Excellent Joe

Chances are you will be attending a few gatherings this month that are vaguely connected to the birth of Baby Jesus. Come Judgement Day, would you feel comfortable telling the world that you could get by in… khakis? Good luck. On the contrary, we’ve prepared quite the holiday party look that was designed for full-throttle yuletide cheer.  It will take you from monopolizing the punch bowl to swinging from the rafters to passing out on the coat bed to treating the graciously understanding host to brunch the next day.  Amen.

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FAUX LODGE

(Clockwise from Top Left Corner)
Buffalo Plaid Hunting Cap $34.00
Cast Resin Moose Antlers $399.00
Artisan Leather and Wood Stool $39.00
Woolrich John Rich & Bros. Arctic Cap $95.00
Executive Chrome Marshmallow Shooter $18.00
American Bird Calls – Set of Six $148.00
Norse Projects Staale Gloves $100.00
Cast Resin Deer Antlers $149.00
Thinsulate Marled Fingerless Gloves $20.00
Natural 4GB USB Memory Sticks by Guido Ooms $128.00

COFFEE TABLE TOYS

American Fashion Designers at Home $89.00
Haikubes $17.00
David Weeks Cubebot $25.00
Molecule Building Set by Ferm Living $79.00

LIT FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Harri Koskinen Large Block Lamp – Red Cord $129.00

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

(Clockwise from Top Left Corner)
Pendleton Plaid Weekender Bag $198.00
Billykirk Plaid Carry-All $295.00
J.W. Hulme Co. Classic Field Duffle $365.00
Billykirk Duffle $185.00

BOOKWORM IS THE NEW SEXY

The Imperfectionists: A Novel $17.00
Super Sad True Love Story: A Novel $$17.00

CAN-DO CAMS

Nikon Coolpix S1000pj with Built-In Projector $149.00
Kodak PlaySport (Zx3) HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) $140.00

Superheadz Digital Harinezumi Sound & Video Camera $180.00

Lenses for Phone Cameras at Photojojo $40.00

SUGAR COMA THERAPY

Lollyphile Lollipops (price variable)

Cheryl & Co (price variable)

OFFICE PARTY

Writersblok Medium Notebook, Pack of 3, 5.5 x 8.25-Inches $7.00
L.L.Bean Maine Guide Plaid Duct Tape 2-Pack
Sharpie Liquid Mechanical Pencils (2) $5.00
Set Editions $8.00

Moleskine 2011 12-Month Colour-a-Month Daily Planner $36.00

CASUAL FRIDAYS

Multi-Tool Titanium Collar Stays at Bonobos $50.00

Boxsal Picnic Box $25.00

DRINKING GAMES

Filson Flask $68.00

Glass Water Bottles $33.00

ART COLLECTING 101

VHS by Hollis Brown Thornton $50.00

Jump by Thomas Prior $50.00

The Hangover Poster $30.00
Dress the Part: The Usual Suspects $30.00

THE FUTURE IN RETROSPECT

The Films of Charles & Ray Eames $150.00

The Complete Metropolis $22.00

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Do Hit Chair (request price)

TCHOTCHKE NATION

(Left to Right from Top Left)
Ceramic Polaroid Camera $70.00
Cast Iron Owl $60.00
Viennese Bosse Miniature Zoo $45.00
Clipps at Canoe $10.00
Wool Felt Coasters at Canoe $4.00

GLOBAL ISSUES

Places on Earth Print $180.00
Chalkboard Globe $450.00

THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

Architecture for Humanity (donations variable)
One Laptop per Child (donations variable)
100-1000: Restore Gulf of Mexico (donations variable)

THE GREAT ESCAPE

Splendia, Book Luxury Hotels and Boutique Hotels Online (sky’s the limit)
Custom Republic Aristotle Bike Gift Card $399.00 (for a whole custom bike!)
Tape Express-Tape to MP3 Converter $80.00

UNDERHANDED GIFTS

Groom Mate Platinum XL Nose & Ear Hair Trimmer $19.00
Breath Palette Toothpaste (Pick Flavor) $5.00

Did you ever have one of them there freezing cold mornings when you just didn’t want to get out of that there toasty warm bed? Well, now you can stay in bed and get out of bed all at the same time. This week we aim to bring the concept of sleeping-in to a trend-right look you can wear out of the house. It’s a little old school athletic mixed with a lot of winter wonderland so you won’t be caught off guard if your friends feel the need to go caribou chasing or do an impromptu navy seal workout… or both.

