Put This On

A Basic Cashmere Wardrobe for Men

It doesn’t get much more versatile than a simple v-neck sweater in a basic, solid color. It doesn’t get much more classic, either. Build yourself a wardrobe of three pieces, and you’ll be set for years.

Above are three of the most basic colors: burgundy, navy and gray. If you wear a lot of monochromatic palettes, or want something to wear out at night, you could add black to that list (though gray is more versatile, and can usually fill in fine for black). Camel can also be a nice choice. These are pieces that go with everything from jeans to a suit, and add sophistication and comfort to every outfit you wear.

I like cashmere for my v-necks. It’s warmer relative to its weight than wool, and of course it’s exceptionally soft, as well. It’s also one of the few fabrics that gets better with age. High-quality cashmere, with reasonably attentive care, can last very nearly forever. I think that this is a wardrobe element that’s essential enough that you should look for the best.

But where do you get the good stuff? I wrote a quick guide to finding quality cashmere, but I’ll summarize (OK, probably expand) here.

There’s plenty of passable cashmere on the market today - far more than ever before. You can buy cashmere sweaters for $80 at Costco, $150 at Lands’ End or $198 at J. Crew. That Lands’ End sweater is decent quality, but it’s still expensive, and it’s not the good stuff. It won’t last, look as nice, or feel as good.

As the cashmere market has exploded over the past fifteen years or so, the breadth of quality available has expanded dramatically. All cashmere is not created equal. Cashmere’s quality depends on the quality of the fiber, the quality of the milling, and the quality of the garment’s construction. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that there’s no difference.

Good cashmere is made from the longest fibers. It is dense, resilient and lightweight (though it may be offered in multiple layers, or plys). The texture should almost approach a cotton jersey. It will also (new) be a little less soft than the cheap stuff. The short fibers in cheap cashmere are loose right from the start, so they feel soft to the touch. They’ll pill and tear. The best cashmere feels smooth as much as it feels soft. Go to a super-fancy store, and touch some Loro Piana branded cashmere, and you’ll get a feeling for what I’m talking about.

Of course, great cashmere has become surpassingly expensive. A Loro Piana cashmere sweater can cost as much as $1500, and one by a less-well-advertised maker like Drumohr can still go for $500 or more. Perhaps you can swing this, in which case more power to you, but for most of us, that’s cost-prohibitive.

There is good news, however. Because good cashmere wears so well, and because almost all cashmere was top-of-the-line until fifteen or so years ago, used is a tremendous option.

For $30-60, you can buy a pristine Scottish cashmere sweater (Scottish cashmere, by the way, is what you want), from a luxury maker. Look for something from the 1980s or earlier, with a smooth, tight hand. It should be made in Scotland, either for a fancy store (Saks, Nordstrom, Brooks, Wilkes, Niemans, that kind of thing) or by one of the big Scottish cashmere brands (Pringle, Drumohr, etc.). Look for something sized by chest size, not S-M-L-XL. Focus on the basic colors we’ve identified above. If it’s pilling, has holes or stains, leave it be.

When you’re shopping, take your time. The perfect piece may not come along right away, but it will come. These are basics, after all.

Once you’ve got your sweater - or sweaters - care for them gently. Hand-wash them only when they really need it (once a year or so). They’ll actually get softer with age. If you wear through the elbows, add patches. If you get a snag, have it rewoven. Take care of them, and they’ll keep you warm and stylish for a healthy chunk of the rest of your life.

Colors for fall, via Stiljournalen.

Autumn has caught us in our summer wear. - Philip Larkin, British poet

Fall officially begins on Friday. Before you know it, the landscape will silently explode with burgundy, golden yellow, and burnt orange. Baseball season will give way to football. Crispy leaves will fall and drift to the ground, then be raked into piles for children to jump into. Temperatures will drop, the air will turn sharper, and we’ll use these as excuses to enjoy our favorite woolen sweaters. 

Before this arrives, it may be time to start planning for your seasonal storage of clothes. Storing your summer clothes away will help make room for your fall/ winter wardrobe, and help protect your clothes when they’re not in use for six months. To do this, however, you’ll want to make sure of a few things. 

