The Friday Read: Athleisure, Common Projects Chelsea Boots and the 2016 Olympics

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.  

With so much going on at the (small but well-appointed) Style Guide HQ, it’s becoming tough to keep track of the days. If it’s Friday, that must mean it’s almost time to hit the road again — this Sunday, I’m heading west to Liberty Fairs in Las Vegas, before a day back in New York … and then more travel to my home state of Michigan. But first, Liberty Fairs — it’s a twice-yearly contemporary men’s trade show, and it stopped in the Big Apple about a month ago during New York Fashion Week: Men’s.  It’s another chance for retail buyers, fashion editors and writers and industry pros to get a look at what top menswear brands are slinging for the Spring 2017 season. There’s certainly a lot of hustle and bustle associated with trade shows, but ultimately, they’re about exploring new brands, analyzing key industry trends, and forging strong relationships in the menswear industry — that much I know is true, as I’ve met some great people at large, sometimes overwhelming conferences (take my buddy Jamal of StyleSocietyGuy, for instance).

Buck Mason - Timeless Design. Made in America.

With that in mind, building those relationships is my primary objective, as I’m jetting out there on behalf of Timberland to meet with media and rep the brand as part of my day job. Of course, you can expect a full #menswear blog post coming at the completion of my trip (click through here for more travel style in the meantime).  While my mind’s been fully focused on prepping for the upcoming trip, the Olympics have also captured my attention — maybe yours, too? If you’ve got an Olympics viewing party on the docket this weekend, here’s what you should wear. Or perhaps you just want to check out more of those hilarious Michael Phelps face memes? Go for it. Before you go too far down that rabbit hole, stick around here and check out the week in all things men’s style — everything from stylish boxer briefs to athleisure is up for discussion. To keep up with my travels in real-time, head to Instagram or Twitter — and click through the pieces below to start your weekend in style.

  • Now more than ever, Esquire says you should grab yourself a stylish pair of Chelsea boots — and I tend to agree! In fact, The Style Guide took a look earlier this spring at the best men’s Chelsea boots to buy now.
  • While we’re talking about  Esquire, the publication also reviewed the best boxer briefs for men — if you know me, you know I love me some Mack Weldon boxer briefs, although those didn’t make the aforementioned list.
  • We talk a lot (I mean, a LOT) about style upgrades on this blog, and sandals are one area that’s often overlooked. If that’s a part of your wardrobe you want to look a little better, the footwear purveyors at GREATS have you covered (as always). The brand’s new Amalfi Slide is a luxurious, Italian-made leather slide available in crisp white (Blanco) or black (Nero), including two versions stamped with “BKNY,” a nod to the brand’s #BornInBrooklyn roots. As crazy as it might seem to advocate for leather sandals, designs like these popped up on the runways at Todd Snyder’s New York Fashion Week: Men’s show in July 2016. Crucially, the leather quality and subtle looks mean these might not look that bad at a particularly relaxed barbeque — I’ll let y’all be the judge of that.

Looking for more style content? Look no further.

  • What’s one shirt — not chambray — that you can wear across all four seasons? The essential Oxford shirt. So, here are the 10 best Oxford shirts for men, as rounded up by yours truly at GearMoose this week.
  • Lastly, the balance between looking good at the gym and looking sloppy can be pretty small — and if you want gear that’s versatile outside of slinging weights, it’s even trickier. That’s where athleisure comes into play; the style (or trend) mixes traditional tailored silhouettes with technical fabrics, and I wrote about 5 athleisure lines to know for The Manual.

Follow along with this weekend’s explorations on Instagram, and check back Saturday for another Style Pick of the Week entry.

Buck Mason - Timeless Design. Made in America.

The Friday Read: Italian Denim, Affordable Glasses and New York Fashion Week: Men’s

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.  

