Friday, January 31, 2014

Pick-Up: Carmina Greeley Balmoral Boot in Caramel

I'll just leave this here with a few words.

Austerity Brogue Balmoral Boot by Carmina for Epaulet. Original price about $700, because someone tried them on, around $365. 

Beautiful boot!




No flash:

Proper Cloth Sample Sale & Gap Japanese Selvedge Denim

Shout-out to my friend Adrian for the heads up on the Proper Cloth sample sale and for picking up this Gap Selvedge Denim for $17.50 for me at his local Gap!

Proper Cloth makes custom made-to-measure shirts and retail between $150-200. You can either order online by providing your measurements or go into their brick and mortar building in SoHo and get measured up. They are currently running a sample sale at 481 Broadway (4th Floor) with a plethora of shirts in all sizes from S-XL; with a handful of XXL. I suggest you try on as many shirts as possible and not just pick up a shirt because it's in your size section. They are MTM shirts so measurements vary; we found quite a few that fit well in the body but the sleeves were too short for example. Mention the choosy beggar and get your shirts for $20/each instead of $40.

I picked up the last tie too for $10.

The Gap Japanese Selvedge is a steal for $17.50 and some have seen them as low as $12.50 at some of their local Gap's. The most difficult apparently is finding them, I know my local one didn't have any. This is the same Japanese Selvedge that is selling for $90 online. I haven't worn them yet so I'm hoping they fit.

Details:
Shirt: Proper Cloth White/Blue Windowpane via Proper Cloth Sample Sale-$20
Jeans: Gap Japanase Selvedge via Gap-$17.50
Tie: Proper Cloth Silk Charcoal via Proper Cloth Sample Sale-$10




Thursday, January 30, 2014

WDIWT…1/30/14 (Merino Wool & Tweed)

Playing with layers and the color combinations has become somewhat fun. I've been trying to pair colors that contrast that of the jacket instead of doing what I usually do, pairing 2 similar colors. I received a merino wool sweater for christmas and have wondered since then how I've went this long without one. Merino wool is exceptionally soft, making it exceptionally warm as well, only my cashmere sweater is warmer. At around half the price of cashmere; if not even less, it's a great investment piece to add to your wardrobe.

Tip: Check Gap's sale sections, I found 2 merino wool sweaters for $12 and $13. Banana Factory Store had some for about $25 as well.

Details:
Jacket: Stafford Light Brown Donegal Tweed via SA
Sweater: Banana Republic Eggplant 100% Merino Wool V-neck via Banana Republic Factory Store-$25 (gift)
Shirt: Alfani White/Black Micro-check L/S Dress Shirt via Macy's-$12
Trousers: Gap 1969 Dark Denim Wash via Gap-$45
Shoes: Stafford Camlin Brown Wingtip via JC Penney-$40
Watch: Kenneth Cole Quartz with Brown Leather Band via Nordstrom Rack-$40 or $45
Pocket Square: Merona White Cotton via Target-4 for $5







Wednesday, January 29, 2014

WDIWT…1/29/14 (Navy Tweed & Gray Flannel)

Another attempt at layering and staying warm. This blazer gets complimented every single time that I wear it. I'm usually not a fan of elbow patches but when I saw it in combination on this blazer, I had to have it. I'm usually not someone who buys something at this price point ($100+) impulsively but it was a great piece to add to my wardrobe.

The sweater is one of my new additions as well, I wore it here, but the color didn't come out well. The Camlin boots may not be the best quality boot out there but for $40 they have more than paid for themselves trekking through these salt laced streets.

Details:
Jacket: J. Crew Factory Thompson Navy Tweed via J. Crew Factory-$108
Sweater: J. Crew Factory Light Blue V-Neck via J. Crew Factory-$20
Shirt: Merona White L/S Dress Shirt via Target-$22 plus alterations
Trousers: IZOD Gray Flannel via JC Penney-$5
Shoes: Stafford Camlin Brown Wingtips via JC Penney-$40






Tuesday, January 28, 2014

WDIWT…1/28/13 (Layering Again)

This morning we were greeted with 10 degrees below 0 on our way to work. Staying warm is critical, whether it'd be for comfort or to simply remain healthy. I personally use layers to stay warm and on days like today some additional protection underneath such as HeatTech long johns and t-shirt from Uniqlo. Lastly, the other reason for layering is unpredictable indoor temperatures. Working in a school the heat can vary from classroom to classroom, sometimes requiring removing a layer.

