Paolo Alavian: Philanthropically Inclined

My good friend Antonio was nice enough to drop by Sart Inc to let everyone in on a good cause, some good food and some inspiring personal style to boot.

"If you are from the NY area and you’ve spent much time in SoHo, you may recognize the man below.  He can usually be found in bright hued pants and a sharply tailored jacket on the corner of Spring and Sullivan St. in front of Ristorante Savore, the neighborhood’s long time go-to for quintessential Tuscan fare.  His name is Paolo Alavian and he is the proprietor of Savore & Chicca, the mind-blowingly fantastic brick oven pizza spot just down the street.  Like his restaurants, Paolo is a neighborhood staple - a fixture of downtown Manhattan.  His unique style and sense of duty to his community and others are as transcendent as his roasted branzino with thyme, fennel and sliced

tomatoes.

In the wake of 9/11, Savore opened its doors and its kitchen to the many involved in the rescue effort.  More recently, when the economy took a turn for the worst, he gave free meals to those in the neighborhood who had lost their jobs.  It wasn’t long after the earthquake hit Japan that Paolo decided to get involved.  This Wednesday he is holding an event aptly deemed Dine Out for Japan.  The idea is simple - come and enjoy a sublime lunch or dinner (or both) at Savore or Chicca, and 100% of the proceeds will go to the Red Cross’ relief fund for Japan.  All dishes and wine will have a suggested
donation price of 1 dollar but donors can give as much as they choose.

Please join the Savore/Chicca family on Wednesday.  Whether you’re interested in giving to a worthy cause, trying a new restaurant or just experiencing the awesomeness that is Paolo, it’s an event you
won’t want to miss."

-L.A.S

Luciano Barbera's Style Tips

I know, I know.  There is so much advice floating around the blogosphere.  Every where you look there is someone telling you what you should or shouldn't do.  I don't necessarily have a problem with this, but the credibility of the person giving said advice can be quite the elephant in the room, which is why I would like to direct you to some of the most credible advice I have ever read - that of Luciano Barbera.  You've seen him on The Sartorialist countless times and the phrase "living legend" doesn't even remotely do him justice to be honest.  His website is required reading as are his musings (no, truths) on style.  Read 'em.  Learn 'em.  Love 'em.  Break 'em.

"It’s not enough to have beautiful clothes. Lots of people have beautiful clothes. In fact, some people have too many. What is important is what you do with them. On the following pages I share some comments on how I dress and what I have taught my sons. Of course, they do not always take my advice. But that is the point. Neither should you. Look, listen, learn, and discard where appropriate.

The Jacket
A suit tells the world you are ready for business. A jacket tells the world you are open to fun. For me the ideal jacket should have soft and natural lines and balanced proportions. It should fit you but not constrict you. I do not believe in stiff shoulder pads. That is vanity, not style. Do not make it too tight. If it’s too tight, you will look like a matador. Any time I see a man playing golf or tennis in his jacket, I know he and I could be friends.

Trousers
There are many schools on trouser length. In America they are often worn so that the pant leg tumbles over the shoes. Many Europeans now wear them quite short. You even show a little sock. What can I say? Perhaps we Europeans are secretly afraid of flash floods. The picture at right shows, quite literally, where I stand. I call this the Mid-Atlantic Solution since it is halfway between Europe and America. The pants just breaking lightly on the shoe. I do not want to see your socks, but I do want to see your shoes.

The Shirt 
I know I have said you can have too many clothes. But I take that back where shirts are concerned. The shirt is a triumph of modern life, like the automobile or the web. It is easy to put on and take off, quick to wash and easy to store. Plus, shirts look great. A man should own as many shirts as he wishes - the more the better.
I personally have so many shirts that I sometimes walk into my closet, pull one out, and think to myself, “Now where did that come from?” Having lots of shirts will allow you to surprise yourself with your own good taste.

The Tie
The tie follows the culture. In the 50s I wore a bow tie. In the 60s I tied a Windsor. In the 70s I went open-necked. In the 80s I had a big aggressive knot that said, do not mess with me. Now I find that what I want is a less-fussed-over-knot with a soft pleating. It is simple. It is declarative. It feels right. How will I wear my tie in the next decade? Who knows? Ask me then.

