Tip | Slatwall Storage

This post by The Style Blogger just blew my mind.

GQ's Guide to Dressing for Less

In the April issue of GQ there is a great article for the financially challenged entitled "The Penny-Pincher's Guide to Style". It finally went up on the website and you can find it here. It covers where and how to shop, the items you should always buy for less and the 25 rules that will make you a better-dressed, more cost-conscious man.

Why Not? | Ralph Lauren Kids

T magazine just posted a humorous piece on their blog, which I've recently begun to follow. Contributor Elliott David admits that he shops at Ralph Lauren Kids and says the fit is fantastic for his slim 5'9" frame. And for half the price! If you're taller than Mr. David, I wouldn't bother clicking here to read the full article.

FYI, there are two Children Stores in Manhattan:

1. 380 Bleecker Street (between Perry & Charles St)

2. 878 Madison Avenue (between 71st & 72nd St)

Tip | Keeping Your Sneakers Smelling Fresh

Lawrence over at Sartorially Inclined shed some light on keeping kicks smelling fresh. His process includes applying baby powder and leaving them in the freezer for a few hours. Read up on the step-by-step method here.

Living With Less

A few weeks ago, The New York Times asked readers how they were getting by in the economic downturn. Many people responded with their personal survival strategies. I thought I'd share a few...

"I'm doing exactly what I've always done: living within my means. Not a problem. No lifestyle change. Libraries are still free." - John Smith, Vienna, VA

"Bring lunch from home. It might not always be that exciting but it's a huge savings!" - Amanda, NYC

"1. Donate clothes you don't wear to charity. 2. Don't buy anything new. 3. Actually wear the clothes you own (OMG)." - Ew55, CT

"Enjoy things you can do, and forget the others." - Maria Teresa Quirke Arrau, Chile

"Instead of going shopping, I am hosting seasonal clothing swaps. I provide snacks, guests provide beverages. We all bring clothes." - Kelly, Long Island City

"Learn to sew so you can replace a button, repair rips, etc. on perfectly good clothes. You might even want to make your own!" - Mary, Canada

"I buy shirts on sale then embellish them to make an original, custom-made item. It saves $$ and fills the time since I gave away the TV." - Pam, Irvine, CA

"Use student clinics - medical, dental, massage, acupuncture, haircuts, etc etc. So far every one I've been to is well-supervised, clean, etc" - Anne, Portland, OR

"Drive within the speed limit - it's boring but it really saves gas! Plan your time accordingly so that you don't have to rush anywhere :)" - Aswankle, Ohio

The Patination of Brown

... is a beautiful thing.

Which brings me to the point of this post: leather shoes should be polished regularly. If you ask Will Boehlke of A Suitable Wardrobe it's because the gleam of the leather complements the silk of the necktie. If you ask me, it's because it just looks sharp and one appears more put together.

There aren't many men I know who polish their dress shoes (or maybe they just do a shoddy job). For those reading this who don't, let this be a wake up call. Give this age-old exercise a shot. After awhile it will become second nature like ironing your dress shirts. Don't do that either? Well then, you're just a mess.

Rest assured, you will be rewarded for your efforts. Polishing your brown shoes will result in a beautiful patina (think finish or glaze) over time. Shine 'em (or pay someone else to) on a regular basis and in time you'll be looking down at a richly patinated pair of brown dress shoes.

[Link]

Notes on Alterations

An informative Q&A by Mr. Dan Trepanier of The Style Blogger.

Part 1

Part 2

Quote of the Day

"If you put your suit jacket on the back of a chair and lean back on it, your suit jacket will look as if you put it on the back of a chair and leaned back on it."

-Unknown

The same can be said for jackets and overcoats. I despise having my suit jacket/coat on the back of my chair. It can completely ruin the shape of the collar. That reminds me... my office needs a coat rack!

[Found via The Style Blogger]

Winter Essential | The Down (Puffy) Coat

When it gets cold outside, and when I say cold I mean like 8°F cold, you are going to need more than a wool overcoat and scarf to keep you warm. You need something that adequately retains your body heat while also protecting you from the elements. Enter the down coat. The down, or fine bird feathers, found in these coats provide an excellent thermal barrier by effectively trapping pockets of air. Consider the puffy a winter essential when the temperature drops. Personally, I never leave the house without one when it dips below 20­°F.

As an avid snowboarder, I have a couple down jackets in my collection of snow outerwear. In fact, if you are looking for a down jacket, I would venture to say a snowboard shop is a great place to look - high quality, waterproof material, fashionable cuts and patterns, and sturdy construction intended for use up in the mountains and in the snow for extended periods. Many brands offer styles with an urban influence that are intended to look good on the mountain as well as in town.

