Apr
Wardrobe cleaning sale — As I’m getting ready to move from Chicago to California, I’ve updated my “For Sale” page with several sport coats and winter overcoats. Prices include shipping and whatever I don’t sell in the next week will go off to the donation box. So, if you see something you like, e-mail me.
Apr
To my fellow Chicagoans:
Dockers is coming through Thursday and Friday with a gigantic trailer showcasing their spring alpha khakis.
- There will be complimentary shaves and cuts from Joe’s Barbershop
- The first 50 visitors each day who say “Khaki Rules” get a free pair of Alpha Khakis. And let’s face it, you say crazier things during the course of your day, i.e. “OMQ ______ liked my vine” etc.
- GQ Executive Stylist, Brett Fahlgren will be in attendance Thursday 12pm-2pm to hang and talk about the spring line.
- Thursday 11am – 6pm: Pioneer Court (Michigan ave. between Illinois and the river)
- Friday 12pm-7pm: One Financial Place
Come and hang and get pants. and a shave. and then go to a bar instead of going back to work.
and then go to another bar.
throw out your phone when everyone starts texting you “WHERE R U?”
order cheese fries.
order a shot of vodka.
buy a ticket to california.
and never come back.
Apr
Some brief personal news — I’m excited to announce that I’ll be joining Khaki’s of Carmel in a few weeks. After meeting owner Jim Ockert in person last week along with his team, I was truly impressed with what they’re doing out there and am thrilled to have the opportunity to join them in California.
Apr
Review: Hugh & Crye dress shirts
When I first started trying to rebuild my wardrobe, one of the first things I did was swear off shirts that didn’t come in my exact neck and sleeve size. No more alpha (small, medium, large, etc.) sizing, as I could never find a combination that fit my frame correctly. Over time, I developed a preference for custom, made-to-measure shirts. Going back to ready-to-wear is a tough proposition.
But as I’ve said countless times in dress shirt reviews before, made-to-measure isn’t for everyone. And if you’re fortunate to be able to buy items off the rack that you enjoy and fit well, then you should do it because it’ll save you time and you can often find good deals.
I wanted to provide that personal background so you can understand my experience with Hugh & Crye better. They have the most unique sizing I’ve ever encountered and when they contacted me to review one of their shirts, I had to ask them for help on what “size” shirt to pick from. They were extremely helpful, but I would point out that it helps to know your basic measurements.
Instead of sizing guys by neck and sleeve, they size you by your build (skinny, slim, athletic, broad) and height (short, average, tall). That’s it.
I won’t deny being highly skeptical of the idea, but it actually worked for me. They placed me in the “tall/skinny” fit, which I suppose is an accurate description of body.
I received their Rockefeller shirt that features a spread collar, barrel cuff, placket front and no pocket on a blue and white striped poplin fabric made of 120s Egyptian cotton.
The collar stands pretty well, even after two washes now. I hate collar stays (and the shirt includes removable ones), and I liked the fact the collar managed to stay up well without them under a jacket.
The buttons are plastic, but they are decently thick and don’t feel cheap at all. Along the placket’s end, the bottom buttonhole is horizontal. This allows the shirt to move as your waist expands to have some give without stressing the placket and causing it to pull (probably helpful to those of us who drink too much beer or enjoy pasta).
The shirt’s side seams feature single-needle construction, which is preferred to the double-needle construction you see on cheaper and lower-quality shirts.
The back of the shirt is darted, helping trim and taper the torso’s extra fabric. I’ll admit that I don’t have my MTM shirts darted, but I’ve never minded when ready-to-wear shirts add darts. I feel they only help the shirt fit better.
At the base of the side seams are Hugh & Crye’s signature contrasting gussets, which help prevent the shirt’s seams from splitting from stress. I haven’t seen gussets like this before and thought they looked pretty cool. Thankfully, the contrasting fabric is tastefully complimentary and simple.
The shirt’s construction overall felt well done. Hugh & Crye’s site says they primarily manufacture their shirts in India and source fabrics from Italy. In addition, they have a rather comprehensive disclosure page about their sourcing. I thought this was rather a rather interesting level of transparency, which I hope becomes more common from others.
In regards to the fit of the shirt, I really liked it and their approach to sizing worked for me — a pleasant surprise. Their shirts range from $85 to $125, slightly more expensive than Brooks Brothers, but cheaper than many department store brands.
I would add Hugh & Crye to a very short list of ready-made shirtmakers I’d recommend. Combined with a good variety of classic fabrics and thoughtful construction, they’ve managed to produce a competitively priced shirt.
Apr
WIWT: From Last Week — I wasn’t sure how much I’d like the look of loafers with a suit, but considering the circumstances it wasn’t the end of the world. Helps that they’re horsebits, I think.
