Tag / weekend reading

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: REI, Mark McNairy & Tanner Goods

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.

Now that it’s Friday, my voice has finally recovered from… wait. Wait a second. That was how last week’s Friday Read started, too… and as luck would have it, it did indeed take me all week to recover from quite the cold — and quite the fun weekend — back in my home state of Michigan. Visits like that are always special, and they give you an excellent opportunity to reconnect with your roots and see old family & friends. To say I’m thankful for where I’m from would be an understatement! And it’s great to be able to write about it through this blog — so thank you for reading, commenting, clicking and participating in giveaways; you can be sure more are to come! In fact, if I were you, I’d pay close attention to this site (and my Instagram) on Wednesday and Thursday of next week if you’d like some great fall and winter gloves from my pals at Iron & Resin. But in the meantime, don’t get too spooked this Halloween weekend and enjoy your Friday downtime!

  • This was pretty big news earlier this week, so if you haven’t seen it, best read up. Outdoor retail giant REI is closing its doors on Black Friday for the first time in its history as part of its #OptOutside campaign; have to wonder if others might follow suit?
  • Want to upgrade your business-casual style? The ever-reliable team at Dappered has you covered with this standout suggestion.
  • Here’s one for all you beer geeks — and advertising folks, too. Digiday reports that Heineken is teaming with a select set of designers to produce special one-off pieces for gifting to top industry influencers — take, for example, an older pair of Mark McNairy saddle chukkas with a Heineken green sole. Fascinating stuff, and they’re not the only beer brand involved in similar partnerships, either!
  • One last quick note on the style front — you might recall the great team at Satchel & Page (of Slim Mailbag fame) — well, the brand just launched its new Autumn/Winter line via Kickstarter, and each piece is absolutely worth your time and dollars.
  • Long Read of the Week: If you’ve spent any time in  New York City, you might have heard rumors about the infamous ‘Mole People,’ who dwell beneath the city in its subway tunnels — Narratively has the full scoop on that spooky story this week.

Elsewhere in the #menswear world…

    • Catch up with a new release from two heritage-quality brands — Tanner Goods teamed up with Danner once again on an excellent set of special-edition seasonal boots, as I covered for VOUCH Mag.
    • The great folks at American Trench do standout merino wool caps for winter (in addition to great socks), and those caps were the subject of my newest GearHungry feature.

Florsheim
Ernest Alexander

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Michigan State, Fall Colors and The Hill-side

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 it’s finally Friday, I almost have all of my voice back following the aftermath of that insane, thrilling and incredible Michigan State-Michigan football game last weekend. If you missed the ending, well, you’re in for a treat there. And the football hysteria is actually set to continue for me this weekend, because as luck would have it, I’m hitting the road back to East Lansing for a weekend spent with friends on the best campus in the country (in my humble opinion). I’m also getting the chance to go back to my hometown of Mason, a lovely place where time really slows down — that’ll be a welcome change of pace from New York City. And it’s always great to get back to your roots. But for matters in the present, we’ll catch you up with some of the best #menswear news of the week. On that note, thanks to all who participated in this week’s Goorin Brothers giveaway! Stay tuned for more giveaways in the coming weeks, and next week, look for a great product review of a nice fall timepiece, and a Q&A with the insightful and talented Megan Collins of Style Girlfriend. For now, enjoy your weekend — and thanks for reading!

Need more men’s style coverage to read?

  • You might recognize the subject of my latest VOUCH Mag piece from this blog — JACHS NY produces modern takes on American classics, and the brand’s backstory is just as neat.

Florsheim

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Christophe Lemaire, P.F. Flyers and Rancourt

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.

So I’ve spent most of the past week recovering from a whirlwind (fun, but whirlwind!) trip to Los Angeles, which featured great beer, nice menswear shopping and some stellar food, too. And it’s a doubly exciting weekend this go-round — I’m happy to welcome my mom and her friends into NYC (Hi, Mom!) to show them both some nice attractions in Manhattan and closer to home, Brooklyn’s best beer haunts — among other standout locations. And it’s starting to feel just a bit more like my favorite time of year, fall — good thing you’ve got your fall sweater game on lock, yeah? It’s also a nice time to plan out trips for the rest of the year — are you taking any exciting vacations? I’m personally excited to swing back through my home state of Michigan in a few weeks’ time. Let me know in the comments what your fall plans are! But before you skim to the bottom, know that the good stuff is right in front of you. Let’s hop to it!

