An Earful of Style: Billy Joel

It's not about how he dresses. In fact, most of the later images of Billy Joel show him dressed in a black suit with a black t-shirt underneath; uber-monochromatic. But damn. Just listen to the soul in his voice, the perfection in the notes he chooses to play on piano, the emotion that comes through his voice, and the feeling that stirs inside of you when one of his songs comes on. Especially this one, Vienna. Tell me that ain't style. Cheers!

Reader Question: Wardrobe Upgrade for Spring

Paul- Thanks for keeping this blog going. I Enjoy it very much. I am seeing a lot of advertising for the Spring 2010 wardrobe already. I feel like I just got done buying for fall and winter and am a little overwhelmed. Is there a simple way to make some of what I already have more oriented toward spring without buying a whole new wardrobe? I have a navy blazer that I wear a lot, and it's an all-season fabric. What can I wear with this to look like I'm keeping up?
Thanks, Nate P. -Auburn, Georgia
Thank you, Nate, for writing in. You pose a terrific question. I too have my regrets about the dawn of a new season. I always look forward to fall and winter, especially because of the way this time of year lends itself to layering colors and textures. I always find myself excited when spring is around the corner, because I get to break out some of the things that have just been hanging around in my closet for six months, but then I become quickly bored with the warmer weather and feel like I have to buy more stuff.

Now that we are in a recession from hell thanks to frivolous government spending and the transference of the burden onto the American taxpayer, "buying more stuff" is becoming less and less of an option. The nation is stressed and its people are strapped. It's time to "re-purpose" your already existing wardrobe. Here is one thing I have in mind, regarding the navy blazer you mentioned.

I assume when you said that your blazer is constructed of an "all-season" fabric that it is a tropical wool or a cotton blazer. I have one of these, too. Because I have a heavier worsted wool blazer which I wear in colder months, I typically reserve my tropical wool blazer for spring, summer, and early fall. When I got it it was, of course, adorned with shiny brass buttons. I'm not a big fan of brass buttons, as cheap and expensive blazers alike bear them, so I like something a little different to make my jacket more unique. My cool weather blazer sports antique silver buttons. My tailor is currently tweaking my spring wardrobe, and I'm having him add white mother-of-pearl buttons (see photo 1) to my warm weather blazer (yes, the one pictured has a hole in it where the pearl was over-polished. That's why I have it to photograph and my tailor doesn't have it to attach to my jacket!).

I suggest this for you as well. You can always change the buttons back when the weather gets cooler again, or you can leave them as is, but white buttons can be found for little expense and will completely change the look of your blazer. I will post pics of the finished product when I pick the blazer up, but for now, here is a pic (photo 2, borrowed from The Sartorialist) of a gentleman rocking the navy blazer with white buttons. As you can see, this lightens up a wardrobe staple and gears it toward the warmer season.

As far as the advertising for Spring 2010 goes, on this blog I try to focus more on enduring style rather than what is being pushed in the fashion world. Anything that I suggest is going to be geared more towards consistency and timelessness. I will talk about "Spring", but not about a particular year. We want to be able to "build" a wardrobe, and not to cycle things out season after season. Now certain colors, for example, may be used more by designers in a particular year, and at that point, wearing a tie or scarf comprised of "in the now" colors will make all of the timeless elements of your wardrobe look more current. That's cool. But trends should be avoided like the plague. The Day-Glo colors that were popular last spring? Done and gone. Popular when Back to the Future II came out, and then popular last year. Try to focus more on what will look good each spring rather than this spring. The white blazer buttons are a perfect example.

Add light colors to your ensemble by way of ties and pocket squares. A pair of white chinos would be a good thing to invest in for the spring and summer as well, as they will work with every thing from your navy blazer to a t-shirt and boat shoes (photos 3, 4, and 5 attest to their versatility... these photos are also property of The Sartorialist). With maybe one or two new purchases, what you have will work wonders for you. Start by hunting down some new buttons. Let me know how you do! Cheers!

