2014 Aesthetic Guide
This guide is not a road-map. It is not a satellite in the sky or a tom tom in your ear. It contains no steps or tactics for aesthetic success. This guide is an aesthetic inspiration. It is a northern light, a summer breeze, a roaring ocean.
The Aesthetic Guide for the Dapper Man is meant only to inspire the sartorial sentiments already brewing in the modern man. Here you will find specific items from specific brands that exemplify the nature of a Dapper Man. These items are suggestions, starting points, catalysts for inspiration to enter the new year filled with confidence.
John Ruvin Company Eyewear
'Prescription Eyewear is hip and is finally hitting its stride on the internet. A few friends recognized the need for affordable and stylish Rx eyewear and started JohnRuvin.com. If you are stylish person who also happens to be a little, or a lot blind then you can find community in John Ruvin & Company. Not only do they provide the great eyewear we need they are tirelessly working to engage and participate in the eyewear community. With projects like the Focal Points Project & In Ruvin we can all share our adventures and see clearly at the same time.
You can start seeing again starting at $99 by heading over to JohnRuvin.com.'
SKINNYFATTIES Pop Collection
The trade group representing American tie makers shut down in 2008 due to the decline in purchases and actual usage of neck ties. The death of ties was predicted and yet here we are in the mid 2010’s and it seems that younger men are taking to ties once again. Neckties aren't one-size fits all anymore. Men are starting to understand that not every tie best suits their body type. Sure, skinny ties may be considered on-trend, but this idea of choosing what's appropriate for your body seems to be the new trend in neckties, which is a bit more logical in the long-run. Between you and I, look at history; the 50's, 60's, 70's, etc. Every decade a new tie width is reintroduced as trendy and SKINNYFATTIES is out to change that.
It’s no wonder the success creative, artisan tie companies such as SKINNYFATTIES are beginning to have.
In 2012 Joshua Brueckner of SKINNYFATTIES was out of a job and needed clothes for interviews. With little money, he decided to spruce up his wardrobe by hand. From this experience he developed the idea to turn other people’s fat ties into skinny ties. He works with 5 size reductions ranging from the very hipster 2 inches all the way up to the progressive 3 inches. Nearly 2 years into this creative business Joshua has developed his first line of artisan ties, the Pop Collection. Whether your tie needs a reduction or you want a customized Pop Collection tie you will find the website experience to be just phenomenal.
You can trim your tie down to size for $34 or personalize a brand new tie for just $92 at SKINNYFATTIES.com.
Meisturwerk Machinen MM-01
There are few articles or accessories which we don in our daily lives that is so beloved as the wrist watch and Meisturwerk Machinen does not take the responsibility of wrist wear lightly. With an homage to Military Issued watches from the 1950’s through the 1970’s the MM-01 wrist watch bears the weight of its predecessors into the 21st century.
The design remains simplistic allowing room for an attention to the details that make the watch community squee with delight. The unique brown of the bezel compliments the hand-painted brown in the dial while the black ‘necktie’ style hands, dial accents and perimeter are included in the colorway for maximum readability.
You can collect one of the limited edition of 200 for just under $1000 at the soon to be launched MeisturwerkMachinen.com. In the meantime you can purchase at MilitareWatch.com.
Trio Custom Clothier
I am a confident supporter and big fan of custom clothing. A great alternative to bespoke tailoring is custom clothiers. You can get a pattern fit to your specific measurements at a reasonable price for the comfort. There is no comparison between ready-made clothing and clothes that are tailored to fit your specific measurements. Trio Customs is a clothier in Atlanta, Georgia that recently opened their showroom doors and does custom tailored clothing at your direction and can even fulfill orders online.
You can get custom shirts from $59 and pants from $99 at TrioCustoms.com
Dream Socks
Socks are 6 of one and half dozen of another. There are some great differences between this sock and that sock but once you pass the barrier of too-thin-to-even-be-called-a-sock then the differences begin to taper off. This is directly relating to dress socks. Sport socks, cozy socks stockings are part of another conversation. Once the general irrelevancy of brand is established then there is freedom to focus on pattern and color. One guideline that might hold true in this modern age- stay away from white.
Christian Kimber Footwear
Loafers are the mark of the modern man. Not only do they make a casual affair classy, loafers take a classy event and add a particular elegant flair. No one has the pulse on shoes for the modern man like the young Christian Kimber. Taking his experience on Savile Row to Melbourne Christian Kimber Footwear was born. Now offering Loafers and Chukkas all shoes are made to order, taking 200 hand to hand operations for each pair.
You can slip your feet into comfort for $355 at ChristianKimber.com.
Black Lapel on Hair Products
Hair is not a good listener. It rarely does what you ask and knows just the right buttons to push. Knowing what to do with the mess atop your head can be quite difficult and sifting through the myriad of product at any shop or specialty store hardly seems worth the time or cost. My personal joy in life is to let my curls and waves dance free upon my head. There is a certain artistic sensibility in allowing the world to exist and not attempt to tame it completely. That said, at times I have needed to do some taming. A wedding here or there or a photoshoot for some promotional work and nothing can make the thousands of strands stand still or conform to a decent pattern.
Black Lapel has put together a great article to breakdown the confusion at BlackLapel.com.
Ovadia & Sons
Menswear is such a small market compared to Women’s but don’t say that to Ariel and Shimon of Ovadia & Sons. These brothers aren’t holding back as they move through the world of fashion. They are designers and they are the face of the brand that is ready to take the lead in what’s new in menswear. Recently they had their first Fashion Week appearance and have been featured in Esquire Magazine. From outerwear to footwear to their wide selection of shirts you cannot go wrong.
You can find their latest collection and purchase some new shirts from $175 at OvadiaandSons.com
J.Crew Ludlow Collection
Probably the number 1 company effecting trends in men’s fashion. J.Crew, led by Jenna Lyons with head designer Frank Muytjens has taken a brand and infected an entire nation with their notions of fashion and style. The Ludlow Collection has become a staple of the brands influence and absolute genius. Without pushing boundaries in extreme ways and playing with small bits of style and twisting simple details J.Crew has set themselves apart from other brands while making their sensibilities accessible to everyone.
You can purchase a Ludlow Jacket from $425 at JCrew.com.
Coffee
I love coffee
Behance Dot-Grid Journal
A journal is essential in the creativity of any artist, designer, writer, sculptor, producer or blogger. It allows for the organizing of ideas in a tactile way, to feel and see the idea being born. Plain white paper is great for sketching and grid paper is fine for math problems and intro to architecture but neither hold a candle to the Dot Grid Journal. Many companies produce a dot grid paper now. It's not difficult to do. What is amazing is the genius of the folks at Behance to develop the dot grid for designers.
You can start getting real work done from $17.50 at CreativesOutfitter.com.
Pentel GraphGear 500
The Graph Gear 500 series of mechanical pencils is a great tool for the drafter or designer. I have been using this pencil for the past two years (purchasing it several times after having lost it on occasion). Weighted at the tip with a metal mesh grip and a 4mm tip the Graph Gear 500 is designed for technical and detailed work.
You can find it at Pentel.com for around $7 and in four different sizes (.3mm, .5mm, .7mm, .9mm).