• Wash or dry clean your clothes before you store them. This ensures that insects aren’t packed away with your clothes and that any food bits, which can attract insects, will be gone as well. I even give my clean clothes a good shake before they’re actually stored. 
• Check the pockets to make sure they’re empty. I also zip up the zippers and button the buttons, just to make sure things are in good order. 
• Get muslin or canvas garment bags for your trousers, jackets, and suits. I’ve found that these work better than plastic since they allow your clothes to breathe while keeping the bugs at bay. It’s also recommended that you use hangers with molded shoulders for your jackets and suits. Many people believe that this helps your garments keep their shape, though I’ve read credible sources cast doubt on this claim. Still, I’m not testing the matter with my clothes, so I play it safe. 
• For sweaters and shirts, store them in plastic bins with lids. Drill a few holes into the lid so that air can circulate. Failing to do so can create moisture, which in turn can cause mildew. Pack them away with the heaviest items on the bottom, and be sure not to over stuff things, otherwise you’ll ruin the fibers. I also wrap my favorite pieces in acid free tissue paper, but this isn’t terribly necessary.
• Put cedar balls or lavender in along with your clothes to deter bugs. 
• Choose a storage space that is cool and dry. If you don’t, your clothes may develop mold, and if they do, they will have a smell that will be very, very difficult to get out. I’ve had clothes permanently ruined from being stored in damp areas, so be careful. Once you’ve chosen a place, vacuum and clean it out before your store your clothes there. 
• If you have silverfish in your home, and you’ve put holes in the lids of your storage bins, put those bins off the floor. This will lower the likelihood of having silverfish snack on your garments. 

Of course, fall arrives in different areas at different times. I hear it’s already raining in New York, while in the Bay Area (where I’m from), September and October are just when things start to get warm. Pack your things away when it makes the most sense for you. 

Brooks Brothers Friends and Family Sale

Brooks Brothers’ Friends and Family Sale begins this Thursday. Nearly everything in their stores will be discounted by 25%. It’s not the deepest discount of the year, but it is a chance to get basic items - Brooks Brothers’ forte - that otherwise don’t go on sale.

There are a lot of great choices. I like their lambswool Fair Isle sweater, array of scarves, and waxed driving jacket. Of course, you can get very similar jackets through Barbour, but I like the corduroy mock neck collar on Brooks’ design. If you’re on the market for sport jackets or trousers, check out Brooks’ slimmer lines in the Fitzgerald and Milano cuts (eg. this Fitzgerald corduroy jacket and Milano fit flannel trousers look excellent). Lastly, these chukka boots could work quite well for much of the year, and these dot repp ties are very versatile. Of all the ties on the market, I actually think Brooks’ ties, at least when they’re on sale, offer one of the best price/ quality ratios on the market. 

If you’re thinking about getting something, I recommend going in now and having a sales associate put something on hold for you until the day of the sale. If you can’t make it into a store, check their online store between 12am and 3am EST on Thursday. It usually goes live online then. Both of these tactics are great ways to make sure you get the size that you need. 

Lastly, be aware that you can get an extra 15% discount if you open up a Corporate Card and make your purchase on the card. Not all sales associates will stack these two discounts for you, but I’ve found that most do. 

(Special thanks to a reader named Kevin for notifying us about this sale)

Ties for Fall

The first photo above has haunted me ever since I first saw it at 13th and Wolf. It’s what I would consider the perfect fall tie. The colors are warm, the pattern is simple but interesting, and the wool fabric gives the tie a nice, soft appearance. Together, these characteristics make it the perfect expression of fall. 

While we may never own a tie so ideal, there are some great ties to take advantage of this season. Here are seven types that you should consider:

