Hello, hello! This was a fun pod with Spencer and MJ that covered quite a bit, like our thoughts on the recent J. Press runway show (see, we are consuming!), to our attire for Valentine’s Day!

Because I don’t want to leave any stone unturned, I’m writing this blog post so that there is a record to come back to– especially for the smaller topics that I didn’t have time to dive in too deeply on the pod. After all, the pod is all three of us, while this blog is all me. Plus, I gotta have something special just for you, my dear reader! 

• 8:04 – Shoes Resoled
• 19:10 – J.Press Show
• 32:20 – Audacity 25th Anniversary Merch
• 35:28 – Valentine’s Day  

First off, I recently took receipt of my latest SuSu commission: a grey one, with both SB and DB jackets. Considering how Foundational a grey suit has become for “Ethan Style, its quite funny how anti-grey suit I seemed to be in the past. To be clear, I’ve always had one in my wardrobe (I loved my 40s gab number, which is now expertly worn by MJ), but it was always overshadowed by the slouchy appeal of brown and the platonic ideal of navy. I can confidently say that all three colors are worn– and loved– equally. That being said, I’ve definitely been wearing this grey one a lot, mainly because it’s technically my newest acquisition, and as much as I don’t like to admit it, I do play favorites with my newcomers.

The suit, just like the rest of my SuSu suits, is cut broad (and droopy) in the shoulder, roomy in the chest, long in the jacket, and high and wide for the trousers. The only changes Jack and I did were lowering the back rise a bit more (to prevent sagging in the seat and thigh), as well as marking the base model used as a “short” (yes, like a 38S or whatever). This was done on recommendation from Brooks, who works at a different Suit Supply, as a way to get the top block of the trousers a bit more taut in the front panel (crotch) without reducing any other measurements. It seemed to have worked, though the clean lines may just be due to the fabric chosen.

In fact, this cloth was one of the main reasons I decided to redo my grey suit with Suit Supply. This is a breathable crepe wool from Tessuti that is much heavier and “plush” compared to the drier 4-ply wools I had done previously; it also has a raised texture that is reminiscent of a twill, even though it’s not actually woven that way.  This cloth is also their only true open-weave wool in what I think is the perfect shade of mid-grey; the 4-ply greys were either too light or too dark. Honestly, I was still hesitant even after handling it in the book, but once I saw Jack’s own version of it, I knew that I was sold. It’s quite a good match for my grey Fugue suit, which was just made from a 110s sharkskin. The Fugue one was indeed a good suit, but I felt like it was time to update the trouser fit and ultimately move away from the short fly.   

As you can see, the suit is damn good in both the DB and SB variations. With how great these SuSu suits are, I’m honestly not sure if true bespoke is in my future…unless I want to try something crazy (but I’m really not that guy). I just need more money first, and then I can entertain the thought. 

Also, Jack no longer works at Suit Supply (he’s moved on to bigger and greater things), so this is likely the last suit I’ll ever get– plus, I don’t think there’s any other fabrics I need to try. Maybe I’m finally done buying!

My Jeans Fit Better!

Now, let me speak a bit about my jeans (yes, I know we’re overdue for that denim article). You guys know that I often wear my vintage USN flares, but I’m referring to my other jeans– the ones that are straight cut (or wide, if you’re comparing them to a typical 501). 

Yes, I have two jeans from 3Sixteen: indigo and black selvedge pairs in their “relaxed cut”, which is their widest and highest-rise model. These largely replaced the various Levis (501s and 550s) I’ve owned over the years, namely the ones from the defunct brand Thee Teen-aged, whose stiff indigo served me well as a “vintage looking jean” until I outgrew them. I never bought jeans from 3Sixteen until they came out with this model, likely due to how the wider men’s fashion market has finally started to adopt bigger pants overall. I’ve enjoyed my 3Sixteen ones over the past year and change, with them being my jean of choice whenever I wanted to be vintage casual (read: 40s/50s) without wearing trousers or chinos (indigo jeans) or something that nodded toward my indie-nerd side (black jeans). 

These jeans have always fit a little baggy on me, as they’re quite loose on the top block; granted, I did size up as I was too scared of future shrinkage. These aren’t cheap jeans! But after a while of wear, I relented and brought them to my tailor, who took them in at the waist slightly. It was good, but I still felt like the thighs and seat needed work. This became especially apparent after my bout of gout, which resulted in losing a few pounds. I debated getting them taken in even more, but stopped myself, as I decided to do things the old-fashioned way. I was going to shrink them.

