April 8, 2016April 8, 2016 by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Masters 2016 Edition

jonnEditor’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.

Greetings, Style Guide readers! Today, we’re mixing things up a bit on The Style Guide and deviating from our usual Friday Read entry. What’s that, you say? Fear not. One of the things I’ve learned over the years as I’ve developed an interest in #menswear is that certain things just go hand-in-hand. That is to say, as you learn about style staples like dark denim or a stylish blazer, you develop a more nuanced taste in other areas — be it home design, quality literature, gourmet cuisine– you name it, and it’s likely that it plays well with men’s style.

That’s doubly important in the realm of the finer things in life — given that it’s Friday, we’re talking tasty cocktails. And not just any Friday. It’s an important day on the calendar for a wide swath of sports fans out there — the kick-off of Masters weekend. I’m not a huge golf nut by any means, but I’ve hit the links (badly) from time to time, and I always enjoyed watching PGA tournaments like the sadly defunct Buick Open in my home state of Michigan. So if you find yourself much more intrigued by golf (and intrigued even moreso by a fine cocktail), you’ll find the recipe of interest below. If you’re wary, know that it comes courtesy of a recommendation from the folks at West Coast lifestyle purveyors Johnnie-O — and what better way to enjoy the Masters than by grabbing a nice blazer and sipping on a delicious beverage, particularly a mojito? Not many. While it’s not for everyone, the Player’s Blazer is just the ticket if you want to add a shot of color to an Oxford and chinos, too. Read on for the recipe below, and let’s bond over crafty cocktails (and beer) via Twitter.

One blazer plus one beverage = a solid and stylish kick-off to Masters weekend.

The Masters Mojito Recipe:

1.5 shots of rum — the folks at Johnnie-O recommend Ballast Point Three Sheets California Small Batch White Rum.
Add a splash of Rose’s Lime Juice.
Top it off with ginger beer.
Garnish with a jalapeño. Serve in a copper mug, and kick back!

Got all that down? Done and done. In the meantime, head here to catch up on another outfit tailored for the weekend — how to dress for a spring bar crawl. And I’d advise you to maybe (maybe?) catch up with some of my writing work at GearMoose — if you need a minimal watch, I put together a full watch guide for that site. That’s all for now in this neck of the woods; we’ll be back tomorrow with a great Style Pick from Jack Erwin, and we’ll have a look at the best suede chukkas to buy for spring coming up on Monday. Enjoy!

-Beau

March 25, 2016March 24, 2016 by Beau H.

The Friday Read: The State of #Menswear, Batman v. Superman and Spring Style

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.

As things stood going into last week’s Friday Read, I was quite hoping we’d have the chance to talk some Michigan State basketball here on the blog. But. Well. We’ll leave it at that. At any rate, it was still fun to host my great friend Stephen Brooks he covered Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament, and all that activity played into a big week itself. On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of catching up with the four brothers behind Brothers & Craft — Zac, Clay, Kirk and Matt –who happened to be in NYC for a whirlwind trip as they launched their next special project (check out their Instagram for more stylish things ahead!). They’re a great group of guys, generous with their time, fun to be around and a real pleasure to know. I was lucky enough to be able to hop down to the opening of the Daniel Wellington SoHo pop-up shop that very same night. And on that note, look for more details on Daniel Wellington’s new line tomorrow on the blog! As the week rolled along, it was even more thrilling (if that’s possible!) to attend the prestigious WWD Menswear Summit on behalf of my day job at Coyne PR — it was an excellent look at the state of the industry itself, and covered everything from social media to retail trends to designer outlooks for the next few years. What a week — it really is extraordinary to get continually greater opportunities so frequently. It’s busy, to say the least — and given all of that, I need a bit of a nap this weekend. Maybe before you settle down, take a glimpse at the below #menswear reads. Enjoy!

Have you been following any other brackets out there besides March Madness? Namely, any style brackets? The one put together by the team at Get Kempt moved into the Style Sweet Sixteen this week.
Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill have been hitting the road to promote the upcoming release of the much-hyped Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice flick — but have they been doing it in style? GQ.com investigates.
The massive trade show that is Baselworld just wrapped up this week, and Esquire.com offers up its drool-worthy list of the top watches from Baselworld that you should get on your wrist … now.
While this is neither a long read nor a style note, Lollapalooza announced a truly epic run of artists to celebrate its 25th anniversary, from LCD Soundsystem headlining to Lana Del Rey, Kurt Vile and stellar folks like DREAMERS and Arkells billed further down.

