sprezzatura | a little bit of rest

Tailored Casual with the Tucked-in Short Sleeve Shirt

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Ethan

If you can’t already tell, I really document my casual outfits. At one end, I typically dress down a suit or blazer with a polo shirt. For the other side of the spectrum, I go full 1990’s inspired, with a faded sweater and some jeans and sneakers. For this article, I decided to delve more into into an outfit that is more “casually tailored”, a term frequented by style bloggers like Dan Trepanier. My version looks toward the cool summer/vacation styles of the 1930s-1950s, where tucked in shortsleeves were all the rage. It’s perfect for summer, since you’re probably looking to leave your long-sleeve shirts at home.

Three DBs, Three Styles

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Ethan

This past weekend, I decided to challenge my self and wear a Double Breasted jacket every day. Most guys don’t like to wear double breasted suits and blazers since they think it’s too old school or it never fits right. Well, I’m here to prove you wrong; the double breasted jacket is awesome and is a definite great addition to your sartorial wardrobe. To add to the fun, I also decided to take the opportunity and craft outfits for three of my favorite styles!

The Armoury for Less: Jake Grantham

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Ethan

We’ve been looking at The Armoury for a long time now, with a majority of my outfits focusing on recreating ones by Dick Carroll. As a result, it has been ivy focused, with repp stripes and oxford shirts. For this article, I’m going to be recreating one of my favorite outfits of all time, worn by one of the first Armourers: Jake Grantham.

A Tailoring Experiment: Pleated Trousers

Posted on August 5, 2016 by Ethan

Now that we can agree that pleats are cool, it’s time to try them out. I noted in my previous article that it is difficult to obtain pleated pants with the necessary details (high rise, slim-straight). So when I was presented with an opportunity to try and tailor down some 1980’s baggy, double pleated pants, I took it. If it worked out, I may have found a way to get pleated pants at an affordable price! If not, I’ll be out a few bucks, but I know it can’t be done. Let’s find out!

Pleats: They’ve Always been Cool

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Ethan

Just look at those pleats, courtesy of Permanent Style. If you show this to any mainstream fashion guy, he’d recoil immediately. Flat-front pants have been the way to go for the past few years. Favoring the clean look, the mainstream #menswear community has renounced all ties to the dreadful 1990s business look. But classic enthusiasts in the community have always favored pleats and have still had them in their trousers without looking terrible! Here, we look at the brief history of pleats and how they have evolved through menswear. Hopefully you’ll agree that pleats are, and always have been, cool.

Dapper Day x LACMA: Jazz and Vintage/Modern Menswear

Posted on July 24, 2016 by Ethan

It’s not everyday that that you get an email inviting you to be a host of an event. Imagine my surprise when Justin Jorgensen, creator and mastermind behind Dapper Day at Disneyland, invited me to be one for their collaboration with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The event revolved around two things: “Jazz at LACMA” (their weekly summer concert) and their latest exhibit, “Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear, 1715-2015”. It was Dapper Day x LACMA.

The Armoury for Less: Blue, Grey, and Brown

Posted on July 14, 2016 by Ethan

Nothing is more classic than the colors of blue, grey, and brown. They are staples that every man should have in his closet, whether they take form as a suit, sportcoat, pants, or even ties! This article recreates an outfit from the Armoury (and Brycelands Co) utilizing these classic colors. The fact that my outfit costs $300 while the other costs $3,000 is an added bonus.

Experimentation: Dressing Down

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Ethan

Usually I’m in some form of #menswear, whether it is a suit or a blazer. However, there are a few days when I’m actually dressed down. I’ve always been a fan of normcore and certain types of streetwear, and I’m always looking for an opportunity to show it off, even if it is a rare occassion. What do you think?

Experimentation: The J. Crew Onitsuka Tiger

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Ethan

I’ll admit that sneakers weren’t always my thing. At first, I looked down upon sneakers as a plebian shoe, only meant for people who couldn’t handle suits and dressy clothes. Then I matured and learned through GQ and MFA that sneakers are actually very versatile and can work with a lot of different outfits. My first real foray into the sneaker world was the Nike killshot. For my second sneaker purchase, I went back to J. Crew and got their Onitsuka Tiger in navy blue suede. At $50 bucks, it’s my new favourite sneaker.