Seasonal
Everyone knows you wear wool in the winter, linen in the summer, and a straw hat from June 15th to Labor Day. Everyone is right. And therein lies the problem. Follow these rules and you will look like everyone else. Better that you display a little originality. On the gravest days of winter I put on my gray flannels, a cashmere tie in a sober color and my white linen jacket. The pants keep me warm. The tie gains me entrée into good restaurants. The blazer reminds me that summer will come again."

-L.A.S

[Editor's note: Hat tips to Die, Workwear! and Mister Crew.]

Sartoria Partenopea And The Year Ahead

I didn't really plan on getting too deep into my various sartorial resolutions for the year ahead on Sart Inc, but plans often change unexpectedly.  And when you come across something so in line with what you're trying to do, well, said plans change ever quicker than normal.  So, what am I trying to do in 2011?  It's time for my sportswear to "get grown", in a nutshell.  I will be talking about this at considerable length via a separate avenue soon, but let me quickly break things down.  It seems that the culmination of what I have been trying to do with my wardrobe and personal style for the past year or so is coming to a head in 2011.  I'm not talking about suiting up everyday of the week, but I am talking about stepping up my casual outfits with more "formal" elements  - more jackets, more ties, trousers, generally nicer shirts and more layering.  My goal is to present an image and cultivate a personal look that has practically been abandoned here in The States, but is still thriving in Europe amongst the style set.  Why this?  For starters, my personal taste has been headed in that direction for quite a while and I believe it is time to commit to the best of my ability.  Not to mention, those whose style I admire the most do this effortlessly and I feel like taking a sincere crack at it.  So, for me, 2011 is all about grown man sportswear - keeping things short of wearing a suit on the regular, but still put together at the same time.  If that previous statement makes absolutely no sense to you I totally understand, which is why I have provided some handy examples courtesy of Edwin (who happens to be running my favorite Tumblr right now).  Sartoria Partenopea has my ideal aesthetic down pat.  While some of these outfits are incredibly loud (something I tend to avoid for the most part) they still illustrate the idea of elevated sportswear done very, very well.  The kits below are far from formal, yet present a very solid, mature image.  Join me or scoff at me.  It's all good.  Just try to be better in 2011.  That's the message.  For more information on Sartoria Partenopea Jeremy has you covered, obviously.

-L.A.S

New Year's Specs

So you're one of those menswear geeks who asked Santa for some new trousers.  Or maybe you find a little extra cash in that stocking of yours, which is immediately funneled into that "to-tailor" pile building up in your closet (I see you, Doc Hu).  I don't know about you, but I like a very specific look to my trousers, perfectly illustrated by the picture seen below courtesy of my friends the Ovadia brothers - little to no break, 7"-8" leg opening and a 1.75"-2" cuff.  I find that this produces the best looking and fitting trouser, at least for me.  Now, this is obviously not some concrete rule or anything, just my personal preference and something to consider if you haven't already.  In fact, I think that most guys can find the perfect look for them residing within the confines of the range of measurements listed above.  If you like what you see then try taking a crack at it.  If not, then forget I even mentioned it.  Ultimately, if your list of new year's resolutions includes "getting dapper" (along with "lose ten pounds" and "avoid all sexual harassment charges at work") these are some specs you may want to consider.

-L.A.S

[Editor's Note: Ovadia and Sons trousers feature a 7" leg opening and a 2" cuff for reference.]

Know Your Welts

In this era of blogs, bloggers and bloggers who blog about blogs there is no excuse for being an uneducated consumer.  The plethora of information available online is indeed staggering, but with so much knowledge at our disposal one would think that many of us would be at the top of our game.  Ironically enough, I believe there is a misconception when it comes to shoe construction - that is, if a shoe is not Goodyear welted it is a piece of shit.  This could not be further from the truth and, while a Goodyear welted shoe is something to look for in an expensive shoe purchase, let us not forget about the other methods used in making high quality shoes.  With that being said, I'd like to briefly talk about Blake construction.

Ducal shoes sums up Blake construction as such:

"In the Blake construction the last is removed from the shoe; and the welt, the sole, the insole and the upper are sewn together using a single seam.  The last in reintroduced and the workmanship continues with milling, grinding and dying of the soles and heels.  The final result is an extremely comfortable and light shoe."

