Tag / timex waterbury chronograph

by Beau H.

Center Stage: Dressing in Style for NYC’s Governors Ball 2017

Stylish, breezy music festival gear, featuring a short-sleeve henley from Abercrombie and Fitch, linen shorts from Todd Snyder and the essential SWIMS Breeze Leap Laser Loafer and my Timex Waterbury Chronograph Diver.

If, per chance, you follow me on Instagram, you might be familiar with my love of live music. From road trips to see Local Natives and Lucius to The Head and the Heart, it’s a great passion of mine that’s taken me to some very cool cities. Yet, I didn’t have to go very far this past weekend to find my two favorite things (#menswear and live tunes) at NYC’s Governors Ball 2017 music festival. I attended last year’s Governors Ball with tough leather boots, stylish Mott and Bow denim and hard-wearing outerwear — and to take on a temperate-yet-breezy weekend, I took much the same approach this time around, with a big-time focus on stylish music festival gear. Now, we just talked about how to dress for a music festival on the blog last week — and it’s a good thing I had some of those essentials with me for three days of terrific music, tasty bites and a cold beer or two.

Governors Ball

For day one of Governors Ball 2017, breezy style proved key. My Abercrombie and Fitch Short-sleeve Henley teamed nicely with both my Levi’s Trucker Jacket and my SWIMS Breeze Leap Laser Loafer. I added in a rugged Timex Waterbury Chronograph Diver and I was set for the day.

Comfort and mobility are crucial when dressing for a music festival — you want pieces that can move with you, take on the weather and look sharp. That’s why I took on much of the weekend  with the essential, classic and yet slightly edgy Levi’s Trucker Jacket in a slim fit and light wash — it was an ideal, rock concert-ready combo teamed up with my Abercrombie and Fitch Short-sleeve Henley. Better yet, the pairing kept me cool as I broke out a colorful pair of printed linen shorts from Todd Snyder. They fit right in alongside my easy-to-wear, exceedingly comfortable SWIMS Breeze Leap Laser Loafers — made with breathable mesh, these loafers were springy, light and stylish. For a sunny Friday that started with rollicking, energetic afternoon sets from Judah & the Lion and Canadian rockers The Strumbellas (plus Bleachers as happy hour rolled around), it was a fitting combination.

Nautica

Having seen Bleachers twice now at festivals — including a 2014 trip to Outside Lands — I’m a big fan of Jack Antonoff’s brand of bright, summer-ready and ’80s-inspired rock. It stands out in a sea of endless pop, and Jack & co. certainly deliver live — I didn’t want it to end, but I kept on time with my Timex Waterbury Chronograph Diver (see what I did there?). For sustenance throughout the day, I chowed on tasty BBQ from Manhattan’s Mighty Quinn’s and a Golden Ale from Brewery Ommegang, a New York craft favorite — both big highlights.

Does it get any better than delicious craft beer, great food and standout live music? Only if Lorde brings down the house with a fun, upbeat and jam-packed set to close out day one in advance of Chance the Rapper (another energetic crowd-pleaser who delivered on a much-hyped set). That’s the way it went down, and it was a joy to watch her break out new songs from her latest album, “Melodrama.” She’s an act that really shot into the stratosphere with her debut album at just 16, and early indications are that her second album is no sophomore slump. I left the festival grounds wondering if day two could possibly top it. With another mostly sunny day in the cards for Saturday, I looked ahead to stepping out in rugged-refined and versatile music festival style — just as you should look to do!

Nautica

A classic Old Navy slim-fit chambray shirt and mobile Ministry of Supply Shorts proved crucial for moving around in the heat; perfect when teamed with shades from Component Sunglasses.

As Saturday dawned, I was looking forward to a stylish, rain-free day (ideally) and an excellent series of live shows (assuredly). As you dress for your next festival, know that it’s tough to misstep when wearing a slim chambray shirt — with its rugged texture and even more rugged appeal, it’s a summer style essential. With that in mind, I threw on the Old Navy slim-fit chambray shirt in a classic yet eye-catching shade of red. For seeing bands that epitomize laidback cool, like personal favorite Local Natives, it felt like the right style move to make.  I also wanted sneakers that could look sharp and stand up to just about anything — my trusty Legend Sneakers from SeaVees were absolutely the right choice, especially when worn alongside the mobile, tailored and breathable Ministry of Supply Going Places Shorts. I accented the casual combo with my durable, trusty MVMT Watches Calypso Watch from the brand’s adventure-ready (and refined) Modern Sport collection.

Kicking back in the 21-plus area! A breezy Old Navy chambray shirt, my classic Levi’s Trucker Jacket and sharp Ministry of Supply shorts made day two great.

