Excellent Joe

Whether by friendly coercion or by your own volition, we know you will be attending many  a street-fair-palooza-fest-concert-parades this season. You may find yourself bloated on funnel cakes holding a newly purchased ficus tree and a 12-pack of tube socks. You may find yourself day-drunk on anonymous beer and getting your face painted like a tiger. You may find yourself fighting a crowd of sweaty strangers for free candy from the dirty clown walking alongside a flatbed float (you’ve always been competitive). Snap out of it! This is neither the time nor the place to make the most out of a bad situation.  Stay the spectator. Don’t be the spectacle. These venues are for pointing fingers and cringing at other people. Think classic and cool as you meander through the muck with a no-fail summer uniform that will still get you noticed, but for all the right reasons.

TRENDS:

Anorak Pullovers: Mt. Rainier Reversible Camo Anorak at Saturdays $375.00
Vintage Tees: Levi’s 1930′s Bay Meadow Tee at Saturdays $75.00
Chino Shorts: Tommy Chino Short at Saturdays $88.00
Skip-Ons: Rainbow Leather Sandal at Need Supply $52.00
Flat Tops: Flat Top Deep Black by Super at Need Supply $132.00

Relatively speaking (and no pun intended), moms don’t ask for much.  At the end of the day, they want to go to sleep knowing you’re happy and that you haven’t killed anyone.  And although they’ll welcome any gift, big or small, they just really want some of your time… and for you to get a haircut… and wear a tie for a change… and to stay longer than two hours (“You just got here!”).  It’s their day on Sunday; let’s rise to the occasion.

TRENDS

Knit Ties: Gitman For Bonobos Necktie $95.00

Trenchcoats: Swims Khaki Oslo Trenchcoat at Bonobos $365.00

Oxford Shirts: Bonobos Light Blue Spring Weight Oxford $88.00

Navy V-Neck Sweaters: A.P.C. Cotton V-Neck at Mr. Porter $180.00

Saddle Shoes: Mark McNairy New Amsterdam Suede Saddle Shoe at Bonobos $352.00

Vintage Wash Denim: Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1967 505′s at Mr. Porter $235.00

Imagine allowing something to begin its life by incubating in your abdominal region. After nine months, you squeeze this thing out of your body through an opening the size of a quarter and devote the rest of your life to making sure it has the best possible opportunity to be happy and succeed in the world. You’ve sacrificed a lot of yourself to become someone else’s short-order cook, cleaning person, personal chauffeur, private tutor, and (most cherished) walking ATM machine.  The art of motherhood! Men will never quite understand it; so maybe we should do a little less talking and a little more listening.

LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER

Wear Clean Underwear: Sunspel Classic White Cotton Boxers at Mr. Porter $37.00

Look Presentable: Spring Ties at Bonobos $88.00-$95.00

Be On Time: Bertucci Field Watches at Bonobos $90.00-$100.00

Mind Your Manners: HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN BY JOHN BRIDGES at Mr. Porter $28.00

Stay Awhile: Levi’s Made & Crafted Canvas Hold-All at Mr. Porter $435.00

America’s most revered stoner surfer, Jeff Spicoli, was played by Sean Penn in the now classic film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. What if, after repeating eleventh grade for the third time, Spicoli realized that there was more to life than “tasty waves and a cool buzz?”  What if he cleaned up his act but kept his laid back attitude? How would he look today?

TRENDS:

Retro Board Shorts: Lightning Bolt Pelican Cotton Nylon Boardshorts at Saturdays NYC $68.00

Pullover Hoodies: Levi’s Oatmeal Heather Hoodie at Saturdays NYC $158.00

Canvas Slip-ons: Vans Hemp Rata Vulc Shoe $40.00

Awning Stripes: Linen Deck Towel $85.00-$175.00

True surf life is not all leis and ukeleles; at times, it’s grueling and stressful. Being a poser has its perks: 1) Sharks can’t eat you. 2) There is no threat of someone snaking your wave. 3) Friends won’t heckle you for focusing on a career. 4) The pressure to be drunk before noon is non-existent. 5) You won’t betray The Wave if you wear surf-inspired clothing by a non-surf brand.

TRENDS

Old School Sneakers: Adidas Gazelle OG Shoes $80.00

Can’t get enough of the vintage sneaks? These lovelies are technically “blue suede shoes” which means Elvis surely would be proud.

Utility Chinos: Left Field Organic Cotton Canvas Chino $150.00

100% ringspun organic cotton canvas, Corozo button fly, Japanese chambray pocket bags, and made in LA. These overachievers not only look good on paper but even gooder on your lower half.

