Tag / long reads

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

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by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Daniel Craig’s Watch Collection, Ryan Gosling and Local Natives

Alright, folks — Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Over here, we’re buckling up for another Friday Read  on The Style Guide, and we’re capping off a very busy week in the process.  The days have flown by since I returned from a Style Guide spring break trip to Florida, choice #menswear gear in tow and all.  The NYC weather certainly proved a bit of a rude awakening, what with snow and rain and sleet pounding the city during Winter Storm Stella — that meant a day of working from home (or the Style Guide’s Brooklyn HQ, as I like to call it). If you dodged the winter weather this week, good for you — raise a pint and of course, check out this site’s feature on how to dress for St. Patrick’s Day (hurry, there’s still time!).

Greats

We’re also in the midst of the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament, and I’ll be fervently cheering on my Michigan State Spartans wearing some of my best team gear. If you need a few tips of your own when it comes to how to dress for March Madness, I’ve got you covered. And once the game wraps, I’ve got another busy weekend ahead — I’m hitting the road early Saturday to Pittsburgh to see perhaps my favorite band, Local Natives! That makes four shows in about five months, including my fall trek to Providence, and I couldn’t be any more pleased or excited! From powerful tracks off their most recent album, “Sunlit Youth,” through to classic offerings from “Gorilla Manor” and “Hummingbird,” I truly can’t wait to see ’em again! If you’ve got any suggestions for things to see or do in Pittsburgh, drop me a line. As per usual, you can follow me via Instagram or check out The Style Guide on Facebook to see how my trip goes — we’ll have a full travel style recap on Monday, too! In the meantime, enjoy your weekend and Go Green!

  • Let’s kick things off here by discussing some stylish men’s watches — shall we?  Namely, Bloomberg Pursuits caught up with our main man, and Style Guide favorite, Daniel Craig — they got the scoop on the watches he loves and wears.
  • Speaking of tough, durable watches, are you familiar with the Huckberry Combat B33 GMT Watch? No, you say? Well, it was last week’s Style Pick of the Week, and I’d strongly urge you to check it out.
  • Another current Man of the Hour in matters of style, Ryan Gosling shows you how to wear your new blue suit . Now, a word of warning — he might be the only one who can pull it off (womp, womp).
  • Be prepared to open up your wallet for this one — GQ tells us all about what could be your new favorite Oxford shirt (if you can spare some extra cash).
  • Let’s end the week on a non-menswear note discussing perhaps my favorite movie of all-time — will there be a sequel to Gladiator? Only time will tell; if Ridley Scott has anything to say about it, we just might get one, though!

We’re not quite set to roll into the weekend yet …

  • No sir, we’ve got one more post for you — if you need a tough jacket to battle inclement spring weather, the Whipping Post Explorer Jacket was made for you. It’s my latest via GearMoose, and I had a great time writing it.

That’s all for now — join us for another Style Pick of the Week entry tomorrow!

-Beau

Huckberry

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Young the Giant, Star Wars and Cole Haan

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.

Where did the time go since last Friday? It was a beautiful three-day weekend here in NYC, so that certainly contributed to it. And with spring-like temperatures Saturday through Monday, it definitely got me planning ahead — I tried to enjoy the Brooklyn weather (plus delicious coffee and great menswear at Williamsburg’s Upstate Stock) as much as I could, but I couldn’t help but plan for this site’s Spring Style Wish List. Don’t worry — it’s on the way.  In the meantime, hopefully the team of one here at The Style Guide has given you plenty to read. If you didn’t catch this week’s brand profile on the inimitable Todd Snyder, do so now — and maybe pick up a great piece like the Todd Snyder x Champion Pocket Sweatshirt in the process.
Frank & Oak
Know that we’ve also got a new way to wear a cardigan via this week’s #OOTD series, and of course, another entry in the Style Pick of the Week series. As for me, I’m taking a (slight) break from menswear writing for a quick road trip to the famed town of New Haven, home of Yale University and, perhaps more importantly, this weekend’s Young the Giant show at College Street Music Hall! I kid, I kid — Yale is quite the big deal, but I’m excited for the show nonetheless. Of course, I’ll be dressed in travel style, too. It’s definitely been pretty neat to go on East Coast adventures, explore new cities and see great shows in the process — from seeing Local Natives in Providence to catching The Head and the Heart in Baltimore, I’ve been quite lucky to be able to hit the road this past fall and winter! Of course, you can follow along with my travels via Instagram and Twitter. For now, let’s kick of the weekend with some #menswear fun, shall we? Read on and see you for tomorrow’s Style Pick.

