Fall Looks: Setting the Bar

[Pictured: "On the Street....Perfect RL, NYC". Courtsey of Scott Schuman aka The Sartorialist.]

The best look I have seen this fall comes from a street shot done by the great Scott Schuman aka The Sartorialist (who partly inspired this very blog's name). This gentleman is doing exactly what I am recommending this fall (see: two posts ago)...blending both the traditionally refined and the classically rugged. Here we've got wingtips, a spread collar button down, a tweed vest, chinos, and a tie complete with tie bar topped off with a great military fatigue jacket.  What a great example of a wonderful, yet average fall outfit taken to the next level with the inclusion of an unexpected element. This outfit says so many things, but all I can say is "wow". This, ladies and gentlemen, is a perfect outfit, and THE perfect fall look as far as Sartorially Inclined is concerned. Finding the right balance somewhere in-between is no easy task, but when done right the juxtaposition of refined and rugged brings it all together. Talk about setting the bar high...

-L.A.S

Gilt-free Shopping

Don't you hate it when you find that awesome piece of clothing that is way out of your price range? I love flipping through a new issue of GQ or reading a new post on the men.style.com blog and finding great clothes but more often than not these designer items are out of my league (fiscally speaking, of course). Enter Gilt Groupe the wallet friendly online home for sample sale deals. The men's section has offerings from great designers and new deals are added daily (a Gant sale happens tonight, and Billy Reid hits tomorrow at noon). The sales are first come first serve and the deals are topnotch (i.e. 70% off a Thom Borwne Suit). Gilt is by no means a scam and is actually featured on page 72 of this month's GQ in a section titled "High-Style Sites for Hard Times". Membership is required to shop, but it's free to sign yourself up for the waiting-list. Most requests are processed in a few weeks, but if you want in asap, email me/comment with your name and email and I will send an invite your way (thank you in advance for the $25 referral fee!). In these tough times great deals on great items are tough to come by and my purchasing M.O. is skewing heavily towards sample-sales and eBay. Happy hunting, but be warned... TOO many great deals will put your checking account to sleep quicker than a big plate of ribs...

-L.A.S.

Fall Looks: Lawyers vs. Lumberjacks

[Pictured: Two looks from Michael Bastian's Fall 2009 show. Note the combination of refined and rugged. Courtesy of men.style.com]

With all the wonderful clothes being hawked this fall the big challenge is developing a variety of looks to last you until the weather becomes particularly bitter. Even amongst the fashionable it is disheartening to see lots of guys find a particular look they like and pigeon-holing themselves. This fall I am seeing lots of looks in one of two categories: classy or rugged. You have the one guy at the bar wearing a v-neck sweater, an oxford shirt, a knit tie, creased chinos and wing tips standing next to the guy in the flannel work shirt, down vest, heavy fabric pants and boots. While Sartorially Inclined is fine with both of these looks (the classic prep and the classic workman) why limit yourself to being "that guy" and "that guy" only? Every single one of the above mentioned pieces is fantastic and should not be categorically excluded from one another.

This fall you will see me mixing and matching all these classic pieces. The reason American heritage gear is making such a massive comeback and is so popular right now is due to its timeless appeal and versatility. Why not take the same rugged boots from your lumberjack getup and throw it in with you prep. Creased chinos resting atop your Palladiums or Redwings looks fantastic. The same goes with wearing wingtips with your heavy flannel shirt and down vest. From these two styles you can easily create 20+ distinct looks that combine all the cool elements that made you rock the very same limited looks in the first place. The juxtaposition of refined and rough adds a new dimension to your otherwise stagnant outfit.

For an example take what I wore to work today for casual Friday. My outfit was pretty standard for the office, but I threw in an element that was unexpected. I paired my fairly standard uniform of black Bass Dover Weejuns, creased, flat front chinos, and a black belt with a black and white flannel shirt. The combination of colors, patterns and materials (the khaki, flannel, leather) mixed well for an unexpected look that was decidedly FALL. Who said there was no such thing as lumberjack, attorney at law?

