The Friday Read: Veterans Day, Sword and Plough and Glenfiddich Whisky

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.

Well. Hey, what a week, right? Onward and upward. On this Friday, it’s a good reason to reflect and bring us all togehter– Veterans Day should bring with it great appreciation for the men and women who’ve served, and continue to serve so bravely. And a bit of a focus on the lifestyle companies that help support those veterans never goes wrong, either. Is there anything better than buying stylish, quality menswear for a great cause? If you’ve got some plans to do that this weekend, I think you’ll like the content we have in store below. And if your weekend brings with it other plans, it still pays to keep in mind some crucial men’s style tips — like how to dress for fall travel, or how to buy your new favorite henley (all crucial, you see). And if it’s getting really chilly where you are? Layer up with a stylish flannel shirt or a slim cardigan. You can, of course, look for our weekly Style Pick tomorrow — and stay tuned, ‘cuz it’ll get you shopping via Huckberry quicker than you can move your mouse. For now, catch up on the week in menswear — and the weekend to come.

A duffle built with military-grade fabric and inspiration.

A duffle built with military-grade fabric and inspiration.

    • First up in our Veteran’s Day rundown? A company that keeps the sacrifices of our armed forces front and center in everything it does, from its use of repurposed military fabrics to its mission of supporting vets through all phases of production. Sword and Plough  is launching a new duffle bag inspired by co-founder Emily Nunez’s experience with her U.S. Army duffle. It’s built with that same durability in mind and available in either Camo or Olive — the Camo version is lined in surplus 500-denier nylon fabric, while the Olive version is lined in a surplus cotton/nylon twill (originally meant for older military uniforms, but unused).  Oh, and the leather accents even come from the brand’s Redwing, Minn., which itself is a major military supplier. Get it ASAP via Sword and Plough, and know that the brand’s weekender bags — one of which I took with me on a fall trip to Providence — are just as quality.

  • If you fancy yourself in the market for a smaller accessory that pays homage to military inspiration you can’t go wrong with a rugged, durable and stylish casual watch via AVI-8.  Makers of handsome timepieces, they’re offering 30 percent off the brand’s Flyboy Collection now through Monday, November 14th using the code ‘Flyboy‘  — of course, as to the watches themselves, you can’t go wrong with the Flyboy Tuck, inspired by Royal Air Force flying ace Robert Stanford Tuck. The Flyboy Mesh is also clean, crisp and stylish enough for both casual and more refined wear. What are you waiting for, yeah?
  • Now, it’s not quite Veteran’s Day-related, but your footwear closet might need a new addition. CLAE and Style Guide favorite JackThreads just teamed up on a stylish sneaker collaboration that’s in need of your time. The CLAE x JackThreads Bradley is a refined low-top black sneaker with a patent leather cap toe and heel — not your everyday set of kicks. And the CLAE x JackThreads Strayhorn Mid is a unique, affordable and super-stylish high-top chukka sneaker with a wool upper. Yes, you’ll want to wear this with a classic chambray shirt, your favorite cardigan and dark denim soon — very soon.

Want one last way to toast to the weekend?

  • Craft bee is a big passion of mine. Whisky? Not all the time. But whisky aged in craft beer barrels? Bingo. See, we’re not all menswear here at The Style Guide. If that’s the case for you as well, you’d be wise to keep your eyes open for the new Glenfiddich India Pale Ale Cask Finish, a single malt scotch whiskey finished in IPA craft beer barrels and released last month. It’s part of the Glennfiddich Expermental Series, and it’s certainly got the rich flavor and nuanced details to back it up. It’s now out in the public, too  — keep your eyes  open for it at luxury whiskey retail stores, along with premium bars and hotels across the U.S. Cheers!

That brings us to the end of this week’s Friday Read — again, stick around for tomorrow’s Style Pick of the Week, and stay stylish!

-Beau

The Friday Read: Movember, Bombas Socks and Issara Leather 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.

