Del Singh, the founder of The Epoch Man blog (and fellow native Clevelander), sent me this terrific and simple how-to graphic demonstrating different ways to fold a pocket square. I had to share.
I don’t always wear a pocket square. When I do, I go with the “Straight Fold.” But there’s something in this nicely-executed guide for just about any preference. Enjoy!
I’ve never been the biggest fan of Baz Luhrmann’s brand of screen story. My memories of Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby recall cocaine-paced tapestries colored in a muted Skittles palette and laced with ecstasy. Audio/visual orgies for the attention-deficit set, pumping at 130 beats per minute.
The Get Down, Luhrmann’s new project for Netflix, looks like something infinitely more interesting to me. Set against the backdrop of the broke and broken New York of the 1970s, the show is a Bronx tale of a different flavor, telling the story of the birth of disco, punk and hip-hop.
It's finally starting to feel like winter here in NYC. Only now am I starting to pull out my cold weather essentials...
I subscribe to the email lists of all the brands I like. Most of the time I delete them after a cursory glance since I don’t really need anything. But when there is a worthwhile sale or something new, I’ll investigate.
Such an investigation happened this morning with an email from The Tie Bar, which touted their new January offerings. I found a few ties that just might make it into my rotation…
I recently became acquainted with the work of Oliver Hemming, an award-winning designer/maker of very distinctive clocks and watches. From London, Hemming originally worked for private commissions but now has his own unusual collection available on his website (oliverhemming.com). Working with his own team and his own factory in Hong Kong, he succeeds in balancing detail, quality and affordability.
I should start by saying that I was a happy Indochino customer for years. They enabled me to afford some of the best-fitting suits I’ve ever worn and suits that rival far more expensive premium brands. I get compliments every single time I wear one of their suits or jackets.
This “fantasy rebrand” is an effort to raise the bar for the first company to put made-to-measure into the hands of men who – until Indochino – could never afford it. I think Indochino is great, but I think it could be amazing. The challenge is to elevate the brand from an entry-level “first suit” brand into a bigger league among heavier players – something that would also be attractive to a more seasoned and sophisticated suit buyer.
I’ve written before about uniforms of powerful men – men who don’t have the time to figure out which tie goes with which suit, shirt or pair of socks. President Obama got rid of all of his suits except the navy and gray ones (and that tan one) because it meant one less decision in a day filled with far more important decisions. Extremely busy men who pull serious power levers in their lives need to be able to reach into their closets blindfolded, not screw up and be dressed and out the door before many men have decided on a pocket square. As someone who really doesn’t like to belabor the what-goes-with-what process, I really appreciate such efficiency.
For busy men who like a little color and flair with the daily suit and tie, my friends at ShirtCycle have created a smart solution. To supplement their handy and well-executed custom shirt subscription service (my review here), ShirtCycle has added coordinating ties and socks to their offerings.
In this episode, I talk about Jessica Jones, a great new original Netflix series that is also part of the Marvel universe. Like its terrific “brother” show Daredevil, it takes place mostly in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, in the wake of the alien invasion incident from The Avengers.
Speaking of Hell’s Kitchen, I was recently sentenced to a day of community service after being stopped on Ninth Avenue by NYPD for making a rolling stop through a red light on my bicycle. In the interest of safer streets in the city, NYC has implemented an initiative called “Vision Zero,” which I wholly support with its interest in safer streets for everyone. However, ticketing bicyclists is an exertion of energy and resources toward the wrong target, in my opinion.
I’m also putting the finishing touches on my December 2015 Spotify playlist for your enjoyment.
Thanks for listening!
This is not a time of innovation. It’s a time of disruption. Old business models have been challenged by new delivery systems, bringing high quality goods and services with incredible savings and convenience directly to the consumer. It happened in the entertainment industry with music and video; it happened in grooming with shaving subscription models; and it happened in menswear with online made-to-measure, custom shirts, shoes, accessories, etc.
Ian Fleming was an average looking man with an ordinary physique. What he lacked physically he made up for with exceptional intelligence, wit, taste and talent for storytelling. From a privileged upbringing, he became a British naval intelligence officer (though not with assignments as intense as a 00 agent’s) and then a journalist. When he created the character of James Bond for his first novel (Casino Royale, 1953), Fleming essentially created an idealized version of himself: the man every women wanted to be with and every man wanted to be.