First we have two Victorian styles of neckwear, the first is called a Puff tie and is a mix between an ascot and a scarf, which one ties tightly to the neck and then lets fall freely down the front of the shirt.

The next is called a Ruche tie, which is a style of ’scrunching’ the cravat to achieve the look here. One uses a regular ascot or cravat but ties it using the method found here. These really only look right with a vest, otherwise, the extra material hanging from the tie just floats around and goes wild. The vest keeps the extra material tucked in and positioned correctly.

These past two styles will definitely be a talking point and crowd pleaser if carried off well. If you’re looking for something a little bit more reserved or more ’stylish’ or relaxed, try the loose ascot look Beckham is rocking in the tuxedo below. This is a look that not everyone can pull off, but with the proper accessories and attitude, this will steal the show. Notice that the wild style of the tie is the real star of this outfit, the actual clothes themselves are reserved. Black pants, black jacket, plain white shirt. When adding something unusual like an ascot make sure to play down the rest of the outfit or else you will end up looking like you’re in a costume instead of clothing.

Ascots can be found pretty easily online just by searching around or checking out vintage stores that have mens sections, I will go into that later, the point here is to mix up one of the usually standard parts of your outfit and having a little fun with tradition.

More New Years tips to come!

One of my favorite band’s shirts are so popular and expensive that they’ve almost become a cliche- Iron Maiden shirts. Maiden is famous for, among being one of the baddest rock bands of all time, their ridiculous t-shirt and album designs. Here is one tour shirt from 1982 thats selling on ebay for upwards of $550!

Step two – the image. Modern shirts are printing with a plastic based ink that will hardly age at all over many years of wear. Once the fabric is conditioned, use a light grit sandpaper on the printed logo to break it down. Use irregular/circular patterns so it doesn’t look too unnatural.

There you have it. Find some vintage inspired shirts and make them your own.

Pair a dark turtleneck with a tweed or plaid blazer and you can’t go wrong. I mean look at these guys….Ralph Lauren and Steve McQueen. Quintessential cool.

Dressing the Man

Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion by Alan Flusser. This book is a veritable gold mine of great ideas, influences, explanations, and guidelines for timeless fashion. I got this book about 9 years ago, and it goes without saying it has been and will continue to be absolutely correct about every bit of men’s fashion. I still pull it out once in awhile, flip open to a random page and see what I find. It’s always something interesting and inspiring. Having something like this around keeps you grounded in permanent fashion, which for men is always underlying, but often forgotten in the ebb and flow of trends. While men’s clothing stays generally the same, consisting of only a few basic pieces, i.e.: slacks, button down shirts, sweaters, vests, and jackets, the constrained options often lead to wild ‘interpretation’ of the classics. Thom Brown is the obvious example here, while he sticks to the ‘traditional’ men’s look, he has totally changed the fit and style of the basic garments. It’s cool right now but there is no question that in 10 years people will look at pictures of themselves in high water pants and no socks and laugh like my parents do about their clothes from the 70s. So follow the trends and be a trendsetter, but always keep ‘classic’ in the back of your mind. Would the Humphrey Bogart wear that? If the answer is no, maybe think twice before hitting the street.

Fall clothing is generally soft and warm, with luxurious wools and corduroys, lending a casual but professorial air. It’s the perfect weather for nice vests and sweaters, chilly enough to be comfortable mixing patterns and layers but not so cold as to cover it all under a buttoned up winter coat. Here are four of the quintessential patterns of Autumn to collect, mix, match, and enjoy while you still can.

First up is corduroy, a time tested durable and warm fabric that may draw it’s name from ‘cord du roi’ referring to the Bourbon king for whom it was designed. Another history says the name came from a combination of ‘cord’ for the horizontal striped pattern and the antique word ‘duroy’ which means course fabric in old English. Corduroy comes in many weights and colors, as seen here in the Authentic Fit cords in wine red from the Gap.

Next is Houndstooth, a woven wool pattern of small broken checks which abstractly resemble a canine tooth. Originating in the Scottish Lowlands, Houndstooth has seen a resurgence lately in women’s coats, appearing in a large scale pattern and generally in black and white. Houndstooth is really striking in Fall earthen colors, especially mixed into an almost plaid palate of browns oranges and greens. Here are a smart pair of brown houndstooth pants by Vivienne Westwood. A nicely tailored pair of patterned pants always draw a compliment and add a bold yet refined statement to any outfit. Match houndstooth pants with that brown leather jacket and you’ll be one step above.

Here we have herringbone, a classic pattern, generally wool, that takes its name from the alternating v shaped stitches which combine to take a form reminiscent of the skeletal system of a herring fish. Herringbone is most commonly a sport coat material. Here is a classic wool Herringbone blazer from J Press. Add leather buttons and elbow patches for a true Collegiate look. All of these patterns also go beautifully matched with varying patterns and colors of pocket squares, ties and sweaters.

