Tag / long read

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: The Masters, Coachella and Stylish Dress Watches

If you can believe it, we’re back at it with another Friday Read here on the ole Style Guide. What have you been up to this week? It’s been a busy one that promises plenty of excitement around these parts to end the week — namely, we’re talking the official release of some excellent albums and a lovely spring weekend in Brooklyn. Yes indeed, I’m very much looking forward to listening to the full-length debut of infectious New York pop-punk rockers Diet Cig, along with what promises to be a very fun record release show tonight at fun Brooklyn rock club Baby’s All Right! And of course, who else is pumped about the new Cold War Kids record!? How great will that be? Very great. In other menswear matters, we’re fully into transitional spring style now — if you’re curious about how to dress for spring break, we have some helpful tips for you. And if you want to know about the investment-worthy leather jacket you need in your closet now, well, we’ve got you covered there. Oh, and it’s Masters weekend for all you golf fans out there — with that in mind, this week’s Friday Read covers a fun style move to make for the occasion.

A fun way to inject a little golf-inspired style into a warm-weather look.

  • OK, so as I said — it’s Masters weekend. And particularly if you’re a golf fan, you should be looking to dress in style and stay hydrated (cheers!). And what better way to do it than with some unique, head-turning flip-flops? Flip-flops aren’t for everyone, but if you’re hanging out at a beachfront patio bar or a pool — perhaps sipping on a Corona and watching the tournament — you should strongly consider picking up the Reef Mulligan II golf sandals. Your purchase gets you a neat pair of flip-flops, plus a Reef tee and tee holder. The upper mimics a textured golf ball, while the footbed plays off putting green grass — oh, and did I mention there’s a bottle opener in the sole? Bottoms up indeed!

Beckett Simonon

  • NYC cyclists or casual bikers, listen up — this weekend only, Timbuk2 (makers of stylish commuter gear) are offering a combo bag-and-bike deal at the brand’s NoHo shop (that’s at 325 Lafayette Street) with Pure Cycles. What does that mean exactly? The donation of any bag or bike via the “Break Up with Your Bag and Bike” event gets you 30 percent off the purchase of gear from both brands — and your donated gear goes toward Recycle-A-Bicycle, an organization focused on uplifting NYC through community engagement, youth development and healthy living. That’s a win all around!

Greats

And one more thing before we start the weekend …

  • Last but certainly not least — we’re talking crisp, classic and stylish dress watches via my latest in-depth feature for GearMoose. I’d wager there are some picks that you’ll very much enjoy — and don’t forget to check out The Style Guide’s list of the best men’s leather watches in the meantime.

Greats

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by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Maggie Rogers, The Best White Sneakers for Spring and The Best Men’s Work Boots

Thanks for joining us again for another Friday Read here at The Style Guide. It’s pretty wild to be closing out the last week of March and moving into April. The past month was certainly a busy, busy one, what with my Florida spring break trip and my latest #menswear road trip to Pittsburgh to see Local Natives, among plenty of Brooklyn style adventures.  If you’ve been on the road, or find yourself prepping for a spring break trip of your own, shop my suggestion on how to dress for spring break this year. For now though, we’ve got plenty of other seasonal style essentials to cover. For one, did you pick up a stylish spring jacket yet? A recent shopping post on this site covers pieces that are functional and great-looking (of course). And if you need tips on what to look for when buying a leather jacket, there’s an #OOTD entry I think you’ll find helpful and highly stylish.
Sutro Footwear

Elsewhere in style (and trip) planning matters, it was with tons of excitement that I picked up tickets this past week to see none other than The Killers at the excellent Radio 104.5 Birthday Celebration in June! Of course, that show will follow on the heels of Governors Ball here in New York City — are you heading to any spring or summer music festivals? Let me know on Twitter — and shop my picks for how to dress for a music festival in the meantime. And that reminds me … we’ve got a nice mix of music and men’s style in the below reading picks. So, read on, enjoy the weekend and keep up with my real-time men’s style updates via Instagram.
Beckett Simonon

SeaVees

My spring style pick — and available for a nice deal this weekend, too. Photo courtesy of SeaVees.

