Having just visited London and shopped on this street, I would call this nothing short of a tragedy for the sartorially-minded male. So much history and craftsmanship reside on these few blocks.

Jermyn Street was originally named so after Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of St. Albans, and has been peddling fine men’s clothing – particularly shirts (Savile Row is to suits as Jermyn Street is to shirts) – since the middle of the 18th century. Keep reading to find out a little bit more that I learned while I was there…

Shortly after entering Jermyn Street, you are greeted by Beau Brummell, a 19th century gentleman who apparently defined elegance and style during his business around town. He stands guard of the street with the following quote on his plaque:

“To be truly elegant, one should not be noticed.”

I did manage to quickly visit each and every store on the block, but in sticking with tradition on this blog, have decided to highlight the most affordable of the lot.

T.M. Lewin began on Jermyn Street in 1898 and has been a staple there since, despite expanding to more than 60 stores across the UK. I found TM Lewin to be the most affordable of the shops I visited, and was so without sacrificing fit and modernity. I ended up buying two shirts, two ties and a suit at this store before it was all said and done. Their clothes, especially the slim cut dress shirts, embody English tailoring and the pocket-pleasing prices were certainly welcome on an otherwise expensive street.

They support a vast website for men and women – and you can find it here.

Charles Tyrwhitt is the new kid on the block on Jermyn Street. This shirt and suit retailer was only founded in 1986 by Nicholas Charles Tyrwhitt Wheeler to become a mass-producer of men’s and women’s shirts. Their prices are also on the reasonable side, especially during their annual end-of-range sale where I found the perfect blue and white striped, french-cuffed shirt I had been searching for all week for a mere 24 pounds.

This particular shirt is from their slim fit line. I have owned a couple of their traditional cuts and do find them to be very “American” in that regard – much more baggy and flowing. Whatever style and collar you prefer can be found at their website.

Another shirt retailer that began as a Jermyn Street staple and has since advanced and expanded globally is Thomas Pink. Slightly more expensive, but with superior selection, fit and quality, the Pink experience is something to behold. They pride themselves on service and catering to the customer, providing them with whatever they need.

Photo courtesy of Debi Kirksey

This couldn’t be more true than in the example of their White Shirt bar, located at the Jermyn Street shop. A customer has dozens of choices for their made-to-order white dress shirt such as cuff, collar, fit, buttons, tabs, and a plethora of other decisions. Their sales representatives are happy to spend as long as it takes to find the perfect white shirt for you – and then you are expected to buy, buy, buy.

Visit the Thomas Pink website for more information.

Photo courtesy of Hawes and Curtis

Another imminently affordable shop along the route is Hawes & Curtis. H&C  was established in 1913 by two friends with a mission of providing quality products while also seeking out the opinion of customers to help define the inventory and style of shirt. They boast the Prince of Wales on their client roster and have also significantly expanded throughout the UK.

Hawes & Curtis have a useful and substantial web presence here.

Other famous shirt-makers and purveyors include the pricier, but classic and timeless Turnbull and Asser;

Photo courtesy of Debi Kirksey

As well as Hilditch & Key.

Photo courtesy of Debi Kirksey

Quickly, Jermyn Street became one of my favorite places to browse, window shop and daydream. I visited the short little road at least three times on my trip, finding myself with each subsequent visit wishing more and more I could live near such a treasure chest of men’s fashion.

If some of it is to be remodeled and destroyed in the process, it will be devastating to those who see value in the historical precedence of elegance. These places for men are few and far between, but Jermyn Street certainly tops the list. Visit it when you can.

For more information on Jermyn Street, visit the street’s Association web page.

]]> http://mensstylerevival.com/2009/08/19/save-jermyn-street/feed/ 1 rkirksey IMG_0590 IMG_0482 IMG_0480 IMG_0479 IMG_0494 white shirt HCShop turnbull hilditch http://mensstylerevival.com/2009/08/07/pant-length/ http://mensstylerevival.com/2009/08/07/pant-length/#comments Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:04:02 +0000 Ryan Kirksey http://mensstylerevival.com/?p=290 ]]> Quick one today, as I am always happy to oblige when someone asks me a question or seeks my opinion about something.

The question of appropriate length for men’s pants came up at work (I have no idea how or why), so I thought I would illustrate my opinion through written word and, hopefully, some good pictures.

When discussing length of pants, I truly believe in the same two rules whether I am covered in dress pants, jeans or chinos. These two guidelines can help in assuring pants are never too long or, perhaps worse, too short.

1. Pant legs should be straight through the leg and only “break” once above the shoe, no more than about an inch and a half. Here is what I mean:

Picture from Saksfifthavenue.com

Notice the “break” about an inch and a half above the right foot. There is no bunching at the bottom and the pants are not folding over the shoes. It stops at just the right place, about halfway down the laces.

2. Typically, I like the back of my pants to stop just above the heel of my shoe. This guarantees that I will not be stepping on them on the back side, and assists in the proper length in the front.

Picture from bananarepublic.com

These are about a quarter to a half inch above the heel, which is just about right.

And as you might have noticed, slim dress pants add to the perception that they fit well. Slimmer pants don’t give off the impression of bagginess and bunchiness like looser fitting pants can.  Ususally, the same holds true for jeans and chinos, but the issue often with those two types of pants is that they are typically designed and made baggier and looser to provide comfort in a versatile pant.

Affordable options I recommend at the moment are the Gap 1969 Authentic fit jeans and J. Crew’s slim-fit broken-in chino.

I am going to let real life segue into the post this time and then we can quickly get into one of my favorite things.

This week, I celebrated six wonderful and unforgettable years with my beautiful wife with a great dinner out, time with friends and playing with my daughter. It was the best.

