Long Weekend Jaunt: Follow-Up Ruminations and Acquisitions

My long weekend was fantastic.  I saw friends, family and loved ones. I drank way too much. I spent way too much money. I had absolutely too much fun.  Being back up north, especially in fall, is magical for a displaced person such as myself and I miss it already...but since this blog is primarily about clothes and such, I'll cut to the chase...

[Pictured: Uniqlo Storefront, SoHo]

On Friday I browsed the racks at Barney's and Bergdorf, marveling at the beautiful clothes from Michael Bastian, Band of Outsiders, Thom Browne, Duckie Brown etc. and shed a single tear when I soon realized that not even a single justifiable purchase existed amongst those elite garments.  I ditched the high end racks and headed to SoHo to check out Uniqlo.  At 3pm on Friday afternoon a line still graced the storefront, which puts the +J pandemonium from 10/1 in perspective.  After waiting outside for about 30-40 minutes I was let in and promptly entered what can best be described as "The Thunderdome".  Despite the constant hysteria and crowd, I was still able to browse the +J collection.  I loved most of the pieces (sorry, but I don't do turtlenecks) and had a decent pick of the merchandise.  The shirts, especially the sport shirts, really caught my eye and had amazing fits...they were slim, but not ridiculous to the extent that I couldn't fit into a medium (I'm looking at you Band of Outsiders).  I tried on a bunch of outerwear and various jackets and, like the shirts, they fit great.  Jil Sander's skills have not left her and the entire collection was simplistic and just forward thinking enough.  Uniqlo really needs a US webstore so I can spend more of my money. I ended up getting two beautiful plaid sport shirts from +J for fall...

 

I browsed the rest of Uniqlo and was just as impressed.  The brand really knows how to make great looking clothes for ridiculously reasonable prices.  Besides my +J shirts, I grabbed a knit tie for $10.50 and some stuff for my brother's bday, which will go unnamed since he reads this blog and I'm not trying to spoil the suprise.

Even though the rest of my weekend was jam-packed I still managed a little bit of browsing on Sunday at Club Monaco.  I had wanted to try on their new suits which I have been reading a ton of great things about, but was completely unaware of just how amazing they would actually be in person.  I tried on the suit pictured below (click here for a bigger view) and was blown away by the quality and details.  The suit was glen plaid wool, 3/2 roll, roped construction, double vented, had working button holes, and the pants had a nice, thick cuff.  For under $500 this suit was an absolute steal.  I didn't pull the trigger on it and I completely regret that looking back.  When I head back up north I am stopping to pick one up assuming they haven't sold out.  It's not often you find the perfect cold weather suit and have it actually fit in your budget. 

[Pictured: Club Monaco Glen Plaid Wool Suit, $498. Photo courtesy of GQ.]

-L.A.S

Fall Looks: Igby Goes Down

[Pictured: Igby with a white oxford shirt with the collar not buttoned down, cuffs undone, blazer and chinos.]

For no particular reason I've been on a Culkin movie binge recently.  In the past 3 weeks I've seen Mean Creek, Party Monster, Sex and Breakfast, Lymelife and Igby Goes Down which all feature one or more of the Culkin brothers.  All of these were particularly engaging, but Igby Goes Down stood out, specifically, in a sartorial sense.  Taking cues from eastern prep and The Catcher in the Rye the movie and it's wardrobe is a cool snapshot of the eastern/NYC prep look.  The character of Igby (Keiran Culking) and his brother (Ryan Phillipe) represent two distinct ways in which you can utilize your prep pieces.  Igby, the nonchalant contrarian, puts his own disheveled "devil may care" twist on the classics while Ollie, his brother, keeps it as trad as possible.  Whether or not prep is your thing, the movie features some cool looks, especially for fall.

 [Ollie in a perfectly manicured suit. Igby with a loosed rep tie, blue blazer, chinos, and topped off with Converse sneakers.]

[Grey wool sweatshirt with undershirt peaking out, thick, chunky scarf and weathered, slightly over-sized, hunting jacket.]

[Ollie with eye glasses, blue blazer, polo shirt and chinos.  Igby with critter tie, un-tucked oxford and blue blazer with turned up collar/lapels.]

 

 [Grey wool sweater paired with pinwale cords]

[Fall's must have accessory: a naked Claire Danes in your bed.  Better try eBay.]

I particularly love Igby's massive scarf, minus the Hogwart's colors, and I can see it really setting off an outfit when paired with a peacoat or Barbour jacket in a muted tone.  The loosened tie is also a cool look for fall and helps dress down formal neckwear (especially when paired with a tie bar).  While the outfits here are nothing revolutionary, the film did serve as an inspiration board of sorts and it never hurts to get a new perspective on these classics.

