Hello, my friends! Welcome to another blog post. Take a seat…or read this while standing. Tell me which one you do in the comments below (and if you listened to the pod first before reading).

• 11:41 – That TikTok Wolf of Wall Street Menswear Guy
• 15:49 – EMT Ride Along Update
• 24:43 – Bob Baker
• 38:25 – Inspiration LA/Anglo Day
• 54:00 – Apparel Arts

Apparel Arts Was Cheeky!

First off, I want to talk about something funny about Esquire, or rather, Apparel Arts. If you listened to the last pod (and read the blog), you’ll know that Spencer, MJ, and I spent some time talking about Esquire’s “Big Black Book”, their biannual style manual, and how the copy (and even the styling) differs from the stuff made today by menswear publications and content creators alike. It was much more “generic”, by which I mean that it wasn’t simply a list of specific products or brands to buy from. Instead, the articles (at least the ones we read) were primarily about styling suggestions and evoking an attitude with your attire. With its sartorial focus, droll demeanor, and surprisingly trad-ish styling, those aughts articles certainly call to mind those Apparel Arts illustrations we love so much, which, as I’ve discussed before, are just as “generic” in their recommendations (they just say “tweed jacket”) but still quite pointed (aesthetically speaking) in their counsel. 

In fact, writing that last blog post made me take another deep dive into my Apparel Arts archive (not that I needed much excuse to do so). This time around, I noticed something that I never pointed out before: these headings got a little wild. “To Assuage the Agony of the Average”; “Proving that Somebody Loves a Fat Man”; “Half of Man’s Best Friends are Bitches”. These 30s menswear writers were quite the cheeky bastards! It’s not that swears and vulgar references are new things, but it is quite funny to see such things in a trade magazine that is about styling advice.  Then again, men were the primary audience of this magazine; perhaps these writers were holding their tongue. 

To be clear, a majority of the illustration titles indeed leaned towards being descriptive, focusing on the recommendation or overall discussion point (“Man in a Black Hat with Brown Shoes”; “The Man About Town In The Summer Time”;  “Week-end Wardrobe for Traveling Light”), but they only made the saucy ones stand out that much more. I should also note that the “fun” captions were more prominent in the 30s than in the 40s; there’s also a noticeable shift to featuring more “seasoned gentlemen” and less “youngins'”. Perhaps something was going on in the latter decade that made fashion writing hold back on the levity…

Something else I noticed is that the titles and captions seem to have been written after the illustration was created. This appears to be the case for the drawing titled “No Prize For A Title For This Picture”, as the copywriter seems to be a bit befuddled with what the artist is depicting. There are cream flannels and odd jackets (one being a blazer), but there’s also a lake, studio lights, and a woman dressed in late 1800s-ish attire. What’s going on? The writer decides to ignore it and simply talk about the men’s country attire, pointing out the foulard muffler, wool polo shirt (I like that they note the cloth), and footwear (“Weejun” loafers and buckskin “Moiliére boots). This makes it seem that it is, in fact, the illustrators who are driving the taste and overall Apparel Arts aesthetic (though there’s likely some editor calling the shots). How fun!

And so, the boys and I discussed a few notable “cheeky” Apparel Arts titles on the latest pod and posted a few of them later on in this blog post. There isn’t actually that many! Honestly, the titles worked to get us to read the copy…which was, as expected, a great insight into sartorial sentiments, trends, and prescriptions of the time. There’s a lot of writing on semi-sports looks, dressing as a large and short man (the advice still rings relevant today), and various counsel for formal and Occasion (derby, dinner) attire. As we shared in the previous blog on the Big Black Book, it is interesting to see just how much menswear writing has changed.

The boys and I also lament how modern editorials have moved away from these “scene” depictions, instead opting for models walking briskly through New York (or Florence), faux-candids of evenings out (think flash-laden nightlife photography), or just straight up sterile backdrops. While I don’t need things to be a copy of Slim Aarons, I do like what Apparel Arts’ illustrators did in the 30s to early 40s: semi-idealized depictions of well-dressed men doing regular things: talking to their boss at work, reading at home, strolling through the park, and buying a hot dog.

Anyway, it’s clear that we can’t stop talking about Apparel Arts. It’s just that iconic for us.