  • Not feeling in the mood for April Fool’s jokes, but feeling in the mood for some menswear? If that’s the case, the fine folks at SeaVees have a deal for you. On Saturday only (that’s April 1st — AKA April Fool’s), you can get 20 percent off all footwear — including the brand’s new Spring 2017 collection — using the code ‘NOFOOL’ … I’m not even kidding here, folks. My personal favorite pick? The SeaVees Legend Regatta, as featured above and as worn by yours truly on my recent Florida spring break trip . They’ll work with slim chinos, they’ll work with light wash denim and they could just be your new favorite spring sneaker!
  • So, we told you we’d have some music included in this post — right? Well, if there’s been one artist I’ve been listening to on repeat these past few weeks, it has to be the mercurially talented Maggie Rogers. The Maryland native seamlessly blends indie folk, jazz and R&B influences, with a touch of dance pop thrown in. It’s music that’s subtle, nuanced, well-written and beautifully sung — you might want to check on Maggie Rogers tour dates if you like what you hear! Tickets are literally selling out quicker than you can say “viral sensation,” so hop to it!

  • Now, back to menswear — I certainly have my own picks when it comes to classic men’s spring sneakers, and Esquire.com is also here with a  helpful rundown on the best white sneakers to buy for spring. Buy ’em now, wear ’em a ton and look forward to warm weather.
  • In other matters of men’s style, spring travel season — AKA spring break — is upon us, as mentioned earlier. Crucially, the Bradley Mountain Utility Bag is the one bag you need to buy and use for your next road trip. Let me know if you’ve picked it up via the comments below!
  • Last but not least … I rounded up 25 (25!) durable men’s work boots for GearMoose, featuring brands from Danner to Wolverine. Before you tackle your next spring project, grab a pair and get to it.

OK, so that’s this week’s Friday Read — have a great weekend and check back here tomorrow for a spring-friendly Style Pick of the Week.

Enjoy!

-Beau

Greats

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Kings of Leon, Menswear Trade Shows and SuitSupply

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.

Menswear never sleeps, especially not if it’s Friday and there’s more work to be done before the end of the week. Welcome back to The Friday Read, where we’re going through all the men’s style tips and essentials you need to know to kick off your weekend, well, in style. We’re a few days closer to the positively massive and hectic trade show season in New York City, followed by another edition of New York Fashion Week: Men’s. I’m looking forward to scoping out new brands at the likes of Capsule Show and Liberty Fairs, just as I did on a summer trip to Las Vegas via my PR day job (with a bit of hustling on the side, of course).  Checking out new brands and reconnecting with great supporters at Style Guide favorites like Owen & Fred and Tanner Goods is always pretty great — if a little tiring between the daily grind and the afterparties! So, I’m definitely going to enjoy this weekend — particularly kicking it off tonight by seeing the arena-sized rock show that is Kings of Leon! To see a show at Madison Square Garden is pretty special, and that’s no more true than with a group you’ve followed since middle school.  Of course, I’ll be dressed in rock concert style — no doubt about that. What are you weekend plans? If it’s chilly where you are, I hope you layer up in classic winter style — there’s no better way to dress for the season, trust me.  Enjoy the weekend, thanks for reading and join us for a winter travel-centric Style Pick of the Week tomorrow.

  • Who knows how much gear is still left on the brand’s digital shelves, but the fine folks at SuitSupply opened up the SuitSupply online outlet for your shopping pleasure earlier this week — it’s the type of sale that many get excited about every year, and with great deals on slick tailoring and accessories, it’s not hard to see why.  Just how to style that new winter suit, though? Have I got the tailored #OOTD for you.
  • If we’re talking handmade craftsmanship and fine attention to detail, then we’re talking Markhor, a footwear company out of Pakistan that’s changing the industry’s approach to stylish men’s dress shoes — and trying valiantly to do so. I covered the brand via my latest post for The Manual, and it really was great to learn more about the unique and intriguing ways in which they craft their sleek, classic shoes.
  • Let’s step outside the menswear world for a second — and you might want to grab your headphones, because the xx put out “I See You,” the best album of this young year, last Friday … if you haven’t been able to stop listening, you’re not alone. It’s filled with essential tracks rendered with lush music, and I’d say they’re an essential act to see come summer festival season.
  • Before New York City’s menswear trade shows and the resulting fashion week scene heat up, take a look at GQ.com’s rundown of the best Milan street style  from the European style circuit.