Finally we have your classic tweed blazer. Much like the herringbone blazer, tweed is never out of style but enjoys the spotlight most comfortably during the Fall and matched with a regimental tie and thick sweater. Tweed is a coursely woven and extremely durable fabric, used famously for hunting and fishing in 19th century Britain and surrounding countries. Originally called ‘tweele’ in the old Scots, the name tweed, legend has it, came about when a merchant received a shipment and misunderstood the handwriting on the order. Thinking the fabric from the River Tweed which flows through the textile producing areas of Scotland, the fabric was marketed as such and the name stuck. A traditional tweed jacket is always in style, especially in a slimmer modern cut like the one here from JCrew. A blazer like this emanates a casual but timeless style, and every gentleman should have one in his closet.

Now that you know what you are talking about, get out there and add something interesting to your Fall wardrobe!

Kafka Was The Rage, by Anatole Broyard, is a memoir about living in Greenwich Village post WWII. It’s the story of a young man who dives head first into the infamous bohemia of downtown NYC in the 1940s. He moves in with a modernist painter, rubs shoulders with famous poets, chases women, and generally has a wild time. Wonderfully written, intensely engaging, and far too short, I read this in one sitting and was genuinely let down when it was over. Not because the end was bad but because I was upset that there wasn’t anymore to read. Get this and read it, and reread it, and give to your friends. And start sifting through Craigslist ads for apartments on Thompson St.

Recommended by my local purveyor of Bourbon, comes Sazerac Straight Rye. I was told that Bourbon is nice to cut your proverbial teeth with, but Rye is a real man’s Whiskey. American Straight Rye can only be called as such if it is made with at least 51% Rye and aged for at least 2 years in oak barrels. It largely died off after prohibition, but a handful of distillers still produce Rye, one of which is Sazerac. Affordable, and very tasty, this stuff over rocks will keep you nice and toasty on an October evening. Sazerac is also one of America’s oldest known cocktails, apparently invented in the 1830s by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, the cocktail consists of Straight Rye, a dash of Peychaud’s bitters, a bit of simple syrup, and, back in the good old days, a splash of absinthe. Could be an interesting change of pace, and with the Absinthe, dangerous, although I don’t know how many bars will have the necessary ingredients to make this.

Finally we have Primer, an indy flick that came out in 2004. It was made with less than $7k budget, but you wouldn’t know it. What is really interesting about this movie is the deeply confusing but thought provoking paradoxes and morality issues that arise from the creation of the mystery device (which I won’t explain or spoil, just rent the movie, don’t read about it online first). This film is short and sweet, and needs to be watched and re-watched, discussed and analyzed. It’ll turn your head around. Really cool stuff, and great to start some interesting conversation over a glass of Sazerac!

1.) Middle schoolers – you rock the backpack. Canvas, many pockets, pencils slots. This is the bag for those of you who haven’t graduated on to lace up shoes and given away all of your cargo pocket pants yet. Right on bro! And don’t think that having a brand name one makes any difference…two padded straps and zippers are inexcusable.

2.) Hipsters – The classic canvas tote. This particular example is semi-mainstream as it features the logo of a small, not very well known Rum brand. How ironic! This bag works well over the shoulder or carried on your side, either way you are telling the world that you got this bag at a music festival and it’s purely functional. Yo hipster, you do you’re thing.

3.) Average Joe Cool – This is the mainstream messenger bag. Usually a nice brown or black leather, this is the side slung strap bag that says ‘I dabble in fashion but I’m not trying to make a statement.’ These used to be a big time statement a few years ago, but have trickled down to become a common sense alternative to the backpack. While some have a very stylish design, they’ve already passed their hay day as trendy.

4.) Geek chic – Aahh, the classic briefcase, or attache case, as the spies call it. This could either go with your thick frame glasses and be referred to as a ‘throw back’ or be actually vintage and match that tweed blazer your grandfather gave you. Either way, it’s very cool and if carried with confidence, a serious statement. Be wary of the thickness however, the thinner the more ‘fashionable’ but not as classic.

5.) Trend Setter – Here we have a staple of every fashionable man’s collection. A well made canvas weekend tote bag. It’s big enough to carry a few days provisions but not quite a duffel, and with sturdy leather accents and a thick handle, this screams prepared gentleman. Many have taken to carrying this sort of bag in a day to day scene, and this is perfectly acceptable as long as its carried in hand and not in the crook of the elbow; but be prepared to take flak for carrying a ‘murse.’ Stay strong, and carry on…if you dare.