OK... how do you guys feel about short sleeve shirting? I myself have been a little worried about trying it out in the past but definitely want to see if I can pull it off this spring... just need to find the right one. I feel like they often can look way too Dwight Schrute-ish instead of GQ-ish like when Channing Tatum rocked one a few years back on the cover of GQ. Dude looks fresh:
I saw one at J. Crew the other day but can't seem to find it online. This one from Gitman Brothers Vintage at Context Clothing has steez written all over it, there's just one problem: the price tag. There is NO WAY that I plan on spending almost $200 on something that I probably won't be wearing too often. My thought with splurges is that if it's something you will have for a while and you will wear a lot, do it. Something like a trend, that goes in and out of being cool is a definite no. So, keep me in mind if you see a great, well-priced one somewhere (preferably plaid, less dressy) let me know... I'm even considering trying something like H&M (not a fan... most of their stuff is so euro-trash) to get something cheap.
Corter Leather is a great shop run by a great guy if you're looking for something different. I actually got my brother (hey bro!) a Brewster braided belt loop key fob for a high school graduation gift as well as getting one for myself once I got sick of walking around campus with my school logo lanyard... so not my steez. I didn't want him falling into that same trap. Not only are these great, unique products that age really cool (I've had mine for less than a month and it's already showing some cool wear) but the guy who runs the shop and makes everything by hand, Eric, is a really cool guy too. I had a customer service problem, AKA I was an idiot and PayPal didn't go through, but Eric was there to sort out the confusion and help me get my order actually placed. Not only does he care about his business, but he is now supporting Japan aid through selling these bracelets. And the reason he's doing it is even cooler:
"Japan is special to a lot of us for one reason or another. Their quirky culture, technological innovation, and uncanny ability to perfect anything they get their hands on have always been inspiring to many people. For me, it was their leather workers- Japan took western, Americana-styled leather work, with its frills and studs and carved roses, and stripped it down to a sleek, relatable, modern design while keeping it's roots firmly in tact. Japan is the reason I do what I do today. I started Corter after lusting for a Redmoon wallet in college, studying the KC's website for hours to try and reverse engineer their designs. I scoured Japanese forums, crudely translated through Google, teaching myself how to sew and cut through these folks in Japan."
So, donate! Do something good and up your swag. I'm usually against man jewelry (see below...), but for a good cause and something that actually looks masculine, why not try it out?
St. James sweaters are the shit. Who wants to look like they just stepped off a yacht? This guy. Needing one for spring and think I'm gonna cop this one from Land's End Canvas before it sells out- at $50, it's a steal, especially compared to the other prices I've seen, and let's face it: this is a trend, not a staple. We love Land's End too, because you can return anything at anytime for the price you paid for it. Sure, the Land's End outlets in Sears are janky as hell and smell like a week-old diaper, but there's always great deals and you know that you can get your money back if it's not as great as you thought when purchasing. It's that whole "Guaranteed. Period." slogan that my management professors love to talk about. Know of any other cheap St. James sweaters? Sound off below.
Let's talk raw denim. Gah, when I first started getting into this whole men's style craze, one of the first things I splurged on was a pair of APC New Standards. After reading all the denim fiends' chat rooms and stuff, I decided that APCs were the best of the best and at the most reasonable rice point.. They came, via Context Clothing, and I was in shock. Why the face was I wearing these heavy, thick, uncomfortable jeans? I mean seriously, putting them on was strangely reminiscent of that Chingy song that only a few seconds of gives me bad flashbacks to slutty suburban high school dances. But then I started wearing them. Cuffing them. Doing squats in them to make the butt less tight (we all do it... admit it). Then you start to see the fade. A wallet line right there, a little bit of whiskering somewhere else, and soon enough they look like YOUR JEANS. That's right, you have complete ownership over them- all those Abercrombie bros can buy their ripped and whiskered jeans, but these, man, THESE you EARNED. I started wearing my APCs all the time. They were my class jeans. They were my fun jeans.
I washed them and the color came out even better. Where was Tommy Ton when you needed him? My denim was perfect, and I had become a denim elitist. Then, disaster struck. A hole in the crotch... I was helpless. My old jeans from high school just didn't make the cut anymore. Too generic, too plain. The tailor came to the rescue, stitching them up and you could barely see a thing. The elite denim gods came roaring back though... well, kind of. OK, I got really drunk one night and somehow in the morning there was a big rip down the crotch of my jeans. Pray for my APCs at the tailor this time, because I really would miss them. However, I may have started seeing someone else. I ordered myself a pair of Unbranded denim from Urban Outfitters, and can't wait to see how these bad boys turn out. Tried them on for the first time today (plan on sleeping in them tonight... don't judge) and they felt pretty good. I mean seeing someone else can be tough after a long relationship. Crotch was strangely a little weird but I hope it's just the raw denim being weird. And for $80, half the price of APCs, who can be mean? Denim for the masses, gotta love it. Will definitely let you all know how they turn out in days to come.
OK I just made a love note to a pair of jeans... too far.
Yes, the title references a Disney Channel Original movie... we both grew up on that shit though, don't hate. Hilary Duff's finest role to date sadly. Sucks to suck, Mike Comrie. But what I really wanted to talk about is this jacket from J. Crew called the Cadet jacket. If you didn't know by now, we both really love J. Crew. Some of the more serious men's style junkies may diss the brand and would probably say we ride the J.Crew train too hard, but you can't deny that it's great quality, nicely priced (especially with the 15 percent student discount- remember your ID's) and has something a little unique about it that places like Gap don't have. I'm loving this jacket for spring and thinking it's gonna have to go on my must-haves list. It's got a cool military vibe but at the same time isn't trying too hard, plus at $128 it's super cheap for a jacket with this much detailing. Pair it with some khakis or even white jeans (yes.. I'm considering a pair... never thought I'd see the day) and some dirty bucks and you've got yourself a great spring kit. J. Crew spring collection has a lot of promise, anything you guys are looking forward to? Also... any personal favorite Disney Channel movies? I'm partial to Smart House myself. Sound off in the comments bros.