By shrink, I really just mean that I machine-washed and dried them. Scary, I know, for any jean guy, as you always run the risk of major shrinkage even if the denim has been rinsed before (I did a cold rinse of both jeans when I first got them). But you know what? It was all good! In fact, these jeans now fit better than before, in the waist, seat, crotch, and thigh. I even think that the fabric just drapes better. Previously, they were so rigid that they would have large wrinkles every which way, emphasized by how loose they were in the top block (I wonder if that was why I didn’t wear them as much as my flares).  No longer. They go straight down while still being weighty and like a proper pair of jeans, which is exactly what I wanted. Just look at those photos! 

I guess I should just count myself lucky that I haven’t made an enemy of my washer and dryer just yet. 

[And yes, there will be a blog/pod on jeans at some point. Be patient!]

Baby’s First Resole

By the way, I also just underwent my first-ever resole. That might sound crazy, but my Aldens really are only about five years old; the fact that I’ve worked from home since the pandemic also means that my shoes don’t get as worn as the ones owned by my menswear pals in New York. Most are still going strong, save for the two that needed to be revived— color 8 tassel loafers and vintage opera pumps, two Very Ethan pieces of footwear. 

I honestly had no idea what counted as the right time for a re-sole. None of my shoes had a hole, which is the normal sign that you need work (and right away, since you don’t want to damage the midsole). That being said, I knew the opera pumps needed it; my feet were absolutely soaked from simply standing on wet ground during this past rainy NYE. They are slippers after all, so it’s no surprise that they don’t have as much protection as a regular GYW shoe. As for the Alden tassels, they started to feel “soft”, though they never got a hole. These shoes were indeed my most-worn shoes (I love tassels), so it made sense that it was likely time for a revival. I had previously worn them in icy-ish streets when I was in NYC and was concerned that the moisture had leaked through; a lengthy conversation with my Discord told me this was likely psychosomatic. In any case, a re-sole was the move for both, as I am obviously planning to wear these for as long as possible. 

Myles, a pal and art director at Buck Mason, saw my IG story inquiry and recommended I use Fast & Best Shoe Repair in Hollywood. He’s a big collector of Alden, both for himself and for styling his models, and brings all of his shoes there, so naturally, I trusted his choice. It ended up being great; the shopkeeper was extremely nice and walked me through the options, which was helpful to me as, again, I’ve never had anything resoled. Once we went over the condition of the shows, this is what we ended up doing:

• Alden Tassels ($250): GYW resole with thin rubber half-outsole, heel replacement (half leather/half rubber)
• Opera Pumps ($150): resole and thin rubber half-outsole, heel replacement (all rubber)
  • If you’re wondering about why the thin rubber outsoles are there, it’s mainly because I want to prolong the life of the shoes without doing a full resole. The added grip helps, too! 

After just under two weeks, I got my shoes back! I think that they came out pretty good. I’ve worn them a few times already, almost feeling like new! It probably helps that I take care of the uppers relatively well. 

Keep in mind, I’m not much of a shoe expert. I mainly like wearing shoes. If any GYW/Alden-heads are reading this, please don’t tell me that I wasted my money or critique the fix too hard! I just wanted to make the shoes wearable, re-soleable for the future, and not spend too much. I’m sure I could have sent these to NYC or even to the Alden factory, but I was too lazy to ship and certainly didn’t want to wait months before I could wear them again. The place was 15 minutes away, a luxury in and of itself. 

I’m certainly interested in bringing back more shoes, as almost all of them are hitting that five-year mark. And after seeing the light of the rubber outsole (I guess Anglo-Italian was onto something with their C&Js with city soles), all the rest of my footwear will likely follow suit. 

Valentine’s Day 2026

If you’re a long-time reader of the blog (and I mean long-time reader), then you might remember when I deigned to write typical (read: banal) fashion blog fodder like these, which was all about what to wear on Valentine’s Day. It’s not bad advice, just a bit basic and certainly not reflective of how I currently dress for Valentine’s Day, let alone a regular date. I can’t imagine not wearing a tie!  You might even say I’ve turned it up a notch. I’m no longer concerned with dressing down for dates (or regular days), choosing instead to Full Send it and embrace just how dandy I am. 

Anyway, I wore riding boots on Valentine’s Day. After all, what could be more sensual and sexy than tall, black boots?