Beckett Simonon

  • Speaking of Young the Giant, this next bit of news caused me to yell out loud in excitement at my desk at work this week — Cold War Kids are touring with  Young the Giant later this summer! Who’s pumped? And the tour includes an NYC stop in September — crucial for all of us city slickers. But seriously … how exciting is that??
  • If you’re a Star Wars fan — and a fan of the many planned offshoot movies — then you’re likely aware of this already, and yet … the new, as-yet-untitled Han Solo film started shooting this past week, and that’s reason for fans of the character and the Star Wars universe to get excited. See, we’re about more than just menswear (wink, wink).
  • Esquire tells us all about how the ’90s are back in style — in a big way — and how you can dress like the era without going too far back in time.

Want to really get a jump on your spring style?

With that, we’ll close the curtain on another Friday Read — see you in the front row!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: New York Fashion Week: Men’s, Pocket Watches and Travel Style

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 we’re already into February? With a busy week of menswear trade shows — and crucially, New York Fashion Week: Men’s — in the books, I’m more than ready for a relaxing weekend. That being said, it’s definitely been a treat over the past week or so to catch up with so many great friends in the menswear industry between hopping around to events and checking out runway shows from the likes of Style Guide favorite Todd Snyder. Seriously, there are some very good things in the works for Fall 2017, from beautiful outerwear to next-level tailoring. On top of the great clothes, it’s special to meet outstanding people and see where the industry is headed. From my very first New York Fashion Week: Men’s experience way back in July 2015 until now, it’s been amazing to witness firsthand a changing industry, all the while writing and learning about it along the way.

And with that being said, I’m more than excited to return home to Michigan for what should be an awesome, reflective few days spent with great friends and family — I try to get back as often as I can, and I’m particularly excited to explore Beer City U.S.A. this time around (that’d be Grand Rapids, folks). In fact, I’d say I’ll be dressed in essential winter travel style along the way. Now, if you’re looking to check a few items off your own travel bucket list, I’d say you should start with my summer trip to Grand Rapids,  and then look back to my rugged fall trip to Michigan while we’re here (talk about a throwback!). In the meantime, read a few choice #menswear pieces below, and follow along with my weekend travels on Instagram  and on Twitter.  Know that in the week ahead, we’ve got some exciting things planned —another great Style Pick tomorrow, for starters. Enjoy the weekend and TGIF!

  • Odds are, you don’t own a pocket watch — right? If you’re feeling nostalgic or yearning for a simper time, Luftbery Pocket Watches has you covered in terms of, well, a new pocket watch. It’s a recent launch on Kickstarter, and it just might be something to set you apart from those of us who consistently check our time on our phones.  Get a look at the brand’s site here.
  • Did you see last week’s Style Pick? If not, acquaint yourself as soon as possible with the Danner Mountain Light Boots — they steal some style inspiration from James Bond, and they’re tough, sleek and ready for anything this winter.
  • In addition to his, err, questionable policy-making (to say the least), Donald Trump’s menswear track record is quickly taking a dive — Esquire examines the fact that the man just does not know how to tie a tie (or do much else).
  • Last but certainly not least — it was a real treat this past week to sort through the essential, durable goods produced by Huckberry, especially considering chilly winter weather — yes, take a look at Huckberry’s best winter gear via one of my recent posts for The Manual.

And one more thing…

  • What’s not to love about the retro sportswear inspiration and near-perfect fabrications of the Todd Snyder x Champion collection? The latest release is this stellar Todd Snyder x Champion Baracuta Jacket, as I covered for GearMoose.

OK folks, that’s all we’ve got today — with that being said, I’m off to have some brews in Grand Rapids!

Until tomorrow’s Style Pick…

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Frank and Oak, Stylish Men’s Home Goods and The xx

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.

