School Supplies: White Stag 4-Seasons Jacket

-All week people have been talking about the 90-degree weather in New York. Yesterday I walked to school in a 55-degree downpour. I don't know if I've ever blogged¹ about the vintage White Stag 4-Seasons windbreaker I picked up last year for $12, but it's definitely been a lifesaver this wet spring. The jacket is super light, so I've just been keeping it bunched at the bottom of my Duluth Pack, ready to throw over whatever I'm wearing at the first sight of rain. The jacket is completely waterproof and has unique oily sheen and some nice little details like a hood that zips into the collar. With all the designer windbreakers out these days, and having not yet found the perfect parka, I'm stoked to have found this jacket for cheap.
-1: I guess I did blog about this jacket when I bought it.  more

School Supplies: Patrik Ervell Sale Items

-There's some Patrik Ervell items on sale at Opening Ceremony right now and while browsing I was reminded that, though he does some wacky shit, I don't know if there's anyone making as refreshingly simple basics as Ervell these days. Now, if only I had an spare $320 for a windbreaker. more

School Supplies: Polo Hunting

-My wardrobe is pretty complete right now, and as I've mentioned previously, I'm trying to spend less on clothes in 2010 and save for some major purchases. But there are still a couple essentials I need to grab to round out my closet, one of them being a legitimate polo. My polo game is terribly weak; It consists of a $7 white polo from Wal-Mart, and an Abercrombie joint I bought in 11th grade (I still wear it though, buttoned all the way up a la Fred Perry.) For some reason I've never upgraded to a pricier polo. I know there are probably some workable polos from Gap, J. Crew or Rugby (shown.) But because I've loaded up on OCBDs as my go-to, I'll probably only buy 1 polo to last the next couple years, so I'm looking in the $75-150 range. If I'm going to spend that much on one shirt, I've got to do some thorough research. Here are a few initial favorites:
-Rogues Gallery,  Engine Red Faded Seam $88
-Band of Outsiders, Trapped Pocket Polo $135
-Fred Perry, Italia World Cup Series, $86
-Rugby, Sun-Washed Polo, $65
-I'm leaning toward a simple blue or red, or maybe grey, something that works for summer but could be layered and add some color in the fall. I included the Rugby because I'm really digging the sun-faded look, and I know that Rugby fit works for me. I'm going to keep searching until mid-june probably, and may end up settling with a monogrammed joint from Polo. Any suggestions? more

School Supplies: Newbury Chino Remix

-A few weeks ago I blogged about the khaki Newbury Chino Jacket from Rugby, and then (if you've been following the blog you know this already) I bought the navy version of the jacket as well. With the navy jacket I did the same exact look as I did with the khaki, except that I swapped the regular Gap chambray with my new red Gap chambray, and I took the advice of my knowledgeable peers and swapped out my beat-to-shit Top-Siders for some Alden loafers. I've been getting a lot of questions about this jacket since I first posted, so more than just throwing up an image¹, I wanted to illustrate the differences between the khaki and navy models of this jacket.

-The lining of the navy jacket is actually pretty heavy. It's thick jersey, which adds some notable heft to the jacket, and obviously, makes it fit a bit more snug than its khaki counterpart. I pulled the trigger on the navy Newbury because of the sale, but it's definitely an item I'll be working into my wardrobe much more this fall (and I'll definitely shoot some of the looks I come up with, probably September-ish.)

-The navy jacket has plastic, skull-emblem buttons, whereas the khaki jacket has a more traditional button and the "Rugby, a sport of gentlemen" insignia on the inside cuff.
-Overall, I'm glad I purchased both versions of this jacket, though I won't fully appreciate the navy joint until the weather cools down a bit.
1- I know the photo is toned kind of oddly, we were having lighting/angle issues.  more

School Supplies: Riviera Club Perfect Henley

-While I think it's a bit pretentious for any brand to call an item 'perfect,'  this henley from Riviera Club looks to be pretty spot on. I could maybe do without the stitch detail on the pocket, but that could probably be easily removed, and the sun-faded color is great for spring. The henley is one of my favorite anytime items, and I'm surprised at how little it gets mentioned when people are listing their menswear essentials. I even occasionally throw a henley over an oxford/tie combo as a sweater substitute in transitional seasons (remind me to blog about that separately,) which is something I've never seen anybody else try. I'm trying to substantially limit my clothing purchases as I save for a major purchase, but the not-so-bad $73 price tag on this is seriously tempting me.
-Via Blackbird. 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

Dress Code: Skatability

-When the weather gets warm it's hard for me to resist the urge to skate to school rather than walk. That being said, it's hard to dress for skating without looking like a high-schooler. To skate, I need pants that allow for a full range of motion in my legs (not happening in slim raw denim,) and lights layers that move well and can be removed if I get too hot.
-Duluth Pack.
-Gap Chambray.
-The Hill-Side chambray scarf in 'natural.'
-American Apparel v-neck (my summer staple, I have about seven.)
-Levi's 511 trousers.
-Vans Authentics.
-I ride DGK, or sometimes Seattle's best, Manik. more

Dress Code: Thinking of Fall

-Today is sunny and the temperature has risen above 60 for the first time in months, but this photo from Opening Ceremony's FW10 lookbook has me thinking about fall already. Most of you are probably aware that Opening Ceremony can be hit or miss. They tend to ride trends a little too hard, and I had some issues with their customer service. But, I appreciate that they aim to push style rather than sit still, and everyone once in awhile they produce some baller garments and looks. I'm not saying that I'll be leaving the house in pink/aqua Navajo sweats this fall, but I'll definitely reference this image's take on nonchalant chunky layering. more

School Supplies: Navy Newbury Chino

-Having been thoroughly impressed with the fit and feel of the khaki Newbury Chino jacket from Rugby, I decided to snag the jacket in navy as well. I didn't really plan on getting the navy jacket too, but this week Rugby is having an insider sale of 25% off, which I combined with my student discount of 15% to get the jacket at a crazy-low price. I'll throw up a fit picture as soon as the jacket makes it to me doorstep. more