Required Listening: MUSE

Muse |MTV Music

I don't know how many of you do this, but often when assembling an outfit or stepping into my closet for inspiration I play theme-music of some sort to help influence the pairings I may decide upon. Some days it may be the old-school classical "swing" of Bach, and some days it may be the fantastic raw gritty offerings of Tom Waits at his most experimental. I gave up on using Johnny Cash for dressing inspiration, because it almost always leads to an all black outfit (I know... hardy friggin' har). Music selection depends on what I'm dressing for, and it depends on my mood. I'll keep you updated periodically on music that is influential to me (whether or not you could give a rat's patoot). Today I offer a theme-music suggestion for you at home. You'll have to decide what kind of event this music will be best suited for, but keep an open mind. It may give your work-wear the necessary stylistic kick in the seat of the pants.

I have long been a fan of British neo-rock band MUSE, but with the praise their new album The Resistance is garnering, MUSE is bridging the gap from cult-following to household name. Everything they record is fantastic, and they always sound perfect live as well, thanks to programming all of their sounds and effects to perfection into the live performance version of ProTools so that the blistering guitar tone, pulsating bass, dream-like keyboards and slamming percussion you hear on their albums is unadulterated during live play. Their sound is stunning. If you saw their performance on MTV's Video Music Awards last week, you'll agree with me.

Throw MUSE on when you're going through the closet next time and see where the music takes you. Here is their latest for your viewing/listening pleasure, Uprising. The words to this one ring very true to me as well, but that's an entirely different topic, and an entirely different blog. No one wants to read about the threat of a socialistic government on a style blog, right? ...oops... I said it.

Until Next Time,
Cheers!
-Paul

Gay Talese: Save the Tailors

Gay Talese, pioneer of journalism as we know it today, shares his affinity for tailored clothing. I have seen other bloggers post this video, but Gay's message here is very dear to me, as I do very much the same thing that he endorses in this video. I needed it on this site as well.

The emphasis in this video is not so much on bespoke clothing, but on stimulating the tailors' craft by using their wealth of skill and knowledge to personalize your existing wardrobe. The little details that Gay stresses in this video are what make tailors so important to the well-dressed man... especially to the man who wants his own personal style to shine through in his clothing.

In this video, Talese shares some of the personal touches he has had his tailors apply to his clothing, such as changing the color of the threads surrounding buttonholes on his jackets. I myself have had similar adjustments made to my own clothing prior to seeing this video, so I appreciate another man's love of the tailor's trade being made so mainstream.

It is true that tailors are a dying breed, which is saddening. "Alterationists" are a dime a dozen; the local dry cleaner can usually hem trousers or remove extra fabric from the seat of your pants. I prefer to have my work done by a tailor, one who could build me a custom suit or shirt if I asked him to. It is the tailor that transforms your garments not by hacking them up and sewing the seam, but by deconstructing the piece and lovingly recrafting it.

Save the tailors. Follow the Gay Talese "stimulus plan" to keep this wonderful species alive.

Until next time,
Cheers.
-Paul

Alan Flusser on Why Men Can't Dress

Alan Flusser wrote the book on mens' clothing. Literally. His best-selling book, "Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion" belongs in every man's collection. His approach to menswear focuses on style rather than trend. Principles such as fit and proportion, color and complexion, and prudence of selection are combined to help men build a wardrobe that will last for decades, rather than becoming outdated seasonally (if you don't own the book, check Amazon.com. Buy it).
Alan Flusser is the man that dressed Michael Douglas's "Gordon Gekko" in Wall Street, created custom clothing for Al Pacino and Chris O'Donnell in Scent of a Woman, and has been a style advisor to other films as well. His Made-to-Measure company has been in business since 1979 and is still thriving today.
In the way that I identified with the previous video featuring Gay Talese, I see eye-to-eye with Alan Flusser's opinions on the mistakes men make when buying and wearing clothes.

We share a disapproval of what Thom Browne has done to menswear (I literally shutter at the thought) by bastardizing classic tradition rather than developing it (I refer to the suits that look like Big Bird molting rather than Brooks Brothers Black Fleece, of which Browne is creative director: you don't f*%# with Brooks Brothers), and I am in total agreement with Flusser that Hollywood's leading men are so often enslaved to who it is that dresses them. Alan Flusser is a huge proponent of developing personal style and teaching the fundamental keys to selecting the right clothes for one's wardrobe, no matter what fashion dictates is currently "in".

Enjoy this video. Alan Flusser says many of the things I want to say to men daily, and would, if I had his accumulation of years and years of credibility.

Until next time,
Cheers!
-Paul

Astor and Black Charlotte Show Room Grand Opening

My good friend David Watkins (pictured at Right) of Astor & Black Custom Clothiers is opening a show room inside Emerson Joseph men's grooming lounge, at their Uptown Charlotte location. The Address is 221 S. Tryon Street, and David is having a Grand Opening celebration this Wednesday evening, September 16. The event will run from 5:30 to 8:30 PM, and will allow you to see the quality of the product first hand and meet David, all while sampling fine libations from Jack Daniels Brands.

I have written a couple of posts concerning my experiences with David's work (one such suit I am pictured wearing at Left), but I'll recap for those of you who may have missed out.

