so...

Can it please be spring right now? Club Monaco goin' so hard.

Image via Bonnie & Clyde.

in da club

Riviera Club is a clothing company started by three friends from California. I remember seeing them on A Continuous Lean and digging the vibe they had going of West Coast cool but hadn't really checked up on them after that. Hearing that they're up for the running in GQ's Menswear Designer of the Year award made me look at them again, and damn, I am glad I did. They've taken the great things from their first collections (laid back cool pretty much defines it in my mind) and brought in a classic, masculine vibe. If you dig the whole Made in America thing, everything is made in California. I can see myself wearing any of these pieces (well, besides the Newsies cap-never been a fan, never will) and am already scouring online stores looking for them. Seriously some of the steeziest (and accessible) collections I've seen in a while, making me even more excited for what's coming this spring. I think the best thing about the company is how down to earth the owners seem. How cool would it be to start your own clothing line? My money's on Riviera Club to take the GQMDA win... who do you think will? Also, don't you wish you were pole hiking with these dudes in some random forest? Sure beats my operations management homework...

hick town

I don't know about you, but I'm getting very excited for spring. The weather is better, the clothes are better, you can be outside for more than 2 minutes straight (please don't bring up the week long negative wind chill we have coming this week to me). All in all, spring is great. Something I definitely am needing to get my hands on this upcoming spring is a Pierrepont Hicks tie, and their SS2011 collection is promising to be better than ever. Just check out the first tie they posted as a little mini "sneak peek"- called the "Buzzy," it comes in a great gingham print (I'm a sucker for gingham any season, just ask my closet) and at a great size- 3 inches is a perfect width if you want to look up-to-date and stylish but not like one of the members of Fall Out Boy. What do I love most about Pierrepont Hicks though? Not only do the founders, Mac and Kat, seem like the coolest people ever, but they're from my home city of Minneapolis. Gotta represent the Minnesota nice, and these ties are the perfect look for that spring internship you just got or the summer wedding you'll probably end up getting dragged to with your girlfriend. You can check out Pierrepont Hicks here, the full collection hits February 15th.

Fun fact: Even though it's not, the word "gingham" comes from the Malay word "ging-gang" which means striped.

blame it on the leather man

1. Don't make fun of me for the most terrible blog title in the history of this blog... apologizing in advance before I get kicked out of the men's style blogosphere for life.
2. How badly does this picture off of the Sartorialist make you want a leather jacket? I seriously wish I could dress like the guy on the far left every day. Not sure how business school would like that, but damn... serious steez. I have never been big on leather jackets but this dude is making me rethink. Might just have to add that to the list of spring "essentials"... what do you think? Know of any good (and preferably cheap) jackets that look like his?
3. Even though I'm incredibly against smoking... I'd probably do it if meant I could hang out with these dudes. Guy on the left's name is Andrea Ravieli- his blog is filled with pictures of him at cool parties with beautiful women. Check it out if you want to feel bad about how boring your own life is.

This is my favorite look I've seen from the street style blogs (other than Tommy Ton's Pitti Uomo shots, which  basically caused me to JIMP every time I hit the next button), what about you guys?

the whole kit and caboodle

It's only the first day of the semester but I'm already feeling ready for the spring. Nothing is better than chilling on the campus mall in 60 degrees of sunshine and talking with friends, not to mention that it's not below zero when you go out on the weekends (wearing coats to a party can become a huge hassle, especially when drunk idiots start grabbing the wrong ones... am I right?). All this spring day dreaming got me planning what I want to be wearing, and I made my first ever outfit post to show you. Don't make fun of it, MS Paint can only get you so far... But seriously, this is my unofficial uniform for the spring. White tee shirt (this one is Velva-Sheen, but I probably won't end up splurging on one of those... I have a few from Land's End that I'll probably throw in rotation. Navy pants- these are from Unis, whose chinos seem PERFECT...

"I just want to be perfect."... Black Swan reference... anyone? Good shit, go see it. Not just for the lesbian scene either. But back to the chino's, they really do seem like they may be worth the investment-they're also on sale now, SO, check them out. Buy me a pair while you're at it. If not these, I'll probably go for the J. Crew Bowery pants. The thing I like about these pants is that they can either be dressed up or dressed down... all you have to do is cuff them and show a little ankle over your sneaks.