These bad boys weren’t worn willy nilly, mind you. No, they were absolutely suitable for the activities I had planned for the Day of Romance:  high tea (for lunch) and a jaunt through the beautiful Descanso Gardens. Both were in the quiet city of Montrose, just northeast of Pasadena. While I’ve been to a few High Teas before, as well as big Gardens (The Huntington and Butchart), these places were new to us, and we were excited! 

I was particularly intrigued by The T Room, which, based on its online page, looked to be a bit smaller and a bit more “local” than previous tea rooms I’ve been to. This was perfect and just what we wanted. The place instantly made us feel cozy, which was warmly emphasized by the hostesses: a trio of old ladies who were as sweet as they come. Like all tea rooms, there was plenty of kitsch and saccharine decor, but we loved it! My girlfriend and I chose to sit outside to enjoy the pleasant weather (no one else was there until we started to wrap up) and had our fill of tea, sandwiches, and scones. Upon leaving, one of the hosts remarked how she loved my riding boots and pointed to the similar style she had on. If that doesn’t convince you lot to find some yourself, I don’t know what will! 

The riding boots were also quite appropriate for our afternoon stroll through Descanso Gardens. While I don’t mind wearing loafers or derbies in dirt or getting stains on my trouser hems, having tall boots removes the problem entirely– all while still maintaining the dressy vibe; this is something that more “rugged” footwear (chukkas, rubber soled derbies) simply aren’t able to do as well. As I’ve written before, riding boots are both chic and sporty all at once, which is exactly the attitude I wanted to have for this day (Apparel Arts/semi-sports and all that). I find that it made my choice of wearing a sport coat and tie feel “right” for the Gardens, as anachronistic and dandy/bold it may seem. 

As you can see, I went for a bit of a “not-a-suit” look, pairing my dark brown 4-ply suit jacket with the pleated brown chinos that I fashion into makeshift breeches by simply tucking them into the shaft of my riding boots. I understand that the browns are not the same shade, nor are they close to the same material, but I like the effect; going too far into separates would have been a tad less dressy/formal than I wanted to express. My trusty blue reverse-striped spearpoint was my shirt of choice, which interacted well (as such shirts often do) with my 30s deco-stripe tie, which was the only appearance of festive red in the outfit. Again, I like that the not-a-suit look helps push attention to the tie; separates would’ve been too much!

Of course, my girlfriend was stylin’. She opted for more of a vibrant look through her loose-knit sweater (which featured fun little abstract shapes) and a denim skirt. I especially like the “edgy” contrast provided by her thick belt and chunky boots. Definitely a different vibe than my own outfit, but I think we make a good pair!

We ended our evening with BBQ at Gus’s, another IYKYK-ish spot for Greater Angelinos, and a viewing of the Tintin movie. Yes, the 3D mo-cap one by Spielberg. There is some fantastic menswear in that movie, being quite detailed for an animated movie, so don’t be surprised when the boys and I cover it on a future bonus pod! 

LARP it up in Riding Boots

As much fun as it was to wear tall boots for romance and high tea, nothing beats the opportunity to do it with a bit of cosplay/LARP– not that my regular attire isn’t just another form of that to begin with. But what I don’t get to do every day is run around a church and blast dudes with foam darts while my teammates attempt to push a janitor cart toward the final marker. 

A few weeks ago marked the return of the annual Nerf War, hosted by my friend Jason, who, funnily enough, happens to be a bit of a niche celebrity in the dart world due to an old blog he used to run (sound familiar?). I won’t deny that it seems absurd and juvenile, but I think that’s what makes it endearing. The activity isn’t as “real” as airsoft, as messy as paintball, but feels more serious than laser tag. It’s almost like a video game come to life, being purely awesome and incredibly wholesome. I am no athlete by any means, and I tend to abhor playing sports, but this? This, I love. After all, I played Nerf in high school and college. Nostalgia (or not really changing) is still a theme in my life! 

While I was looking forward to my “sport”, I was also excited at the opportunity, nay, Occasion, to wear a fun outfit while blasting foam. I’ve fun stuff outfits, but this time I really wanted to turn it up a notch, especially since I’ve gotten more comfortable with cosplay vibes; having upped the bold-piece inventory in my closet certainly is a boon.