Is your shopping cart empty? Fill it up with some buying suggestions.

Grab a stylish spring sweater to layer up with for those chilly nights, in case you missed our latest Online Shopping Picks piece.
Stock up on more spring style essentials via my latest post at GearMoose.com — this one was a ton of fun to write!

March 18, 2016March 17, 2016 by Beau H.

The Friday Read: March Madness, South by Southwest Music and Spring Camo

Since we last spoke during the ole Friday Read, it’s certainly been quite the week. I had the great fortune to spend this past weekend in Florida visiting with my dad and as luck would have it, a few friends from Michigan State University. Add to that mix a busy work week, some building buzz surrounding the NCAA Tournament and oh yeah — St. Patrick’s Day yesterday (!!), and it’s been a heck of a week! I’m even more excited for this weekend though — I’m hosting my best friend from college, Stephen Brooks, as he covers Notre Dame men’s basketball in the NCAA tourney … in Brooklyn, just a few subway stops away (catch all the action over at his Twitter) . Isn’t it crazy how things work out sometimes? Hopefully, you’ve got an exciting weekend of college basketball — or just relaxation — ahead of you. If you’re catching all that college basketball action live, here’s what to wear for the NCAA Tournament. And if you’re still recovering from St. Patrick’s Day? Godspeed, and hopefully, the below #menswear news makes things a bit more bearable.

This humble menswear writer figured the camo trend was waning a few years ago, but it’s still sticking around — GQ.com picks out three ways to wear camo this spring (fairly tastefully, that is).
I always enjoy reading what the folks at Well-Spent have to say, particularly in regards to the goods they’d buy this month…instead of covering rent.
The state of the New York menswear scene — much like the state of the menswear scene in general — is shifting, expanding and changing pretty rapidly at the moment. The trend forecasters at WGSN offer a pretty excellent analysis of the whole thing, thankfully (note that to get full access, you need to be a subscriber … sigh).
Long Read of the Week: If you’re lucky enough to have made it through most of this week at South By Southwest, there still might be a few top music acts you need to catch — Consequence of Sound picks the top 40 acts at SXSW.

Not fully ready to start the weekend? Fear not.

Spring jacket season has (thankfully) arrived — look for a full rundown on this site on Monday, and catch up on the Bridge & Burn Hayden Gray Jacket through my latest GearMoose post.
Throne Watches crafts sturdy, durable timepieces with an eye toward inspiring American cities as part of its 1.5 Collection — get the full scoop over at VOUCH Magazine.

March 11, 2016March 10, 2016 by Beau H.

The Friday Read: New Abercrombie & Fitch, Need Supply Co. and Spring Outerwear

While I’ve really been looking forward to warm-weather style for quite a while now (get a look at my spring style wish list, for starters), I’ve been lucky enough to get an even earlier dose of warm weather this weekend. Why is that, you ask? Well, I’m lucky enough to be back in Florida visiting my family this weekend and celebrating my dad’s birthday. Now, the fine print is that part of our weekend plans — seeing the legendary AC/DC — were derailed when the band announced they were rescheduling 10 tour dates. Definitely a big blow to this lifetime fan. At any rate, it really still is lovely to be here — we’ve got some excellent back-up plans lined up, including some much-needed beach time and a trip to the excellent Point Ybel Brewing Company. You can look for a full trip recap post coming on Monday — for now though, let’s get on with our weekly Friday Read and all the #menswear news that’s fit to type.

Perhaps most importantly, we’ve been seeing more and more news hit about the new and improved Abercrombie & Fitch — the new line is definitely worth a look, and Maxim offered its take, too. (Editor’s note: There’s more from the folks at Abercrombie & Fitch coming in tomorrow’s Style Pick of the Week).
Go shopping (now, if possible) through the well-curated digital shelves at Need Supply Co. with the team at Style Girlfriend — you won’t be disappointed.
Prep for the forthcoming rain with key spring outerwear picks from Get Kempt — it’ll be here before you know it.
Long Read of the Week: Is fashion weird? Should it be weird? Is it art? And lastly… why does it matter? This introspective piece from the Washington Post (centered around women’s fashion, admittedly) brings new meaning to thinking of runway shows as art, and attempts to answer those questions quite well.