When wedding talk began creeping into the picture about eight years ago, it became necessary that I learn about the infamous Four C’s. Gentlemen, if you are not familiar with the Four C’s, and you are ever planning on getting married, may I suggest you start Wiki-ing it now?

The Four C’s typically refer to the four things to look for when picking out a diamond – in my case, an engagement ring. These four refer to color, cut, clarity and carat.

And while I am sure places like Zales invented this alliterative tool to convince you to buy a more expensive diamond than is necessary, it is a requirement to follow these rules when selecting engagement finger-wear.

We are talking about dress shirts in this post, including a little bit about their history, what to look for in purchasing and some that I currently find appealing. While discussing dress shirts, I want to impart on you another set of Four C’s – this one my creation, but just as valuable to the man, and also sure to please the lady-friend as well. Just don’t expect the same reaction to a well-fitting dress shirt as you would get with diamonds.

The four important things you should know about dress shirts are: cut, cloth, collar and cuff.

Cut

When buying a dress shirt, you essentially have two main options when it comes to its make: ready-to-wear (or off-the-rack) and bespoke (or custom-made). I personally have never had a shirt custom made, but I hear it is a heavenly experience. Regardless, most shirt tailors charge a minimum of $100 per shirt and most have a minimum order (especially your traveling tailors or the more high-end names).

So the majority of us are going to buy off the rack. But off the rack does not mean that quality or fit has to be sacrificed; it just depends on what you are willing to pay. Personally, I have seen dress shirts sold for as little as $14.99 and for as much as $800.

But from the high-end to the imminently affordable, most labels are going to feature multiple cuts or fits of their shirts within their respective lines. The trick is finding what fits you best, and then searching for one within your budget.

You have heard it here multiple times, but slim is in. Mass-production designers are noticing, but also have tough decisions to make. While a tailor for a bespoke shirt can fit one to your precise measurements, labels have to produce for the masses, and the masses don’t always look the same. Designing this way has led to two basic measuring metrics for ready-to-wear.

Sizes - this is your standard small, medium, large, extra-large, etc. What this means from label to label is up to them. Most labels are going to have a pattern they draw from to determine these sizes. Whether that pattern starts out narrow or more obtuse is up to them. Many of your medium-range shirts when it comes to price are sold this way: think Banana Republic and J. Crew.

Measures - when you see that a dress shirt is a 16/35 on the tag or price slip, that has a distinct meaning. The size of your neck in inches will always come first followed by the length of the sleeve from the end of the shoulder to the bottom of the wrist. Most of your department-store dress shirts as well as your high-end labels are going to size them this way, but for drastically different reasons.

Department stores are selling to the large masses so they need to be prepared to provide something for every man that might walk in the door. High-ends, in my opinion, provide them in these sizes because the people that are buying them are dropping quite bit of coin and they need to know they are going to fit impeccably.

Two important things when considering cut. Go to a reputable men’s clothing store immediately and get the salesperson to measure you in those two areas so you at least having a starting point when looking for shirts. Get re-measured every six months or so so you are always looking for the right thing. Second, always try things on. Don’t worry about taking something out of a package or unwrapping something, that is why the salespeople are there and they should be happy to help you with different varieties. Not trying something on can lead to a miserable experience in your shirt a la the Gordon Gartrell knockoff from one of my favorite fashion moments ever on the small screen.

“No 14-year-old boy should have a $95 shirt unless he is on stage with his four brothers!” And no matter what his friends said when he accidentally lets them see it, this is not and never will be a cool dress shirt.

Cloth

You have a lot of possibilities when considering the cloth with which you shirt is made. The basic (and where we will spend our time today) is cotton; you’ve got linen, polyester (not really many pure polyesters, but rather polyester blends), and then various subgroups of these such as gingham or poplin.

When considering cotton, dress shirts are usually like your bed-sheets; the higher the thread count, the higher the quality. Basically, thread count means that the producer has counted the number of threads in a square inch of material, in this case, cotton. More thread in that count usually leads to softer, finer material which is ideal when considering dress shirts, especially in mild climates.

It has been said that an average thread count for cotton shirts is around 150, so you might see some places from time to time advertise their 180′s or 200′s on sale – and that refers to thread count. Always view these “better quality” shirts for yourself before purchase to make sure it is a pure weave and not some combo hybrid or something.

Poplin refers to a fabric that has some sort of rigid yarn of something (usually silk, rayon or wool) running through that gives it more of a structured or “unwrinkled” look. A lot of the wrinkle-free brands you see advertised are probably poplin or poplin blends. Easy to pick up and wear as well as throw in the dryer if you aren’t able to dry-clean.

Gingham is the standard plaid or checkered look you see on so many dress shirts today. Essentially it is an inter-weaving between two fabrics or fabric that has been dyed different colors. The blue and white windowpane shirt that it seems like every man has is your basic gingham.

Linen or linen-cotton blend is, of course, a very light-weight fabric that is ideal for very warm weather. Made from the flax plant, it is often very difficult to and labor-intensive to produce, so can regularly be more expensive than similar garments made from other materials, according to Wikipedia.

Any of these are going to be fine for you to wear in 2009 and beyond, but please don’t let me catch anyone in a silk dress shirt. Are you one of these guys?

Cuff

When it comes to cuffs on a dress shirt, you have two main options – not a lot of variety. Cuffs on dress shirts come as your basic barrel cuff, with usually one or two buttons, or your French cuff, which may or may not be adjustable, depending on the brand.

Barrel cuffs are by far the most common whether we are talking about mass-produced or designer dress shirts. These have a button hole on one side of the cuff and the button on the other – obviously. So while these don’t need much of an explanation, let me give you my guidelines for rolling up the sleeves of a barrel cuff shirt (something that is best ignored with French cuff shirts).

