TREND: Camo Jacket

Hop on the train of mixing prints, patterns, textures, colors and leathers. It'll probably stop soon, so let's make this trip quick, yeah?

If you've been to any vintage, thrift or resale shops lately, you can tell that camo and military jacket sare making their rounds. This was my favorite summer wear to toss over a tank or light tee. It also enabled me to haul keys, cards, cellphones, wallets, swag and the like around without cramping my shorty shorts.

Now with fall upon us, it's still a great layering piece. Think about subbing this guy in for a cardigan, or pile a down vest on over it. Comb through a thrift store to find one on the cheap, or dole out a few extra bucks at a curated resale shop to save you some time. 

• Pro Tip: If it's short or boxy or baggy, just roll the sleeves to make a hybrid, kimono-like sleeve of sorts and pretend you're chill about it because you're confident. That's what I do with most of my clothes. 'Cuz lanky arms.

On Jeff: Unstructured camo jacket ($3, thrift store) by Ranger; embroidered" University" chinos by Rugby; thrifted duo-tone "Nashua" loafers by Allen Edmonds; long-sleeve tee from Shades of Grey by Micah Cohen; railroad spike cuff by Giles & Brother; thrifted Navajo silver bracelet; "Weekender" watch by Timex; "Preston" glasses in Gimlet Tortoise by Warby Parker.

Photos by Rob Culpepper.

midweSTYLE: Put a bird on it

Go ahead and get your comments out of the way with "Put a bird on it!"

Bring it on.

When I walked into the London store, I saw one of the sales associates wearing this shirt and asked if they had my size is stock.  Bummed that they didn't have my size to try, the guy took the shirt off his back and let me give it a go.

Talk about customer service, people.

The shirt has an interesting story behind it as well:

The Jackdaw print was created by Edwyn Collins, best known for his hit ‘A Girl Like You.' A former member of the band Orange Juice, Collins suffered from a double brain hemorrhage in 2005. As part of his rehabilitation, Collins created these individual illustrations. Having heard his story, Liberty immortalized his illustrations for SS12.

It's rad when brands develop product with a story behind it.

 On Jeff: "Jackdaw" shirt by Barbour, available at Need Supply; green cotton military blazer from Urban Outfitters; scarf from Italy; dirty grey beanie from Target; slim dark navy "Thunder" wash in "Max" fit by Acne, available at Opening Ceremony; beloved Plainsman's tan "Zachary" boots by Walkover Shoes; skinny railroad spike cuff by Giles & Brother; "Weekender" watch by Timex.

Photography by Yewon Kim

midweSTYLE: Oh, Pioneer!

UPDATE (3/5/12): This comment from Some Assembly Required was on point:

"Thumbs up on hats, love them, wear them all the time. For cooler weather, I have wool flat caps in tweed patterns; a couple of Stormy Kromers (made in Michigan) for when it's colder; a "crushable" fedora-style hat like the one above that I got at Orvis (also made in USA); a couple of Panamas for summer to protect my head from the sun; and yes, a couple of ball caps, which I'm most likely to wear while walking the dog. 

One thing though: NEVER WEAR A HAT INDOORS. When you go into a restaurant, your workplace, a movie theater, etc., you need to remove your hat. Not doing so makes you look like what my grandparents used to refer to as a "greenhorn" (a person with no class or manners). A lot of guys, especially younger ones, don't seem to be aware of this, probably because no one ever told them (and because hats, while on the upswing, haven't been as popular as they were in the past). 

So I mention this not to put anyone down, but because I want guys to look dignified and dashing, not clueless and ignorant."

Well said, sir.

We're on a need-to-know basis, and I need to know: What are your thoughts on hats?

I bought this hat over the summer and couldn't figure out a way on how to wear it. Its particular style is unique—probably something a hipster lead singer in a folk band would wear. Guilty.

It's a hybrid between a safari, panama, fedora and a trilby. You tell me, menswear geeks. The tag says Banana Republic Outdoor Safari Collection, so we'll run with that and call it a safari hat. I snagged it for a dollar up in Andersonville one summer's eve. Brown Elephant, y'all. They've got some great digs from time to time.