Welcome to another Friday Read, Style Guide fans — y’all are fans of this blog, right?  At any rate, we’re putting another busy work week to bed — last weekend brought with it a trip to Michigan State University, and this week brought with it a busy time at my day job representing Timberland from the PR side of the business. Needless to say, press preview season — both running one and attending several — can be quite hectic, but enjoyable. I’m looking forward to a more relaxing weekend around the city, catching up on a few #menswear photos and taking in the crisp fall weather in Brooklyn. While we’re on the topic of fall style — have you filled out your fall style wish list yet? You best get on that, because bfore we know it, the holiday season will be upon us — yes, I went there. In the meantime, we’ve got you set with fall’s best chukka boots, plus the best way to wear a flannel shirt this fall — and there’s more where that came from. In fact, we very well might — might — be covering great men’s henleys and fall travel tips on The Style Guide in the next week. Stick around for that, and stick around for the best men’s style news this week has to offer.

A fun, essential capsule collection from Richer Poorer supporting a good cause.

A fun, essential capsule collection from Richer Poorer supporting a good cause.

  • So, we’re now into the month of November — and because we like to have a little fun here on the blog, why not snag a neat pair of socks or a simple pocket tee inspired by the “Movember” movement? That’s just what the folks at Richer Poorer are doing — they’ve teamed up with the Movember Foundation to launch a capsule collection featuring a set of Movember-inspired crew socks, plus a pocket tee & boxer briefs — and the best part (other than the brand’s excellent quality) is that 75 percent of each purchase goes to the Movember Foundation.
  • If your sock drawer is in need of a seasonal refresh, it’s high time to grab a simple, crisp pair of Bombas Dress Solids  socks — for every pair sold, the brand donates a pair to homeless shelters, where socks are in high demand. And the brand has a little fun with patterns and colors, namely with the Daymond John x Bombas Sock, which pays homage to their mentor and advisor (that would be Daymond John himself), as well as the brand’s  2014 appearance on  “Shark Tank. They’re socks with a pop of color for a good cause — not too bad at all.

  • The London-based design team behind Issara is in the final days of a Kickstarter campaign for a full lineup of luxury leather goods, notably embedded with smart tracking technology. The line, which includes a clutch, a backpack, a zip wallet, a structured tote, a weekender and a slim bifold wallet, is made ethically from premium full-grain leather, to boot. Plus, each item is embedded with GPS technology from Trackr, designed to help you keep track of your goods. It’s available now for up to 60 percent off — that’s a fantastic deal, all things considered.
  • Luxury shirting maker Eton is launching another neat health and menswear-related movement this November — the brand is selling tie clips engraved with the simple phrase “I Wear The Invisible Tie,” designed to draw awareness to invisible or unspoken men’s health issues. You can pick up the tie bar and in the meantime, know that proceeds are going to charities that conduct research on everything from suicide to prostate and testicular cancer.

That’ll do it for this week’s menswear news — can’t get enough? Start here for what to wear on a weekend coffee date, and continue right on through this way for what to wear to Sunday brunch.

Oh, and swing through tomorrow for our Style Pick of the Week entry featuring a great find from the Huckberry team.

Stay stylish,

-Beau

The Friday Read: Tommy John Undershirts, Michigan State 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.

Last week on The Style Guide, I wrote about hitting the road to head to Providence to see Local Natives – what a trip it was, and what a concert to experience. This weekend, I’m again prepped to hit the road for an equally special trip back to my home state of Michigan! I’ve jetted back and forth a fair amount for everything from a Grand Rapids bachelor party weekend to a Detroit-area wedding (dressed in style the whole way, of course). However, I’ll be dressed for a Midwest fall this time around. Yes indeed, this weekend’s trip brings me back to maybe my favorite place in the world – the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing. For as many great experiences as one can have in a big city like New York, it’s always refreshing and rejuvenating to return to a place that holds so many memories. Of course, in addition to hitting up renowned East Lansing locales like HopCat (and snapping some #menswear photos), it’s a big weekend in another respect. We’re talking Michigan –Michigan State, a football rivalry with an off-the-field intensity that matches the competition between the sidelines. From my days at the student newspaper taking on Michigan’s student newspaper in what could lightly be called “two-hand touch” football through to now, it’s a rivalry that’s a heck of a lot of fun to be a part of – particularly when plays like this one happen. My beloved Spartans have struggled a heck of a lot this year, but it’ll be interesting to see which team shows up on Saturday – to say the least.  But enough football, right? It’s time to recap a few choice items in the week in #menswear, including how to wear an undershirt this season (check it out below). Oh, and stay tuned for our Style Pick of the Week tomorrow. For now, I’ll leave you to it.