I'll finish up the look with the amazing G.H. Bass bucks I got for Christmas that I've been wearing on the nicest days we've been getting here in Minnesota so far (basically haven't worn them yet). I don't care if they're only for spring/summer, they look dirty good with raw denim. Style is all about breaking rules, isn't it? I got mine at DSW for even cheaper than the great prices you can find online at G.H. Bass. 

 Grab your Wayfarer's and you're set. Simple enough for class, steezy enough for some Saturday day drinking. Now all we need is for the snow to go away, leaving us with this:

Spring, come sooner.
Images: 1 (myself), 2 (There Will Be Movies). 3 (Veritas Mens Style). 4 (GQ). 5 (Mr. Materials).

tee time

I saw these tee's on Southern tie maker Lumina Clothing's website after learning about them through Valet, and although I love the WASP-y, down south steez coming from the ties, I am also loving these tee shirts. They're simple, different, and would be a perfect addition to what I like to call the "hungover outfit". You know, the one you wear to the library on a Sunday after a night of too many Captain and Cokes- for me, it's always deck shoes or Vans, raw denim and a tee or crew neck. It's still leagues above the many library drones wearing school sweatshirts and sweat pants (one of the worst crimes in college style that happens way too often) but doesn't look like you're trying too hard. Definitely gotta pick up this tee-shirt before midterms hit. What do you think of it? What do you wear to the library?

doppelganger

 The best kind of gifts are the ones that you would NEVER buy yourself. That's why this Jack Spade Dopp kit I got for Christmas (thanks, Santa) is easily one of my favorite presents. Wanna know what I was using prior to the gift? A plastic bag. Yeah, I know, embarrassing. While this Jack Spade Dopp kit is not really necessary (I'm sure you could score one at Target for like $10), it certainly is something that I will have for a very long time and will withstand the spills and grime that are inevitable when traveling with toiletries. I love the classic look, especially the black and white striped bindings that hold it down and keep things compact. It can totally take a beating, and what I love most about it is that it's different- not many people are gonna have a Dopp kit as cool as this one. Check it out and the rest of Jack Spade's classically cool products at the 25 percent off sale (goes through Sunday!) at www.jackspade.com and in store. 

Fun fact: Dopp kits were once a common gift to boys as they became adults. If you're a man... you need one.

bootstrap bill

Yeah, I agree, Red Wing boots are the coolest shoes of the season. On a campus where it gets cold, warm feet are important, and these boots are durable and well-made. Only thing is, they're expensive. At $230 dollars, I'm really not sure if it's justified... like yes, they're steezy as hell, but aren't there any alternatives? I looked and looked, and couldn't find any that had that same iconic look- reddish brown leather with the white sole. Last night at a birthday party hosted at my house, I somehow happened upon a friend of a friend who had these- Eastland's.

Now, even though this kid eventually threw up all over our living room and had to be put to bed at the party, I gotta admit, these were fresh. I wanted them, and best thing is they're more than half the price of Red Wing's at $90. Sure, they might not be as well-made or warm as Red Wing's, but they look just like them and who knows if I'll want them in four years? So, I think I might need to buy these for myself as a little late Christmas present to myself- thoughts?
Image credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

icon: an ode to josh peskowitz

The name probably sounds familiar (he's worked with Esquire and GQ, now working with Gilt MANual), but have you seen Josh Peskowitz? He's one of the illest dressed men alive today, no question. Taking cues from his own icon Steve McQueen but putting his own spin on things, he creates a look that's equal parts classic and modern with a sort-of "fuck you" nonchalance about it. Seriously, if I was gonna steal anyone's closet, it might be his. Check him out (and the great Influencers video he's included in by Paris agency R+I Creative, which I've embarrassingly watched like 5 times) in these pictures and this Jake Davis Test Shots video.

we love woolies

Nothing is more appreciated in the Minnesota (endearingly referred to as Minnesnowta by us) weather we live in than wool socks. Walking on campus in negative wind chills is made a little bit better when your feet are warm and looking fresh as well- I love the look of a marled wool or patterned sock peeking out from a cuffed jean or any other pant- I wear my "woolies" with boots, Vans, suede bucks, Clarks and even Sperry's (yes, Sperry's in the winter- please don't yell at me). Here are some great options you should check out if you'd like to feel your toes during your anatomy lecture.