Get ready for the weekend with a dash more men’s style:

JackThreads (of NYC roots) and Publish Brand (of SoCal style fame) just launched a limited-edition capsule collection that includes a nice spring jacket — catch up on the full details in my newest GearMoose post.
Speaking of JackThreads … do you have a versatile navy mac coat yet? Get on it — I just wrote about the brand’s newest spring outerwear launch for GearHungry.

March 4, 2016March 3, 2016 by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Spotlight, The Foo Fighters and the $10,000 Suit

I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to get a serious case of spring fever. Last weekend’s weather in NYC was truly amazing (temperatures in the 50s — the 50s!) but this week has been a return to temperatures I’m more used to seeing in my home state of Michigan. So spring’s not fully upon us yet, but that didn’t stop me from planning out my spring style wish list and also looking toward some sharp spring business-casual style with this week’s #OOTD post. There’ve also been some even more exciting spring-centric writing ventures in the works, including an ongoing Style Essentials series I’ve been penning for GearMoose — in fact, this week I featured one of my favorite sets of sneakers, the GREATS Royale in White. Needless to say, I’m definitely in full-on spring mode. Are you in the same boat? Feel free to get a discussion going on over at The Style Guide’s Facebook page, if so. Know that next week, we’re coming in hot with suggestions for how to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day — plus, an exciting reader giveaway opportunity on Monday with the folks from Owen & Fred. It’s all happening … well, most of it, anyways. Enjoy your weekend downtime and catch up below on the week that flew by. Thanks as always for reading!

Did you get around to seeing Spotlight? As a journalism grad and former reporter, the story was an intriguing one, without a doubt — Esquire.com uncovers the editor behind the real-life Boston Globe expose in light of its success at the Oscars?
We’ve got another coming at ya from Esquire.com this week — I’m admittedly only a passing fan (sorry I know, I know), but the Foo Fighters addressed break-up rumors with a hilarious comedy sketch video.
And lastly, why does a $10,00 suit cost … well, $10,000? GQ lets us know.
Style Notes of the Week: With new spring releases are dropping left and right, and GREATS is back with a set of colorful, quirky spring sneakers with the refined folks at Orley. On that note — are you pining for spring and summer, long days at the beach and warmer temps? Surf and lifestyle brand Reef is tapping into that sentiment with the second entry in its “Just Passing Through” series.

Stay a bit longer with a few more choice reads.

If you need an extra reason to get excited for spring, know that denim jacket layering is in full-force. And in that regard, I rounded up the 15 best denim jackets for men over at GearMoose.
As it is the weekend and everything, I’d highly suggest you pour yourself a nice drink (if you’re into that sort of thing). You can now upgrade your whiskey drinking with cool gear from Time & Oak — get the scoop in my latest entry at VOUCH Mag.

February 26, 2016February 25, 2016 by Beau H.

The Friday Read: David Beckham, American Apparel and New Mott & Bow Denim

I’m closing out this week on The Style Guide (and heading into next week) thinking ever so slightly of the impending arrival of spring. Doesn’t it seem like we were just talking wool blazers and fall sweaters? It’s pretty wild how the style cycle turns — even now, spring arrivals are hitting shelves (to that end, look for a spring style wish list next week). What top picks do you have your eye on for the coming season? Those new purchases seem to go hand-in-hand will looking toward spring travel, too. Rest assured that future posts will definitely cover off on those types of topics. For now, it’s the close of NYC Beer Week here in the city — somewhat unsurprisingly, there’s almost been too many great events to choose from around New York! So that’s definitely something I’m looking forward to this weekend. And as you look ahead to (maybe) cracking open a cold one yourself, I’d recommend you kick back and catch up on what you should be shopping and reading this weekend.

David Beckham’s work with British brand Kent & Curwen just took another turn — get to know the label’s new creative director here, and get excited for the forthcoming, likely excellent, product.
This is from last week, but still worth a share — the fine team at Get Kempt developed what it’s calling the Sartorial Bill of Rights.
This story seems to be everywhere (or it certainly has been everywhere) in different forms in the past few years — HighSnobiety looks at the rise and fall of American Apparel.
Long Read of the Week: I just came across this feature as I was writing this post, and was sufficiently sidetracked. It might be from last fall, but Valet took an excellent look into “Ralph Lauren University,” interviewing several of the top-notch designers and creative folks who also worked for Ralph Lauren before launching into successful careers in their own right. It’s fascinating and includes plenty of big names, from John Varvatos to Todd Snyder!
Lastly — looking to get away out West, and in need of some great gear?