Wondering how to buy and wear an undershirt? The right way? Check out this graphic courtesy of Tommy John.

Wondering how to buy and wear an undershirt? The right way? Check out this graphic courtesy of Tommy John.

  • Alright, so it’s Friday. And it’s fall – it’s getting colder bit by bit out there. We could all use an extra layer from time to time – that starts with something like a stylish cardigan, and that carries through to durable socks and of course, an equally durable undershirt. Some guys are anti-undershirt, but you certainly need something made from quality fabric and featuring a proper fit. That’s where the folks at Tommy John come in – they were kind enough to share this solid infographic covering all the in’s and out’s of how to wear an undershirt and what to look for in the right one; by the way, you can pick up a Tommy John undershirt while we’re here. Very handy to have when it gets chilly this winter – after all, you might need another layer underneath your slim chambray shirt to stay warm, ehh?
  • If you haven’t yet completed shopping for your fall style wish list — mine keeps getting longer and longer — you might want to check out the latest from The Hill-Side; I covered the launch of the brand’s autumn collection for The Manual, and it’s chock-full of durable outerwear, premium shirting and tough sneakers, all done in the excellent fabrics for which the Brooklyn-based brand is known. Get on it, will ya?
  • We’re all about the basics at The Style Guide, and well-designed basics that help you live your life better are to be applauded. That same mindset can extend to the technology you carry with you every day — yes, your phone. The Killspencer iPhone 7 Veil is a slim, durable cover that adheres quickly and easily to the back of your phone. Again, it’s a small upgrade that’ll extend the life of your device — and you can read more by yours truly at GearMoose.

We’re keeping it shorter than usual this week at The Style Guide — it’s time to hit the road! Follow along with this weekend’s menswear and football-related action on Instagram and Twitter, and check out a full travel style recap on Monday.

As always — stay stylish, and thanks for reading!

-Beau

Huckberry

The Friday Read: Local Natives, Dockers and Worn & Wound

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.

It’s not every week that it feels like the fun and enjoyment of the weekend keeps on rolling right through the rest of the week — except for perhaps these past few days. As I covered in last week’s Friday Read, I had the great fortune to see CHVRCHES, one of my favorite bands, here in NYC after a three-year wait! The show was so stellar, I snagged a last-second ticket to Sunday’s show, too. Yes, it’s nights like Saturday night — and Sunday night — that make me very grateful to live in NYC. The live effort by CHVRCHES — at both the hallowed Radio City Music Hall and the massive Terminal 5 the next night — was incredible. Great lights, killer sound and tons of energy from one heck of a kickass lead singer, Lauren Mayberry. Martin Doherty and Iain Cook do their fair part to bring great sound and standout energy, too. I’d say they’re another must-see when they come back with their 3rd album! And the fun continued in the early part of this week, as I checked out the very neat Engineered for Motion x Dockers collaboration with a delicious dinner at the Metrograph Commissary, an elegant restaurant and movie house that was the perfect setting for a collaboration that blends the fashionable (stretch utility pants in olive) with the functional (a black fishtail parka, perfect for bike commuters). As I write this however, I’m also prepping for another big run of days — and not just in the menswear realm. I’m heading north to Providence to see yet another live show — yes, I’m a bit obsessed. It’s been more than three years since I last saw Local Natives (in college in Michigan, no less), and as I’ve written before on this here blog, the band’s third album, “Sunlit Youth,” is one of my favorite albums of the year to date — if not my favorite. The band’s music is soulful, engaging, meaningful and well-written — it seems as if every album proves that even more. And if my memory serves me correctly, they put on a heck of a live show! With that being said, if you know of any must-see spots in Providence, chime in on The Style Guide Facebook page. Of course, you can follow along in real-time with my #menswear escapades on Instagram, Instagram Stories — yes, that’s a thing now — and my Twitter.  And lest you think we’re done here, we’ll have a full recap of the trip coming up on Monday. It’ll be a fun one!