In terms of brands, Holden, L1 and Foursquare do an excellent job of balancing style and function. Allow me to highlight a few jackets in this arena, ideal for the slopes or the city. (Click on the photos to link to an online retailer)

Holden Puffy Woods Jacket in Black • $160-199
(Note: This jacket's insulation is not down but 180g high-loft polyester)

Holden Maplethorpe Down Jacket in Black Lotus • $199-263

L1 Mendenhall Down Jacket in Black Stripe • $299-340

Foursquare PJ Jacket in Black Rip Plaid • $225
(Note: This jacket's insulation is not down but 100g theremore)

Foursquare Ruff Jacket • $299-320

Bonfire Hoodoo Jacket in Mocha Herringbone • $113-140

Lastly, I'd be doing a disservice to you if I didn't include the link to my favorite site for my online snowboard gear shopping:

BROCIETY.com

The site's tagline is "only chumps pay full price" and I couldn't agree more. Brociety offers one 'insane deal' at a time. As soon as one deal sells out, another pops up on the site. Most of the items are sold at 40%-60% off the retail price. Until recently, I praised the site for it's lifetime satisfaction guarantee. However, now it is a 30 day unconditional guarantee which still isn't bad.

Tip | Proper Shirt Colors

Mr. Leo Mulvihill, Jr., contributor for the Art of Manliness blog, discusses appropriate shirt colors for the workplace here.

He touches on two important points:

1. A man's shirting wardrobe should be based around two colors - white and light blue.
2. A well-dressed man always wears a tie that is darker than his shirt for formal occasions.

Quote of the Day

"A $180 pair of shoes will last you twice as long as a $90 pair of shoes, but a $360 pair of shoes will last you a lifetime."

-Dan Trepanier

Why not invest in a nice, classic pair of dress shoes? (Or maybe even two! - brown and black). They will likely last you a really, really long time. Plus, they will feel better on your feet. If you happen to drag your feet and are worried about wearing the soles down, don't fret, you could always have them re-soled for a reasonable price. We're touching on the simple principle of quality over quantity here, people! Do you want to spend 80 bucks on dress shoes every couple of years, or find a classic pair, crafted with the finest materials, that you can grow up with?

[Found via The Style Blogger]

Tip | Wash Before Wearing

I read an interesting article today that shed light on the cleanliness of new clothes. Personally, when I take an item from a rack at a department store, I like to assume that it is brand new and unworn. However, this can be a foolish assumption. In fact, oftentimes store items contain many germs and secretions.

Good Morning America visited a number of high and low-end stores, purchased a dozen items and then sent them off to Dr. Philip Tierno, Director of microbiology and immunology at NYU, to test. The results were shockingly gross. On one item was found fecal germs. Another contained vaginal organisms.

I will now think twice before I wear a 'new' item off the rack. We'd all be well advised to wash new clothes before wearing. I think I'll tack that on to my list of new years' resolutions.

You can read the article, with all the disgusting details, here.

[Found via Neatorama]

Quote of the Day

"True style doesn't really involve much ostentatious attention-grabbing attire."

-Cillian of Male-Mode

Always Be Flawed

An interesting post here. I couldn't agree more.

Don't Forget About the Pants

The importance of having pants tailored to the proper length is often overlooked by men. Don't settle for this:

'What's the big deal?' you might ask.

It's sloppy. It's careless. It's lazy.

I think it's safe to say that when a man dresses in a suit, he wants to look good, feel good, and, perhaps most importantly, make a good impression. If that is your goal, do yourself a favor, pay the $10 and go get those new slacks adjusted. It just looks better.

There is often debate regarding how big or small the break in the pant should be. I think it's a matter of personal preference. For a smaller man like me, I prefer a smaller break (below) for the same reason I prefer a slimmer cut suit - I don't appear to be quite as small. For a taller man, a bigger break might be appropriate.

Be very specific with your tailor and double check their work. I often have to tell them to 'bring it up a little more'. Make sure your pants are sitting on your waist where you like them when you are being measured. And if you don't feel good about the job they do, don't be afraid to tell them to fix it.

(Photos by GQ & Suits4Men)

With What Color Suit Should One Start?

Martin Greenfield, America's greatest (and oldest) living tailor, said this:

"One gray suit and one navy suit. You could go to London for a month with just that. Wear the navy jacket with the gray pants; keep changing your shirt and tie. I don't care where you go, you'll look elegant everyday."

-GQ

Give It a Rest

In the November issue of GQ, Bally designer Brian Atwood said this:

"One nice pair of lace-ups isn't enough - the leather needs a break from the heat and moisture of your feet. Keep two or tree in rotation and they'll all last five times longer."

Interesting tip. Perhaps a justifiable excuse to go buy more shoes...? I'll say yes.