim, the Trucker Jacket at once comfortable and yet substantial enough to keep you warm on a breezy spring night or on a spring road trip. As seen here, it works on a cloudy day with an Abercrombie & Fitch henley, slim Levi’s denim and tough G.H. Bass leather boots — that’s just for starters. And the great thing about a classic silhouette is the plethora of options you get from a brand like Levi’s.

Not into a faded denim jacket? Pick up an inky blue trucker jacket and break it in yourself. Want to channel a bit of a rock n’roll edge? A light wash denim jacket (like the “Spire” wash seen here) could be the way to go. And like other classic spring style essentials – a short-sleeve chambray shirt, a marled henley or leather loafers   — it can be mixed and matched almost effortlessly (yes, even with jeans).

Beckett Simonon

Yet another way to wear a denim jacket for spring. Trucker Jacket by Levi’s. Jack in Indigo Star Shirt by Taylor Stitch. Henley by Pistol Lake. Roma Messenger by Brothers Leather Supply. Military Watch by Timex + Todd Snyder. Explorer’s Cap by Huckberry. Glasses by Frameri

The trick when it comes to dipping your toes into the denim jacket pool? Focusing first on fit – you should be looking for a trim fit through the shoulders and arms, with a fit that hits right above or at your belt line. It’s a different silhouette for those of us who might be more used to wearing something like a slim field jacket through the spring months, but that’s all the more reason to pick up – and wear – a stylish denim jacket this season. And when it comes to pairing it with other types of denim, focus on differentiating those washes – for example, a light wash denim jacket works with everything from slim black denim to dark denim. Huckberry

A word to the wise: Only fellas like the legendary Julian Casablancas can reliably pull off wearing two shades of light wash denim. But, hey … maybe someday. Someday … (see what I did there?). At any rate, a denim jacket in either a light or dark wash also works with seasonal essentials like slim stone chinos and suede Chelsea boots, and can even serve as a reliable blazer replacement. Oh, and another handy tip – in the right fit, you can layer up your denim jacket under a piece like an olive green field jacket for style that’s designed to beat the weather and look great. So, if you don’t yet have a denim jacket … hopefully, this is a helpful starting point. If you need inspiration on how to wear a denim jacket, follow yours truly on Instagram and check out The Style Guide in the coming weeks for a new #OOTD entry. Cheers!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Lucius, Timberland and Stylish Chelsea Boots

Editor’s note: Expect these posts once a week on Fridays — consider this a jumpstart on reading for your weekend downtime. Expect a mix of style and non-style content. For more entries, click here.  

We passed a special milestone on the calendar this week at The Style Guide — crucially, the first day of fall! The change in seasons has been lauded, touted and written about a lot on this blog as of late, from our Fall Style Wish List to a look at how to dress for fall weather to a roundup of the best men’s chukka boots out there. So it’s fitting that we’re finally, officially into the season. That meant a busy week of work at my day job, as myself and my Coyne PR colleagues joined forces to launch the Timberland Fall season in earnest with an intimate event for top men’s and women’s style editors. If you want to get a feel for how that went down, know that we worked with the team at Sixfold Leather to craft a very Timberland-centric experience for men’s media involving beautiful beverage carriers and classic Timberland wheat leather — oh, and delicious Brooklyn Brewery beer! Not a bad combination at all. A word to the wise — you should snap up one of Sixfold’s durable, neat-looking beer carriers for yourself while you can. With that event in the books, it’s onward to a busy fall season at The Style Guide HQ and elsewhere. Tonight is a fitting time to catch a bit of a breather, though — I’ll be taking in a concert by the one-of-a-kind indie pop band Lucius as part of the band’s performance at the Central Park SummerStage. I had an amazing time traveling upstate this summer to see them play at Daryl’s House Club in Pawling, N.Y., so I’m very much looking forward to seeing them again! Nothing can top meeting them the last time around, though. No to worry, of course — there’ll be a full personal style blog post recapping the performance and the weekend on Monday! But before we head out the door for the weekend, let’s get back to some menswear news, shall we?

  • Seasonal transitions are much easier to get through if you’ve got the right footwear — we here at The Style Guide love a great pair of Chelsea boots, and so does Playboy (give their style coverage a chance, seriously) — here are the 6 best Chelsea boots to buy for fall.
  • The denim jacket is another easily wearable piece for fall style transitions — the Wall Street Journal has some mighty luxurious options on-tap for the season; wear it over a grey crewneck sweater and your favorite chambray shirt when it gets chilly — trust me.
  • Feel particularly like buying some upscale menswear this week? Or do you have some extra cash to spare? The style team at Maxim assembled three handsome looks featuring some …well, wildly expensive items, from outerwear to accessories.

