Fall Quarter: Hickey Fair Isle1 Cashmere Crewneck

-Continuing with my quick rundown of some of my favorite sweaters, here's another great cashmere piece that I got for much less than the suggested retail price. I blogged about this sweater back when it first appeared online with a lust-worthy but unattainable price tag of $450. But like all remnants of the sad tale of Hickey, this sweater ended up on Gilt last winter for $150 (and, like most things I snag off Gilt, it came back later at an even lower price, shmeh.) Typical of Hickey, the fit is great, and the made in Italy cashmere is super soft and warm. This crewneck is about twice as thick as the previously-posted Burberry knit, so it's one I save for the truly cold days. Though the fall of Hickey is a lamentable, I can't say I'm sad to have acquired four pieces from one of the best, albeit short-lived, lines in recent memory for about 1/4 the original cost.
1-Before somebody gets uppity about accuracy: No, the pattern on the sweater does not seem to be traditional Fair Isle, but that's how the sweater was marketed and therefore how I described it.  more

Summer School: Sid Mashburn Green Canvas Shorts

-Credit goes to Mr. Joe Gannon for finding these great looking shorts from Southern sartorial champ Sid Mashburn. Looking at my selection of shorts, they're all khaki, save a pair of vintage madras goodness. Though I'm a sucker for military green, my wardrobe is lacking¹ any real/sporty/prep greens. Maybe it's because I developed a sort of aversion to Lacoste as a teenager, or more likely, just because I'd never seen anything so perfectly green as these shorts, either way, I'm definitely on the lookout for some Irish flair now. You can snag these from Taigan for a reasonable $90.
-Now, speaking of $90 shorts, someone should really loan me a C-note so I can snag these Corduroy Supply Shorts from the soon-to-be defunct Hickey².

1- Darian drew this same "not-enough-green" conclusion the other day. 
2- If you've been reading for awhile, you know that Hickey is one of my all-time fave brands. Sad days.  more

School Supplies: $26 Bold Shirt/Tie Combo

-I'd forgotten that I even read about the Liberty of London for Target collaboration when I came across this shirt/tie last week. Apparently the collab wasn't a hit because a whole selection of shirts and ties were marked down to $13 on clearance. I probably wouldn't have grabbed these at their original price ($20) but I liked the idea of getting to try out something you see from Gucci and Etro pretty often, layered intricate prints, for a fraction of the cost. As you might expect, the quality isn't superb and the fit of the shirt is a bit off, but the super lightweight cotton is actually perfect for warm weather. This might not be the look for you, and I wouldn't suggest that anyone attempt it too often, but spring is the time to be bold in your stylistic endeavors. In the long run, I'm sure I'll end up wearing this shirt with a solid navy tie more often than as pictured here, but for $26, I'm pretty stoked to have found something to change up my spring routine. more

In-Class Presentation: The Loose-Tie Lesson Plan

In-Class Presentation: The Loose-Tie Lesson Plan from angelo spagnolo on Vimeo.
-I share a lot of photos of myself wearing my tie a little bit loose. The loose tie helps me give a nod to rebel Ivy style and helps maintain my boyish charm, so I go with it probably 3 days out of the week. I wanted to make this video though to ensure my readers that, while I promote a loose tie under certain circumstances, you won't ever catch me looking like a Jersey Shore reject with a cheap satin tie tied in a huge knot hanging 6 inches below an unbottoned spread collar. more

School Supplies: Hickey Fair Isle

-I've only purchased one $400+ sweater in my life and I generally don't encourage such purchases, but this new Fair Isle sweater from Hickey is seriously tempting me (or would be tempting me if I had any money). You see Fair Isle patterns in a ton of collections every fall, but the royal/white combo and slim fit give this sweater a more modern feel. Hickey continues to be one of my top-5 favorite brands.

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