First, just unbutton the cuffs and leave the button on the sleeve vent still clasped. Do your normal one turn up and then do a second. But on the second, start tucking the fabric of the sleeve you are turning up into the roll. It will start to seem very tight, but you should be able to do it a third and possibly fourth time until the sleeve rests properly at about the elbow. The advantage to leaving the sleeve vent button clasped is that the sleeve remains tight and slim on your arm instead of baggy and loose like it would have to be if that button was undone.

Getting back to cuffs to wrap up, remember that French cuffs are for more formal occasions or to be worn with a suit and should normally be avoided when not wearing a jacket – although I have certainly been caught breaking this rule.

And no matter how debonair Brad Pitt may make it seem, please avoid the Ocean’s 11 unfolded French cuff he wears for the first quarter of the movie.

Collar

When considering collars, you are going to be faced with about four traditional options. Any of the four are appropriate, but some tend to be more popular regionally – whether that is throughout the U.S. or other parts of the world. Here are your four basic types and a little about each:

Straight Point

Straight point makes up the most common collar on for-sale dress shirts, and can work well with any facial structures or suit/tie type. With nothing extraordinary about it, you can usually find straight point collars at 2-3 inches between points on the collar (this distance is standard for how a shirt’s collar is referenced). On shirts with these types of collars, you will have a narrower opening for the tie than you would on other shirt collars.

Spread

Looking just like the name says it should, a spread collar is wider from point to point than the straight point collar – usually a full 3.5 to 4.5 inches, ideal for those who have  a narrower neck to add some thickness to the complexion and make the face and neck seem wider. Sometimes you will see thicker tie knots, like a four-in-hand, on a spread collar.

Windsor

A variation of the spread collar, and also known as the wide spread, this is what’s often seen as a popular collar for very formal wear or in Europe (especially in the UK). The Windsor is categorized by a very wide distance from point to point, sometimes six inches, to the point where it seems like there is a straight line across the collar as opposed to a triangle or an opening.

This style was popularized by England’s Duke of Windsor and continues to gain a slow but steady following over in the states.

Button Down

Created by Brooks Brothers in the U.S., these serve as very functional and practical shirts that have the collars buttoned down to ensure there will be no shifting by the tie and that the collar will stay in place. Still, this remains a more casual style of collar and is not recommended for business suits or other more formal attire. Probably, these are best worn with a sport-coat or in an ensemble with no coat or tie required.

Good pictures of these and more as well as a guide to what to wear with your type of face can be found here.

Just please don’t let me see you in a collar like this one.

In that outfit, yes, you are funny like a clown, yes, you do make me laugh, and yes, you are here to amuse me.

And finally, some recommendations. Right now, my favorite dress shirts are from Zara and Ted Baker. Go search through the racks at Zara if you want a very well-fitting, well-made dress shirt that looks good with suits and jeans and won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Ted Baker will run you around $150, but I have a hard time finding dress shirts that fit better across my chest and torso than these quality shirts.

My parents recently bought me a shirt from T.M. Lewin on London’s Savile Row, and I love it as well, so it may be added to the list soon

- A. Whitney Brown

OK, so my frustration doesn’t exactly run that deep when it comes to something trivial like style. But last week at the gym, I was reminded of one of my biggest pet peeves concerning matters of satire.

I must preface what I am about to write with a reminder about context. I never have a problem with  someone because they have chosen a particular style for themselves. But in each particular style, there are  – rules is not the right word – standards that should be observed whether your style is classic, urban, preppy, or any other fashion choice.

Most of my pet peeves result from failure to follow the standards in a given style paradigm. Saying “I choose to present myself this way,” and then not doing that appropriately is what gets my blood boiling.

So, in no particular order, here are my top nine most hair-raising:

Same color shirt and tie

The inspiration for this post at the gym came when I saw a fine-looking gentleman getting dressed to head back to work in his business attire. He proceeded to put on a maroon-ish colored shirt with a tie that was an identical match in color and in material – undoubtedly bought together as a set.

A similar combination, albeit in a slightly more offensive  color, can be found here for some idea of what I am talking about. The pocket square also gives it that extra little punch of formal obnoxiousness.

For my money, the only time your tie should match your shirt would be if you are attending a white-tie affair. Or unless you are this guy.

Pleats

Full disclosure: I own at least two suits that have pleats in the pants. I must admit this before I go further. These two suits are bought from well-known department stores and, believe it or not, almost a decade into this century, it is still difficult to shop at a department store and find suits that don’t come with pleated pants.

But, perhaps for personal reasons, I can somewhat excuse pleats on a suit because you will always have your jacket covering them. Otherwise, I just can’t stand them.

A perfect example of why is on display in the new May issue of GQ on page 36 in a section they now regularly run called Project Upgrade, where they take an ordinary guy off the street, and using the same style of wardrobe in which they found him, provide him with clothes that fit and look better – for the same price as the clothes he already owns. This month featured a 28-year-old golfer who entered with a pair of pleated khaki pants that looked so insanely wide and inflated, the magazine ran a disclaimer stating that they in no way Photoshopped or altered the picture of him in his pants.

You see, pleats (designed originally to allow more fabric to fit on a narrower piece of clothing) stretch pants out on the sides as well as the front when they are filled, and unnecessary bulge is created. This is certainly not what men want or need. Flat-front pants are cleaner, straighter lines that fit and sit better on a man. A straight line from the hip to the shoe is what should be desired, and pleats tend to distort that with extra weight and material.

Sagging Clothes

Note that this does not read “baggy clothes.” I realize and accept that baggy clothes are an integral part of urban wear and even some casual wear – baggy clothes are not usually acceptable for business attire, but they do have their place.

By sagging clothes, I really mean clothes that are falling off of someone, or pants that are sitting at mid-thigh or shirts that reach the knees – those are saggy clothes.

