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 friends!
This was a fun pod, all about what the guys and I have been up to in these last days of summer (who am I kidding, it’s still hot as fuck here in LA).
Spencer recounted a particularly fun wedding that he attended while MJ took a break from the SoCal heat by going up north to Washington for a work trip and took the opportunity to stunt on his long-distance coworkers. After MJ shared his footwear choices (the move to only bring Killshots and tabi boots is inspired), we briefly talked about the packing process and whether you make predetermined outfits (and pack those) or simply throw in versatile items and build your travel fits later. In the end, it’s really a mix: we all tend to plan outfits, but as is typical of classic menswear, the pieces can be interchangeable. The only difference is that MJ and I tend to stick with what we planned, whereas Spencer admitted he changes his mind on the trip and often makes up new fits with what he brought. How interesting!
My own summer has been quite the busy one! There’s been plenty of fun Occasions to dress for, and, outside of a particularly stylish wedding, they’ve all been mainly all instigated by, well, myself (and my friends!)! That’s what dressing up is all about: the agency to make fun outfits for all the activities you find yourself doing, big or small! It could be going to Japan, an impromptu beach day, or, you know, weekly trivia.
We discuss a few of these late-summer happenings on the pod. One was me playing pool, a game that I found I’m actually better at than I remember, but not good enough to make a compelling opponent. I say that because my pal Ivan is quite good at pool, as you can see in the photos below.
Obviously, you can wear anything to play pool (the last time I had an impromptu game, I was in a khaki suit and white bucks), but this time I decided to dress for it, keeping in mind that summer was on its way “out” (quotation marks used because at the time of writing, LA was in a heatwave). That meant I wanted to wear a T-shirt and jeans, an easy outfit-rig that I don’t do much of, at least not on days that I go out (as I tend to wear a button-up mostly). The jeans were my brown Uniqlo U jeans that I wish were flared, and the shoes were my vintage black Luccheses; my red Boy Scout windbreaker (complete with fun patches) was my jacket of choice. As for the tee, I went with my current fav: the Wes Anderson x Criteron ringer tee that I got at the Hollywood Bowl, which, believe it or not, is my only ringer. It fits very well, with a trim 70s-inspired silhouette, making it perfect to cosplay as a pool shark. Again, I am not good at this game, as I got my ass very neatly handed to me by Ivan, who was in a magnificent 50s western shirt, complete with piping and a contrast yoke. Oh, and our female pals were quite stylish as well! It was a fun night, even if none of us could beat Ivan.
Speaking of the Hollywood Bowl, I made it out there twice since the last blog post. One was for John Williams, when I wore my pseudo-Jedi attire; the look also worked for my activities earlier that day, as I attended a preview visit of the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. No, I wasn’t invited as an influencer but as a friend’s plus-one, a benefit of his status as an early member. It sorta makes me wish I’d signed up early too, since the museum was great and somewhere I definitely want to return to. With manga panels, children’s book illustrations, and hearty collections from N.C. Wyeth, Norman Rockwell, and Frank Frazetta, it’s all about images that tell a story. Right up my alley! Plus, this is all work that you wouldn’t normally find at an typical art museum. I really enjoyed it!
The other outing had me dressing a bit 20s (an attitude carried over from my Catalina outing) to see the LA Phil perform my favorite classical piece of all time: Ravel’s La Valse. Composed from 1919-1920, the piece is a poème chorégraphique pour orchestre that, in my interpretation, takes the listener through the “life and death” of a traditional Viennese waltz. The familiar 1-2-3 chug literally crawls out of an orchestral primordial ooze (rumbling low strings and woodwinds) before the various waltz melodies twist and turn over the next ten or so minutes, all showcasing Ravel’s penchant for development and orchestration; you guys know that I love that shit.
Near the end of the piece, the chaos of the danse builds and builds until a spectacular cymbal crash, after which the orchestra plays the main waltz theme in tutti. This is the moment that I’m obsessed with (and have collected various vinyls for), as different conductors do this part differently: some decide to go extremely slowly, showing a measured and restrained approach to the dance, while others start slowly and immediately go into a quick tempo, allowing the orchestra to show its skill in keeping time. As I tend to view La Valse as an ill-fated dance atop a volcano, I like the slow-then-fast approach, as it feels most like you’re teetering on the edge before coming right back to safety. Unfortunately, Philippe Jordan, the guest conductor, did the piece at a very slow tempo. I was a bit disappointed, but the evening was far from ruined; Jordan led the Phil through Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major and Bolero, as well as Saint-Saëns’s “Bacchanale” and Stokowski’s arrangement of Debussy’s Clair de lune, with apolmb. It was a fantastic way to spend a Thursday evening!
