Raw Silk For S/S

As the seasons change so does your neckwear.  I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that you've already been bombarded with countless tie options in a variety of S/S fabrics and patterns.  Most, if not all, of these are fine.  Shit, you probably already own a few similar versions.  Let's forget about that seersucker and those critters for a second.  Once again, these are totally fine, but for those of you who are after some texture more along the lines of the wool and cashmere F/W ties you wear and love, there is an option you may have overlooked - I'm talking about raw silk neck ties.  The natural slub of the shantung silk creates a pretty unique texture and look that falls perfectly between dressed up and casual.  In fact, a new raw silk tie is probably more versatile than your current crop of S/S ties and can easily go between your suits and more relaxed S/S jackets.  As with anything even remotely neckwear related, Drakes has the best stuff.  Their raw silk seems to have the best texture and they offer widths of both 2.8" (7cm) and 3.1" (8cm).  However, the color combinations might be a little little stale for some.  If that's the case, J. Press offers a bunch of in your face stripes and patterns featuring tons of bright colors done up in raw silk.  Either way you're probably going to look a bit sharper than if you bought a new tie with lobsters playing golf on it.  But don't take my word for it.  Shantung has that coveted ODB cosign.  Wait, he's talking about neckwear, right?

[Last picture courtesy of Die, Workwear!]

-L.A.S

[Editor's Note: Shout out to Nico for the assistance.]

Thursday Sale Round Up

Two Sart Inc regulars are currently having sales that you should probably know about.  J. Press is having its Fall Private Sale through the 24th in which trad favorites are marked off up to 25%.  If I were you I'd pick up the best tie in the history of the world and a dandy new scarf.  Lands End also has their Friends & Family sale going on - use that link to automatically activate the goods.  You can expect 30% off everything and free shipping when you spend over $50.  They've got pretty much everything you could ever want so you can check that one out for yourself.  However, I will say that I am a big fan of these as a dude who sleeps as late as humanly possible, thus leaving no time for trivial shit like ironing.  The sale includes Lands End Canvas so don't forget to check out all their new arrivals.

-L.A.S

[Editor's Note: You can pick up these guys for around 100 bones at the LE sale.]

In Their Own Words: J. Press For Urban Outfitters

Just a few days after the new J. Press for Urban Outfitters pre-order disappeared as mysteriously as it was leaked, we now have some concrete information on behalf of the two brands via Urban Outfitters' PR department:

"We wanted to recreate the height of traditional Ivy League style in the early '60s," says design director, Mikito Takeshima. Drawing on influences from the film Animal House and the popular television show Happy Days, the 20-piece collection offers preppy casuals mixed with classic basics and relaxed styling. The exclusive line includes solid and striped oxfords, slim-fit pants, a Black Watch tartan golf jacket, and a wool vest, alongside several collegiate accessories such as a Dartmouth scarf, Princeton tie, and Cornell belt."

Yeah, I know.  It's your typical press release, but at least we have some concrete info.  Namely, Mikito Takeshima is now the dude with the most difficult job in menswear and that the 20 piece collection will probably reemerge closer to its December release date.

-L.A.S

[Editor's Note: Intel courtesy of Nico -  "I have an item saved in my shopping cart and it says 'Pre-order 11/19/10 12:00 AM' in fine print below, so I'm assuming that's when the collection will be available online again."]

J. Press For Urban Outfitters

When a source at Urban Outfitters told me they had a crazy collaboration in the works I never thought for a second it would involve one of the oldest and most revered clothiers in American menswear.  All that stuff we were debating was just the tip of the iceberg, folks.  Stocking up on McNairy saddles is one thing, but a J. Press co-sign in the form of an exclusive diffusion line is a whole new ballgame.  And this isn't just some one off, this is a serious collection of good looking basics - like, really good looking.  UO is calling the collection "a full line of new heritage menswear created exclusively for UO by Ivy League clothier J. Press."  The good ol' h-word isn't going away any time soon.  We're only at the pre-order stage just yet so there is no telling how well this stuff is made or how it compares to J. Press' mainline.  The one thing we do know is that everything here appears to be updated in terms of fit.  Pants have a 8" leg opening and the jackets are definitely of the shorter variety.  I'm looking forward to seeing all this stuff in person and will probably pick up a few pieces thanks to the mall-esque pricing.  I'm curious to see just how long this little partnership is going to last.  They say opposites attract and this is one hell of an odd couple.

-L.A.S

[Editor's Note: Plan on pre-prdering? Use promo code "DAWNOFTHEDEAL" for $25 off.]

Overpriced Scarf Round Up

Two scarves, as awesome as they are overpriced, are now available after a seasonal hiatus.  First up is Drakes' incomparable black watch wool silk reversible number.  Featured on Mister Mort a while back, this has to be the coolest scarf on the market.  For your money you not only get the ultimate tartan, but to make matters that much more stylish, there is a silk navy and white pin dot pattern on the opposite side.  Part scarf and part ascot, is this really worth $212?  Drakes enthusiasts will tell you you're getting two $106 scarves (not that outlandish of a pricepoint) and how the quality is unmatched by anyone.  I'll leave any reasoning up to you.  Up next we have a scarf some of you might recognize from its cameo on a hit teen drama featuring sex, drugs and good looking people.  J. Press' silk patchwork scarf is a one of a kind item being sold at a one of a kind price.  This is probably as bold as a scarf gets before your less stylish friends start making fun of you.  Actually, your friends will probably make fun of your for wearing a scarf in the first place.  I'll spare you the talk of putting your funds into investment pieces.  We're all adults here, for the most part, and can manage our own money.  At the very least you now have a postscript for that letter you're writing to Santa.