Is this really what you want people to see as you walk down the street? These people do have dedication to their craft, however, because they constantly must hold their pants with one hand to keep them off the ground.

Baggy can work, and work well. Flaunting your undergarments in public? That will never be in style.

Black With Khaki or Tan

Believe me, I see plenty of this around, especially by golfers and business-casual office workers – so there will be a lot of people that disagree with me here. More specifically, I am speaking about the black belt and shoes with khaki or tan pants.

For me, it’s about consistency. Khaki and tan are obviously part of the brown color family. We’ve all been taught or heard before that brown and black don’t mix, and while there are certain exceptions to that, a very light brown like khaki and a dark black, just don’t seem to be consistent with one another.

There are certainly a variety of opinions about this matter – check out this forum as a good example. But if I am making a list of MY pet peeves, it certainly makes the cut.

Buttoning Every Button on Suit Jacket or Sport Coat

For single-breasted suits, you generally have three options: three button (most common), two button (becoming more popular) and one button (rare). Any more than three buttons and you either don’t know what you’re doing or you are part of the Kings of Comedy tour. Ideally for a suit, you would have a jacket with two buttons. This allows longer lapels, a slimmer cut and more room in the chest.

No matter what type of suit you have, there should never be more than one button clasped on your jacket. Follow these guidelines:

Three Button Suit – only middle button should be clasped
Two Button Suit – top button should be clasped
One Button Suit – not much choice here

Double-breasted suits tend to follow a pattern of only needing to button the top row of buttons, just below the lapel. But please remember to button not only the inner button but also the one on the overlap – lest you have two huge pieces of fabric flowing at your side.

And for God’s sake, please stick with a traditional double-breasted suit at a modest length. Not something like this:

Ties that are too Long or too Short

A few simple guidelines here. This is  where a tie should land when it is done properly; right at the middle of the belt buckle:

This tie worn by John McEnroe is definitely too long:

While this one is certainly too short:

And this one by Karl Malone at the 1985 NBA draft is WAY too short. But I certainly won’t be the ones to tell him that:

A few words about shorter ties. It was once, and in some circles still is, considered acceptable for a man to tie his tie shorter, especially if it was with a full Windsor knot. But it was also understood that if that were the case, men would also leave their jackets on and buttoned, thus not revealing the tie’s end. If you follow this philosophy, please always wear a jacket and keep it buttoned.

Jacket Sleeves that are too Long

Conventional wisdom on the dress shirt and jacket combo is that there should be about a half-inch of sleeve that peaks out from under the jacket at any given time. Too often, I see jackets that have obviously been bought straight off the rack and the sleeves that been left at their original length with no alteration. This is a simple clothier tailoring procedure that will cost you a few bucks and will keep you from looking like this…

When you should be looking more like this:

Both pictures taken from the following link:

Perhaps no other detail in a suit jacket lends more to one looking like they do not have a coat that fits than sleeves that are too long or short. Too long? You look much shorter than you already are. Too short? You look like you are holding onto something a little too long when it should have been retired about 25 washes ago.

Athletic Shoes with Everything

What is important to realize about shoes is that they are all made with a specific purpose in mind when they are designed and produced. Boat shoes are made with thoughts that they will be worn on boats and near water, basketball shoes are made to protect ankles and provide comfort during basketball, dress shoes are meant to look elegant with the suit (man’s most prominent clothing), and tennis shoes are made for – want to guess? – tennis!

So unless one is making a habit of playing tennis in their business-casual wear, or going for a run in a suit, the athletic shoes need to be saved for their appropriate time. Believe it or not, there are many-a-pair of comfortable, durable, walk-able shoes that work well with jeans, chinos and other casual clothes that are not an athletic shoe or tennis shoe.

For a more casual, jeans and t-shirt day, the Keds brand is actually beginning to make a comeback to the classic, simple shoes that work with many looks. For a mere $50 you can own the canvas shoe in about eight or nine different colors.

If you are thinking it is more like a jeans and dress shirt day, or a chinos and polo day, try one of the Cole Haan shoes with the Nike Air technology such as the Pinch Penny.

These are built to endure a lot of walking and provide comfort whilst doing so. Knowing that, there shouldn’t be any worries that you have to sacrifice comfort for style when not participating in sports.

So, unless you are a part of the “Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Weekend,” let’s leave the athletic shoes for the playing field and the gym.

Cell Phones Clipped to the Belt

Words can’t do quite the justice that pictures can in this case:

Really? Yes, that last item really does exist and is for sale. Apparently they are trying to attract the crowd that miss their house-arrest ankle monitors.

Seriously, this is why coat pockets were invented, right? To hold things such as cell phones. I recently read an interview with a men’s designer who mentioned that he is now keeping situaitons like this in mind when he designs clothes; making sure that pockets and compartments in jackets and pants are plentiful in anticipation of people wanting to be able to carry their phones and iPods and other gadgets without them being seen.

Keep the phones out of sight.

In my mind, not only is summer defined by things like movies, but movies define summer as well. There are so many iconic summer scenes in movies from Jaws to From Here to Eternity to National Lampoon’s Vacation, that it is clear life has begun to reflect art as we perpetually wait out the dreary, overcast winter months in anticipation of brighter and better days.

My all-time favorite movie is one that has absolutely nothing to do with summer or warmer weather, save for the last scene. Despite spending two-and-a-half hours in confinement with the prisoners at a cold, Maine prison, the last 30 seconds of The Shawshank Redemption leaves the viewer with a reunion of Andy and Red on a warm, summer day at a secluded beach in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. This place and time for them represented hope, a new life, a new beginning from the lives they had been forced to lead for so many years – much like summer represents for so many people every year.

