The Silentist - Menswear, Men's Style, Reviews

In my prior post, girouxmcisaak asked a question about the watch I was wearing, so I thought it’d be as good a time as any to throw up some photos of my watches. No, I don’t roll with a Rolex, but I like the timepieces I’ve got and they each serve their purpose.

This is Bulova is the blue-faced one featured yesterday. I found it on eBay and instantly dug the blue face and also how small it was. It fits perfectly with what I wear most days, given that I wear a lot of navy, red and white. It’s lightweight and goes well with the 16mm bands I picked up at Brooks Brothers. The watch’s diameter is also very small, which works well for me. I have a very skinny wrist circumference (6.25”), so larger watches look really odd on my wrist and tend to bother me. It’s also a manual wind. My one gripe is that it’s about 5 minutes fast every 12 hours. I would get it taken in, but it’s not that important to me at the moment.

This Marathon field watch was a gift from my roommate over the holidays and I’m a fan. It’s a manual wind, has tritium vials on the hours and hands that glow in the dark (and also gives the watch that cool radiation sign) and is super lightweight. The band width on it is 16mm, so you can’t wear it with a NATO strap, but I’ve replaced the standard black band with one from Brooks Brothers. While it’s thickness is quite larger than I’d expected it to be, it’s super lightweight and you barely notice you’re wearing it. The pins the band goes through are built in and non-removable, so it’s a lot more secure on your wrist. While the casing feels like a lightweight polymer, it also feels incredibly tough. I don’t wear this to work, but I do wear it out casually and often pick it for when I’m going out at night or to a place with no lighting (theaters, mainly). If you want to pick one up, Marathon sells them online for $150. I just like how this field watch sets itself apart from a lot of the Timex campers and doesn’t have the date display. I also think it’s my most reliable and accurate watch I currently own.

This Hamilton Illinois watch is beat up. I got it for a few bucks off of craigslist, yet it’s incredibly accurate and feels solid on my wrist. I wear it when I am going to be doing something where I wouldn’t want my nicer watches dinged. It’s also a manual wind. I’m a fan of manual watches just because I never have to replace their batteries and just the act of winding them is sort of a fun act. I threw this on the only NATO strap I own. Most NATO straps I’ve bought don’t fit my skinny wrist. This one just happens to work being on the second-to-last hole.

This Seiko automatic is my dress watch. I found it on eBay and it came with a cheap leather band that I took off and replaced with an Italian-made new-old-stock navy woven nylon band I also found on eBay. I think it looks better than a black leather strap, matches my suits well and the nylon just breathes better on my wrist. Plus, that woven texture is nice, too. As for the watch, I like its simple face and it feels solid. I wanted to buy a nice Seiko, simply because it was Japanese made.

This Wenger Swiss-Army watch was a gift to me from my parents back in middle school, so I’ve had it for a very long time. I had to have it serviced once, but it’s still working quite well. It’s got some scratches, but I know I put them there wearing it almost non-stop for 10 years until I lost it in a move after grad school. I found it about a year ago when I was going through some boxes that I’d never unpacked. Total surprise find and it was great knowing I hadn’t lost it forever. I’m not typically a fan of metal bands, but this one has been all right and I wear it in more casual situations now.

I’ve decided that with few exceptions I’ll only be looking to buy navy neckties from now on. I’m not against having other colors, but it’s just so much easier to put together with everything else I wear from day to day.

The only two exceptions I can think that I really need would be a glen plaid in basic black and white and a solid burgundy or wine silk repp tie.

You can’t tell with my super-lousy lighting and lack of photography skills, but this is a navy suit and tie (with the standard white shirt).

While I always do try to look my best, I do keep one crisp, white shirt in reserve and virtually unworn that I know goes perfectly with my one well-fitting suit — showing just the right amount of cuff, the collar filling the gap between my neck and the jacket just so, etc.

Sometimes you only get a few hours notice that you need to bring your best to and look your best for an occasion that will be critically important to you. The last thing you want to do is be one of those people in a panic because you don’t have the basics hammered down so you can concentrate and focus on the hard stuff.

