Tag / men’s fashiona

by Beau H.

Style Pick of the Week: Todd Snyder Hemingway Elbow Patch Shirt

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

Rustic yet refined at the same time -- the Hemingway Elbow Patch Shirt from Todd Snyder.

Rustic yet refined at the same time — the Hemingway Elbow Patch Shirt from Todd Snyder.

During my Christmas trip to Florida last week, I was pretty lucky to get some terrific gifts (mostly #menswear-inclined) from Santa. And among those gifts was none other than the standout Hemingway Elbow Patch Shirt you see at the top of the page from lauded American menswear designer Todd Snyder. The Midwest-born designer has been delivering on modern updates to heritage classics these past few years, and this soft cotton shirt with sturdy suede elbow patches definitely checks off some key boxes in that regard. Even better for you, my fellow menswear fan — it’s on-sale right now (marked down to $129 from $185). That price is still enough to scare people away, but given the brand’s history of quality and style, it might not be a bad way to spend your bonus. It’s great in another regard, too: As the weather gets colder, I’m all about incorporating texture into my wardrobe, from a wool bomber to a thick shawl cardigan and tough denim.The inclination toward richer textures goes for shirting as well, and it’s a move that you should consider making yourself — a cotton flannel shirt can serve a two-fold role; if it’s cut slim enough, you can wear it under a V-neck sweater, and if it proves to be hardy enough, you can definitely layer it over a henley (as I did on a trip to Grand Rapids this past fall).

Cold-weather style essentials with which to pair this shirt -- the Buffalo Bobber Glove from Iron & Resin, and a Merino Watch Cap from American Trench.

A closer look at the elbow patches and texture that make this piece special. Pictured with cold-weather style essentials ideal for the season — the Buffalo Bobber Glove from Iron & Resin, and a Merino Watch Cap from American Trench.

The grey plaid of this shirt is understated, and the spread (not buttondown) collar means this shirt leans a bit dressier than most flannels — especially when worn under something like a slim navy blazer. Crucially, the elbow patches add a nice bit of visual interest and a vintage look when the shirt is worn on its own.  In fact, it could be a neat style swerve to ditch the jacket and throw on a slim herringbone tie and some tan chinos for an office-ready take. Throw in some brown leather sneakers and that look could be complete. Of course, this shirt is probably going to work best alongside rugged denim and sturdy winter boots, maybe even underneath a vest if you’re feeling particularly rugged. The slim collar and muted colors make it dressy, but those elbow patches and the rustic pattern make it rugged — that’s exactly what you need in a shirt this winter.

Do you own any Todd Snyder shirts? How would you style this piece, elbow patches and all?
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Florsheim

 

by Beau H.

Style Pick of the Week: Zady Men’s Navy Organic Buttondown

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

A simple shirt made in a not-so-simple way, via the new Zady Man collection.

A simple shirt made in a not-so-simple way, via the new Zady Man collection.

First of all, folks: Happy Halloween! What costume do you have picked out? Let me know via Twitter! And with that out of the way, we’ll roll through our regularly scheduled Style Pick of the Week. More below…

If you hadn’t heard of Zady before the start of this week, there’s a good chance you have now. The ethical E-commerce company has slowly turned heads in recent years for its hyper-sustainable approach to the fashion industry. In short, the brand has set about stocking and selling only ethically produced, high-quality clothing — think buttondowns from Apolis and canvas coats from United By Blue. It’s a more sustainable, yet no less premium, version of East Dane. And now, Zady itself is making a small line of essential items for men — hence the resultant mini-media frenzy. If that didn’t catch your eye, the line of intensively-produced basics is sure to grab you away from Twitter for a few seconds (caught ya, yeah?). Of the well-curated colection, which includes a lightweight alpaca sweater and a crisp white Oxford, the simple navy buttondown is certainly one piece that has the potential be both on-trend and highly versatile.

Mother-of-pearl buttons made ethically team up nicely with a slim fit & other typical shirting details.

Mother-of-pearl buttons made ethically team up nicely with a slim fit & other typical shirting details.

It’s crafted from long staple organic cotton sourced from Turkey for a premium feel — and admittedly, a higher price tag than you’d find at a place like J. Crew ($130). But even the mother-of-pearl buttons are made sustainably using waste from the shellfish industry. And the product page itself does more than just toss up a few photos of the shirt. There’s an entire primer on what makes the shirt’s organic cotton — and other components — so special. It’s rather unexpected, but dovetails off nicely from what brands like Everlane are doing in terms of transparency to consumers. Oh yeah, and the styling potential of the shirt is pretty on-point. Toss it on with slim tan chinos and white leather sneakers for a fail-safe everyday look this fall, and wear it with some slate-grey linen shorts (as seen here) as it gets warmer out. It would also look right at home under a brown wool blazer and grey trousers this fall, and if you’re feeling daring, you could pair it with a more faded pair of dark denim and an elbow-patch cardigan for a stab at the monochrome trend that’s picked up so much steam.  The point is this: Zady appears to have hit it out of the park with its first stab at a private collection, and although the initial price tag could sting for those of us a bit strapped for cash, it could  very well be a splurge worth saving for — or putting on your list for Santa?