Santa got us both these from Brooks Brothers which I'm embarrassingly a little obsessed with (I love Fair Isle):

 These O'Hanlon Mills socks from Urban Outfitters are old school looking and come in cool colors too.

SmartWool socks are the warmest you can get- I started wearing these for skiing and quickly brought them into my daily wardrobe- seriously they are life changing.

The classic (and inexpensive) version of the wool sock- the Original Rockford sock.

They used to have some that looked just like these from J. Crew, these are half the price and just as steezy:

"wealth is of the heart and mind, not the pocket"

 While the above Pharrell quote (one of my favorites) seems to not apply to his lavish lifestyle, when you really look at the creativity coming from the N.E.R.D. frontman and Billionaire Boys Club co-founder, you might find differently. Although the Kaws statues and Miami penthouse pool might seem like a little too much, what's cool about them is that "Skateboard P" is doing something unique to his interests- he's not following trends but creating them. His shoot with The Selby is one of my favorites coming from photographer (and one of my favorite bloggers) Todd Selby... Pharrell's a style icon and a glimpse at his house is a cool way to think about your dream home- what would yours look like?

 Only Pharrell can rock a neck tattoo and Chanel sunglasses like this- we do not support you doing either of these unless your steez is at that of his.

 Cool, old luggage is one of the coolest things I've seen on the blogs recently. Once again, we don't support Louis Vuitton purchases.

 How badly does that pool make you wish it was summer?

NO ONE, I repeat, NO ONE, should ever rock jhorts (jean shorts) unless you are Pharrell. What do you guys think of his house/look?

mission statement

We grew up in a very tight-knit family. As the two brothers, we probably share the closest bond—we have way too many inside jokes, like the same things and even can sometimes predict what the other one is about to say. One thing that has continued to bring us closer in the last few years has been a love of style. When everyone else in our high school was wearing the same Abercrombie and HoCo tees (makes us sick just thinking about it), we were at least rocking Sperry’s and Polo. Once Matt got to college, it just started to develop from there. GQ, style blogs, you name it- things started influencing us to dress your best, even though our mom had been telling us this for years... sorry Mom.

For us, style is something that’s important—it’s more than what brands you wear. It’s embodying what you want people to see you as, something that's extremely important in college, which is why we want to give you a unique viewpoint as college students just trying to look fresh (we use these words a lot, so apologies in advance). The Collegiate Cool is a place to learn and experiment with new trends, new ideas and figure out how to be the best man you can be (apologies to this lame "style" talk sounding like it's been ripped from the pages of Seventeen magazine, we don't normally talk like this).

Let’s cut to the chase: you’ve seen blogs like this before. We have like 30 (OK, 40) of them on our bookmarks bar. We promise you though; we aim to do something different. To provide you with new ideas, advice, and insights. To offer different and unique viewpoints on products. We plan on making this blog different than the others. We love them, yes, but sometimes they can take style a little too seriously. We don’t care about the made-in-America mentality as much as some of these other bloggers, we more so just care about what looks good, what doesn’t, and what’s cheapest (like we said, we are both poor college students here). We’re here to give you a unique dynamic that you haven’t seen before on the men’s style blogosphere- face it, we know we’re not Michael Williams or Scott Schuman. You’ll see fun adventures and experiments in style, stories about outfits gone wrong, looks back on our past style (Mom, as much as we love you, those Christmas turtlenecks were never cool), inspiration posts coming from the weirdest places, tips to help you be the best man you can be and much, much more.

This is where YOU come in- email us, comment on a post, tweet us, check out our Tumblr, do whatever to contact us. We want to hear from you and give you our two cents. Have a question? Looking for the best option on something? Wanting to update your closet with a few current trends? Trying to get your boyfriend out of his Ed Hardy? We’ll do our best to help you out, because YOU, reader, are the reason we are here. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, and neither should you. Both style and college should be fun, just like this blog is going to be. Enjoy the experience.

It's a new year, time to be the new you.