Vintage Beach Graphics: Levi’s Black Beach Crewneck at Unionade $79.00

The rattier the graphic tee, the more loved it is.  They’re like adult security blankets in disguise.  Coffee stains and pen marks welcome. Size down for a more body-conscious fit.

Nautical Stripes: Obey Au Portant Striped Hoodie at Need Supply $58.00

Yup! It’s terry cloth. Give it a few washings to expedite an uneven, slubby texture. Warm-weather cozy at it’s best.

This year, Spring is like that perpetually late friend who always has to greet you with an exasperated, “Sorry, I’m late!” And you have somehow managed to let said friend dictate your weekends with a slew of preposterous excuses and broken promises.  You play the waiting game by wondering if patience is overrated and needs to be downgraded from a virtue to a lesser title. You plan a stinging reprimand and fantasize about your dramatic exit.  You tell yourself the friendship is over. Finally, Spring arrives, and you can’t imagine life without your beautiful friend from as far back as you can remember. “You look great,” she says. “Sorry, I’m late.”

TRENDS:

Textural Polos: Burkman Brothers Slub Jersey at Odin $95.00

Polos aren’t just for brand icons anymore. In fact, lots of brands are kicking the little vermin to the curb and focusing on textural fabrics and placket details to rev up this category. Bonus: body-conscious fit brings out the best in your pecs while keeping your lingering Christmas-cookie-laden midsection under wraps.

Vintage Wash Denim: Levi’s 1954 501z Pitchfork Wash at Unionmade $235.00

These jeans are cooler than cool and in the most classic of ways. Wearing them would make you guilty by association. I mean, look at them.

Old School Sneakers: Puma Whirlwind Classics $60.00

Question of the day:  Do we call sneakers sneakers because their innovative rubber soles made them much quieter than their clunky predecessors, enabling them to perform tasks that might be deemed sneaky?  This sweet interpretation has a tread that curls over the front toe, a must-have detail for the alpha geeks of my middle school days and one that I still need today to help bring me back to that time where crowding into a cafeteria booth with all your friends on Tostada Day was all you needed to make the world feel wonderful with endless joy.

Baseball-style Jackets: Gant Rugger Varsity at Bonobos $265.00

When Bonobos posted this jacket on their site, we almost licked the screen we loved it so much. With a nylon body against a striped rib collar, cuffs and waistband, it’s a modern take on a classic style.  Perfect for Spring, whenever she shows up.  In the meantime, have a Bloody Mary and chill out.

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 look is perfect for the person who would rather sit shotgun than actually use one to blow away a squirrel or a duck.  Enter the pseudo-outdoorsman on his way to the movies.

TRENDS:

Vests: J.Crew Merino Solid Vest $45.00

For some reason sweater vests remind us of fifth grade on Picture Day.  Today, however, we like them as a second layer that won’t make you overheat with a jacket overtop.  Plus, you can show off more of your shirt’s pattern with the exposed sleeves.

Wool Shirt Jackets: Filson Mackinaw Cruiser $279.50

Filson says this jacket was originally designed for timber cruisers during long, cold days in the woods. Although we’re not well-versed in timber cruiser arts, we’re guessing this occupation has a high turnover rate based on the miserability index.  On the other hand, we can think of a million other things we’d rather be doing in this jacket…like eating popcorn in a cinema.  Don’t make it hard on yourself.

Artisanal Heritage Boots: Wolverine 1000 Mile Boot at Need Supply $325.00

There are so many great pairs of boots this season, and they all fall into the same genre that we’re calling Artisanal Heritage. They have a hand-made, vintage feel with a gentleman’s workboot attitude: think Paul Bunyan on date night. This particular boot was originally made over 125 years ago and is still being made in America.  Respect.

Raw Denim: Levi’s Matchstick Jeans – Kaihara Selvedge $128.00

Selvedge raw denim is rough, rigid and on all the right people.  It speaks to this early American hard-working-we-built-it-ourselves mentality when raw denim was the only option and purchasing pre-distressed would seem ludicrous.  You owe it to your country to do the right thing.

Outdoorsman Plaids: Steven Alan Fall Reverse Seam L/S Inside Pocket $198.00

Plaids are still here. If we were talking about movie sequels, this season would be called The Return of the Revenge of Plaids 16.  So in order to keep them feeling fresh, we want to stick with the smaller scales that are simpler, more muted, and cut with neutrals like grays or browns.