Tag / maxim

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Buck Mason’s Latest Summer Menswear, The Best Short-Sleeve Shirts & Taylor Stitch Chinos

Buck Mason summer menswear 2024.

Summer is flying by evermore swiftly, but not in a bad way, at least not in my neck of the woods: There are park strolls, beach days, boardwalk visits and brewery beers, and with more of the same on the way this weekend, I’m trusting my favorite Buck Mason menswear to carry me, well, everywhere.

In my experience, the brand gets the details right with an all-American assortment of super-soft tees in dusty colors, expertly cut jeans, hard-working shorts, breezy camp-collar shirts and some of the best swim trunks on the market (to name but a few categories in which Buck Mason excels).

Learn more now at Buck Mason

If you feel the same way, then you know this to be true, but if not, it’s worth considering picking up a few Buck Mason menswear essentials — head here to read more about how it makes some of the best men’s T-shirts, the best chambray shirt and much more. It’s like I said: From summer rooftop happy hours to breezy weekend brewery visits, rock concerts and everything in between, Buck Mason delivers.

I anticipate more of the same this weekend as I try to stay cool in the Brooklyn heat, menswear and cold beer very much included. And for your own stylish summer pursuits, here are a few essential reads to kick things off the right way — we’ll see you out there, my friends.

  • Speaking of staying cool in the heat, I know at least one way to combat rising temperatures while putting your best foot forward in matters of style. That’d be one of the best short-sleeve shirts, and I covered a selection of my favorites at a range of price points over at Maxim.com. Shop accordingly and stay cool (and stylish), my friends.
  • If you keep up with the blog on the regular, you’re well-aware that I find it hard to pass up a deal, particularly a deal on the best men’s chinos from one of my favorite brands. In this instance, that deal hails from the good folks at Taylor Stitch and Bespoke Post, where you can find savings of 30 percent on the Taylor Stitch Foundation Pants in the brand’s wear-with-anything Democratic fit.
Shop Taylor Stitch chinos at Bespoke Post
  • Let’s ring in the weekend with one last menswear selection for the taking, shall we? Over at Huckberry, I think you’ll be pleased to find that the company’s in-house sustainable menswear brand, Wellen, dreamed up a stylish short-sleeve shirt for men that perfectly merges fashion and function, all thanks to a moisture-wicking fabric and a quick-drying design. Take it on the links, to a summer BBQ and everywhere in between, my friends.
Find out more at Wellen and Huckberry

That’ll wrap up today’s Friday Read quite nicely indeed — hopefully, that trio of stylish menswear picks is enough to sort you out in terms of some prime reading and shopping suggestions for the seasonal heat. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our trusty Style Pick of the Week, and then again on Sunday for a discount on some fine menswear via the Sunday Sale. Cheers and as always, thanks for reading!

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: A Fall Road Trip, Seeing The Killers & the Best Fall Style Picks

Brandon Flowers of The Killers

My friends, can you believe Friday is upon us yet again? A remarkably busy season is flying by in my neck of the woods, between the likes of Glenfiddich Scotch tastings, shopping for fall style essentials and of course, a fall road trip to see The Killers. Today marks the third — yes, third — time I’ll be hitting the road to see one of my favorite bands and my hero, Brandon Flowers.

Ever-stylish, always hard-working and ambitious, and remarkably passionate and talented — the music of The Killers is surely worth the trek back to my home state of Michigan & the fine city of Detroit this weekend, in fact! It’s a concert that’s been in the works for me since summer 2021, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for the big day (Saturday!).

Perhaps you recall my Esquire interview with Brandon Flowers from last year, or perhaps you’ve been following along with my travels and my concert-going and fall style shopping over on my Instagram — either way, it’ll be a banner weekend with lifelong friends seeing an all-time favorite band! That won’t be the only thing I’ll be doing in Detroit.

Naturally, I plan to visit Detroit breweries like Batch Brewing and Atwater Brewery, not to mention a stop by Detroit’s own Shinola, long one of my favorite watchmakers and lifestyle brands, period. Fittingly enough, I just wrote about the brand’s first-ever mechanical timepiece, and did so over at Maxim — talk about one of the best men’s watches, no doubt.

