Seavees

I am sure you have heard the hype that is surrounding SeaVees.  While I am not one to jump on the hype wagon, with SeaVees, I can understand why the are so appreciated.  Modern sneakers with simple clean lines, good colors, classic shape and textures.  While SeaVees are more of a summer shoe, these can work well year around in temprate climates.

Out of the three shoes featured, the navy blue leather kicks are the best of the bunch.  Clean and simple to the point of being classic and conservative.  These shoes look like something the Kennedy's wore to Martha's Vineyard as much as something worn by surfers to Venice beach.  Now that is what I call a versatile shoe.

Spring Essentials - Alden & J Crew Shoe

The best shoe of the spring is the Alden wingtip in tobacco coloring.  It is the best color to encapsulate spring, since it is light, colorful and classic.  It will go with any color in the closet and help make an outfit sing.  Naturally it goes well with blues, tans, light colors and jeans, but I personally think the best look for this shoe might be with a gray suit.  The unexpected pop of color on the feet with a gray suit would be unmistakably stylish. 

Alden is renowned for being one of the best shoe manufacturers in the world.  To see them teaming up with J Crew is a nice combination, especially when they come out with a classic hit such as these.  The tobacco colored Alden wingtip is only sold at J Crew for $440.

If this Spring's fashions are as cool as this shoe, we are in for a treat.

Subtle Sprezzatura - Socks Action

Subtle Sprezzatura is all about a simple way to break the rules and redefine an outfit. A subtle twist which crosses the line and rules without looking absurd and instead looks careless, carefree and artfully disheveled. For men the perfect way to put an outfit on its ear, add a hint of edginess and still look rakish, is with the ankle. Wearing bold and colorful socks or no socks at all, is an easy solution.

Not only does this look add an unexpected element to an outfit, it also is quite summery, especially when sockless.  Throw on a pair of white jeans and no socks or go sockless with loafers and you will not only look like summer, you will feel like it.

 

Some gentlemen tailor their entire outfit and wardrobes around bold socks, like Ign. Joseph.  Other use the bold socks to brighten a fairly mundane outfit.  This is Modern Dignified's favorite use of bold socks.  As shown here with a gray suit, white shirt and black tie.

Go boldly, go sockless, but go have fun with the ankle.

Spring Styles - Martin + Osa

The Spring/Summer collections are finally hitting stores, thankfully.  Martin + Osa has come out with some unique and interesting styles, which are not seen at any other stores.  There are some styles we are not a fan of, but these we certainly are.

Rugby shirts, short sleeve and long sleeve are common in Martin + Osa this Spring.  Rugby shirts can be worn by themselves or as well as worn over a button down shirt.  Depending on sleeve length the rugby shirts are sold for $55 to $65.

It seems that the outerwear sold by most stores is either military inspired or sports coats of different styles.  It is refreshing to see that Martin + Osa's zip up boating jacket sold in navy and orange.  The jacket is sold for $160.

Everyone seems to have shawl collar sweaters, but few shawl collar sweaters have the style and design of the Rivera Shawl sweater sold for $120.  This might be the best looking shawl collar on the market.

Chambray Shirts are the new Black

Chambray shirts are everywhere and for good reason, they are comfortable, classic, attractive and don't need to be ironed. Everyone is making chambray shirts from J Crew, Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Mr. Freedom and Gitman Vintage.  Chambray shirts worked well for style icons like Steve McQueen, they should work well for you too.

The great thing with a chambray shirt is if worn right, it can be one of the most versatile shirts in your closet, take the looks provided by J Crew for evidence of that. J Crew pairs the chambray shirt with a suit (one of my personal favorites and a look I am sporting today), a chambray with a shawl collar sweater, with a military jacket & with a t-shirt and jeans. J Crew loves chambray so much they are even making a red version for their Spring/Summer collection.

Since I wear a chambray shirt quite often, I love the new colors that companies are making in chambray shirts. Woolrich have tan, black & blue chambray shirts.  J Crew have a gray, blue & now a red chambray.  Gitman Vintage have a full line of bright colored chambray with the bright blue being a personal favorite.

Be sure to jump on this style train and add a chambray shirt to your closet.

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.

