J. Crew Fall 2013: Just One Look

Yesterday Frank Muytjens showed J. Crew's Fall '13 for men, with an update on their classics. There were some colorful knits, solid suiting, and an awesome shiny waxed coat. 

But if I had to pick one look that was my favorite, it was this denim x denim rust colored jacket and jean combo. Not the first time they've shown something like this, but I loved the color, accented with the navy coat and scarf. I think I'd wear it with a colorful tie, for some pop.

Hypebeast has all of the looks here -- it was hard to choose just one favorite, so check them out.

Late Winter Coat Shopping: A Review

Today I was asked to recommend a price-conscious yet cool overcoat... now it's the time of year where anything heavy + wool is on sale. It's also the time of year where I feel you should start looking towards Spring, and picking up a coat that will give you some warmth, but also suitable for rain (and more generous temps).

So with that, here are a few ideas that came to mind... first up, this wool lined trench from Todd Snyder. Black, so it goes with everything, cotton outer so it's not too heavy. And hello, it's Todd Snyder so it's going to be that right mix of rugged sophistication. And it's on sale.

 

Next I had to include the Structured Mac from A.P.C. Every season I ogle this coat for it's slightly rounded shoulders, slightly cropped cuff, and just general great fit. It comes in beige but I far prefer the dark navy.

 

So this next pick is a bit on the heavier side, but for the cross between quality + price, you can't go wrong. The Mayfair Topcoat from J. Crew, produced in a blend of wool and cashmere. Soft, warm, soft, warm... it'll do it all. Here I really loved the Saddle color, and it's on sale for a deal you can't (and shouldn't) miss.

And finally, another lightweight (and rain appropriate) option in the Club Monaco 3 Layer Mac. With a subtle gray herringbone pattern, this coat is super versatile and can go with a suit or jeans. Adam Levine has been turning out great stuff over there, and with the price, it's a great addition to your closet.

Leather Briefcase Options: My Brother's Shopping List

This week my brother asked me for some suggestions on a briefcase. He wanted something that looked nice for work, that was classic and could be used for a while, and that was reasonably priced.

I definitely have my favorites when it comes to leather goods... but in the spirit of meeting his criteria I've come back with what I think are three great options.

1. First up is a favorite brand of mine, Billykirk. Made in the U.S., they do great collections each season and are gaining quite a following. I really liked the simplicity of the Billykirk Schoolboy Satchel that I found on Bonobos, definitely a classic look.

2. I went to my go-to retailer's website to see what they had. While there were some bags that I loved, they weren't all suited for my brother. But this Marc by Marc Jacobs bag caught my eye. I liked the various textures of the leather, the front pocket, and the simple clasp. Available at Barney's.

3. Next I went to J. Crew, because I know they not only have a well edited men's mix, at a great price, but they also bring in other brands to round out their offerings. In this case, their own Montague Leather Satchel seemed like a nice fit for my brother.

Some good options to be sure, and hopefully one of them will soon be in my brother's hand!

Timex Weekender Watch: Things I Have

For the past two years my go-to casual watch was a bright yellow Nixon. I loved it + got a lot of compliments... but it was starting to feel stale and I needed a change!

So the last time I wore the Nixon, someone complimented me on it and I gifted it to them. Which meant I needed a new watch! Timex has been doing some really fun stuff (starting with their inclusion at J Crew stores) and the price point is definitely right.

The Weekender was featured on Por Homme (a favorite site of mine) and I snatched one up.

When I went to the Timex site, they were offering 20% off... hurry up!

Things I Want: Doppelganger edition!

The label Unis just released their S/S 2010 Lookbook and I immediately thought two things: first, the model on the bicycle looks like me, in an outfit I would wear, and with something similar to my glasses; second, does it start to become difficult to differentiate between Unis and Company of We and J. Crew?

Either way, I dig the canvas jacket, which seems like a great length for Spring days or Summer evenings. And I am still searching for some new shorts, and like the look (and length) of the ones pictured here.

Go to Hypebeast and check out the rest of their post, including more photos: http://hypebeast.com/2010/05/unis-2010-springsummer-lookbook/.

Ride on my friend, ride on!

Things I Want: The J Crew Catalog

I was recently in J Crew and found some great items in their Men's shop. Some of it seemed a little premature (given it is officially winter) but I was assured that it was part of the Resort collection and not officially S/S 10.

That said, I am tempted to pick these three items up right now!

First is this awesome madras shirt. I love the blend of colors -- it is not as pastel focused and soft as most madras, and could actually be good for winter (in a warmer climate).

Next is this gingham shirt (I kept referring to it as the windowpane shirt). They have this shirt in a smaller gingham pattern as well, but I really liked the large squares and how that scale looked. No surprise that I gravitated towards the blue version, I have a terrible addiction to that color.

Third item... seersucker shorts! I've long been a fan of seersucker (and would one day love to own a suit) and so these looked so great for spring.

Now what you should do is go to the J Crew Men's store online and do a little research (http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Navigation/Men.jsp) and then head in-store! Enjoy!

Things I Love: J. Crew

Let me tell you, J. Crew is doing everything right. And their sales numbers prove it! With Mickey Drexler at the helm (and the amaaaaazing Jenna Lyons overseeing Women's) they are rockin' + rollin'.

I love the infusion of collaborated items (Field Notes notebooks, Timex vintage watches). I love the "Jenna's Picks" or "Jack Knows Best" to give some editing and context to a seasonal collection.

This holiday I bought my boyfriend a cashmere sweater from J. Crew... I had done some research and looked around, and I felt that for the price, quality, and cut it was the best deal out there. It looks (and feels) great!

But don't just take my word for it... go check out one of their stores for yourself. Or until you can get there, look at their website: www.jcrew.com

Enjoy!

Things I Have: Watch by Timex

I was leaving for holidays in France and needed a new watch. Well it's not so much that I needed a new one as my other three needed batteries. And I was really in the mood for something simple and cheap and classic.

So I ventured to Target and picked up this Timex for under $30. I know, right? It's a great find -- easy to pair with my outfit, large numerals making it easy to read the time, shows me the date and the face even lights up!

Now, I definitely want to get my other watches fixed... options, options you know. But after seeing J. Crew's recent inclusion of Timex pieces in their men's shops, I was inspired and am very satisfied with my purchase.

If you want to get one of your own, you can find it at Target: Timex Watch