Details:
Coat: Brooks Brothers Brookstorm Loro Piana via Unique Thrift Shop-$25 (msrp $600)+$80 in alterations (The Tailoring Room)
Jacket: Michael Andrews Bespoke Brown Donegal Tweed via Michael Andrews Bespoke-part of a 3 piece suit-$$$ (this suit has become my favorite, not bad as it was once at the bottom of the list)
Sweater: Old Navy Camel Marbled V-Neck via Old Navy-$12
Shirt: Gap White/Light Blue/Pink Windowpane L/S Shirt via Gap-$13
Trousers: H&M Corduroy Navy via H&M-$15
Shoes: Stafford Camlin Wingtip Boot via JC Penney-$40 (definitely have gotten my money's worth this winter out of these)

Not pictured: Uniqlo HeatTech Long Johns and T-Shirt via Uniqlo-$25 for both





Monday, January 27, 2014

WDIWT…1/27/14 (Giving Black A Try)

It's been a while but I'm trying to focus on taking pictures when I have time to take them and edit them now that I have a DSLR.

I hate wearing black, whether it'd be shoes, trousers or sweaters. Prior to Saturday I don't think I owned a pair of black trousers until I found these at Gap for $15. I like the look of navy with black, it's simple but looks good together.

Details:
Coat: Old Navy Wool Peacoat via Old Navy-$40? (bought about 4 years ago)
Sweater: Old Navy Navy V-Neck via Old Navy-$10/12
Shirt: Perry Ellis White L/S Dress Shirt via Macy's-$10
Trousers: Gap Black Tailored Fit Khaki via Gap-$15
Socks: H&M Gray/Black Horizontal Striped via H&M in San Sebastian, Spain-$10
Shoes: Florsheim Imperial Deerskin Balmoral Captoe via eBay-$15




Sunday, January 19, 2014

WDIW…Yesterday 1/18/14

There is a misconception that people who blog only dress a certain way during the week. Dressing better isn't about doing it Monday to Friday, from 9 to 5 it's about being comfortable in your own clothes 24/7. 

A typical weekend for me doesn't have me in a suit or tie but in what I would usually wear to work on casual Friday. That usually means denim, a dress shirt, a sweater and/or blazer and brown shoes. Some people many not understand it but looking your best can provide a confidence that should be taken with you all week long.

Details:
Coat: Old Navy Navy Peacoat via Old Navy-$40
Sweater: Gap Navy Shawl Cardigan via Gap-Gift
Shirt: Polo by Ralph Lauren White/Navy Bengal Strip L/S Shirt via Adrian-$7.50
Jeans: Old Navy "Slim Fit" via Old Navy-$2.50
Shoes: Stafford Camlin Brown Wingtip via JC Penney-$40








Wednesday, January 15, 2014

WDIWT…11/15/14

I usually take out my clothes for the week on Sunday, steam it and grab the outfit of the day from the closet. Today though I didn't feel like wearing anything I had picked out on Sunday and put this together at the last minute. The denim I had just had it tapered; unfortunately my tailor didn't keep the selvedge line. The shirt I grabbed from my closet because it was white with blue and figured I could pure with whatever sweater or blazer I went with. The sweater I had just bought at J. Crew Factory Store and threw it on. Sometimes an outfit that's given very little thought turns out well.




I received quite a few compliments today on what I decided to wear. From students to colleagues, so it seems I made a good choice. 

Side-note: The color of the sweater is very difficult to pick up on camera but it is a pale light blue almost light gray.

Details:
Sweater: J. Crew Factory Pale Light Blue V-Neck Sweater-$20
Shirt: Stafford White/Blue Micro-check L/S Dress Shirt via JCPenney-$8
Jeans: Gap Selvedge via Gap-$23
Shoes: Allen Edmonds Amok Snuff Suede via Allen Edmonds-$60







Tuesday, January 14, 2014

WDIWT…1/14/14 (Layered Tweed)

Today was one of the first mild winter days that we've had in a while so I chose to forego the winter coat and layer a sweater underneath my tweed suit. It more than sufficed and kept me warm throughout the day, including while it was raining on my way to the subway.

The brown on the suit is a very rich with donegal hues of yellow and orange.

The shade of the suit is a very rich brown with donegal hues of yellow and orange. Last week I decided to wear this same suit with a light brown sweater. Today I decided to wear it with a rich light blue. Wearing it with a lighter colored sweater helps often up the brown of the suit.



Details:
Suit: Michael Andrews Bespoke Brown Donegal Tweed via Michael Andrews Bespoke-$$$ (part of a 3 piece suit)
Shirt: Modern Tailor White L/S Shirt with Hidden Placket via Modern Tailor-$35
Sweater: Old Navy Light Blue V-Neck Cotton via Old Navy-$12 or $15
Pocket Square: Merona White Cotton via Target-$2
Socks: Merona Blue Cotton Socks with Palm Trees via Target-$3
Shoes: Meermin Mallorca Brown Double Monks via Meermin Mallorca-$210












Monday, January 13, 2014

WDIWT…1/13/14

Gray trousers are almost always seen paired with a navy jacket. I almost did the same as well but I saw the brown herringbone tweed jacket and paired it.


