Gant Rugger

We have featured a few videos from Gant Rugger and Gant by Michael Bastian and in our opinion they are putting out the best new clothes around, including and surpassing the stuff by Billy Reid (which on a side note is not well tailored, the fit is off on most everything I have tried on, while beautiful I think Billy Reid misses the mark).  Gant Rugger is a little more my style then Gant by Michael Bastian.  It is flannel shirts, twills, chambray and corduroy.  Solid denim and hand loom oxfords.  Gant Rugger is American and rugged and honest.

Their clothes have an honesty that is nice to find.  A shirt that is made to be rugged with the right material and cut, without any bogus or fake fashion flairs.  It just feels authentic and classic.

The sweaters are muted colors that would work now or 10 years from now.  They stick to classic patterns and colors and fabrics.  The risks are not taken in the colors or the designs, but instead in not conforming to the trendy fashion rules and instead being authentic and classic, letting style not fashion speak for the brand.

Additionally, the clothes are impeccably tailored.  The shirts fit brillantly and balance the line between slim and natural cut with percission.  The jackets are modern fit, but without feeling like a Thom Browne mimic.  They also have natural cut shoulders and slim peak lapels.  The pants and denim are well made and well tailored, but only come in one length.

Gant Rugger It's All About Fit

The best part of luxury brands is the fit. A lot of brands can make a good looking shirt, or a nice pair of jeans. As an example every season Banana Republic or J.Crew has an item that is worth purchasing. Its true that luxury brands provide nice accents and details to a shirt or an extra well placed pocket on the pants. Or a button that is sewn on differently, they get the details. They understand the chambray lining on the inside of the shirt. But other brands can get the details right as well. Luxury brands used to stand out with quality, which still holds true, but advancements in manufacturing has changed that. Although nothing will ever beat a hand sewn suit or a single needle shirt, at least not at this point.

But still the best quality and the most noticeable quality of a luxury wardrobe piece is the fit. A luxury suit fits perfectly on the chest, shoulders and arms. It certainly doesn't have any blousing. Luxury denim is tailored to fit the body and change with the wearer. A luxury suit is impeccably well tailored. Everything fits the way it should fit without a need for even a belt. That is what Gant brings to the table. Luxury in every way including and especially fit.The old loom oxfords are the perfect mix between purposeful dishevelment and classic conservatism. The sweaters evoke Scottish rolling hills and perfectly damp winter days. The denim is refined and distressed but never too much if either.

Even with all the charm and style of the wardrobe, it wouldn't mean anything without the luxurious fit. If you want to know how a shirt should fit, go try on the Gant Rugger old loom Oxford.  Now that is a shirt.

Just enough artful dishevelment to make us all happy.

J.Press at Urban Outfitters??

WTF?  What did you say?  J. Press, the East Coast style stalwart of classic traditional men's clothes, are at Urban Outfitters, the purveyor of trendy casual clothing for hipsters?  This can't be a good idea.  There is no way these two companies came together and actually made something that works both of them... or could they?

Judge for yourself?  Traditional classic designs, modern slim cut, well made and straddling the line between stuffy and trendy without being either.  Yep, the combination is a slam dunk success.  Check out the wool crew neck sweaters in classic gray and light blue.  They are perfect in anyone's wardrobe.

They are heavy, classic and slim fit. 

Then we come to the oxfords.  They have a perfectly muddled blue oxford as well as a pink striped and blue striped edition.  The oxfords are cut for the modern day man, but would make the stuffiest traditionalist in Martha's Vineyard happy.  They have great style and are essential to any man's wardrobe.  It looks right at a hipster bar or under a suit in law office, which is a rare feat.

Then we have the khaki pants, slim cut without being tight.  Shorter cropped, without looking like high waters.  They would look good with Sperrys, Aldens or Purcells.  Another wardrobe essential done, just the way it should be modern but classically traditional.

I wanted to hate the collaboration between J.Press and Urban Outfitters, but instead I am impressed and wanting more of it.  I know I am getting carried away, but I would like to see Urban Outfitters modern tailoring sharpen the pencil on all that J.Press has to offer.  Maybe that would result in more well cut classics, or maybe it would just ruin the classic brand.  Either way, I like what we have here.  It is just what the stuffy J.Press needed and just what the ultra liberal Urban Outfitter needed, a well complimented collaboration of conflicting styles.