Thanks, as always, for reading — and enjoy the weekend!

-Beau

Beckett Simonon

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Bastille, Greg Lauren and A Huckberry Giveaway

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’re through the end of another week, and we’re just a bit closer to Christmas — if you’re one who celebrates the holiday season, that is. It’s also a great time of year in the menswear world — it’s time to drop a few hints about your men’s style holiday wish list, it’s time to gear up with stylish snow gear, and it’s time to get a big jump on your holiday shopping for her. With all those wheels in motion, it made for an extra-busy week at The Style Guide. It kicked off with a really neat, special Monday night — it’s not too often you get the chance to check out a band as big as Bastille  in a venue as intimate as the renowned Bowery Ballroom, but the lauded British indie pop band returned to NYC to make up a special show originally scheduled for October. It was a fantastic night of live music — lead singer Dan Smith is smooth, poised and energetic, with a great band behind him. They played their way through one of the best pop albums of the year — that would be “Wild World” — with a few slightly older hits (“Pompeii” among them!) thrown in for good measure. Songs like “Warmth” and “The Currents” really shone through in a live setting, too. It was a treat to see them in such an intimate venue — and it was even better to catch them the very next night at Manhattan’s cavernous Pier 36 for the very cool Pandora Holiday Live event, which also featured scores of fans on-hand for Bishop Briggs and the energetic (if divisive) British mega-band The 1975 , a group who seem to be everywhere nowadays. If you can, I’d definitely recommend catching Bastille at one of a number of festivals this summer — they’ll surely be there! While summer festival season sounds mighty nice right about now, maybe you’ve got to dress in style for your holiday party, or get a jump on the weekend, so let’s get on with it — we’ve got you covered with this week’s #menswear news.

Nautica

A standout giveaway from everyone's favorite lifestyle purveyor.

A standout giveaway from everyone’s favorite lifestyle site.

  • Alright, so this is a pretty big deal. Purveyors of a stunning mix of men’s lifestyle and style goods, Huckberry is doing it big this holiday season with its Golden Holiday 2016 contest. It’s four straight weeks of neat holiday prizes you can only find at Huckberry, running from now until December 18th. What was last week’s prize? A sweet Secret Agent kit featuring some seriously stylish tailored gear from Trumaker. And this week’s prize? Potentially even cooler. It’s a bespoke sailing adventure — yes, you read that right — on a private yacht around one of a handful of beautiful locations: Maine, the British Virgin Islands, Croatia or Greece, all thanks to Huckberry partners Sailing Collective. Now, how to enter? Those who place an order via Huckberry this week are in the running — every purchase gets you Coal Hard Cash, which you can redeem 24 hours after said purchase to find out if you’ve won Huckberry credit (up to $500!) or, better yet, the incredible top prize (no exaggeration here). But wait! There are two more weeks of prizes upcoming! Yes sir, that’s right. Does it get any better? Learn more, buy away & enter at Huckberry.
  • Want to mix a few more pieces with some high-fashion edge into your wardrobe? That task just got a little easier thanks to a new collaboration between Greg Lauren and Banana Republic.  Although at first it might seem unlikely given Lauren’s penchant for distressed, luxurious takes on style essentials, it’s a partnership through the Council of Fashion Designers that resulted in a 16-piece capsule collection. Of those 16 pieces, there are quite a few that are, well, pricey (a $3,000 cashmere overcoat, anyone?), but it’s a neat blend of the traditional and the unexpected that you should check out via the above feature at GQ.com.
  • In sneaker-related news, your favorite Brooklyn sneaker brand — Style Guide favorite GREATS  — is releasing an outstanding, sleek and stylish take on its lauded Royale silhouette. The good news for those of us who like to break out sneakers until the first snowfall hits? The new version of the Royale comes in a seasonally appropriate, deep navy blue “Jeans Suede” color that would team quite effectively with your favorite crewneck sweater and a trusty chambray shirt on casual winter weekends (sans snow, of course).