Astor & Black provides custom made clothing tailored with the finest fabrics available at off the rack prices. Garments are completely hand tailored and all jackets are fully canvassed. Incredible attention is paid to every detail and finish. Clients choose from hundreds of suit fabrics from some of the finest mills in the world. All Astor & Black suits are tailored with standard features such as surgeon cuffs (functioning buttonholes), hand picked stitching and more. Every garment is tailored to your exact specifications and personal taste with unlimited styles and options.

All shirts are tailored with the finest cottons. Choose from hundreds of fabrics, thirty-one collar, fourteen cuff and eight pocket styles. Also, a choice of twenty-four monogram styles comes standard with every shirt order.

With Astor & Black, client convenience is of utmost importance--they can work out of your home, office or showroom. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.

Package Pricing:

3 custom made super 120's cashmere/wool suits, 3 hand made custom shirts and 3 hand made silk ties - $2,200
3 custom made super 150's suits, 3 hand made custom shirts and 3 hand made silk ties - $3,300
3 custom made Scabal suits, 3 hand made custom shirts and 3 hand made silk ties - $4,400

Individual suits - $550 - $1350
Individual shirts - $95 - $110
Individual slacks - $150 - $450

Astor & Black also offers over-coats, cotton slacks, Mullholland Brothers leather and luggage, Babette Wasserman Cuff Links and Tie-Bars as well as Allen Edmond's and Loake Shoes.

If you have the opportunity, come to the grand opening and witness first hand how dropping off-the-rack dollars can land you in fully custom-made threads. I have been thoroughly pleased with my Astor & Black goods, and I know that you will too.
Until next time,
Cheers!
-Paul
(pictured: l) Paul Walters; c) Dwayne Waite, www.dw4r.com; r) David Watkins)

Tom Waits: I've Been Changed

This month's "Man of Style" plays an old Blind Willie Nelson song, "I've Been Changed". This is him with a guitar and a tambourine, as raw as it comes, and even in a worn polo shirt his style shines through. Notice again the emphasis on fit and proportion. You know what... forget it. Just enjoy the video.

Wants and Desires: The Car

I must preface this post by saying that I do love my car. I drive a 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer that has been optimized with RalliArt (Mitsubishi's performance division) parts and tuned by myself and folks who specialize in import performance. The car holds it's own with most commuters in its class. It is a sporty sedan (great for a father of two), gets great gas milage, and has lots of leg room (great for someone who's 6'2"). I feel that I have a car that allows me to cart kids around yet still holds a little bit of sporty allure.

The shape and design of the car that I drive looks decidedly European, but... it isn't. What I really want (and may have to wait until my kids are grown and out of the house just to afford automotive upkeep) is a vintage BMW 3.0 CS. Ohhhh, yes.
Produced between 1971 and 1975, the BMW 3.0 CS (referred to internally by BMW as the E9) featured a M30 inline 6 cylinder engine that cranked out 180 horsepower (stock... racing models produced up to 340) using twin Zenith carburetors. And damn, if the car just ain't as sporty as hell.

The car is a coupe, but is a four-seater, and the beautiful leather interior just looked so much more racey and hip in the 70's, peppered with lovely perforation and accented by chrome, this car is so my style. The one pictured above was parked next to my wife's old place of employment yesterday at a BP service station, and in the absence of my camera I snapped a quick cell-phone shot, which robs the car of a little of its glory.
One day, I'll be driving one. Remember readers: life is too short not to fill it with the things you like. Even if you have to wait for them.
Until next time,
Cheers!
-Paul

Man of Style: Tom Waits

Hello again.
Today's post pays tribute to my all-time favorite musician, Tom Waits. His eclectic musical offerings have spanned decades, but today I want to focus on his contributuion to style. Stylistically speaking, Tom Waits is the type of man we should all strive to be, not in the sense that we should emulate his look, but in the regard that Waits is a man who has developed his personal style, and maintains it with integrity.

From the seventies until now, Tom's style has evolved with him, but has never strayed far from where it began. Waits was, in his earlier days, regarded as some sort of neo-beatnik who lived just a notch above the streets and found solace in seedy, sleazy joints, honing his gravelly cigarette and bourbon drenched voice with perfection. Whether or not this opinion was factual or not doesn't matter; the man has always appeared comfortable in any setting, and in the clothing that he dons effortlessly.
The provided photos are taken from different eras and show a uniformity of style regardless of different types of dress. The consistency is what we're looking at here; the man knows what he likes and looks good sporting the threads.

I also like the timelessness of Tom's style. The outfits Tom wore in the photos from the seventies would look just as acceptable if worn today (when executed properly, which, of course, Tom does). The key to stylistic integrity is filling your wardrobe with the things you like, which when well chosen, will last you for years and remain stylish for just as long.
One thing that can be taken from the photos shown of Tom (courtesy of The Tom Waits Library) is his strict attention to fit. This is the one dead givaway that he is paying close attention to dressing well on purpose.

Whether in a suit or a denim jacket, the armholes are cropped and tapered, resting in the perfect spot on the shoulder. The bodies of his jackets fit close and snug, and the trouser legs sport a perfect taper. The importance of fit is evident from looking at Tom, and he uses fit and proportion to make his gangliness work for him, rather than trying to hide it.
Tom Waits represents an interesting sort of sprezzatura, remaining elegantly disheveled with the truest sense that he was never trying to look so damned cool... he just was, is, always will be.
Until next time,
Cheers!
-Paul