Style Profile - Gitman Vintage

After reading the recent GQ I noticed Gitman Vintage popped up a couple of times and on items I really liked.  I immediately had to check the website and was enamored with the style and design that emanates from the brand.  All of the clothes are vintage inspired clothes both in pattern and texture of the shirts.  They certainly show the timeless quality of a great shirt and simultaneously prove not everything from the 80's was un-stylish.  The Gitman Vintage Spring/Summer 2010 collection is inspired by Spring/Summer 1984.  I guess people in the 80's were cool.

The brightly colored are a great addition to the chambray shirts that are hopefully already hanging in your closet, if not, then pick up a Gitman Vintage gray chambray as well.

I have always enjoyed seersucker shirts and suits, since they don't wrinkle ever.  It is even easier to love seersucker when they look this good.

If a handshake can tell you the kind of man you are dealing with, the same can be said for the oxford when it comes to designers.  Oxfords are that essential to every man's wardrobe.  Gitman Vintage does the plain oxfords well, but I personally love there striped oxford.

Gitman Vintage has created a great selection of cotton poplin shirts, every color and design that a man would need.  These would look great under a suit for a modern pop on your favorite suit or could go well with jeans or khakis on a casual weekend.  No matter how you wear these shirts, they are cool and stylish.

Personally, I have never seen a patchwork madras that I would ever wear.  Most of them are so hideous I can not disassociate myself from them fast enough.  Well, that is until I saw this patchwork from Gitman Vintage.  It is perfect for a vacation in some beach town or for a day on the boat with shorts and topsiders.  If you don't own a boat, at least with this shirt you can look like you should.

Whatever your favorite shirt, Gitman Vintage certainly can add some style to your wardrobe and hopefully it can be as timeless as this collection.

Bespoke shirts have arrived, kinda

The bespoke shirts I ordered from Michael Sahi are finally in my possession again. The shirts were  actually finished back in early December, but I placed them under the tree, rather than wear them  immediately as was my initial impulse. Since the shirts were my main Christmas present along with a surprise bookcase, they tantalizing sat under the tree for a month.

I acted surprised when I opened them up and immediately took them to be laundered. They are freshly pressed and ready to be worn. Just in time, as I have a client visit this week which will require a suit and tie, perfect occasion for shirts that are meant to be donned for such events.

The shirts are a combination of button down collars, regular spread collars and full spread collars. They all have great bespoke details like my initials, MTP, embroidered on the sleeves in a bold  complimenting color and mother of pearl buttons. I choose barrel cuffs for versatility as these shirts are meant to be worn with and without a jacket and for everyday use.  French cuffs are saved for shirt only worn with ties and a suit. All of the shirts fit perfectly, no blousing at the waist and no extra fabric on the sleeves. I had the arm holes raised to give them a slimmer more modern fit.

Finally, I have my bespoke shirts and I feel dapper because of it.

Reader's Question: Tie Widths Abound & Other Questions

Mr. BigShot writes (and no I am not making up that name)....

“I came across your blog the other day and enjoy reading it. I saw a post where you explained the best tie width is 3 inches. Do you know where I can find 3 inch ties? Most stores carry ties in 3.5-4 inch width, so it's a bit hard to find them.


I also have a couple more questions on items I need to locate. I'm looking for a pair of flat-front mid-grey (think grey heather or charcoal heather colors) for under $150, preferably under $100. Do you know where I can find these? I'm also looking for oxford collar button down shirts with shoulder pleats instead of the box pleat, which I find unnecessary. I have an athletic, lean body type, so a box pleat only adds extra fabric and puffiness to the back, which I don't need. Know where I can find one for under $75? Thanks.”

Thankfully, more and more retailers are adding the “slimmer” ties to there selection, at some stores they are not even categorized as slim ties and are just the only tie width sold.  Like with jeans, stay away from the skinny and gravitate toward the slim.  I certainly have my favorite places to sell ties around 3” they are in two different categories:

The High End -

Thomas Pink makes great dress shirts and ties.  Some of the best color combinations made, this also applies for their slim ties.  They sell slim ties for around $100 a tie and come in a wide range of colors and patterns.  This is certainly suggested for those that perfer bold colors.  Shown here is a more classic blue tie with white & red stripe, quite an elegant tie.

Brooks Brothers is known for classic, conservative style.  One of the original makers of the sack cut suit, they rarely make any deviations from the classic and most conservative style.  The fact that they are selling slim ties, is not an inditement on them, but instead an approval of the rebirth that 3" ties are having, thankfully.  Brooks Brothers sells their slim ties for $75 to $90 a tie and they come in a variety of classic looks and patterns.

