In the last Style & Direction bi-weekly stream, we had quite a few fun topics to discuss. Big thank you to our active Twitch followers for submitting these questions!

In this stream we have Ethan, Spencer, MJ, Matthew, Kiyoshi, and Henrik.

How Drake’s Has Changed Over The Years

It’s no secret that me (and my fellow SadHead compatriots) are big fans of Drake’s. I’ve written about them and their styling countless times before, whether it’s for their sweater vests, vintage-esque abstract ties, or their jaunty scarves. Even their branding and approach to social content/photography has been formative for me, whether shot on digital or film.

However, that excitement has dipped in recent years. Their lookbooks and socials are still great, but we don’t get as pumped as we used to back in 2016-2018. Is this due to rising prices? Or how many of our friends have moved onto different careers (and aren’t featured prominently on the branding anymore)? Overall, it might just be that Drake’s is evolving as a brand, moving into more casual workwear/milsurp inspired pieces that we aren’t as into, especially when compared to true vintage. Plus, it seems very apparent that they’re trying to position themselves as a refined version of Rowing Blazers.

Obviously we still love the tailoring, chambray shirts, and fun ties, but as they have shifted focus away from that, so have we…But who are we kidding- we’re always going to love Drake’s, even if we can’t afford it! The boys and I discuss this candidly at length in the clip above.

Candid Thoughts on Spier & Mackay

That conversation about Drake’s lead us to talk about Spier & Mackay, menswear’s latest darling. With an affordable price point, neopolitan cut, and pretty good fabrics, it’s a brand that I can recommend to guys who may not be at the income level for Drake’s or Ring Jacket. I actually have a few pieces from them that I wear quite regularly!

A Twitch viewer asked us if we think they were ripping off Drake’s and we answered “maybe”. It’s quite suspect that some of their fabrics (like the cord and seersucker) seems quite similar to things we’ve seen from Drake’s, but that’s just how the fashion industry works: you copy someone else and make a few tweaks at different price points. I have no issue with that and I’m glad they exist, because for a while, all we had was Suit Supply (and that wasn’t a good thing).

It is worth noting that while Spier & Mackay is positioned as a high quality/more classic alternative to Suit Supply, they are actually marketed like a Menswear House in their Toronto hometown. This video (uploaded this year) is quite wild.

What We’re Excited to Wear in F/W 2020

Despite us being locked inside (for the most part) due to COVID, many of us still dress up occasionally. And since it’s finally getting colder, we’re excited to finally take advantage of the weather and wear some great rigs, even if the local Target employees are the only ones that are going to see us.

In the above clip, the boys and I discuss what we’re most excited to wear this season. Most of us are on the same page- we’re moving away from classic tailoring (at least in a broad sense) and will incorporate more rugged layering, use of heavy coats (like my two raglan ones), and a bigger emphasis on knitwear. Personally, I’m looking forward to trying some new combinations, especially since I’ve worn the jungle jacket and chore coat since 2017; I’m ready to change it up with some of my other pieces!

Don’t forget to support us on Patreon to get some extra content and access to our exclusive Discord. Catch us streaming on Twitch every Wednesday and Saturday or watch the clips on Youtube.

Oh and don’t forget, we do a podcast every two weeks!

Buh-bye!

StyleandDirection | EthanMWong | SpencerDSO

The Podcast is produced by MJ and Matthew.

Big thank you to our top tier Patrons (the SaDCast Fanatics): Seth Peterson, Eric Hall, Philip Gregard, Shane Curry, and Audrey Jessica