Want to read one more feature before the weekend?

Now, we’ve reached the end of the Friday Read this week — enter that Huckberry giveaway ASAP and add a few pieces to your Men’s Holiday Style Wish List now!

Stay stylish!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Rugged Fall Style, Oliver Cabell and Hard Graft Gym Bags

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.

So if you’re joining us here today on The Style Guide, that must mean it’s Friday. And if it’s Friday, it’s time for another round of The Friday Read, where we tackle the best of the week in #menswear — with a dash of music and fine spirits joining us in today’s post. First things first — thanks to everyone who participated in this week’s Dickies X-Series Denim giveaway this week. We’ve had the pleasure of some crisp, brisk fall weather this week in NYC — if that happens to be the case for you as well, I’d urge you follow the behind-the-scenes action on Instagram and check out how to dress for fall. We’re talking indigo chore coats, slim garment-dyed pants and a tough Horween leather watch. Oh, and an essential crewneck sweater for your fall wardrobe — that’s a thing, too. It’s been fun to break out some tougher layering pieces for the chilly weather, and rest assured that we’ve got plenty more fall style-centric content in the weeks ahead. Namely, we’re diving into the archives with tomorrow’s Style Pick of the Week — and then jumping right back to the present day with our very own Thanksgiving Style Suggestion. It’s tough to believe it’s that time of year already! But, not to worry — we’ll be offering up all manner of holiday style picks, from what to wear to your holiday party to what to buy for your significant other. In the meantime though, I’ve got a weekend of travel ahead — I’m heading on a quick trip upstate to the lovely town of Hudson for a bit of rest, relaxation and menswear-themed exploration. Follow along via Twitter, look for a full recap blog post coming on Monday, and check out everything you need to know from the week in men’s style news.

  • Who can pass up the chance to combine refined spirits and great menswear? Not that many folks, that’s who. The fine spirits purveyors at Glenfiddich launched a fall capsule collection — titled Wardrobe XXI — with none other than menswear luminary Josh Peskowitz. The lauded fashion vet, who recently opened up Magasin, a menswear lifestyle boutique, curated four men’s style capsule collections on behalf of Glenfiddich. The brands run the gamut from contemporary — Camoshita United Arrows to slightly edgy (FEIT). And each capsule, which is sold at select retailers like NYC’s Gentry and Miami’s Alchemist, pays homage to Glenfiddich’s 21 Year Old Reserva Rum Cask Finish. Now, great whiskey and great menswear? That’s something we can all get behind.
  • If you’re hitting the road for Thanksgiving next week, you need to know how to travel in style. That just got easier with the introduction of the Arcata Travel Kit from premium accessories brand Oliver Cabell. We rounded up the best dopp kits for men on this blog earlier this year, but this dopp kit is a worthy addition. Thanks to the brand’s transparency — right down to the material and labor costs displayed on its Web site — you know you’re getting a premium, road-ready piece.
  • We’ve covered the best men’s weekender bags, but you might want to add another to your list. The Hard Graft Gym Bag Volume Two is a beautifully crafted, superbly done bag that merges tremendous functionality with stellar looks. Give it a read via yours truly at GearMoose!


Looking for something to read — or listen to — this weekend?

  • If it’s a relaxing weekend listen you seek, might I suggest the eloquently produced “On Hold” from everyone’s favorite ethereal music trio, The xx? Give it a listen over at Pitchfork. You won’t regret it!

That’s all we’ve got from my neck of the woods — stick around and check out your new favorite fall jacket, or a rugged fall layering essential, before you take off for the weekend.

Stay stylish,

-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: Yeezy Season 4, Bonobos GoodSport and What to Wear During Football Season

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.  