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For enjoying tasty craft brews and more great bites at Governors Ball — along with a jam-packed day of music featuring everyone from the searing rock of Car Seat Headrest to joyful vibes of The Head and the Heart — I knew I was dressed the right way. And before I knew it, it was time for perhaps the best set of the day — a positively perfect early evening showing from Local Natives. If you haven’t yet checked out the the group’s excellent 2016 album, “Sunlit Youth,” … please do. Their set was jam-packed with crowd-pleasing numbers, including a cover of “Ultralight Beam” and an all-time favorite track, “Who Knows Who Cares,” to round out their performance. It set the stage for a really fun evening, to say the least. The nightcap included a triumphant return from French rockers Phoenix, riding a wave of energy behind soon-to-be-released new album “Ti Amo.” Without giving away too much, the group sounds as tight and polished as ever, particularly given that they’re ramping up behind their first live shows since 2014. There’s really nothing like hearing songs you’ve listened to on repeat for years. Was it just as incredible as day one? Absolutely. Was I ready for more live music on day three? Undoubtedly.

Gov Ball 2017

Breezy style from JackThreads (RIP), mixed with modern Clarks sneaker-boots and slim Abercrombie and Fitch denim — just what was needed for day three at Governors Ball.

Sunday — sadly, the final day of one of the year’s best weekends — brought with it rain and breezy weather during the day. That meant casual and laidback style once again proved essential, starting with my rugged Nautica sunglasses. Sunday also meant it was high time to break out a striped camp shirt from dearly departed Style Guide favorite JackThreads.  Although I was bummed that the brand recently closed its digital doors, I wasn’t bummed about checking out another excellent day of rock shows from up-and-comers like Chicago’s The Orwells or Scottish post-punk revival vets Franz Ferdinand — not to mention the chill vibes of Mac DeMarco to round out the afternoon. The rest of the day’s lineup proved eclectic and well worth watching, from the hard rock of Cage the Elephant to the stellar and sharp groove of Warpaint.
Timex

To take on showers, my Bridge and Burn Northfork Woodland Jacket and Abercrombie and Fitch stretch denim proved crucial — as did my Clarks Trigenics Flex shoes!

I opted for style that was just as eclectic, from my stylish JackThreads camp shirt to slim Abercrombie and Fitch light wash denim and a key finishing touch — my Clarks Trigenic Flex shoes in a head-turning white leather colorway. Blending the weight and flexibility of a sneaker with stitching & design details more commonly found on classic moccasins, they were a reliably mobile and stylish option for a final day of music.  To prep for the rain, my Bridge and Burn Northfork Woodland Jacket provided a durable top layer, and my sturdy Timex for J. Crew watch didn’t let me down  — it’s withstood the test of plenty of live shows (that goes for my February trip to New Haven to see Young the Giant, too). The next time you hit up an outdoor festival, make sure to pack sturdy outerwear and comfortable-yet-stylish sneakers, plus a rugged field watch.
Greats
As I look back on this weekend, I’m glad above all else that excellent, fun and enjoyable festivals like Governors Ball are just a quick — well, relatively quick — subway ride away. I’ll never pass up the chance to see inspiring, energetic and enjoyable bands like Local Natives or The Head and the Heart, and the opportunity to see global superstars like Lorde and Chance the Rapper is an experience I won’t soon forget. Every year, Governors Ball becomes more and more enjoyable — and I have more and more fun putting together looks, taking in live music and enjoying all things NYC. I hope your music festival experiences this season are just as enjoyable — don’t forget, we’ve got plenty of tips on how to dress for a music festival this summer, and you can stay tuned for a new #OOTD post on the blog tomorrow.

Thanks for reading — rock on!

-Beau

by Beau H.

#OOTD: Wool Trousers for Winter Weather

Editor’s note: You’ve surely seen this hashtag lots of different places, including on Instagram. But how does that carry over to real life? The #OOTD series will take one great item and put together a versatile, stylish outfit around it. Look for these features regularly.

One of the best things about the menswear world these days is the general approach to mixing and matching style staples. White sneakers can be paired with blazers and chinos, sharp wingtips can dress up a slim pocket tee and denim — if you can dream it, it’s likely a combination worth trying. Such is the case with today’s #OOTD offering. Wool dress trousers could feasibly conjure up some not-so-great style memories, especially if you rocked yours with pleats, as I did back in the day. But as with most silhouettes across the board, the approach is now slimmed-down and smartened-up, making a sharp wool trouser easier to pair with staples both rugged and refined — as you’ll see in the outfit below. And sometimes, when the doldrums of winter start to hit, you just need to shake up your typical blazer-and-trousers combo.

A denim jacket + slim wool trousers = a whole new way to view your work wardrobe.

A denim jacket + slim wool trousers = a whole new way to view your work wardrobe.

The Trousers — J. Crew Factory Thompson Slim Suit Pant in Herringbone Wool, $49.99 — The staple of this outfit — slim, versatile and with some subtle pattern.

The Jacket: Taylor Stitch Long Haul Denim Jacket, $188 — The wild card of this outfit, it’s a supremely sturdy investment-worthy piece of four-season outerwear.

The Shirt: Uniqlo Slim-Fit Long-Sleeve Oxford, $29.99 (On-Sale) — Staying on-trend by pairing a deep blue shirt with an indigo jacket. If that’s not dressy enough, throw on a rich wool tie to top things off.

The Boots: Thursday Boot Company Natural Diplomat Boot, $199 — A refined take on the moc toe boot, complete with tough Natural Horween leather.

The Socks: Happy Socks Red Optic Sock, $8.40 — These socks provide a shot of color and pattern, and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

The Belt: J. Crew Factory Reversible Brown Leather Belt, $26.50 — Two solid belts for an agreeable price — don’t worry too much about matching the shade of brown here exactly to the boots (being in the same color family works).

The Watch: Timex Waterbury Chronograph, $100 — A heck of a bargain for a rugged watch that lends another piece of visual interest to this ensemble.

Keep in mind that with the above outfit, I’d recommend throwing in a few choice winter accessories to fight the chill – and with all that being said, you should be well-set to tackle whatever the day has in store for you, be it some time in the office or time around town. Wear it well!

‘Til next time,

-Beau

by Beau H.

Style Suggestion: Thanksgiving Day

All ready to pack up next week? Slim Mailbag by Satchel and Page. Stowaway Weekender Bag by Navali.

All ready to pack up next week? Slim Mailbag by Satchel and Page. Stowaway Weekender Bag by Navali.

Editor’s note: For past Style Suggestions covering Turkey Day, head here.

It’s hard to believe that as I type this post, we’re looking at the third — yes, third — Style Suggestion covering Thanksgiving Day on The Style Guide. Only three, you say? Well, it feels like more than that — it’s been a great journey, with a big move to NYC and some job changes interspersed among all that, and it’s one that I’m thankful for every day. That, of course, includes the cool brands I get to work with and much more importantly, the awesome, engaging people who read this site!

And none of it would be possible without the support and love of my family & friends (some of whom might be reading this post — Hi, guys!). So in the run-up to the holiday next week, that’s what’ll be on my mind. But as to what’s on your mind — hopefully that centers around being quite thankful, too. But, say perhaps your thoughts on are what to wear, or the travel gear you should pack to get to your holiday destination? That’s what we’re covering below — and we’re keeping things casual-crisp in this Style Suggestion. Take a read and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

The Sweater: Frank & Oak Horizontal Cable Sweater in Navy — $66

A horizontal knit and herringbone texture keep this sweater quite visually appealing.

Frank & Oak is a brand that continually gets a lot of things right, something that’s quite tricky to do when you balance putting out monthly collections  with adding to a growing brick-and-mortar presence. But they do it quite well, particularly when it comes to churning out staple fall & winter layering pieces. This reasonably priced cotton sweater nails that equation — it’s cut trim in a sharp, neutral color, yet the formality is toned down by cable knitting; that touch also gives it a good bit of visual interest. It’s less formal than a crisp merino V-neck, so if that’s the way your holiday situation is shaking out, you might want to reach for one of those instead. Conversely, adding in a nice knit tie could dress things up in a pinch if need be.

The Shirt: UNIQLO Slim-Fit Long-Sleeve Oxford — $19.90 (On-Sale)

Keep it simple and crisp with the classic white OCBD for Thanksgiving.

Keep it simple and crisp with the classic white OCBD for Thanksgiving.

UNIQLO continues to rightfully earn its status as a maker of basics that hold up pretty well for the price, and that extends to its shirts in this case. When these are on-sale — and even when they aren’t — they’re an excellent value. The slim fit white Oxford shown here does indeed fit nice and trim, and like most UNIQLO products, these should have some decent stretch built in (more on why that stretch important when we get to the pants). The white Oxford is a style basic that stands up to the challenge of Thanksgiving — it’s likely a day spent in someone else’s home around a special occasion, so it helps to look polished. Yet, it’s not overly dressy, and it seems Thanksgiving is a good holiday to try out going tieless. Yes, it’s a navy sweater-plus-white shirt combo up top, but the texture of the sweater ups the ante.

The Pants: JackThreads Slim Corduroy Pant — $59.50

A basic corduroy that nails the affordability-quality equation and provides nice, er, function for the holiday.

A basic corduroy that nails the affordability-quality equation and provides nice, er, function for the holiday.

This particular pair of pants might seem quite familiar if you’ve perused this blog as of late; they were the top pick in a feature on the best men’s corduroys for fall and winter, and they’re back this go-round. They combine a slim, modern fit, a versatile color and perhaps most importantly for this holiday, a hint of stretch built in (y’know, for all that physical activity you’ll be undertaking on Thanksgiving). However, any pair of corduroys from this list could feasibly work. At any rate, cords will add another dose of texture to the outfit while still appearing a bit more formal than dark denim would, yet they’re not as dressy as some grey trousers — that’ll work well with the fact that we (or just you?) are going tieless here.

The Shoes: Thursday Boots Chocolate Suede Scout Boot — $149

A Goodyear welt, a sharp brown suede color and a slim silhouette make these chukkas look pricier than they are -- a nice addition to the outfit.

A Goodyear welt, a sharp brown suede color and a slim silhouette make these chukkas look pricier than they are — a nice addition to the outfit.

When you take one look at this shoe, you might think it retails for almost twice what it does. The Scout line of chukka boots is a recent introduction from Thursday Boots, and the Chocolate Suede Scout Boot really does look like something else (note that they also come in a crisp Brown Leather option). Thursday Boots, while the target of some criticisms, has provided this author with good quality over time as far as my Roughout Captain Boots are concerned, so we’ll stick with the brand here. On a style points note, these definitely look like something James Bond might’ve worn back in Quantum of Solace. And they’re a worthy pick to finish off this outfit, too — the silhouette makes them less obtrusive than a work boot, and the suede tones down the formality appropriately. Yet, they’re still dressier than crisp sneakers (as great as those can be to wear). That’s what we’re going for here, ultimately.

The Belt: Land’s End Distressed Vintage Jean Belt — $39.00

Go for a bit of visual interest with your belt, as with the rest of your outfit, and you'll be pleased with the results.

Go for a bit of visual interest with your belt, as with the rest of your outfit, and you’ll be pleased with the results.

If at first you experience some sticker shock over the price of this belt, rest assured — it’ll be alright. Paying a bit more for an item you can get lots of wear out of — potentially even every day of the week — is a very solid investment. And if you find yourself dressing in a manner similar to this outfit a lot, a belt with some rugged distressing is one you can reach for over and over. The roughed-up, full-grain leather continues to add a dose of texture to this ensemble in a situation where one could easily reach for a sleeker, and more expensive, dress belt. Not to worry that it doesn’t match up with the dark brown suede — it’s perfectly acceptable to break that rule when you’ve got suede shoes.

The Watch: Timex Waterbury Chronograph — $100

Design details like the aged-looking leather strap and the rugged-refined dial pair nicely with the rest of this outfit.

Design details like the aged-looking leather strap and the rugged-refined dial pair nicely with the rest of this outfit.

Timex hits the nail right on the head with a watch that’s rugged and refined, decently dressy but still acceptably casual and more importantly, ideal for the holiday — all for $100. The Waterbury line was introduced earlier this year to play off the brand’s heritage (and perhaps challenge brands like Shinola?), and it stands to reason that they’ve grabbed some customers with a lower price point and pretty good looks, to boot. The brown dial and aged brown leather strap match up nicely with the overall smart-casual vibe of the outfit. Plus, the strap itself adds some nice texture to an outfit that’s already quite full of it, from the corduroy pants to the cable-knit sweater and the suede boots. Plus, it’ll keep the time well and stand up to a reasonable game of backyard football.

The Socks: American Trench Fall Triple Stripes Sock — $14.50

Complementary colors and a breathable blend of recycled cotton make these socks comfortable AND stylish.

Complementary colors and a breathable blend of recycled cotton make these socks comfortable AND stylish.

If you aren’t yet sold on American Trench, it’s a brand that you absolutely should consider checking out. They’ve popped up here in a Style Q&A , and that gives some great insight into who they are as a brand. In short for the uninitiated: they source premium fabrics and construct their socks (and other gear, like merino watch caps) in U.S. factories, so the price that you pay is more than worth it. And in this particular instance, the Triple Stripe Sock adds a nice complimentary color scheme to the overall outfit without detracting too much from each individual piece. Plus, these socks are comfortable and crafted from a breathable blend of cotton — all too crucial if you slip off the shoes and pad to the kitchen for that second (or third) serving at halftime.

So that’s what’s in the books as far as this Style Suggestion goes — remember above all else that no matter what you wear next week, it’s about celebrating the day with the people you love, and being thankful for what’s on your plate. That’s something that definitely transcends style.

With that said though — thanks, as always, for reading.

Stay stylish,

-Beau
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