Still on the hunt for what’s new in the men’s style world? Keep looking below.

I had a ton of fun covering the stunning Taylor Stitch Natural Chromexcel Moto Boots for GearMoose — those could just be your new spring (and summer, and fall, and winter) boots.
Mott & Bow, purveryors of nicely priced, comfortable denim, just launched its newest set of jeans. They’re built with 35 percent stretch — 35! — and I covered ’em for VOUCH Mag.

February 12, 2016February 12, 2016 by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Valentine’s Day, Ryan Reynolds and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

While last week was a big one (for me, at least), with the second iteration of #NYFWM, perhaps this week has been a big one for you. After all, Valentine’s Day is upon us! What are you set to wear? Here’s your Valentine’s Day style suggestion. And do you have a gift all sorted out? If not, best get to it with these Valentine’s Day gift suggestions for that special someone. And if you have all of that in order, congrats! Enjoy what’s hopefully a three-day weekend! But before you get going on that last-minute shopping and outfit wrangling, catch up on some menswear (and yes, non-menswear) news. I won’t bug you for too much longer — after all, there are gifts to buy! Look for a Monday product review covering the standout Color No. 8 Diplomat Boot from Thursday Boots, followed by another sharp #OOTD entry and of course, the usual weekly content here at The Style Guide. Stay stylish!

This could come in handy in advance of Valentine’s Day, as GQ offers some standout layering tips courtesy of Ryan Reynolds — huge fan of that electric blue cardigan.
It might not quite be spring yet, but Apolis still is offering up its Civilian Travel Suiting bundles for a nice deal — within the higher-end market, that is.
Get away on a tropical vacation (or at least, start dreaming of one) by checking out the first in a series of global travel and adventure videos from the fine folks behind lifestyle brand Reef.
Long(ish) Read of the Week: Harry Potter fans, rejoice! Unless you’ve been living under a rock (apologies if so), Time and others have reported that the script for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — the play, that is — will be published in book form later this summer, and released, fittingly enough, on Harry Potter’s birthday! So exciting.

On the hunt for more to read? Look right here.

The newly revamped VOUCH Mag is up-and-running in a big way — check out my latest feature on the best boots to survive winter, and keep an eye out for some brands you might recognize.
Here’s a new one, too — never lose your umbrella again with the BLUNT + Tile Traceable Umbrella; it was neat to learn more about it for GearHungry.

January 29, 2016January 28, 2016 by Beau H.

The Friday Read: J. Crew Sunglasses, American Apparel and Mark Zuckerberg’s Closet

So this week was yet another exciting and fast-paced one — we’re knee-deep (or maybe neck-deep?) in planning for what should be a fun and enjoyable #NYFWM event for my 9-to-5 job working on behalf of Timberland. In particular, we’ll be hosting a styling suite and a “recharge” lounge for men’s style editors, writers and bloggers during the hustle and bustle of various runway shows (including those from Style Guide favorites like Todd Snyder and Billy Reid). It should be a fun couple of days, to say the least! In the midst of all that preparation, I was also thankful to check out some great menswear trade shows — so there’s certainly lots going on all at once! And that makes me even more grateful to get the chance to write about it through this blog and other platforms. With all that being said — time to log off, rest up and get ready for next week. In the meantime, enjoy this week’s Friday Read and check back here for the weekly Style Pick on Saturday.

This piece comes to us from earlier this month, but it’s still newsworthy — what’s the classic distinction between a dress watch and a sport watch? And when and how should you wear one? The Wall Street Journal’s horological expert dives on in. (You can always click the following link for a slightly less complicated look at why it’s important to wear a watch, too).
Former American Apparel CEO Dov Charney is, as Esquire.com reports … “screwed” in the settlement reached this week by the company; it effectively cuts off his company stock and returns control of the company to its lenders — will this change things up design and product-wise in addition to a financial boost? We’ll see, folks.
Mark Zuckerberg gave the Facebook community (read: the Internet at large) a look at his famously minimal wardrobe when he returned to the office after paternity leave (spoiler: his closet is filled with hoodies and gray tees).
Style Note of the Week: We again turn to the fine folks at Esquire (lots of good stuff outta there this week) for another piece of menswear news for all you J. Crew fans — the brand just launched its own sunglasses line, which includes nice styles that should prove versatile the whole year ’round.

Need to up your boot game? Or kill some more time?

Last but not least, I caught up with our friends over at Thursday Boot Company to cover the Natural Diplomat Boot — and why you need ’em — for GearHungry.