Like so many famous summer movie scenes, summer fashion is also memorably iconic; it’s about swimwear, sunglasses, shorts and linen. It’s about boat shoes, polos and lightweight suits. And with all other seasons, there are certain things that are must-haves.

Using the last few seconds of that scene, and though the time-frame is 1967, I can spot quite a few summer items to own. So to segue into how this relates to style, I will make it very short and simple and use Andy and Red’s reunion to point out five summer musts for 1967, 2009, or any year. First, some reference:

Pause the video at 1:25 for a good shot of Red, and then pause the video at 1:32 for a good shot of Andy. Taking from these two snapshots and then adding one of my own, here are five summer essentials, the Shawshank edition:

The white button-up

While sanding his boat, Andy knows there is no better way to stay cool and still avoid the scorching sun than a white button-up shirt. The standard-issue summer shirt, this classic invokes thoughts of walking along the beach in a swimsuit with just one of the shirt’s middle buttons clasped as well as sitting down to an outdoor lunch wearing this shirt, jeans and loafers. Most commonly found in linen, cotton or poplin, the white button-up can be dressed up or down for most summer events.

Currently, Calvin Klein sells a well-fitting one in cotton (on sale for $33) that has just the proper slim fit in the torso and sleeves.

Shorts

When you live in a place like Zihuatanejo and have a business that involves a boat, you are going to be in shorts most of the time during summer. The trick in shorts is to find something that is comfortable in heat, but durable; shorts that fit well, but that are not too baggy or long. No matter what the shorts (swimsuit, casual, athletics), your shorts should come to just above the knee. Just no denim, please. Not in 2009.

A pair like Andy is wearing are classic: khaki colored, not too baggy and durable – perfect for cleaning the boat or taking someone out in it. For a modern, affordable pair of shorts, check out Tommy Hilfiger’s canvas Brooklyn Short. They are available in three colors, are plain and flat-front and a perfect fit.

Loafers

I have had the flip-flop debate with many people in the past, and my stance continues to be as follows: You can appropriately wear flip flops three places – the beach, the pool and at a community shower. That’s my list.

Andy would certainly have been within his rights to wear flip flops, being on the beach, but you can tell that he has put some thought into the fact that since he will be doing other things, such as climbing on a boat, he needs appropriate shoes – and not only appropriate for the activity, but for the season.

Loafers are also one of those multi-purpose items. They can be paired with shorts, jeans, khakis, or a number of other options in the summer. And don’t just think about brown when you hear loafers; blue and white have become very popular colors in recent years.

Here is a more modern, funky version of the loafer from Guess. The pattern on top provides a little unique-ness from your standard penny-version and comes in three colors.

Weekend Bag

If you are taking a short summer trip (or if you don’t own terribly much, as in Red’s case), you need a simple, no fuss bag that you can throw in the trunk and take on a weekend excursion to your favorite spots. You never want to be carrying around the large suitcases or suitbags or trunks when you will just be gone 48 hours, so take some advice from Red and learn to pack light for your travels.

As can be expected, bags will run you a bit more than your average shirts, shoes or shorts, but that should never deter you from finding value in something that is so practical.

If you are looking for your first weekend bag, check out Fossil’s new Nevada duffle bag. A perfect size for a couple of changes of clothes and a pair of shoes, you won’t need anything else for your weekend getaway.

Sunglasses

While not appearing in our scene from above, I am assuming Andy’s sunglasses are lying next to him on the boat when we see him again. He also wore a nice pair while driving his convertible to Mexico, so that can suffice for our needs as well.

Sunglasses need no more explanation as to why they are a must. The only hard thing about them is what to choose. Tortoise shell or solid? More square or more round? Aviators or wrap-arounds? There are endless choices.

For a classic, structured, summer style, give the Kenneth Cole Reaction aviators a glance. Metal frames and the double support bar mean more durability, and quite frankly, I don’t know if you can find a cooler-looking pair of sunglasses for the price. These sell for $55 online.

So as warmer weather and debating shorts makes me hope for summer and what always seems like the best time of year, Andy sums up my thoughts well. If you feel like I do, and you’ve just about had enough talk of dismal times and dark days, hope always provides some freedom:

Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and  no good thing ever dies.

For me, my love of style and of clothes is a bit like my love for baseball. I love baseball not just for the grandness of the game and for the idea that it represents, but also for the history behind it, the stats that form it, the background of the players – all of the intimate details that have contributed to making the game what it has become over the past 150 years.

When thinking about clothes, I also love the history behind certain pieces (such as how many items in a typical wardrobe are a product of military), how it is made, what goes into developing and creating a garment, and also what its place is in a bigger style picture.

To know these things, one must appreciate how and with what their clothes are made. This is where fabrics are important. A study of what type of clothing is appropriate in what weather, how heavy or light something is or what effort is made to create a certain piece can not be complete without understanding the paint chosen by the artist, the type of bat chosen by the slugger – for our purposes, the type of fabric chosen by the designer/tailor.

What follows is a list of the nine essential fabrics a man must understand, where they come from, how they are used, and how they can be incorporated into a wardrobe flawlessly.

Cotton

Easily the most common, inexpensive and versatile of all materials and textiles we will consider. Cotton is used for so many things, it would take pages just to list them all. Right now, in fact, my dress shirt, pants and socks are all some form of cotton.

And although we are all familiar with where cotton comes from and how it is “ginned” in preparation for use, the various synthetic derivatives of cotton are typically less familiar to the average consumer. These include various forms such as flannel, gingham (your standard checkered dress shirt), mercerized, pique cotton, poplin, and terrycloth.

Cotton, and frankly all of the subgroups listed above, are best-known for use in warm weather. It is a lightweight, durable material fabric that sits or drapes easily on the body, not causing too much restriction or discomfort.

Care of cotton is quite simple, it can usually always be washed in cold and hot water as well as laundered, but as advertised, is always in danger of shrinking and having the dye fade.