Fit details:
- Suit: Proper Suit (review)
- Shirt: Hugh & Crye “Rockefeller” blue & white stripe
- Tie: Vintage J.Press ancient madder
- Pocket Square: Howard Yount
- Glasses: Ray-Ban Aviators
- Belt: Vintage sterling silver slide buckle with black Belt Master strap
- Socks: Lands End over-the-calf charcoal wool
- Shoes: Alden black horsebit loafers
- Bag: Filson 256 briefcase in brown
Apr
My friend edwinzee still has his pair of Run of the Mill (RIP) double-monks and Peal & Co. punched captoe balmorals for sale at quite reasonable prices. If you’re a size 9.5D, then you should go take a look and get in touch with him.
Apr
Review: Gustin Denim
A while back I blogged about Gustin Denim’s Kickstarter project and also mentioned it at Put This On, which came in with the promise to offer $81 raw selvedge denim jeans.
The pitch hit all the right notes: denim fabric sourced in the United States or Japan, made in San Francisco and a price that reflects selling direct to customers versus retail markup.
The Kickstarter was a massive success, but my one hangup on issuing a blanket recommendation about Gustin was that I’d not handled the product myself and I thought sizing could be a bit tricky along with exchanges. I also wondered what Gustin would do post-Kickstarter and how they would continue to offer their jeans to those who wanted them.
Gustin launched their new website this week and they were kind enough to provide me with a pair to examine and photograph for this review.
After having hand’s on with Gustin’s jeans, I’m giving them a recommendation.
One of the first things I noticed about Gustin’s jeans were the back pockets and their unique blue horizontal stitch. At first, I thought this was a decoration, but it turns out that it’s actually there to functionally attach an inner cloth liner to help prevent your back pockets from blowing out and forming holes.
Of course, you can look up a bit higher and see the leather patch. I’m not person who places a lot of value on the leather patch on denim, but it does feel more substantial than one that would appear on a pair of Levi’s. However, it feels thinner than the Tanner Good patch that comes on a pair of 3Sixteens. As someone who wears a belt over the patch anyway, I’m not too hung up on it, but I did appreciate that the patch is darker and subdued rather than outlandish.
The inside of the jeans is pretty standard. The left pocket has a patch sewn on with information about the jean’s fabric, fit, care instructions, etc., and the fly also features a selvedge edge.
What really impressed me, however, were the buttons. I love the buttons on this pair more than any other jeans I’ve worn or seen.
The tops of the buttons feel thick, unlike other pairs where the fly buttons are almost sharp along the edges. The result is a more knob-like feel that buttons smoother and rolls along your fingertips better. It’s hard to explain why I’m obsessed with these buttons, but Gustin sourced unique hardware.
The seam rivets are also interesting. Rather than having tiny studs that stand up and protrude, their rivets are recessed and smoother as you brush over them.
Gustin also uses some subtle stitching details with red thread, placing it along the inside hem, the crotch seam and at the outside opposite the selvedge. It’s a small detail that most won’t ever see, but it’s a nice way to distinguish their pairs from others without going over the top.
Of course, a large selling point of jeans comes down to fit.
I’m a natural 33” waist and typically take a 32” waist in most raw selvedge denim jeans I buy. Gustin didn’t have a 32” available to send me, but did provide me with a pair in size 33”.
If you know your actual measured waist size, I’d recommend definitely sizing down 1” and perhaps consider going down 2” to account for stretching in the denim over time.
Regardless, I felt the jeans offered a good fit that was flattering and looked slightly better than a pair of Levi’s 501s would give you. The seat area of the jeans were comfortable and I felt that going down a size or two would still be pretty good and only slightly tighter. The rise was about where I’d like a pair of jeans to be — not too low, just slightly above a mid-rise.
For those of you who don’t like a straight cut, Gustin is now offering a slim cut. I’d perhaps also consider going with a slim cut if you’d like a smaller leg opening. You can see their size chart here.
In their post-Kickstarter phase, Gustin is now doing something similar on their own website. You can “back” a pair of jeans for pre-order and if enough buyers back a particular fabric, then the jeans begin production. Prices range from the original $81 to $99 — both of which I think are a very fair price for these jeans.
The one thing I cannot comment on yet is how Gustin’s jeans will look over time after many wears and a wash, but that’s a risk you take with any new pair of jeans. What I can say is that I think Gustin is bringing a lot of value and thought into their jeans and if you’re on the fence, then consider trying a pair.
Apr
Review: Mr. Davis Undershirts
If you’re the kind of guy who wears undershirts, then you’ve probably found your T-shirt of choice probably has some kind of problem that you don’t like — but you tolerate anyway.
