Talking Shop

Hamilton 1883 always has pretty fantastic editorial pieces on their website.  They recently posted a bunch of conversations with a variety of shop owners who stock Hamilton 1883.  Sart Inc favorites ACL & Co., Epaulet and Unionmade all take part and it's great to hear some incredibly respected folks talk about not only why they are into Hamilton 1883, but a little about themselves.  Not a bad read for a Thursday morning.

-L.A.S

Attn: Gant Sale At Epaulet

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving - I know I did.  In fact, I'm still kinda on vacation so forgive me if things stay a tad bit sporadic around these parts for a bit.  And if you're one of those guys who hates to read Sart Inc, you're welcome.  Moving on, Epaulet has a nice little Gant markdown party going on.  Mike and Adele have put their Gant by Michael Bastian and Rugger stock (minus the Homerun Varsity) on sale, so head on over and start stuffing those stockings.  Mom, if you're reading this, I could use a new trench coat.  You're the bestest.

-L.A.S

New Epaulet Trousers: A Lesson In Supply And Demand

I was recently talking to a reader about Epaulet's fantastic F/W trousers.  He had seen a killer pair, but didn't pull the trigger initially.  When it came time for him to snatch up some pants they were all sold out.  Epaulet's strong presence in both the blogopshere and on StyleForum pretty much dictates a quick hand if you want to get a hold of their private label gear.  The demand for this stuff outweighs the often limited supply to such an extent that any given item can sell out within days of when it's posted to their shop - you don't need to be an economist to understand how this works.  After seeing their newest crop of trousers I have no doubt that this process is going to continue.  Don't believe me? Check out the fabric and patterns below.  See?  Told ya so.

-L.A.S

Corduroy Tweed

Epaulet have outdone themselves again.  Their new Corduroy Tweed Walt Trousers are as next level as they are exclusive - 16 pairs were produced in the one-off batch.  The pants were woven in Italy (made in NYC) from a 100% cotton fabric called "corduroy tweed".  What the hell does that mean? Well, from a distance the pants look like your average pair of cords, but with a much better cut of course.  Up close, on the other hand, you can see the individual yarns woven in a pattern of blue, grey, tan and olive similar to your common tweed.  They're kinda like the trouser equivalent to those magic eye things that almost made me blind as a kid.  Epaulet's trousers have quickly gained a reputation for not only fitting incredibly well (I prefer their Walt fit to their Rudy fit), but for the sheer craftsmanship that goes into each pair.  Just check out the waistband.  These pants, specifically, are the perfect understated overstatement you could ever want in a pair of F/W trousers.  And that right there folks is what we call a sartorial mindfu...

-L.A.S 

Attn: New Gitman Vintage Club Collars At Epaulet

Hey Epaulet, I like your style. I like you moves. Gitman Vintage? Yeah. Club collars? Absolutely. Indigo chambray? Sounds good. Cranberry chambray? Now you're talking. Grape oxford? Bingo bango.  Epaulet just got in some fresh club collar shirts in both chambray and oxford cloth and to say they are handsome would be a gross understatement.  This right here is some top notch garb.  End of story.  It's another great call by my friends out in Brooklyn who continue to prove they are one of the best shops around.  Here's a scenario: You're out at a bar and you spy a fine lass across the room.  You decide to buy her a drink because, well, you're feeling especially good about yourself in your new Gitman Vintage club collar.  As you approach it hits you suddenly - you have no money because you just spent all of it on three smashing shirts. You end up going home alone where you proceed to cry yourself to sleep after crushing a cup of noodles. Yeah, that would be Epaulet's fault, not mine.

-L.A.S

Attn: Gant Rugger Sale At Epaulet

If you head over to Epaulet you can snatch up some Gant Rugger gear on the cheap before it's all gone.  As someone who has some Rugger gear I can attest to both the quality and fit.  From shirts to outerwear, the stuff is top notch.  Everything runs pretty true to size - I am a medium consistently across the board and my Rugger stuff is all medium.  I particularly like their oxford, The Hugger, which is the perfect slim fit oxford for the guy who likes to wear his shirt untucked most of the time.  The blue Selvedge Oxford shirt has carved out a nice little place in my own closet and while I haven't had it all that long it has definitely gotten a ton of wear recently.  The selvedge details are nice and the shirt has a great weight that truly makes it a year round wear.  Have at it kids.

-L.A.S

Attn: New McNairy Neckwear At Epaulet

Epaulet keep the McNairy fire stoked with a recent shipment of killer gear for S/S 2010.  Aside from a few items we have already seen prior there are some new neckwear pieces including rep ties and bows.  All of Mark's neckwear is made in New York City and is conservative enough for your 9 to 5.  The ties measure 3.25" at their widest point, while the bowties are 2" wide and thanks to their fabric and dimensions create a handsome, hefty knot.  Each piece deserves a spot on your tie rack, but the overall winner here is the double faced dog bowtie.  Thanks to it's opposing patterns you essentially get 3 bowties in one and can rock it with however much quirkiness your heart desires.  It's McNairy at his best and for only $52.00 it's pretty much a steal.