As with any construction, Goodyear and Blake alike, the quality of the construction depends on the factory producing the shoes.  At the end of the day, you cannot tell how good a shoe's quality may or may not be solely based on the welt alone.  All of that aside, I'd like to dispel any rumors or misconceptions that Goodyear welts are the be all end all when it comes to shoe construction.  A high quality Blake constructed shoe will often be sleeker than it's Goodyear welted counterpart due to the simple fact that its stitching is of the interior variety, whereas a Goodyear welted shoe's stitching is visible on the outside of the shoe.  It is my personal opinion that Blake construction improves the looks of more "formal" shoes, such as shortwings and double monks.  Please refer to the incredibly nerdy diagrams below for more information.

Goodyear:

Blake:

[Diagrams courtesy of La Botte Web.]

-L.A.S 

Sartorial Summer Etiquette

Thomas Riley of P.JOHNSON Tailors gives us an Aussie's look at sartorial summer etiquette.  Geographical differences aside, pretty much everything in this video is gospel as far as I am concerned.  I know S/S is probably the last thing on your mind right now, but I'll be damned if this this isn't a primer for a dapper summer.  Shout out to the great Ethan Desu for tipping me off to this one.


Sartorial Summer Etiquette from Daniel Hartley-Allen on Vimeo.

-L.A.S

Cuff Knots Minus Cuffs

For a dude who owns not a single french cuff shirt I sure do own a lot of cuff knots.  Why's that?  Well, I like to put them into the buttonholes on my jacket lapels.  See, some of us who aren't ready for stuff like this still want a little bit of sartorial flair on our lapels.  And that's where your friendly, neighborhood cuff knot comes in.  Pop one in and you're done.  It's that simple.  You can go all novelty during these dreary winter months or keep things brooding with dark, solid colors - it's totally up to you.  Maybe you want to highlight the fabric in the jacket itself, your trousers or your shirt.  It doesn't matter.  At the end of the day you're the guy who went that tiny extra step to keep things interesting.  And that guy usually does pretty well for himself.  Here are some of my more monochromatic F/W sportcoats with that added bit of cuff knot jazz.

-L.A.S

My F/W Novelty

I would surmise that those of us who read and/or write style blogs take ourselves fairly seriously to some extent or another.  We appreciate looking a certain way and how that makes us feel.  Whether for ourselves or others (or a combination of both), there seems to be a definite level of thought that goes into dressing.  Never is this more so the case than in F/W.  The weather is serious.  The colors are serious.  The layering is serious.  Hell, even the fabrics are serious.  And the results, while often very well put together and admirable, can often come off as a bit joyless.  I realize I don't speak for everyone, but I am sure some of you will agree.  And you know what?  Some people really dig that and that's totally fine.  At the end of the day you should always dress comfortably both in the literal and figurative sense.  But for those of you looking for a little levity don't believe for a second that you can only go that route when the weather dictates.  I'm not advocating wearing your next-level "go to hell" S/S wardrobe in the dead of winter by any means, but merely putting forth the idea that you can find an aesthetic middle ground.  Being deadly serious or seriously lighthearted are not mutually exclusive.  Maybe you start wearing a lapel flower on your tweed sportcoats.  Or maybe you grab some lively socks to go with those 2" flannel cuffs.  Or maybe you buy a L.L. Bean boot novelty tie on eBay for twelve dollars that a friend sent your way.  Just sayin'.

-L.A.S

Back Darts

It seems like back darts are a pretty polarizing thing - I know just as many guys who love them as guys who would never even consider a shirt with that particular detail.  A darted shirt, for those unaware, features two stitched down folds of fabric on the back of a shirt giving it a fitted appearance.  The argument here is more or less focused on how slim you prefer your shirts.  Lots of brands are selling off the rack shirts that feature a predominantly slimmer fit, but often these shirts can be fairly expensive or not slim enough depending on your body type.  In most cases slim fit sport shirts come in standard small, medium or large sizing so it's not uncommon to size up for your neck or arm measurement, thus negating the slimmer fitting body.  In this case it might make sense to take the shirt to your tailor or seamstress and have it darted.  It's a fairly simple and cheap process costing around 15 or 20 bucks.  For those of us on an even tighter budget the process of darting a shirt can help take an inexpensive shirt that fits traditionally (i.e. poorly for some people) and make it look much "better" - some sartorialists believe a darted shirt can visually take off 15 pounds or so.  I'm kinda split on the idea of back darts myself.  I have a few in my wardrobe and all of them happen to be broadcloth, spread collar dress shirts.  In my eyes, back darts work better with specific types of shirts.  I don't think I would ever have any of my OCBD's darted, but when it comes to broadcloth numbers (sans box pleats of course) I am not opposed to it whatsoever.  It's a much more European feature and often looks best with shirts that fall into that stylistic category to begin with.  If you really love the idea of back darts you can always buy shirts off the rack that come pre-darted.  More upscale brands like Michael Bastian and Ralph Lauren Black Label dart a lot of their shirts so a trip to your tailor is unnecessary.  Like everything else in this life it's a purely personal call that some people feel much more strongly about than others.  Just remember, if I can see your nips, your shirt is probably too tight.