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This look reminds us of one thing: Oliver Twist as a strapping leading man driving a vintage Porsche 911 around winding cliffs and lightly spritzing himself with an irresistible musk fragrance en route to meet his true love who awaits him at a foggy train station in the middle of nowhere.  Now… all this can be yours.

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Ah, yes!  It’s the familiar story of outdoor heritage garments getting reinvented and twisted into a look that is so city chic that even the most nature-challenged urban dweller sitting in the back of your favorite brunch place will want to stand up and start clapping.

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Variation on a theme here.  If you haven’t figured it out yet, men’s trend has taken a hike, and it’s all about twisting heritage outdoor clothing in a way that works with the most suburban of lifestyles. The Wall Street Journal even ran a report on this a few weeks back.  So pay Skippy down the street to rake your leaves, and you’ll have more free time to rent a canoe and contemplate the secret language of chipmunks.

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The Revolutionary War wasn’t the best PR maneuver for the United States and Great Britain, but look at us now: we’re total BFFs. This week we’re paying homage to our buddies across the pond by featuring the best of the old and the new British brands: a Barbour (est. 1894) waxed cotton jacket and an Oliver Spencer (est. 2002) chunky cardigan.  This pairing looks expensive because it is expensive; however, we offset these higher priced items with what we think is the best deal around: Gap 1969 indigo-dyed jeans. Overall, this look is a splurge that won’t go out of style even when the trend dies down. If someone asks where you got your duds, you won’t be lying (this time) when you tell them London.

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We added a little more oomph to the time-tested standby favorite outfit of jeans, sneakers, and a sweatshirt by selecting updated pieces that have more character in the details.  The sweatshirt is now a sweater with an athletic shawl collar.  The jeans are aged but still dark and in a slimmer fit.  The sneakers are exactly the same as when you first may have worn them in 1983 but now have a history behind them for more of a cooler, vintage attitude.  And since it only takes around four seconds and three brain cells to put this look together, you’ll still be able to devote the rest of your weekend to something with more substance… like watching the 36 hours of trash television that has accumulated on your DVR.

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This week is a mix of outdoor vintage with slick sporty nylon and a pop of bright color added to keep the look casually au courant.  It’s very crunchy granola urban which will make the city slickers assume you’re renovating an old lodge in the mountains, even if the closest you’ve ever come to the wilderness is the time you made s’mores in the microwave. It’s the thought that counts, right?

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What screams autumn more than the tailgating tradition of getting drunk out of the back of your car?  And why relegate this parked party to only sporting events?  Offset your beloved inner meathead with something less obnoxious like a foliage hike or an apple picking excursion, two day trips worthy of an afternoon aperitif.

TRENDS

Fairisle Sweaters: Woolrich John Rich and Bros. Fairisle Crew at Blackbird $245.00

Treat this fairisle like a sweatshirt; it looks great peeking out of vests and jackets or wrapped around your waist.  You want to send the classic and fun message, not the uptight douche bag one.  It’s also perfect for diverting tailgating guests away from your soon-to-be ex who’s ralphing behind the car after six-too-many Apple Smashers.

Corduroy Trousers: J.Crew Bowery Cord $69.50

Fall is always corduroy season, but this year it’s out of control in every silhouette: trousers, shirts, jackets, and suits from mini to wide wale. If your jeans and chinos took a vacation together, they’d recommend these cord trousers to fill in while they were gone. (Don’t forget to tuck them into your boots.)

Chambray Shirts: Gap Chambray Shirt $49.50

Chambray shirts are still going strong in various levels of tooth and texture.  It’s like a solid shirt with a lot of attitude.  More rugged, less slick if you will.  And we just might.

Vests: North Face Redpoint Vest $99.00

This nylon vest updates the look with a layer of sporty, dull shine that plays well off the knitted vintage fairisle pattern.  The quilting is moderately insulated to keep you warm without making you look like you’re trying to smuggle a spare tire into the stadium.

Artisanal Heritage Boots: L.L. Bean Boot $149.00

As the theory goes, the only survivors of a nuclear war would be cockroaches, Cher, and Bean boots. These booticus indestructos will keep your feet cozy and dry through even the most miserably wet parking lot fields. Puddle jumping demonstrations will amaze and annoy your friends. This season’s twist is a black leather upper.