Tag / weekly style picks

by Beau H.

Style Pick of the Week: Danner x New Balance miUSA 585 Sneakers

Editor’s note: Expect these posts weekly detailing one standout item coveted by yours truly. Sometimes, these fit within budgetary restrictions and other times, they’re expensive splurges worth saving for. For more Wish List items from Beau, head here, and to see other Style Picks, head here.

bs-jacket-photo-1-edited

Contemplating the weekend in NYC’s Bryant Park — during a Friday lunch break. miUSA 585 Sneakers from the Danner x New Balance collab. Cole Bomber Jacket by Beckett Simonon. Cove Shirt by Life/After/Denim. Slim black selvedge by Todd Shelton. Waterbury Chrono by Timex x Red Wing Heritage. Colorblocked socks by Richer Poorer. Glasses by Frameri.

Perhaps it’s been the slightly breezy, fall-esque weather in Brooklyn, but durable, premium footwear is certainly something that’s been on the mind of your Style Guide publisher, editor and writer as of late. Although we just covered the excellent SeaVees Huckberry Chukka in last week’s Style Pick of the Week post, we’re back at it here with a pair of footwear that’s every bit as perfect for fall style — and quite a bit pricier, if we’re being honest.  Yes indeed, the Danner x New Balance miUSA 585 is quite the sneaker, blending the ingenuity and technology of New Balance with the quality and craftsmanship of Danner. Oh, and it’s made in America at New Balance’s Maine factory. Sounds too good to be true, ehh? Not so fast, my friend. Having tested out these sneakers, I can tell you that they’re the real deal — and then some. The Danner x New Balance miUSA 585 takes advantage of the best of the best that these two Portland-based companies have to offer (that would be New Balance’s roots in Maine, and Danner’s home base in Oregon). It’s part of the American Pioneer Project, and that partnership also features the Danner x New Balance Light, an outdoor boot that merges hybrid style and performance. The 585 is a bit of a different look from your classic boot or sneaker, though. The 585 takes New Balance’s traditional outdoor trail silhouette, and merges it with the sort of durable touches found on Danner boots, like rich Horween leather. Boot laces give these sneakers a sporty-yet-versatile look, and ballistic nylon found on the upper also gives it a ton of durability, as does So is it a sneaker? A boot? How do you wear it? All crucial questions given the price tag ($359.99 ain’t exactly cheap, fellas).

The answer to the first of those two questions would be that, yes — it’s a sneaker. But it can wear like a boot. The higher heel prevents you from rolling your ankle, critical whether you’re dashing to the subway or the plane — or stepping out of your favorite pub (right? Right??). It’s fit for casual Friday pairings aplenty, as you can see above — try it with a beautiful Beckett Simonon suede bomber jacket, a patterned shirt (the one at the top is from Life/After/Denim), and slim black Todd Shelton selvedge. Now, you’ll have to wait for that bomber jacket, but the good news is that you can pick up these sneakers, and wear them, right away. The rich Horween leather gives the Danner x New Balance miUSA 585 a dressier feel than most kicks — given the price tag, you’re going to want to get as much wear out of them as you can. Just be sure to keep them nice and cleaned up (soap and water on a cloth is a quick way to keep the heel and sole scuff-free). The Horween leather should develop a nice patina over time, too. And lest we forget, the combination between sporty and casual style means you can team them up with a lightweight navy blazer and dark blue denim at the office, and they’re absolutely perfect to wear with a slim cardigan and a classic Taylor Stitch chambray shirt for a sharp weekend coffee run. The difficult thing is going to be resisting the urge to wear them into winter — these are sneakers that should be stored for a  bit, then broken back out in the spring. In the meantime, the Danner x New Balance miUSA 585 will look plenty handsome on your shelf.

While you mull that sneaker purchase, follow along with The Style Guide on Facebook.

by Beau H.

Style Pick of the Week: Stock Mfg. Co. Pocket Tee

Editor’s note: Expect these posts weekly detailing one standout item coveted by yours truly. Sometimes, these fit within budgetary restrictions and other times, they’re expensive splurges worth saving for. For more Wish List items from Beau, head here, and to see other Style Picks, head here.

An update to the standard T-shirt, crafted from durable cotton and dyed with indigo for a unique color.

An update to the standard T-shirt, crafted from durable cotton and dyed with indigo for a unique color.

