suede Archives - From Squalor to Baller

Two Suede Jackets

March 28, 2023 No Comments

Menswear guys like myself will utilize a considerable amount of mental gymnastics to justify our purchases. Most of it revolves around using quality and versatility as a rationalization for dropping a bunch of cash – it will last forever! You can wear it with anything! Just think of how low the cost-per-wear will be! But at some point, when the closet is already fit to burst, this logic breaks down and you simply have to admit the obvious: I want to buy this because I like it. […]

What I Wore

What I Wore: Exploring Santa Fe

February 24, 2023 No Comments

I just got back from another great trip to Santa Fe with my good friend Gus as my tour guide. I’ll have more to share about some local collectors and makers in the coming weeks, but in the meantime wanted to show how my packing list from last week played out. […]

Packing & Travel

Snow in Santa Fe

February 15, 2023 No Comments

Tomorrow my girlfriend and I are heading east to spend a few days in Santa Fe with my good friend Gus. We’ll be hunting for vintage apparel and jewelry, meeting with local artisans and collectors, and will undoubtedly be enjoying some margaritas and hatch chilis along the way. This feels like the ideal time to pull out all my western-inspired gear and go “full yee-haw” for a long weekend. […]

Reviews

The Valstar “Valstarino” – A Comprehensive Overview

October 27, 2022 No Comments

If you close your eyes and say the phrase “leather jacket,” you’ll probably call to mind something like the Schott Perfecto – cool, edgy, a true American icon. But if you’re the kind of guy that spends your free time reading about Neapolitan tailoring or dress shirt collar measurements, you might instead visualize the Valstarino – a softer, sartorial jacket that is more refined than it is rebellious. This article is a deep dive into the latter, and will discuss all the things that make this jacket great, the aspects where it falls short, and how to determine if it’s a good addition to your wardrobe. […]

Editorials

Fall Favorites – 10 Essential Autumn Items

October 22, 2018 No Comments

Five years ago I wrote a series on my favorite pieces from each season. A lot of those items are still near and dear to me, but I thought it would be worth updating things to reflect my current lifestyle and wardrobe. My fall favorites have changed a bit, but many of the concepts are still the same – textured materials, earthy colors, and a bit of protection from inclement weather. Here are my go-to pieces for the cool weather ahead: […]

Editorials

A Closer Look at Stoffa’s Outerwear

April 5, 2017 6 Comments

Leather jackets are intriguing to me, but I’ve never come close to taking the plunge of getting one. I’ve always been unsure if I could “pull it off” – I often see them looking great on others, but haven’t felt ready myself. After all, I’ve heard leather jackets compared to tattoos – either go all in and get something nice and totally own it, or don’t do it at all. With that said, my thoughts on leather jackets (and my interest in owning one) has begun to evolve when Stoffa launched their outerwear collection last year. […]

Editorials, Reviews

Season to Taste

March 9, 2015 1 Comment

I have often used this blog as a platform to complain about San Francisco’s mild weather; it does feel a bit cruel to do that while the rest of the country has had a winter of epic proportions, but it’s true that living in a place that is 65 degrees almost every day can become […]

Editorials

Made in the Suede

November 24, 2014 2 Comments

Although I feel that full-grain calfskin shoes should probably be the cornerstone of a small shoe wardrobe like mine, I can’t seem to keep myself from gravitating towards suede. Some men seem overly concerned that suede is difficult to maintain or is “out of style” for some strange reason, but I have never had an […]

Notifications

It’s Back, and On Sale: Allen Edmonds “Amok” Unlined Chukka

February 19, 2014 No Comments

Some of you may remember the unfortunate tale of the Allen Edmonds Amok; the shoe was hit hard on release due to some construction issues that created a squeak when worn. Allen Edmonds fixed the issue, but the damage was done and the shoes proved hard to sell. Eventually, the shoes moved to the clearance […]

Editorials

Hard & Soft Textures: A Balancing Act

April 1, 2013 No Comments

Over the past couple of years my wardrobe has remained quite small and centered around simple classic items (for reasons that are both fiscal and spatial). As I’ve mentioned in the past, the expansions in my closet usually come in the form of new materials and textures rather than new colors or styles. I find […]