I like undershirts as they generally keep pit stains from showing up on my dress shirts, but the standard white V-neck does present a few problems for me from a lot of brands.
First, a lot of undershirts are cut too short to tuck in and stay tucked in while under a dress shirt. If you have a longer torso like me, this is a constant frustration. And usually the few “tall” sized shirts you find aren’t often slim enough, typically starting in size “medium”.
Of course, guys who wear white poplin dress shirts know that if you wear a white undershirt underneath, you often have the ghost of the undershirt visible, which looks bad.
This is where Mr. Davis Undershirts come in and they offered me a free sample undershirt to try. I’m extremely resistant to change, especially when it comes to undershirts, but they definitely knock it out of the park in those first two categories I mentioned.
For one, their shirts definitely are long enough to stay tucked in. The hem length is sufficient that bending over the shirt won’t ride up past your belt line.
When it comes to staying invisible under your dress shirt, Mr. Davis shirts also excel at their goal. Here’s what my current white undershirts from Stafford look like under my white dress shirt:
And here’s the same dress shirt with a Mr. Davis Undershirts:
You’ll note in the first photo you can see the end of the short sleeves of the T-shirt as well as the outline of the V-neck, whereas with the Mr. Davis shirts you can’t see any of this. This is because Mr. Davis uses a weird beige-tan color that blends closer to your natural skin tone. I was pretty impressed at how well this worked.
It’s definitely also worth mentioning the fit of the undershirts. The fit is very form-fitting and tapers dramatically along the torso. I’m not a very muscular person, but it was essentially a second skin on me with a size medium (I’m a typical 38” chest in jackets). The fabric does have some stretch to it as it’s a bamboo-spandex mix (96-4),
I’m a bit torn on whether the fabric is for me. For a long time I’ve liked cotton-synthetic blends because it had the softness of cotton but the anti-shrinking properties of the synthetics. Frankly, I’m just not used to wearing something this tight and this stretchy. It took some getting used to when first wearing it, but for those who like this and find it preferable, you’ll like Mr. Davis’ fabric choice.
As far as details go, I liked how they went with a raglan sleeve rather than a set-in sleeve, which gives you greater movement in the arms. And the V-neck area is deep enough to allow for you to leave your top button undone and not worry about the undershirt showing.
If you want to give Mr. Davis a try, then visit their Kickstarter page (as of this writing there’s only 9 days to go), where they’ve already met their initial funding goal and are offering shirts for as low as $15 a shirt when you buy 10 of them. Or you can go more modest and try a single shirt for $25.
Overall, i like the shirt and think Mr. Davis is worth trying if you prefer your undershirts hidden, form fitting and with some stretch.
Mar
Massive 9.5D Shoe Sale!
My friend edwinzee is selling a bunch of his shoes and if you happen to be a 9.5D, then you should check them out. He’s even including shoe trees with them.
All shoes are previously worn. Click on the links for more details about each shoe. Price includes shipping for CONUS. Please e-mail rushzeeman (at) gmail.com for payment details. I’m open to reasonable offers, but please don’t ask for my best price. All sales are final.
Run of the Mill Double Monks (includes cedar shoe trees and box) US 9.5D - $325
Red Wing Heritage Beckman Boots US (includes box) 9.5D - $130
Mar
It’s On Sale: L.B.M. 1911 at Haberdash — Depending on what you buy, you can get around 20-25% off blazers and suits from L.B.M. 1911 at Haberdash right now.
L.B.M. 1911 jackets tend to run a bit short, however, I own two of them and like their fit on me. I actually own a very similar one to the blue cotton double-breasted jacket above. I’ve worn it in the day with white linen-cotton trousers and suede tassels and at night with light-grey tropical wool trousers and black horsebit loafers during the spring months.
Mar
Hi Redditors!
Noticed an influx of traffic today and new followers. I’m literally not doing anything this afternoon, so feel free to ask questions via Tumblr (if you have an account) or email.
Mar
Cff fashion show.
My brother getting in on that #menswear Instagram selfie trend.
But seriously, my brother started dressing stylish long before I did and thinks that even now I dress like an old man (which I’m OK with because I’m now making groaning noises when I bend over to tie my shoelaces).
Mar
Washing raw denim — Been a year since I last soaked these guys. Before and after shots forthcoming once they dry out.
Mar
I wrote about Toshiro Mifune’s relaxed style at Put This On. Reblogging this to also show he has #dadswag.
(via toshiro-mifune)
Mar
Review: Hall & Madden dress shirts
The premise behind Hall & Madden is simple: it’s a dress shirt subscription.
You pick your size, pick your fit and every 3, 4 or 6 months (depending on your plan) they’ll send you three dress shirts in a box for $150.
