Every two weeks, we like to give our sponsors a special shoutout. Doing so allows us to recognize them for their support and update readers on our sponsors’ happenings.
There’s something special about merino wool. The fiber wicks moisture from your skin, keeping you feeling dry and cool, and acts as a natural temperature regulator. Since it doesn’t hold odors as easily as cotton or silk, you also don’t have to wash it as often. Perhaps most importantly, animal hair has a natural crimp, which gives the fabric a “spring back” quality. If you put your hands into the hip pockets on a wool suit, you can feel the jacket moving up and down. However, if you do the same with a cotton suit, it feels stiff and won’t have any give.
Proper Cloth has channeled merino wool’s qualities into a line of button-up shirts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and even TechKnit facial masks. Their Reda merino wool, which is made in Italy, is supremely soft and comfortable. For the t-shirts, Proper Cloth has mixed this with lyocell — a plant-based fiber — to give the shirts some extra breathability and silky softness. The shirts come in business-ready colors such as white and light blue, as well as weekend hues of slate blue and charcoal grey. Since merino wool is inherently wrinkle-resistant, these button-up shirts are also naturally non-iron without the use of chemicals.
Paul Winston, the proprietor of Winston Tailors and Chipp Neckwear, likes to say that his family’s company serves a more traditional-minded customer. But since the company’s founding in 1945, they’ve also made some pretty wild clothing. Paul’s father Sidney was known for producing things such as patchwork tweeds, madras trousers, and sport coats with vivid linings. And shortly after Paul joined the family’s company in 1961, he designed a small line of clever, pictogram neckties. The difference between sophisticated humor and bad taste, Paul tells us, is always “who and where.” “A chairman once gifted my ties to his board members, and that was considered good humor, but when the same ties are found at Nordstrom, they’re considered bad taste.”
Some of these ties are pretty innocent. There’s a raccoon tie, presumably for people like me, who love trash. Then festive holiday ties for occasions such as Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas parties. Paul has ties for people who think money grows on trees, as well as baseball fans. Other ties, however, are a bit more … well, for people with adult humor. When you look closely at the scribbly message on this tie, it says “fuck you.” There are chemistry coded ties for people who are known for having a bit of piss and vinegar. When an IBM board member saw this “pussy on the mind tie,” he found it so funny that he ordered a box of 24 for friends.
Price at about $200 per pair, Dapper Classics’ trousers are among the best values around. They’re made at the Hertling trouser factory (formerly of Brooklyn, New York, but now relocated to Fall River, Massachusetts). Since they’re made in the United States, Dapper Classics can offer them at a much more reasonable price — about half the price of Rota’s Italian-made pants, but at roughly the same quality level. Cut with a slim leg and medium rise, these can be worn with either tailored jackets or casualwear.
At the moment, they have some heavily discounted pairs in their sale section. Prices start at just $98 — perhaps the lowest they’ve ever been priced. Included are materials such as navy linen, grey hopsack, brown Donegal, tan tropical wool, and Super 120s wool flannel. You can check out the entire sale selection on their website.
Following the NCAA’s rule change allowing college athletes to partner with brands for the first time, NYC brand Rowing Blazers has partnered with Alexis Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six and Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression (AAAD) to help bring attention to mental health. College athletes selected for the program will receive a co-branded t-shirt not available to the general public; a discount code they can share that raises money for the AAAD Foundation when used; and opportunities for additional products and partial scholarships.
China McCarney, Founder and CEO of Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression (AAAD) states, “I suffered from panic attacks, depression, and anxiety throughout my college and professional baseball career. I did not want anyone to know about it because I was terrified of the stigma attached to mental health issues. It is refreshing to see the landscape changing and see more courageous athletes and professionals speaking up for mental health awareness. AAAD is so proud to be partnered with Rowing Blazers and Seven Seven Six to continue to shed light on a life-saving topic and to raise awareness and funds to make a difference in the mental health community.”
Current collegiate athletes can apply to the Rowing Blazers Athletes program HERE. To learn more about the AAAD Foundation, visit aaadf.org.
Nigel Cabourn is best known for how he tweaks expedition clothes in just-right ways. But on his Instagram, you’ll often see him and his friends wearing distinctive workwear styles such as factory dungarees, big Army pants, and military-styled pullovers. Many of those clothes can be found in his Lybro line. Initially established in 1927, Lybro was a British workwear label until it closed sometime in the 1970s. Cabourn rebooted the brand some years ago. Today, he uses it to make modern, high-end, workwear-styled clothes inspired by benchmarks in 20th-century design.
This week, the company launched its FW21 Lybro collection. Included are some boxy, zip jackets rendered in navy herringbone and camo twill. These jackets will create an interesting and flattering silhouette when paired with something such as Nigel Cabourn’s farm pants, pleated chinos, or Dutch fatigues. Short, wide jackets can help visually broaden the shoulders and chest, much like how slim, long coats create vertical lines. Plus, these jackets are functional with all the spacious pockets. For a dressed-down version of a traditional sport coat, you can also try Nigel Cabourn’s Mallory jacket — one of his best-selling pieces. Made from various types of tweed, these jackets ride the fine line between traditional tailoring and casualwear.
For an easy way to create a stylish outfit this fall, consider these camo pants in a loose cargo style or slimmer pleated chino. Double Eleven has similar “brushstroke” camo pants for a dizzying $895, but Cabourn’s start at $171. You can wear these with a denim trucker jacket and heavy boots come autumn.
It’s election season! Well, not presidential or congressional elections, but Long Island shopping. Our friends at LuxeSwap run a consignment store out of Long Island, where they sell top-end menswear, womenswear, and even some home furnishings. And they could use your help. This week, a couple of local Long Island organizations are holding a vote on the best consignment store in the area. Naturally, we think LuxeSwap is best.
The first poll is happening Bethpage Best of LI. To nominate LuxeSwap, just fill in their information:
LuxeSwap
21 Berry Hill Rd
Oyster Bay
516-226-1055
Contact name is Matthew
Contact email is contact@luxeswap.com
The second poll is at the LI Herald, where all the info is pre-filled if you just type LuxeSwap under the “consignment/ thrift store” category.
You can vote once a day until August 31st for the first poll, and once a day until August 22nd for the second poll. If LuxeSwap makes it into the top five nominations, they’ll be in the running for Fall’s finals. If LuxeSwap has ever helped you score a deal or offload some gently worn clothes, here’s an easy and free way to pay them back. Vote note and vote often!
