This is a recap-ish of the latest podcast episode. You can listen to the episode below before or after you read. That’s because I tend to expand on topics from the pod as well as straight-up write about things that we did not discuss. The choice is yours in how you want to proceed!
A big part of this episode was me discussing how much I love wearing riding boots! I was going to include it here along with the other notes, but it became quite clear that it was too long (and too specialized). The shift to talking about shorts or Spencer’s photography would have been a bit weird! Plus, being a glorious piece of footwear that I have surprisingly found easy to wear, the damn things deserve their own spotlight.
Timestamps
- 7:54 – Riding Boots and Temp Talk
- 25:48 – Ethan Meets Patrick / @therevdmr
- 35:20 – We Wanna Wear Shorts!
- 42:59 – Spencer and Photography
- 53:17 – Wrap-up
A Friend From The Fedora Lounge
I love making online menswear friends. It’s one of the best things about the internet. I fear that if I didn’t have it, I would have felt so alone in this silly hobby. As I’ve written about before, community and company were instrumental in not just giving me company and confidence, but provided me a place to gain inspiration, feedback, and critique. Hell, a majority of my blog posts were directly inspired by conversations I’ve had with my online compatriots! And with my push for tangibility, I’ve made it a point to turn a few of these things into IRL friendships. Gotta make it out of the chat!
That’s why I was delighted to hear that Patrick, also known as @therevdmr on Instagram, was visiting LA. It was a bit tough, considering that he had a busy vacation schedule and July was my birthday month, but I was able to meet him and his wife, Julia, for coffee at one of my favorite Pasadena haunts.
If you’re into the vintage scene, you might have seen Patrick around, especially on IG but also on the ‘ol Fedora Lounge. His style is impeccable– and right up my alley. Like me, Patrick has a penchant for Golden Era styling, favoring striped spearpoint collars, brocade and foulard ties, fedoras, and all manner of tailoring: brown plaid sportcoats, belt back brown DBs, and white suits (some of them 3PC). While his pairings certainly lean Esquire Man, it’s important to note that Patrick’s wardrobe isn’t strictly period. Yes, he might wear a 30s burgundy peak lapel suit (a banger of a piece if there ever was one) or a 60s sack suit, but he also has a mix of modern RTW (from Spier and Ring Jacket) as well as some modern custom makers. His shirts are also a mix of vintage/pre-owned, modern RTW, and custom (the only real way to get spearpoints nowadays). Patrick just likes cool menswear, no matter where it’s from!
Patrick and I had a wonderful conversation, even though it was a bit short (it was a little under two hours, as I had a pool thing to get to). We talked about what it was like getting into vintage/period in the forum days, as well as the transition from posting on the Fedora Lounge and Styleforum to now, just dumping our fits on Instagram.
What was most enlightening was how he approaches making outfits. I’m always intrigued to hear how other suit-dudes do their thing, considering how superfluous it is for us to get dressed, at least to this level. I already knew that he likes to give himself prompts and then works the rest of the outfit by social algorithms (“I want to wear this tie, but I want to make it casual, so naturally a chambray shirt is the move”). But I wanted to go deeper.
Imagine my surprise when he told me that a lot of his prompts are done simply because of how his wardrobe is laid out: he reaches into the closet and grabs the next item on the rack. It’s literally a rotation, made up of seasonally appropriate items (he isn’t crazy). The same is also done with his tie drawer, where each day is a different “type” of tie: wool ties, brocades, repps, etc. Bowties are indeed in the mix, but he makes it a rule to do it every 10 or so days– that way it still feels like a jaunty occasion rather than shouting out “it’s bowtie day”! For Patrick, it’s really just about wearing what comes up and then adjusting the rest (shirt, shoes) to make it work. I was surprised to find that his approach is a bit more mechanical or algorithmic, as his attire comes across as intuitive and emotional, at least from my view. I guess that’s a benefit of having a curated wardrobe of banger pieces that are easy to wear and combine with the other things you own!
It was really fun to be able to spend time with Patrick and Julia (who sometimes has to tell him if some combinations are too much)! I guess this also functioned as my first coffee hang at 30, as this was the morning of my actual day of birth. Let’s hope they come back again soon!
We Miss Shorts
Speaking of the pool, MJ talked on the pod about how he missed wearing shorts. We all do.
You may recall the “Warm Weather Attire” pod from last year, where we talked about all the fun ways we dress interestingly, even when it’s hot. [We did a shorts episode back in 2020 and I also did a blog post o nthe “schoolboy” look, which is all related to this.] Unfortunately, we haven’t had much opportunity to do it. At the time of recording, it wasn’t that hot, being in the mid-to-high 70s at most. To SoCal boys, that means that full pants and even jeans are still quite bearable. It’s not that shorts aren’t appropriate for this level of warmth, but that it makes more sense when it starts to get in the 80s and 90s. In other words, we treat shorts as the last bastion of sartorial hope against the heat; if we’re not at our tether, then it’s not time to break them out.
