midweSTYLE: Aztec RL

Cam flew off to London today, but he managed to squeeze in a photoshoot in the Kansas City River Market with our main man, Jarred. Layer up, friends. It's finally getting colder in the Midwest.

Styling suggestions:

• If you've got a rather bold, loud or obnoxious sweater, tame it with a (mostly) solid vest.
• If you're considering buying a bold, loud or obnoxious sweater, try it. It'll probably turn into one of favorites.
• See also: Jeff's recent sweater purchases of zebra, tribal and roommate's poncho.

On Cam: Vintage Ralph Lauren aztec sweater from eBay; blue button-down oxford from J.Crew; thrifted down vest (simliar to Patagonia's sling shot vest); leather hoofpick belt (similar via Valet); slim-straight selvedge denim by Wings + Horns; leather Red Wing boots.

Photos by Jarred Donalson.

midweSTYLE: Bridge II

Jeff's post a few weeks ago got me thinking about my own fall uniform. The ensemble that automatically pops into my mind when I get out of bed in the morning. This is what I came up with. It's not necessarily limited to these exact pieces, but they do represent the basic formula. It goes something like this: plaid shirt, shawl-collar cardigan, and a lightweight jacket on top of denim and boots. The variations are endless. Nonetheless, this is perhaps my favorite.

If I could, I would be completely content with only wearing Gitman shirting, for the rest of my life. The fit and details are spot on (their mediums are ideal), and every season seems to improve upon the last. There's a consistently wide array of fabrics and patterns - chambrays, oxfords, tartans. There's something strangely familiar about a Gitman Vintage shirt, like you're ninety-five percent sure you saw your dad wearing the same thing back in '74, but you can't be sure.

This service blazer by Apolis has been my go-to top layer for fall. I was turned on to Apolis a few summers back when they teamed up with Katin to produce some chambray board shorts. From there, my interest in the brand and their philosophy has only increased. If you've got the time, take a moment to read up on their story and check out their new fall arrivals, which happens to include some beautiful Italian-crafted suiting. Truly a brand worth supporting and investing in.

These boots were a gift from my dear friend Travis Craig. And get this, he gave these to me on his birthday. If he ever finds a pair of shoes or boots a size or so too big while thrifting, he grabs them anyway and then tells me hes got something I need to try on. Talk about generosity. It's thoughtful people like him that I aspire to be like and hope to be lucky enough to surround myself with. Thanks again, Trav. You're the man.

A NOTE ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER: When she's not petting stray cats, tweeting in all caps, or rocking a quasi-middle part, Mallory Wiegers is busy working on her undergraduate degree in graphic design at the University of Kansas. She's a longtime friend and compadre. She's also a huge asset to the blog. That header up there - her doing. We're lucky enough to have her input and expertise at our disposal when it comes to all things design. She's currently working on some more projects for the Midwestyle, and considering her 21st was just a few short days ago, I'm sure she'll be reimbursed with pink champagne. Or kittens. Be sure to check her online portfolio and give her a follow on the Twitter machine.

On Cameron: chambray service blazer by Apolis; green plaid button down by Gitman Vintage; grey shawl collar cardigan by J. Crew, slim-straight selvedge denim by Wings + Horns; watch by Timex for J. Crew; vintage tracker boots; vintage belt.

Photography by Mallory Wiegers.

THE GOOD GUYS: Blake in Bucktown

Meet Blake.

Blake loves writing. He loves food. Hence, he writes about food. A talented wordsmith and certified chef, he brilliantly combines the two in his professional life (magazine freelancer) and personal life with a blog called The Paupered Chef.

Blake and I get together for drinks almost weekly at a tucked-away neighborhood bar in Bucktown for the sole purpose of shooting the shit over cheap booze and reveling in the simple pleasures of Chicago. During these breaks from real-life responsibility, we mull over everything from style to food; business plans to literature; success to failure; and, of course, our unfinished ambitions.

But more than anything, Blake is full of thought. He considers everything carefully. And when he speaks, it's not out of impulse. His words carry weight. And that's one of many reasons I'm glad to call him a friend.

A few words about what Blake's got on:

The belt, a distinctive eye-catcher, was a gift from good friend Max Wastler (of All Plaidout). It was in fact Max who introduced us over a quick drink at The Gage.

The bag, a Levenger, a gift from his dad eight years ago. Perfect for carrying plenty of reading material—and Blake's an avid reader. The first few times we ran into each other, he sent me home with a couple of thick books by Fyodor Dostoevsky and Paul Auster. In turn, I loaned him Boss by Mike Royko. (When am I going to get that back, by the way?)

The shoes, hand-sewn in Maine.

"A week before I went on my honeymoon, I knew I wanted these shoes. The folks over at Quoddy were nice enough to rush the shipping ensure my travels would be comfortable and classic," Blake says.

So here's the deal: Over the next few weeks, we'll be teaming up with Blake to produce a tiny cookbook of sorts. There will be four (count 'em) recipes—one for each meal of the day—that will be constrained by situation (e.g. lunch while working from home), budget (e.g. $5, or maybe what you've got in the fridge) and time (e.g. you've got 10 minutes to throw an elegant breakfast together before heading to work.)

This is what you can expect: Beautiful photography, delicious food, and a few practical meals every guy should have in his repertoire. And it'll all be styled.

Check back next Wednesday for the first installment.

On Blake: Slim olive chino by Wings & Horns; blue button-down by Gitman Brothers; summer gingham tie by J.Crew factory; hoof pick leather belt by Hickorees; "New Wayfayer" in tortoise by Rayban; leather satchel by Levenger, given to him by his father.