• Most of your seasonal ties for fall should be made (at least in part) out wool. These can come in many forms - wool challis, wool flannel, tweed, etc. Challis is a plain weave that feels supple and lightweight; flannel will have a soft, brushed nap; and tweed will be a bit rougher. Like with silk ties, a solid color can work well if the fabric has a bit of texture to it (eg brushed flannel). For something slightly more interesting, you can also get a plain colored tie, but one with a slightly mottled weave or herringbone pattern. My favorites, however, are wool ties with small geometric patterns, stripes, or checks such as windowpanes. A number of tweed ties also come speckled, which can be interesting. 
• Like wool ties, cashmere ties also make for excellent fall staples. Since the material is more luxurious, they will typically cost a bit more than wool, however. Since they’re softer, they also don’t typically wear as well.
• Another traditional fall tie is the ancient madder. Ancient madder ties are distinguished by their muted hues, traditional patterns (often with paisleys) and their soft, matte finish. You’ll find beautifully deep, soft, matte colorings, such as mustard yellow, jade green, and indigo blue. They’re produced on a special “gum” silk, and when handled, they have a hefty, chalky hand similar to fine suede. They can come in paisley or any number of small, geometric designs.
• I had a phase once where I went a little tartan crazy. Now I find that with the exception of black watch, it’s hard to wear tartan ties. However, one thing they go excellently with is a tweed jacket. It makes sense given how popular the two are in Scotland. If you own a tweed jacket, I don’t recommend you go out and buy ten tartan ties like I did, but maybe buy one. 
• Your regular run of woven silk ties can still feel seasonal. Just keep your colors autumnal - burgundy, chocolate, hunter green, and pale gold are all good colors to stand by. 

So where to buy some of these ties? My favorite shops are Drake’s (pictured above), Sam Hober, Paul Stuart, Ralph Lauren, and J Press. Additionally, some excellent options are available at Howard Yount, Mountain and Sackett, and Ovadia and Sons. For those looking for something more affordable, Land’s End also has a couple of handsome wools for between $50 and $60.

Finally, note that seasonal ties aren’t a necessity. You can still obviously wear your regular rotation of silk ties - grenadines and knits are still great ties to wear regardless of the season. It’s just that having a seasonal touch here and there can be fun, and the above are good options to consider.  

ethandesu:

Ascot Chang x The Armoury

A preliminary sample of the ACxTA collaboration Linen Safari Jacket. Done in a Solbiati Linen, the first run will be in a true navy, rather than this indigo, and with matte horn buttons rather than the corozo on this one.

Sizes will run from S - XL, this being the XL I am wearing. For reference, I am 180cm and 95kgs, a 38inch waist.

We are taking pre-orders now, so email me at info@thearmoury.com if we can help.

I love this coat, and the shirt-jacket in general. When it’s jeans-warm in LA, one of my most basic uniforms is jeans, white linen shirt, desert boots and an old Kenyan safari jacket I thrifted a few years ago. When the weather gets cooler, the outfit doesn’t change much - the desert boots get swapped for a more standard crepe-sole chukka, the linen for oxford cloth and the safari jacket for an old LL Bean chamois shirt. In both cases, that top layer finishes the look without adding much formality. Perfect for a casual Saturday.

Brown Suede Shoes for Autumn

While I think brown suede shoes are great for every season (perhaps except winter), they’re particularly fitting for autumn. The soft, warm looking texture fits in well with the season’s mood and looks great against the brown corduroys, gray flannel trousers, and olive moleskins that should be in your standard Fall rotation. 

If you don’t already have a pair, consider getting something nice for this Fall. If you can afford to splurge, I recommend Crockett & Jones’ Belgrave in polo brown calf suede. It’s a pretty expensive shoe, but I think one of the most handsome ones you can buy. For something more affordable,  check out this Charles Tyrwhitt suede chukka (which is on sale right now), Loake’s suede Eton loafer, and Rancourt’s suede camp mocs. For something a bit cheaper than those, there’s Florsheim’s Haviland longwing. I’m not that crazy about Florsheim, but they’re one of the cheapest Goodyear welted shoes on the market. Use the code NewFW11 at checkout and you’ll get 10% off as well as free shipping (thanks to The Silentist for the tip). 

Lastly, it’s not released yet, but the guys at Run of the Mill are coming out with a suede double monkstrap on a Danite sole. The price will be around $450 and it should be released in a month or so. 

(photo credit: NOBD from StyleForum)

Five Casual Trousers for Fall

Though I love wearing my 3sixteens, I think it’s odd how many men wear only jeans, and nothing else. Granted, jeans are universally accepted, easy to wear, and very durable, but only wearing jeans seems very limiting. Expand your horizons this fall and consider these other casual trouser options. 