  • So, a Style Guide favorite — that would be the fine sock and underwear purveyors at Pair of Thieves — just launched a neat collaboration with Opening Ceremony. There are two sock styles and a plethora of colors to choose from in the PERFECT line, including the more luxe Everyday Sock and the thicker, more athletically inclined Sport Sock. And the kicker? Socks in the Pair of Thieves x Opening Ceremony collaboration  retail for $15 a pair and would be perfect to pair with, say, the durable and tough SeaVees Huckberry Chukka for all your fall adventures. Right? Right.
  • Do you fancy yourself a watch aficionado? Are you in NYC the rest of this weekend? If so, you’d do very well to stop by the Wind-Up Watch Fair, put on by three partners from the online resource site/watch shop/watch lover’s dream that is Worn & Wound. The watch fair brings together more than 30 independent watch makers from across the globe, with enough watches galore to fill up the stylish and always-cool Chelsea Market in NYC. I know I’ll be stopping by — will you?
  • Now, it’s not quite felt fully like fall yet in NYC — temps that feel more like summer have a lot to do with that — but I’d still say it’s worth it to study up on how to wear a flannel shirt for fall; it was this week’s #OOTD, and a mighty stylish one at that.

For now, I’ve got a concert to prep for — and the rest of Providence to explore! We’ll see you on the other side — and maybe in the front.

Stay stylish,

-Beau

The Friday Read: CHVRCHES, Timbuk2 and the East Dane Event of the Season

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.

If the headline at the top of the page wasn’t a dead giveaway, we’ve arrived at Friday once again. How was your week? If it included any menswear shopping — but didn’t include a pass through the East Dane Event of the Season sale — I’d urge you to double-back, ASAP. And if it did include #menswear shopping, that begs the question — are you all set with your Fall Style Wish List? It really is finally starting to feel like everyone’s favorite menswear season around here, and that transition dovetailed nicely with a busy four-day week of seasonal preparations for yours truly. A lovely weekend with my family in NYC led into a Monday spent working on content for this here blog and Effortless Gent, along with the requisite Brooklyn explorations — you can check out the results of that work starting with tomorrow’s Style Pick entry, for one!

And now that the weekend’s nearly here, I get the chance to pursue two of my passions at once. Combining live music and menswear is, as you know from reading The Style Guide, maybe my favorite thing to do — there’s nothing better than checking out live music in NYC and elsewhere, and dressing for a rock concert can be pretty fun, to boot. In this case, it’ll be particularly exciting to see the incomparable CHVRCHES headline Radio City Music Hall on Saturday night! And in fitting fashion, I’m going to be jamming out in some great gear courtesy of Forever21 Men. You can follow along for the whole ride on Instagram  or via Twitter, and know that we’re coming right back at you with another set of (brand-new!) seasonal shopping picks on Monday. Oh, and before I forget — your recap of the week in menswear is below. Carry on.

  • If you need a functional, stylish bag that brings with it a dash of color and intrigue, consider yourself set. The made-in-America gear purveyors at Timbuk2 just opened a new NYC store in NoHo (325 Lafayette Street), and they’re set to open one in Brooklyn (214 Berry Street, to be exact) next month. On top of that, the brand is partnering with artist and native New Yorker Dave Ortiz on a limited-edition messenger bag. The bag features neat zig-zag piping on the exterior and an Ortiz-designed silk screen print interior based on Ortiz’s famed “The Indian” print. Oh, and you know what’s even cooler? The first 100 people at the NoHo store — between 11 a.m. and 7p.m. — on Saturday (that’s tomorrow!) get the chance to trade in any used bag for a brand-new Timbuk2 x Ortiz bag. Keep in mind, though — only the first 100. Get to it! Not bad, ehh?
  • We’ve got another dose of made-in-America menswear comin’ at ya –inspired by workwear and classic heritage, NYC-based Bridge & Boro just launched a Kickstarter celebrating all that American manufacturing has to offer. More specifically, we’re talking the chance to pre-order what looks to be unique, high-quality selvedge denim, made right in America. They’re also offering a small run of plaid shirts for pre-order as part of their initial men’s collection –what say you? Will you be funding this effort?
  • And last but not least, Halloween is on the way. The ever-stylish team at Esquire gets you up to speed on the
    coolest Halloween costumes for stylish guys this season — handy, right?

