Button-Down Shirts with a Tie

Video by Paul Walters

Hello all! Someone that I know well and once considered myself to be friends with (we see each other very little these days) began making custom clothing a few years ago. I can't endorse it because I've never seen it first-hand, and I've never seen him wearing his own clothing at any of the fashion and style events we've both attended, but if it's as good as he says it is, his clothing must be excellent. I've only seen him wearing his own suits on video and in pictures, so they could be fused rather than canvassed for all I know.

On YouTube, this fella has posted a couple of videos offering clothing tips and style advice; one is about wearing a nice watch, where he shows off his fake Breitling for Bentley tourbillion watch and claims that it's real (the tourbillion brackets on the originals are slightly "A-framed", and the fakes are straight. I know the difference... I studied watches for years... the real ones also were "on sale" for $99,000), and one has to do with saying that button-down collar shirts should never be worn with a tie.

In my first-ever video blog, I debunk this myth, and explain why. Please enjoy.

Cheers,

Paul

A Little Piece of Americana

I wanted to share with you all a little something I picked up the other day. I was at one of those multi-vendor gift shops... you know the ones; not quite an indoor flea market, not quite a retail store, and not quite a yard sale... something different but strangely reminiscent of each. Some vendors sold antiques, some hand-made jewelry, some books and other assorted knick-knacks.

One glass case caught my eye. It had shelves that rotated with the touch of a button, displaying tie bars and vintage cufflinks and intricate costume jewelry. In the center of one shelf rested my new acquisition. This brass Levi Strauss & Co. belt buckle.

Now, I don't know how old this is... possibly 1970's, but it's incredibly cool and with Levi's new merchandising and design director Erik Joule (the man behind the collaborations with J. Crew, Opening Ceremony and more) continually adding excitement to the brand, I had to buy it. I definitely see old Levi Strauss collectables like this becoming more and more sought after. I had actually left the store and gone home, having been accompanied by one exhausted 4 year old, but when I couldn't get the buckle out of my head 3 days later I went back and rejoiced that it was still there. Mine.

This buckle is the type that one would see on one of those woven Boy Scouts type slide belts, as can be seen from the photo of the back. The problem is that all of the replacement straps I've seen since buying this buckle (including a pack containing 3 interchangable color options actually made by Levi's) are just a bit too wide, so I'll let you all know how it turns out after a visit to the Army & Navy store. Hopefully I'll be able to sport the buckle soon. I tried a leather belt strap that wasn't too wide, but it was far too thick for the hinge mechanism on the back of the buckle. I'll keep looking.

In the mean time, if anyone knows anything about the vintage of this particular buckle, let me know. I think it will be a perfect compliment to my growing wardrobe of heritage American items.

Until next time,

Cheers!

-Paul

The Buck Stops Here!

Yes, yes: I know. A cheesy title. But c'mon! It ought to be expected given the topic of today's post. As spring approaches I find myself getting excited about breaking out wardrobe items that haven't seen the sunlight in the past six months. I enjoy the opportunity to lighten up a bit and embrace the coming warmth of early spring. One way to do so is with the proper shoes. I suggest these; classic nubuck oxfords.

Nubuck is top-grain cattle rawhide leather that has been sanded or buffed on the grain side, or outside, to give a slight nap of short protein fibers, producing a velvet-like surface. It is resistant to wear, and may be white or colored. I don't own a pair of white bucks. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for a pair as they look pretty sharp, but to me, the white buck works best as a summer shoe. They seem most apt for the blazing heat of months like July and August.  The tan bucks, which I own (shown, available at Brooks Brothers), are a bit more versatile and look perfect from late winter to early fall.

They can be worn with almost anything, from a rugged workingman ensemble to a blazer or sport coat and  khakis. I don't know of any type of shoe that can so easily bridge the gap between blue collar and dressy. The reason, perhaps, is that nubuck is similar to suede, which I generally think of as being more delicate and refined. The difference is that suede is created from the inner side of a hide, whereas nubuck is created from the outer side of a hide, giving it more strength and thickness along with a fine grain. It is generally more expensive than suede, and must be coloured or dyed heavily to cover up the sanding and stamping process. Because of the strength of nubuck over suede, it can take one hell of a beating and wears like iron, but it preserves the aesthetic of a suede shoe.

The signature orange rubber sole of a pair of bucks flashes just enough color to draw the eyes of passersby, adding a little bit of "look at me" appeal to an otherwise conservative piece of footwear. What more can you ask for in a shoe? Versatility, durability, timeless style and classic good looks? I'd say you'll quickly run out of reasons not to go a grab yourself a pair. Mine are from Brooks Brothers, but J. Crew, L.L. Bean, Bass, Sperry Topsider and countless other makers offer a stylish nubuck oxford. Hope to see some on the streets this spring and summer!

Cheers,

Paul

(photo at left, from The Sartorialist)

Blue Collar Chic

In today's floundering economy the definition of chic is changing. The days of looking like you dropped a month's wages on any given outfit are over... at least for now. Roots-based clothing is re-emerging as the stylish wardrobe of the day. Looking stylish without looking like you paid to look that way is becoming common mentality, which in my opinion, is great! That's what style is all about anyway! You can't buy style; you really have to own it. Fashion is always for sale, but maintaining timeless style is what we're all here for.
Anyway... today I speak on behalf of the chambray shirt. The chambray workshirt was popular amongst Navy military personel during the second world war. The USN chambray shirt has been worn in every hull, galley, and deck on every great destroyer, carrier, and submarine for over a half a century. Since surplus military apparel was often "reappropriated", the chambray shirt popped up in the prison system as issued garb for prisoners (Clint Eastwood rocks the look below in 1979's Escape From Alcatraz) since it wore like iron and could stand up to commercial laundering. Let's also make sure not to forget Paul Newman sporting the chambray shirt in Cool Hand Luke.
The cool and soft yet durable cotton of the chambray (or Cambric) shirt made it ideal for manual labor, and it is because of this that such workers have been dubbed "blue-collar".
Today folks may still work in their chambray shirts, but designers are quickly recognizing this timeless shirt as go-to's for the season. J. Crew, Ralph Lauren, APC, GAP, French Connection... all of these labels have offerings in chambray shirting. I'm not saying that this is reason enough to get one, but the functionality is great, and designers and stylists alike know it. The chambray shirt works with chinos, jeans (although hopefully in a contrasting color denim to your shirt), and even with a skinny tie and a charcoal suit. You can enjoy playing around with it.
The fact that this particular shirt has been around for so long makes it a great wardrobe building block. Look at it as an open canvas to build upon. Mine, shown at the top of the post (and at right), is an older Ralph Lauren offering from his now defunct Double RL line, which churned out clothes of Americana and Western heritage. I like the style of the pockets and the different direction of the buttonhole stitching on the pockets. The closest thing I have seen to this today is made by J. Crew and can be seen on their website, however finding an old vintage chambray on eBay or thrifting can be much more exciting.
Look for one that's trim and tailored; I don't think that blousiness is very flattering in this style of shirt (if in any style), so go trim.
Enjoy the search! Until next time,
Cheers!
-Paul