Tag / the friday read

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: United By Blue, Mother’s Day and the Best Men’s Dress Shoes

If you’re new to The Style Guide and joining us for the first time today, welcome! This right here is our weekly rundown of menswear-related news items, with an occasional dash of music and craft beer thrown in. If you’re looking for a way to start your weekend right, look no further. There’s plenty of fun in store, I promise. And if you’re looking for something neat to listen to while you read about summer style essentials and your new favorite polo? Might I suggest one of my favorite bands, emotional indie rockers The National? You’ll get used to hearing a lot about them on the blog. And if you’re returning as an old and seasoned reader of the blog? Welcome back! It’s Mother’s Day coming up on Sunday, and we’ve got a great sale detailed below to help you out with last-minute gift-giving needs. Hurry! In the meantime, dive on into the other choice reads below, and enjoy this lovely spring weekend ahead.

  • United By Blue, a favorite of mine for their balance of sustainable and rugged style, is holding a positively massive warehouse sale — the sale features a range of items for your summer style adventures, all marked down by whopping amounts (try 81 percent off on for size, ehh?). That’s a heck of a deal, folks!
  • Know a mom who absolutely loves her footwear? Mother’s Day is, well, tomorrow, and Minnetonka is offering free shipping on all orders (yep, all of ’em!) with the code MOMLOVE. Hurry, hurry — you’ve still got some time!
  • I always try to help out with those tricky footwear decisions in life — especially when it comes to spring and summer dress shoes. You want something with character and style, but not a ton of added weight — that’s where my picks for the best spring dress shoes (at The Manual!) come into play! Hurry up and get to it.

That’s wrapping up this week’s short and sweet Friday Read. Be sure to come back tomorrow for our Style Pick of the Week, where we talk all about one must-have menswear item for the season.

Thanks for reading!

 

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: The National Homecoming, Spring Style Essentials and Slim Light Wash Denim

Sipping an iced coffee and reflecting pensively on a great long weekend in Cincinnati. Wearing a cotton flannel shirt from Todd Snyder and a navy T-shirt from Mott and Bow. Photo by Laura Henschke.

Gather ’round the proverbial Style Guide fire for another weekly edition of The Friday Read. It’s been a whirlwind couple of days, as I roadtripped back from Cincinnati on Monday following a long weekend trip to Cincy. What took me to Ohio? Well, if you caught last week’s Friday Read, you know that the extraordinary first edition of The National Homecoming festival was more than enough reason to visit the seriously cool city of Cincy (This terrific piece by The Ringer sums up the weekend nicely!). Headlined by, yep, The National and featuring sets from luminaries like Future Islands, Lord Huron, Julien Baker and Alvvays, we had a great time sipping on cold beverages from Rhinegheist (check us out on their Instagram!) while enjoying lovely (if somewhat chilly) spring weather. If ever you get to Cincy, I know I loved the gourmet Mexican food and margaritas at Bakersfield OTR, plus the excellent brunch deal at Nation. We also enjoyed hearty cold brews from Coffee Emporium and checked out a National-themed photography exhibit at the city’s Contemporary Arts Center! Top it off with two stellar, unique sets from The National, and you’ve got the makings of an extraordinary weekend! To say the very least. In other happenings, well, we’re about to kick off another weekend, and this one will also find me traveling back to Michigan — and Grand Rapids — for Cinco de Mayo celebrations with close high school friends. Follow along with all the fun on Instagram, and be sure to get your weekend going with a few more-than-engaging reads below. Cheers!

