Pop Yo Collar

The Dos & Don'ts of Collar Popping -

Don'ts:

Hopefully these fashion faux pas are quite evident.

Polos & Shirts - Don't pop the collar on a polo shirt, button down shirt or rugby shirt. At no time, ever, ever, ever.  A collared shirt should not have an erected collar, unless you are at a costume party or you have a nickname that starts with "The" and ends with "Situation".  Keep the collars down and keep the compliments up.

Jacket - Sport coats & suit jackets should have the collars down, creating a sleek, slim look. Only in extreme weather should the collar be popped and only to keep yourself warm, not as a fashion statement.  Otherwise you will look like your hanging with Crockett & Tubbs, which is no bueno.  And please for the love of all that is stylish, do not push up the sleeves of your jacket.  Don't even think about it, it's just wrong.

Dos:

Overcoats & Trench coats - With as much passion as I beg and plead you keep the collars down on your shirts and polos, I beg and plead that you to keep the collars of your overcoats up. Overcoats & Trench coats are meant to have popped collars.

Peacoats - the naval Peacoat has to have the collar popped, it is the only proper way to wear the coat.  Without the collar standing at attention, the jacket looks boring and quite mundane.  Keep it cool and keep the collar popped at all times.

Question on Trenchcoats

Reader's Question - Michael, NYC:

"I recently came across your blog (awesome) when searching for pictures of the Theory Herringbone Trench Coat you featured on August 17th. I picked it up yesterday as a secondary winter coat (my primary winter coat is a navy Burberry cashmere overcoat - it gets COLD in NY!).

How do you suggest I wear the belt? I tied the belt, but the fabric is quite stiff and the belt wouldn't hold. I am also concerned that the belt will look worn out after tying it so much. Do you suggest that I belt it instead (quite formal) or tie it in the back? The jury seems to be out on this one..."

Thanks for the thoughtful question, Michael. You should be commended on your taste in overcoats. I always feel that every man should own at least a Navy overcoat and the secondary overcoat should be Gray or Camel colored. Those colors will go with most every suit in the closet and will look sharp for any occasion. The herringbone adds visual interest to the gray overcoat, helping to stand out in the dreary weather.  Cashmere and Camelhair are the best fabrics for overcoats; warm durable and fashionable.

Personally, I would opt for the belt to be tied, as shown in the picture.  The belt with time will become less stiff and will hold to the knot better.  Damaging the belt should not be a concern, the high quality of the fabric and manufacturing will help hold it together. For more formal events you can use it as a belt, but I would still opt for tying it in every occasion as it is more sprezzatura and care free (a state that should be constantly strived for by every well dressed man).  Please, Michael, do not tie the belt behind you. No trench coat or overcoat should ever have the belt tied in the back. This removes the sartorial benefit that a secured belt adds to the overall look.

One additional note in wearing this and most all other overcoats. Please, for the love of all that is stylish, turn up the collar. Overcoats, trenchcoats and peacoats should have popped collars. In every case, wear it with the collar up, but please always wear your polos with the collars down. 

With those rules followed, you should be able to enjoy the New York weather in warmth and style.

Time for London Fog

It is the time of year to break out the London Fog.  Classic styling, good quality all-weather coats come from London Fog.  The coats are for the most part under $150 and will keep you dry and warm when needed.  It is time for London Fog to be broken out.  And if you don't have one to pick one up.

How bad can a brand be that uses Gisele Bundchen in their ad campaign as such?

John Varvatos Pants Update...

A few weeks ago I went to the John Varvatos Warehouse sale at the Convention Center in Downtown. I was disappointed in the selection but I did find a pair of lightweight chinos, which had to be shortened by a tailor to fit my legs. After finding the time to take them in and pick them up again, they are finally back. Shortened to my preferred hem length the chinos look great, well at least as good as anything can look on me.

Excuse the horrible pictures, I am not adept at taking pictures in mirrors, but I will try to get better.  Also realize the pants look as those they have a stain on them, which is in reality a smudge on the mirror and not the pants.  I also provided a picture of my complete outfit which was taken in the hallway mirror, excuse the bad lighting. I am certainly glad that we have fall like weather in LA, at least for the beginning of the week. It is nice to break out the sweaters and trench/over coats. We are supposed to have weather in the mid 60s with a chance of rain for the first three days of the week, before it jumps back up to the 80s.  LA weather certainly keeps you on your toes this time of year.