[Pictures courtesy of The Sartorialist.]

-L.A.S

Washed Demin Pt. II

As a quick postscript to washed denim done right, Bows + Arrows offers up some choice washed denim paired with some McNairy kicks - easy, breezy S/S garb for sure.

-L.A.S

Washed Denim

These days it feels like everyone is preaching raw denim or bust as if it's the end all be all when it comes to your jeans.  I've helped feed the beast on this one, no doubt, but consider this my way of making up for lost time.  While raw denim is a favorite of the style set due to its unique fading and the various personalization that comes with each wear, it's not always the best move in S/S.  The heavy nature of the raw (unwashed) and often stiff fabric is a recipe for an uncomfortable outing, especially in the dog days of summer.  Assuming you don't want to ditch your jeans in favor of chinos, shorts or various other cotton trousers, what are you gonna do?  Well, white jeans are always a popular choice, but they can be tricky to pull off.  Not to mention, if you doubt yourself while wearing white jeans you're as good as finished.  At this point it seems as if conventional style knowledge tells us that our only choice is to suffer through the heat.  And don't get it twisted, you can totally do that if you want to. I've done it myself and I'm sure I'll do it again at some point.  If form truly outweighs function in your specific case, who am I to tell you that you should change - just keep doing you.  But for those of you who are looking to avoid the unfortunate scenario of sweating right on through your pants, you might want to look into a pair of great fitting, washed jeans.  Shit, maybe even selvedge.

[Pictures courtesy of The Sartorialist, GQ and Jake Davis.]

There's no real tricks or rules.  Wear them just like you would your most prized pair of raw denim.  Dress 'em up with a tucked in shirt, knit tie and blazer or neat roll them so there's no break and pull out your haggard ass Vans.  You love your raw denim, not just because of how they represent your specific lifestyle (i.e. your grease stains, your creases, etc.), but also how effortlessly they can bring a kit together.   With such a classic and stylish base, even your white tees look unstoppable.  I don't think there is any reason to think washed jeans can't do the same thing.  Except this time you won't look like you just got ambushed by some punk ass kids on a water balloon drive by - that's never a good look.  In fact, you could even argue that washed jeans look better this time of year.  Their light coloring and smooth texture really has that whole S/S aesthetic vibe thing on lockdown, eh?

The marketplace isn't as flushed with washed jeans that keep things classic and understated (i.e. the wash itself and the cut of the jean) as it is with raw options so a little bit of digging is encouraged.  If you are a little hesitant about going back to washed or are just straight up broke start at the mall (blasphemy!).  Gap, J. Crew and Levi's should have some options, some of which may indeed be selvedge, which really helps when showing off to girls how many blogs you read on your lunch break.  If you're big doggin' it and money aint a thang brands like RRL, Brunello Cucinelli, Spurr, Billy Reid, 4 stroke and Baldwin Denim have pricier numbers that will last longer and hold up despite the thin, washed cotton.  So I guess what I was trying to say was that raw denim is great and everyone knows it, but that doesn't mean it's your only option.  Washed denim - try it out.  Or not. Whatever. Food for thought.

-L.A.S

[Editor's Note: Thanks to everyone who helped me out with this one over on that Twitter thing and read Prepidemic's take for some more insight.]