The last time we spoke, we were heading into an action-packed Labor Day weekend and the start of some serious fall style cravings (oh, and college football season). Well, surprise — it’s a week later, and it doesn’t exactly feel like fall around these parts. We’ll keep looking toward everyone’s favorite menswear season next week, with both a Fall Style Wish List and some rugged men’s shopping picks for the season.  For now, we’ve got the shopping picks you need should you still find yourself having to beat the heat — as has been the case for months now, it seems like.  Rest assured that we’ve also got a few choice reads to jumpstart what I hope is a weekend of relaxation, menswear, football and craft beer (or are those just my plans?).  If you’re trekking to a tailgate, here’s what to wear.  If you’re heading to a rock concert, what do you know? Here’s what to wear to a show. And if you just fancy catching up on the week in men’s style news? Read on below.

  • If you stuck your head under a rock earlier this week, you might have missed the relative chaos that was Yeezy Season 4, just ahead of the start of New York Fashion Week. It was inescapable around New York City these past few days, and while I’m not the biggest fan at all of ‘Ye musically or, I guess, personally, the man knows how to command headlines. You decide whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing…
  • Gushing over these pieces is always fun (if slightly depressing in terms of budgetary constraints) — here are the goods the folks at Well-Spent would buy instead of rent this month.
  • Getting to and from the gym with style in mind isn’t always high-priority — but perhaps it should be. Bonobos just launched its GoodSport line of athletic-minded apparel, and GQ is calling ’em the best-fitting gym shorts on the market.

Want more menswear to round out your day?

We’re signing out until Monday, when we’ll deliver the goods on that fall style wish list — check out Instagram for more style snaps along the way, and enjoy the weekend!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Paul Fredrick Deals, New Balance Sneakers and Labor Day Weekend

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.  

Can you believe it’s Friday? More importantly, can you believe it’s the Friday before Labor Day weekend? Where did the time go? For this style writer, a lot of this past month has been spent on the road — this particular week, that mean a long, relaxing (and fairly stylish) summer vacation to Florida, including some excellent time spent in the sun and sand. Plus, the trip was capped off by a standout AC/DC concert at the BB&T Center in Fort Lauderdale — I think my hearing is still recovering.  Seriously, though — what a band. You can read much more here, but know that it was worth the early, early flight back to New York the next morning (to say the least). Throughout this past month, it’s also been great to travel back to Michigan for a wedding weekend and a Grand Rapids trip (all the while focused on travel style). I’ve also been really thankful this summer to  check so many items off my to-do list, from an upstate trip to see Lucius, one of my favorite bands, to a standout weekend at Governors Ball and a heck of a Saturday at Panorama. The chance to travel so many neat places, spend so much time with great friends and check out so many cool sights and sounds is one I definitely don’t take for granted — and I hope it’s been a summer of checking things off your to-do list as well (with plenty of highlights, to boot!). But we’re not done yet —  with Labor Day coming up, there are still plenty of chances to dress in style; what else would you expect? And we’ve got a jam-packed next few weeks of content — you can look out for a Fall Style Wish List and neat features that run the gamut from what to wear during football season to more personal travel style posts. Are you ready? I sure am. Keep up with daily style tips and tricks on Instagram, and check out a bit more daily #menswear at The Style Guide Facebook page.

Need one last story to read?

  • If you need more Labor Day style essentials, check out the top picks I rounded up over at GearMoose — I think they’re some pretty stylish selections, if I do say so myself!
by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Raf Simons, Red Wing Heritage and Usain Bolt

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.  

This past week was all about reflection and appreciation for me — appreciation for a great weekend spent in Michigan, appreciation for the chance to head back to my home state again in just two weeks for my good friend Andy’s wedding, and appreciation for what’s so far been a great summer in NYC. I’ve had the chance to take in some excellent concerts by my favorite bands, I’ve had the chance to travel, and I’ve also had the chance to explore the Big Apple with amazing friends — seriously, put an NYC trip on your bucket list. With all that being said, it’s still tough to believe we’re already into August. But, that means one of the best times of the year for us #menswear fans isn’t too far off — we’re talking, of course, about fall, and all the great style transitions it brings with it. Looking too far ahead? Perhaps. For now, I’m looking forward to a relaxing, warm weekend in the city before I get ready to travel across the country in the next half of the month (a family visit to Florida and a work trip to Las Vegas are in order). If you’ve got your own summer travel still left on the horizon this weekend, accessorize with a stylish dopp kit or a functional weekender bag. And in the meantime, kick back and enjoy the Friday Read. To keep up with daily style inspiration from the blog, head over to Instagram.