Anyway, like I said earlier, I decided to dress a bit 20s, wearing my grey SB suit with a cream-thick-striped point collar, and a black deco-stripe brocade; I added my tattersall waistcoat for more visual interest, as well as the fact that 3PC(ish) ensembles just feel more 20s to me. My trusty boater, which I spent the last blog post fawning over, was worn to firmly emphasize my desired period-POV, and because, well, it’s still warm out. Also, I’m pretty sure I was compelled by all the boater-inspo I shared last time. I see it, I do it, right?
It might not have been smart to wear a full suit, let alone a waistcoat, but I still wanted to dress up for the Phil— though not enough to wear a tuxedo like I normally do (the Hollywood Bowl is much more casual, and I’d rather not sweat through evening wear, walking up all those hills and steps to my nosebleed seats). I also just wanted to be firmly 1920s (and wear my boater), as that’s when Ravel was most active. In addition to being a genius composer and orchestrator (he arranged Mussorgsky’s piano piece, Pictures at an Exhibition, for full orchestra), this particular Frenchman was quite stylish!
Now, I am plenty aware that summer is leaving us soon (ish), which is why I tried to make a considered effort to wear my collection of tees (like that WA x Criterion ringer) while also using my rayon aloha shirt arsenal If you follow my IG (it is private, but you can always send a DM), you might have caught a handful of wears for random days (trivia, weekend cafe, etc.), but I was aware that I lacked a proper Occasion to do them justice.
You might think that the decision to wear an Aloha shirt would be an easy one for an Angelino but I honesly find myself struggling to bring them out. It’s not because they’re hard to wear (hard from it), but because I have a lot of other warm-weather outfits I want to do: white suits with patterned ties, dark tonal tailoring à la Armani (or Frasier), preppy combos (blazers, madras, the schoolboy look), shapeless slouchy ensembles, and, as I already mentioned, T-shirts. Aloha shirts not only fight those choices, but they also have to contend with non-Aloha rayon shirts, another summer style staple. That’s why intentionality is key; I need to commit to the Aloha.
I mean, Aloha shirts are incredibly cool and feel inherently fun, thanks to their vibrant rayon cloth (cotton ones are just fine). They have an interesting history: a simple sport/camp collar shirt cut from patterned silk fabrics, a practice started by Japanese immigrants in Hawaii. The shirts soon exploded in popularity in the ’30s, and they’ve been an integral part of Americana style ever since, with patterns ranging from classic hibiscus florals and surfer-figure kitsch to batik prints and Tiki motifs. Aloha shirts exude a vintage summer attitude, whether you got yours modern (from the mall or an artisanal repro) or you’re lucky enough to find a true vintage one (which is very expensive, but worth it, as the period patterns are unparalleled). Much like a Tyrolean, a Fair Isle sweater vest, or a flannel suit, these shirts are decidedly seasonal, adding that charm to anything you wear: shorts, jeans, or my favorite, underneath a suit, with the collar running away.
The guys and I have indeed amassed a decent collection of Alohas. Spencer’s mainly come from his time at J. Crew, his favorite being a batik one done in collaboration with Freenote cloth. MJ has his Uniqlo x Marni florals (which are at least Aloha-adjacent) but also has a couple rayons from Two Palms, a great option with retro-inspired patterns (even if their collars are a bit small). I also have a few from Two Palms, though my most worn ones are the handful of 40s-looking ones: two (purple and brown) from Sunsurf (bought in Japan at 2nd Street, a yellow Kamemahma, a 50s/60s brown batik, and a particularly saturated 100% silk floral number from Avanti. Again, with all these great pieces, it’s surprising we don’t wear them all summer. That’s why I knew I had to wear them…and that particular week, I was able to do it twice!
A friend suggested the first Occasion: go to LACMA and attend their Friday Jazz Nights with a little picnic. It’s not exactly something aloha-themed, but hey, it’s outdoors; that counts for something, right? And so, after she brought it up earlier that week, I immediately put together my red Two Palms aloha, my ultra-wideSFC guachos in brown linen, and my delightfully slouchy cream linen guayabera, which was repaired by Noe right before he closed up shop to retire. The ensemble was perfect for relaxing on the LACMA grounds, sipping a Diet Coke (I love that aspartame) while enjoying extremely talented musicians, all of whom were definitely in the pocket.
It was me who happened to inspire the second Aloha-themed shindig. When I mentioned how excited I was to wear an aloha shirt to jazz, my pals all said our group hadn’t done a tiki night—quite a shame, considering it was already September and LA has a handful of charming Tiki bars. And so we planned a Tiki Night complete with appropriate attire. I took the opportunity to wear my yellow rayon aloha (a vintage Kamehama I found at the thrift a few years ago) and pair it with my beloved white DB suit and fisherman sandals. I can’t imagine a more perfect ensemble to wear for Tiki night. My cream suit became quite stained with sweat and libation residue, primarily because, well, it was a warm evening and Tiki drinks are damn strong. I hadn’t had a drop of booze in two weeks, and so I found myself delightfully loopy that evening.
As you can see, everyone else was dressed up too, wearing various vintage alohas or tropical-themed accouterments. I particularly enjoyed James and Gator’s black alohas, the latter being a true vintage one that I’m sure cost him a pretty penny (or will net him that, if he decides to sell it). I will be forever grateful to have friends who will take any opportunity to dress up, as absurd or novel as it can be.
And speaking of friends, I’ll close with what seems to be another full-circle moment (the first was me wearing a boater to the Bowl after teasing my obsession with it in the Catalina post) that involved, you guessed it, hanging out with friends. I’m talking about going camping, which, as you know, is a bit funny when you see just how often I’ve been doing “outdoor” fits, culminating in a short hike I did with my girlfriend a few months ago. It gave me the chance to get some proper wear on my Danner boots and use my Madras sport cap and fishing vest. None of those things were mandatory for that hike (Switzer Falls is very easy), but like with everything else I’ve talked about on this blog, the activity just feels better when you dress the part— even if your outfit is hilariously stereotypical. At least I’m wearing those utilitarian pieces in nature as opposed to, well, a bar or in my room!
The other funny bit was that this trip was—surprise, surprise—my first time camping. [Actually, it may not be so surprising to learn that I’ve never gone camping.] Again, I gotta shout out my friends who are down to do things and also suggest new activities for us to do together! Thankfully, a handful of them have camped before, so I was in good hands. We had plenty of tents, sleeping bags, and supplies, and some of the more experienced friends handled the booking and car logistics. I was very happy to simply attend, something I am not used to, as I’m usually the “main planner” for most friend activities. I love these people!
Wheeler Gorge was our spot, just about 30 minutes north of Ojai on Highway 33. It was a quaint little place, with a little creek going through the middle of the campground. Since our group was pretty sizeable (eleven people!), we reserved two campsites, with the experienced ones having their own tent (of course they already had ones) while the others shared accommodations. It wasn’t nearly as rough as I expected: yes, there wasn’t running water or much of a cell/WiFisignal (there was a faint amount near the visitor’s center), but there were outhouses scattered around the area— and I did make sure to bring soap-infused wipes to clean myself (I wasn’t about to rawdog a whole weekend)! We all brought plenty of libations and food, which we cooked on various stoves: gas, charcoal, and the firepit. And for entertainment, well, nothing could be better than a starry night, reading in the creek, or buzzed conversations about fancasting our favorite films— using our existing friend group.
Unfortunately, I had to leave Saturday night in order to make a previously scheduled Sunday engagement with family, so I wasn’t able to partake in delicious, hot schmoes. That just means I need to go camping again!
Much like with the Switzer Falls hike, I took every opportunity to dress up in the stereotypical Americana camping look. This means something more like the inspo I’ve been sharing on the SaD IG: chunky boots, workshirts, and fully brimmed hats. GORP is cool, but it’s not really my steeze, at least not for these initial outdoor happenings. I wanted to be classic for this one— and to get some proper outdoor patina on my practical menswear, particularly my Danners, my cotton-linen burgundy neckscarf, my fedora (which is about ten years old now), and my vintage fishing vest, which has been quite useful ever since I got it a few months ago. And even though I could’ve gone through this with tees and one pair of pants, I did pack variations: on Friday I wore a green oversized plaid sportshirt and jeans, and on Saturday, I had a green plaid spearpoint work shirt with my repro M-43 pants. I guess I was very green that weekend!
I will always defend LARP dressing for fun, but it’s quite a different experience to wear this stuff where it was intended!
Obviously, my full-on attire was hardly necessary, especially with the heat. After all, compatriots could stay stylish without relying on too many layers! Ivan was mainly seen in ribbed tanks and fatigues, with a checkerboard sportcap and a big Stetson (plus prescription JMM sunnies) to shield himself from the sun. Arthur also had a big cattleman hat (made of straw) which he wore with a loopwheel tee and slubby double knees from Sugarcane; I particularly loved his use of Yuketen mocs. Serhan had chambray and olive chinos. James had a lightweight cotton flannel with bootcut jeans, though he traded his signature Cuban heels for airy huaraches. As always, the ladies all looked quite fashionable (and practical and comfortable). I’m always a fan of Erika’s alt-indie looks (the camo “Sexy Villain” cap is inspired), but I also loved Mel’s western vibes and Marcelina’s Jurassic Park attitude. But at the end of the day, I still want to feel like me even when I’m camping, and it just makes sense for me to be all well-layered and hatted-up. And much like the Phil, I tend to enjoy the activity more if I’m dressed in the way I imagine myself being. Perhaps next time I go camping (which I am firmly down for), I’ll wear something simpler—or do the opposite and layer even more if we decide to camp when it’s colder! [I guess, like Catalina, my move is to be overdressed on my first visit and then get more casual on subsequent outings. My default, as always, is to be maximal, don’t you know?]
On that note, the gang did shed nearly all of our layers when we spent the afternoon by the creek. We spent a few hours sunbathing, reading (I brought a cute graphic novel, The Worst Ronin), and drawing each other. All I had on was my vest, bandana, swim shorts, and the big waterproof boots, which were practical when crossing the stream and did come off when I sat, well, in the creek itself. It was truly a perfect time…until I had to drive three hours through Maricopa Highway and Lockwood Valley Road in order to get back to LA, all because the tunnel back to Ojai was closed from Saturday to Monday. It was quite an adventure that was both beautiful (because of the views) and scary (due to the winding mountain roads and being quite literally in the middle of nowhere, 20+ miles from any civilization with no signal.
But hey, I had to go to Universal Studios with my family and see Casiopea live at the Wiltern. It was quite a busy weekend.
Unlike the end of the previous blog post, I don’t have a big philosophical point to make in this one. But I do have a reflection I’ve been mulling over for a while. And after going on—and recapping— these very fun events this past week (as well as including photos from other recent, but smaller, shindigs in the space below), I think I’ve come to a decision: I’m [soon] going to pause writing this blog [extensively] for, well, an indefinite amount of time. I’m not going to get too much into it now (perhaps if I feel up to it, that will be a stand-alone blog post down the line), but one big element of this is indeed the fact that I’ve been enjoying the act of “touching grass”. Living life, ya know?
It’s been really fun to fill this blog with so many stories of being dressed up to hang out or spend time by myself. Each entry has been a case study of my philosophies in action, whether it’s POV/Cinematic Dressing, a Slouchy attitude, how engaging with Trends, or the Platonic appeal of Navy Suits. But ever since I’ve Gone Private, I’ve been hit with a nagging thought: does whatever I do need to be recapped and reflected on? Obviously not everything in my life is on this blog, but more than a fair amount is! Is it even possible for me to live life without writing about it? Can’t I just exist and hang out in my clothes like a regular person?
It sounds silly, but I used to think that approach was impossible (for me, I mean), primarily because of that case-study aspect. I like sharing, and I do believe that anyone can get something from, well, everything I do in life. [I also felt that not a lot of menswear content, at least when I was getting started, neglected the “life” aspect of getting dressed.] Context does inform every fit I wear, even if I have to make it myself! But again, maybe I’ve said enough. After all, I’ve canonized a lot of thoughts and put in the work to have plenty of examples of my philosophies in action. You guys have probably gotten the point by now! [How many more examples of creative black tie at the Phil, sleek cocktail looks, or ivy-trad for trivia do you need?] I certainly have, as at this stage, such “eureka” moments—the times when I figure out some aspect of Personal Style or whatever—have slowed down considerably. I’m also aware that each of my Occasions, both new (camping) and consistent (trivia, going out for drinks), has all utilized the same process, even if the outfits are different. Maybe now, after eleven years of writing, it’s time to finally stop and just live…without writing about it later. Not everything needs to be analyzed and recapped! It’s plenty possible to just attend and experience. Pictures are always fun to share for sure, but a full recap? Perhaps I don’t need that anymore— or at least I exercise some restraint. I can retreat and keep some life to myself and the people I actually interact with IRL.
I have a lot of thoughts on this, but I’ll save that for a future blog/pod. What I can say is that, for now, the podcast will keep going (Spencer and MJ do enjoy talking about menswear), and the blog will serve as a place to hold our show notes (and maybe I’ll keep writing mini essays about the bonus pod movies). The decision to pause is primarily about the main blog— you know, this absurd collection of faux-philosophical essays and parasocial diary posts that happen to be about menswear. I think it’ll be a good exercise, a continuation of my decision to go Private last year and detach, or at least exercise some restraint in how much I share about my life. [It feels a little too gratutious!] There’s also the opportunity to do something different with my time, changing the ritual to things I seemingly never make space for: composing music, reading fiction (instead of those damn essays), video games, and just vegging out at home, all instead of constantly writing and archiving. I mean, I still did those things when I wrote the blog regularly; I was just that much busier.
One aspect of this is the fact that menswear media today is better (and more expansive) than ever! Apocalypse Duds and menSwear by a woman podcast have been so great in how they consistently feature both enthusiasts and luminaries in the industry. You now get pearls of wisdom directly from Die, Workwear and Peter (Urban Composition) on their Blamo pod. Denny and Percia all get to cover your favorite NYC events and personalities. Britt and Cléa do the same across the pond (with aplomb, I might add), with Cléa in particular being a refreshingly humurous, engaging, and highly informative new voice in sartorial journalism. [Menswear doesn’t have to be stuffy!] Our favorite TikToker, Albert, has been putting out longform videos that have been quite good, especially the one on engineer boots. In addition to Substack luminaries like BBSP, Photographers Jamie Ferguson and Christopher Feinmore have jumped into the mix, penning words alongside their excellent imagery; I should also mention that it’s been a delight to read the work of Ivy enthusiasts like Eric Langlois and Tom Hoy, who both have had great interviews on Apocalypse Duds and MenSwear by a Woman pods, respectively. All facets of menswear has an outlet now, more than any point in the past, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
There’s also how a lot has happened in my life to give me that “ending” feeling. My tailor has retired, I’m not keeping up with menswear as much (I haven’t made much of a dent in my promise to consume more, outside of the occasional glance at the creators above), and most importantly, I haven’t purchased any new garments in months. I haven’t stopped getting dressed, though, but again, maybe I don’t need to analyze and overshare. Perhaps it would do me some good to sit back, shut the fuck up, and just be veg for once in my life. And yes, I am aware of the irony that is me openly sharing these sentiments with you lot. Old habits die hard, I guess!
The more I think about it, the more I think the biggest factor in this decision is really due to my wonderful friends, especially the ones I’ve become quite close to in recent years, whom you may all recognize in their recurring apperances on this blog. Thankfully, they don’t mind the occasional cameo on this silly blog, but again, this whole thing has got me wondering: do I need to share them as often as I do, even if they provide context behind my fits and Occasions? Maybe not!
I don’t need to get too in the weeds here, but these people have enriched so much of my life, not just enriching my social life (in an unprecedented way), helping me be more introspective, critical, and just a better, well-rounded person— particularly one who would benefit from being less online (or at least one who writes about it as often as I do). Of course, I already owe a lot of myself to my old friends (the ones I made before menswear), even if I don’t see them as much; you guys know they were so incredibly formative to the person I am today. It goes without saying that I also owe a lot to the menswear folks around the world that I’ve been very fortunate to befriend and occasionally see on my random travels. But maybe the point is that I finally don’t need to visit New York just to hang out and drink until 3AM every night (though I’m always down for it when I get to be in town) No, for the first time in my life, I can do that here (and more) in the comfort of Los Angeles. And boy, has it made all the difference!
It does make me wonder how my life or personality may have played out differently if I had this the entire time—though perhaps if that were the case, I wouldn’t have felt the need to be so “out there” on the internet to begin with. Maybe it’s the “age” talking, but with hindsight, I can see more clearly both the good and the bad qualities I’ve gotten from being so online. Oh well, no time like the present to try something new, right? Can’t change the past, but we can sure as hell change how we operate moving forward. It’s both scary and exciting!
Who would’ve thought that literally touching grass by camping with friends would be the canon event that hastened the end of the blog? Nature is healing!
– end of blog post –
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Always a pleasure,
Ethan
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