From Squalor to Baller

In Person: Khaki’s of Carmel Oxford Shirt

During my last visit to Carmel, Jim Ockert was kind enough to give me two items from his quickly expanding private label to test run and review. The first was this oxford cloth button down collar shirt from one of his shirting lines. It is from his more casual and youthful line, which includes these washed oxford cloth shirts in a rainbow of colors. Before trying it on I was slightly hesitant; I have become spoiled with made-to-measure shirts and rarely wear alpha sized (S/M/L) shirts anymore as they often don’t fit my thin build and long arms well. This shirt was marked as a size small but Jim assured me that it was a very wearable and comfortable fit. He was right. 

The shirt is made of a light “spring-weight” oxford cloth from Japan that is surprisingly smooth and more visually interesting than most oxford cloths I’ve come across. This line of shirts is also garment washed so that the fabric is already exceptionally soft and is done shrinking. It is manufactured in New England by the well-known (and aptly named) New England Shirt Company. The garment is well constructed and has many of the standard signs of high quality - split yoke, single needle stitching, and luxurious fabric. 

The collar is a very soft, lightly-lined, unfused button-down; at 2.75” it is slightly shorter than the classic Brooks Brothers collar. For this reason it will not have a “roll” that is so heavily pronounced. This is not a major concern for me but may be a dealbreaker for a select few. It looks great with a knit tie but I generally wear it without. 

At the end of the day, though, the fit is the most important. Fortunately, this shirt fits much better than any other alpha-sized garment I own. Of course, that won’t be the case for everyone but it is certainly true for me. To me, the fit is reminiscent of GANT Rugger’s “Hugger” fit  - slim (but not skinny) through the sides, slightly shorter but still tuck-in-able body length, and trim sleeves. Unlike the Hugger fit, though, this shirt does not have an absurdly small yoke that creates tightness in the shoulders. It is exceptionally comfortable but still slim enough to be flattering. 

Of course, the shirt is not cheap, given the high-end fabric and American construction. However, the price point puts it right in the range of brands like GANT and gives a much higher level of construction and material quality while still offering a youthful cut and a broken in look. Those that are looking for a more traditional office shirt may want to look at Khakis’ other shirting line, which offers high-quality neck-and-sleeve shirts in traditional fabrics and styles. However, if you’re already spending $100 or more on dress shirts and are looking for a great casual option that is also high-quality, I can’t think of anything better than these. It fits me better than most of my MTM shirts and the fabric is wonderful. I’ve worn it every week for the past month and I’m considering getting another. 

Hopefully Jim’s private line will join his online store soon, but in the meantime these are available in several colors at the Khaki’s of Carmel store. If you’d really like to learn more but don’t live in the Bay Area then give Jim’s store a call and he can take care of you.

In Person: Equus Leather Bridle Belts

There is something undeniably wonderful about high quality leather products. High-end fabrics are delightful as well, but there’s just something about the feel, smell, and appearance of great leather goods that is fantastic to experience. My most recent leather goods purchase came in the form of two lovely belts from the folks at Equus Leather, and after wearing them for a week I can say that they’re exactly what I was hoping for.

I have been in need of a couple of good belts for a long time but the purchase was never a priority for me; it’s much easier to walk out the door with a well-fitting jacket and a mediocre belt than to do the reverse. Nonetheless, my day-to-day cheap reconstituted leather belt was looking worse by the hour and I knew that replacing it needed to become a priority. After doing some styleforum research on Equus Leather I decided to place an order (a very informative thread can be found here).

Equus Leather is a small company making leather belts and accessories in rural Northumberland in the UK (just up the road from the shoe mecca of Northampton). All of the products are made to order out of high-quality bridle leather and metal fittings. The ordering process was simple and Charlie Trevor (the company’s owner) was quick to answer my questions and offer suggestions. He is very open to any changes to their products and had no problem discussing and facilitating my request to place the belt holes at 3/4” rather than 1”. The turnaround time was about five weeks, and when the belts arrived they were beautifully wrapped and accompanied by a handwritten note. 

Both of the belts are made entirely by hand from thick bridle leather. The belts are hand-stitched rather than riveted (creating a stronger belt), their edges are beautifully beveled, dyed and burnished, and the buckles are polished to a high shine (satin finishes are available as well). The dark drown belt above is Australian Nut from J&E Sedgwick Leather with a brass buckle. The light brown is Bakers Leather Oak Brown with a nickel buckle. Both are 1 1/4” wide, which I find to be the most versatile width for belts. The Australian Nut belt has a fairly matte finish but a deep solid color. The Oak Brown leather is completely different - it has a mottled, variegated look that shows the natural changes in the leather, almost giving it the look of museum calf. Both belts are very handsome but the depth of the oak brown leather is particularly stunning and the warm nickel buckle is beautiful as well.