These situations are few and far between, but that doesn’t mean you should put off preparing for them. On this day, I was glad I didn’t.

evolvingstyle:

I am a graduate student. My partner’s maternity leave just ended, so I am now in the role of stay-at-home dad, doing my research and writing in the evening.

What do people recommend to wear while caring for kids? Above all, it needs to be comfortable and washable. 

I’m not a father nor have I been a caretaker for children, but in terms of comfort and washable clothing, I’d venture you couldn’t go wrong with jeans and some sort of cotton workshirt or oxford. I honestly can’t think of something more comfortable than those items on any given day and are easy to clean.

It’s Election Day in Chicago, but I like R-W-B anyway. Down low wasn’t anything special (grey wool slacks, Bean Boots for the commute, brown double monks at the office).

I’m also headed to Rahm Emanuel’s election results viewing party tonight, but it’s at an union hall and the last thing I want to do is stick out. (Long story short: I managed to get the RSVP info, but it wasn’t directly sent to me from the campaign.) So, I’m wearing this:

White oxford, navy tie, tweed waistcoat, jeans, chelsea boots. I’m hoping I look like a Hyde Park-living, University of Chicago graduate student or something.

(And, yes, I am wearing jeans with a tie.)

So, I logged into Tumblr to scroll through my dashboard and soak up some menswear posts.

Decided just now to stop and call it off.

Way too much heavy stuff! But in a good way. Even just a few months ago, I was mainly “reading” posts that comprised mostly of just photos and one-offs.

Now? Essays! Critical thinking! Philosophy!

Going to have to put this to bed until I wake up and can focus on what’s being posted.

So, this is not a gripe, but rather some universal praise for what’s being done out there right now for those I follow for not making all this seem so superficial.

Given that almost every week now I’m on the road, my dress shirts get wrinkled when I pack them and require ironing. I’ve never really had an issue with this, because the rooms have irons and it doesn’t take much time.

But last night the iron — being an old thing — put some rust stains on my shirt. Instantly, I broke out my Tide Pen and started working at the stains. Not sure if they came out (had to get going, switched to another shirt), but this got me thinking about the importance of being prepared and having a backup plan.

I’ve long thought about this, but never acted on it. After this experience, however, I’m definitely going to implement a few things:

Keep a spare, non-iron white dress shirt that’s been pre-ironed in my car and in both of my offices.

Keep a spare necktie in my car and both of my offices. (I may just opt to keep one in my briefcase, as I can’t imagine a situation where I’d need a necktie and not have my briefcase with me.)

Bring my own travel iron with me.

Fortunately, this time around I have an oxford shirt, which I typically wear casually, that I can use for work, but I figure it can’t hurt to keep some spares around.

Does anyone else do something like this?

wearethemarket:

Working with some of the best brands in the world affords us a lot of great opportunities, one of which is the ability to give away some free swag.  So, what are we going to give away you ask?  Well, how about an entire (capsule) outfit?  Here’s what’s on the line:

• Gitman Vintage oxford cloth button down shirt
• Florsheim by Duckie Brown longwings
• A pair of Crate jeans
• Mark McNairy by Spiewak jacket

Not a bad haul, right?  As far as winning all this awesome gear, here is what you have to do:

1. Follow We Are The Market on Tumblr and reblog this post.
2. Follow @capsuleshow on Twitter and retweet the contest.

It’s that easy.  We are going to keep things open until Friday at which point we will randomly select one of you lucky folks to win.  Have at it!

Get it, get it!

More or less took my cues from this.

It’s not flannel, but a wool suit I had some alterations done on. I think I may get the pants hemmed up a bit more (I didn’t have a chance to try it on at the tailor when I picked it up) and the torso area is bothering me.

In the photo below, I think the shoulders look a bit too big, but it still fits a bit more snug. I do feel the sleeves need to be slimmed and the sides tapered a bit more. Still, wearing it, it feels fine.

Space invaders.

Tweed jacket, red university stripe oxford and a McNairy repp tie I snagged from Epaulet’s final sale.

Down low, Levis 501 and L.L. Bean Boots, because it’s still winter and the sidewalks are puddles.

dieworkwear replied to your post: Why didn’t they just pull something off of this list? Even if they didn’t have it, the potential nominees for this job is so damn obvious http://putthison.com/post/2659356076/how-many-subscribers-does-your-favorite-mens-style

Honestly, if they got FYM, all the coverage of NYFW would just be about how FYM is covering NYFW. It would basically be FYM (feat. NYFW) on the single.

He’d be going all H.A.M., all day.

itsamazing:

Did I miss some sort of sign up date for a contest or something? Do I not have enough followers? Is my tumblr.. oh no.. not good enough? Is it not pleasing to the masses? Was it just a random pick names out of a hat? Could I have been nominated?

Sorry.. I wanna go to Fashion Week.. it’s a dream of mine to be able to go to at least.. one show. I don’t even care if I don’t get a seat and have to stand in “standing room only”. I feel like I’m deserving of it..my content shows a huge interest in/passion for it.. as do some other blogs here on tumblr.. that’s not to say those chosen as “guests of tumblr” don’t deserve the opportunity to go.. but I mean.. seriously.

:shrugs: Maybe I’m just not fashionable enough..

I was wondering how they decided who to pick as well, just because after looking over the 24 bloggers chosen by Tumblr to cover NYFW, only one is a menswear Tumblr — FWIW, I hadn’t heard of him before, but maybe that’s because he’s new and has 11 pages of content. Not a knock, in fact I’m following him now, but I’m just saying there’s a lot of other menswear Tumblrs out there who have a greater archive of content and depth in what they’ve done on the blogging platform.

I get that NYFW is all about women’s fashion for the most part, but it’d be nice to see menswear represented a bit more or in the future. There is a community out there that would be very interested in that content.

(And, no, I don’t think I should ever be chosen to attend NYFW, because I wouldn’t have the first damned clue on what’s going on or the depth of knowledge of these brands/designers’ history to provide any informed reporting on the topic, no matter how bloggy/superficial.)

edwinhu replied to your post: WIWT: 02-09-2011

so many dub monks on my dash today. I have 0 problem with that. nice moras.

Thanks. Probably one of the greatest instances of dumb luck in my entire life.

Also to answer this:

suitsandboots replied to your post: WIWT: 02-09-2011

I dig. Quick question: are your moras really squeaky?

You know what, they kind of are! I think it’s the vamp rubbing up against itself as I walk. Maybe over time it’ll wear in and stop? I haven’t worn these very much, given the weather of late.

I don’t have my usual setup as I’m on the road. I’ll try to get better shots next time. I have a tripod, but no laptop (it’s out being serviced for a busted hinge joint), so I’m shooting this at work rather than a hotel room.

Pretty basic stuff here. When the legislature’s in session, that’s generally when I wear suits, like this navy one. I keep it fairly simple with a solid navy knit tie, pink shirt and pink square.

Down below, that’s where I get a tad bit rebellious: pink-navy Happy Socks and black Moras.

Definitely breaking the “no brown in town” rule today.

I kept thinking that this look could’ve used more color, like maybe some orange in the square or something, but opted to not overthink it.

EDIT: girouxmcisaak said:

“That’s a great coat. Really wonderful texture. I think the only thing is the shirt blends too much with light part of the tie. If the shirt was a little lighter, that would be a dynamic matchup.

Great point. I should’ve just gone with a white shirt, or maybe with my blue houndstooth check, just to give some contrast on the shirt-tie combo. Keeping that in mind for the future.

girouxmcisaak asks:

Where do you find yourself falling in the spectrum of menswear?  How would you classify your personal style?

This is a fascinating question and I can’t wait to read how others respond. As for me, it’s a blend.

I think in a lot of ways I consider how I dress as “conservative,” which is kind of odd to say because just by wearing a tie and jacket most places I go it’s considered the exact opposite and really “dressing up.”

