Once a decade

Good things come to those who wait. And wait. And wait.

After expecting a tour this past summer to support Soldier of Love, and being disappointed, I didn't think there was much chance of seeing the Lady again in concert.


Today Sade surprised us by announcing a summer 2011 tour. Tix go on sale in a few weeks. I'll try to take her in, both in NJ and Montreal. Gotta get as much of the Lady as I can, seeing that she only comes around once in a decade.

The magic begins on June 16, 2011 in Baltimore.

Quote of the Day

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society" - Mark Twain

Comfort Clothing

You know this workwear/heritage clothing revivial is huge when the Wall Street Journal runs a feature story on it.

It's a great article on the shifting of men's tastes to more authentic USA-driven casual wear, and the growing number of new-school designers teaming with old-school brands.

Check out this cool Heritage-Hipster matrix they put together.

Some of our favorite brands get featured, such as Levi's, Filson, LL Bean, Red Wing, and of course J. Crew. Check out the whole article HERE

Misters Brooks and Strauss

You've probably heard by now, but the fine gentlemen at Brooks Brothers are offering 25% all merchandise for the next 5 days, via their Friends and Family discount. On-line shoppers who don't have a BB retail joint nearby can use the code 03friend at check-out.

I kind-of broke up with Brooks Brothers for a while in the mid 2000s. I really should have been more loyal, given the fact that my wife tells me the reason she ever talked to me in the first place was that she loved the scent of my Brooks Brothers cologne. (I still keep a bottle handy next to my Varvatos Vintage).

Aunty-way, a month or so ago I received the Back to Campus/Back to Town Brooks Bros. catalog. This is easily the best clothing catalog I've seen in a long time. Vivid photography, beautiful scenery, and expertly presented product. Almost every piece grabbed my attention. I've been perusing the catalog at least 2-3 times a week, still digesting it all.

I know that this has gotten a lot of eye-rolls and smirks from the denim-heads out there, but I'm really diggin' the Levi's Made-in-the-USA collection for Brooks. There is no way you can tell me that these Levi's are not noticeably different from the $36 jobbers in Sears. Ever reallllly look at pair of those jeans? Made in Egypt, or Haiti, or Lesotho, or Latvia, or wherever else Levi's thinks they can get away with. The inconsistencies in washes, fits, stitching, and back pockets should make the company brass hang their heads in shame.

I've taken a long look at the Brooks' models (what the hell is that guy doing for so long in the dressing room?), and I'm thoroughly impressed. The back pockets fall so nicely. They actually look like Levi's are supposed to look. The denim is a lot more substantial (although the dark 501s seem a bit light). The Flint wash on the 514s is the perfect blend of dark denim and slight distressing. Ditto for the 505 Dark Warn Wash, except with some subtle fraying on the back pockets and hems. The 514s fit superb. I know, I know, the 505s are a bit high-waisted, but nostalgia gets the best of me and I can't turn my back on my high school 505s that used to make me feel like a superstar.

To be fair, there are a few things that would have made these a 10: a chain-stitched hem, a selvage offering, and some Cone Denim.

All in all though, these are solid. Throw in the 25% F&F discount, and you're looking much better than you did in those Guess "premium" joints with the crazy back pocket stitching and the acid washed thighs.

The classics just seem to get better with age.

EG Scarves

Knowledgeable style dude and all around good guy Shimon S. recently made the move over to the new Engineered Garments shop over on 38th St here in NYC.

Haven't been able to get over and check out the new space yet [you can see a nice review at Selectism] but I did spy some great looking scarves for the upcoming colder weather on the Context website.

You can see the whole collection HERE.

Don't let this week's 80 degree temps here in NYC fool you. You'll need one of these before you can say TRICK OR TREAT

A Visit to Bond Street

With everyone and their Uncle Milton buzzing about Billy Reid's collaboration with Levi's, I knew I had to visit Billy Reid in person to check out the goods.

Took a trip to Billy's NoHo shop on Bond St. yesterday. At first sight, you don't even realize you're at the right place. Walking up the steep steps from the sidewalk, you're greeted by the large, heavy wooden doors. Quite impressive and almost intimidating.

Walking in, the space is quite open and welcome in feeling. High ceilings, lots of rustic wood-work...almost like a log-cabin feeling. The Levi's collection was in plain sight right when you walk in.

To me, the most striking piece in the collection is the denim work shirt. More like a jacket than a shirt, this is a substantial piece. If you're used to slipping on a light chambray, this will be quite a surprise. When you're wearing this, you're gonna know it. And so will everyone else. I tried on the Large, which fit perfectly. The indigo die was bleeding already just from my brief handling, so careful if you're considering this piece. Looks like everyone is loving this, as it seems to be sold out on-line already.

The 501s were pretty much as expected. Raw selvage, made in the USA, though not of USA-sourced denim. Would have loved to see these made with Cone Denim. A lost golden opportunity here, in my opinion.

The 505s were more interesting. Quite heavier than what I expected after seeing photos. I didn't expect the large patches on the front thighs to be attractive, but they actually work well on the pants. I really like the color on these.

White oxford: quality piece, but clearly takes the back seat to the denim work shirt.

I couldn't decide if I liked the Wool trucker or not. If you're gonna be needing a wool jacket, are you really gonna go for a trucker style? Interesting concept, but I don't know about its real-life wearability.

The blogs are thick with positive chatter about these pieces, so better move fast if you're heading off to the mines soon and need some new threads

Bring a light jacket...

Fall is not even here yet, says Mr. Calendar. The early bird gets the selvage, so I made sure to get a little ahead of myself and plan now for the future.

Here's how I plan to protect myself from the elements this Fall. Some new pieces, some classics.
Tellason denim: USA, through and through


J. Crew Woodland Jacket

Old faithful

Channeling Morton Downey Jr.

Square Bottoms

Optical Pleasure

47s

Going Green

Supporting my Selvage

Keepin' it Heel

You're gonna need firm footing this Fall....Over-Active hurricane season, pastors threatening to burn holy books down in Florida, and the House of Reps up for grabs.

Try these on for size:








Spied a dope pair of chocolate brown suede Red Wings at the J. Crew Men's Shop in Paramus, NJ last week. Seeing them in the Paramus usually means they're about a month away from the rest of retail. Keep an eye out. These were standouts.

Why to buy American Made Jeans

A bit of truth in every joke???