  • GQ’s British brethren recap all of the stellar accessories that James Bond will rock in SPECTRE — and it’s quite the rundown of expensive, drool-worthy brands.
  • Maxim asks, bluntly, who is Christophe Lemaire and why did his collaboration with Uniqlo sell out so quickly?
  • If you’re a sneakerhead, this one’s for you: Selectism covers P.F. Flyers’ latest collaboration, a set of vintage-inspired duck canvas sneakers done up in partnership with menswear emporium Brooklyn Circus.
  • Style Read of the Week: Forgive me if your eyeballs pop out when reading this next one — the New York Times examines the curious case of the Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillion, an $815,000 watch. Yes.  That name. But also: $815,000.

Get more from the menswear world by checking out the below!

  • Feast your eyes on my newest GearHungry post, which covers the latest boot release from Rancourt — a special Chromexcel leather pair produced in collaboration with menswear goods retailer Huckberry — they’re something!
  • Learn everything you need to know about an up-and-coming menswear retailer doing great things out West — if you haven’t heard of STAG Provisions, you’ll (hopefully) be intrigued by my latest VOUCH Mag piece.

Ernest Alexander

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Abercrombie & Fitch, Lana Del Rey and Stylish Splurges

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.

This Friday caps off what’s truly been a whirlwind week — and we’re not close to being done yet! I’ve gotten to do some admittedly very cool things during my day job (for which I’m exceptionally grateful!), and this week has been chock full of them. On Wednesday, I helped put together a brand styling suite for Timberland — myself and my wonderful colleagues hosted some style luminaries who I’m fortunate enough to call friends. Namely, Jamal Jackson of StyleSocietyGuy, Jeff Carvalho of Selectism and Mac Joseph of Daily Mister (among others!) were on-hand to  be styled in the latest Timberland wares by celebrity stylist Samantha McMillen; they also appeared on-stage modeling those outfits during our Thursday night media preview featuring music by British rocker & brand ambassador Jamie N Commons (excuse the shameless promotion!). And tonight, we get to do it all again! In fact, if you find yourself in New York City and fancy a great time with free beer and free food, RSVP to our formal launch event here. But enough PR mumbo-jumbo, right? Check out the best of the rest of the #menswear world here below. Cheers!

  • Complex shares details on how the once-proud folks at Abercrombie & Fitch plan to make a comeback in the style world — and with ex-Club Monaco man Aaron Levine on-board, this should be mighty interesting.
  • SPIN listened to Lana Del Rey this month — for the first time — and wrote an insightful (and opinionated) analysis of the lovely singer’s work.
  • Dappered’s monthly Reach post chronicles some worthy style splurges for September — including a Bonobos topcoat that looks incredible.
  • Long Read of the Week: Narratively delivered this story a while ago, but it’ll open your eyes to one seriously sustainably-focused way of living in the Yukon.

Are you all caught up with The Style Guide this week? Maybe not?

Ernest Alexander

Florsheim

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: SPECTRE, Esquire Legends and Timberland

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 we get a bit closer toward the true start of fall here on The Style Guide, it seems to feel less and less like fall itself — at least in Manhattan and Brooklyn, temperature-wise. Is anybody else experiencing this same problem? I’m quite ready for sweater and jacket weather after a long (yet enjoyable) summer 0f T-shirts and blazers. On a personal front, it’s been quite busy during my day job planning an exceptionally exciting Fall 2015 campaign launch for Timberland — if you find yourself in NYC next Friday and fancy enjoying some free beer and whiskey, plus a concert, RSVP to the event here. In the meantime, you can expect your regularly scheduled programming. And of course — the weekly Friday Read as detailed below. Enjoy!

  • Popular fan site James Bond Lifestyle (yes, that’s a thing), shares all the details you’d ever need to know regarding the incredible Crockett & Jones footwear in SPECTRE — and man, are those shoes stunning.
  • In the event you’re a fan of a different color of boot on your feet, the always on-point crew at Dappered shows you how to pair brown dress shoes and grey pants.
  • And did you catch this yet? To celebrate its 1,000th issue (whoa!), Esquire revealed its list of legendary men (and 1 woman), whom the publication is calling Esquire Legends – it’s very, very neat stuff across a spectrum of personalities.
  • Long Read of the Week: This piece is absolutely more style-oriented than other articles that have held down this spot in the past, but it’s no less worth a read; it’s part history lesson, part style exploration examining an incredible timepiece via the folks at Gear Patrol.

Still feel the need  to read some more menswear content this weekend?

