Excellent Joe

Next time you meet up for a few sunset rounds, shock and amaze your plaid-wearing friends with an unexpected blue-and-yellow bold stripe button-down, cool textural khaki shorts, and a pair of classic bucks (scuff marks preferred). And after your third glass of the “bartender’s special,” you’ll be able to expound freely on the concept of being both dressy and casual at the same time.

• Gitman Brothers Vintage Cabana Stripe at Need Supply $155.00
• Steven Alan Reverse Seam Short at Bows + Arrows $115.00 (on sale)
• 1901 Carson Oxford Shoe at Nordstrom $99.95
• Classic Snap On Leather Belt at Need Supply $35.00

Very 80′s but without any trace of A Flock of Seagulls.  It’s a preppy vintage cabana stripe re-issued by Gitman Vintage, one of the last remaining shirtmakers that bases its manufacturing entirely in America.

Gitman Brothers Vintage Cabana Stripe at Need Supply $155.00

We love these khaki shorts that have a little more tooth in the texture to give you that extra umph below the belt. As if you need it.

Steven Alan Reverse Seam Short at Bows + Arrows $115.00 (on sale)

Suede bucks are back, although some would argue that they never went away.  Their classic brick red rubber sole plays well with all summer surfaces (lawns, decks, patios) without the clodhopper sound effects of a dress shoe. The more scuffed, the better. No socks.

1901 Carson Oxford Shoe at Nordstrom $99.95

Belts can be so obnoxious if you let them, especially those damn buckles. Don’t be an enabler.  Keep it simple and let the rest of what you are wearing take the lead.

Classic Snap On Leather Belt at Need Supply $35.00

Nothing beats a day at the beach more than taking a refreshing outdoor shower after a day at the beach, but if you’re nowhere near either a beach or an outdoor shower, you’ll have to close your eyes and use one of these soaps instead.

Ocean Mist with sea kelp is made with essential oil of lemon grass, rosemary and patchouli which helps to revitalize and invigorate the skin. The sea kelp powder, high in trace minerals, acts as a great natural skin conditioner. The triple French milling process makes them dense, long lasting, and neat- they won’t leave a gooey mess in the soap dish.

River Soap Company Ocean Mist with Sea Kelp $4.50

Zum Bar® Goat’s Milk Soap with Sea Salt is a super emollient, ultra-moisturizing soap handmade without animal tallow, synthetic colorings or fragrances.  The natural sea salts bring an ocean of moisture with a clean, citrusy scent.  It’s an easy and cheap alternative to body scrubs.

Zum Bar® Goat’s Milk Soap – Sea Salt $4.99

Poor Popeye. Life at sea was rough back then, and yoga classes were few and far between. Forget his desperate cat-and-mouse relationship with Olive Oyle. Forget his pipe smoking addiction. Forget his canned spinach delusions.  Forget his grotesque, disproportionately muscled physique. What creeps us out the most about this childhood hero is the fact that one of his eyes is missing!  We can only guess it was gouged out in the worst possible way… like with a giant fish hook.  At least now his name makes sense, and we know why he’s always winking.

Our nautical theme is whistling a happier tune:

Penfield Pacjac 35th Anniversary $128.00

Loomstate Organic School’s Pocket Tee $62.00

Epaulet Modified Walt Shorts $125.00

SeaVees Desert Boots $145.00

J.Crew Military Web Belt $34.50

This graphic tee takes on new meaning, given the present situation in the Gulf.  It’s great for wearing to your local BP Summer Hate Fest.

Loomstate Organic School’s Out Pocket Tee $62.00

Hoist the mainsail!  Or just a latte.  It doesn’t matter if you’re on a boat deck or not; these seaworthy boots look great anywhere.  Step into a some California heritage.

SeaVees Desert Boots $145.00

Although these vintage plaid shorts are crisp and clean in the photos above, we prefer to take the edge off by not pressing them.  Its Madras cloth rumples so beautifully that we call it the bed head of fabrications.  So skip the iron for more of a “Just Woke Up” look; it’s not just for breakfast anymore.

Epaulet Modified Walt Shorts $125.00

This jacket was first released in the late 1980’s as Penfield’s lightweight trail jacket designed to resist wind and rain.  We love its seafarin’ sporty vintageness.

Penfield Pacjac 35th Anniversary $128.00