  • Even if you’re not into fashion (that is, fashion with a capital “F,”) shockwaves went through the industry this week when it was announced that Raf Simons is the new creative director at Calvin Klein. The former creative director at Dior, this is his first foray into American fashion; ultimately, it could signal a new direction for the iconic American brand — and it likely means they’ll be back in a big way at next year’s New York Fashion Week: Men’s, among other fashion week happenings.
  • For those who like their athletic performance mixed in with some eye-catching style, check out FOURLAPS — named for the number of laps it takes to run a full mile, the folks at Valet recommend you look at this new athletic brand that’s mixing up the market.
  • Red Wing Heritage is back with a mighty interesting release, partner — the brand just launched its Pecos Collection, featuring two silhouettes inspired by the boots worn by Western ranchers all the way back in the 1930s. It’s a style that’s probably not for everyone, but if you’ve grown weary of your trusty suede chukka boots or even leather chukkas, you might consider grabbing a pair.
  • Long Read of the Week: It’s been a while since this entry made an appearance in the Friday Read, but its return is a fascinating one. The New Yorker looks into (with varying responses) how fast Usain Bolt would run the mile — yes, read on and ponder away.

What else is on your reading list? Make it one of these pieces, will ya?

  • There’s no better time than August to slip your feet into some stylish boat shoes before Labor Day — check out my list of the 10 best boat shoes for men over at GearMoose.
  • For rock-ready style that’s just as modern today as it was in 1970s, turn to the new Levi’s 505C — I had a blast covering the brand’s latest launch for The Manual, and know that these jeans (as seen on my Instagram) really are way comfortable.

Buck Mason - Timeless Design. Made in America.

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: How to Style A Blazer, American-Made Watches & Taylor Stitch

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.  

Although all weeks go by particularly fast around these parts, this past week was one for a bit (just a bit) of reflection amidst the hustle and bustle of NYC. I had the chance to catch up for some delicious patio brews and oysters with my good friend Clay Chambers of Brothers & Craft, who just returned from some momentous time abroad at menswear trade and runway shows in London, Paris and Milan (and in fact, you can catch more on Clay in a Style Guide Q&A).  We took the time to catch up, to chat menswear and to take some time out from the grind — we find ourselves in different places a lot, but always reconnect. It’ was a great reminder to slow down every so often and take life in stride (even if the scenery is a bustling New York sidewalk). That helped cap off a busy week indeed, and I’m even more excited to finish off the work week with a special night at Daryl’s House Club (just a quick train ride from NYC), seeing one of my favorite groups of all-time, Lucius.  Their music definitely reminds me to slow down and take things in, and even if it’s my second time seeing them, it should be just as special. I hope you get the chance to take some time, relax and enjoy the weekend — but not before checking out the Friday Read below (wink, wink).

  • The ever-stylish team at Valet offers up 4 tips on how to style a blazer this summer; some of those combinations are absolutely perfect, don’t you think? (Editor’s note: For more tips on how to rock a blazer, click here).
  • The equally style-minded team at Gear Patrol reports that American watch company Weiss will be launching the first watch featuring an American-made movement in a long time.
  • Non-Style Note of the Week: We  all love some Starbucks, right? Well, there’s a chance they could be underserving and overcharging you — a case is headed to court claiming that Starbucks is overcharging you for smaller lattes; not exactly a great value, ehh?

On the lookout for more style content?

  • The team at Taylor Stitch is back at it again with the seriously sturdy Transit Duffel — get all the details via my latest post at GearMoose.
  • Add another collection to your list of “must-do” shopping — the Canvas by Lands’ End line is packed with style essentials, as I found out in writing a brand profile for the great team at The Manual!

Lastly, thanks as always for reading, and enjoy the weekend,

-Beau

Buck Mason - Timeless Design. Made in America.