Just as it seemed like summer was getting started (what with Memorial Day weekend and all), it now feels like it’s rushing past! Were you on the road for the Fourth of July this past weekend? I took it easy and stayed in NYC, which gave me the chance to visit some excellent menswear shops and check out the truly wild Coney Island hot-dog eating contest — click through this link to check out a rundown of Fourth of July weekend festivities. It was great to be able to take an extra day off and catch up with great friends in the sunny NYC weather, though. A short weekend brings us to the brink of perhaps the busiest week of the summer — the start of New York Fashion Week: Men’s, and a look at what’s on tap for Spring 2017 (truly!) from America’s top #menswear designers.
Florsheim
It was a treat to attend various events and shows last year, and I’m looking forward to it just as much this year — that goes for attending trade shows like Capsule and Liberty, which showcase plenty of emerging designers and some Style Guide favorites like Owen & Fred and The Hill-Side. Although high fashion runway shows can get confusing at times, trends seen there can be relatable and useful when showcased by a great designer like Todd Snyder, who always seems to churn out classic style staples with a rugged-refined edge.  Given that focus, I’m very much looking forward to seeing what’s in store, and you can follow along with all the action on Twitter or Instagram. It all starts Sunday, so until then, I’ll be looking to get some rest and relaxation. Enjoy the weekend, and the Friday Read!

  • Looking for a glasses upgrade? Worry not. Esquire.com takes you through five affordable glasses brands to know now — like, right now.
  • Just in case you were in need of a new pair of denim (and really, who isn’t these days?), I’d strongly advise you check out my latest feature on The Manual, covering new Italian-made denim from Mott & Bow — oh, and check back here tomorrow for more on that front.
  • Style Note of the Week: Here at the good ol’ Style Guide, we love a stylish watch. If that fits the bill for you as well, check out a recently launched Kickstarter from Jacopo Dondi, a brand who’s giving traditional watches a run for their money — why’s that? The brand is launching a sharp-looking watch with a 24-hour dial, meant to guide you through your day in a stylish, functional manner. Give it a look if you’re in the market for a new watch (and note that it’s about 50 percent funded already.

In need of more men’s style content?

    • It’s been a busy week of writing for yours truly at The Manual — and if your busy week included a hunt for a new T-shirt, look no further than a piece I wrote covering stylish summer T-shirts from Buck Mason.
    • Lastly, I rounded up even more excellent summer T-shirts for GearMoose — all of them are worth a look if you want a tee fit for layering or wearing on its own.

G-Star RAW

The Friday Read: Viral Instagram Poses, Summer Seersucker and The Strokes

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.  

How was your week? As it seems with most of these posts as of late, it’s the capper on another extremely busy one here at The Style Guide. It admittedly took me a day or two to get back into the swing of things after an extraordinarily fun weekend with great friends at the epic Governors Ball here in NYC; for more on the #menswear I brought with me, check out that post. There’s really nothing like great live music, and if you get the chance to check out any summer music festivals, I’d urge you to do so (in fact, we’ve got a summer festival style guide all set for you). Aside from that, it was great to catch up with the fine folks at JackThreads to see what they’ve got in store for the coming summer season, and we’re deep in the throes of preparing for Father’s Day over at The Style Guide HQ. What are you getting your dad this year? Check out my Father’s Day gift guide for more suggestions. Before you move onto the next task (or the next browser tab), stick around for a bit and check out this week’s #menswear news. For more random style musings, follow my stylish alter ego on Twitter, and check back here on the blog for tomorrow’s Style Pick of the Week.

  • The debut issue of GQ Style gets right into it by covering the viral Instagram pose you should never strike again — who even knew there was such a thing?
  • In the spirit of true summer style, the great folks at Maxim talk over the only 5 seersucker items you need this summer.
  • Here’s a style note for you: If you find yourself in the L.A. area this summer, be sure to check out the great pop-up shop being convened by the fine folks at Bridge & Burn (a Style Guide favorite); they’re running a special partnership with the team behind the Liberty Fairs trade show — that’s at 8366 1/2 West 3rd Street in L.A., if you get curious.
  • To close things out on a non-style note, it was an absolute treat to see The Strokes rock out at Governor’s Ball this past weekend — PAPER examines why New Yorkers love The Strokes.

Not done reading yet?

  • In addition to some of my choice Father’s Day picks on The Style Guide, I just had to cover essential Father’s Day gifts over at The Manual — some pieces were so great, they made it into both features!
  • If you still find yourself in need of summer swimwear, keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming Style Guide feature — and in the meantime, scoop up a great pair of JackThreads Swim Trunks.

So, that closes out another Friday Read; enjoy your weekend!

And as always… stay stylish,

-Beau