Treading | Red Wing Iron Rangers Black Harness
Our love for the craftsmanship by the hand of Red Wing grows deeper with each encounter. Put through the toughest of paces, the Red Wing Iron Ranger’s in Black Harness have the swagger for the meditatively formal and for the outright tough. Part of their Heritage collection, the No. 8114′s are a cap toe boot made of Black Harness leather featuring an even more durable Nitrile cork sole. Channeling the classic with a 6″ ankle, its form is reminiscent of boots built with a nod to sophistication in comparison to its tactically inspired contemporaries. In conditions threatening the worst of outcomes, a light wash restores them to in-rank inspection passing status. Rakish attitudes may ensue. For a list of stockists, head over to Red Wing Heritage. More to come of the Iron Rangers on foreign soil.
Strapped | Horween Leather NATO Straps
Our friends at Gabarro Straps have turned us on to yet another fantastic product. Made of Horween’s renown shell cordovan leather, it is the most handsome addition to a Submariner since, well, ever. Providing the necessary warmth to the classic tool watch is tough, especially if you’re not sporting a 5512, sans gilded hour markers.
Evoking that devil-may care, bound-for-adventure attitude, Horween leather NATO straps classes it up like none other. Providing that measured dose of character, it ages unlike any other similar material and improves with time. Contrary to ordinary leather straps, it darkens and replenishes itself with your own bodies oils. Better still, it is supple and remains so without ever taking on any odor. And to our surprise? It wears as slim, if not thinner than ballistic nylon NATOs.
Although it carries a hefty price tag relative to the short-lived lifespan of ordinary straps, it justifies itself in long-run, only to become something you can call uniquely your own.
Doing It Right | The Redford Shuffle
We don’t often break protocol and bring you a Doing It Right midweek, but when we do it’s because of a moment like this.
Rockin’ Aviators better than General McArthur are few and far between, but Mr. Redford here does it like he penned the book himself. While exiting his chauffeured Buick Electra outside Mary Lasker’s in New York, a fantastic sartorial moment was caught on film. Channeling every bit of “The 3 Days of the Condor” a full year before its production, truly says a lot about the pictured gent.
Study up, most things done right have already been done before.
Workworn | A Shirt to Live In – Homespun
It seems that the good folks at J.Crew have gotten yet another thing right besides their now longstanding In Good Company collaborations and brand relationships. Joining the pack is Canadian newcomer Homespun Knitwear.
Based out of Vancouver, Homespun Knitwear is responsible for the faithful recreation of 1930s undershirts that are sure to take a beating. Having both long sleeve and short sleeve henleys, they are more versatile that one might imagine. Not to mention they are damn comfortable.
Using unbleached yarns and use of ultrasoft Canadian cotton, these shirts are sure too please. Think a James Darmody look without the skullcrushing tendencies. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a pair while you still can – you won’t be sorry.
The Viewing Room | Boardwalk Empire Threads (Pt. 2)
Boardwalk Empire is back with a big shotgun bang right through some gangsters back. We are talkin’ the bespoke threads of Costume Designer John Dunn and Martin Greenfield. Now in it’s Second season, the duo are bringing back TV’s best-dressed Golden Boy in new light, and we bring you the style highlights in all their glory. For more images, read on.
Doing It Right | Sly Like A Fox
Many of us don’t see Sylvester Stallone as the sartorial heavyweight. This pint sized style contender was truly the personification of his most memorable role, an underdog at best in the style arena. And like any underdog, that entails a few big hits but a whole lotta’ misses.
However we find ourselves a tad more forgiving when it comes to Sly, as he was a man that was known to have fun with style – Even if it meant looking like the manager of your local Gold’s Gym in the 80′s at times.
Taken from Life Archives we bring you one of Sly’s TKO’s. Playing the role of the socialite leading man, we see him in a tan double-breasted peak lapel jacket, donning a collar pin, cap toe oxfords and a patterned silk pocket square. While we may not endorse the pinky ring and prop pipe, we appreciate the effort.
So keep on sluggin’, tighten that collar pin and strut on. Do it right. (more…)
A Gentleman’s Primer: BBC’S The Perfect Suit
Kickin’ off your day is BBC’s ever informative primer on the perfect suit. Alistair Sooke takes you down the streets of London, and down Savile Row to have a conversation with Patrick Grant of E. Tautz. While you may feel like dismissing the following as a beginners discussion of suiting and formalware, you are guaranteed to learn a thing or two a gentleman may not have learned in the trenches of menswear.
Approved for bespoke junkies and off-the-peg addicts. Set aside reservations, hunker down, and learn a thing or two. Runtime: 60 Min.
An Unlikely American Classic: The T-Shirt
Seeing as summer has quietly come to an end, we decided to close it with a last minute salute to an unlikely American classic. The T-shirt, while not usually finding itself at the sartorial winners podium, has a fairly young history. We won’t concern ourselves with the uncertainties of said history, such as its first recorded use, an already greatly debated question. We will however concern ourselves with its emergence as an acceptable form of casual garb not limited to the barracks.
