Summer is Almost Here

Slowly summer is making its way to the city. I know I'll hate myself for saying this but I want summer to get here stat! Summer means trips to the beach, roof top parties and lot of more daylight which equals more time to explore too. Recently, I went to check out a new bagel joint that opened in my hood, Bob's Bagel. If you find yourself in Harlem make sure to try these delicious bagels and take some great pics while you're at it.

Photographer: Karina Muñoz

Delicious food always brings a smile to my face.

Shirt and Pants- Descendants of Thieves

This George Frost ID Bracelet is all I needed to go along with this look.

Boat shoes are a summer staple and these from Sebago Litesides collection have been updated to be much lighter!

Because a great t-shirt is also a summer necessity. Mack Weldon has a huge array of great colors.

Scents 101: Tous Man

Spanish brand TOUS reached out and asked if I'd like to try out one of their newest colognes, TOUS Man. They sent it along with a description and I encountered a whole new set of vocabulary I wasn't familiar with. The cologne smells great and I couldn't quite put my finger on the best way to describe the scent to others. So here goes, I did a bit of research and found this handy glossary from In To The Gloss, thanks!

Top Notes: Orange, Grapefruit breeze - Which means, it's the lightest note and the first thing you smell.

Heart Notes: Mint, Guaiac wood - They lie somewhere in the middle of the notes and usually deal with florals

Base Notes: Tonka beans, is from a seed and is very vanillic with a hint of cinnamon. Vetiver, is an essential oil from the roots of tall grass form India but can also be found in Haiti.

In short I would describe this scent as light and fresh. It smells better and better as time time goes by.

Shawl Collar sweater- Banana Republic | Long Sleeve Tee- Mack Weldon

Photographer: Dan Murphy 

Bold High-low Fashion

I saw this banded collar shirt at the Carlos Campos' studio and did not think twice about getting it. This shirt was a bit bolder than what I'm used to but I took that as a challenge to style it my way. I wore it here with a pair of my favorite chinos from the GAP and my black Givenchy lace-ups. With more and more talented men's fashion designers creating amazing pieces that can fit your everyday wardrobe easy combinations like this can be a common place occurrence. This look is a great mix of high-low fashion. When making that higher end purchase make sure you love the piece, don't just get it because it's trendy. You'll see how much easier it will be to show your style know-how when it's time to wear it out.

To the onlooker it might seem I'm going sockless, what they don't see are my Mack Weldon no-show socks.

Photographer- Phillip Van Nostrand

A Cup Of Hot Chocolate

Denim jacket- Denim & Supply | T-shirt Mack Weldon | Jeans- Jacob Davis | Sun Glasses- Classic Specs

Are you still hesitating in wearing denim on denim? Don't over think it. The simple rule to break this rule of denim on denim is for the washes or colors of the denim need to be different. What you don't want is for it to look like you are wearing a denim suit with the washes being identical. And do try out new colors for your t-shirts like this one from Mack Weldon.

Photos: Nick Urteaga

Road Trip: Albuquerque

Due to last minute changes Albuquerque, NM became the next stop and I was OK with that. A friend recommended that hands down I had to get breakfast at Duran Central Pharmacy. Sounds a bit strange, I know, but when you enter the pharmacy just head to the back and a cool little restaurant will be there to serve you some really delicious food. Whatever you get will be a great choice but make sure to ask for a tortilla with butter. So good! After that delicious breakfast we headed to downtown Albuquerque to view the KiMO Theatre which was built in the 1920's. I'm such a fan of deco and southwestern style architecture of this building.

T-shirt Mack Weldon | Shorts- Penfield | Shirt- Burton | Shoes- Aldo

Sunglasses- Shwood | Watch- Timex

The last stop was the Petroglyph National Monument where Native Americans painted on the volcanic stones hundreds of years ago. There was a field of wild flowers right next to them so you know I couldn't pass up that kind of photo op.

Cap- Burton

Caught in the act! Instagraming my Aldo shoes instead of the petroglyph right behind me.

Elements Of A Kick A** Rooftop Party

Summer in NYC means longer days, hotter nights and rooftop parties! After much thought and planning I threw myself a birthday rooftop party last week, because yolo. Thanks to the following key elements the party was a total success!

Location, location, location…
I was able to find an amazing rooftop in SOHO that my dear friends at ASTRSK PR allowed me to use.

Let them eat…donuts!

I reached out to The Awkward Scone and they made their noteworthy birthday donuts and mini donuts. Everyone was raving about how delicious they were and they guiltlessly had more than one. So don't bother getting a birthday cake- that's old news. And don't even get me started on ice cream cakes. Think of the mess, think of your guests!

Mouth watering- Vanilla glazed and black currant glazed mini donuts.

While we're on the subject of delicious treats…

Let me introduce you to Michel Et Augustin, they are new to the states coming from a faraway land known for tasty treats, France. I had to share with my friends my discovery. They're chocolate cookies brought the savory selections to new heights. Their individual packaging made them great for the party. 

Chill out…

It's summer and one of my main concerns were the beverages. I needed something big enough that I knew would keep them cold all throughout the party. Enter, Icemule Coolers. Not your old school metal bucket these Icemules were just the ticket. I had dozens of cans and they all fit and were ice cold all night long. Which meant one less thing for me to worry about.