Mid to Low Range Cost -

Starting at the top and working our way down.  J. Crew only sells ties in the 3" range.  They have a wide range of silk, wool and cotton ties in a variety of modern and classic patterns and colors.  It is a great way to experiment with patterns and colors without completely jumping the shark with an odd pattern.  J. Crew also is great for the traditional, classic, collegiate look, my personal favorite.  A look that J. Crew does as well as anyone, except for maybe Brooks Brothers.  J. Crew ties sell from $60 to $40 at full price and have quite good deals in store when ties go on sale.  I have picked up more than one tie at J. Crew for under $20, just need to keep your eyes open.

Most men's retailers now sell slim ties, Nordstroms, Bloomingdales and even Macy's.  The latter have a variety of ties from different manufacturers: Ben Sherman, Alfani & Tallia.  The quality of the designs varies store to store and region to region depending on the buyer, but they usually have a good deal on the ties ranging from: $50 to $25.  I perfer the Ben Sherman or Tallia designs, but Alfani can have some good ties for evening events.  Stick to other brands like Pink, Brooks and J. Crew if you are buying the ties for work.

Grey Slacks -

As for the mid-grey slacks if you live near NYC, I suggest you try Uniqlo.  They have great prices and the cut is slim and slender, perfect for a slender fellow, like yourself.  The Uniqlo wool slacks are typically under a $100.

Another option is Banana Republic.  They have well made slacks in a wide range of classic colors.  I have a pair of flannel mid-grey heathered slacks that I picked up at Banana Republic for about $100.  Make sure you stick to the "Tailored" fit pants, as they are slimmer and will look better on you.  The "Modern" fit are slightly bigger throughout the leg.  Banana Republic sells their wool pants from: $180 to $40, depending on sales.  Good news, BR usually have the best sales on pants of any retailer.

The last recommendation is J. Crew.  They have the "Ludlow" cut pants, a slim, modern cut, which would look great with your frame.  The Ludlow pants are from $150 to $120 and rarely come down much in price.  They also do not typically come in a heathered look, but they will fit you well.  It is at least worth taking a look.

Oxford Shirts -

For the Oxford shirt, I recommend finding a bespoke tailor near you and having them make 3 to 6 shirts to your body type and with the pleats and buttons and collars to your preference.  Once you go bespoke with shirts it is hard to go back.  They are made especially for you to you liking and will make you look the best you can possibly look.  The slight increase in cost is completely worth the statisfaction you will have with the shirts.  This is an investment that will change your opinion on the way ready made shirts are sold.

Uniqlo - A Visit to New York

The New York trip is finally done and I am finally posting again.  You'll just have to get over the little break I had (I am sorry).  But I am back with a vengence.

The store is 3 stories - the main floor is men and women, the upstairs is for men and cellar is for women.  Every wall was lined with colorful and folded clothing from floor to ceiling.  It is almost a daunting amount of clothing, quite impressive.

In the front of the store Uniqlo is pushing their Heat Tech clothing.  The water wicking under clothing that is also meant to keep you warm.  Very similar to the same stuff that Nike & Under Armor promote.

Past that display the store opened up to a main show room showing off the cashmere sweaters, wool peacoats and outerwear.  The cashmere sweaters were ultra soft available in every color imaginable and only $99 for the V-neck and $129 for the cardigan.  The Peacoats, which came in gray, black, navy and light gray glen check were only $99 and a great way to supplement a winter coat collection.  I wouldn't use Unqilo coats for the coldest weather, but they certain will keep you warm on cold and snowy days.

Upstairs I went to the plethora of clothing upstairs.  More cashmere sweaters, more Peacoats as well as plenty of essentials and non-essentials a like.  The essentials collection was great and something I would utilize more if I lived in NYC.  They were selling a great collection of socks, 4 for $9.  The socks were in the best colors: gray, navy & khaki.  The boxer briefs were 2 for $9 and a nice selection of patterns and colors.  They also were not covered in half naked men staring at you, which was a very pleasant change when shopping for under garments.  The under shirts were in every color and were $4 a shirt.  I went with light heather gray shirts, as they are less visible under plain white dress shirts.

They also had a jeans in various colors, washes, fits and prices.  The jeans ranged from skinny to relaxed and ranged in price from $39 to $79.  The selvedge denim was the more expensive jeans while the normal denim was only $39.  I would have opted for the regular denim in slim straight cut.  I would buy my selvedge from a top manufacturer like APC or Stronghold.

I was very impressed by the Lambswool sweaters in V-Neck, Crew neck & Cardigan at $19.99 to $29.99 for the latter.  They had the basic selection of colors for the sweaters and they were good weight, not too bulky or too fine.  I would highly recommend the sweaters as a way to supplement your closet with colors that you might not otherwise purchase, like purple & yellow.

I also highly enjoyed the collection of oxford shirts.  They had white, light blue, dark blue, light red and a gray all for only $19.99 a shirt.  A great deal.

The flannels were also nice.  They came in either heavy weight or light weight and in a bunch of nice color combinations including red and black buffalo check.  The off white with window pane navy blue check was very appealing and reminded me of my favorite shirt from high school.

As for pants, they had a nice collection of chinos, both washed and dressier versions; $29 and $39, respectively.  All of the pants in the entire store came in either 32 or 34 inch inseam.  The good news Uniqlo would tailor them free of charge, the bad news it would take a minimum of a week for them to complete the job.  I do like the idea and would encourage the practice for more stores.

The selection of wool pants was slim pickings but I found a pair I loved in light gray brushed wool for only $49.  They are slim straight and will have to be hemmed.

Uniqlo also had an encouragingly large selection of non-iron dress shirts and a disappointingly small selection of suit coats.  When I was there, the only coats were tuxedo trimmed velvet jackets in burgundy, black, olive and navy.  I am still deciding if they are cool for a night out or just plain cheesy.

The store also offered a bag to carry all of the goodies, which means that more people than just make a large purchase of clothing at the store.  Next time you are in NYC check out Uniqlo and let me know if you have the same experience or not. 

Always List - Oxford Shirt

Sometimes in fashion we forget to praise the simple and classic. So often the focus and praise falls on the new, the flashy and even the odd. During the summer fashion shows a lot of articles praised Gucci for turning dress slacks into cutoff shorts, because they were a new idea; despite the look being so ugly and impractical that no one would wear them outside of a few fashion designers and label whores. Instead there should be an endless slew of articles about the practical, simple garments that fill our closets and actually get worn on a daily basis. Fashion writers should filter their approval and disapproval through a net of reality. Would anyone actually wear this crap? Will they wear it more than once? Will it be a mainstay in anyone’s closet for more than one soon to be forgotten season?

It is time we praise the mainstays of fashion, the essential clothing that no matter the trends are still worn; the pieces that we never fear may be out of style. We all love the simplest of pleasures in fashion, the articles of clothing that you can proudly call your favorite, not because they are trendy, but instead because they have earned that right after the 150th wash. Your favorite shirt was worn when you landed the job, met the girl, saw your team win the pennant, you beat your buddy in pool and won the wing eating contest. The favorites in any closet are always in style, are well made and will be still be made when you need a replacement, if you ever need a replacement. These items are on the “Always List” of fashion.

The Always List mainstay: the Oxford Shirt -

Every man has at least one Oxford shirt in his closet and most men have multiple oxfords. Hopefully, in your closet there are multiple oxfords in varying degrees of wear and tear.

• The Dressy Oxford: Worn as a staple to the office because it goes with anything. This one is crisply ironed and fits like a champ. It is the nicest oxford in the closet and will go with a suit and tie as well as it does with a deconstructed blue blazer. The Dressy Oxford can be found at Ralph Lauren or Brooks Brother (pictured in order). The later has a great non-iron blue Oxford that can be worn for any occasion.

• The Favorite Oxford: It has been washed so many times it certainly doesn’t have the same crispness it once did, but who needs crisp when you have comfort. It is the go-to-shirt when you need to have a button down shirt, yet you don’t know what else to wear. It’s perfect under a sweater for big date and always looks good under a jacket. It is also at home paired with a tie. At this point it prefers chinos or jeans, but don’t count it out with slacks. Basically it is a refined but slightly casual look. Rugby.com, J Press & Ben Silver (pictured in that order) are the best Oxfords that after about 10 washes will be your favorite.

• The Casual One: The oxford that has been washed and worn so many times it is slightly frayed at the collar cuffs and buttons, but due to the hefty fabric is still in quite good condition. As you wear your favorite more, it will get to this state. Until then J Crew and Gap (once again, in that order) provide options for those of us that lack patience. This Oxford is still a staple for a night out to the local bar or for errands on a Saturdays. It should be more important for any grown man's fashion rotation then a t-shirt, we are beyond the college humor shirts, or at least we should pretend we are. This is a great comprise, it is just as comfy, it will fit in on any Eastern campus and it adds refinement to the college humor shirt when it is layered over it.
  

A good oxford is like a favorite pair jeans or your go-to-boots. They only get better with time. It just might be the most versatile shirt in your closet and endorsed by the coolest guys, including Paul Newman. It is easy to make it your own, just wash it.