The jacket is one of my finds, the fit isn't perfect but for $20 and no alterations I didn't want to pass it up. The shoulder, the left one at least doesn't sit well on my shoulders. This is due to the shoulder slope I have, most of my OTR (off-the-rack) jackets have some sort of rumpling but they aren't as noticeable due to them fitting a little better and being darker in color. This is why sometimes going the custom/bespoke route for some is best.


Details:
Jacket: Lauren by Ralph Lauren Brown Herringbone Tweed via Unique-$20
Sweater: Old Navy Brown Marbled V-Neck via Old Navy-$10
Shirt: Polo by Ralph Lauren White/Navy Bengal Stripe via Adrian-$8
Trousers: IZOD Gray Flannel via JCPenney-$5
Shoes: Ralph Lauren Brown Sanderson Made in America by Allen Edmonds Collection-$86.50 ($525 retail)








Wednesday, January 8, 2014

WDIW...Yesterday 1/7/14

I've tried to stray away from talking about the weather in my posts but yesterday's weathered cannot be ignored. The high of 10 in the city and of 8 in the suburbs was impossible to ignore. The low was even more difficult to ignore with temperatures reaching -25...yes -25 with the wind chill. What you wore yesterday became even more important than usual not for how it looked but how it kept you warm. If you're on the East Coast or Mid-West where temperatures reached this or lower then I don't have to paint a picture. For those who aren't, to put it simply water would freeze in under 2 minutes.

Yesterday wasn't about simply looking put together; whether you are into dressing well or not but about staying warm and preventing damage your body. With that said, there are fabrics that are better suited for colder days, in many cases this can be the difference between feeling comfortable or feeling incredibly cold. Some things I wore that aren't pictured are a Brooks Brothers Brookstorm Wool Coat, a scarf, hat and gloves. The coat is waterproof and downed making for a dry and warm fit, the scarf protected my neck and face from the cold winds, same with the hat and gloves.

To what you do see...tweed and merino wool. Merino Wool is very soft but incredibly warm, surprising for a fabric that is very light and thin. Paired with a tweed jacket or suit in my case this provided enough warmth during the day in a building with limited and intermittent heat. The tweed, weighing in at about 14-16oz is very heavy and was a great insulator of body heat.

Details:
Suit: Michael Andrews Bespoke Brown Donegal Holland & Sherry Tweed via Michael Andrews Bespoke-$$$
Sweater: Banana Republic Light Brown Merino Wool V-Neck Sweater via Gift
Shirt: ModernTailor White L/S Dress Shirt via Modern Tailor-$35
Tie: Banana Republic Navy/Red/Gray Wool Blend Rep Tie via Banana Republic-$7
Shoes: Stafford Camlin Brown Wingtip via JC Penney-$40








Texture Close Up:





WDIW...Monday 1/6/14

Just because it's winter it doesn't mean you have to wear dark colors. Blue is a color that can be worn during any season, one of the great things about blue. Different shades of blue can help with this as well. This light blue sweater has become one of my favorite for the soft yet bright blue. I paired it with a traditional light blue dress shirt and a wool fair isle tie; season appropriate I must say. Flannel chalkstripe pants finish off the look along with rubber wingtip boots for the snow, rain and ice outside. These boots are the best $40 I've spent.

Details:
Sweater: Old Navy Light Blue V-Neck Sweater via Old Navy-$15
Shirt: Stafford Light Blue L/S Dress Shirt via JC Penney-$8
Tie: American Eagle Navy/Light/Blue Fair Isle Wool Knit Tie via American Eagle-$5
Trousers: Claiborne Charcoal/Chalkstripe Flannel via JC Penney-$5
Shoes: Stafford Camlin Brown Wingtip Boot via JC Penney-$40




Sunday, January 5, 2014

Hiatus…More Like Vacation! (And A Visit to Carmina)

I apologize for the absence and lack of posts but it was due to lack of time and my wife and I leaving on vacation. We went on pretty much our dream vacation! In short we went to Spain, France and Monaco. In Spain we went to Barcelona, Madrid and San Sebastian, in France we went to Cannes and Nice and in Monaco we went to Monte Carlo. To say the least we did a lot of shopping and came back with quite a few shoes. More on that during the week.

We visited Meermin in Madrid, in addition to Carmina and Christian Louboutin. On our last day in Barcelona we accidentally stumbled upon the Barcelona location. Here are a few pics: