On the way...

Bought a few eBay items and have a few more in my scope. I should receive sometime next week and will post accordingly. Hopefully I will be able to cross a few items off the every growing Want List. On the way for now are a couple of dead stock trousers in a glen plaid and a window pane check.

UPDATE 4/2/11
Also on the way is a vintage, horizontal striped, square ended tie.

UPDATE 4/5/11
Also coming along, green vintage turtleneck.

Needed to lose weight

With anything fashion related, we all know that weight plays a a role whether you like it or not. Recently I put on some and wasn't too happy. I could do what I always do and watch calories and such, but I ran across this picture and thought, "good enough for Dino, good enough for me". Enter The Drinkings Mans Diet. Bought my copy and already read it, very interesting outlook and some good ideas. Going to give it a whirl and let you know. Need to slim down for swimsuit season I guess.

What I bought

Received an email from Neiman Marcus Last Call offering a discount off whatever your total purchase was, so I decided to check it out. Luckily, I work just down the road from them so I was able to drive over during my lunch break. Nothing much there that I was interested in, perhaps the odd jacket or two, but of course were not in my size. I did, however, see that they had there own brand of socks in some great multi stripe and block striped colors. I tried to be smart and pick out only the ones I could match to something later, and I managed to narrow it down to these three. I think these will look great during the spring/summer to follow and add a little color to perhaps any somber outfit I might be wearing that day.

UPDATE- Have worn all of these since buying them and have very impressed. Colors stayed vibrant after washing, they feel great and held up well (in more than one sense if you catch my drift) I do believe I would go back and get more, even in solids, just due to the fit of them.

Take notes

There's not going to be a test, but there is something to be said about taking notes. Previously I showed a mohair cardigan I got purely off an idea I had one night. While I was laying in bed I thought of this combo and how I liked it, knowing that if I continued to lie there and fall asleep, i probably would have forgotten about it by morning. So, I got out of bed and into my office, and wrote the idea down. If you like me, you forget things from time to time, and that's why I am going to stress the importance of notes for your sartorial needs. I will see combinations of colors, styles, and materials all the time and sometimes make up something  in my mind because of what I saw or what I thought I saw. Now, thanks to the technology of smart phones, a lot of phones these days come equiped with some sort of notes function, so it's not as hard as you might think. Every now and again I "empty" my phone notes and transfer them to my desk to a more permanent location so I can start sourcing any items I might need. I have done this recently and found that I had a lot more ideas in there than I had recalled. So now that I have these notes out, it's time to start looking.

The Fuzz

I have always drawn style inspiration from the old fashion ads in men's magazine like Playboy or Stag from the late 50's and 60's. Bright colors, fantastic fabrics, and wild patterns and textures that set the mid century American male into another world of dandyism. Brands like Burlington, Ban Lon, Leonardo Strassi, Cricketeer, and others made clothes that would make a peacock proud. Leaning towards that 60's bachelor look, I recently picked up this pea green fuzzy mohair sweater. I have been looking for a cardigan like this for quite some time after having in image cross my mind of the cardie, a yellow button down, and some black trousers. (I recall getting out of bed in the night to go into my office and write it down so I didn't forget). Flash forward a few months and I located the shirt and the sweater. I know it's not for everyone, but I think the colors really compliment each other well and will make a great combination. I think the trousers will have to be tapered and hemmed a little on the high side to complete the look. The cardigan brand is Kings Road sportswear, which is just a dolled up name from Sears, but it still makes a statement. All I need now is a highball and a couple of jazz albums to wind the night away.

Americana

While posting to a blog I frequent about the new chinos I had purchased, Rachel and I decided to take some pictures down at the neighborhood park. These are one of three new pairs of chino's I recently bought while out the other night. The fit is what I had been looking for for a long time; slim fit, low rise, thin material, etc etc. I want to add more 60's Americana/ivy spin to the mostly mod/suede look I go for now. I went with a simple pair of putty chino's ( I know, pants need hemming), Brooks Brothers slim fit long sleeve polo, and a pair of Clark's desert boots in a dark brown suede. The whole look seems very "weekend" to me; perhaps a BBQ or running errands about town.