What’s on your weekend agenda, other than cold beer and menswear shopping, of course? Feel free to give me a follow on Twitter to check in, and keep it tuned here tomorrow for Saturday’s Style Pick of the Week. One last fall style essential for now: This rugged Buck Mason jacket could be a new fall favorite. Head here to read all about it on my blog. Cheers!

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Bowmore and Aston Martin, The Best Oktoberfest Beers & New Mott and Bow Jeans

My friends, we’re closing out another momentous week here at The Style Guide and rolling into the weekend the right way. We’ll get to my first style recommendation in just one second, but for now, I’m reflecting on a lifetime day trip I took the other day — a cruise up to the iconic Glass House museum in Connecticut for a tasting of an exclusive, rare Bowmore Scotch, crafted in collaboration with British automaker Aston Martin. The setting, as you can see above, was exceptionally beautiful and tranquil — a perfect locale for such a great Scotch tasting and gourmet luch! And the ride itself from NYC northward? An incredibly stylish, well-designed Aston Martin DBX. It was a thrilling, instantly memorable journey in one of the coolest cars on the planet (for my money’s worth!).

Yes, you’re reading this all correctly: The luxury automaker and the famed Scotch brand teamed up on a striking new Scotch whisky, one I had the privilege of covering for none other than Maxim as part of my freelance writing pursuits. We tasted both that exceptional Scotch — and were treated to an incredible meal and a selection of tastings from the entire Bowmore portfolio, which isn’t something you get to do every single day!

Hopefully, you’ve kept up with all the festivities on my Instagram, but for now, just know that the Scotch in question is definitely worth the price tag (and the illustrious hype!). Now, onward to business and menswear, starting with a true Friday highlight: My pick for some of the best jeans for men from Mott and Bow. Let’s get right to it!

Mott and Bow eco-friendly jeans
  • The right pair of jeans certainly ranks high among any list of the most versatile, best menswear essentials you own, able to be worn in business casual settings or during laidback weekend days. What if I told you Mott and Bow was keeping that same approach, yet making its stylish men’s jeans all the more eco-friendly? Yes indeed, NYC-based Mott and Bow just launched an eco-friendly denim collection made with sustainable recycled fibers and far less water production than other pairs of jeans. Check out these new Mott and Bow jeans here, my friends.
  • My friends: Prost! It’s the most wonderful time of the year — or the most wonderful time for a beer, more likely, as famed beer celebration Oktoberfest is back and going on as we speak in Munich. If you can’t make it across the pond, you’re in luck: You can still sip on some of the best Oktoberfest beers if you shop beer for delivery at Drizly. And to get you started? Head to my SPY guide to the best beers for Oktoberfest, folks. Cheers to that!
  • We talked just shortly ago about some of the best jeans for men, but what’s every bit as crucial as finding the right pair of jeans? Finding one of the best belts for men, which is precisely what I focused on in my latest style roundup for Men’s Journal. Stay stylish out there!
Let’s close the book on this week’s Friday Read — again, to keep up with all the goings-on in my neck of the woods, be sure to catch up on my Instagram. Oh, and be sure to swing by the blog tomorrow for my weekly Style Pick. Thanks, as always, for reading!
by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Filson’s Sem-Annual Sale, The Best Summer Colognes & A New Huckberry Watch

Folks, welcome back to another edition of the week-closing Friday Read here at The Style Guide, where we’ve got a lot of ground to cover. Let’s start with the fact that yes, as the headline would imply, the Filson Semi-Annual Sale just kicked off, and it’s got a ton of the best summer style essentials up for grabs. It’s rare that a retailer like the famed Pacific Northwest heritage outfitter offers up the best in-season gear (and gear for the seasons ahead!) at a discount, so you’d do very well indeed to check out the Filson Semi-Annual Sale.