-L.A.S

The One Tie You Need

Whether you rock with a pared down wardrobe or are the kind of guy who likes to have 5 of everything, let me humbly recommend the one tie you absolutely need - a J. Press navy knit.   Neckwear doesn't get any better.  End of story.  It's style for the ages - timeless, season-less, all occasions, etc.  At 3" it's the perfect width and ties the perfect four-in-hand knot.  The beauty of this tie is how squarely it falls into everyone's sweet spot.  No matter what your personal aesthetic may be, this tie will not only transition in with no problem, but quickly become your go-to piece of neckwear.  With this very post in mind, I made sure to head over to the J. Press store in NYC on Friday to check out their selection.  After not finding a single navy knit I asked a salesman what the deal was.  Apparently, early that morning a woman had come to J. Press and asked how many navy knits were currently in stock. After a salesman rounded up all 14 from both the floor and stockroom, the woman proceeded to buy every last one.  She mentioned that her boyfriend only wore navy knits and that he got more compliments on his J. Press number than any other.  $1,113 (before New York state sales tax) was spent and she left the store as quickly as she had come in.  This post is obviously not for that guy - he already knows what's up.

-L.A.S

Fatten Up

Odds are that you own some knit ties already. Odds are that those very knit ties are also 2" wide.  I'm in the same boat and there's nothing wrong with that.  But let me implore you to add a wide knit tie to your arsenal.  It's a decidedly less "hip" piece of neckwear, but this is not a bad thing.  If you've spent the time "manning-up" the rest of your wardrobe why stop at your knit ties, right?  A 3" knit tie looks a little bloated at first glance thanks to a market saturated with knits as skinny as 1.5", but once some of that initial hesitation wears off and you knot one up you may never go back.  The heft from a wider knit tie is really satisfying and looks great with a wider set collar, ultimately setting up what I think is a pretty classic Italian looking getup.  Adding a little edge to your sportswear is a great way to set yourself apart from the GQ subscription crowd who are buying their ties at Uniqlo.  Paul Stuart sells 3" knit ties for $69.50 as does old guy favorite, J. Press for a few bucks more. I can't get a specific read on J. Press' exact width, but I am going to assume that their pedigree alone should vouch for something close to 3" - since I don't want anyone telling me I am a liar because a recommended purchase turned out poorly (this has happened before) you might want to get hands on with the J. Press joints before "pulling the finger". Finally, if you live in NYC, head over to Bergdorf Goodman for their great private label ties (you probably want to look like Nick Wooster anyway).  They have some killer wide knits that should be 50% off starting next week.  For those of you who think 3" may be a little too wide, you can always check out Lands End for a healthy 2.75".  Mister Crew, who was an integral part in the "research" behind this post, has some great images of wider knit ties here.

-L.A.S

Attn: 25% Off J. Press Ribbon Belts

I get so hung up on watch straps here at Sart Inc that I'm always forgetting to throw up some sweet ribbon belts.  Just like said watch accessories and summer ties for that matter, ribbon belts are a killer way to set off a standard kit.  If you're S/S gear consists primarily of chinos and oxfords you're halfway there, but by throwing on a snazzy belt you can take your fits from good to great - you know, that whole injecting personality in the form of color thing.  When grabbing these colorful prep essentials look no further than the granddaddy of 'em all, J. Press.  They've got truly understated options for all you sartorial sourpusses and bold in your face type shit for the prepstars.  It's a best of both worlds selection and all their ribbon belts are currently 25% off, which means for under 30 smackaroos [Editor's Note: before shipping which is kinda steep] you can stunt all summer long until you're blue in the face, er, waist.

-L.A.S

New Haven, CT 1954

Nina Leen snaps Irving Press (front L) and Paul Press (front R) as they pose with their store clerks.

-L.A.S

Mr. Classic

There are a ton of gems in the ACL photostream, but the hands down winner is a set of photos aptly titled "Mr. Classic".  I had seen a few of these J. Press F/W 2008 (?) looks floating around the Internets before, but up until now I had yet to peep the entire collection.  Everything pictured was presumably designed by Mark McNairy and the styling is pretty much perfect - you may notice the cigars in a few breast pockets.  While this stuff isn't exactly that new-new you all crave, and pretty much completely out of season at this point, it's still pretty much timeless inspiration in my eyes.

[All pictures courtesy of Michael Williams.]

-L.A.S

Fake It Until You Make It

Having just re-watched The Talented Mr. Ripley, which all begins with a borrowed Princeton University blazer, and loving this post, I thought it would be neat to highlight the various badges for sale at J. Press.  I don't ever recommend pretending to be someone you aren't, but if you were itching to get started on your incredibly stylish European identity theft and murder spree this is a pretty good starting point.  I won't be buying these anytime soon, but they are cool to look at.

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

-L.A.S

Aint Nothing But A Critter Party

I'll be the first to admit that I do indeed rock critter gear.  It's not so much a "look at how old my money is" thing, considering I don't have any, as it is a way for me to have fun with what I wear.  Lots of us menswear folk take the whole preppy vs. ivy vs. trad thing so seriously that we often lose sight of the simple fact that clothes are to be enjoyed - it's as simple as expressing yourself while having a grand ole time.

You can hit up wherever and grab as many pairs of critter shorts or pants as your heart desires because this S/S I'm going to be all over critter neckwear.  Finishing off a simple kit (i.e. oxford shirt, chinos, canvas sneaks) with some over the top bowtie brimming with creatures is what you'll probably catch me in when the temperatures reach about 60 (which in Charlotte is like in two weeks).  It really is as simple as breathing some life into your standard uniform and luckily J. Press is a goddamn zoo these days.

 

  

 

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

-L.A.S