1. Wool flannels are some of the best trousers you can buy. The material has a soft nap and a beautiful, varying color. They’re as comfortable as pajamas, but look very sharp at the same time. The best thing, however, is that while they work best for fall, you can wear them just as easily in the winter and spring. I recommend getting a few pairs, especially in various shades of grey. 
2. Corduroys are another fall staple. The ribs on corduroy are known as wales, and they can range from seven per inch (jumbo cords) to sixteen (needlecords or pinwale cords). Generally speaking, the more wales, the lighter the cloth and youthful the look. If you don’t already have a pair, get them in dark brown. 
3. Moleskins should be your next purchase. Like corduroys, they’re a hardwearing, brushed cotton fabric that has a bit of a velvety hand. Unlike cords, however, they don’t have wales. I like mine in olive, tan, and charcoal, but you can get them in any autumnal color, really. 
4. Whipcords and cavalry twills are essentially the same thing, though cavalry twill has a slightly crispier, shinier finish. These are steeply angled twills, made from either cotton or wool, and often made for very hardwearing environments.  Get them in various shades of grey or a dark brown. 
5. Lastly, I recommend just aiming for heavier weight wools and cashmeres. Anything but gabardine will be fine, which is what’s used for suits. I like mine to have a wooly, fuzzy hand. You can get them in a solid color, but don’t neglect the possibilities of patterns such as windowpane, herringbone, glen plaid, and houndstooth. 

For all the options above, I strongly suggest you get them cuffed. In my opinion, casual trousers in the fall and winter always look better cuffed, and this becomes doubly true when you wear boots. If you decide to get cuffs, get them made proportional to your height. The current trend is for large cuffs: I find that a man of average height looks best with a 2” cuff, while men of shorter stature look best with 1.5”. 

Brooks Brothers Clearance Sales

Brooks Brothers has some nice things on clearance right now. There are two items in the inventory that I own and can personally recommend.

The first is a navy and cream plaid flannel shirt, which is on sale for $35. I bought it last year after seeing Jesse blog about it (told you I was a fan of this site). The fit is decently slim, though not as much as Brooks’ oxford cloth button downs in the same cut. It’s a great shirt though for $35. 

The second is a cable sweater made out of Saxxon wool, which is a bit more expensive at $114. “Saxxon wool” is Brooks Brothers’ trademarked term for wool that has been taken from sheep directly descendent from the original Saxxon flock. You can see a charming video about the material here. Practically speaking, I find little difference between Saxxon wool and high-end merino. Still, the material is much better than mid-tier merinos you find in most stores, and certainly better than cotton. I wish the design had thicker cables, like this, but I bought the navy version and I’m excited to throw black suede elbow patches on it. I think the grey version would look equally as good with brown suede patches. 

Both of these items would be great for the coming fall and winter seasons. Wear them with charcoal moleskins, mid-grey flannel trousers, or dark brown corduroys, and you’ll have some nice casual looks ready once summer ends. 

In Praise of Green Ties, Revisted

Cooper Frederickson, who used to be one of my favorite bloggers (until he mysteriously stopped … why Cooper, wwhhyy?!), sent me an email about two wonderful green ties. The first is a forest green linen from Sam Hober. Linen ties are great during the summer and the green here makes this one just a bit more unique.

The second one Cooper recommended is my favorite of the two. It’s a green 50oz printed silk tie with light blue and off-white accents. It’s sold at Ben Silver, but made by Drakes of London. The light blue and off-white accents here are perfect since it can help pick up the light blue in your shirt or a cream silk pocket square (both of which should be staples in your closet). I have a custom-made tie that’s very similar and it’s absolutely one of my favorites. 

I couldn’t find any good modeling shots with the either tie so I went the picture above. There’s so much inspiration and instruction here though. Note:

• No collar gap. Notice that the collar points on the shirt stay neatly tucked under the jacket’s lapels.
• Green paired with gray (the awesome combo I talked about last week)
• Double breasted jacket with perfect peak lapels
• Perfectly selected pocket square. Notice that the square isn’t overly matchy - it stands on its own in the outfit and has complementary, not matching, colors. At the same time, there is a nice white trim detail that helps pick up the white on the shirt, but it’s a small enough detail to not look like you bought the tie and pocket square from the same set (or shirt and pocket square).
• Worn-to-hell suede wingtips. 

Throw in the accompanying gray trousers and this is the perfect fall look.