We’re not done with the week in menswear yet …

  • From a denim overshirt — as featured in this week’s #OOTD — to a heck of a black moto jacket from the team at Taylor Stitch, I rounded up the best jackets for fall over at The Manual. Read now, buy now — am I right, or am I right?
  • Oh, and one last reminder to check out this site’s recap of the best sale picks at East Dane this week — seriously, get on it while you can, as that sale ends at midnight EST on Sunday.

Set your alarm early tomorrow morning — a new seasonal menswear pick o’ the week is coming at you. Until then — stay stylish!

-Beau

The Friday Read: Bastille, U.S. Authentic Leather Jackets and National Sneaker Day

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.

Do you ever reach the end of a week and look back at what a whirlwind it was? That was the case for me, starting even as the week kicked off. Live music is a real passion of mine, and in place of my typical Sunday dinner, I bought a last-minute ticket to The Meadows Afterparty — shows following the first-ever iteration of The Meadows Festival, to see an all-time favorite band, The Temper Trap!  Talk about an unexpected Sunday night opportunity and a tremendous show, at that. If you get the chance, the group’s new album, “Thick As Thieves,” adds a dash of blistering Southern rock influence to their impressive discography (hearing “Sweet Disposition” live was an absolute treat for a Sunday night!).

That led into another unexpected, last-second opportunity — you haven’t lived until you’ve scrambled to snag a ticket on StubHub for Bastille, the extraordinary pop-rock band who blew up the airwaves with “Pompeii” three years ago. It was a very rare treat to see them play at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, one of my favorite venues in New York City, as part of a special mini-tour preceding a truly global effort in support of their excellent second album, “Wild World.” It was made all the more special by the small crowd (see this video as an example!) and the fact that they played nearly all the way through the new album — soon-to-be hits like “Blame” and “Power” are truly live standouts! Catch them on tour if you get the chance (nudge, nudge). Of course, I took it all in stride dressed for a rock concert. It’s a privilege to be able to catch so many great shows multiple nights a week, especially here in the Big Apple! Please go see Bastille if you get the chance — you won’t regret it! And as to the rest of the week, well, we’ll just have to catch up on all things menswear below. It’s bound to be just as busy of a weekend, as I’m hosting my family up from Florida — look for a full personal style blog post coming on Monday!

  • So, get this — National Sneaker Day is coming up on October 9th (who knew?) and the folks at Brooks Heritage want to set you up right, namely with an array of colorful, classic silhouettes that they’ve perfected through the decades. Having checked out a pair of the brand’s Chariot Heritage sneakers, I can vouch for their comfort and quality! See how to style them (for warmer weather, admittedly) in this personal style blog post.
  • Speaking of National Sneaker Day — have you caught wind of the stellar made-in-America partnership between New Balance and Danner? The two brands have teamed up on the American Pioneer Project, one part domestic manufacturing effort and major parts stellar menswear collaboration. First up — the made-in-Maine Danner x New Balance 585, a heck of a premium sneaker made from Horween leather, featuring the kind of silhouette you can wear easily with a blazer and dark blue denim. And thereafter — the Danner Light x New Balance Boot, a hybrid hiking boot featuring New Balance’s signature color palette and a neat blend of materials (we’re talking Horween leather, Cordura mesh and grey suede, to start). Shop ’em now, wear ’em all season!