  • Familiarize yourself with the absurdly beautiful and incredibly well-crafted American Highway Collection (featuring gear from four great American brands) via my latest VOUCH Mag story.
  • Put a few new items in your shopping cart for fall — domestically focused American Trench crafts all its socks (and outerwear) from excellent materials, as I also learned this week for my newest GearHungry post — definitely a brand worth supporting.

Lastly, thanks again to each of you for reading this site, and for participating in initiatives like this past week’s Reader Giveaway — it’s very much appreciated!

Stay stylish,

-Beau

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Pantone Colors, Denim Jackets & Start-up Watches

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.

Before kicking off our regularly scheduled content on The Style Guide, I’d like to offer my thanks and gratitude to the brave men and women who serve this country, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice in saving lives and protecting our freedom on this day and in the days & years thereafter. When you think about it that way, writing about clothing seems somewhat silly. And yet, life goes on. With that, I leave you with a few articles to peruse in your spare time in the coming days.

  • The New York Times pores over the world of start-up watches in a really well-done trend piece — and you might recognize one of the brands quoted in there from a VOUCH Mag piece penned by yours truly earlier this summer.
  • From Women’s Wear Daily comes yesterday’s news that Pantone announced its Spring 2016 colors. A very pink-like Rose Quartz (no. 1) might be a no-go for most of us, but Iced Coffee is one among them that seems to present more menswear opportunities — like this Garment-Dyed Shirt from Frank & Oak).
  • Lastly as far as style goes, GQ tells you exactly how to layer a denim jacket this fall — note that Daniel Craig looks outstanding, in my humble opinion.

That’s all for this week’s edition of the Friday Read. Stay stylish, and check back here Monday for more from the world of menswear.

Greats

 

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Labor Day, Brooklyn Tailors and Fall Florals

Editor’s note: Expect these posts once a week on Fridays — consider this a jumpstart on reading for your weekend downtime. Expect a mix of style and non-style content. For more entries, click here.

With Labor Day weekend upon us, the question is: How will you be spending your final days of summer? And what will you be wearing? For more on what gear to grab, head here. A nice Grayers polo or a great pair of sweatshorts wouldn’t go amiss, I’m sure. On a personal front, it’s set to be a busy weekend for me — I’m heading out to Coney Island Brewing this afternoon to catch up with co-founder Chris Adams for a piece on my friend Pat Evans’ blog Grand Conversations before catching the season opener of my beloved Michigan State Spartans! Always an exciting way to start fall. And then I’m heading back to my favorite state — that would be Michigan — for a family wedding on Saturday (likely including a stop in East Lansing). So it’s set to be a busy one for sure — do you know what you’re style essentials you’re packing in that bag of yours yet? If not, best hop to it. Meanwhile, peruse some weekend reading picks below — wherever you head this week, stay safe and stylish!

    • Gear Patrol caught up recently with Brooklyn Tailors, who received high praise from the likes of GQ as part of that publication’s 2014 Best New Menswear Designers in America class.
    • Common Projects, of the legendary and minimal white sneakers you might covet but likely can’t afford, is making an excellent pair of dress shoes — yes, dress shoes — fit for the fall.
    • If you haven’t swung by Style Girlfriend in a while, or if you haven’t checked out the site at all, it’s worth a look — editor Megan Collins and her team show you how to rock those floral prints into fall.
    • Style Read of the Week: As you may or may not be aware, I’m a big watch fan — with affordability and versatility in mind, of course. We move away from the typical Long Read and instead direct your attention to five watches every guy should own, as picked by my buddy Barron at Effortless Gent.

Ernest Alexander
That’s about the best of the world of writing + style this week — for more, head here:

Greats

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Cuffed Pants, Trend Evolution and James Bond’s Cookbook

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.

We’ve rolled right through another week here at The Style Guide HQ (AKA a rather small Brookyn apartment), and it’s crazy to think that there’s not that much real “summer” left. It’s been a great one though, especially with travels to Greece and Italy. And I’m just as excited about the fall — this here site will have a Fall Wish List in the next few weeks, new product reviews and brand profiles, and a few travel features in the works (a trip to  Los Angeles among them!). But there’s still plenty of time to soak up some rays (got your sunglasses on-point?) and hit the beach, pool or just your local watering hole — which I’ll certainly be doing this weekend. Before you dive in though, a heads-up — I’ll be running a special Instagram giveaway on Monday and Tuesday of next week featuring the chance to win some grooming gear from the organic gurus at Kent & Bond. Details will be outlined in a Monday post, but make sure you’re following me on Instagram (please?) and check back Monday for more details!