I decided to play with some different ways you could wear it. All seemed appropriate considering the brim was a bit wider and rather flexible. Perhaps it's a homburg style, as this Art of Manliness article on hat etiquette suggests. Either way, I dig it and have worn it on occasion.  I paired it back to some other textures and styling to give it a folky, pioneer kind of vibe. I mean, you totally love Mumford & Sons. So shut up.

First, are hats actually on the rise? Do you wear one?

• Ballcaps on the weekend?
• Fedoras to brunch?
• Chef hat in the kitchen?
• Newsboy around the office, you writer, you.

Also, can we pause for a minute and vow to not give the guy a hard time if he's wearing a fedora. Fedoras are good in my book. And no, you don't have to mention Jason Mraz* and say I look like him because I'm wearing a fedora every time I'm wearing one, okay? Jerk.

On Jeff: two-button "Harris Tweed" blazer (from Barney's) by A.P.C.; evergreen cross-weave wool pullover sweater (from Nordstrom) by A.P.C.; chambray shirt (from Saks) by rag & bone; slim-leg "Johnny" corduroy pant in Sante Fe courtesy of J Brand; blue suede bucks (from Nordstrom) by 1901; thrifted brown homburg hat (from Brown Elephant) by Banana Republic; "Weekender" watch (with colored band from J.Crew) by Timex; black eyeglasses by Gant Rugger.

Photography by Amy Creyer

Thanks for snapping some quick snaps on a lunch break, Amy!


*(Seth's note: If you are wearing a fedora, you look like Jason Mraz.)

midweSTYLE: West Bottoms, two.

Cam made several great points about thrifting: If you're an avid thrifter, you often time buy something because it's so cheap and it may fit a little sloppy. You know, you slip it on and think of all the ways you could make it perfect but never end up doing it. Even though that $2 blazer almost fit correctly, you still needed to let out the sleeve and take in the waist, but it just sits in your closet. The whole tailoring thing for me, well....I would rather save the time and money when I can and just spend a little more. 

Plus, does anybody have a great tailor? Let us know if you do (anywhere in the Midwest, but especially in KC or Chicagoland.) We'd love to publish a list on the site. We've been receiving a handful of inquiries lately, and we've been slacking on that front.

Furthermore, my two recent purchases were a little impromptu but definitely filled a void in my closet, especially my winter essentials. I needed a tweed blazer and a pair of thick pants for the Chicago winter.

So, while picking up some last minute gifts for my sisters and mother down on the Plaza in Kansas City, I strolled into Standard Style wearing my J.Brand cargo pants and walked out wearing the duck canvas "Reed" pant by Baldwin Denim. Yeah, it happened. I was that guy that wore the clothing out of the store because I loved it so much. So warm and substantial for this not-so-nauseatingly cold Chicago winter we're having that I don't even need to throw on my retired running tights on underneath.

 

And then if the stars align and your step has that pep, you walk into Barney's on day when a sale is happening. My guy at Barney's helped me find exactly what I was looking for that day. "I need a tweed blazer, and I'm don't want to get it it tailored."

Shout out to Riley at Barney's on Rush Street in Chicago for being a boss and knowing what I needed: Harris tweed, two-button, dope fabrication and phenomenal fit. And it was on sale.

Whammy.
Sold.

Extra credit: It was A.P.C., one of my favorite labels. Size small, any season, any pant or shirt, fits like a glove. Gotta love that consistency between seasons with the label. You're a genius and fascinating, Jean Touitou. (See also: WSJ interview, Jean's Rules of Style from Details, Interview Magazine.)

On Jeff: Two-button "Harris Tweed" blazer (Barney's, sale $260 reg. $580) by A.P.C.,; denim shirt (thrifted, $2); Timex weekender watch (Amazon, $20) with colored strap ($10) from J.Crew; the duck canvas "Reed" pant ($158) by Baldwin Denim; chocolate suede "8878" boots by Red Wing; skinny Giles & Brother railroad spike cuff ($50); sterling silver southwest inspired bracelet; deadstock copper bracelet that looks like a Cartier that girls keep on trying to steal from me but I say, "Hell nah, shawty;" black-framed glasses by Gant Rugger.

Shout out to our homeboy, Grant Heinlein, for goofing off with us for a day in Kansas City, photographing us jerks and enjoying some badass BBQ later in the day.