Have you bought any third-party merchandise from Zady? What do you think of its own collection?

Ernest Alexander

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: New SPECTRE Trailer, Italian Fashion and Jake Gyllenhaal

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.

What a week it’s been, to say the least! I kicked things off by attending the excellent Capsule Show, an international fashion and lifestyle brand exhibition  — I snapped a nice photo montage of the best brands I saw here. I also had the chance to attend a preview for a new industrial design project by Apolis launching later this year. The brand is partnering with Chivas Regal to turn excess glassware from the spirits company’s massive factories into sets of glass tumblers – very cool stuff. You can read more about the preview and catch a glimpse of yours truly (hint: navy floral shirt) in the brand’s blog post on the event. And now, I’m heading back to Michigan for the weekend to catch up with college friends. But enough about all that — onto this week’s reading (and watching).

  • We start things off not with an article, but with a video. If you haven’t seen the trailer for the new James Bond film SPECTRE yet, stop what you’re doing and go watch. Suffice to say — it looks stunning.  And the #menswear contained therein looks stunning as well. The classic cream dinner jacket. The chunky turtleneck. And those Tom Ford shades. Wow. While opinions on  Mr. Craig have been divisive sometimes, you’ll find no such talk about that from this writer.
  • On a bit calmer front, Cool Material thinks your phone is missing some apps, and they rounded up the eight best apps you don’t know (or do you?)
  • The New York  Times reports that Italy is planning to use its significant fashion industry clout by investing in the U.S. as a major future fashion market, to the tune of more than $20 million in investments.
  • GQ.com has the scoop on what Jake Gyllenhaal has been wearing to promote his latest movie, Southpaw (hint: the dude likes the air tie a lot).
  • Long Read of the Week: This week’s Friday Read, like last week’s post, eschews the Long Read portion — giving you more time to go back and watch that SPECTRE trailer.

That’s all on the Friday Read front here — but if you insist on reading something else…

Ernest Alexander

Ben Sherman US

by Beau H.

Style Pick of the Week: Apolis Standard Issue Utility Chino

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

The Standard Issue Utility Chino from Apolis. A rich caramel color, modern fit and attention to detail make these worth the higher price point.

The Standard Issue Utility Chino from Apolis. A rich caramel color, modern fit and attention to detail make these worth the higher price point.

In keeping with the theme of last week’s Style Pick, I tried to switch things up from the typical offerings that have categorized this series (y’know, mostly shirts and outerwear). And while it was a tough call, the stylish and sturdy-looking Standard Issue Utility Chino from Apolis is this week’s selection. It’s that time of year where it’s not quite warm enough to bust out a short-sleeve printed shirt and shorts  just yet, so a little thicker pair of pants will have to suffice. Made out of a 9.5 oz. cotton canvas and finished with buffalo horn buttons, these Apolis chinos are one dependable pair of pants. And if you’re not familiar with the brand, it’d be wise to take a peek at the continental classics they’re crafting — the right way.

These aren't Apolis chinos, for the record, but this is just one way the classic pant could be styled. White henley by Pistol Lake.

These aren’t Apolis chinos, for the record, but this is just one way the classic pant could be styled. White henley by Pistol Lake. Chromexcel Horween leather watch strap by Form-Function-Form.

Like the rest of the brand’s offerings (including a white pocket tee seen on GQ earlier this week), the price is a heck of a lot to pony up for a pair of chinos. But, the brand is using rigorous social & environmental standards to craft its product, something in which more of us should probably be taking an interest. And in a neutral, rich Hunter Khaki color and a slimmer, modern-leaning fit, these chinos should work with everything from a trim white henley and patterned watch strap to brown loafers and a slim blazer for occasions calling for more polish. Also available in Grey, Olive and a lighter, cream-like Khaki color, the dark caramel shade pictured at the top of the page is probably going to be the best pick — and for $138, it had better be. Maybe one day?

Have you bought from Apolis before? What are your thoughts on the brand?

P.S. Apolis isn’t involved in this giveaway, but if you still want some great gear & goods from Gustin, The Motley and Taft Clothing, the trio is running a giveaway until April 30 here!