I think most of how I dress would be more influenced by the Brits and American prep/trad moreso than the Italians. Going “casual” to me means what I wore to the office, but with jeans or chinos instead, preferring to keep the tie and jacket.

I think the way I would like to take my style though is more toward that of using Toshiro Mifune as a style icon, who was often cast by Kurosawa in roles where he was a bit of dandy, but from middle/working-class roots. I like the idea of his characters so often being not of high class, but striving toward something more successful.

So, I guess, post-war aspirational Japanese Americana?

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been on the hunt for a red gingham dress shirt for quite some time. Oh, I’ve seen darker shades of red or other really nice colors, but I just want the basic picnic-table red gingham dress shirt. It’s been a trip to find one that isn’t a microcheck, isn’t a sport shirt and actually fits my neck/sleeve length. 

One of the few I’ve managed to find was from Paul Fredrick. They offer quite a few off-the-rack dress shirts (in addition to other menswear), but also have a very simple custom dress-shirt section where you enter your basic neck and sleeve, pick your fabric and details on the collar, cuff, etc. 

Paul Fredrick’s gotten mixed reviews elsewhere, but I always take places like Styleforum with a grain of salt because I’m not the kind of guy who can throw down $200 on bespoke dress shirts. 

I ended up getting two gingham button-down collar dress shirts and one white spread collar dress shirt as part of their “pick three non-iron shirts for $149 plus free shipping” deals. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try, since they have a good return and exchange program.

Here’s how the red gingham shirt looks on me:

In short: I’ll be returning all the shirts. The fabric and construction is fine for the price, but the fit on the armpit and arm area is not very good at all. 

(For reference: I wear a size 38-39L suit, and have an actual chest measurement that’s between 36”-38”.)

The sleeves are extremely billowy (more exact measurement comparisons at the end) and negated the somewhat decently-fitting torso. While I wasn’t expect a fit similar to the Brooks Brothers Extra-Slim Fit line, I was hoping it’d be more along the lines of the Nordstrom Trim Fit. No such luck. 

There is probably 2.5” to 3” of excess material on the sleeves throughout the length of the arm. I also felt that the yolk across the back could’ve been shorter by about 0.5” to 1”. 

In regards to the torso, it actually fit quite well. The chest was smaller than the Nordstrom Trim Fit and the waist only marginally bigger. 

To give you an idea of how this shirt fit in comparison to several other brands I’ve measured, I’ve provided that information below for a size 15.5” neck and 35” arm length. 

PLEASE NOTE: The “armhole” measurement measures the curve the of actual armhole when the garment is laid flat. The “arm” measurement measures from the bottom of the armhole to directly above at the edge of the garment in a straight line, intersecting the edge at a 90-degree angle. This gives a more accurate arm width since the armhole area is a curve and can vary wildly depending on the shirt’s cut.

Paul Fredrick:

• Armhole: 10”
• Arm: 9”
• Chest: 22.25”
• Waist: 20.25”
• Yolk: 18.5”

Nordstrom Trim Fit:

• Armhole: 10.75”
• Arm: 8”
• Chest: 22.5”
• Waist: 19.75”
• Yolk: 18.25”

Lands’ End Tailored Fit:

• Armhole: 10.5”
• Arm: 9.25”
• Chest: 22.75”
• Waist: 20.75”
• Yolk: 18.75”

Brooks Brothers Extra-Slim Fit:

• Armhole: 9.5”
• Arm: 8”
• Chest: 20.5”
• Waist: 18.75”
• Yolk: 17.75”

(More on that gingham shirt tomorrow.)

For those out there looking to buy their first tuxedo, there are two great options on eBay right now that look really nice.

If you have a wedding in your future or possibly see yourself donning black-tie affair clothing, then don’t rent a tuxedo from the Men’s Warehouse. For the same price you could score either of these and still have money to get them altered at a tailor.

Shawl lapel black tuxedo, 40L — Single vent, one button, satin lapels, wool. Buy it now for $179.

++++

Shawl lapel midnight-blue tuxedo, 38R — Single vent, one button, satin lapels, wool. Buy it now for $199: