outerwear 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. […]

Reviews

Playing the Long Game – Real McCoys x The Armoury Leather Jacket Review

January 19, 2023 No Comments

real mccoys the armoury horsehide leather jacket review

It’s no small secret that leather jackets are extremely cool. From the Ramones and James Dean to Indiana Jones and the Fonz, leather jackets have a track record of creating iconic looks both on screen and throughout history. But with all that coolness comes some risk, too – leather jackets are expensive, come in many styles weighted with cultural meaning, and are virtually guaranteed to make a statement, so if you don’t get it right it can become a costly mistake. […]

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

An Ode to Outerwear: a Capsule Collection

November 4, 2019 No Comments

If you ask a menswear guy what the coolest part of his wardrobe is, the answer will usually be one of two things – shoes or outerwear. And it’s not surprising, really; these are the two places where you can really define your style with strong pieces, and where investing in something nice will offer great returns. […]

Notifications

It’s On Sale: Deep Discounts at Brooks Brothers and J. Crew

December 4, 2018 No Comments

Did we just go back in time to Black Friday? Two surprisingly good post-Thanksgiving sales popped up today, from two classic menswear brands. J. Crew is offering 48% off nearly everything in the store, making it a good time to get anything that was missed during the 50% off Black Friday bonanza. Meanwhile, Brooks Brothers […]

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It’s On Sale: the Abercrombie & Fitch Dad Coat

November 18, 2018 No Comments

It’s no secret that the biggest sale week of the year is around the corner (and I’m working on putting together a short list of my favorite discounted products). But although Black Friday is still a week away, the continually increasing competition between online retailers means that these sales are constantly being pushed forward. All […]

Reviews

Product Review: Abercrombie & Fitch ‘Dad Coat’

November 5, 2018 No Comments

If I’m being honest, I’ve always found Abercrombie & Fitch rather off-putting. It goes back to high school, really – back in the early aughts, A&F worked very hard to be a place for the ‘cool kids.’ Since I was definitely not one of those, their stores seemed to project the vibe that I was not allowed to wear their clothing. I’ve done a good job of ignoring them over the years, but after so many people started talking about this coat I decided that I’d have to bite the bullet and take a closer look. […]

Reviews

One Year Later: Private White V.C. Twin Track Jacket

January 31, 2018 5 Comments

Over the past year, the rate at which I purchase new menswear has slowed significantly – in part because I’m trying to save money, but also because I have most of what I need. Because of this, I find myself getting lots of wear out of my favorite pieces. For that reason, I figured it would be a good time to resurrect my “One Year Later” series and highlight some of my favorite items that have aged well and are still available for others to purchase. […]

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. […]

Reviews

Product Review: Private White V.C. Twin Track Jacket

December 20, 2016 12 Comments

I like to think of myself as pretty ahead of the curve when it comes to menswear brands. I go to trade shows, read the right forums and blogs, and try my best to stay on top of what’s what in classic menswear. Even so, sometimes I completely miss something great and am blindsided when I learn about it. Most recently, the brand that caught me off guard was Private White VC. […]