Today, I decided to wear the new John Varvatos pants, I am always antsy to wear the new stuff, with green gray slip-ons. On top is a blue micro-check gingham light blue & white shirt, a navy sweater with a blue gray, light blue & white argyle pattern on the front. And finally, a Banana Republic trench coat just in case it rains, like the weather man warned. The trench coat might be the best pick up of the early fall, I bought it on sale for $35 since few in LA feel the need to be appropriately prepared for rain, rain essentials are often steeply discounted at retail chains so that they will not take up space in the stores for long.  One of the advantages of living in LA, a disadvantage is the selection is always drastically limited.

After all the ramblings, I have to say I am pleased with the John Varvatos Warehouse Sale purchase.

Good shoppers find good deals

Priding myself on being a good shopper is not always about finding sales on items at J Crew, Ben Silver and Nordstroms, but sometimes it is about finding the right piece at a discount store. Most of the clothes at discount stores do not fit right or are out of style, but sometimes they get it just right and for a really good price. My two favorite stores to watch for deals are Target & American Eagle Outfitters. Take a look at the items I found at American Eagle, really cool stuff for great prices.

American Eagle Trench Coat - $99 - It has the same style as all the top designers for considerably less. Most of the designer Trench Coats are between $800 - $200 a coat, this one for only $100 is a great deal.

American Eagle Brown Leather Oxfords - $54 - As any faithful reader of this blog knows these are not Oxfords but instead Bluchers. But whatever you call them they are a good shoe for casual wear. They are useful for a night at the bar or any sporting event, and considering the circumstance could be great for a date or a casual Friday at work. I think the silhouette on these shoes are very cool, chunky where it counts and slender everywhere else. I of course love the patina and distressing, which will only improve with time. Not to mention the great price for shoes that have a wooden sole.

American Eagle Desert Shoes - $34 - These are exactly the same look as the desert shoes you will find made by Clarks, but a lot cheaper. We all know how important boots are this fall and these are a great deal on a classic shoe. Why pay more when you can get the same shoe for considerably less?

American Eagle Shawl Collar Sweater - $59 - I do like the sweaters at American Eagle quite a bit. This Shawl Collar sweater fits in with the current fall fashions and has a great accessory in the leather buttons. I would definitely think about adding this sweater to the collection.

American Eagle Woodsman Boots - $79 - These boots have a very similar look as the Red Wing boots made for J Crew, but are a lot less expensive. If you are buying boots because you need them to trudge through snow and rain and really test them in extreme conditions, go with the Red Wing boots, they are some of the best made. But if you are buying boots for fashion purposes, plus they are useful on a rainy day, these might be the boots for you. They are nearly $200 less expensive then the really nice Red Wing or Frye boots and they look pretty damn cool.

American Eagle Boat Shoes - $39 - Boat shoes never go out of style. The ones made by AE are very cool looking and significantly less than Sperry Topsiders. While I think everyman should eventually own a pair of Topsiders, these suede boat shoes are a great addition to the closet.
American Eagle College Cardigan - $49 - Cardigan's are great, they are versatile sweater that can be worn over a t-shirt or a button down, can be worn with a tie and slacks or jeans. This cardigan from AE has a cool accent of double stripes on the sleeve. It comes in Navy or Gray. For the price it is definitely worth picking up.

Fall Essentials - Tweed Herringbone Trench Coat

Theory has made a tweed herringbone trench coat for this season. This is a perfect jacket for anyone living with severe weather and needs a great alternative to a cashmere overcoat. I would certainly think about picking it up if our weather was actually cold (Los Angeles has great weather, but that certainly limits the clothing options). What is great about this jacket is that it would easily go with any fall suit in the typical fall colors: navy, heather gray, black, olive and brown. Theory has done it again, a fashionable, practical, yet unique piece. This piece is available at Bloomingdales for only $795, for a jacket of this quality that is quite a good price.

Fall Essentials - Trench Coat

Everywhere you look there are trench coats. Every designer, store and runway show have variations of the jacket. This is one of the looks that I love for the fall, mainly due to it be a utilitarian fashion trend.

Living in Los Angeles, I do not have a use for a full cashmere trench coat (except for the business trips), but I do have a use for a rain trench coat. I think the look is very sophisticated, with or without a full suit and can be very versatile this fall and winter. I do think that the trench coat looks best with a tie, or at a button-down and sweater combo.

Aside from the rain trench coat, the other trench coat that you will see in stores is trench with a large collar and toggle clasps. Burberry makes a cool version of this trench. I think this jacket makes more sense for cool weather cities as it needs to be wool or cashmere to look good.

When picking out a trench, be sure it is tailored and slim. Make sure it has large lapels and plenty of buttons or toggles. It should have a nice modern fit and hit you on your thigh above your knee. In the rain coat version it should be double breasted, in the toggle version the toggles should be interesting, large and wooden.

This is a fall fashion that will be cool to wear now and useful to wear in all future seasons.