January 22, 2016January 22, 2016 by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Pitti Uomo’s Best-Dressed, Ball & Buck Denim and Alexander McQueen

I’m not sure about where you are, but the big topic of conversation here in NYC revolves around snow this weekend — how much we’re supposed to get, how much other areas of the country have gotten so far, and so and so forth. It’s enough to make anyone want just stay inside and read a good book — I’m personally hoping, however, for a bit less snow than predicted, and the chance to get out and check out some nice #menswear haunts around the city. Meanwhile, the promise of summer music festivals and the like keeps growing even as it gets colder and colder — have you snapped up your tickets for Governors Ball or Firefly? Both two festivals with positively GREAT lineups. That’s certainly keeping me going through this chilly winter weekend. And as for what to do in the meantime, I’d suggest: A) Checking out the below Friday Read and B) Hopping on over to my #menswear Pinterest page for some winter style inspiration. Stay warm!

As part of its campaign chronicling #TheNewStyle, Esquire snapped portraits of some of the best-dressed men at Pitti Uomo — and the results are a great argument for refined understatement in dressing.
Premium shirting company Corridor NYC is having a sale this week, and the fine folks at Well-Spent want you to know all about it — in particular, the blue plaid shirt (option number two) looks stunning.
Ball and Buck, yet another purveyor of excellent, American-made goods, just launched its first run of denim, as Inside Hook writes. For what it’s worth, those indigo jeans look sturdy and mighty promising (if you feel like test-driving another pair first, grab a pair of the Mott & Bow Norfolk raw denim).
Style Note of the Week: So, a biopic on legendary designer Alexander McQueen is in the works — DETAILS.com offers up their casting recommendations, which look quite on-point (no spoilers here!).

Run out of things to read? Head over here for more men’s style coverage:

If you’re hitting the slopes (and have some extra cash to spare), check out the Alps & Meters Shawl Collar Jacket, as covered by yours truly for GearMoose.
Read up on another, decidedly cheaper outerwear option (and the subject of my latest GearHungry post) — the Ketums Bondy Jacket, equally inspired by heritage style details.

January 8, 2016January 9, 2016 by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Ethical Clothing, The Best Food in Los Angeles and The SuitSupply Online Outlet

It’s pretty hard to fathom that already, eight days have been crossed off 2016 – it’s been a whirlwind start to the year, what with a weekend in Detroit exploring top menswear spots, followed by a trip this week to the famed Outdoor Retailer Conference in Salt Lake City, where I’ve been busy representing Timberland. It’s been great to meet with lots of trade and lifestyle media, establish new connections and learn more about what others in the editorial and public relations industries have going on.

And with that being said, I’ll probably be looking forward to a good day of rest on Sunday! As to matters in the #menswear world – how are your 2016 style resolutions holding up so far? I’m already looking to make headway with a few of mine (i.e. wearing less blue), but it’s a work in progress. If you’re looking for a different sort of a revamp, like a stylish pair of winter boots or a warm winter peacoat, click on those links. We’re far from out of the woods with the cold weather though – in that regard, we’ll be rounding up the best men’s winter accessories – from gloves to scarves and socks – on Monday. For now, get ready for happy hour later and enjoy the weekend!

DETAILS.com (RIP to the print mag) reports that, according to an Ohio State University study, those who don’t frequently shop for clothing made ethically are perceived as “boring and fashion-challenged.” Yikes! I’ll stick to my Apolis chinos (and so will DETAILS, apparently).
Is L.A. the most exciting food city in America? GQ says yes, yes indeed. I must say, I unfortunately didn’t get to many of these during my trip to Los Angeles this past fall — maybe one day!
Ever on top of the digital style game, Dappered reports that the SuitSupply online outlet has returned, filled to the (mostly-stocked) brim with all of your tailoring needs — some of it is quite flashy but other pieces are just right.
Long Read of the Week: We’re back with another long read, and this one’s a doozy — Nautilus dives right into the search to find extraterrestrial life, and what it might mean for us mere earthlings.

Can’t get enough #menswear writing? Read these:

Throne Watches is producing premium timepieces inspired by great American cities, like the Throne 1.5 x Brooklyn Watch — I found out more for GearMoose (a new writing venture I’m taking on this year!).
And not to be outdone, JackThreads is back at it again with its Geo Sweater, as profiled in my latest GearHungry feature.

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Tag / weekend read