-L.A.S

Bidding War: L.L. Bean Norwegian Sweater

Background: In a segment dubbed "Bidding War" I am going to be highlighting pieces purchased off of eBay. It will give me a chance to talk about unique and vintage items of clothing that might otherwise get overlooked. My goal is that this segment will help aid in the often arduous process that is eBay browsing.


[Pictured: Vintage L.L. Bean catalouge. Courtesy of hyrcollective.com/daily-blog]

I'm going all in with sweaters this fall. I've got the v-neck, I've got the McQueen inspired crewneck, I've got the cardigan, I've even got the fair isle...all that I am missing is the coolest sweater of all-time. Well, I was missing it until I found it on eBay. L.L. Bean's Norwegian sweater is an American Prep staple with its very own shout out in The Official Preppy Handbook. This fisherman's favorite is wool and poly blended, actually knit in Norway and owns one of the coolest patterns I have ever seen. While the blue version is the iconic staple most people are familiar with, I decided to go with the much rarer red and gray color-way. The Norwegian can be worn all by its lonesome or thrown over a pinpoint oxford for that much sought after layered look I keep plugging. My hope is that the sweater will make any average prep/trad outfit really stand out and take it to the next level. For the easy price of $54 (including shipping) it probably has the best value of anything i have bought in the past year. For those of you worried that you wont be able to find your own, don't fret because L.L. Bean is apparently digging into their archives for a
re-release. The overwhelming response for the Norwegian Sweater and traditional American style, in general, got the attention of those at corporate and come November you can grab your own at the not so eBay friendly price of $129. I'll be sure to update this post, or create a new one entirely, once I receive my sweater in the mail. Happy prepping, happy trading, happy bidding...

-L.A.S


[Pictured: Same model as the one I purchased, paired with a great down vest. This is a look I plan on replicating very frequently. Courtesy of Heavy Tweed Jacket]


[Pictured: The Norwegian layered with a polo and down vest featured in The Preppy Handbook]

Land's End Fall 2009

Instead of blowing your hard earned dollars on Fall fashion that is insanely overpriced, why not flip through the pages of your Land's End catalog (Who am I kidding? You're just going to go to the website). You're bound to find some really great pieces with some really great price points. If you're partial, like I am, to the Americana, heritage look, brands like Land's End can help you build up a great wardrobe with plenty of cash left over. Land's End, like most clothing companies these days, it acknowledging that people want timeless clothes that end up being a great value. After checking out the new arrivals for Fall, I came across some great items that deserve the Sartorially Inclined cosign.

Men's Regular Long Sleeve Chambray Workshirt ($32.50)

The chambray workshirt is EVERYWHERE as of recent and I've been wearing my Gap warm weather version for over a year. As the weather cools, I am definitely in need of a thicker replacement. The Land's End model seems perfect and comes in this awesome faded black (almost a dark gray) colorway. Any button front shirt is a crucial part of a layered look and this chambray shirt in a great fall material and color will do just the trick. While everyone else is sure to be wearing too much flannel, you will find me in my chambray. For a look straight out of the McQueen handbook, keep the front pockets unbuttoned. Also, check out the "Wait, is this a misprint" price...$32.50 for a great chambray workshirt, hell yeah.

Men's Brown Suede Wingtip Shoes ($99.50)

In the most recent webisode of men.stlye.com's fantastic "In The Closet" co-host Tyler Thoreson shouts out brown suede shoes as one of his Fall Essentials. Sartorially Inclined has a bad case of wing tip fever so I am loving these brown suede versions. I can already see them going perfectly with some cuffed denim (selvedge, please) or Donegal tweed pants for Fall. It's tough to find any wing-tips under $100 so these are a great bargain.

Lands' End Men's Tailored Fit 2-button Year 'rounder Blazer ($175.00)

Land's End is going all GQ on us and the result is surprisingly impressive. Utilizing everything but an Italian tailor, they have created a designer blazer for about 1/4th of the price. The super 100's wool fabric makes it a year round blazer in a classic navy blue that will never, I repeat, never go out of style. The blazer's side vents, slim lapels and trim cut make it modernized and if you really can't stand the nautical brass buttons, you can take the jacket to your dry-cleaner/tailor and have them switched out. Overall, the blazer is a timeless piece with a modern fit and a reasonable price point.