  • Let’s get right down to it — if you missed this week’s post about spring style essentials to shop in the latest edition of The List, you need to catch up. We’ve got stylish spring sneakers, we’ve got everyday carry essentials, we’ve got a stylish weekender bag … and it’s all yours for perusing now.
  • If you haven’t yet heard, J. Crew Factory is running an extraordinary summer sale, and Esquire.com has all the picks you need to shop now, right this very instant. Get to it and stock up on summer style essentials just a bit early.
  • Speaking of music festivals, Pitchfork put together quite an interesting and insightful analysis of the gender balance — or rather, inbalance — at festivals via some revealing data-crunching and colorful graphs. The biggest takeaway? More representation is needed at festivals across the board! That’s all there is to it.
  • Lastly, I’ll leave you with one more #menswear essential to buy now — these slim light wash jeans from Raleigh Denim, as featured on the blog last week, could feasibly see a ton of use in the weeks and months ahead. Get to shopping!

That’s all I’ve got in today’s Friday Read, my friends. Cheers!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: The National, Cincinnati and Your New Favorite Field Watch

It’s Friday, and I know what that means for me — as we speak, I’m en route to Cincinnati for the long-awaited, much-hyped Homecoming festival, curated and headlined by my favorite band, The National! The weekend brings these award-winning indie rockers back to their hometown for a weekend of music, excellent beer from Cincy’s Rhinegheist Brewery, and neat accompanying exhibitions (like a photography exhibition of the band on display at the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center. Other performers on the docket include personal favorite likes Alvvays, Future Islands and Julien Baker, plus intriguing sets from Father John Misty and rockers The Breeders. Oh, and The National are playing their seminal 2007 album “Boxer” in full on Sunday night. Whoa. Am I excited? Heck yes. If you have any must-hit spots or recommendations for Cincy, feel free to let me know on Twitter! And in the meantime, we’ve left you with a ton of stylish content to peruse this weekend and beyond. Check out this week’s #OOTD on how to style a white tee, or shop what could be your new favorite spring shirt. At any rate, it’s sure to be an action-packed weekend. Follow along with all the fun via my Instagram, and be sure to tune in to the blog tomorrow for our weekly Style Pick. Cheers!

  • Valet, a favorite lifestyle read around these parts, tells you all about the color that’s a magnet for compliments. I myself prefer to wear, well, blue … and more blue, but it’s worthwhile to consider switching up your color scheme every now and then (for instance, to different shades of blue!).
  • Let’s talk about watches for just a second.  Helpful as ever, Gear Patrol is giving you the scoop on the American-made field watch that you need to buy now. Like, right this instant. Besides, who doesn’t love shopping for some new spring style essentials?
  • I’m now inclined to point you toward last week’s Style Pick, which covered an extraordinary spring jacket from Taylor Stitch.  It’s got a bit of workwear style, it makes use of a classic color, and it pairs up with plenty in your closet. Yessir, it’s your new favorite spring jacket.
  • I’ll leave you this week with a very cool read that ties in quite well with this weekend’s Homecoming festival in Cincinnati. If ever you’ve wondered what it’s like for The National to coexist as band members and brothers (who hasn’t!?), then this excellent interview sums it up nicely.

That’ll do it for today’s Friday Read. Want something else to peruse? Shop for new spring style essentials here on the blog. And here. And here. That’s just a start!

Thanks for reading!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: David Byrne, Athleisure to Shop Now, and Your New Spring Jacket

Style Guide readers, listen up. It’s Friday! And we’re nearing the end of April. That means you should hopefully be well-stocked in the way of spring style essentials, things that we’ve even discussed this week — take the perfect white T-shirt, for instance. Or a casual spring weekend look that’s going to show you how to wear stylish sweatpants. Need some new sneakers? This blog has you covered there, too: Yours truly wrote about the best men’s high-top sneakers to buy now. What are you up to this weekend? It’s weekend two of Coachella, which I will … admittedly not be attending. We’re just one week away from another festival that’s much more up my alley, Cincinnati’s Homecoming festival as hosted by my favorite band, excellent indie rockers The National. My amazing girlfriend Laura and I will be attending, and I positively can’t wait! In the meantime, I’d recommend you look toward this weekend with a few choice reads. Want to connect? Check out The Style Guide on Facebook. TGIF!

  • It’s a bit lengthy, but GQ.com offers up a neat, deep and intriguing profile of music icon David Byrne, with a career that’s thrived on innovation and doing things uniquely his own way.
  • If you haven’t yet checked it out, the best athleisure lines to shop right now are … well, most importantly, they’re all approved by yours truly. And they’re all the right mix of casual, sporty and easygoing. Read more at The Manual.
  • No matter the season, I’m a big fan of the recently launched Esquire.com series The Endorsement. It only makes sense that the latest iteration covers the essential spring jacket you just gotta buy now — the Baracuta G9. It’s as simple as that, folks.

We’re keeping things short and sweet today, folks. Cheers!

 

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Pabst Blue Ribbon, Affordable Watches and Spring Weekend Style

The only thing standing between you and the weekend is today’s edition of the Friday Read. Well, not quite. Perhaps you’ve got a day on the old job ahead of you as power right on through into mid-April. If you missed the happenings this week at everyone’s favorite menswear blog (The Style Guide, of course), then we’re here to fill you in. We talked the best way to wear chukka boots this spring, and we also talked about one of the best pairs of spring chinos to buy now. So, there was certainly a lot going on in terms of style this week. Elsewhere in Brooklyn and beyond, I’m way excited to welcome my amazing girlfriend Laura to the borough and to the Big Apple for the very first time! While we’re here, she’s a marvelous photographer (and a wonderful human!), and you’d do well to check out her photography work. We’ve got lots on the docket, including exploring Prospect Park and Central Park, plus grabbing a classic NYC brunch and record shopping at the legendary Rough Trade in Brooklyn. And of course, it’ll be business as usual here on the blog, complete with tomorrow’s Style Pick of the Week. For now, I’ll leave you to start your weekend with these choice reads. Thanks for supporting The Style Guide, and we’ll catch you on the flip!

  • I’m all about experiential vacations that go beyond the ordinary. Such is the case with a new chance to stay in the old, famed Pabst Blue Ribbon brewery in the beer-friendly town of Milwaukee. That sounds like a trip I can get behind — my pals at The Manual have the full scoop.
  • Who can resist an affordable, stylish watch? The great folks at Esquire.com have done their best to round up the best affordable watches for men, so give that a read before you make your next timepiece purchase. For my money, I think this affordable Timex watch as covered here on the blog might  be your best bet for casual weekend style this season.
  • Looking for an easy way to give your spring weekend style a shot in the arm? Just add a simple, easygoing and yet versatile layer like the Grayers Dalton Terry Crew (last week’s Style Pick of the Week entry). It really gets no better, folks. Wear it with light wash denim, white canvas sneakers and a slub T-shirt for off-duty style that just gets a lot of things right.
  • Lastly, let’s talk one more dose of shopping today. Are you in need of new high-top sneakers for spring? Of course you are. My latest post for The Manual covers that topic precisely. Not a bad read, if I do say so myself!


That’s going to do it for today’s Friday Read. Enjoy the weekend and follow along with my adventures on Instagram and Twitter.

Cheers!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Stylish Light Wash Denim, Cheap Cologne and Stephen Malkmus

We’re closing out another whirlwind week at The Style Guide — where does this Friday find you? Maybe you’re closing out the work week and doing some shoppping for spring style essentials on the side? (Don’t worry, we’ve all been there). Maybe you’re hitting the road and dressed in vacation travel style? At any rate, I hope what we’ve covered on the blog as of late has been helpful, stylish and easy to wear.

It’s wild to think we’re already moving through April and looking ahead toward summer — we’ll be turning our attention to critical spring shopping picks in the weeks ahead, from high-top sneakers to buy (and wear) now to more entries in our See Now, Buy Now series. If there are topics or brands you’d like to see covered here, just hit me up on Twitter, follow along via The Style Guide Facebook page, or take a second to check out yours truly on Instagram. I’m all style, all the time! Unless there’s music or craft beer involved. And then, well, all bets are off. For now, check out a few quick, fun and stylish reads to get your weekend going.

  • Who needs new cologne on the cheap? Not just any cologne, though — cologne worthy of a stylish man like yourself. Read Esquire’s picks for the best cheap cologne for men before you step out this weekend.
  • They’re as essential as a clean white tee or a crisp pair of high-top sneakers — we’re talking about stylish light wash denim for spring, of course. My latest post for The Manual covers some of my favorite picks this season. Read up and get to shopping in style!
  • I’d wager you’ve still got some spring style picks to, well, pick up, right? That’s where this week’s edition of The List is going to help you out quite nicely. It’s loaded with home goods, watches, footwear and apparel for the season — there’s something for everybody.
  • Indie rock icon Stephen Malkmus — a source of inspiration years ago for my favorite band (yep, The National!) has some interesting and insightful things to say in this interview with Pitchfork. A nice weekend read, I’d wager.

That’s going to close out this week’s Friday Read — until tomorrow’s Style Pick of the Week, cheers!

 

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Gang of Youths, Spring Travel and Wes Anderson

First of all: Happy Friday, Style Guide readers? Are you ready for the weekend? Are you ready to close out March? Know that we’ve got plenty of spring style essentials, shopping picks and outfit suggestions coming your way across the next month. But for now, let’s turn our attention to another edition of The Friday Read. Most importantly, I’m hitting the road back to the Detroit area for the weekend today. I’m looking forward to exploring Detroit, visiting must-see spots like Third Man Records, and enjoying some excellent coffee, brunch and Bloody Mary’s (what more could you ask for out of a weekend!?). As I hit the road, I’ll likely be listening to a new favorite band of mine, Australian indie rockers Gang of Youths. I first saw this powerful, epic rock band last February and had the chance to see them again on Sunday at Bowery Ballroom — I’d recommend them, without a doubt. And in the meantime, I’d also recommend you check out this week’s featured reading — from my latest feature at The Manual to a piece that Wes Anderson lovers will surely enjoy, we’ve got something for everyone below. Enjoy!

  • Over at The Manual, I wrote about the essentials you’re going to need for spring — from crucial layering moves to cool sneakers and a great watch, I hope you find these picks helpful as we bridge the gap between seasons.
  • If you didn’t catch last week’s featured men’s style pick on the blog — that’d be the Iron & Resin Reserve Jacket — well, here’s your chance. Read that piece, buy that jacket and step out this weekend (and every other weekend, for that matter!).
  • For lovers of both music and Wes Anderson films — of which I’m both — I thin you’ll greatly enjoy this excellent feature on the music behind his movies, and his overall approach. Some seriously cool stuff!

That’ll be the last of today’s featured articles, folks. Enjoy the weekend, and check back for our next Style Pick of the Week!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Traveling Abroad, How Your Denim Should Fit and Weekend Style Upgrades

Check your watch, check your calendar and step on up — it’s officially spring, Style Guide readers. If that doesn’t get you amped to load up your shopping cart with spring style essentials, then I’m not sure what will (maybe this classic track from CHVRCHES to which I’m currently listening? Ehh?). At any rate, you can expect plenty of transitional style content here on the blog in the coming weeks — starting with tomorrow’s timely Style Pick of the Week. And for today’s Friday Read, we’ll cover travel style, we’ll cover the right way to wear your denim in these trying times, and we’ll cover weekend style upgrades for the guy with a wish list and some cash to burn. But if you just can’t wait to dive into how to dress this spring, might I suggest this essential #OOTD focused on classic, everyday spring style? It’s a good one, folks. OK, enough idle chitchat — let’s get to this week’s links. Shall we? Cheers.

  • It’s been quite the month of March around these parts — or rather, around Ireland, Scotland and England! Read more about my adventures in the U.K. in my latest travel style post.
  • Do you have a favorite pair of classic denim? I’d wager that you do — right? Maybe you even found it perusing the pages of this blog. At any rate, Esquire.com is here to remind us all about how your denim should fit in 2018.
  • It’s perhaps no more relevant than it is right now — laidback weekend style, that is. GQ.com has 14 — yep, 14 — weekend style upgrades to shop right now. Get on it!
  • Last but certainly not least, I rounded up the 12 best men’s hiking socks — yes, we’re getting as specific as hiking socks — over at GearMoose. Shop away!

And without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to your weekend. That’s it! We’ll see you tomorrow to tell you all about a new spring menswear essential that I think you’re definitely going to like.

Thanks for reading!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: A Family Trip Abroad, The Shinola Canfield Watch and Spring Essentials

TGIF, yeah? All things considered, it’s certainly a different Friday for The Style Guide — namely, I’m writing this post from sunny London this morning, on the final leg of a Hayhoe family trip across the United Kingdom! Leg one took us from Dublin (and the Guinness Storehouse!) to Edinburgh (and spots like the Edinburgh Castle), and today finds me enjoying an English breakfast and coffee before citywide exploration. Needless to say, I could get used to this — no doubt about it. If you missed leg one of the trip, you can catch up with Wednesday’s trip post before you dive into today’s Friday Read. We’ve got tips and tricks about keeping your watch in the best possible shape, and today’s post also features a look at the next watch in which you should invest — maybe? Or, save your dollars and join me at the pub for a pint later! Again, I could get used to hanging out in the U.K. for a while. For now, follow along with my adventures on Instagram if you so please, and enjoy the day!

  • A relevant read at any time of year, my pals at The Manual came up with this excellent guide on how to keep your luxury watch in pristine condition — even the biggest watch fans among us might need a reminder every now and then, ehh?
  • Speaking of fine timepieces, who can argue with the need for a slim, sleek watch from the likes of Shinola? My latest feature over at GearMoose covers the exceptionally refined Shinola Canfield Watch — read up and stay on time, my friends!
  • Lastly, I think the time is now ripe to revisit a recent edition of The List, whereby we looked at the best men’s gear to buy to get ready for spring. And, well, that about says it all. Who’s pumped to really get into the season, ehh?

Coming to you live from London, we’re wrapping up today’s Friday Read. Join us for the Style Pick of the Week tomorrow, as always.

Cheers, my friends!

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: A Trip Abroad, Pitchfork Music Fest and Men’s Travel Essentials

It’s perhaps the biggest capper to a week of this entire year, because we’re taking The Style Guide on the road tonight for a huge Hayhoe family trip across the pond! Now through the 17th, the Hayhoe family will be trekking all around Europe — Edinburgh, Dublin and London, along with plenty of day trips, sightseeing, excellent food and craft beer in between. Notably, the trip will be capped off by an evening viewing next week of legendary American musical “Hamilton” in London’s West End! Talk about a stellar way to end a trip. If you’ve got any suggestions, tips or places we should hit up, feel free to let me know on Twitter — it’s as easy as that! And you can of course catch all the action on Instagram , too. I for one am excited to head to Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher, plus the inimitable Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. And in London, I surely won’t be able to pass up a trip to the legendary Rough Trade Records. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, though! Look for more content from the trip starting on Monday, then continuing throughout the week. In the meantime, let’s enjoy today’s Friday Read, and be sure to swing back around tomorrow for an all-new, very stylish Style Pick of the Week. Cheers!

  • So, shall we take a look at the 2018 Oscars? Specifically, at the best and worst of the 2018 Oscars? Let’s. Are you a big movie buff? Which films stuck out to you over this past year? Chime in via the comments below!
  • Spring brings a lot of us out of our winter hibernation — are you feeling ready to get back on the road and see some new sights? I know I am. To that end, I wrote about 20 travel essentials for men over at GearMoose. Cheers and enjoy!
  • For its eclectic mix of acts, its focus on new and emerging talent and plenty of attention paid to current “left-of-center” stars, I admire the Pitchfork Music Fest — have you had the chance to check out the Pitchfork Music Fest 2018 lineup? It’s been unveiled slowly but surely here over these next few week.

We’re keeping it short today — that’s a wrap on this week’s Friday Read, my friends. Thanks for joining us!

-Beau