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A Refreshing Absence of Denim in the AW15 Men’s Collections

We all love denim. We lean on it very heavily, and most men – myself included – wear jeans all the time. They’re easy go-to pants for most casual situations, whether paired with a tailored jacket and brogues or a t-shirt and sneakers.

However, I think I’m in a minority as someone who thinks we lean on denim too heavily in an increasingly casualized culture that is now going so far as to jam sweatpants down our throats as a legitimate option outside of a gym or a Barcalounger.

Before I get pelted with unused razors from Brooklyn Brohemians who love their selvage raw denim and dropped-crotch sweatpants, let me reiterate that I love my jeans. I own exactly two pairs of Levi’s and wear them often. I’m just not onboard with handling, wearing and pricing a cheap, durable fabric originally created for laborers like it’s fine cashmere.

That said, I enjoyed seeing a good number of grown-up big boy pants (i.e. not jeans) on the casual looks that were sent down the runway during the men’s shows over the past weeks, from more typically casual brands to those with tailored clothing at the cornerstone of their image. Jeans certainly made an appearance, but they were definitely not front and center on solid casual looks.

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The Topcoat

Though the terms are often incorrectly interchanged or confused, topcoats and overcoats basically serve the same purpose: to provide an elegant outer layer of warmth for the urbane gentleman when he’s wearing a suit or jacket (or not). The two coats are similar in many ways, especially from the waist up where they have a design and structure that resembles a jacket or blazer. Their shell is usually a fine wool, cashmere or a blend thereof. Where they differ mostly is in the length. Overcoats extend below the knee, and topcoats hit above the knee.

My preference has always been the topcoat. It’s an essential piece in my fall/winter rotation. While the overcoat technically provides more warmth since it literally covers more of the body, I find the topcoat to be lighter, less cumbersome and better for travel. It also manages to provide all the warmth where it really counts. And the shorter length has a slightly less formal or aristocratic look to me, which makes a topcoat a really versatile garment that can appropriately complement dressier suit and tie situations and nicely punch up a t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

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Glove Love

'Tis the season. Today in New York, we hit 36º F in late October. It was time to bust out gloves. For someone who frequently goes outside to walk the dog, and uses a touchscreen smartphone that requires the electric…

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