Linen

Another extremely light fabric, linen is the standard for summer/beach/warm-weather wear worldwide. This is primarily due to the fact that, beyond being light, it quickly absorbs moisture and also rapidly dries. The proves invaluable in warm, humid climates.

While linen easily resists stains, it is also a fabric that can be washed with little problem. Like cotton, however, it does tend to shrink significantly. And another problem with linen, as we all know, is that it wrinkles drastically, even those that have been treated with a non-wrinkle solution. It is inevitable, but continued wear with help reduce the wrinkles from the wash.

These days, anything can be found in linen: pants, long-and short-sleeve shirts, jackets, shorts. Living in Texas, I own a couple of linen shirts, a sport coat, shorts and one pair of pants – and they are lifesavers when it is 100 in both degrees and humidity outdoors.

Seersucker

Not really its own fabric, but another relative in the cotton family tree – I just feel this is one a man should know well. Not much more can be said about seersucker that has not already been said in my previous post…

Cashmere

Certainly the most expensive of all the fabrics we will dissect in this piece, cashmere also is the most desirable and, truthfully, the most comfortable. True cashmere is only made from the quasi-rare underbelly hair of the Cashmere goat, traditionally found in Asia (particularly China) and Australia. Plenty of cashmere blends are available for sale, but don’t be fooled by tricky advertising when searching for cashmere – always check the tag to make sure it is 100% pure.

While cashmere usually is thought of as a cold-weather material because it can be so warm, a light enough weave and the right climate (think San Francisco) can allow for cashmere to be worn in the evenings or early mornings when one is fighting off the cool night air.

Beyond the traditional cashmere sweater, items easily found in this material include, sport coats, gloves, socks, scarves and hats. Since you will undoubtedly spend a bit more money on this item than many others, it would be best to stick with something classic that will last forever like a gray v-neck or black or navy crew collar sweater.

And always hand-wash your cashmere.

Denim

Jeans, dungarees, blues – whatever you want to call them. These have become an American staple in the past 125 years. But while traditionally associated with American ruggedness and hard work, denim, according to Wikipedia, actually has its background from Nimes, France. They were originally said to be from Nimes or de Nimes, which became denim.

As we all know, jeans are so inherently perfect for all climates, for all circumstances. They can be dressed up, they can be dressed down. You have jeans that you wear everyday, jeans you wear for nicer occasions, jeans you paint in – they truly are the perfect pair of pants.

My favorite pair are a GAP 1969 piece that probably go about 20 wears between washes – and I’m not ashamed to admit it. My jeans play a major part in much of my style. One of my preferred looks of the moment are my favorite jeans with a nice fitting khaki sport coat/jacket and solid t-shirt underneath with a casual loafer or brown shoe.

Care for your jeans can take many different forms. I have no problem throwing mine in the washer as well as the dryer, but I know some people like to not dry theirs. There is a danger of shrinkage, especially in pairs that are not pre-shrunk, so watch for that. I do not, however, recommend the laundering and then starching a large crease in each leg look. Please, no.

Like with many other things, shopping for jeans is going to take a lot of work and patience. You may literally try on 50 pair or more before you find your favorite, but then one of my favorite mantras applies again: stock up – they are not going out of style.

Wool

A winter staple, wool is a fiber made from the coats of sheep, lambs or various types of goats. Famous for being a preferred fabric during the coldest of days, there is no limit to the garments that can be made from the various types and weaves of wool. Sweaters, coats, pants, blazers, socks, gloves, scarves and hats are all wool staples for the winter, with some lighter weights even being appropriate for warmer weather.

There are a number different types of wool. Some are fine wools such as merino, while other range to very coarse, much like karakul. The difference is essentially how much crimping there is in the fiber and also how thick the wool fibers are.

When searching for wool to buy, use caution as there are many items out there with poor quality; they could be moth-eaten, poorly woven, or have a propensity for pilling.

And most importantly, always read the instructions for how to care for the specific item you desire to clean. Each wool piece will be unique.

Tweed

From the wool family comes tweed; a rougher, closely-woven wool that is traditionally known for a pattern of two or three strands of the wool woven together to create the tweed effect.

Tweed has been around for about 200 years and has become a staple in cooler weather, especially in damp weather because of its attribute of being able to easily resist moisture.

And yes, tweed has come upon a reputation as a favorite of college professors, hunters and the homeless, but it truly is a versatile fabric for a jacket that can be paired with jeans, dress pants, khakis, etc.

I don’t know many other garments that tweed would be used for beyond a jacket or sport coat, but am open to suggestions. That being said, there is not much to know about care for tweed other than to practice caution. Don’t throw it in the washer and dryer, and if you are concerned about how to care for a particular jacket, ask your dry-cleaner. It’s their job to know.

Leather

Leather is the one animal-derived fabric worth noting. But just leaving it at being a animal hide does not really do it justice in the slightest. You, of course, have your cattle hide leather, which is the most popular. But you also can find products made from sheep, snakes, crocodiles, bison, kangaroo, deer, and the most rare (and therefore most expensive) – ostrich leather.

Leather, of course, has a long and storied history ranging back many years, primarily through cattle. The hide of the animal was a byproduct of killing it for meat, but it was soon noted that the hide could serve many purposes, so it was eventually retained, ways were developed to tan and split the hide, and everything from shoes to bags to saddles were sewn from this tough animal skin.

Over time, that process has been refined and reformed to what it is today – a means by which not only articles of clothing are produced such as jackets, skirts, pants, etc., but, more commonly, accessories. Belts, wallets, shoes, bags, portfolios, purses, furniture and countless other cheap to high-end products are now widely mass-produced.

