preppy

The Levi’s 501 CT: High Rise Selvedge Denim

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Ethan

Everyone knows that I’m a big proponent of high rise trousers. They make you look slimmer and make your legs look longer; you can’t lose while wearing them! However, you can’t wear trousers everyday. Even I don’t do that. There are days when I wear jeans, but I seldom wear them with tailored clothing (button ups, jackets, etc) due to the fact that most jeans out there have a super low rise. I had tried on some vintage denim that had a high-rise but it was way out of price range. However Levis came through with the 501 CT line, which have become my go to jean.

I Bought a Jos. A. Bank Suit

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Ethan

People like to call out Jos A. Bank and Menswear House for making some of the worst suits out there. They like to cite quality concerns, fit issues, and an overall outdated or boxy look look that is made worse by the “overpriced yet crazy discount”model that the company operates with. Just look at some of their markdowns. However, I absolutely pounced at the chance to buy one. I did cheat though; it was on eBay!

Going Ivy with White Socks

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Ethan

One of the many #menswear sins that people like to spout out is to never wear brown shoes with a black suit. It causes repulsion in some, conniptions in others, and a shunning glance to all. Even so, there is one sin that is far worse than even that: wearing white socks with dress shoes. In fact, I haven’t seen too much of it since the 1990s thanks to multiple #menswear bloggers and vloggers who aim to stamp out this inglorious affectation. However there’s something intriguing about pairing white socks with formal clothing that has been calling out to me. This practice started in the 1950s and 1960s, and while I take a lot of my cues from the 30s, it’s time we look somewhere else for inspiration.

Update 8/31/18: Okay so I reference this article a lot, but I do white socks for a lot more than just sartorial stuff. Go figure.

A Few Days in the Bay Area

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Ethan

I’ve been meaning to go to SF (and the Bay Area) and shop around for a long time. The last time I went was two years ago when Tim and I stumbled upon Haight Street and its awesome vintage stores. I planned to go for my 21st birthday in July, but circumstances arose that only allowed us to go during this past September Weekend! Spencer, Jeremiah and I (the Spring 2016 Dapper Day crew) were only able to spend two nights/one day in the Area but it was definitely a lot of fun, especially since we were able to dress up and walk around!

Inspiration: Curtis with Solids + Stripes

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Ethan

While the rest of the world may be cooling down for fall, my forecast says that it will be 90 degrees this weekend! In fact, it was 91F when I went to work at the time of this article. So, I decided to go with a something summery without standing out too much. Curtis Newkirk, from Beckett & Robb served as the inspiration for this outfit!

The Armoury for Less: Mark Cho in Italy

Posted on August 28, 2016 by Ethan

The Armoury has always been a deep source of inspiration for my outfits, due to their “international classic” aesthetic and their stylish staff. We’ve already replicated outfits from Dick Carroll’s ivy-trad style and Jake Grantham‘s 1980’s redeux, but now it’s time to look to Mark Cho, one of the founders of the Armoury.

The Armoury for Less: Blue, Grey, and Brown

Posted on July 14, 2016 by Ethan

Nothing is more classic than the colors of blue, grey, and brown. They are staples that every man should have in his closet, whether they take form as a suit, sportcoat, pants, or even ties! This article recreates an outfit from the Armoury (and Brycelands Co) utilizing these classic colors. The fact that my outfit costs $300 while the other costs $3,000 is an added bonus.

Experimentation: The J. Crew Onitsuka Tiger

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Ethan

I’ll admit that sneakers weren’t always my thing. At first, I looked down upon sneakers as a plebian shoe, only meant for people who couldn’t handle suits and dressy clothes. Then I matured and learned through GQ and MFA that sneakers are actually very versatile and can work with a lot of different outfits. My first real foray into the sneaker world was the Nike killshot. For my second sneaker purchase, I went back to J. Crew and got their Onitsuka Tiger in navy blue suede. At $50 bucks, it’s my new favourite sneaker.

Inspiration for Less: Chad Park

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Ethan

Because this is a blog, and not a newspaper, I’ve decided to focus more on individual outfits and blog about them. Doing so creates more content for my readers and lets go more indepth on why I picked what I wore and how I came up with it! Without further ado, here’s Street x Sprezza’s first entry into our new weekly series “Inspiration for Less”. And who better to be inspired by than Chad Park?

Colorful Vintage Style at Spring Dapper Day

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Ethan

Dapper Day is my version of Pitti Uomo; street style abounds! People are able to go around Disneyland and dress up in style, whether its vintage, vintage inspired, or modern! Since it is Spring, the guys and I decided to take our vintage style to the next level. Most people make the misconception that vintage clothes are all made of thick wools and are only available in muted, boring colors. However, the 1940’s were still stylin’ in hot weather! They had a variety of fabrics that were still breathable and and comfortable to wear and were especially light colored for spring and summer fashion! Our outfits for Spring Dapper Day give you real evidence that vintage suit style is still creative, fun, and colorful!

a little bit of rest

a blog about wearing menswear