That being said, I have worn shorts a few times this past season. It’s mainly been decidedly casual, where I pair shorts with a graphic tee. I find that it makes for a fun combo, as it feels conventional (nothing is more casual than a tee and shorts) but still has a bit of an edge due to the use of pleated shorts and my typical use of loafers. The rig has been my go-to for lazy days, especially to get some wear on my graphic tees (which are the least worn things in my wardrobe). I’ve particularly liked doing it with my black Gurkhas from Bryceland’s (since they came last fall/winter); they feel so chic (because of their color) despite being a casual garment. That being said, I do want to get to the stage where I’m doing an open shirt (likely a sport shirt or workshirt) with my shorts, maybe with a jacket in the mix, even to just hold my phone or my fists. It just hasn’t been that warm…or so I thought.
A few days after we recorded this episode (and after I started writing this blog post), the weather definitely got warmer. I was concerned that I wouldn’t have much to share, but thankfully, I was able to put some newer shorts-fits by the time you read this. We’re still lacking a bit from Spencer and MJ (who don’t get to wear shorts as much since they have dress codes at their jobs), but if I get some, I’ll put them here.
On that note, I’m reminded of an old photo of Spencer and me during July 4th sometime ago. I don’t actually think the looks are that bad– it’s just that Spencer and I look a bit goofy, as we haven’t grown into ourselves yet. What a difference that facial hair can make!
The funny thing is that I actually “rewore” that old outfit last year, to prove that it still looks good! Unfortunately, I won’t be able to do it this time, because I sold the shirt to Chris a few months ago. The tight shoulders and short sleeve length finally took their toll on my comfort. I never want to force myself to wear something just because I own it! The good news is that the general idea is perfectly repeatable and something I still see myself wearing. After all, shorts are just short-length trousers in my mind. It helps that a few of my shorts are nearly the same color as the pants I wear on a normal day.
Spencer’s A Shutter Bug Now
Lastly, I ask Spencer about how how seems to have become quite the shutterbug. While he may not post his work that much, Spencer has always been interested in photography. You may have seen him carry the little Fujifilm around with him in the past, but now you’d be hard pressed to see him at any hang without the damn thing! It’s almost to the point where he may be overtaking me in the “photos of friends” competition, though as I later find out, he’s also been snapping things he sees on walks and dates. This makes me very happy as I firmly believe that having creative hobbies (that don’t necessarily need to be monetized) is one of the great joys of life.
Spencer says that he’s most inspired by William Eggleston, who is most known for his 60s-80s color photography of what could be considered “ordinary”: vending machines, cars, signage, and of course, people. In the pod, Spencer mentions that he wants the photos to feel like “old found photos”, like the ones you might see in the ephemera section of a vintage store or second-hand bookstore; as a result, he also likes using the flash function for party pics (much like how I used an old digicam). He also says that he wants his photos to have a bit of cinematic charm, not unlike a period PTA film like Licorice Pizza. When you look at Spencer’s favorite photos (which I’ve included a few here), you can certainly see the througline. It also helps that Fujifilm has film emulation, which Spencer clearly employs to grand results.
Don’t get too excited, though– Spencer did mention that he has no plans to use his camera to take fit pics. He has no desire to build up an album of moody fit portraits like I so narcissistically have done over the better part of a decade. That being said, I would love to have Spencer experiment with self-portraits. I think he would kill it!
We didn’t get to dig too deep, but Spencer’s camera hobby reminds me of the connection I find between Photography and Menswear. While they are both clearly different mediums and activities, I see both as a way for a creative to generate an art object that is reflective (or is at least expressive of) their mood at any given time. My outfits are created holistically, with the impetus being the “POV” rather than simply dressing for a dress code or relying on formula and “whatever’s next in the queue” (sorry Patrick). Similarly, my approach to photography is about capturing a snippet of life that I see in front of me or, most often, documenting people that I love and capturing their essence in that moment. I’ve been fascinated with this a lot as of late and you may have already noticed that I’ve been sharing more photography than my own fits. You might even say that I started a menswear blog just to have a place to post my photography.
In the end, the more Spencer (and MJ) get into doing photography, the more you’ll be treated to candids of yours truly. I can exist in real life and not just in a fit pic post! /s
– end of blog post –
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The Podcast is produced by MJ.
Always a pleasure,
Ethan M. Wong (follow me on IG)
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a little bit of rest 
