Tag / style guide q&a

by Beau H.

Style Q+A: Designing Your Space with Oxford Pennant

It’s an oft-repeated adage here at The Style Guide — small style upgrades really can make a big difference.  Whether that means stepping up your grooming game or upgrading your casual shirt, there are lots of little areas where the end results are self-evident if you focus on the little steps along the way. Be it looking for a better-fitting shirt or refined suede Chelsea boots, it’s all in the details. That’s particularly true when it comes to areas outside the realm of #menswear — namely, upgrading your home goods or upgrading your office. It really is underrated. Working and living in a pleasing environment surrounded by things you enjoy is one of the small pleasures of life — look at the home of ex-J. Crew menswear head Frank Muytjens. And so, it makes sense that we’re talking upgraded home goods (and an upgraded life!) with the subjects of today’s Style Q+A, the fine folks at Oxford Pennant.

It was after a fine, stylish Sunday brunch (and requisite menswear blogging) that I strolled into one of my favorite Brooklyn menswear shops, the crisply designed and handsomely outfitted Modern Anthology. And what did I happen upon but a cabinet and wall adorned with unique pennants? Hard-to-place, at once masculine and modern, yet vintage. Those pennants, folks, were from Oxford Pennant. That leads us nicely into our latest Q+A, as it were. I’ve been mighty pleased with the pennant I picked up that day, which you might recognize from my Instagram. Hanging on my wall, it serves as a daily reminder to work harder, think forward and push myself — and it looks cool, too. Know that in addition to vintage-inspired pennants, the brand also makes handsome championship banners that add color and instant style to any blank wall. It’s certainly very likely that you’ll want more than one piece from the assortment — and that’s a great thing. With the spirit of home upgrades in mind, I caught up with  Oxford Pennant co-founder Dave Horesh to talk why you need a pennant (or championship flag) in your home or office, why it looks great, and what you can do to instantly upgrade your space. Again, folks — the small style upgrades matter, and Oxford Pennant can help you make more than a few.

The Style Guide: What spurred your moment of inspiration to start the brand?
Oxford Pennant: We never set out to start a brand. We’re from Buffalo, which is a city that looks back in time as much as it looks forward. There’s a fixation on the past that’s inescapable here. Brett (my business partner) and I would go to estate sales and pick through huge collections of old pennants from the early 20th century. To us, it always seemed like a piece of Americana that had lost its popularity. One day, we decided to make a batch of “Let’s Go Buffalo” pennants for friends and family. We posted them on Instagram, the photo caught on and people began reaching out to us to have their own pennants made. We filled those orders and folks began posting photos of their custom pennants on Instagram. Then their friends started asking where they could have pennants made, and a company was born.

Sutro Footwear

A close-up of one of the brand’s championship banners.

TSG: A pennant or a flag might not be the first thing a guy thinks of when decorating — what do you think those pieces can add to a space in terms of design?

OP: You know, a flag is something that’s always used as a symbol of pride and identity. Pennants are essentially a small, house-sized flag. I think they’re a pretty clear opportunity for self-expression. We started using the tagline “Celebrate Everything” when it became clear to us that we were making pennants to commemorate the things that bring people joy in their lives. Their hometown, a wedding, a concert or even a feeling. I think pennants are the ultimate souvenir to chronicle and commemorate one’s life.
Oxford Pennant

A daily reminder from Oxford Pennant to “hustle” — get it?

TSG: For the guy who’s just starting out decorating his space — be it a desk or a dorm room or an apartment — what are some tips you’d share?

    • Start with the classics. Estate sales are a great place to find quality items.
    • A space is always a work in progress. You’ll never be done.
    • Get as many plants as you can. Learn how to take care of them.
    • If you care about something, frame it.
    • Put back the Christmas lights, bro.

Greats

 

TSG: You’ve got some great-looking pieces in your assortment — what’s your favorite product from the line?