-L.A.S

Attn: Epaulet Chinos

Slim fitting chinos are easily one of the hardest essentials to find.  A handful of brands are making them, but finding the perfect pair for you is an often arduous process, but a process whose payoff is well worth it.  Brookyln's own Epaulet is entering the slim chino fray starting tomorrow when both their British khaki and navy chinos go on sale.  The asking price is $135 and the pants come with some killer details.  The chinos are made in L.A. from UK cotton twill and feature a slim fit with a "medium-low" rise.  Inside seams are taped with herringbone cotton and the hidden coin pocket is deep enough to actually serve a real purpose - it can hold a credit card and some monies.  If you're still searching for that pair of chinos to end all pairs of chinos (and any good pair should) you would be doing yourself a disservice to at least not consider Epaulet's new steeze.

-L.A.S

More Mark McNairy S/S Arrivals At Epaulet

Epaulet continues to be a premier stockist of all things Mark McNairy footwear aka amazing.  Their newest arrivals for S/S 2010 are on point as usual offering two models thus far exclusive to the Brooklyn shop.  The longwing craze is still going strong and I like how Epaulet have really taken it to a whole new stratosphere with their all white suede version - it's pretty much a buck on steroids.  Everyone always talks about stunting in new kicks and this right here is the ultimate example of fresh to death S/S steeze.  The other shoe is the "pigeon" saddle shoe you might have seen at a few alternate carriers such as UNIONMADE, but Epaulet is the first to put it on a red brick sole, which creates an amazing contrast with the handsome gray suede.  I've thrown up an ungodly number of bucks and saddles on Sart Inc in the past few months, but these right here are the ultimate examples I have seen thus far.

-L.A.S

Attn: McNairy Boots On Sale At Epaulet

A couple "out of season" Mark McNairy boots are currently on sale at Epaulet with discounts of $100+.  All the models are damn slick and while they may sit in your closet for the next few months once September rolls around you will be quite pleased by your patience and foresight.  My favorite are the captoe brown suede boots on a red brick sole for not only their handsome appearance, but the sheer versatility they bring to the table.  If you have $200 bucks to blow you might want to pounce on an extremely unique sale opportunity courtesy of Mike and Adele - Brooklyn's finest.

-L.A.S

Tattered

The blogosphere, myself included, hits us over the head with so many of the same items so frequently that often it takes a shot in the arm to remind us how great something is regardless of whether or not it gets blog play.  Yesterday while geeking out over Sid Mashburn shirts I re-realized just how much I like shirts that aren't chambray or oxford cloth.  Broadcloth, in particular, is such a fantastic shirting option this time of year and especially in tattersall.

Lots of guys don't like to wear plaid patterns in warm weather because of its anointment as the official mascot of F/W and it's sudden absurd ubiquity.  Tattersall represents a wonderful option if you find yourself buying into this school of thought or if you're just looking to switch things up.  Epaulet and Inventory (their shirt is actually a heavier weight oxford cloth), respectively, have dropped exclusive tattersall collaborations with Gitman Brothers Vintage in the past week or so and L.L. Bean Signature features a handsome option complete with a flap pocket as well (it's actually my favorite non footwear item in the debut collection).  And of course you can't forget Ralph who has been doing this kind of stuff since Red Wings were nothing more than hockey players to us.   I can't say for sure if tattersall is "having a moment", but I could care less.  In fact, I'd almost rather keep this for myself though that is highly unlikely.  Tattersall, more like tatter-sold.

-L.A.S

Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts

What parts you ask? 1 part perfect summer fabric, 1 part perfect summer pattern and 1 part perfect American shirt maker - that's what.  Epaulet just stocked up on Gitman Vintage's awesome short sleeve seersucker gingham button down and for all the perfection at work here it's kind of a steal at $155, but I guess a lot of that depends on what you do for a living.  Anyway, what can I say about this shirt that I haven't already? The fabric has been recreated from a 1984 fabric book, it's made in Ashland, PA and the details (chalk buttons, box pleats) are on point like an arrow.  I'm always talking about reinterpreting the classics for today, but how great is it when you can just buy those classics straight up?  Pretty damn great.  I have a feeling my boy KJ might have found his new favorite shirt.

-L.A.S

Attn: Epaulet Multicolor Gingham Available Now

The multicolor gingham shirt from Epaulet that I talked about a while back, which in turn got picked up by Valet, is now available for purchase.  What was once only a swatch of fabric has now materialized into the shirt I was incredibly pumped about when the weather was real shitty.  What made me highlight it initially was the twist it puts on the classic fabric we have all come to know, love and subsequently purchase at one point or another.  Instead of buying just another red/blue gingham shirt why not try something with a little more personality?  Epaulet runs a fantastic operation and their in house line of shirting is some of my favorites out there.  The fit is on point with the Gitman's and Hamilton's of the world and has the exclusivity that comes with their signature "small batch shirting".  I like this shirt as an alternative to the throngs of madras you are sure see this time of year.

-L.A.S

Attn: Alden for Epaulet Whiskey Shell Cordovan Longwing

No need for many words here at all.  There are 18 up for grabs, the price is $650, and the style, well, that's priceless.

-L.A.S

Epaulet x Mark McNairy S/S 2010

The good folks at Epaulet just stocked two new collaborations with the one and only Mr. Mark McNairy.  Both shoes are warm weather worthy (Alliteration City, Utah) and typical McNairy perfection.  I'm particularly digging the navy saddle on the crepe sole, which is a variation on Epaulet's best ever selling McNairy shoe.  They are made by Sanders and feature badass crepe soles - hearty, handsome and damn comfortable.  The shoes feature a natural leather Goodyear welt and, hands down, the best toe in the business.  Check out all of Epaulet's McNairy selection, including the new joints, here.

-L.A.S