-L.A.S

"What's In My Closet?" - Beatle Boots

[Be advisded: Not that comfortable to run in, especially when you have thousands of bloodthirsty tweens after you.]

With The Beatles Rock Band Edition and all their remastered albums being released last week I can't think of a better time to talk about the greatest band of all-time. Music aside, The Beatles had a pretty hip fashion sense about them, and their ever evolving looks are synonymous with the decades in which they blessed the world with their recordings. When Beatlemania was hitting its stride, the fab four were often in uniform...black suits, white shirts, skinny knit ties and of course "Beatle Boots" aka modified Chelsea boots (complete with elastic ankle upper) with a Cuban heel and pointy toe. Apparently Lennon and McCartney saw a pair of Chelsea boots in 1961 when browsing around London and decided to have four pairs commissioned to go along with their new image. Upon returning from Hamburg, Germany the band dropped the rockabilly look, leather jackets and all, for a new suited approach.

As I picked out shoes to wear to work today, I was drawn to my own black, leather Chelsea boots. I hadn't worn them in a while and they were a refreshing alternative to the wing tips, Weejuns and oxfords I wear regularly to the office. I've always been drawn to the Chelsea boot, much in the same way I am drawn to The Beatles. The Beatles, at their core, were a rock 'n roll band, but at the same time always presented themselves in a classy manner. They were always professionals, rocking or not. This ability to balance classiness with an edge is something the Chelsea boot does very well. Pair it with jeans and a v-neck tee and you look like you just got out of band practice...pair it with a three piece suit and you look like the hippest guy on Wall Street.

The Chelsea boot is an interesting investment into multiple parts of a guys personality and its physical extension (his style). Not many shoes can cater to such polar opposite looks like the Chelsea boot can. Not many other boots are this versatile. There are so many varieties out there and most shoe designers/companies produce a boot similar to the ones The Beatles wore. My Chelsea Boots are from Calvin Klein, have a natural toe and are black leather. If you are looking for a model more in line with what The Beatles wore, try these. This model from Kenneth Cole has a squarer toe and is also available in brown. And for those out there with as much money as Sir Paul McCartney, here is a version available from Hugo Boss for sale over at Saks Fifth Avenue.

-L.A.S


[Not only is "Twist and Shout" my favorite Beatles' song, but the single's artwork is a prime Beatle boots showcase.]


[Picture: Sartorially Inclined's Calvin Klein Collection Chelsea boots.]

The Rugby Shirt

[Photo courtesy of Polo.com]

Layering is always a big part of fall and this year I'm pretty high on the rugby shirt as a key element of this look. Anyone call pull off throwing a sweater or sportcoat over a shit and tie or polo so why not branch out a little and go with the rugby. The rugby is a great heritage piece that encompasses a lot. It's association with a gritty, dirty sport lends it a ruggedness, its English roots harken back to a European sophistication and its nature as an iconic prep piece all commingle to create a shirt with personality and depth. I love all the details of the rugby shirt, from the elbow pads to the contrasting collar. It's thick fabric makes it an ideal top layer for fall, and its stiff and "crunchy" collar is perfect for creating that elegant and disheveled look. Pick up a slim fit model that will hug your torso and eliminate the much dreaded blousing effect as you add layers. Polo by Ralph Lauren is always my go to for Rugby shirts (hell, they even have a brand called Rugby) and despite being designer pieces, they are not too expensive, especially considering how the rugby shit can easily replace a jacket.

The look above is by far my favorite. Throwing the rugby over a shirt and tie (especially a knit tie) can dress down a business casual look to make it weekend ready. As the weather gets even more brisk, throw a heavy fabric (wool, tweed) sportcoat or toggle coat over your already expertly layered look. Pick up a version of the slim fit Rugby here from Polo by Ralph Lauren or here from Ralph Lauren Rugby. Now all you have to do it give yourself a black eye and girls may actually think you play...

-L.A.S


[Sartorially Inclined's Polo rugby shirt in classic navy. Not as slim as I would like, but still gets the job done like only a rugby shirt can.]