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!

Hello, my wonderful friends, lurkers, and enemies(?)!  Here’s the latest dispatch from your favorite menswear blog that is way too obsessed with his own life and outfits. I’ve enjoyed the “mini-series” we had on Apparel Arts and modern Esquire, reflecting on just how similar their menswear writing was…and how different they both are to the output today. Granted, they’re all forms of pro-consumerist copy, but the approach back then (in the 30s and 2000s) was quite distinct. At the very least, the writing was witty!

Unfortunately, I don’t have much more in the way of cultural commentary for you in this blog post. Even I have to turn my brain off every once in a while! No, instead I continue what I prefer to do: write about what I wear to do things in my life. I am not constantly trying on pieces in stores or perusing every brand’s latest editorial and product drop. Because at the end of the day, wearing outfits (and doing things while I wear them) is what this hobby is all about. [You would think that I wouldn’t have to say that, but I feel like people really don’t talk about wearing their clothes all that often. I feel like there’s something there to dive into, but I’ll save those musings for a future blog/pod.]

All that to say, we did spend a bit of the latest pod reflecting on ourselves, namely a particular Occasion from eight years ago (almost exactly to the day): a visit to the Getty with my friends. This was such a fun day (I love going to museums with pals!) that was particularly noteworthy, as it was one of the first non-fashion events I “covered”, by which I mean that I took DSLR photos of my friends hanging out.  

Some of the photography is a little posed and serious, but there is indeed some of my trademarked silly fodder mixed in. I aimed to blend the carefree, droll vibe that F.E. Castleberry took at Drake’s with the somber attitude that emanated from the old posts on The Armoury’s Tumblr from 2015-2016. And so my digital contact sheet was a mix of “candids” with dignified portraiture; Ethan Photography in a nutshell, as it were. It’s not quite a true lookbook/editorial, nor was it influencer content-fodder. It’s just, well, us!

As you now know, this sort of thing became my bread and butter as the years went on, with fashion event recaps dwindling after COVID, as well as the simple fact that I just don’t really attend nearly as much as I used to (I do miss Dapper Day). It’s nice that these memories are preserved not just in my big Flickr archive (that is over a decade old at this point) but on the blog, which means we can all look back to reminisce— and evaluate. I even went through the archive and added photos that weren’t in the original post!

Looking through it now, I’ll be honest…not much has changed. Obviously, the photography is pretty consistent with my output today. I still have a penchant for dramatic natural lighting, a shallow depth of field, and a twinge of a yellowish-green color grading for a film-inspired look (film is still too expensive and I shoot way too much to justify it). 

Even the clothing is pretty spot on! Spencer is in ivy-casual mode, with a vintage 60s plaid sack jacket, blue unistripe OCBD, faded green chinos, and split-toe bluchers. I guess Spencer’s trudge toward the tie-less light even started back then. As he said on the pod, he would likely wear this outfit today in the same way— if it were for a more “formal” event, where a sportcoat and non-jeans would be the “proper” move. But if this truly were updated to Spencer’s current attitude, he would have traded the chinos for one of his faded pairs of denim and worn cowboy boots; a cap or bucket would also be atop his now shaven head. Maybe things are different after all! 

As for me, I really like this particular outfit. I unfortunately no longer own the plaid sack jacket or the chinos, having outgrown them and honed in on my desired silhouette, respectively.  I don’t hate the slim chinos too much, as I think they definitely are appropriate for the 60s-beatnik ivy look I was going for (it was also a shout-out this Matt Woodruff look, and he’s always preferred a slimmer leg because he’s tall and lanky); I even like the narrow leg against the chunky, blunted shape of the P&B wallabees. I would definitely repeat this outfit with what I currently own (as I tend to buy the “same” garments over and over), which means that my trousers would be higher and wider. Though if I were being a bit more picky, I would probably opt for a flared jean, as they would not just be my slimmest option, but they would help send up that late 60s mood more effectively (though perhaps then I’d wear my side zip boots and not wallabees, but who knows). 