When the weather warms up, there’s probably no style I love to rock more consistently than a slim pocket tee made from durable fabric.  Of course, I always appreciate a rugged short-sleeve henley, too. But a pocket tee is a great visual go-between for when you don’t just want to throw on a plain T-shirt. Is it the fanciest item of clothing in the world? Certainly not. But hey, who said T-shirts weren’t essential items of clothing for the weekend — or under a slim navy blazer? No one, that’s who (had to put my foot down there). What’s more, looking great in a T-shirt is another plus of warmer weather. So with all that  being said, allow me to introduce this week’s Style Pick of the Week: The Indigo Vintage Wash Pocket Tee from Stock Mfg. Co. The brand, like so many other Style Guide favorites, is all about refining  (and re-defining) American classics, like the humble T-shirt, with great fabrics, modern fits and a dash of heritage quality. In fact, the brand’s Sage Linen Buttondown was a summer style favorite of this writer. The fact that the brand produces its garments in a family-owned factory that also makes non-combat military garments is applause-worthy in and of itself, and this T-shirt is no exception.

The Indigo Vintage Wash Pocket Tee is made from a durable 6.6oz. cotton that should hold up quite well over time thanks to the heavier weight (a flimsy tee from a fast-fashion retailer, this is not). The pigment dye and enzyme wash should give it an exceptionally soft fabric feel, too. That means it’ll feel just as well-worn (in a good way) as your favorite broken-in tee. That quality gives it the styling potential to be paired with everything from white sneakers and lightwash denim to an unconstructed blazer and slim tan chinos (a favorite combination of your humble author, in fact). Plus, the lighter blue allows it to play nicely off a tough denim jacket for a nice way to mix up your blues. You’re paying quite a bit more than you would for a standard white tee, but you also get all kinds of styling potential through spring and summer (feel free to throw it on under a grey shawl cardigan in winter, too). Just a T-shirt? Anything but.

Happy shopping and thanks so much for reading!

-Beau


by Beau H.

Style Pick of the Week: Taylor Stitch Slim Chino in Light Stone

Editor’s note: Expect these posts weekly detailing one standout item coveted by yours truly. Sometimes, these fit within budgetary restrictions and other times, they’re expensive splurges worth saving for. For more Wish List items from Beau, head here, and to see other Style Picks, head here.

The perfect way to step into spring and summer -- with a crisp chino from Taylor Stitch.

The perfect way to step into spring and summer — with a crisp chino from Taylor Stitch.

With last week’s Style Pick of the Week, we covered a lightweight, casual layer — all in the name of moving a little toward spring. This week’s Style Pick continues to move things in that same direction, bit by bit. The fine folks at Taylor Stitch are a Style Guide favorite for an untold number of reasons. From its ridiculously high-quality and versatile Standard Issue Slim Chino to its drool-worthy Moto Jacket and  quick-selling pieces like its Blackwatch Yosemite Shirt, the brand does things the right way. That means plenty of heritage styling inspiration (plus modern fits), and tough construction that just won’t quit. That also means that some of its pieces are rightfully a bit pricey. But as far as spring style at a nice pricepoint goes, you just can’t beat the Slim Chino in Light Stone. It’s up for pre-funding right now on the Taylor Stitch Web site, so they’re set to ship in mid-May. However, I’d highly suggest you get on ’em now — namely because they’re available for $78 versus the full price of $98. Toss in a 20 percent discount for first-time email subscribers, and you’re looking at just over $60 for a highly versatile pair of chinos. If you’re intimidated by that color? Fear not — it’s still plenty versatile.

This offering represents a brand-new color for Taylor Stitch -- plenty wearable and warm weather-ready.

This offering represents a brand-new color for Taylor Stitch — plenty wearable and warm weather-ready.

Made from a 9.5oz. brushed Spanish twill in Spain and cut slim (although the more forgiving Democratic fit is also available), you should approach these chinos as you might a darker shade of khaki. That is to say, they can be mixed in with brown suede chukkas, a denim jacket and a chambray shirt for easygoing, spring-centric casual style. And that lighter color is also going to work nicely with shades of blue — everything from a heather navy polo  to a cashmere sweater for when it’s abit chillier. They can even ground a grey shawl-collar cardigan in the early fall, so they’re worth the investment. Don’t underestimate the power of pants this color to be worn in a more continental fashion, either — look to James Bond for an example. The smaller details are on-point, too — note the brand’s signature printed San Francisco map pocket liner on the interior of the pants. The inseam is cut long for some of us (36 inches, to be exact) so they might require some tailoring. But for the starter-level price of just under $80, they’re a great deal from a brand that knows how to deliver the goods, seemingly no matter the product. The most difficult part is going to be waiting until May for them to ship. Good things really do take time.

Would you pre-fund these Taylor Stitch chinos? How would you style them for spring and summer?

Shop the latest in Men's styles Under $50 + get FREE Shipping on orders over $100 at Frank & Oak!

Florsheim