And while you will find that certain types of animal leather will be more or less expensive, i.e. cow will be less expensive than crocodile, which will be less expensive than ostrich, there are also subtleties to notice within each animal family. Take men’s shoes for example. You can go find a pair of leather shoes for men anywhere and at any price. But your more expensive shoes on the market like your Ferragamos and your Church’s and your Tod’s have two distinct characteristics that add to the price.

First is that they are shaped and sewn by hand instead of by machine. This allows tailors to create an individual shape with more care than a pre-press can from a machine or factory. Also, these high-end shops will only buy the highest quality leather that have few or no blemishes. And it shows. Check your leather shoes that you own (not patent leather; leather). Unless they were unbearably expensive, they will have spots or small lines or other marks on the leather that mean they are less pure. Just something to know…

On the clothing front, men can certainly get by with their leather shoes and a leather jacket or two, but I would not recommend venturing too far from the comfort zone of those two items when browsing leather clothing options.

Silk

Ties only. Ties only. Ties only. Ties only….

Granted, you try and search for “accessories” in any search engine, and it’s not going to turn up much for your average male audience. But there are reasons for that…

When it comes to accessories, men admittedly don’t have the best track record. As a species we have endured the Tabasco tie era, the woven leather belt era, the overwhelmingly large diamond chain and pendant era, the calculator watch era and the Kangol era – and we seem to have fortunately come through it all intact, albeit demoralized.

We admit it ladies, we’re clueless. Your side of the gender equation does accessories so well and so effortlessly, we are intimidated and unsure of ourselves. We wear belts because we are told we have to, ties are an only-if-I-have-to affair, and don’t get us started on jewelry. It gets ugly in a hurry.

My philosophy on accessories is unabashedly minimalist. In fact, I can truly only think of five items a man must or might include in his regular wardrobe rotation. When it comes to how to wear these accessories, I believe the same minimalist approach applies. Men’s accessories can be a lot of things, but they should, at worst, go unnoticed; and, at best, effectively enhance an outfit without overpowering it.

Did you know that, according to Answers.com, the definition of accessory is “something nonessential but desirable that contributes to an effect or result?” Sounds like I might be onto something.

Below are my five safe accessories, accompanied by some visual evidence, with some notes on other items to follow.

Ties

By far my favorite accessory, you can catch a glimpse of my collection in the header photo above. Generally speaking, there has come to be a standard operating procedure when it comes to colors of men’s suits – with rodeo clowns, gangsters and Craig Sager having exemptions. So unless you fall into one of those categories, you are typically wearing some shade of grey, blue or brown in your suit. In this paradigm, ties become the most visible piece that men can personalize or use to show character.

I love ties that are colorful, ties that have personality and ties that are unique. In a monochromatic monkey-suit world, ties should reflect a man or his situation. Is it time to be reserved, time to have fun or time to let people know you mean business? Let your tie do the talking before you open your mouth.

These days, the ties run skinnier than they have in days gone by, and that’s fine. Everything is moving slimmer these days to accommodate the fit of clothes that have become so popular. But don’t take that to mean you still don’t have choices. There are various degrees of width, what material to use (silk, knit cotton, etc.), what design or pattern you prefer (stripes, pin-dot, university, bowtie,  etc.), and a dozen other decisions to make when selecting your neckwear.

And while I know we will dive into this topic of ties in-depth later, here is a quick tie-wearing tip: when a tie is knotted and in its proper position, it should hang to the mid-point of your belt – not up to your bellybutton or down to the fly.

Sunglasses

My soapbox on sunglasses is to find a pair that you can wear that doesn’t make you look like you are always about to go roam centerfield or play beach volleyball. A classy outfit calls for classy sunglasses, and, trust me, there is something out there for you. Whether you prefer aviators, tortoise, the Ray-Ban style or any other model, try on at least a dozen pair before you settle. These should be an investment, not only financially but for your appearance as well.

I prefer Persol tortoise shells a bit on the thicker side. Persol is an Italian brand that has been in the U.S. for more than 40 years, and if it’s good enough for Steve McQueen and James Bond, it’s good enough for me.

Belt

Nothing too complicated here – belts are a necessity, without many exceptions. You should have a combination of brown and black, while the more adventurous have begun experimenting with white, blues and canvas material belts.

One important thing to mention: No matter what others may tell you, there is a difference between belts for business wear and for casual wear. Know the difference. Being in Texas, every time I see someone wearing their large cowboy belt buckle with their suit, I want to take it off and smack them with it.

Cufflinks

Admittedly not everyone’s cup of tea, cufflinks not only require an extra expense some see as unnecessary, but they also demand an investment in one or multiple French-cuff shirts. However, the opportunity cost here is that extra little bit of elegance inherent in wearing a suit with those French cuffs just peeking out the sleeve.

The best part about cufflinks, in my opinion, is that they provide a perfect opportunity to show personality. For example, I recently spoke to a close friend whose wife bought him cufflinks with the Caduceus, as he is close to finishing his medical degree.

Your links can also be a visible reminder of a personal moment or event with a story attached. From a sample of my collection, you can see a pair of mine you in the picture that are from my honeymoon six years ago in St. Thomas, the only tangible thing I have left from that trip.

There is good news when searching for cufflinks – they certainly don’t have to be expensive. I have regularly purchased cufflinks from department stores for less than $40. In addition, some designers will sell French-cuff shirts with the colorful cuff knots you also see pictured. The pairs shown here are from shirts purchased at Brooks Brothers, and provide a colorful piece of flair when standard silver studs are not required. Another pair pictured (with the lions) came with a shirt from Express Men and didn’t cost a penny extra.

Watch

I’m not a watch-wearer anymore, and I really don’t know why. Perhaps it’s because I am addicted to my Blackberry that has the time right there for me, but I fear the true answer is more vainglorious than that.