It also goes without saying that my hair is undeniably different now. I can’t remember the last time I had short hair all over my head. I’m sure you can agree that my outfit would hit way harder if I had the messy side part and beard that I have today. The same can likely be said for Spencer (well, all he has is the beard). Hair contributes quite a deal to our outfits and general expressive effects!

Anyway, it was great to take a moment to look back at ourselves and note at what’s changed and what hasn’t. But let’s not get too caught up on the past and focus on what I’ve been doing lately. 

In true Ethan fashion (lol), there was quite a lot going on these past few weeks, and they all called for some fun attire!  Obviously, I take the opportunity to dress up every day without much external prodding (self-imposed prompts and compelling inspiration are the way to go), but again, it’s fun to have a Theme. It’s funny; I assumed that Ren Faire would be the last big thing before, well, my birthday in July (or my Japan trip in June), but fun Occasions just keep coming up! The best part is that it’s not just me doing it— you gotta love having friends who are down!

Ethan, The Great Outdoorsman

Let’s start with an easy one, something that honestly isn’t something that I tend to cover on this blog: Outdoor Attire. Granted, I’m not talking about actual camping or even a long hike, but rather an easy Sunday morning nature walk and picnic. That’s about all this Filipino Fraiser-wannabe can do (feel free to tease me)! I’ll admit that it’s a shame that I don’t do more things “in nature”, considering that I live in LA with access to all sorts of parks and trails. Hence, I was keen to do it when my girlfriend suggested we go to Franklin Canyon Park, a little conservation area that is known for its wildlife and lakes and ponds.

For menswear purposes, this was a great opportunity for me to get some wear on my Danner Mountain Lights, which, yes, I still own! (Though their jaunty, vintage outdoors-y attitude has largely been “replaced” with my riding boots). They are quite practical, being great on dirt and the various (small) puddles around the lake area. Blucher mocs (with commando soles) or even sneakers would have definitely been fine to wear, but I really wanted to be pointed in the “outdoor aesthetic”, and those chunky things are the epitome of that, at least in my wardrobe. 

The Danner Lights’ beefy silhouette was offset by short white socks and exposed chicken legs. I made the decision to wear Gurkha shorts, mainly because, well, shorts make sense for being in nature (and it was indeed just a tad warm). I’m trying to be better at wearing shorts more often (because I can) and wear them in “transitional weather”, by which I mean, not simply going full Riviera by pairing them with an open rayon shirt. As you can see, I had a bit of a Late Fall-Early Spring palette, wearing a checked workshirt with an indigo bandana; a cotton short jacket (a 60s Dan River) in a faded green helped layer things up (and allowed me to pocket fist). I really liked the combination!

The final touch was headwear, which I always think is a smart choice when being out in nature! It’s also just a great way to ensure that you get some patina on your hat (worn things are always cool). A fedora would have been a bit too much (believe it or not, I actually wore a fedora with shorts on a hike, which was our third date).  I was intrigued by the idea of nodding my attire toward the Alpine variety. Obviously, a beret would have been the move, but I wanted more sun protection. So what would be the best way to mix a full-brim with an Euro sensibility? The Tyrolean, of course! With my soft, sporty hat affixed to my noggin, I went on my little nature walk around Franklin Canyon. It even went well resting upon my face during my afternoon siesta while my girlfriend painted. 

It goes without saying that, as is the case with Nerf or Ren Faire, dressing on theme really helps you enjoy the Occasion that much more— whatever it happens to be!  Or maybe I’m just weird. 

Spellbased Dressing

That point even applies to theme park attire.