 Equus Leather belts start at around $60 (without VAT) and go up depending on material and style choices. There is also a discount code available for styleforum members. It may seem like a lot of  money for a piece that gets so little attention but I find the price to be very fair given the quality of material and construction as well as the degree of customization. Belts are often surprisingly expensive; as a reference point, Allen Edmonds and Brooks Brothers belts start around $100 and will lack the customization and attention to detail that Equus Leather offers (and I highly doubt the quality will be any better). It’s not uncommon for high-end brands to have traditional leather belts for $200 or more. With that perspective, I think Equus Leather is a great deal.

Another company worth mentioning is Narragansett Leathers, which makes American-tanned bridle belts in Maine. Their offerings begin at around $40, which is a fantastic price for the product (Jason is known to be a big fan). I personally found the detailing and finishing to be more appealing at Equus, but I think that either would make a great buy. 

I wear a tie several times per week for my job (although it is by no means required), and for that reason I have been planning on slowly upgrading my small collection of mid-range ties to an equally small collection of high-end ties. I saw an opportunity to do that when menswear newcomer Linkson Jack held a well-publicized sale that included E&G Cappelli neckwear.

I grabbed two staples for about $80 each, which is much more than I would normally spend on ties. However, the classic nature of these models make them surprisingly rare on the secondhand market. Moreover, the young neckwear company is held in high regards by by many; Derek in particular is a well-known advocate of the brand and his knowledge of ties goes far beyond my own. 

The quality of my interactions with Linkson Jack were mixed; the purchase went smoothly enough but shipping took painfully long, well over their 30-day “guarantee” for stock items. I attribute this to growing pains, as I’m sure the sale drew much more traffic than they were expecting. However, it would have been nice to have these ties for my recent business trips and holiday parties, but that was not in the cards.

The grenadine is a three fold garza fina weave; it seems to be rarer than its garza grossa brother but I prefer it as the texture is even more subtle. The pindot is a very deep midnight navy, almost indistinguishable from black. The dark color and subtle printed pattern make it an ideal candidate for suits and business attire. Both are lined with a delightfully elastic (spongy, for non-engineers) wool lining that makes them quickly return to their original shape after un-knotting. The 8 cm (3.15 inch) width is ideal for my frame; it is wide enough to be within the “classic” range but does not overwhelm my narrow body. The slightly shorter 56” length was not a problem for me, although it may be for those that are taller and/or have larger necks.

 I won’t try to turn this into an in-depth review as my knowledge of luxury ties is limited; I’ll leave that to the experts. I will say that these ties are beautiful to look at, easy to knot, and a pleasure to wear.

(also, pindots & grenadine….get it, Zach?!)

Completing the Seven-Shoe Wardrobe: Loake Pimlico Chukka Boots

When I arrived home from my recent trip to New England, I was met with a welcome surprise: a large box from Pediwear containing a pair of Loake Pimlico chukkas. It is not often that I buy “investment items” like shoes brand new, so getting a nice item in its original box is quite exciting for me. 

I have been hunting for an in-between shoe for some time now. I have enough oxfords, loafers, and sneakers for most occasions, but I’ve been looking for a shoe that can go on double duty. I felt that my options were in the category of bluchers, boots, and chukkas, and began a wide search. I ruled out bluchers quickly; I find many of the more affordable options less attractive than their closed-laced counterparts, and, although attractive, the nicer options weren’t in my price range. The same went for boots. There were models that I would love to own, but it was hard to find an affordable option that had the same amount of class (although it is worth noting that Pepe of Meermin fame is preparing a sample balmoral boot that will hopefully be available MTO soon).

I quickly realized that chukka boots were the best way to have a do-everything shoe without dropping a large amount of cash. I’ve been hearing positive things about them for years, but was never that interested as they seemed to lack the sex appeal of sleek, shiny dress shoes. However, I was more than willing to sacrifice that for versatility. I was attracted to the Loake Pimlico because of its slim shape (without being overly so like the C&J equivalent on the 348 last) and accessible price. I spoke with Aliotsy, and he assured me that sizing down a full size was the way to go. He was absolutely right. 

I bought my pair from Pediwear, which worked out well; not only were they able to offer me the most competitive price, but they also included a shoe horn, suede eraser, and inducted me into the “Loake Pediwear Club,” which allows me 15% off all future Loake purchases. Shipping was quick and painless. Although there are those that believe Loake pales in comparison with the other Northampton companies (as they probably do), I believe that a chukka boot does not require a heavy investment like some other styles might. The shoe is well-constructed, made of solid materials, and a pleasure to wear. I’m sure you all will be seeing more of these in the coming months.

Autumn: come at me, bro.

Howard Yount Light gray super 120’s flannel, F/W ‘11. 1 3/4” cuff, fresh from the tailor.

I had been eyeing these guys in HY’s sale section for months - I still don’t know how a nice mid-weight gray flannel pair could outlast every other sale item. Eventually I bit the bullet, and I’m glad I did. The ‘classic slim’ description is accurate; they are roomier than most ‘fancy pants’ we’ve seen in the past year or two, but not nearly enough to be considered baggy. Their 8” leg opening is a classic width that will never be too far from what’s currently en vogue. They have a classic rise to pair with the fit, and give an overall elegant silhouette (one that I think Derek would approve of). It is a different fit than what I usually sport, but one that I’m excited to work into my routine.