It’s an intriguing concept, blending the concepts of subscription-clothing startups like Manpacks and Trunk Club and narrowing the focus on just dress shirts. It’s a service targeting its product at guys who desire a well-fitting shirt based on sizing they’re familiar with and sold at a price that’s extremely competitive while maintaining use of high quality construction and fabrics.
Hall & Madden comes from the same gentlemen behind Proper Suit (read my Proper Suit review here) and it surprised me they made the decision to not go down the path of offering MTM shirting. Instead, the founders told me they wanted to branch out away from the customization-only customer and focus this business on guys who just want a well-made shirt that fits them and their budget.
From a business perspective, it certainly makes sense (and I say this as someone whose shirt wardrobe stands at 60% MTM), as a majority of guys probably won’t ever be convinced to invest the time, effort and money on MTM. Measure yourself or a well-fitting shirt, waiting for the shirts to arrive and tinkering with measurements on a test shirt does take a certain level of customer enthusiasm — especially if you jump from company to company.
Hall & Madden seeks the customer who doesn’t want to deal with retailer dressing rooms or having to even make a decision on what color or pattern to purchase. Instead, you get a basic box with three shirts inside every few months.
The box I received had one white herringbone shirt with a cutaway collar, a blue twill with a spread collar and a grey with white pinstripe shirt with a button-down collar — two shirts that can be worn with suits and one that’s more casual for under sweaters or with sport jackets.
In terms of construction quality, Hall & Madden shirts are the best I’ve seen on from any ready-to-wear company at this price point. I don’t know of any other shirt you can buy for $50 that has these features.
Seams are single-needle stitched on the shirt, versus the less-desirable double-needle stitching. I can only think of two other companies that single-needle stitch their shirts that come close to the same price. Lands’ End does it for a few of their shirts (not sure about all of them), but their fit isn’t as good or trim. Brooks Brothers does it, but only on their U.S.-made OCBDs — their foreign-made shirts (which are the majority of style they sell) are all double-needle.
Another detail on the side seams of the shirt that’s worth pointing out are the gusseted ends. Gussets are a piece of fabric sewn on to help prevent seams from tearing or coming apart at the end. I don’t own any other shirts that have this detail — off-the-rack or made-to-measure. Frankly, I’m kind of peeved that this isn’t standard on most of the MTM shirtmakers I’ve used.
For buttons, Hall & Madden uses only thick, mother-of-pearl buttons that feel and look substantial. This is another area that shirtmakers sometimes skimp on (or in the case of MTM, you pay extra for), but it’s standard in this case. In terms of fabric, they use 2-ply, unblended cotton.
I feel the need to also point out that some shirts come with contrasting interior fabric on the cuffs and collar. Thankfully, it’s tastefully done (a solid navy with the blue twill, a tattersall check with the white herringbone) and actually compliments instead of clashes with the shirts.
In terms of fit, Hall & Madden does something clever: they base their three fits off of those from Hugo Boss’ “regular”, “sharp” and “slim” fit shirts. If you own a shirt from Hugo Boss or can get to a store to try one on in the respective fit, then you’ll know exactly how these shirts will fit you (at one-third the price).
As it so happens, my current tuxedo shirt is from the Hugo Boss “slim” fit line — and it was the only tuxedo shirt that I could find that fit slim. Compared against the Hall & Madden shirts, the fit is identical as far as I can tell — but the Hugo Boss shirt is actually double-needle stitched.
Hall & Madden darts the back of their shirts, which tapers the torso toward the waist for a slimmer fit. Also, the shirt’s back is unpleated, which also helps give the shirt additional slimness.
I also like the collars on the shirts — they’re substantial. They’re not trendy short and skinny like a lot of retailers are offering right now, which have a tendency to give most guys terrible-looking collar gap when worn with a suit jacket. The collars stand up well and fall easily under a jacket’s lapels — even when worn without a tie.
I’ve been wearing them for a few months now and they’ve held up well through several washings. While I like a good OCBD, I’ve reached for these shirts when I wanted to go tieless, but not quite as casual as a button-down collar.
For each subsequent box you receive, Hall & Madden tries to include two shirts that will work for wearing at the office — something in blue, something in white, both a bit more conservative — and then a third shirt in a bolder pattern or color — like the purple gingham you see below.
Overall, Hall & Madden is a great value. If your priority is predictable fit, quality construction and an affordable price, then Hall & Madden comes with a recommendation.
If you want to give Hall & Madden a try, then they have a special offer for readers here at The Silentist: After you place your order, email support@hallmadden.com to tell them you read the review here and they’ll include a free white linen pocket square to the first 15 subscribers.
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