  • Although a stylish cardigan is a fall menswear must-have, it’s just as essential to have a closet stocked with other sharp sweaters — like these Jamieson’s of Shetland Crew Knits as covered by Well-Spent this week.
  • We all love a rugged Western shirt (like the one seen in this #OOTD), right? Well, GQ covered an especially expensive iteration this week — oh, boy.
  • In need of a new briefcase? Give THE WINGCASE a try — the brand just launched a Kickstarter funding effort for what they’re calling “the smartest briefcase in the world,” complete with a built-in charger and two-in-one functionality via removable compartments. It’s funding quickly, so get on it while it lasts!

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Oh, and one last thing — if you need a durable, heritage-quality leather jacket, check out this week’s #OOTD covering a great option from U.S. Authentic, a brand that’s new to the scene but doing things the right way when it comes to stylish outerwear.

That’s all for this week — keep up with this weekend’s menswear looks via Instagram, and in the meantime — stay stylish,

-Beau

The Friday Read: The GQ for GAP Collection, Throne 2.0 and Levi’s Vintage Clothing

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.  

It seems as if it was just last Friday evening and I was standing in the crowd jamming out to Lucius in Central Park — yet, here we are with a brand-new edition of the Friday Read. The past weekend — and the last few days — have been a nice introduction to fall; if you don’t have a Fall Style Wish List made yet, I’d advise you do so now.  It’s everyone’s favorite time of the year, right?It’s a time for chukka boots, chambray shirts, thick cardigans — you name it, it’s nearly fair game. If I were you, I’d stick around for Monday’s post on … well, we won’t give it all away just yet. If fall travel is in the works, don’t forget that durable weekender bag. And like most weekends, I hope you’ve got your outfit for a football tailgate — seriously, it makes a difference. I’ll be cheering on my Michigan State Spartans as they take on Indiana, and I’ll be exploring the city with my good friend Ian Kullgren, himself a proud Spartan. It was nice to visit with Ian in  Washington, D.C. in May, and I expect just as great of a time checking out the city.  Everything from Central Park to favorite spots off the beaten path, like the excellent Berg’n in Brooklyn, are on the agenda. Oh, and about that football game — Go Green! Before we get to kickoff though, let’s start the weekend with the best in menswear — and keep your eye on the blog tomorrow for a special post with my friends at US Authentic; if you want to talk fall, one of the brand’s leather jackets is the way to go. (Hint: It’s part of the Style Pick of the Week series).

  • While we’re talking all things fall style, the good folks at Esquire picked out the week’s best style upgrades — you might recognize a certain shirt from a certain #OOTD published this week on the blog…
  • A standout watch is the perfect finishing touch when it comes to your ensemble, and us lucky watch aficionados might have just stumbled onto the perfect one. Throne Watches just launched the Throne 2.0, a super-clean yet classic chronograph assembled from Swiss movements. The overall look is stellar — crisp enough for dress situations, versatile enough for casual wear. Truly, you should get your hands on the Throne 2.0 soon (oh, and the sub-$600 price tag isn’t bad, either!)
  • If — like me — you’ve been eagerly perusing GAP’s site for news of the GQ for GAP Collection, you’re in for a treat! If you haven’t seen it already, that is. The new GQ for GAP Collection is live — snap it up quick. A few of those pieces, including that excellent Michael Bastian blazer, look mighty tempting.
  • Lastly in the world of new collection launches as we enter the stellar fall season, Levi’s Vintage Clothing — the premium, workwear-inspired offshoot of Levi’s — just launched a truly great seasonal offering. It’s focused in part on NYC’s hallowed 9th Street Exhibition, a downtown location that served as a backdrop through the 50s for tons of artistic expression — I’m no art history buff, but the resulting menswear is pretty neat, including some excellent 1954 501 Jeans. Good stuff!

Last but not least — one more piece of menswear for y’all:

  • Remember taking summer vacations out West, anyone? Maybe to a national park? Eddie Bauer evokes that sense of nostalgia nicely with its latest launch — a revamp of the brand’s iconic 1936 Skyliner Jacket, this time done up in reversible Pendleton wool patterns that pay tribute to the national parks. It’s a pretty neat feature, to say the least.  You can read more about it via my latest post on The Manual, and you can look for more details on the jacket in the coming weeks on my Instagram (wink, wink).