Rain & Puppet Attire

Next, I want to say that this blog post was originally going to be much more interesting. That’s mainly because there were a few Occasions on my calendar that, much like Ren Faire, had a fun “dress code” that inspired quite a few fun outfits. One such event was Bob Baker Day, a fair put on by, you guessed it, the iconic Bob Baker Marionette Theatre, which would have made a wholesome day full of art, whimsy, and puppets. I caught the last hour or so of it last year and had such a blast that I was looking forward to attending again this year for the full day—  and in much more fanciful attire. Unfortunately, Los Angeles was forecast to have rain through the weekend, and Bob Baker was ultimately postponed to September. Ironically, the rain only happened on Sunday morning (Bob Baker Day was Sunday), though it was indeed a bit torrential, which made the deferment an apt decision. Of course, in true LA fashion, once the rain stopped, temps rose as the sun shone quite brightly, making it actually quite warm for most of the day. 

The other event was a Nerf War, which, due to construction on the church grounds, was rescheduled to May. Perhaps all the foam darts finally took their toll on the hallowed grounds. I was especially looking forward to this, not just because playing the games is incredibly fun (and quite intense), but because I really wanted to develop my Nerf “look” even further. It is indeed a special place for a particular menswear-adjacent attire, one that would look a bit odd when worn out of the War, namely due to the belts and mags that simply make the outfit that much better. To be honest, I hadn’t actually come up with the outfit yet (I got the postponement over a week in advance), so it’s not too much of a loss. There goes my exercise for the month!

That being said, there were indeed a few fun things with self-imposed “recommended attire” that were not on my docket; I guess things always have their own way of working out! I’ll include some photos and recap notes in the sections below (covering another Phil visit, a comics reading, and painting ceramics). Still, I do want to center on one specific day, namely, because it was such a great outfit. I hope you find the discussion of the process interesting! 

I am referring to the fit that I actually wore on that rainy Sunday– the day that would have been Bob Baker Day. I don’t know about you, but when plans that have specific attire (which again is self-imposed) are cancelled, I usually change the fit I had decided to wear. It’s not that I can’t wear that outfit to other activities; it’s just that what I came up with was a bit too particular (pink striped shirt, riding boots, open shirt, bandana) that it feels a bit odd. Think of it like what I wear to play Nerf; LARP fits are fun and are certainly able to be worn outside in public, but if you’re not playing Nerf, you might as well wear something else. You might argue that wearing the fit for the cancelled day is a good way to salvage some positivity, but for me, it’s lost (womp, womp). Also, inclement weather, even if it only happens for a portion of the day, tends to inspire me to wear something that takes after it, instead of wearing, well, a sunny-day look with an umbrella in hand. And boy was this outfit quite rain-forward— and certainly worked for how I ended up spending my Sunday.

You see, even though Bob Baker Day was postponed (announced only two days before, I believe), I already filled up my Sunday. A few friends were interested in going to the Rose Bowl Flea Market despite the rain, and I obliged them, despite not really finding much at any flea as of late. (I’ve been having a much better time on eBay, which I discuss on the pod proper.) Most of my flea days end up extending through lunch and coffee at one of my favored cafes and would likely include a bookstore or record store perusal, so I made sure that fit would fit that excursion, while also being good for the weather. My evening plans were already set a month ago, which thankfully were unaffected by the rain: I was set to undertake a Sesame Street-inspired puppet-detective themed escape room for my friend James’s birthday, which would have served as a great cap to the Bob Baker Day while also being good for the original jaunty fit (the pinks, bandana, and riding boots). I made sure to keep that energy, as well as keep the other considerations, when making my outfit.

The look I made was something that was a bit 1930s European (or French) sportswear themed, a good sub-genre for vintage casual that most people don’t really do (as they tend to favor workwear or rockabilly styles). A beret definitely helps that vibe, adding a particular jaunty attitude to the look. I originally wanted to wear a fedora or even a Tyrolean, as full-brimmed, felt hats are good for the rain and for looking like a detective, but I thought it was a little too expected. When I realized that I hadn’t worn a beret with my Coherence trench (a must for a rainy day) all that much  I choice was made.

To stay true to my original Bob Baker Day outfit-idea, I kept my riding boots, tucking them into those grey houndstooth, cotton Polo trousers I’ve been wearing recently. Finding grey riding pants that weren’t heavy wool or polyester had proved impossible, but I really wanted a riding variation of the menswear staple of charcoal odd trousers. As I’ve said before, using cotton pants that are easily washable as a breeches alternative is a game-changer and certainly helps me wear more “normal” outfits— just with riding boots. Getting to pair those boots, which were quite practical in the rain, with my beret and long, dramatic, belted trench just made me feel so cool. 

However, a big part of why I enjoyed this outfit so much was the combination of wearing my vibrant, fall-pallete argyle sweater vest over a long-sleeve polo. Instead of leaving the collar open and wearing a neckscarf, I opted instead to rock the “air tie”, a move I don’t often do at all. I rather liked the “closed-up” effect, namely because the polo shirt is soft compared to the much more stoic poplins and twills of dress shirts and workshirts, respectively. Also, it was fun to wear a sweater vest casually, instead of using it as a maximalist-layering piece against a dress shirt and ties; however, it doesn’t feel as dressed-down as a rayon sportshirt (which would have likely been open). 

The whole thing felt sporty and quirky, which was perfect for a damp Sunday walk through the flea. Rainy Day Attire is still an “aesthetic” that I don’t get to do many variations of, so I’m glad that I put this together– and wore it out while doing things (the last few rainy days have been on weekdays, where I work at home and don’t need to go out).  I definitely felt a bit of that pseudo-European attitude as I perused bric-a-brac in my beret and trench, which, despite my lovely layered combo underneath, was buttoned completely to the top to keep out the rain and wind. One vendor seemed to have gotten my wavelength when they lamented the day’s low foot traffic, adding that the rain never stops old people from walking around fleas in Paris. 

To think, I almost didn’t feel like going, not because of the rain, but because I didn’t end up buying anything. As I’ve said a few times before, I haven’t really found much of anything at the flea; my large wardrobe and the fact that I end up buying the “same items” are likely to blame. In fact, eBay has been my move lately, providing me with a replacement leather tote (the same exact one I have, which is currently dying) and a vintage Banana Republic leather flight cap. The flea yielded no such finds. 

Of course, that didn’t stop me from feeling good in the outfit, with the Euro-LARP vibe continuing through to my lunch at a cafe and my local used book store (I called it!). It was also entirely appropriate for the puppet-detective escape room; I like to think that my “OC” (original character) was some sort of 30s French detective. Hilariously, the puppet detective that we were filling in for was indeed a French detective! According to the office we borrowed, his name was Trench J’Coate; he even had a bunch of movie posters adorning his walls. I’m sure we would’ve gotten along. My compatriots didn’t go for a detective vibe, outside of Serhan, who subtly sent up True Detective with a blazer, chinos, and a grenadine tie, worn loosely with an unbuttoned collar. 

And speaking of getting along, I ended up running into a few menswear giants at the wet and sparsely attended flea, namely the Permanent Style crew, which consisted of Simon, Lucas, and Manish; they were also joined by Brandon Mahler from ALD and Cody Wellema, who is now the vintage buyer for Buck Mason. Each of them was immaculately dressed in their own variations; I must have looked like quite a character when I was around these bastions of the menswear world. The group made sure to invite me to attend the Buck Mason shindig that they were running the upcoming Thursday, which I happily obliged. (I did see it on IG a day before, but it’s nice to have a good, old-fashioned direct invite!)

Menswear Events Do Happen in LA!

As it turns out, Permanent Style wasn’t the only Anglo-menswear visiting the hip-and-happening LA neighborhood of Silverlake. The boys at Drake’s were also in town, running their seasonal trunk show out of the same space on Sunset that they were in last fall (it’s also the spot that SFC uses for their trunks).  I hadn’t been able to attend their soirees before (only having time to stop in and show Serhan their wares), but this time, my Thursday night was wide open.  And so, I was able to finally slurp a couple of those oysters they keep showing off. Those mucusy fellows, which were the third and fourth ones I’ve ever had in my life, served as my only non-potable fuel for most of the evening. That’s what I get for composing music right until the moment I needed to dash out the door to meet up for all things menswear.

Like most sartorial events, the reception was full of well-dressed gents both in and out of The Industry, chatting it up, complementing each other’s fits, and trying on the latest wares from the iconic brand (and perhaps even making some inebriated purchases).  