The goal was to go even more Full Send with a specific POV. This ended up being French/WWII resistance (which I sorta hinted at during my first Nerf war with a fair isle, chambray, and cargos) and, of course, Star Wars. Real heads know that these vibes aren’t exactly that disparate, especially as Andor has given us some great variations on Rebel Alliance attire that certainly take inspiration from historical civilian-military attire.  To express “Le Résistance”, I used my plaid spearpoint workshirt (which always feels a bit European) and beret, while my “assassin cloak” (an item I’ve been itching to wear outside of the Ren Faire) helped push that fantasy vibe. It goes without saying that my breeches and riding boots worked well for both! My chest rig helped to set the fictional rebel look, as well as being plenty utilitarian to hold my spare ammo. 

Obviously, my look wasn’t exactly historical nor directly Star Wars-ian, but I loved it nonetheless; I looked exactly the way I wanted to look!  The mix of vintage menswear, military chic, and fantasy was quite interesting and was certainly noted by my compatriots, who were either in regular clothes or something athletic/gym forward (which makes sense because we sweat a lot). That being said, wearing the outfit helped me play better and get locked into the games, a banal point considering how our clothing choices can play into our demeanor and performance. I’m also pleased that my decidedly-LARP look helped avoid any ICE agent connotations; rebel vibes are always the move!  I don’t think I’ve ever felt this cool in my life– and I’ve worn a lot of pretty awesome fits over the past few years. 

I may have to find more Occasions where I can wear this “rig” and ultimately make a few variations on it. It’s just so cool!

 

And as luck would have it, I actually had one more reason to wear my riding boots and cape: the post-Valentine’s Renaissance Faire themed day at Angel City Brewery. The bar had held a similar day before, and the gang and I were excited to make a return— especially since this time around, there was no rain in the forecast. 

The event was bigger and better than ever, with live music, inflatable jousting, a swordswallower, an aerial performer, and of course, simply more attendees showing up fully kitted out. I really do feel like people have been really feeling the Ren Faire/LARP mood lately. After all, D&D, Medieval Times, and cosplay have only seen increased participation, if social media is anything to go by; the recent release of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms probably doesn’t hurt either! This past event at Angel City was perfect as a precursor to the ramp-up of Ren Faire season (April-May), but boy, we definitely need more events to dress up for!

I loved seeing how all my pals got dressed for this mini-Ren Faire. A few of the girls wore flowy white tops and dresses, accessorized with conch belts, ribbons, corsets, and whimsical headwear (flower crowns and horns). Joseph went full-on strongman yet again, wearing a black sleeveless top and a wool kilt (you can see that he’s also wearing OTC socks and loafers).  Erika, in particular, had such a fantastic ensemble, rocking a raver-meets-jester outfit that had the bonus effect of matching her bag charm. The rest of us all went for the adventurer uniform: earth-toned tunics and pants, a cape, a big belt worn on our navel (with enough slack to dangle), and big, tall boots that housed our trouser hems. You’ll note that Arthur’s cape is actually just a vintage indigo blanket and that he and Serhan’s boots are engineer boots. I would’ve definitely done the same thing— if I didn’t just skip engineer boots entirely and go right into the equestrian ones. 

The outfit I wore is probably the best LARP-y one I’ve done yet, being leagues ahead of what I wore to 2025’s Ren Faire or even the previous event at Angel City. There’s a bit more of a “classic menswear” approach with this one, as it involved me pairing a “jacket” (my Superfussy kimono chore coat) over a “shirt and tie” (an old poet shirt with the indigo scarf I wore to be Sherlock Holmes back in 2024). The top was cinched together with a costume belt (purchased because I wanted the pouch and bag), which really helped sell the fantasy/LARP vibe well; I hadn’t done the  “long top with big belt on the navel” move before, but I really like how it looks (and how important it is to the expression) Of course, my Fell & Fair cloak, as well as my black breeches and riding boots, put it over the top. And because there weren’t weapons allowed at the bar, I left my wooden sword at home and brought along a cane, evoking more of a “fancy-boy” attitude (and certainly reminiscent of my own bard OC that I play as in James’ Daggerheart campaign); the use of white gloves (from my Porco Rosso cosplay) only helps emphasize that further. 

Again, the lessons from Nerf ring true here– wearing an outfit that you’re proud of, that expresses what you want, only makes you enjoy the Occasion more. And honestly, wearing this outfit only got me itchin’ for the next one, which looks to be like Ren Faire proper at the beginning of April. Of course, a lot of the same ideas can also be applied to Star Wars Day (just with a different belt and weapon on the hilt), so maybe I will get to have my variations after all.

Love, Riding Boots…and capes— what more could you want?

– end of blog post – 

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The Podcast is produced by MJ.

Always a pleasure,

Ethan 

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