The rest of the way forward this weekend, well, I’d recommend you keep things rolling along with a few choice style reads below, of course. As for me? I have stories to write up for SPY.com as well as Effortless Gent, and in the midst of it all — including recovering from my standout trip to London last week! — I’ll be prepping for yet another trip.

The jaunt in question? A return to Michigan for the wedding of a longtime college friend (Go Green!), plus some Fourth of July celebrations. What’s on the docket for you? Besides, of course, checking out my recommended menswear shopping and reading picks? Without further ado, let’s get into it below. Cheers, my friends.

  • If you happen to read the blog on the regular, consider this one a bit of a refresher — there’s a standout new, perfectly rugged, highly stylish watch up for grabs right now at Huckberry, and the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Pro Diver Titanium is well worth the investment. The timepiece, as I wrote about here on the blog, celebrates the Swiss watchmaker’s 140th anniversary, and it does so with both excellent looks and high-performing capabilities in mind. Check it out for yourself ASAP.
  • Summer is high time to refresh plenty of things all around — be it your wardrobe or your travel plans, or your summer scent. Think light and airy, and of course, head on over to Maxim to read about my latest guide to the best summer colognes.
  • I’ll leave you with one more recommended style pick from my neck of the woods. The best shorts for summer are a must-have in these casual, increasingly hot times, so you’d do very well to keep it locked here on the blog and check out the Mack Weldon Maverick Tech Chino Shorts, as written about by yours truly. They’re as good as it gets for summer, my friends.

That’s going to wrap things up for my latest Friday dispatch, my friends — here’s to a great start to the holiday weekend, and here’s to stepping out in style this summer. As always: Thanks for reading! 

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Buck Mason’s Rare Winter Sale, The Best Men’s Hair Spray & a New Shinola Watch

Buck Mason Early Access—The Gettin's Good Sale (Up to 60% off) : r/frugalmalefashion

Folks, welcome to Friday and another edition of the Friday Read, which’ll have you outfitted and ready for the weekend in no time. Speaking of getting outfitted for the weekend, well, that photo above says it all. Buck Mason, one of my favorite brands and purveyors of some of the best winter menswear around, is holding a very, very rare sale, featuring up to 60 percent off some of the company’s essential gear via the recently launched Buck Mason Gettin’s Good Sale (get it while you can, my friends). It’s even better than the well-stocked Buck Mason Last Chance Section, since these are deep discounts on a wide array of menswear. If you’ve had your eye on, say, one of the best men’s cardigans via the lauded retailer, now’s the time to shop. The Buck Mason Gettin’s Good Sale is a must-shop for your weekend — I’ll leave you to it, but please do keep on scrolling to kick off your weekend the right way.

Shop Buck Mason’s online sale right now

For those of you who aren’t quite dropping everything to shop Buck Mason just yet, well, I’m with you — at least in spirit. That’s because this weekend, I’m heading somewhere extra layers aren’t really needed: I’m trekking down to breezy, sunny Florida to kick off my 30th birthday week (weekend?) and spend some time at Disney World with my family! I couldn’t be more excited to safely trek down there, and if you’d like to keep up with all the fun (and get some style tips in the process), you can — and should go follow me on Instagram. For now, I’ve got a few more stories to tidy up before the weekend, so I’ll leave you with some more reading and shopping tips below. Cheers to Friday, folks!

  • If you’ve been keeping up with the blog as of late, then you’re well aware that I’m a big fan of Detroit-based Shinola and its full array of some of the best men’s watches. That includes the remarkable new Shinola Bronze Monster (as I wrote about here), as well as the stunning, recently launched Shinola Forged Carbon Monster Automatic. This watch is truly a sight to behold, featuring light yet tough construction. What’s more, you can head to Maxim to read my full dispatch on this stunning watch.
  • Looking for a way to revamp your hair this winter, all the while avoiding hat hair on cold days? Then you’re in luck — if you read my latest AskMen guide on the best men’s hair sprays. Yes, that’s right: Hair spray for men is very much available, with the quick and easy potential to revamp your ‘do the right way. Check out that guide and let me know what you think.
  • Here’s one in case you missed out on the fun on the blog this week. It’s always wise to shop the latest and greatest Billy Reid menswear, especially when those layers are both rugged and refined, like this Billy Reid shirt jacket I covered just yesterday. It’s time to layer up in style, my friends.

So, that’ll wrap things up in fine form as we head into the weekend. There’s lots to read and shop if you peruse the pages of this blog and my other bylines, but I’d urge you — more than anything — to shop the exceptional Buck Mason Gettin’s Good Sale for the best deals on the best winter menswear and much more. If you do end up picking anything up, let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading and cheers to the weekend! 

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Sustainable New Sneakers, Sebago x Engineered Garments & New Huckberry Gear

GREATS Royale review

Your favorite new sustainable sneakers for spring and summer.

In honor of Earth Day last week, and as part of the ongoing commitment to sustainability that we all need to make, let’s talk about some of the most sustainable men’s sneakers on the market from Brooklyn’s own GREATS. That’s a fitting way to *step* into the weekend, is it not? Sure thing. Last week, the brand released a limited-edition GREATS Royale in Indigo Dye, with each sale donating to the Global Green: Our Cities Coalition. Oh, and the kicks themselves feature a footbed made from Bloom™ algae foam, plus recycled cotton laces. So, yes, they’re sustainable from A-to-Z, and they’re also some of the most stylish men’s sneakers out there for adding a pop of (natural) indigo dye to your summer footwear rotation. I know they’re on my wish list. If they’re on yours as well, you can get 15 percent off your first order with the code BROOKLYN15.

Mack WeldonThat’s a fine way to start the weekend, in my view: By shopping for your favorite new sustainable sneakers. Of course, that’s not the only item on my to-do list. I’m still plenty busy dog-sitting in Florida (follow me on Instagram to check out the highlights!), and there’s fun in the sun and local craft beer to enjoy this weekend, plus some work on my twice-weekly newsletter, The Style Guide In Brief. I cover music, menswear and craft beer, and it’s free to your inbox every Tuesday and Saturday. What’s stopping you from subscribing, ehh?? You’ll be hearing more about that from me in the near future.  For now, I’ve got some final writing to knock out for the weekend, including my next dispatch for the Huckberry Journal. Have a great weekend, stay safe, stay sustainable and stay stylish.

  • To match up with those stylish and sustainable sneakers above, you’re going to need some equally stylish essentials this spring and summer. Enter Frank And Oak, a longtime favorite of the blog (see a few of my favorite sale picks from Frank And Oak here). The Canadian fashion brand makes a nice mix of casual and sharp basics & tailored pieces for men and women, including the Aero Ultra Light Overshirt, made from recycled bottles and other materials. It’s the sort of easygoing yet functional and cool shirt jacket you can wear for spring & summer days on the road.

  • You can’t go wrong at all with great menswear for a great cause, to say the least. Flag & Anthem, makers of Western-style and casual shirting and slim jeans (among other staples) announced that a portion of its sales this month are going towards autism initiatives and special programs as part of Autism Awareness Month via its new Autism Awareness Collection (as seen above). Oh, and you can use the code FRIENDS25 for 25 percent off everything. Again, great menswear for a great cause (and now, a great deal).
  • Two brands, one old-school and one an established player in the fashion world, have teamed up on your new favorite summer shoes. That’s right: Sebago and Engineered Garments came through with a new series of deck shoes in cool materials like suede and croc-stamped leather, and I wrote all about it for Maxim. Lace ’em up and step out in style.
  • If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it, well, probably close to a thousand times. You can get the best new menswear and gear for spring & summer at Huckberry, and I did the hard work for you (well, at least some of it). Head to this blog post to read my top shopping picks at Huckberry for the weekend ahead and well beyond. Cheers, folks.