-L.A.S

Attn: Hickey Sample Sale On Gilt

[Pictured: Just another perfect ensemble from Hickey.]

Tomorrow at noon Gilt's Hickey sample sale goes live.  We love both Hickey and Gilt here at Sartorially Inclined (see: The Search for the Perfect Chinos) and will most surely be clicking away during tomorrow's lunch break.  If you need a Gilt invite click here or if you want to learn more about what they do click here.

p.s. Sorry about all the links.

-L.A.S

Stumbled Across: Handkerchiefs For Harvey Dent

I keep bumping into these awesome double face handkerchiefs (spelling gets me every time) from Steve & Co. during my extensive internet style travels.  I love how you can get all 4 seasons out of these badboys...gingham for S/S and tartan for F/W.  Tossing one of these in the back pocket of your pants or in the breast pocket of your jacket is a great way to make that average fall look otherworldly.  Two for the price of one is always welcomed here at Sartorially Inclined, especially in these oh-so trying economic times...no Madoff.

Steve & Co. Tartan Double Face Handkerchief...$32.36 each

My New Standards

[Note: While my NY/Uniqlo wrap up post sits on the shelf awaiting pics (aka while one of my +J sport shirts sits at the dry cleaners in an attempt to rid itself of the lovely smell of menthol cigarettes/sweet tea vodka/panini) I figured I'd do a post about denim...]

[Pictured: Sartorially Inclined's APC New Standard Jeans. Size 30 courtesy of French vanity sizing.]

On a slow day at work last week I dipped out early to a cool little shop right near my apartment.  Niche Market is a nifty brick and mortar boutique in Charlotte that specializes in streetwear carrying brands such as Alife, Vans, Kidrobot, etc.  Like any great streetwear boutique, they also have a pretty good selection of raw denim, which was the motivation behind my visit.  I'd had some cheap/low quality raw denim before, but after a mildly intense debate/research period I finally decided to invest in one great pair.

It doesn't take much digging to learn that APC Jeans, specifically the New Standard cut, are the jeans of the moment (currently the #1 ranked denim over at men.stlye.com's The Upgrader).  This French, minimalist take on an American classic has yielded praise from everyone online and in the industry so  I won't be the 1000th blogger to rehash all the great/unique things about them, i.e. buying 2 sizes down, never washing them, the 12 oz. raw selvedge denim, etc. 

Needless to say, I pulled the trigger and got my pair of New Standards.  I am wearing these cardboard stiff nuthuggers right now, but I can assure you that by the end of the aging process they will be one of a kind and perfect for yours truly.  This post serves as the starting point of a beautiful relationship, one that will undoubtedly last a lifetime.  I plan on posting twice more about these jeans...once more in 6 months and then again in a year to document the full aging/wearing process.  Stay tuned as I embrace my new, much higher, standards...

-L.A.S

[My own private selvedge yard.]

[APC x Jack Purcell.]

[APC x Jack Purcell II.]

Toggle Fever > Swine Flu

[Pictured: Company of We Moses Toggle Coat...$325]

Everyone, including Sartorially Inclined, is endorsing Duffle coats (or toggle coats) this fall.  Valet. Mag just did a great piece on them in their Fall Buying Guide '09 entitled "The Classic" so check it out for a neat primer on the must have coat for fall. 

These British coats trace their history back to WWI, where they were worn by the British Royal Navy and have since become synomous with American preppy/nautical style.  There are a ton of options/variations out there so browse around (def. check eBay) for a style and color that suits your fall look.  My personal favorite (see above) is the offering from Company of We. It comes in a great naval colorway with white roping fasteners, a beautifully designed collar and cool leather details.

Since moving to the south my need for such a heavy wool coat has diminished, but if I was anywhere above the Mason-Dixon line you'd bet your ass I would be purchasing one of these as we speak. Thanks to J. Crew I can still get my duffle fix thanks to their awesome toggle hoodie.  The hoodie is a fall standard much like the duffle coat, so this is a great hybrid take on two classics.  J. Crew's offering is made of superfine wool, so it should be good for those chilly days and nights, even down here in Charlotte.  It is a little pricey, but for those of us who don't need to buy a new coat, this is a reasonable alternative.  Swine Flu, eat your heart out, I've got toggle fever...

[Pictured: J. Crew Wool Toggle Hoodie...$188]

-L.A.S

Attn: Bloggers and L.L. Bean Enthusiasts

Just got this in my inbox.  As I've mentioned before I am beyond pumped for the debut of L.L. Bean Signature, but unfortunetly my schedule is not permitting another quick trip to NY just yet.  Alex's updates on the classics are for sure going to put a dent in my checking account and I wish I could see them up close next Wednesday.  Anyone plan on going and doing a little reporting of their own?

-L.A.S