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Stretch: The High-Fructose Corn Syrup of Menswear

I had heard great things about the jeans from DSTLD, a popular disruptor of the overpriced denim racket, and I was very excited about a pair of slim (not skinny) raw denim jeans I had purchased online for $65. When they arrived, I tried them on right away. The fit was great and they looked pretty damn good. The feel of the denim, however, felt strange. When I started to take them off, I noticed a hint of stretch in the waistband. The wind went completely out of my sails when I saw that the sewn-in garment tag said “98% Cotton / 2% Spandex.”

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To Catch a Thief (1955)

One of my favorite movies ever made is one of my favorite movies ever made because it was directed by one of my favorite filmmakers (Alfred Hitchcock), it stars two of the most beautiful people who ever lived (Cary Grant and Grace Kelly) and it was filmed in one of the most stunning places on the planet (in the south of France, predominately in Cannes, Nice and the surrounding countryside).

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A Niece Graduates (and an Uncle Reflects)

When my niece Bridget was making her decision about colleges four years ago, I was beyond thrilled that two Boston schools were in her sights: Boston College, my alma mater, and Boston University. And she loved the idea of Boston, which thrilled me even more. (At that time in my life, I decided on Boston College sight unseen after an early acceptance, without ever having visited Boston.) My alma mater gave her a deferred acceptance, which was absolutely their loss, and she wisely decided on Boston University.

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Episode 33: Quoted in The Wall Street Journal and Appreciating a Little Analog in the Digital Age

In this episode of the podcast, I share about the distinct pleasure of being quoted in The Wall Street Journal this past weekend in an article about non-iron dress shirts. In the first paragraph, you’ll learn that I loathe non-iron dress shirts and that I apparently “sniff.” (And if you scroll down to the comments section, you’ll see the added bonus of one reader calling me an “arrogant twit.” How does he know me??) Read the article.

Also in this episode, I share my appreciation of some of the old-fashioned things. As much as I love technology and fully embrace our digital age, there are certain aspects of my life that remain decidedly analog.

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Toca Shoe Co.

As I’ve written before, the world on the web is filthy with new brands hoping to put a dent in the menswear universe. They’re like aspiring young actors fresh off the bus in NYC, hoping to light a spark and make their mark. Like those legions of actors, the odds of success for these bright-eyed brands become lower and lower as the market becomes more saturated (and maybe even overwhelmed) with so many options.

I’m repeating myself again by saying that no one is going to reinvent the way men dress on any real scale in our lifetimes. Suits, shirts, ties, shoes, jeans… Lapels might be wider this year, ties might be skinnier next year, fabrics might be stretchy and wrinkle-free (gross), but they’ve all essentially been perfected already. The only real new twist in this Age of Disruption is the delivery system. The new kids are figuring out ways to get it to us cheaper and faster, and the best ones do it without compromising quality.

toca_hero

One of those new brands doing something interesting is Toca Shoe Co. Toca Shoes was started by two college mates who decided to come up with a solution for a comfortable shoe with the luxurious look of a good-looking dress shoe. The goal was to make the shoes very comfortable, well-made, handsome and affordable, using high quality materials and ethical manufacturing standards.

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Beards Make Us Look Older

When we were underage in high school, we always got our prematurely hirsute classmates to buy beer because their five o’clock shadows made them look older. Stubble made an 18 year old less likely to get asked for I.D. (or at least made a fake I.D. more believable). Having said that, teens nowadays are getting away with underage drinking much more easily without beards, due to the believability and realistic look of Arizona Fake Id. Despite this, for adults, I think the same beard principle applies.

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The Fascinating DNA of Old Vinyl Records

I always loved vinyl records. My first years of music collecting were during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and it was all about records and the occasional cassette. When I was in college, I was a DJ on Boston College’s amazing radio station (WZBC 90.3 FM) and in a nightclub across the Charles River at Man Ray in Central Square near Cambridge. While CDs and CD mixers were certainly in full swing at the time, my favorite format was still vinyl, hands down.

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