Unfortunately, the space wasn’t adorned with works from local artists, a trademark move for Drake’s trunk shows, which made the walls a bit bare, save, of course, for the epic collage-tapestry that rendered a typical menswear night out, with each piece cut from old cloth. However, the space below the 57” line was quite full.  The Drakes offering seemed a bit more robust this time around, with a fuller selection of suits, ties, and scarves. They seem to have reinvigorated their tailoring line lately, by which I mean their suit-suits, rather than the chore-blazer variations of their “Games” selection. While I didn’t try anything on, I did admire the updated look of their tailoring, namely the wide, 30s-esque lapel on their SBs. 

Quite a few notable characters came through, likely as a pitstop before heading a few blocks up to the Buck Mason Silverlake shop. Ryan Cecil popped wearing his beloved camo chore coat from Sid Mashburn; he was flanked by fellow cartoonist Luke McGarry (who brought his brother) and Kevin Burroughs (of F*ckYeahMenswear fame). Kevin and I actually had a fun conversation about the Minions, where he ribbed me for even expecting Illumination to have consistent lore. (How is the new movie set in the 1920s if The Minions (2015) established that they were in a cave from the age of Napoleon until 1968?). I also made sure to compliment his brown (not grey), DB suit from Mueser, which he wore with Belgians, a uni stripe spread collar, and dark foulard tie, a combination that, apart from the shoes, instantly made me think of Jake Grantham and Anglo-Italian (again, adding to the British theme of the evening). I got to catch up with Nico (Mr. Bengal Stripe himself), Hill (a Sid Mashburn alum who has become quite the shutterbug), and Toby, who caught my eye with the red barn coat that he wore over a dark seersucker suit. It reminded me of the J. Crew one that I had for years until I outgrew it and replaced it with a proper Barbour. 

With Jeffrey Plankser (RIP The Bloke) spinning vinyl to fill the air, I was filled with a sense of nostalgia. It had been a while since there was a proper menswear event here in Los Angeles, especially one that was centered on tailoring.  Of course, Menswear in LA was always around, just a bit rarer and more intimate than the grand parties that you see across the feeds of your favorite New York fashion personalities. The Big Apple seems to have something happening every day, sometimes a few in the same day, which certainly adds to the energy of the scene on that end of the pond.  It seems that Buck and Permanent Style wanted to capture a bit of that magic with this latest visit. A BM guy told me that they initially considered moving the date of the PS party, but stopped when they realized when else will there ever be two classic menswear events in LA on the same day that are walking distance from each other? 

And so, with a G&T and two sputunous blobs garnished with pickled onions in my tummy, I ventured north on Sunset to our next destination. 

I’ve never been to the Buck Mason Silverlake shop, but I had heard that it is quite small (though not as small as the glorified kiosk at the Century City mall). I wondered why they didn’t just pick the Larchmont store house,  which has been their go-to place to host countless shindigs. Of course, this was all planned by Buck, who wanted to give Larchmont time to breathe— and to have their cool party spill into the sidewalk. It definitely worked, because I could see and hear the party a few blocks away.

As I approached, I immediately greeted Simon, who was casually enjoying a beer surrounded by his fellow industry pals and a handful of fans (yes, there are people in LA who read Permanent Style), all while wearing a suede overshirt and linen trousers. He told me that after our brief hello at the Rose Bowl, he found some old RL chinos (which he said were frayed beautifully) and a blanket lined Lee Storm Rider, a piece I tend to avoid because it’s too warm for LA but will certainly serve Simon well in jolly old England. When I asked him about his thoughts on Los Angeles, he said that he was pleasantly surprised; he still prefers places like Boston, which has an old, walkable charm, but being in this part of LA didn’t seem too bad…or as isolating. Of course, that’s entirely the appeal of Sunset: it’s walkable and full of cool shops and eats. There’s a reason why so many people like to hang out here…and quite a few of them were at Buck Mason that evening.

So many stylish people were crowded into the little Sunset enclave, each with their own approach to menswear. Indeed, there was a heavy helping of casual Americana, with chore coats, thick tees (or sweaters worn sans shirt), bandanas, and wide-leg pants (chinos and denims). I even spied a few jungle jackets in the crowd. Of course, this being a Permanent Style event, there were a few welcome samplings of tailoring, almost exclusively worn by the Buck Mason family: Wyatt Kaufman (designer) was wearing a wool-silk guncheck jacket; Brandon had a black linen DB;  random BM shopkeeper wore a jacket, complete with a tie and sprezz-ily draped cashmere sweater; and creative director Kyle Fitzgibbons wore a khaki jacket from J. Mueser with spring-ready white jeans. Speaking of which, I also noticed that the Mueser boys were in town as well, who were chicly attired in subdued suits and ties while they talked to their old pal-turned-BM convert Matt Woodruff; these New York tailors were probably the most formal at the event! 

