Craftsmanship

Often times, luxury goods is simply a title for overpriced wares.  The quality and the care have been omitted, while the price inflates.  This is not that.

My Fault

So, all I can say is, this must be love....and...(in case the BF is reading this)...I may have ruined him.  I took his 'baby, does this look okay?' and rolled it in 'do I need to get these in this color?' and sprinkled it with a heavy dose of 'baby, they have that one on sale now! do I need it, too?'.  Yes... All. My. Fault.

Come on Guys, Sock Up

Adventurous men are marvelous.  But this may mean different things to different people.  To some, it's jumping out of perfectly functioning airplanes.  To others, it's eating savory-flavored ice cream (bacon and rosemary, yeah, it exists).  All I ask is a small sense of adventure.  Okay, that may not be entirely true.  I'm sure I ask much more.  But for now, we will focus on this.

I understand that not every man may know how to dress, cook or order wine flawlessly...but something about a two-inch peek between his wing-tips and his Levi's can say a lot.  So, don't feel overwhelmed, guys.  Just pick a fun one and throw 'em on.  Just don't pair it with a nerd-tastic shirt or jeans that are ill-fitting.

Because you had us at the socks.

*photos: google.com

Forget Me Knot

Spring warrants the wearing of color.  Even for men.  Seriously.  Between Easter, weddings, outdoor parties, graduations...all sorts of reasons to get dressed to the nines, while infusing a little color into your attire.

In comes General Knot & Company.  Taking vintage fabrics (we mean real vintage - like, World War I vintage) and creating double-sided ties.  A little bit rugged, a little bit nostalgic, and a lot bit wearable (and very reasonably priced).  Just keep in mind, most of these creations are done in super small runs, so you have to act quick to get the one you want.  Start shopping here, to snag a good one.

Prints Charming

There are few men who dress well. There are fewer men who take fashion risks, and still manage to dress well. While I don't pretend to be an expert, I can offer one tip to dress well and stand out: take note of scale. Start with a shirt and jacket, but just make sure one has a print or pattern. Good so far? Rad. Now, look at the scale (size) of the print or pattern. What we want to do with a tie is create strong visual punctuation with color and size. Think of it like a racing stripe on a muscle car; it needs to pop. If you've got a micro-gingham print shirt, pick a tie with super wide, academy stripes. 

photos courtesy of Pinterest, UnabashedlyPrep and theSartorialist

Dang, look at you. While fashion should be fun, it is easy to step-up your details to create an adventurous, pulled-together look. In one afternoon, you went from stale to swagger.

Not So Wild...The West

Well constructed clothing has become a rarity these days.  While I offer no all-encompassing solution...I can  offer a new line that suggests attention to detail and focus on the craft.  I originally heard about The West is Dead from Malibu Magazine (seen here).  Designed, sourced and manufactured in Los Angeles, with overt lines to classic American construction.  You even get a buffalo head nickel on each garment hang-tag (like, a real one...from the 20's and 30's...dang).  If that's not a resurgence of American quality and craftsmanship, than point me in the right direction.

The line is slated to hit stores in April, but feel free to follow The West is Dead's site (found here) for up-to-the-minute details on their launch.