Vintage Casual ft. Joyride: Vintage For Men
I know that we focus on tailoring a lot on this blog, but I think its time that we explore the seldom seen side of Golden Era Style: casual.
I know that we focus on tailoring a lot on this blog, but I think its time that we explore the seldom seen side of Golden Era Style: casual.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted something on true vintage clothing! Luckily I was invited to a Christmas party hosted by Reese’s Vintage Pieces, so I was able to break out my Golden Era clothes and spend some time in style with friends, both new and old! You’ll be able to see some fantastic vintage tailoring, filled with subtle details and history that you just can’t get with modern clothing. They just don’t make them like this anymore, other than going full bespoke!

Friendgiving is a great tradition. While I did enjoy Thanksgiving with my family, I also appreciate the time to hang out and have dinner with just friends. Like with any event, it was an opportunity for Spencer, Jay, and I to break out some cool fall sartorial style for the dinner! Unlike last time, none of us wore tweed; however we still brought our A-game.

It’s our bi-annual tradition to go to Dapper Day at Disneyland. People go to the parks dressed in their best attire, whether its vintage, vintage inspired, modern, or anything in between! While the style varied a lot between the guests, our group went decidedly 1930s-1940s as we usually do, combining textures and patterns as expertly as possible. Here’s what we wore on that slightly mild November day!

Herringbone is a classic pattern that has been found on suits, jackets, shirts, and even ties. Dan Trepanier from Articles of Style wrote a great piece on it’s history. Being a classic pattern, it provides a great vintage look when found on a sport coat or suit! It’s been a while since we’ve done a “What We Wore This Week”, so here’s our latest entry with Spencer and I both wearing the pattern!

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 They like to cite quality concerns, fit issues, and an overall outdated or boxy look look that is made worse by the “overpriced yet crazy discount”model that the company operates with.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!
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.

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.

Just look at those pleats, courtesy of Permanent Style. If you show this to any mainstream fashion guy, he’d recoil immediately. Flat-front pants have been the way to go for the past few years. Favoring the clean look, the mainstream #menswear community has renounced all ties to the dreadful 1990s business look. But classic enthusiasts in the community have always favored pleats and have still had them in their trousers without looking terrible! Here, we look at the brief history of pleats and how they have evolved through menswear. Hopefully you’ll agree that pleats are, and always have been, cool.
It’s not everyday that that you get an email inviting you to be a host of an event. Imagine my surprise when Justin Jorgensen, creator and mastermind behind Dapper Day at Disneyland, invited me to be one for their collaboration with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The event revolved around two things: “Jazz at LACMA” (their weekly summer concert) and their latest exhibit, “Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear, 1715-2015”. It was Dapper Day x LACMA.