After it’s introduction in the Spanish-American war, the T-shirt found itself exclusively used as a form of underwear for soldiers. Through trickle down it became accepted in American society as a way to keep a gentleman from sweating through those old button downs and oxfords. It wasn’t until WWII, that American GI’s on the European war front, observed both civilians and European soldiers using the t-shirt as a form of casual wear.
A GI befriends a young French lady on the French Riviera.
Blacked Out | Gabarro Rally Straps
A NATO strap doesn’t always cut it, and sometimes that brush steel bracelet is just too sporty for the occasion. For all other scenarios there is the humble classic – the leather strap, a mark of understated elegance.
As a consequence of Timex’s successful scrimping efforts achieved by selling you three quarters of a watch (sans steel band) and the demand for more attainable vintage watches (sans factory band), an all around acceptance of non-factory bands materialized. (more…)
Concealed Carry | Filson Field Bag
If you are familiar to TGT, by now you very well know that we are suckers for things that age well and accouterments with awesome hardware. Enter Filson, part deux. Earlier in the year we discussed the absolute perfection of Filson’s oversized version of their own original briefcase, which they unlovingly dubbed the padded computer bag. Well, here is the best companion a DSLR totting, who-is-carrying-the-ammo?, adventure-man can sling.
Dubbed their Medium Field Bag, it has the hallmarks of a well made Filson: heavy canvas twill, leather trim and rugged brass hardware. Its small enough while remaining perfectly functional, but large enough to carry everything but the laptop, for those days that you are feeling neo-luddite. Ranging from hunting friendly to city slicking, the bag is sure to please. Clearly, Filson has another winner.
Our favorite part? How quickly the personal wear sets in and affirms this is undoubtedly your-own. More shots after the jump.
Watching | Miles’s Jazzed Up Navitimer
Brought to our attention by the folks at Hodinkee, some pretty awesome horological knowledge has been imparted upon us regarding the trusty timepiece Miles Davis wore. A lifelong patron of the Breitling aviator’s watch, the Prince of Darkness’s preferred timepiece was a Breitling Navitimer. While sometimes straying to an unidentified watch on a curb-link bracelet (as pictured below), he outfitted his Breitling in a widestrap leather cuff.
Weathered | RRL Straight Leg Raw Denim (Part 2)
The second installment of our denim journey by the hand of RRL Raw denim is at hand. Today we feature the same previously photographed jeans, however after 6 months of continuous wear. Crotch blow out imminent. Given that we plan on wearing these RRLs till they start falling off, we enlisted the support of NY based Denim Therapy for their reinforcement and rehabilitation. In the third installment of our denim journey, we will take a look at the work behind Denim Therapy that has brought its name into the public conscious, at least among individuals who invest serious coin in their jeans. More to come.
Doing It Right | Nicholson’ Dimes
Only Jack Nicholson could do any harm (or good) with a dollar in hand. A light tweed sport coat and a young Angelica Huston can get you in the swankiest of social functions, of course a prize winning grin is half the battle. And to be honest, it was a battle won before it began. Dress fresh, wear a smile and tip well. If you’re on the post recession budget constraint, be gratuitous with your compliments – Nicholson says it best:
“Just let the wardrobe do the talking.”
- Jack Nicholson (2002)
Weathered | RRL Straight Leg Raw Denim
Being the denimheads that we are, we decided to try our luck on a different make of highly regarded denim. Procured from the establishment of Ralph Lauren’s RRL store, the denim at hand is a thicker more supple denim. Made in the good ole’ US of A, in comparison to its French and Japanese cohorts, the selvage denim comes unmercerized and unsanforized. This means the indigo is not painted on the cotton, and that it is not chemically treated to avoid shrinkage. The denim comes in its virgin state with its trademark racing stripe that is only visible with a turned up cuff, indicating its selvage denim DNA.
Time Capsule | The National Motorcycle Race Meet
The National Motorcycle Race was photo documented in the fall of 1955 by veteran photographer George Silk in the Mohave Valley. There, one of the most compelling series of motorcycle Americana imagery was captured, to become part of the Life photo archive.
Today, we dust off the old prints for a glimpse into a day when infinite-cool wore dirt and grime like a bespoken tuxedo. The images contain fantastic examples of 1950s style, with heavy leather jackets, ankle high boots, and navy deck jackets strewn into the mix. The young child on the motorcycle wears one of the baddest looking canvas and shearling jackets I have ever seen. Other interesting touches found below are the Triumph Motorcycle graphics on the grease barrels and the patched on lettering on the team shirts, as modern shirt printing techniques were just being developed. As a whole the look of the day was one of character and edge – a little reminder to modernity that we need to get ourselves dirty every now and again. And to that we say – challenge accepted.
