Bracelets for Spring

I'm all about bracelets for spring. Nice fresh colors, nautical themed, great with short sleeves and linen shirts.

Check out this rope bracelet above from Giles and Brothers. It's under $100 bucks and cool as hell.

Also check out the others from Giles and Brothers. They have great masculine bracelets that don't look like anything else out there.

High Quality Low Cost Suits

Wall Street Journal featured an article today on the lower coat suits, how they are higher quality fabrics, better made and competitive with higher end suits that cost three to four times as much. They specifically compared these "low" end suits to the likes of Giorgio Armani and depending on the manufacturer the suits miss the mark or not.

Two things to note with the article, first off, J.Crew suits ranked well. High quality fabric, machine made suits, well constructed and a solid performer. Good comparisons considering the cost.

But the real winner and biggest take away was how the SuitSupply.com suit performed. It was ranked equal to the Armani suit in every way. The Armani suit is over $3K but the SuitSupply suit was just over $600 at $614.

SuitSupply had great fabrics, amazing construction and almost no noticeable difference when compared with the Armani. SuitSupply offers three levels of suits ranging in price from $320 to $610. They make suits that are Super wool 150s to wool-cashmere blends to linen to linen-cotton or linen-wool blends.

The suits are slim fitting, with good portions on the pants, the jacket and the sleeves. The high end versions have Italian natural shoulders, slanted ticket pockets, double back vents and working button holes on the sleeves. They have high quality lining, horn buttons, free moving construction and rakish designs.

The suits come with classic colors, subtle patterns or crazy designs. They also have suits in summer wools and linens or classic wools. The fabrics are all from Italian mills and will hold up for years.

Basically SuitSupply has proven they are the best option for your next suit and everyone after that.

Penny Loafers with the Pennies

The devil is in the details. This is especially true with fashion. As loafers become more common this spring and summer, add a penny to your loafers, that is why they have the name.

It adds a bit of unique flair and style to the classic shoe, plus it can be a nice conversation piece and certainly will ensure you don't look like everyone else.

Just make sure that the penny is from 1982 or earlier, so that it is a true bronze penny and not a metal conglomeration.

Here are my JCrew loafers with pennies Lincoln side up.

NSF Henleys Rock

We really like what NSF is delivering this year when it comes to henleys. They have an amazing fitting gray lightweight cotton henley. Marbled slub cotton with quality metal buttons. The henley fits so well it feels like it is custom tailored.

We also love the blue and white striped henley sweater they are delivering this year. It is a light weight sweater that fits just as well as the henley above. It is a great stand alone piece or layering piece.

Both henleys can be worn stand alone but they are actually better worn over a button down shirt. Think of them as an alternative to the lightweight spring sweater. This option is more attractive, more interesting and well separate you from the crowd.

Polos That Catch An Eye

These 1970s style polos are great. They look retro but provide a nice modern fit and are made with 100% cotton instead of the polyester of the past.

The color blocking and stripes certainly make them different from anything you can buy at Lacoste or J.Crew or Polo for that matter. They almost look like they should be worn by a tennis player while winning the Australian Open. That sporty feel certainly helps anyone's look heading into spring.

Yet another solid choice brought to you by Gant. What did we do before Gant?

Chambray Shorts

By this time hopefully everyone has a chambray shirt. It's versatile, stylish and rakish. But now that we are starting to look at warmer weather it is time to take chambray a step further, it's time for shirts.

Whether it is Billy Reid, Vince, Rag and Bone or Lands End Canvas, everyone is making chambray shorts. J.Crew has a pair of red and blue chambray shorts, which is a good decision and Gant has a pair with pleats, which is a bad decision.

We even featured a pair of Apolis swim trunks in chambray style. So these are more common than Terry cloth sweat shorts. But the good news is it is a stylish and modern look.

Check out our favorite pairs below. The top pair is from Billy Reid and are our favorite by a long shot, due to the classic indigo coloring.

Fall 2011 Gant by Michael Bastian

Here are some of our favorite looks from Gant by Michael Bastian. These are looks from the Fall 2011 collection, which was by far our favorite styles. Individual pieces are probably stronger here and there, but as an overall look and feel it is great. Rugged, manly, classic, good uses of color and strong pieces that can be incorporated into a real man's wardrobe.