If you’ve had to check your calendar to confirm that it really is Friday again, you’re not alone. Between attending some excellent menswear trade shows — including Capsule Show and Liberty Fashion & Lifestyle Fairs — holding down the day job and working on this here blog, it’s positively flown by. It’s always refreshing to get out “in the field,” meet new brands and make new connections — good things in store ahead, I assure you. With those shows in the books, I’m truly looking forward to the weekend because, well, it’s my birthday! OK, that’s out of the way. But with any luck, I’ll get a few great #menswear gifts to feature on The Style Guide (‘cuz men’s style never sleeps). In classic fashion, I certainly intend on kicking back with a few craft brews — oh, and brunch. Absolutely, brunch. I’m particularly excited to partner with Frank and Oak on some content on behalf of the brand this weekend, too. You’ll be able to look for a full personal style post in that regard on Monday, of course! In the meantime, sit back and tuck in– this week, we talked the best men’s home goods to buy now, and we also filled you in on potentially your new favorite leather weekender bag. A lot happened in the men’s style world, too — read on below, join me on Instagram  and see what’s cooking over on Twitter. Cheers!

  • Regardless of how you feel about President Trump, it’s clear that some of his economic and trade, err, policies could directly impact the fashion industry. Specifically, American-made menswear. Esquire takes a deep dive into the issue this week; for what’s it worth, we here at The Style Guide — by we, I mean myself — will continue to cover and support brands that do high-quality work, anywhere and everywhere, but especially in the U.S.A.
  • We’re switching off of #menswear for the time being and diving into an album that’s been in my headphones — and perhaps yours, too — since it came out earlier this month. Esquire (those guys again) put together a beautifully composed feature on The xx and the band’s beautifully composed new album, “I See You.” I’d urge a listen if you want to lift your mood and your day, folks.
  • If stylish, technical and functional outerwear is your thing, read up on my latest GearMoose feature covering the sleek Sentinel Field Jacket — and maybe complement that purchase with a pair of the best men’s gloves for winter?
  • Last but not least — if you, like myself, will be fumbling around this weekend for your wallet, grab the Brothers Leather Supply 810 Wallet and solve that problem handsomely (it’s a bit of a throwback post, but useful in its own right).

As always — thank you for reading, and join us tomorrow for what I think you’ll find is a very winter-centric Style Pick of the Week. Fist bumps all around, and you can keep my tab open (wink, wink).

-Beau

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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: Veterans Day, Sword and Plough and Glenfiddich Whisky

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.

Well. Hey, what a week, right? Onward and upward. On this Friday, it’s a good reason to reflect and bring us all togehter– Veterans Day should bring with it great appreciation for the men and women who’ve served, and continue to serve so bravely. And a bit of a focus on the lifestyle companies that help support those veterans never goes wrong, either. Is there anything better than buying stylish, quality menswear for a great cause? If you’ve got some plans to do that this weekend, I think you’ll like the content we have in store below. And if your weekend brings with it other plans, it still pays to keep in mind some crucial men’s style tips — like how to dress for fall travel, or how to buy your new favorite henley (all crucial, you see). And if it’s getting really chilly where you are? Layer up with a stylish flannel shirt or a slim cardigan. You can, of course, look for our weekly Style Pick tomorrow — and stay tuned, ‘cuz it’ll get you shopping via Huckberry quicker than you can move your mouse. For now, catch up on the week in menswear — and the weekend to come.

A duffle built with military-grade fabric and inspiration.

A duffle built with military-grade fabric and inspiration.

    • First up in our Veteran’s Day rundown? A company that keeps the sacrifices of our armed forces front and center in everything it does, from its use of repurposed military fabrics to its mission of supporting vets through all phases of production. Sword and Plough  is launching a new duffle bag inspired by co-founder Emily Nunez’s experience with her U.S. Army duffle. It’s built with that same durability in mind and available in either Camo or Olive — the Camo version is lined in surplus 500-denier nylon fabric, while the Olive version is lined in a surplus cotton/nylon twill (originally meant for older military uniforms, but unused).  Oh, and the leather accents even come from the brand’s Redwing, Minn., which itself is a major military supplier. Get it ASAP via Sword and Plough, and know that the brand’s weekender bags — one of which I took with me on a fall trip to Providence — are just as quality.

  • If you fancy yourself in the market for a smaller accessory that pays homage to military inspiration you can’t go wrong with a rugged, durable and stylish casual watch via AVI-8.  Makers of handsome timepieces, they’re offering 30 percent off the brand’s Flyboy Collection now through Monday, November 14th using the code ‘Flyboy‘  — of course, as to the watches themselves, you can’t go wrong with the Flyboy Tuck, inspired by Royal Air Force flying ace Robert Stanford Tuck. The Flyboy Mesh is also clean, crisp and stylish enough for both casual and more refined wear. What are you waiting for, yeah?
  • Now, it’s not quite Veteran’s Day-related, but your footwear closet might need a new addition. CLAE and Style Guide favorite JackThreads just teamed up on a stylish sneaker collaboration that’s in need of your time. The CLAE x JackThreads Bradley is a refined low-top black sneaker with a patent leather cap toe and heel — not your everyday set of kicks. And the CLAE x JackThreads Strayhorn Mid is a unique, affordable and super-stylish high-top chukka sneaker with a wool upper. Yes, you’ll want to wear this with a classic chambray shirt, your favorite cardigan and dark denim soon — very soon.

Want one last way to toast to the weekend?

  • Craft bee is a big passion of mine. Whisky? Not all the time. But whisky aged in craft beer barrels? Bingo. See, we’re not all menswear here at The Style Guide. If that’s the case for you as well, you’d be wise to keep your eyes open for the new Glenfiddich India Pale Ale Cask Finish, a single malt scotch whiskey finished in IPA craft beer barrels and released last month. It’s part of the Glennfiddich Expermental Series, and it’s certainly got the rich flavor and nuanced details to back it up. It’s now out in the public, too  — keep your eyes  open for it at luxury whiskey retail stores, along with premium bars and hotels across the U.S. Cheers!

That brings us to the end of this week’s Friday Read — again, stick around for tomorrow’s Style Pick of the Week, and stay stylish!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Movember, Bombas Socks and Issara Leather Goods

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.

Welcome to another Friday Read, Style Guide fans — y’all are fans of this blog, right?  At any rate, we’re putting another busy work week to bed — last weekend brought with it a trip to Michigan State University, and this week brought with it a busy time at my day job representing Timberland from the PR side of the business. Needless to say, press preview season — both running one and attending several — can be quite hectic, but enjoyable. I’m looking forward to a more relaxing weekend around the city, catching up on a few #menswear photos and taking in the crisp fall weather in Brooklyn. While we’re on the topic of fall style — have you filled out your fall style wish list yet? You best get on that, because bfore we know it, the holiday season will be upon us — yes, I went there. In the meantime, we’ve got you set with fall’s best chukka boots, plus the best way to wear a flannel shirt this fall — and there’s more where that came from. In fact, we very well might — might — be covering great men’s henleys and fall travel tips on The Style Guide in the next week. Stick around for that, and stick around for the best men’s style news this week has to offer.

A fun, essential capsule collection from Richer Poorer supporting a good cause.

A fun, essential capsule collection from Richer Poorer supporting a good cause.

  • So, we’re now into the month of November — and because we like to have a little fun here on the blog, why not snag a neat pair of socks or a simple pocket tee inspired by the “Movember” movement? That’s just what the folks at Richer Poorer are doing — they’ve teamed up with the Movember Foundation to launch a capsule collection featuring a set of Movember-inspired crew socks, plus a pocket tee & boxer briefs — and the best part (other than the brand’s excellent quality) is that 75 percent of each purchase goes to the Movember Foundation.
  • If your sock drawer is in need of a seasonal refresh, it’s high time to grab a simple, crisp pair of Bombas Dress Solids  socks — for every pair sold, the brand donates a pair to homeless shelters, where socks are in high demand. And the brand has a little fun with patterns and colors, namely with the Daymond John x Bombas Sock, which pays homage to their mentor and advisor (that would be Daymond John himself), as well as the brand’s  2014 appearance on  “Shark Tank. They’re socks with a pop of color for a good cause — not too bad at all.

  • The London-based design team behind Issara is in the final days of a Kickstarter campaign for a full lineup of luxury leather goods, notably embedded with smart tracking technology. The line, which includes a clutch, a backpack, a zip wallet, a structured tote, a weekender and a slim bifold wallet, is made ethically from premium full-grain leather, to boot. Plus, each item is embedded with GPS technology from Trackr, designed to help you keep track of your goods. It’s available now for up to 60 percent off — that’s a fantastic deal, all things considered.
  • Luxury shirting maker Eton is launching another neat health and menswear-related movement this November — the brand is selling tie clips engraved with the simple phrase “I Wear The Invisible Tie,” designed to draw awareness to invisible or unspoken men’s health issues. You can pick up the tie bar and in the meantime, know that proceeds are going to charities that conduct research on everything from suicide to prostate and testicular cancer.

That’ll do it for this week’s menswear news — can’t get enough? Start here for what to wear on a weekend coffee date, and continue right on through this way for what to wear to Sunday brunch.

Oh, and swing through tomorrow for our Style Pick of the Week entry featuring a great find from the Huckberry team.

Stay stylish,

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Bastille, U.S. Authentic Leather Jackets and National Sneaker Day

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.

Do you ever reach the end of a week and look back at what a whirlwind it was? That was the case for me, starting even as the week kicked off. Live music is a real passion of mine, and in place of my typical Sunday dinner, I bought a last-minute ticket to The Meadows Afterparty — shows following the first-ever iteration of The Meadows Festival, to see an all-time favorite band, The Temper Trap!  Talk about an unexpected Sunday night opportunity and a tremendous show, at that. If you get the chance, the group’s new album, “Thick As Thieves,” adds a dash of blistering Southern rock influence to their impressive discography (hearing “Sweet Disposition” live was an absolute treat for a Sunday night!).

That led into another unexpected, last-second opportunity — you haven’t lived until you’ve scrambled to snag a ticket on StubHub for Bastille, the extraordinary pop-rock band who blew up the airwaves with “Pompeii” three years ago. It was a very rare treat to see them play at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, one of my favorite venues in New York City, as part of a special mini-tour preceding a truly global effort in support of their excellent second album, “Wild World.” It was made all the more special by the small crowd (see this video as an example!) and the fact that they played nearly all the way through the new album — soon-to-be hits like “Blame” and “Power” are truly live standouts! Catch them on tour if you get the chance (nudge, nudge). Of course, I took it all in stride dressed for a rock concert. It’s a privilege to be able to catch so many great shows multiple nights a week, especially here in the Big Apple! Please go see Bastille if you get the chance — you won’t regret it! And as to the rest of the week, well, we’ll just have to catch up on all things menswear below. It’s bound to be just as busy of a weekend, as I’m hosting my family up from Florida — look for a full personal style blog post coming on Monday!

  • So, get this — National Sneaker Day is coming up on October 9th (who knew?) and the folks at Brooks Heritage want to set you up right, namely with an array of colorful, classic silhouettes that they’ve perfected through the decades. Having checked out a pair of the brand’s Chariot Heritage sneakers, I can vouch for their comfort and quality! See how to style them (for warmer weather, admittedly) in this personal style blog post.
  • Speaking of National Sneaker Day — have you caught wind of the stellar made-in-America partnership between New Balance and Danner? The two brands have teamed up on the American Pioneer Project, one part domestic manufacturing effort and major parts stellar menswear collaboration. First up — the made-in-Maine Danner x New Balance 585, a heck of a premium sneaker made from Horween leather, featuring the kind of silhouette you can wear easily with a blazer and dark blue denim. And thereafter — the Danner Light x New Balance Boot, a hybrid hiking boot featuring New Balance’s signature color palette and a neat blend of materials (we’re talking Horween leather, Cordura mesh and grey suede, to start). Shop ’em now, wear ’em all season!

  • Although a stylish cardigan is a fall menswear must-have, it’s just as essential to have a closet stocked with other sharp sweaters — like these Jamieson’s of Shetland Crew Knits as covered by Well-Spent this week.
  • We all love a rugged Western shirt (like the one seen in this #OOTD), right? Well, GQ covered an especially expensive iteration this week — oh, boy.
  • In need of a new briefcase? Give THE WINGCASE a try — the brand just launched a Kickstarter funding effort for what they’re calling “the smartest briefcase in the world,” complete with a built-in charger and two-in-one functionality via removable compartments. It’s funding quickly, so get on it while it lasts!

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Oh, and one last thing — if you need a durable, heritage-quality leather jacket, check out this week’s #OOTD covering a great option from U.S. Authentic, a brand that’s new to the scene but doing things the right way when it comes to stylish outerwear.

That’s all for this week — keep up with this weekend’s menswear looks via Instagram, and in the meantime — stay stylish,

-Beau