Be sure to follow through to see the full series of images below. (more…)
Kickin’ It | Seavees 5/65s Tennis Shoes
The self proclaimed purveyors of California cool, know how to make one helluva shoe – the Seavees 5/65 Tennis shoes. In all honesty, it’s tough to find a sturdy canvas shoe without looking too juvenile. Sure the Chuck Taylors are a worthy contender of that grungy spot atop the pedestal of care-free mens footwear; but lets be honest, your feet will have more in common with the pimple faced academic trying to ace his SATs, than men of head turning tastes – not to mention just about everyone has owned a pair.
Perpetual Buzz | BaselWorld 2011
As the ticking minds in Basel, Switzerland convene for another day of BASELWORLD 2011, TGT brings you the digested details of the most anticipated trade-show in the watchmaking industry.
The Hublots, Cartiers, and Jaeger LeCoultres are all present, however it is the revelations of a select few that grasp our attention. Those contenders are Rolex, Bell & Ross and Patek Phillipe.
The Viewing Room | Boardwalk Empire Threads
With the unexpected hiatus of Mad Men, it is safe to say Don Draper has taken yet another unexpected leave of absence from the offices of Sterling-Cooper-Draper-Pryce. This said, we maintain that the man on celluloid to be directing the style trends of the year, may well be the second best dressed man on television – Nucky Thompson.
The expertly designed costumes of Scorsese’s hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire, are brought to life by the wiry edge of Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson. As the cast of Mad Men step aside, Nucky takes center with his muscle close behind, or even, dare we say – side by side. Michael Pitt embodies the character of Jimmy Darmody, a troubled Great War vet and tenacious young man enlisted as the muscle of prohibitioner Nucky Thompson. Fueled by his desire for success at all costs, he soon develops the taste for the bespoke suits of his successful contemporaries. In effect, the production has found itself with a late-bloomer of types, for the stylistically savvy duo to direct men’s style trends. (more…)
The Perfect Oxford | Gitman Brothers Oxford
Any man of good sartorial sensibilities knows the frustration of finding the right Oxford shirt. With varying ranges of width and length, and shirts promising a Slim Fit, clothiers do their honest best, while their marketing department promises you a little more. Your search for a trim and fit cut may well be over.
Quite simply put, it is the perfect oxford. The heavy basketweave cotton fabric of Gitman Brothers shirts have the right weight and the right cut to keep you looking good at least twice as long as the average oxford. Employing a significantly more weighty cotton than traditional oxfords, the Gitman Brothers oxford hold those good looking creases and folds that say more about your affinity for pre-war American motorcycles and swiss horological devices, than a notion that you may not own an iron.
Do not expect the traditional tent fit, but expect the equivalent of slipping into the cockpit of a P-40 customized to hug you in all the right places.
Weathered | The Bausch & Lomb Ray Ban Aviators
In 1937, Bausch & Lomb was the first manufacturer to be commissioned to create the aviator style sunglasses. Faced with the need to better equip pilot’s of the modern day against the prolonged exposure of the intense blue and white hues of the sky, Bausch and Lomb was asked to create protective eye-wear for the pilot’s eyes. They had the task of creating a lightweight pair of sunglasses that conformed to the contours of the wearer’s eye sockets, while allowing minimal light to enter during prolonged flight.
Starting out as a medical equipment manufacturer based in Rochester, New York, Bausch & Lomb would soon become the world renown makers of these iconic symbols of aviation and style. After 62 years, the creator of the Ray Ban Aviator G-15 Sunglasses found itself in a position of dwindling sales as the markets tastes shifted to prefer more modern sunglasses. In 1999, Bausch & Lomb was forced to sell Ray Ban to Italian sunglass giant Luxottica.
The Machine, The Design, The Man | Howard Hughes
Few men have garnered the mystery and allure that the greatest aviator of the 20th century possessed. As a man of intrigue, and great sophistication, Howard Hughes was characterized as being one of the most brilliant men of our time while pushing the limits of personal achievement. His accomplishments would mark everything from aerospace to film. (more…)
The Rite | Wolverine Boot Conditioning
It’s an inevitable fact that all leather will eventually dry up and crack. When we put good money into our leather accouterments, it is our responsibility to extend its usefulness in our lifetime. Enter Montana Leather Dressing. This is a unique blend by Montana, made up of pine sap, bees wax and mink oil. If you are looking to weather seal and recondition your leather, there is simply no better way to do it.
Weathered | A.P.C. Denim
Here we have a pair of APCs with some considerable use. As many know, APC alongside a slew of new companies have been offering selvage denim yet again to the the masses. Traditionally, jeans were made of denim produced off of shuttle loom machines, however around the 1950s with the arrival of lower cost production and more efficient technology, the shuttle looms came to be replaced by the modern projectile-style looms. (more…)