OP: I’ll always love our “Let’s Go Buffalo” pennant. I’m proud of my city and that item will always be the first chapter of our story. As we reach company milestones (like attending our first trade show or buying our first piece of equipment), I snap a photo with my “Let’s Go Buffalo” pennant. 
TSG: Just for fun (aside from an Oxford Pennant piece), what’s one style essential every guy should own?
OP: A Vespa.
And, well … there you have it, folks. Oxford Pennant does work that’s consistently great, consistently stylish and definitely worth it in terms of your time and dollars. I’d urge you to shop the brand’s line and follow Oxford Pennant on Instagram for plenty of style and décor inspiration.
In the meantime … stay stylish.
-Beau


by Beau H.

Style Q+A: Tread for Men Grooming

Editor’s note: To read more pieces in the Style Q&A series, click that link.

All the grooming supplies you need, and then some -- learn more about Tread for Men, and upgrade your grooming game in the process.

All the grooming supplies you need, and then some — learn more about Tread for Men, and upgrade your grooming game in the process.

Up until a few years ago, I didn’t necessarily pay attention to my grooming routine all that much. I’d used skin care products like Proactiv as a teenager, but taking care of my face and skin wasn’t necessarily top of mind as I went through college — perhaps you’ve found yourself in the same boat. When it comes to men’s grooming, the adage might be that you don’t know what you’ve been missing until you find it. That is, in testing out grooming products along the way, you learn what works, what doesn’t and what can significantly upgrade your skincare routine. Such has been the case with yours truly and Tread for Men. I first learned about the brand earlier this summer — you might recognize them from a recent reader giveaway — and after testing out the brand’s wares for a few months, they’re certainly a brand worth knowing. Men’s grooming is an area that’s easy to overlook — after all, it’s easier to get ready and dash off without a few extra steps in the morning or evening, right?

Well, if you want to properly care for your skin and look (and feel!) better in the process, those steps are worth taking =– trust me. The team at Tread for Men epitomizes this — and they live it, too. From the brand’s Basics Kit — which includes an excellent facial wash, a moisturizer, organic soap and sunscreen — to Tread’s handy beard oils, they’ve got a full grooming routine covered — and it requires but a small investment of your time and money. It plays into the idea that upgrading the small details — like your wallet or the fit of your T-shirt — makes a big difference. And who better to talk to than the guys behind Tread? Truly, the brand is doing things the right way — co-founders Eric Verdeyen and Bob Huguelet were great to catch up with, and I’ll let them take it away for now. Enjoy!

The Style Guide: Tell me about the start of Tread and the “A-ha” moment that led to the formation of the brand?

Eric Verdeyen: We had been kicking around business ideas in 2015, but we didn’t quite know what we wanted to dive into. Around the same time our wives (independently) started telling us to take care of our skin — pointing at the new wrinkles, dry skin, dark circles, etc.

Bob Huguelet: My wife was always ambushing me with her products, the bathroom was a warzone (haha). Eric and I got to talking about it — neither of us knew much about skin care or thought it would make much of a difference. But we saw that all the women we know are into it, and we saw the upward trend of grooming among guys as well. We started to do some research, and turns out taking care of your face and skin is not only important to your look but incredibly beneficial to the long-term health of your skin.

EV: Basically, life takes a toll on the skin — stress, weather, bacteria, showering, and especially the sun. You can see it easily in older folks or guys who work outside and don’t pay attention to the effects of the elements. The more we looked into it, the more the science behind it made sense. You need to keep your skin clean and moisturized so it can function well. But we didn’t want to use our wives’ products, and other brands were trying to sell us on too many options or weren’t of great quality, manufactured overseas or wherever. So we saw an opportunity to create a high-quality, reasonably priced, and environmentally friendly product line that is easy to understand and use for guys like us.

TSG: Guys have grown a lot more interested in all things style and lifestyle as of late — how does Tread play into that as a brand?

BH: We take the approach that taking care of your face isn’t just about looking groomed and healthy, but more importantly about long-term, whole body health. Guys are starting to understand that. The overall package — grooming, style, heath, exercise — all play parts in making a good impression, whether it’s at work, going out with friends, or just for your significant other. It’s catching on. We play into the trend by developing quality products and designing them for men. The goal is to help guys get comfortable with a new routine that we know will help them in the long run.

EV: We see it as  an extension of the new grooming wave — We all know that guys are thinking about their faces more with great brands like Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s, and expect manly products that look and feel great. We are taking it to the next level beyond shaving. You’re doing yourself a disservice if you’ve got your clothing style locked in but your face is dried out, discolored, and blemished.

A kit packed with everything you need in terms of men's grooming -- and then some. Find out more about Tread for Men in the latest Style Q+A.

A kit packed with everything you need in terms of men’s grooming — and then some. Find out more about Tread for Men in the latest Style Q+A.

TSG: What are some grooming areas you see guys tend to skip or make “mistakes” in, or areas in which guys should take better care of themselves?

EV:  Believe it or not, a lot of guys don’t wash their face at all.  Or they just use bar soap in the shower.

Guys don’t usually think about how your face accumulates dirt and bacteria throughout the day, and while showering helps, every time you rinse, you’re also washing away the natural oils.

A quality cleanser will help with the daily wash while keeping the skin hydrated like natural oils do. And if you’ve ever experienced razor bumps, acne, blemishes – those can often be solved by proper cleansing (and changing razors and towels) Many of the big brands for men that you find in retailers have a significant amount of salts and inorganic chemicals that dry out the skin. You may be clean, but you’re drying out skin and making yourself more susceptible to signs of aging.

BH: Also, a huge mistake is not wearing an SPF every day. The sun is the #1 cause for damaged skin and long-term signs of aging. And you’re getting hit as soon as you walk out the door. Even if you are in the office all day or, drive to work, your body is exposed to UV rays. Most cases of skin cancer actually start on the left arm, neck, and face — the side that gets hit while driving. So, yeah — wear sunscreen every day!

TSG: Are there any beginner tips you have for the guy just getting into a grooming routine?

EV: Don’t worry about spending a ton of money to get into a full routine right away. Start small, and work your way up. Consistently using a cleanser or moisturizer is the perfect way to get a feel for what you like and get in the habit of paying attention to your face. And you’ll feel and see a clear difference before and after.

BH: We designed a great starter set called “The Basics” which is exactly that — the essentials including cleanser and moisturizer, as well as our organic bar soap and sunscreen. You can always add other products to your routine, or swap in different brands to see what you like best. Once you find a product you like, stick with it!

If you're still on the hunt for beard care supplies, rest assured that Tread for Men stocks beard oil, too. Photo courtesy of the brand.

If you’re still on the hunt for beard care supplies, rest assured that Tread for Men stocks beard oil, too. Photo courtesy of the brand.

TSG: On a style-related note — what’s one essential style item every guy should have in his closet, and what’s one grooming item every guy should have in his medicine cabinet?

BH: A blazer for sure, especially in Chicago in the late summer and fall. Layering up will give you the optional extra protection all day. My go-to is a blue and gray Bonobos wool blazer. Great to dress up jeans or chinos and never gets wrinkled, so you can wear it all day.

EV: A shoe horn (haha) but seriously, a few nice pairs of quality shoes when going to work or going out can make or break a look. Too often I see guys smashing their feet into the back of their shoes, and it can really damage the integrity and make great shoes look old and worn.

And  I always make sure I have moisturizer on hand. Properly hydrating the skin is always going to help in the short and long run. It will help with dry, flaky skin and damage from the sun and, it will keep the firmness in the skin and fight against wrinkles.

BH: I actually keep my eye cream on my desk, it reminds me to use it everyday. But it too is a great product that contributes to your look and style. Unless your style is “High Plains Drifter” a la Clint Eastwood, you’re going to want to minimize the wrinkles and dark circles under your eyes.

TSG: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

EV: We understand that skincare can be confusing and intimidating for guy — it was the same for us. There is a lot of marketing and BS in the skincare game, and it’s hard to know where to begin. We’ve put a lot of work dispelling the myths and educating men on the “what, why, and when” for each of our products.

BH: For sure — all of our products and kits come with easy-to-use instructions, so if you don’t know where to start, we’ll set you up for success with a beginning package. Whether you go with Tread or another line, we definitely recommend putting something on your face sooner rather than later!

To get daily grooming inspiration and tips, keep up with the brand on Facebook or Instagram — and shop the brand’s products just as soon as you can.

Buck Mason - Timeless Design. Made in America.

by Beau H.

Style Q+A: Buck Mason

Editor’s note: For more in our Style Q+A series, click here. The following post is not sponsored in any way by Buck Mason, although affiliate banners may appear in other select posts.

An American lifestyle brand that's, well, inspired by and built in America. Photo courtesy of Buck Mason.

An American lifestyle brand that’s, well, inspired by and built in America. Photo courtesy of Buck Mason.

There are some brands that do one thing, and do it so well, that you can’t help but appreciate them. For yours truly over here, that’s been the case with Buck Mason, purveyors of, among other great #menswear, possibly the best T-shirt on the market. That’s certainly saying something, but it’s the approach and the end result that makes them a brand worth knowing — that goes for other classic style staples they produce, like sturdy raw indigo denim, essential chambray shirting, cotton linen shorts and critically, Buck Mason’s famous slim chinos. Across the board, the attention to detail that goes into something as seemingly simple as one of the brand’s slim slub tees is pretty remarkable, right down to details like the curved hem and the textured fabric. It’s that approach that’s won over your humble author, as I’ve followed the brand for a few years now and covered their essential tees for The Manual. It makes sense that with such a reliable, classic and well-made product assortment, they were bound to be a Style Guide favorite. And learning more about the brand only reinforces that notion. Co-founders Sasha Koehn and Erik Schnakenberg were kind enough to answer some essential questions about the brand for this site’s ongoing Style Q+A series , which delves into the minds of Style Guide friends like Megan Collins of Style Girlfriend and Barron Cuadro of Effortless Gent. So sit back, read on and perhaps swing over to the Buck Mason site to shop more great menswear.

The Style Guide: Take me into the background of Buck Mason and the “A-ha” moment that launched the brand and the brand’s ideals?

Sasha Koehn: A few years back, I was visiting my family in Cleveland when I stumbled upon these old, abandoned factories, and it dawned on me how few American companies actually make stuff here. I looked into it, and discovered that 97% of the clothing purchased in America is made overseas and that almost all of it is sold at a retail mark up of over 600%. That was really my call to action, and I knew I could build something around that.

Erik Schakenberg: At the same time, we didn’t want to be putting more filler out into the world. We wanted to create a brand that manufactures domestically, but that also produces value; garments that are timeless, and mean something.

SK: We wanted to simplify the male wardrobe to a clean, effortless style that we felt could stand the test of time. Our designs are derived from classic American staples that men feel comfortable in.

ES: We thought, “Let’s make high quality, affordable goods, and let’s make them here.” Because Sasha and I were both coming at this from a more creative – possibly even idealistic ­- place, the usual roadblocks like margin didn’t apply. The bottom line was irrelevant, we just decided we were going to do it and make it work. Sometimes not knowing exactly what you’re getting into allows you to see things a little differently, and to go down paths everyone else thinks are dead ends.

Once we figured out the concept, we shifted to thinking about the execution. How can we make our products accessible, while still taking care of the people who make them? We decided on a consumer direct model­ instead of wholesaling our products to a traditional retailer, who would have to mark them up in order to make a profit, we sell directly to the customers ourselves. This way we can keep the prices low, while still paying everyone in our supply chain a fair wage.

TSG: The brand’s product categories have expanded over time, but take me into the process of starting out with basics like tees?

SK: If we had a motto, it would be design through reduction, which is completely unusual. My father’s a sculptor, works in stone, chips away at massive blocks; we’re doing the same thing. It’s subtractive, you take your raw material and you cut away the noise, the nonsense, the excess, until you’re left with something simple and refined and perfect. We aggregate, and subtract, and what’s left? The cut, the fabric, and the construction.

Distillation, that’s how you make the best t­shirts, jeans, button­-ups and chinos in the world.

SK: Whether you’re shopping online, going to the mall, or at a department store, there is a good chance you are sifting and sorting through hundreds of irrelevant styles, colors, and patterns before you actually find what you want.

ES: We don’t focus much on fashion or the pantone color of the month, and trend forecasting isn’t really our thing. We take the staples, your oxford, chino, jean and tee, and we strip it. No unnecessary branding, no filler. Then we rebuild it with incredible fabrics in cuts and colors guys look great in. The classics made better than the classics, that’s what we do.

SK: We want to completely reduce the overwhelming shopping experience. There’s so much detritus, so much junk out there ­ culling the line was essential. We really try to stick to what we’re good at, and what our guy needs. It harkens back to that subtractive approach. Our stuff is so pared down and smart, you’d be hard pressed to put together an outfit that looked bad. Seriously.

Just a plain T-shirt? Think again -- made in America construction, slubby fabric and small style details make this one a big-time winner. Photo courtesy of Buck Mason.

Just a plain T-shirt? Think again — made in America construction, slubby fabric and small style details make this one a big-time winner. Photo courtesy of Buck Mason.

TSG: What would you say sets Buck Mason T-shirts apart from others on the market?

ES: There’s been an incredible reaction to Buck Mason tees. Thousands of customers have waited months on a waiting list for us to restock our signature shirttail hem t­-shirt. One reason it’s such a hit is the rounded hem in the back hides a little extra weight if you happen to carry it. It’s a $60 by any other brand. … Affordable pricing allows us to serve more customers, and not be limited to a small demographic like most of our peers in the luxury space.

SK: We’ve totally bypassed the archaic wholesale model by selling directly to consumers online, and through our brick-and-mortar shops in Venice and Silver Lake. That way, we can offer well-­crafted garments at competitive prices, with the added benefit of stateside job growth.

Frank & Oak
TSG: What are some styling tips you would give the guy who wants to try out one of your tees but isn’t sure how to wear it?

SK: Our collection is really for everyone. Our stuff is so understated that there’s room for interpretation. It’s clothing as a vessel, the guy is what’s important. It’s not about the label, it’s about fit, and fabric and construction. If you appreciate that, you’re our guy.

ES: There is a group of men who want to look great but don’t necessarily care about fashion or trends. They want to invest the least amount of time possible to achieve a sophisticated, cool style. We don’t only design for that guy, but we always consider him, since he really stands for what Sasha and I are all about.

SK:  Aren’t the best-dressed people always the one’s who look like they aren’t trying? That’s what we offer; a line that you can mix and match with stuff you already have, or with our stuff, and you’ll look terrific. It’s about crafting clothes that’ll look great in ten, twenty, thirty years. And with our quality, it’s going to.

TSG: Are there other product categories in which the brand might expand in the future?

ES: We’re going to be releasing our first outerwear piece in the fall: the perfect leather Motorcycle jacket. We don’t want to give too much away – but believe us when we tell you it’s going to be one of the best-made, best-fitting, and best-priced moto jackets out there.

TSG: Is there anything else exciting in the works for the brand?

SK: We just finished converting a full-size 1997 GMC Bluebird school bus into a mobile Buck Mason store. We rebuilt it from the wheels up, and the aesthetic matches that of our retail shops and website – a white, clean, minimal interior filled with textures and elements that embody Buck Mason. When you enter it, you get a sense of who we are right away, and it’s a fun and unique way for customers to shop our product, and much more engaging than the traditional brick and mortar retail experience. And, eventually, we’re actually going to be taking it out on the road. Customers outside of LA don’t get to go hands-on with our stuff, so we’re really looking forward to bringing our American-made products to America. Plus, who doesn’t love a good road trip?

To keep up with the goings-on over at the brand’s HQ, follow Buck Mason on Instagram or Twitter. To keep up with the fella writing this post, hit the ‘Follow’ button on IG.

Florsheim

Huckberry