Enjoy the weekend, and follow along with all things menswear over on Twitter — ’til the Style Pick of the Week post,

-Beau

The Friday Read: Lucius, Timberland and Stylish Chelsea Boots

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 passed a special milestone on the calendar this week at The Style Guide — crucially, the first day of fall! The change in seasons has been lauded, touted and written about a lot on this blog as of late, from our Fall Style Wish List to a look at how to dress for fall weather to a roundup of the best men’s chukka boots out there. So it’s fitting that we’re finally, officially into the season. That meant a busy week of work at my day job, as myself and my Coyne PR colleagues joined forces to launch the Timberland Fall season in earnest with an intimate event for top men’s and women’s style editors. If you want to get a feel for how that went down, know that we worked with the team at Sixfold Leather to craft a very Timberland-centric experience for men’s media involving beautiful beverage carriers and classic Timberland wheat leather — oh, and delicious Brooklyn Brewery beer! Not a bad combination at all. A word to the wise — you should snap up one of Sixfold’s durable, neat-looking beer carriers for yourself while you can. With that event in the books, it’s onward to a busy fall season at The Style Guide HQ and elsewhere. Tonight is a fitting time to catch a bit of a breather, though — I’ll be taking in a concert by the one-of-a-kind indie pop band Lucius as part of the band’s performance at the Central Park SummerStage. I had an amazing time traveling upstate this summer to see them play at Daryl’s House Club in Pawling, N.Y., so I’m very much looking forward to seeing them again! Nothing can top meeting them the last time around, though. No to worry, of course — there’ll be a full personal style blog post recapping the performance and the weekend on Monday! But before we head out the door for the weekend, let’s get back to some menswear news, shall we?

  • Seasonal transitions are much easier to get through if you’ve got the right footwear — we here at The Style Guide love a great pair of Chelsea boots, and so does Playboy (give their style coverage a chance, seriously) — here are the 6 best Chelsea boots to buy for fall.
  • The denim jacket is another easily wearable piece for fall style transitions — the Wall Street Journal has some mighty luxurious options on-tap for the season; wear it over a grey crewneck sweater and your favorite chambray shirt when it gets chilly — trust me.
  • Feel particularly like buying some upscale menswear this week? Or do you have some extra cash to spare? The style team at Maxim assembled three handsome looks featuring some …well, wildly expensive items, from outerwear to accessories.

Still catching up on this week’s style news?

That’s all we’ve got as we wrap up a long week — enjoy your weekend and follow along with my style pursuits on Instagram.

‘Til the Style Pick of the Week,

-Beau

The Friday Read: Paul Fredrick Deals, New Balance Sneakers and Labor Day Weekend

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.  

Can you believe it’s Friday? More importantly, can you believe it’s the Friday before Labor Day weekend? Where did the time go? For this style writer, a lot of this past month has been spent on the road — this particular week, that mean a long, relaxing (and fairly stylish) summer vacation to Florida, including some excellent time spent in the sun and sand. Plus, the trip was capped off by a standout AC/DC concert at the BB&T Center in Fort Lauderdale — I think my hearing is still recovering.  Seriously, though — what a band. You can read much more here, but know that it was worth the early, early flight back to New York the next morning (to say the least). Throughout this past month, it’s also been great to travel back to Michigan for a wedding weekend and a Grand Rapids trip (all the while focused on travel style). I’ve also been really thankful this summer to  check so many items off my to-do list, from an upstate trip to see Lucius, one of my favorite bands, to a standout weekend at Governors Ball and a heck of a Saturday at Panorama. The chance to travel so many neat places, spend so much time with great friends and check out so many cool sights and sounds is one I definitely don’t take for granted — and I hope it’s been a summer of checking things off your to-do list as well (with plenty of highlights, to boot!). But we’re not done yet —  with Labor Day coming up, there are still plenty of chances to dress in style; what else would you expect? And we’ve got a jam-packed next few weeks of content — you can look out for a Fall Style Wish List and neat features that run the gamut from what to wear during football season to more personal travel style posts. Are you ready? I sure am. Keep up with daily style tips and tricks on Instagram, and check out a bit more daily #menswear at The Style Guide Facebook page.