It goes without saying that my friends also held their own: Serhan wore his cotton Games jacket with a repp stripe tie, Arthur rocked a corduroy sportcoat with a vintage floral tie, and James also donned cotton wales, just as a full suit (my old one) with a knit polo. I wore a tie but opted not to wear a suit. Instead, I had on my L.L Bean sportvest and my khaki senior pants that are emblazoned with dumb menswear jokes. A bold look for sure— one that is decidedly American— but hey, a menswear event is a great excuse to flex a bit, even if it’s not exactly items that are currently en vogue. It’s always nice when people find out that I did the drawings myself, mainly because I am a horrible “artist”. 

As you can probably tell, the vibe was a stark contrast to Drake’s. Whereas the old tie-maker’s soiree was small, this was much more of a to-do, par for the course for any BM party. With its combination of industry and hobbyist attendees, as well as the mix of all facets of menswear, it really felt like the culmination of how the scene has changed…and how much it’s stayed the same. It felt a bit like the handful of NYC parties I’ve been to, but with a decidedly LA flavor through its youthful, more casual demeanor (again, being in Silverlake likely has that effect). Of course, for all of its hipster connotations, the party was still fun and wholesome. It was particularly fun to be able to see Lucas in LA (this time we weren’t at a City Pop night at a disco club) as well as the handful of BM pals I’ve made over the years (though they were all quite busy mingling at this party). 

But if I’m being honest, I wasn’t able to avoid the pangs of imposter syndrome are hard to avoid, as this party really seemed to have all the biggest menswear people (new and old)— at least the ones who are in, or were able to visit, LA. I had heard that the Inspiration LA party at RRL the week before (which I did not attend as I had tickets to see the Phil perform Turangalîla-Symphonie) was even bigger and had actual celebrities; apparently, WM Brown even made a surprise appearance. My anxiety could never!

I do want to shout out the handful of guys who came up to me and told me that they’ve read my blog. This sort of thing is nice and always unexpected, not just because my notoriety has faded considerably over the years (and plenty of other writers and influencers have taken my “place”), but it happened in Los Angeles! Hardly anyone in my home location reads the blog or even follows me. Granted, they usually bring up older articles, but it’s nice to know that my old stuff is still helpful to someone out there!  (After all, I’ve been told more than a few times that I’m much more notable for my fits and not my writing). 

After a few whiskey spritzes, I was spent…from menswear, not from hanging out. Simon and the rest of the PS and BM crew had sauntered up the block to eat at Seco, Silverlake’s latest hip and oft-discussed wine bar. I’m actually happy and intrigued that Simon was able to make it to at least one of these infamous LA haunts; maybe next time he can tell me what he thought (though nothing will beat being there at 1 AM in a tuxedo). So once the party had disbanded, my friends and I hightailed it to Echo Park, where we underwent our typical rounds: dinner and a Thai tea gimlet at Sticky Rice before a nightcap at Lowboy. I guess Thursday is the new Friday!

But even though we left menswear “behind”, my evening still had one more fashion-related surprise in store.  I was itching for something sweet, so while my friends ordered at Lowboy, I went ahead to El Moro, the late-night Chuchería. Unfortunately, they were already out for the day, but as I turned, a dude stopped me and said that he’s seen my fitchecks on TikTok. After a brief conversation, he ended up giving me his churros, as he had ordered more than he could finish. 

What a way to end a very menswear evening! In fact, it just might be the most menswear I’ve done in a single sitting, at least in a long time. And of course, it just had to revolve around Buck Mason, Drake’s, and dear old Simon Crompton. I don’t know what I expected! 

[Also, I did indeed pick up a PS Mag during the party! I really enjoyed it, particularly Tony Sylvester’s article on how he came to appreciate Stone Island, as well as Nico’s reflections on retail shoppers. The latter is one of my favorite menswear articles in a long time, mainly because it explores the philosophy behind dressing and purchasing clothes. “Most men aren’t trying to change who they are when they get dressed. They’re trying to recognise themselves again.” Amazing! more of this sort of thing in menswear writing.]

– end of blog post –

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Always a pleasure,

Ethan 

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