Harrington jacket

I have commented before on the classic Harrington style jacket before and how I was keeping an eye out for one.  Well, once again life closed one door and opened another. I was doing a little online shopping for shorts and ran across old navy's website and saw that they were offering some shorts and a white linen short sleeve shirt with a straight hem. Since there is a store in my neighborhood, I decided to drive over and have a look. Well, the shorts were a bust, and the shirt wasn't available in a small (at that store) so my reasons for going had given out. However, on the way in I noticed they offered a Harrington jacket in blue and it wasn't that bad, I wasn't too keen on the shade of blue or the price tag so I passed on it. I went over to the sale section and saw the same jacket, this time in a beige and an almost madras lining, and half off. I found one that fitted the way I liked and was off. I guess this makes up for the one I lost on eBay recently. Might get to wear it once or twice before it gets too warm, but here it is for now. Also got a great deal on some chino's a store over, but that's a post for tomorrow.

That time of the year

It's definitely that time of the year, the time for me to by my annual pair of shorts. The weather is getting warmer and the call for cool weather clothing is creeping up. About this time every year I get around to buying a pair of shorts for the summer when it's hot and I am lounging around the house. I missed the boat on some linen Bermudas that BR did last year, but I am not deterred. Defiantly going to be of the solid color, Bermuda variety, in a hopefully linen or thin cotton cloth. I know that this site is pretty much geared towards a certain amount of formality in clothing, but I have to stress that wearing shorts does not open the floodgates into sloppy appearance. A nice pair of shorts, short sleeved shirt with a straight hem, and a nice pair of slip-ons, and you'll be the best dressed man beating the heat this summer. As soon as I find a suitable pair, I'll post and review them here.

Spring forward

I thought it fitting that since tomorrow is daylight savings time, aka "spring forward" that I debut my most recent acquisition. A lovely linen odd jacket from DNA Groove in dark blue with a pumpkin and sky blue check. I have been ogling over this jacket for a long time and finally bit the bullet and got it. I had high expectations before it arrived only to have them met, and even surpassed. I love this coat and it's a great introduction to Spring for me. I have matched it a few pairs of trousers and jeans so far and had to add a few to the old want list, but I think it's going to make it's way into heavy rotation this year. Even after I got it I noticed that Claudio had done a YouTube video of this same jacket a while back. Tomorrow is off in search of shoes and trousers for work. Even though the dress code at the office is very casual, I think it's still a good idea not to fall into the "jeans and polo" trap. Don't you agree?

The vintage advantage

I received a txt today from my good friend today asking about vintage shopping and after a store recommendation, I added in eBay. I have to admit, I routinely scour through that site looking for things that I think I need. Now, I have certain tricks and tips that I use to snag good deals, but it's definitely a learned art. Today I received this simple vintage short sleeve knit shirt in the mail and am pretty pleased with it. The color is great, the condition is new, and the fit is great. I know, it's not spectacular, but pair it with the right pants, thrown on some soft loafers, and this is a great casual spring look. As soon as I get this together and the weather permits, I (or someone near me) will snap a picture to show what I mean. Until then, here's today's find. And before you ask, yes, it does bring out my eyes.

Yea or Nay?

I need more shoes....I really do. I have been eyeing these for a bit but i'm torn. I like the leather and the style, but the soles aren't leather...and that's bothering me. They are currently on sale and I am seriously considering them...am I crazy or do they look as sharp as I think?

I know, almost a month...

...since my last post. I have been busy with many things, not excluding my new job after being on a career hiatus for a very long time. But, I am back and hope to have more coming to talk about. I made a small jaunt out to a few shops today on search of a couple of pairs of shoes with some friends and came home almost empty handed. The shoes were a bust ( I need a pair of leather casual that aren't suede, and a pair of black evening shoes as my old ones are just that, old), but I did manage to pick up something for my troubles. I found a couple of pocket squares in great colors for a song and snatched them up, as well as a new tie in a nice shade of green. I was tempted on a purple hued tie, but decided that it wasn't a color I could wear well. I thought I would post them up for you so you can see what I mean. In the meantime, be sure to check back soon as I have two items arriving this week, including a summer sportscoat that I have been drooling over for quite some time and a vintage knit shirt I think will be great for the spring. I am also going to try an organize any purchases I have made since last post, show them, and say a little about why I bought them, where I purchased, etc etc. Sorry for the lack of posting, but it was for legitimate reasons :)