J. Crew 2010 Spring Collection

J. Crew in my opinion is the one of the best brands for presenting Sprezzatura style.  Thanks to Frank Muytjens, J. Crew has created a very uniform style over the last few years.  Especially in the last year or so.  I feel that the brand represents the modern male fashion, preppy, tailored, sprezzatura, elegant, classic, cool while not being try hard.  They seem to be blazing the trail, while the other brands are trying to keep up with their brand representation.  I personally love the look and find quite a bit of inspiration in it.

Here is how J. Crew sees the 2010 Spring/Summer.

Navy Suit - The most classic suit in the classic American wardrobe, a navy suit.  This is a lighter navy, which makes it stand-out from the crowd.  It also prevents it from being misdiagnosed as a black suit.  It has a modern slim fit without looking ridiculous.  It also has the appropriate level of Sprezzatura: no socks, chambray shirt, slightly rolled cuff.  It also has the appropriate level of classic elements: rounded toe wingtips, pocket square and navy suit.  A great outfit.

This outfit looks like something worn by a Kennedy on Holiday in Cape Cod.  Classic sunglasses, Sperry Topsiders, chinos and a button-down.  A very casual cool weekend uniform.

The best part of this outfit is the tan shoes.  I prefer the shoes to be oxfords and not bluchers, but I do like the bulk of the blucher, especially for a casual outfit.  I also like the tie for this outfit is light colored and almost gets lost in the outfit.  It is very Sprezzatura to wear the tie lose with a tie bar, very cool.

Tan suede desert boots, slim straight destructed jeans and a red chambray shirt.  It doesn't get much more casual than this outfit, yet due to the color and textures it is still stylish.  This outfit is appropriate for errands on a Sunday, but can still be worn on a casual date.

This is my favorite outfit of the J. Crew collection.  This outfit would be cool in 50s or 60s or today.  The outfit is a great representation of the American style while not looking cliche or overplayed.  The green jacket with red plaid lining is a standout piece, without being over whelming.  The blue shirt, gray sweater and chinos is classic and stylish and cool.  The washed chinos make it sprezzatura and the slim lines make it modern.  Also, the outfit is much more casual with the shoes, a more formal.

Chino suits are great for the summer, so are topsiders.  The combination is classic and contradictory, a good thing for any outfit.  I would lose the bow tie though.

Nice weekender bag, it looks like his father owned it, exactly the right look.  A denim shirt and denim jeans can look horrible and the epitome of style, but due to the shoes, the Sprezzatura way the shirt is haphazardly worn and tucked in and the slim fit jeans, the outfit looks modern.

Who doesn't like a sweater with shorts?  I always love a gray undershirt, that look never gets old.  Throw on topsiders and the outfit is complete.  I would lose the ugly ass big bag though.  For the love of all that is manly, leave the purse carrying to the women.

Shawl collar cardigan fantastically classic and modern.  It is a look that never leaves the closet of the stylish but is now being added to the closet of the fashionable.  I still think you should wear it, I know Steve McQueen did.  The chambray shirt adds depth to the outfit.  Also, shorts with desert boots is the sartorial contradiction that is both modern and Sprezzatura, it is completely unexpected and appropriate.

In this photo I really dig the white blazer.  It is a look that is perfect for the Spring/Summer.  Make the blazer a shawl collar, slim fit and washed, and no one will think you just walked out of Saturday Night Fever.  I also appreciate the chino suit jacket paired with the navy suit pants, it is a nice color combination.

The blue chino slim fit pants in this picture (on the left) are great.  The color and the fit make them enormously useful.  They go with almost any color in a closet and make an outfit standout.  All that while still being classic and not standing out and making you look like a jackass.

Here is a close-up of the chambray shirt.  It is an interesting shirt a good color and has depth since it has multiple levels of blue in the fabric.  The tab color also makes it more interesting than the standard shirt.  The military green belt is also a great touch.  It is rugged and aggressive but also very stylish, especially when worn with a nice pair of chinos.

Could you add any more colors or patterns?  Probably not, but the outfit still works.  This is the ultimate Sprezzatura, it looks like he dressed himself in the dark, yet still "luckily" got it right.  This is modern fashion at its best, unexpected, daring, classic and incredibly interesting.

J. Crew inpires me.  Good job Frank Muytjens.  By the way, Frank Muytjens personal style is also quite interesting.  The shoes and purple socks are fantastic.  I love that the socks match nothing on the outfit.