More than any other accessory, I feel I would not think twice about spending some coin on a nice watch. A “nice watch” is truly a relative term as you can purcahse quality timepieces in the $1,000 to $50,000 price range, and above – but my standard is that I should be able to wear it forever.

I feel cheated by a number of watches I have purchased in the $100-200 dollar range as I have had broken straps, scratches and mechanical failures all within a year of purchase. Perhaps I will just go watchless until retirement and then treat myself. But when I am sipping my cappuccinos outside a coffee shop by the Uffizi, I won’t care what time it is anyway…

And in conclusion, a couple of notes on acceptable accessories, for those who have the wherewithall to experiment:

Pocket sqaures

When wearing a pocket sqaure, always remember, no matter how dapper it might look on you, it is there for another, better reason. First and foremost, it should always be offered to the lady nearest you who needs to wipe away some tears. Consoling someone in their time of need will always be more stylish than anything you can add to your clothes.

Tie Bar

You don’t always want your tie falling out of your coat do you? Try pulling one of these off with a darker solid tie and a gingham or vertically-striped shirt.

Scarf

Drawing again on my yearly climate, I don’t often have a chance to pull out the scarves, even during the winter. But there really are only about three ways to tie a scarf, with variations stemming from each of those. Enjoy.

Not mentioned at all above, because truly it should not even be a question, is a wedding ring. Don’t ever leave home without it.

Another theme that I will expand upon later is the idea that every man can create and afford their own style. You don’t have to be the ultra-wealthy or -elite to have clothes that fit well and make you look good. In keeping with this, you will rarely see me recommend or suggest something in these posts that costs over $100 per item. There will be some unavoidable exceptions (such as shoes, coats, suits, etc.), but my pledge is to help as many people as possible develop an established and confident style, not just as many rich people as possible.

Anyway, back to the “polo” shirt. When people think polo shirt these days, the predominant thought is this:

And, perhaps, rightly so. These are Ralph Lauren Polo Shirts – with the horse-riding polo player as the insignia. But are these the first “polo” shirts – the orginal? No.

The reason I use quotes around “polo” shirt is because it was not originally designed for polo at all. More than 80 years ago, tennis player Réné Lacoste, concluding that modern tennis wear was too uncomfortable and restricting, designed a short-sleeve, half-button collared shirt for tennis wear.

It would not be for a couple of years of wearing this shirt that Lacoste would, using his common nickname of The Alligator, sew on the crocodile logo that is still universally well-known today. The shirt was mass-produced beginning in 1933.

Not long after, these shirts would be adopted into the sport of polo as part of their uniforms and on-field dress to provide comfort from the thick, long-sleeved garments they were so used to wearing. It would not be until the 1970′s that Ralph Lauren would introduce his Polo shirt to his line of clothing.

Many years after being incorporated by polo, designers of golf clothing would begin modifying the tennis/polo shirt to fit the shape and movement of golfers, and as you may have noticed, these shirts are now the predmominant fashion on the greens and have been for quite some time.

So the sports lineage, all in the last century, looks like this:

Tennis –> Polo –> Golf –> Preppy Beer Pong

I probably own about 15-20 polo shirts in various colors and patterns, but there are two that I distinctly prefer; Lacoste and H&M.

Lacoste we have discussed. It went through a revolutionary design after separating from Izod in 1993 and has become an icon of young, modern well-fit style that still remains casual. With shorter sleeves, a smaller collar and slim-fitting sides and underarms, it represents modern casual fit. When selecting a Lacoste shirt, remember that you will be looking at shirts with European sizes, so you will have to be familiar with how to translate – but if you buy from Lacoste’s online boutique, they assist you with providing both sizes.

These polos will run you about $70-90 typically, but a quick glance on their site shows that select colors are on sale for about $59.

That also brings up an excellent point about Lacoste – you will not be able to find another pallette of colors that rivals the Lacoste brand. Any color you want you can find.

H&M is known worldwide as a purveyor of inexpensive yet stylish, and sometimes fashion-forward, clothes. This Swedish brand has stores all over the world, including more than 150 in the U.S. alone.

In the same mold of the Lacoste polo, the H&M shirt provides slim-fitting comfort, albeit with a bit shorter sleeve. I have bought at least three in the past year and not paid more than $20 for any of them. A favorite I have is a black, mercerized cotton polo that is great for indoors as well as outdoors. (Mercerized cotton is simply cotton that has been treated to make it appear more vibrant)

There are plenty of other affordable, well-fitting polos out there that I have not discussed – produced by labels such as Gap, J. Press and Hickey (customizable at $120). I recommend you spend some time trying on dozens of them from different outlets, finding the size and fit that is right for you. When you find them – stock up. They’re never going out of style.

“So where do I start?”

A simple question like that lends itself to a simple answer, so I developed my corresponding 15 basics that every man should own. You can find a list of basics for a man’s wardrobe at any of the sites under the blogroll or a thousand other places, but this is just my spin on a list that has proved tried and true:
1. A gray and white t-shirt
2. A blue and black polo
3. A v-neck sweater in a neutral color (navy, grey, brown or black ideally)
4. The best-fitting pair of jeans you can find
5. The best fitting pair of khakis you can find
6. Brown and black belt
7. Brown and black shoes that are good for multiple outfits
8. One great suit (can’t go wrong with navy or grey, especially pairing items with it – and makes sure you take it to be tailored)
9. One navy blazer (dresses up a lot of things, including jeans)
10. Slim cut white and oxford blue dress shirt
11. Two solid ties
12. Athletic shoes (not tennis shoes or basketball shoes, athletic shoes)
13. An athletic/gym outfit
14. Socks – navy, black, white, brown, khaki, and argyle
15. One multi-purpose coat (think pea-coat that can be for casual or business)