Mack Weldon

We’re just about done when it comes to today’s Friday Read, but I’ll send you galivanting off into the weekend with one final selection. If you’ve been searching for the best spring rain jacket, it’s a very good day for you indeed. Head to this blog post to check out my insights on the  Eddie Bauer Chopper 2.0 Jacket, which is on sale right now for under $100. It’s the perfect jacket for rainy, breezy spring days on and off the trail, plus around the city. Gear up accordingly, and I’ll see you out there, my friends.

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: The Best Hair Pomades, The Coolest Jackets for Spring & Duke Cannon Grooming

Duke Cannon grooming review

Five of the best men’s grooming essentials to start this weekend the right way.

Alright, folks. You’ve got a lot on your to-do list, as do I, so let’s make hay while the sun shines and get into today’s Friday Read with a recommended weekend kickstart from one of my favorite grooming brands. If you read the blog, you’re familiar with Minnesota-based Duke Cannon, which makes cool grooming goods at affordable prices and supports veterans in the process. If not, you should know that (for starters), Duke Cannon gift sets deliver everything you need when it comes to men’s grooming essentials from A-to-Z, and that’s very good news for you (and anyone you know who needs a grooming upgrade this season). Case in point: The Duke Cannon Starting Five Bundle (as seen above), an easy and effective introduction to the Minneapolis-based brand, featuring the brand’s famed hair wash, plus body wash, face wash and Duke Cannon Proper Cologne to really round things out. I’m not saying it could be the best decision you make all weekend, but it could be one of the better ones.

Along with testing out my fair share of grooming products from Duke Cannon, I’ve got plenty more on my spring to-do list this weekend. I’ve started covering all things menswear at Jacob Graye, so be sure to check out my byline there. Oh, and there’s also the business of my (free) music-menswear-craft beer newsletter, The Style Guide In Brief — give it a read! Once I knock out my to-do list, I’m hoping to swing by Gold Star Beer Counter for an outdoor spring brew — it’s a perennial Brooklyn favorite, and all the better to enjoy a beer there now that temperatures are warming up. To get your own weekend rolling the right way, give these essential Friday reads and shopping picks a look below. Cheers, my friends!

Vuori Sunday Performance Joggers

A new favorite pair of laidback spring pants for all your adventures (and at-home lounging) this season.

  • Let’s get into the spirit of spring the right way — by talking about some of the best men’s pants for spring. Those pants, in fact, are shown above, and they’re coming at you courtesy of Vuori Clothing, a brand I’ve had the pleasure of testing out these past few weeks. To get even more specific, I’ve been testing out the Vuori Sunday Performance Joggers, and they’re even more essential for the season — for days at home and running errands around Brooklyn — then I had previously thought. The technical knit, moisture-wicking fabric and handy details like a side zip pocket make them your new favorite pair of pants (and mine!) this season.

Best men's pocket tees

Another weekend shopping recommendation for you, this time from a brand making one of your favorite T-shirts.

  • I’ve been talking pretty consistently about Alex Mill shirts and more from the NYC-based brand here on the blog, and with good reason. Allow me to offer up another spring shopping pick when it comes to essential Alex Mill menswear, the kind that’s classic and modern all at once. Case in point: One of the best men’s T-shirts just so happens to be this Alex Mill Vintage Wash Pocket Tee, made to fit perfectly and feel incredibly comfortable right out of the box. Start shopping for it, folks.
  • As mentioned above, well, here we go: My guide to the best hair pomades for GearMoose, all the better to get your hair and your grooming routine in the best shape possible this season. After all, you’re going to have to do up your hair eventually, right? Yes sir, yes sir.
  • Elsewhere on the writing front, I had a heck of a lot of fun covering the coolest spring jackets from some of your favorite brands, the kind that you know and love — I won’t spoil the surprise, but there are seven great picks for the best men’s spring jackets at Maxim this week. Cheers to the season, folks.

Speaking of toasting to the season, let me recommend one more pick for you — not a spirits selection, per se, but the kind of hard-wearing and yet laidback shirt you should wear for your spring imbibing sessions. Of course, that would be the Flint and Tinder Architect Shirt, as I covered here on the blog last week. It’s going to set you up for success in style, no doubt. Again, cheers to the weekend and stay safe out there!