Red is used as the common accent color for fall, which is great. It fits the weather and feels right.

We also love the orange puffy vest. What a great way to provide warm and give a pop of color on a dreary day. It's hard to be in a bad mood with an orange vest on.

The use of cords, cargos and flannels is very appropriate for the season and should provide a nice alternative to denim.

Another must have piece is the fingerless gloves. Why not get them in a nice bright color like red. Color is as important in fall as it is in spring.

Think rugged, think layers and think about colors. These options should provide some nice inspiration.

The Best Swim Trunks of Spring 2011

Throw out our old saggy board shorts that hang past your knees and add an extra 5-10 lbs of bulk to your frame. I know I can afford to look heavier than I am.

The new school version of the swim trunk channels the old school classics. Slimmer, trimmer, shorter and sportier versions of the classics worn by Steve McQueen, Burt Reynolds and Dustin Hoffman.

The swim trunks below all hit above the knee, elongating the legs and making you appear taller. They also are slimmer and trimmer taking weight off your frame while accenting the best features. The chambray board shorts from Apolis are old school style swim trunks which have an 8" inseam and fabric that gets better with age. Like a new pair if jeans, the chambray is strong, but wears with each swim, fading and changing as the season goes on.

The sporty swim suit from Bolt gives a vibe similar to the 70's swim trunks from endless summer.

More Bandana Pocket Squares

See another example of a bandana being used as a pocket square. This is a dark blue suit with a red bandana pocket square. Simple, different and truly cool.

Try it, you'll thank me later as the compliments come streaming in.

A New Type of Pocket Square

We have talked about pocket squares and how they should be consistently worn with blazers and sport coats and suits. Pocket squares help set the suit apart from the rest reinforce your style and add an accent color to a wardrobe.

Our new favorite trick is to take an old blue, red or white bandana and turn it into a pocket square. It adds vintage color with a rebel biker flavor to the outfit.

It is shown here with a blue vintage bandana. But looks just as good with white or red bandanas. A set of three bandanas can be found on eBay for around $25.

Loafer Season is Here

There is nothing that sings of a beautiful spring day more than loafers with no socks. I love the feeling, the careless style, the ease of wearing them. They have been worn by all the great men before us and will be worn by all the great men after us. Loafer are just cool.

Especially the ones made by Mark McNairy for Bass. These Weejuns are classic, they come with no extra tassels or bells or whistles or beef rolls. It is just the essence of the shoe a classic that could it into any generation any time and place. Seamlessly worn by Steve McQueen or Kanye West. Plus they come in a spring appropriate tan suede.

Check me out before they are all gone.

Stop Ordering California Rolls

I don't wear any black. I try to avoid black in my wardrobe like the plague. I know black is a great color and works for others but to me wearing black is like ordering the California roll when eating sushi.  The California roll is the safe secure mundane option. It will taste good even at a bad sushi place, but it will never be memorable. If you go to a really good sushi place I recommend ordering off the menu, taking a risk and a gamble and usually you end up with a great memorable experience.

To me eliminating black from your wardrobe is like ordering off the menu. It may be riskier and harder to do. It may be a gamble, but it certainly will be more memorable.  So I say take a risk, step away from the pack and stop wearing black.  Or at least stop wearing it so much. Stop making safe choices.

Spring/Summer 2011 Fashion

With the fall ending and Summer right around the corner, I start getting in the mood to buy some new summer clothes. One of the ways I do this is by focusing on a feeling, some inspiration and then buying clothes that fit that thematic milieu.

This summer, I am feeling inspiration from vintage summers of yore. Hot chicks, cool cars, laid back style, good surf and an even better bonfire.

Check out some of the hits that are inspiring me.

The Best White Oxford Shirt

Gitman Bros. Vintage makes really cool plaid shirts inspired from vintage patterns from the catalogues of the 1980s. Each year they make flannel and madras and oxford shirts that cam define a wardrobe. But we think it is the simple and plain that sets them apart.

The Gitman Bros. Vintage white Oxford is a great shirt. Well tailored, nice modern slim fit. High quality fabric, mother of pearl buttons. One green stitched sideways button at the bottom. A back collar button and a locker loop. Overall the shirt has all the elements you look for in a button down.

While we love the vibrant plaids and exciting colors, there is something magnificent about the regal simplicity of a simple white Oxford.