Stefano Ricci

Stefano Ricci has designed men’s clothing for over 30 years. His line, with suits costing up to $30,000, is considered the most luxurious and expensive in the world. Enjoy this video, and experience the paramount of Italian luxury clothing. Cheers!
-Paul

Style Icon: Alain Delon

Once hailed as the french James Dean and the male Brigitte Bardot, Alain Delon has always been stylish and exceptionally cool. He laid the groundwork for Matt Damon's role in The Talented Mr. Ripley, starring as Tom Ripley nearly four decades earlier in Plein Soleil (Purple Noon), the first adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's celebrated novel (The Talented Mr. Ripley).
Whether immaculately tailored or in leisure dress, Alain Delon always epitomizes style and looks comfortable and nonchalant in whatever he wears. He's a master of fit and proportion, which is probably why aside from acting, Alain Delon is known abroad for his stores which sell everything from perfume and cologne to finely tailored suits and wristwatches. Currently 74 years old, Delon is still a representation of impeccable style. Peruse these images, taken from all stages of Delon's career, and see for yourself. Cheers!

The Pen Is Mightier... James Bond's Choice

It has been called mightier than the sword. Its use can be attributed to the loss of millions of dollars, the death of millions of people, and the start of millions of dreams. One of the often overlooked accessories that is truly essential to the stylish man is a simple one: the pen. How many times have we had to borrow a cheap Bic Roundstic in order to sign off on a document of great importance, degrading the stylish natures of our signatures, which can be just as recognizable as our faces and may be the simplest testaments of our creativity? I'm sure that the best answer to this question would be "too many."

Carrying one's own pen, loaded with smoothly flowing jet black ink can add ample points to one's cool factor. It can up the appeal of your print, and can be the difference between getting hired for a job and having your application thrown away without a glance. When I was in charge of hiring for a previous employer, I provided a red pen to anyone who asked to borrow one when applying for a job. Applications written in red were not even considered. The long and short of all of this? Carrying your own pen will at some point prove to be the difference between your being taken seriously and being disregarded.

Now, that being said... what kind of pen should you carry? Mont Blanc pens are lovely yet very expensive, but are unarguably one of the most recognizable manufacturers of writing instruments. Their trademark white star prominently adorns the caps of their wares, spurring an instantaneous thought in the minds of those who see it. That thought may easily be, "Hey, nice pen." It may also be "How utterly pretentious." Not worth the risk if you ask me. I want to be taken seriously. I don't want my pen to tell people that I'm a jerk. They should be able to find that out on their own!

All joking aside, here's what I carry: the Parker Jotter (photo 1) . Undergoing very little change since its release in 1954, the Jotter is sleek and it looks professional. It shows that you put thought in carrying a pen with you, but not that you want everyone to know how much your pen set you back. It can be outfitted with gel or rollerball cartridges, and with its brushed stainless steel exterior oozes cool, minimalist style. The Jotter is reliable, doesn't leak, and it isn't bulky.

And the coolest thing about the Parker Jotter (other than its $10.99 price tag)? In 1995's GoldenEye (photo 2) , Peirce Brosnan's James Bond carries one in the pocket of his Brioni suits, proving that a man's stylish pen doesn't have to be proportionate in cost to a man's stylish threads. Now, Bond's pen actually doubled as a class 4 grenade and was a hell of a lot mightier than a sword, so I'm not saying all who carry a Parker Jotter possess the negotiating power of James Bond, but my point is this; Q Branch outfitted Bond with a pen that was functional, befitting of a well-dressed gentleman, and that did not draw unnecessary attention to itself. It is precisely that, gentlemen, that you're looking for.

Until next time,

Cheers!

-Paul

Hello, Again...

Dear readers, I write to you today with great embarrassment as it has been 12 days since my last post. I offer my most humble apology; I haven't any excuses, but reasons why abound, including an out-of-town trip and a lot of time in a new administrative position at my day job. Other than this brief contrition, I'd like to jump right back in to things where we left off.

Today I thought I'd touch on plaids. Since we are entering the time when much ado is made about spring, lets hold on to what little bit of the cooler months we have left, shall we?

Very popular this fall/winter season has been the Scottish Black Watch tartan in trousers, scarfs, shirts, and the like. The Black Watch tartan is representative of the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, an infantry batallion whose darkly colored tartan coupled with their charge of "watching" the highlands made way for the coining of the name "Black Watch". The colors look great together, too. Rich greens, blues, and black make the Black Watch perfect for clothing and accessories... at least many designers have thought so this year.

I myself picked up a tie in the Black Watch, and decided to pair it with a shirt with a fine Glen plaid weave. I thought it to be a nice little juxtaposition of patterns, and similar patterns, nonetheless. Photos are included, and the second one enlarges quite nicely!

What makes this plaid on plaid combo work, of course, is the subtle scale of the Glen plaid sitting as a backdrop to the bolder presence of the Black Watch.

Yes, my post is but a tidbit today, and I am going to get back on schedule. Thanks for bearing with me!

Cheers,

-Paul