I’m sure many of you will balk at this, mainly because going to Disneyland or Universal Studios is a big to-do full of standing in lines and hot sun, which means that dressing for comfort (easy shirts and soft sneakers) is usually the way to go, especially if you have kids. Nay, I say (as someone who doesn’t have kids!. I think the idea of dressing up for a theme park is fun and certainly a great form of a self-imposed prompt. I’m not talking about going formal a la Dapper Day, but simply taking inspiration from one of the “lands” on the grounds to help guide your clothing choices. Bounding, if you will. Now I’ve only done this sort of thing once before, wearing an adventurer-esque outfit to visit Disneyland on my birthday last year. (I also once went midcentury tourist in a plaid shirt and shorts to a different theme park). But in the months after, I’ve stepped up my LARP-adjacent stylings exponentially, all still utilizing my existing wardrobe.

So when James suggested we go to Universal Studios Fan Fest nights, my gears started turning. This little after-hours soiree is Universal’s wholesome answer to their Halloween Horror Nights; instead of scary mazes and creepily costumed scare-actors roaming the park, they have character impersonators and fun shows based on the current themes. I didn’t go when there was Back To The Future, but with Dungeons & Dragons (and a certain wizarding school) on the list, I was set to go— and dress up! I wasn’t done dressing in fantasy clothing, even if Ren Faire season is over! (Scooby Doo and Classic Hollywood monsters were also a part of the theme, but none of them spurred inspiration.)

As awesome as it was, I didn’t want to simply re-do what I wore to the Ren Faire fit. I’m sure all of you Outfit Repeater guys will come after me in the comments, but I really do enjoy the challenge of changing up! I debated doing something akin to what I wore at Angel City Brewery, which utilized a puffy poet shirt, but I felt like this was too “old” and not as “edgy” for the vibe I wanted. Instead, I leaned into a stoic, almost cleric take on the wizard aesthetic, wearing my dark band collar shirt under a chore-cardigan (from Yammaman) cinched with my trusty black scarf and capped with my black riding pants and boots. The whole thing was minimal and austere (I should be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts at my next wizard party), which was exactly what I wanted. Again, the outfit was similar to Ren Faire but different enough! I really appreciate these Opportunities to develop my LARP-ing rigs. It’s not that I can’t wear these on a regular day, but that it just makes sense to wear them in a context that is appropriate and celebratory.

What was really funny is that before leaving for Hollywood, I stopped by my friend Nick’s dinner party. It was a very tasteful affair, being the most well-dressed non-menswear shindig I’ve ever attended (even briefly)! I was the only one out of my MFAD compatriots (and overall guests) who was not in a suit. However, I think my riding boot clad, Safincore look still gave off plenty of “Ethan” for the evening.

I just hope Nick hosts another one, so that I can properly wear some cocktail attire— at a place that isn’t Echo Park or Silverlake).

What To Wear To A Funeral

If you thought to yourself, “Hey, I want more of that frog-closure shirt-jacket; Ren Faire wasn’t enough”, don’t worry. I found myself with another fun Occasion to wear it, along with the belt scarf, a move that I increasingly keep doing.

My dear friend Antonella said adieu to her twenties by having a funeral-themed birthday. She, like me, is no stranger to dressing up for no reason other than her own volition; it’s one reason why we’re such good friends! To help her guests dress the part, she advocated that people go for “Festive Noir,” which, upon my perusal of a private Pinterest board, felt a bit like goth combined with formal attire. People did indeed dress the part, with a lot of lace hosiery, veils, brimmed hats, and a plethora of black being quite represented during the festivities. 

I particularly enjoyed James’ take, where he took inspiration from Benoit Blanc’s 70s YSL-esque look in the recent Knives Out Entry.  Instead of the green country-tweed 3PC, James went with his grey peak lapel, flared-leg 3PC, accented with a black shirt, black knit tie, and black heeled boots. His use of tinted aviators and an overcoat worn over the shoulders was an inspired move. Serhan and Arthur weren’t as gothic, but they looked plenty nice in their navy DB suits; I’ll give Serhan the edge, simply for wearing a checked shirt and a black grenadine tie (I love solid ties against a grid). 

Surprisingly, I did not opt for a dark suit. I already dip into “edgy” tailoring fairly often (for Going Out), and so I wanted to challenge myself. To be on theme for the funeral, I opted not to dress as an attendee but as the officiant— I decided to dress like a priest.  This is where that tunic-style jacket from Bryceland’s came back into play, being the only real garment that really evoked a clergyman’s frock. What made it even better is that the collar had a notch cut in the middle, allowing me to show a hint of a white neck scarf as my way of approximating a clerical collar. My black linen, wide-leg Gaucho pants sent up the frock’s skirt, which I accented again with a scarf-belt. It was a bit too dark for my taste, so I added in some red with my red socks (going down to my Sagan slippers) and a burgundy foulard scarf worn on my shoulders. I think it all worked well.

What’s really funny is that I’ve always wanted to do this sort of look ever since I saw Angels & Demons and became enamored with Ewan McGregor’s performance as the conniving Camerlengo. I obviously have no plans of dedicating my life to the Holy Father, nor did I need to buy a vintage frock to dress up like a priest on Halloween (when I could dress up in something more fun). But for a friend’s funeral-themed birthday? A priest-cosplay was perfect. It was also just different enough not to be too sacrilegious, though a waiter during lunch did ask if I was religious.  

External Occasions keep on providing, and I love it!

Oh, if you thought I would change into this before the party, you’re dead wrong. I wore this damn outfit all day, baby! You guys should know that, outside of workout attire, I wear one outfit a day. 

Rebellions are Built on Good Fits

Finally, we have the moment I’ve been waiting for:  Star Wars Day (May The Fourth)!

As big a Star Wars fan as I am, I’ve actually only celebrated the day once. Last year, a few friends and I trekked out to the acursed intersection of Hollywood & Vine to sit at Scum & Villainy, LA’s Chalmun’s Spaceport Cantina (yes, that’s the in-universe name of the Mos Eisley watering hole) themed bar. Despite the architecture and decor, the place isn’t just meant for Star Wars; all of the food and cocktails are named after various other fandoms, like Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Alien, and LOTR. However, May 4th is a place where the city’s biggest Star Wars fans come together to hang out, imbibe some potent potables, and play trivia. I took home third place last time.

It goes without saying that dressing up for this holiday is an intriguing challenge. Star Wars fashion has a particular attitude, as it mixes elements of Asian/fantasy attire with a retro-future aesthetic. Compared to Ren Faire or even pirate-themed outfits, Jedi Attire is actually much harder to do with existing regular clothes. Of course, we’ve seen a bit more menswear-friendly looks thanks to the release of Andor, but I didn’t just want to look gorpy. I wanted something bold or at least more pointed in order to better fit the ambiance of the bar, which during May Fourth was filled with truly amazing cosplayers clad in robes and armour. 

Last time, I wore my kimono-style cardigan sans shirt (exposing my arms) with Gaucho pants to evoke Qimir from The Acolyte, which, funnily enough, was my basis for 2025’s Ren Faire). As cool as it was, I wanted to step it up, especially after having leveled up my attire for Ren Faire as well as Nerf.  As good as it was, that Nerf fit with the bib shirt was just a bit too 30s pulpy for this. I wanted to do something pointed, something much more decidedly Star Warsian…all while using things I already owned. 

After doing some soldier-y looks to play Nerf, I wanted to finally be a Jedi. The big move was to wear my brown jinbei top, which was worn untucked over the brown chinos I use as pseudo breeches for my riding boots. The overlapping shawl closure of the jinbei is great in that it evokes a bit of that layered Jedi tunic that we’re all familiar with; this was especially true with the earthy palette, complemented by my cream spearpoint polo. I actually liked seeing the exposed long-sleeves, as they added some dimension to the fit, retroactively making my jinbei into a vest/half-sleeve jacket sort of thing. It was very cool! My girlfriend used a similar idea for her own Dark Jedi/Sith outfit, using my navy jinbei and black poncho.