      • Gear Patrol quite literally shows you, in GIFs plus text, some sharp ways to cuff or roll pants — try it out with some dark denim in particular.
      • In the way of trends, Esquire spotlights exactly how a trend starts, focusing specifically on the pocket square and its rise to prominence (and purported downfall?) in the #menswear world.
      • Fast Company gives you the scoop on what exactly James Bond ate in the iconic Ian Fleming novels — new book “Dying to Eat” chronicles recipes and photos in a fascinating and in-depth manner.
      • Long Read of the Week: If you haven’t been following this series, it’s high time to catch up — Narratively chronicled the end of a 5,000-mile cross country bike ride undertaken by a daring team of friends.

Can’t get enough of The Style Guide?

Ben Sherman US
Greats

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Men’s Swimsuits, GQ Suiting and Frank & Oak

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.

Although it’s always outstanding to be on vacation (particularly a trip to Greece), it can be just as nice to get back into the swing of work — and of course, the regularly scheduled Friday Read! Fighting off jet lag was a tall order after a particularly adventurous travel day back to the States, followed by a full week of work — but it’s almost in the books now, with what should be a lovely NYC weekend coming up. I’m excited to kick things off by heading to Blind Barber in the East Village this evening for a custom suit fitting courtesy of my friends at Combatant Gentleman — the brand’s chinos and blazers provide great style for the price, so a full suit (in addition to the one I brought on my Mediterranean trip) should be a great treat! I’m planning on checking out ABC Beer Co. nearby after, too. What’s on your plate? I’d suggest kicking things off with the lineup below, for starters.

  • The Men’s Style section of the New York Times runs through the new world of men’s swimwear — one that’s more tailored, less baggy and much better-looking — in this neat feature and infographic.
  • GQ’s editorial squad is on-point with a selection of small suiting tweaks that can elevate your A-game even further when dressing up in the coming months.
  • Frank & Oak, they of the affordable and highly covetable monthly menswear collections, serves up a very cool primer on how to see London in a weekend  — that city’s on The Style Guide’s list of spots to travel in 2016!
  • Long Read of the Week: So this one is more of a hybrid photo story than a true long read, but it’s pretty mind-blowing — Popular Mechanics covers the world’s 25 most impressive megaprojects, most of which are simply staggering in scale.

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Got style on your mind?

Ernest Alexander

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Lucio Castro, Band of Outsiders and Lollapalooza

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.

This  past week has, for me, been a whirlwind to say the least. What with putting in some time on the clock planning for a big Timberland Boots event in September (excited about that one!), hanging out with my friends from Made PR at the lovely Self Edge Denim store on Thursday night and of course, planning for my upcoming trip to Greece, time has really sailed by! (See what I did there?). Stateside, who among us is heading to Lollapalooza? The Friday line-up in particular looks great! On the style side of things however, some pretty big news hit this past week-and-a-half or so on all fronts, from the release of the new Converse Chuck Taylor II late last week to the debut of Everlane’s Slim Pant earlier this week —  more on that tomorrow on this very site. And in the meantime, the latest and greatest across the rest of style media follows  below. Stay tuned for dispatches from abroad and if you aren’t already, follow me on Instagram for more.

  • The always on-point crew over at Dappered runs through the style essentials you need in an always-essential color — deep, dark navy. A great list (although I have to argue for a great chambray shirt).
  • Up-and-coming menswear designer Lucio Castro, who recently showed his SS16 collection at #NYFWM, talks to Get Kempt about the inspiration behind his collection and his (very) unconventional journey to designing clothes.
  • Complex offers up some more information on the mysterious — or rather, financially-focused — closure of cult brand Band of Outsiders and what the future does (or doesn’t) hold for the brand.
  • Long(ish) Read of the Week: Excellent lifestyle site A Continuous Lean gives us a glimpse into the sights and soul-stirring music of Eaux Claires, the newly launched Wisconsin festival hosted in part by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.

While we’re still at things on the style front, have you glimpsed the latest release from Brooklyn’s own GREATS? Its much-loved Royale silhouette gets a fresh update in time for the last half of summer, featuring canvas and a gum rubber sole. Check ’em out here.

Need something else to peruse at work?

      • Kick your feet back and throw on a pair of slick loafers — like those sold by Andre Coton — and while you relax, learn more about them in my latest VOUCH Mag post.
      • Throw on a henley when you hit the beach or the pool this weekend, too – but not before checking out this handy shopping guide.

Florsheim

Ernest Alexander