Still catching up on this week’s style news?

That’s all we’ve got as we wrap up a long week — enjoy your weekend and follow along with my style pursuits on Instagram.

‘Til the Style Pick of the Week,

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Pantone Colors, Denim Jackets & Start-up Watches

Editor’s note: Expect these posts once a week on Fridays — consider this a jumpstart on reading for your weekend downtime. Expect a mix of style and non-style content. For more entries, click here.

Before kicking off our regularly scheduled content on The Style Guide, I’d like to offer my thanks and gratitude to the brave men and women who serve this country, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice in saving lives and protecting our freedom on this day and in the days & years thereafter. When you think about it that way, writing about clothing seems somewhat silly. And yet, life goes on. With that, I leave you with a few articles to peruse in your spare time in the coming days.

  • The New York Times pores over the world of start-up watches in a really well-done trend piece — and you might recognize one of the brands quoted in there from a VOUCH Mag piece penned by yours truly earlier this summer.
  • From Women’s Wear Daily comes yesterday’s news that Pantone announced its Spring 2016 colors. A very pink-like Rose Quartz (no. 1) might be a no-go for most of us, but Iced Coffee is one among them that seems to present more menswear opportunities — like this Garment-Dyed Shirt from Frank & Oak).
  • Lastly as far as style goes, GQ tells you exactly how to layer a denim jacket this fall — note that Daniel Craig looks outstanding, in my humble opinion.

That’s all for this week’s edition of the Friday Read. Stay stylish, and check back here Monday for more from the world of menswear.

Greats

 

by Beau H.

What to Wear Today: Sturdy Spring Outerwear

A spring essential — the denim jacket. From American Apparel. Printed shirt by Express. Loafers by Bass. Glasses by Burberry.

A spring essential — the denim jacket. From American Apparel. Printed shirt by Express. Loafers by Bass. Glasses by Burberry. Photo credit: Khoa Nguyen.

Editor’s note: Occasionally, this site will cover what you should (or could) feasibly wear for specific situations, outside of holidays and other big events — consider this a combination style suggestion and a look into the author’s personal wardrobe.

If you don’t have a spring jacket in your closet yet, now’s the best time to pick one up (weather-wise at least — pricing can leave a lot to be desired for some options). And even if you do have a spring jacket, there’s a different piece of outerwear that you could add for an extra dash of rugged style — the denim jacket. Once a punch line for some questionable outfit choices in the ’90’s, the denim jacket is definitely cool again. It’s sturdy and up for anything, to boot.

The denim jacket can also be styled with an equally rugged henley, like this one from Mossimo. Patterned watch strap by The Knottery.

The denim jacket can also be styled with an equally rugged henley, like this one from Mossimo. Loafers by Bass. Patterned watch strap by The Knottery.

It’s been a big outerwear piece as far as spring fashion goes for the past few seasons, and it’s certainly not going away. This post from last spring (complete with more photos) dives into the style itself and just how to wear it, but in the meantime, know that it pairs well with, well, mostly anything you throw at it. It’s an awesome blazer alternative over a buttondown, knit tie and chinos. It looks right at home atop some slim grey jeans and a white henley (more on the brand in the link there later this week). And it’s casual enough to look at ease when worn over a popover or crewneck T-shirt and yes, shorts.

Finally, it can absolutely be worn with jeans on the bottom — but if and only if those jeans are in a contrasting wash. That’s not a hard and fast rule, per se, but it helps you avoid the dreaded Canadian tuxedo. As long as it’s cut relatively trim (not baggy), it’ll definitely work. And although some pros can pull off a lightwash denim jacket, a dark denim jacket is the best place to start. Of course, if you want even more rugged outerwear, you could also throw on a waxed chore coat for maximum durability. 

On the left: GAP

On the left: GAP’s Japanese selvedge jacket. On the right: A.P.C.’s pricer take on the piece.

As a matter of fact, venerable iconic jeans maker Levi’s is selling just the perfect jean jacket right now for a mere $47. American Apparel — despite the brand’s woes — also makes a great denim jacket for just north of $120, while GAP makes a Japanese selvedge version for about $85 on-sale now. If you just got your tax return back and feel like blowing some cash, A.P.C. is making a raw denim jacket, too.Those are all great places to start — and with spring just blooming, there’s plenty of time to hit the streets in denim.

Do you have a denim jacket? Which of the above options caught your eye? How would you wear it?