Need one last story to read?

  • If you need more Labor Day style essentials, check out the top picks I rounded up over at GearMoose — I think they’re some pretty stylish selections, if I do say so myself!

The Friday Read: JackThreads TryOuts Program and New Gear from Michael Strahan

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.  

Online shopping made considerably easier. Photo courtesy of JackThreads.

Online shopping made considerably easier. Photo courtesy of JackThreads.

This week’s Friday Read takes a bit of a departure from the usual, but bear with me as we kick off Memorial Day weekend. If you click on any given post on this site, from the #OOTD series  to Online Shopping Picks and the weekly Style Pick series, there’s a darn good chance you’re going to come across some gear from the fine folks at JackThreads. Since launching its own menswear vertical last fall, the brand has garnered a ton of attention from this #menswear writer for a unique and hard-to-find mix of affordably priced essentials for every season (some of which I’ve had the good fortune to test out). Truly, the quality is no joke.

They’ve got a stellar tobacco topcoat just waiting for you when it gets cold out, they’ve got slim denim shirts and indigo polos for right now (and later), they’ve got a plethora of stylish (and new) swimwear — you name it, it’s in the brand’s digital store. But how to access all this style awesome-ness (spell-check, anyone?) without knowing if the gear fits or looks good on you? Easy. The brand’s new TryOuts program, which launched on Wednesday, is here to help. Here’s the skinny: Pick out your gear, pay nothing for shipping, and try it out. Only pay for what you keep, and then send the rest back — for free. It’s not a bad deal at all, it’s easy to sign up and use,  and it plays off findings from the brand, who says more than 50 percent of the time, millennial guys leave items in their carts because of purchaser uncertainty (I know I’ve been there). So, this system aims to solve all that. If testing is any indication, the response has been largely positive — and it’s tough to ignore it when it’s such a great deal. Might I recommend you start with the JackThreads Field Jacket, among other picks? Sign up for the TryOuts program here, and stick with The Style Guide below for more of this week’s menswear news and notes. What are you up to for Memorial Day weekend in the meantime? Head to my Instagram to follow along as I travel upstate, and catch The Style Guide on Facebook for more!

  • On the style collab front, Michael Strahan  (the ex-NFL star turned talk show host) just launched the MSX by Michael Strahan line, a collection of polos, shorts, jackets henleys and affordably priced tees that merge functional fabrics with smart fits and eye-catching colors (plus, nary a pesky athletic logo in site).
  • Levi’s also teamed up once again with the Harvey Milk Foundation for its first-ever global Pride collection (and third overall) celebrating the legacy of activist and politician Harvey Milk. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Harvey Milk Foundation, and  the offering includes pieces like a classic trucker jacket emblazoned with some nice design details.
  • And if you’re already thinking ahead to the coming fall season (it’ll be here before you know it, rest assured that Canada Goose will be upping its physical retail presence pretty markedly — to the tune of opening flagship stores in Tokyo and NYC later this year. Each store clocks in at more than 4,000 square feet, and “will be an invitation to explore the company’s rich heritage and unique culture through the curated exhibition of vintage designs.” Pretty neat, ehh?
  • On other men’s lifestyle matters, GQ.com sat down for a quick, snappy and very neat interview with respected actor/musician/playwright Jeff Daniels — it’s substantive, fun and motivating.

Need just a bit more reading material before you hit the road?

  • I had a tremendous time last weekend with my family in and around NYC — here’s a post recapping all of the great men’s style gear I rocked during that mini-vacation!
  • If you’re gearing up for a summer wedding, do so in style with wedding season picks from Combatant Gentleman — part of my latest post over at The Manual.

Look for our regular Style Pick of the Week tomorrow, and stay tuned for trip coverage from my upstate vacation on Monday.

Enjoy the weekend!

-Beau
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