Florence National Guard

From field jackets to cargos to aviators to camo, military inspired gear seemed to be having quite a moment at this spring's Pitti Uomo.  While you can always examine the booths for what's trending it's also interesting to pay attention to what the actual tastemakers/buyers/guests are rocking to the tradeshow.  Some of these looks are definitely not for everyone, but it's cool to see how all these guys incorporate certain aspects of classic military styling into their outfits - from the simple (i.e. a pair of shades) to the extremely complicated aka not safe for work (i.e. a camo pattern blazer).

[Pictures courtesy of GQ.]

-L.A.S

Done Right: Black And White Pt. II

Practice what you preach - Michael Bastian white jeans x Allen Edmonds Mora.  Excuse the affected undone back buckle.  I don't normally wear them like that in real life. 

-L.A.S

[Editor's note: I have since had these white jeans tailored to minimize all scrubbery.]

Done Right: Black And White

I may not be live blogging from Pitti Uomo (I'm not even remotely that awesome), but that doesn't mean Italian style isn't numero uno on my radar right now.  Great photos are already all over the internet thanks to sites like The Sartorialist and Web Uomo - to say the inspiration was flowing would be quite an understatement.  As of right now I can't shake the idea of some white pants and black hardbottoms, specifically double monk straps. Go figure, right?  It's a look that somehow strikes the perfect balance of bold (I mean, we're talking white pants), yet classic (these items are arguably menswear staples).  The Italian guys even lose some break in their trousers to turn up the clean lines to eleven.  See for yourself...

Both of these guys are killing it as far as I am concerned.  I'll be the first to admit that brown shoes trump black ones in my book, but that may soon to be a thing of the past.  The pairing of black and white is so undeniable and so unwavering that I may have been going about things all wrong - or at least partially wrong.  I figure 25% of the guys reading Sart Inc have white pants.  Of that 25%, about 12% probably own a pair of double monks and I assume half of those guys have a black pair.  So if my math is correct, and keep in mind you're dealing with a guy who forgot how to do long division like five years ago, this post was useful for approximately no one - sounds about right.

In all seriousness, if you've got the tools (i.e. white jeans and black brogues) on hand why not take 'em out for a test drive?  You could end up with more Pitti panache than you know what to do with or, at the very least, another exploit to file under "Things to do when I fake my own death and move to Italy".

-L.A.S

Done Right: The Short Sleeve Western

There's already been a little bit of chatter involving short sleeve collared shirts today so I'd appreciate if you would be so kind to indulge me for a quick second.  The western shirt is something I was a big fan of when I was younger, but for whatever reason it fell by the wayside by the time I started college.  Just recently I have begun to revisit this All-American classic thanks to a reimagining of how the shirt can be worn - not so much a reimagining of the garment itself, but how it can be worked into an overall ensemble.  The short sleeve western shirt in a strong spring pattern seems like a great way to take things up a sartorial notch this time of year.  Instead of working it into some cowboy steeze ala Clint Eastwood I can dig how designers like Michael Bastian have used it as a way to enhance the rakish charm of an outfit - less rodeo clown, more European vacation.  For example, instead of rocking blue jeans how about some crisply creased chinos?  As with any attempt at rakishness the wearer must carry themselves as such so this might be something that takes some time to get comfortable with.  Anyhow, this is what I'm thinking - cop one in a familiar S/S pattern (like these options from Martin and Osa), roll up the sleeves a little, tuck it in and let some buttons fly.

-L.A.S

The Great Wall

I've been getting a lot of questions recently regarding S/S footwear so when I saw this picture in HTJ's Prep Shop retorspective I thought it would pretty much take care of most inqueries.  Not that this rack of shoes is the be all end all, but if some of your shoes are accounted for here you are golden in my book.  From Clarks to Sperry to beef roll pennies this picture is more or less the modern gentleman's anedote to the faux leather, square toe shoe, athletic sole epidemic.  If the Prep Shop had a better selection of canvas sneaks, and they very easily might have, this lineup would be perfection, but with a lineup this good there is no need to nitpick.  Lot's of people lambast the demise of the proper men's haberdashery and the rise of the mall clusterf*ck and this is their ammunition.  Seriously, when's the last time you walked into a mass consumer outpost and saw a lineup like this?  Hell, I'd even sacrifice ambiance and atmosphere if certain retail locations could at least get their stock straight.  On a positive note, at least we have artifacts like this courtesty of some great guys, like HTJ, to hold us over until that day comes. 

-L.A.S

[Editor's Note: Another perfect example from HTJ seen below.]