Blue Is My Black
As a younger man, I loved wearing black. Lots of it. I’ve (literally) lightened up since then.
Chukka Boots for This Fall (and Every Fall for the Rest of Your Life)
For fall/winter, my favorite footwear by far is the chukka boot. From suits to jeans, chukka boots do the job beautifully.
Real Men Wear Real Winter Coats
You know those guys. The types who wear a wispy outer layer like a hoodie, a fleece, or a (gulp) gilet when it’s 40º, 30º, or 20º or even lower. They look like idiots. And don’t get me started on the morons who wear shorts as if to say “I’m a spring break party monster, bro. I don’t need outerwear. Aren’t I hilarious?” No, dude, you look like an asshole.
Spring Fever and the Pain in the Ass of Persistent Cold Weather
Every year around this time, I feel like burning my winter coats. I’m sick of wearing them. As I write this in the beginning of April, high temperatures peak in the high 30s/low 40s and the low temperatures dip into the low 30s/high 20s. I’m so bored with it.
The Essential Wellington Boot
Winter in the north is a bitch. In terms of smart and effective outerwear, an alarming number of men I observe are ill-prepared. I don’t know if it comes from lack of thought or some hyped sense of virility, but these same men are also felled by colds, flu and other debilitating winter ailments that negate the “I’m too tough for hats, gloves, heavy coats and boots” idea. When it’s 10ºF with snow on the ground, a fleece zip-up and sneakers don’t cut it.
Want to protect your shoes? Wear rubbers.
I have to admit that I think of galoshes as something worn only by old men. In some circles, galoshes are referred to as “overshoes” or “rubbers,” which is much more fun to say. But as it its with many tried and true ways and means (think safety razors, classic rules of tailoring and other rehashes of things that have been around forever), the old men are on to something.
The Faux Fur Trim
After ruining the faux fur hood trim on my beloved snorkel jacket, I needed a solution. I found one.
Staying Warm and Looking Handsome in a Topcoat
The topcoat is a fall/winter essential for me. The shorter spinoff of the dressier knee-length overcoat, the mid-thigh topcoat is one of those really versatile outerwear garments that I can wear with suit and tie or jeans.
Winter Weather Weekend Wear
It's finally starting to feel like winter here in NYC. Only now am I starting to pull out my cold weather essentials...
Tailor That Topcoat
We do a lot of talking about tailoring when it comes to suits, jackets and trousers. But what about tailoring outerwear?
The most common mistake men make with topcoats and overcoats is by going too large in the first place, which does nothing but physically diminish the wearer. My off-the-peg jacket size is 38R, which means I also wear a 38R topcoat, contrary to the more popular practice of “sizing up.” Even if the coat has the right snug fit in the shoulders, there still may be tailoring required to get the coat to look its best.