It also goes without saying that as of Andor, this lapel-less Japanese-inspired design can be found among all sorts of Star Warsian civilians; the titular character even wears one as a midlayer. I was intrigued to see what my jinbei would look like under my dyed kimono-parka, but that would have to be another time; the Whills were calling me! Perhaps next year or at Nerf (or when I attend Star Wars Celebration), I can dress up even more like a Rebel Alliance soldier and wear my kimono/jinbei pieces with my milsurp.

The decidedly costume-y thing I bought (outside of the cape, which I acquired last year) was a replica of Luke’s Bespin utility belt. This detail helped push my outfit from being fantasy-esque to something decidedly Star Warsian. It definitely helps sell the look as part of the universe, seeing as almost every character wears some sort of belt to hold supplies, their blaster, and their laser sword. That’s exactly what I did, bringing along a toy DH-17 and my pre-Savi’s workshop build-your-own saber. The power of pointed accessories can not be understated!

Though my outfit may not have been something worn on screen by any character, but by The Whills, I loved my outfit. The combination of a soft tunic and rugged shirt, underneath my trusty brown cloak, helped manufacture an Original Character of sorts, one that is both Jedi and a bit of an adventurer (who doesn’t mind using a blaster). I know that Jedi’s in the PT tend to have a different belt (as you’ll see on James’s look), but I enjoyed that my use of Luke’s Bespin Belt helps put me more in the OT.

Again, the real king of the evening has to be James, who made an actual Jedi tunic out of linen, and his girlfriend Claire, who dressed up as Jedi Master Aalya Secura, complete with lekku and blue body paint. This is all compared to last year, when James simply wore a Ren Faire look with a saber, and Claire evoked Padme with normal clothes. I keep saying it, but we all have stepped up our looks quite a bit! We had some company this time as well, with Claire’s

We even had a bit of company this time around: Michelle went as Geonosian Arena Padme, Serhan approximated ESB Han Solo (with a navy windbreaker and brown pants), and Jose evoked a bit of a Rebel Spy thanks to a one-piece collar polo and the ever-dramatic Coherence coat. Rachel’s was the most amusing, as she went for scavenger Rey (with a headscarf and goggles)….despite never seeing much Star Wars to begin with. She told me that she simply went on Pinterest and copied the first one that intrigued her (and featured items that she already owned).

The evening was very fun, despite a very long line (the bouncer told me that it was pretty normal up until 7PM) and the lack of trivia (they apparently ran the game once, at noon). We spend our time huddled around our small table, taking photos with other cosplayers who sauntered by (Force ghost Qui-Gon was a good one) and drinking the overly sweet themed cocktails. I couldn’t ask for a better Monday!

Nothing beats hanging out in a themed place in a themed outfit. It’s all about being immersed in a world and feeling a part of something, even if it’s absurd! It’s not unlike wearing a tuxedo to the Phil or wearing tweed to read a book at a cafe, where it’s about emphasizing some facet, some ideal of what that particular activity means to you. Of course, this gets turned up to eleven with special events such as the ones in this blog, which have been surprisingly often this past year. If anything, these really help get after the expressive possibilities of menswear, even if I’m taking it to a wild, non-traditional extreme.  Sometimes it’s cool to look at clothes outside of the “is this formal or casual” lens

Of course, LARP/cosplay-adjacent attire isn’t what I wear every day. I still have my regular menswear attire, spurred on by random bouts of inspiration or regular formality requirements. But those outfits seldom necessitate a full write-up. If you’ve seen my TikTok, you’ll know that I just need a few sentences to give them a rundown. It’s the wild outfits that are the most fun to reflect on. Obviously, menswear events do count, but we don’t get much of that here. 

What we do have is LARP-ing. 

– end of blog post –

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The Podcast is produced by MJ.

Always a pleasure,

Ethan 

Big thank you to our top-tier Patrons (the SaDCast Fanatics), Philip, Shane, Henrik, and Mason.