Photos by Marieli

Eat, drink and play games…

Have you ever heard of the Kooba Game? It was a lot of fun to have some at the party. Everyone was new to it so it was great to have everyone on the same playing field. Guests enjoyed learning together! It's like darts but with sticks. 

The darts or as they call them Aeros have 3 magnets when you throw them to the board they stick!

I had two sets of the Kooba Game because I didn't want there to be a long line. 

What to wear, what to wear…

I knew this was a burning question, haha. I kept it simple with a Mack Weldon t-shirt. Actually, I wore two just in case the temperature dropped. It was in the 60's- I was so comfortable. I got compliments all night long as people gave me hugs. "Your t-shirt is so soft" all night long. I also had some Frameri shades on hand. Needles to say, I was smiling all through the night.

Photographer- Phillip Van Nostrand unless otherwise stated.

Mack Weldon's Next Level T-Shirt

Fashion icons like James Dean and Marlon Brando have shown us how cool we can look when wearing a t-shirt. The masterminds at Mack Weldon have made it their business to take the t-shirt to the next level and so they have. They've added something special to their t-shirts that make it ideal for the hot summer that awaits us- silver. Silver makes their t-shirts antimicrobial and anti-odor, which will be music to your nose when riding on the New York subways when its 97 degrees outside. Now you're ready for summer.

 

Details, Details! The ladder stitch.

photographer: Erika Dickstein at HagueNYC

3-Ways To Wear Monkstraps

Let's talk about the classic and dapper monkstrap. This style is not only for going to work. Here are three different ways to wear them and get the most out of them. These particular monkstraps are very special, you see, these were especially made for me. True story. The Left Shoe Company, is a made to measure shoe company. I had the pleasure of meeting with them and going through the experience. You first put on a yellow and green pair of socks with a grid on them, step on to their special imaging machine and it takes care of the rest. In a few minutes they have all your details and go over what styles are best suited for your feet. I chose the monkstraps and they fit amazingly! With the holidays just around the corner you should put this on your wish list.

What you don't see are the no-show socks from Mack Weldon. Don't be a hero, wear socks.

Sweater- J.Crew | Pants- Club Monaco | Bracelet- Ted Baker

Monk straps are always appropriate for work. Note the floral tie from QP Collections.

Give them a more rugged edge and wear them with jeans.
Shirt- Uniqlo | Vest- Asos | Jeans- Jacob Davis | Watch- Timex

And by all means wear fun socks! Socks- Richer Poorer

photos: Phillip Van Nostrand

Take It Easy- A Loungewear Story

From personal experience the colder it gets outside the more likely I am to stay indoors. While you're at home you might as well be as comfortable as possible and that's where loungewear comes in to play. Every guy is different and there are a slew of choices from robes, to lounge pants and muscle tees. You'll have even more loungewear options when matched with underwear. Check out some different options on how to take it easy at home with the help from Tani, Mack Weldon, MeUndies, Turbull & Asser and more.

Robe- Turnbull & Asser | Boxer briefs- Tani | Necklace- Title Of Work

Tank- Eleven Paris | Lounge pant- Tani 

Muscle shirt- Tani | Briefs- Mack Weldon

T-shirt- Burton | Pajama pants- MeUndies | Bracelet- Title Of Work

T-Shirt- Gents | Cap- Burton | Boxer Briefs- Champion | Sneakers- APL | Bracelet- Title of Work

Photographer- Andrea Willardson
Model- Mason O'Sullivan
Stylist- Alejandro Lopez

Personalmente, cuando el clima se pone mas frió yo tiendo a salir menos de la casa. Si te vas a quedar en casa mejor estar lo mas cómodo posible ahí es cuando piensas en loungewear. Cada chico es diferente y por eso hay tanto para escoger como las batas, pijamas y camisetas. Uno tendrá aun mas opciones cuando lo combinan con ropa interior. Echale un vistazo a estas opciones de como relajarte en la casa con la ayuda de Tani, Mack Weldon, MeUndies, Tunrbull & Asser y muchos mas.

Find Your Tailored Shirt at Marcella

I visited the Marcella store in SoHo to check out their custom tailoring services, in this case a shirt (they also do custom suits). I always thought getting a tailored shirt was complicated and time consuming- not so. At Marcella it was a quick and fun process to choose the fabric, buttons, and even the color of the buttonhole stitching for my custom shirt. I chose a grey grid pattern with dark grey buttons and navy stitching details. Every detail is taken in to account when making the shirt even whether your shoulders slope or not. The price is great and the shirts are ready within 2-3 weeks. If you're in NYC make your way to their store if not check out their site for more details.

The shirt is a slim fit, I didn't want it to be very tight.

The accessories help put it all together like a tie clip from The Tie Bar and belt from Mission Belt.

Of course, I like to add some whimsy whenever I can. That's why I wore these camp socks from Mack Weldon.
Suit by Jack Wills.

Photos by:  Phillip Van Nostrand

FW Street Style

Street style has become an important part of fashion week. I was caught here on my way to one of the shows earlier this week. I was going for an All-American look with the leather jacket, t-shirt and jeans. No fuss- just cool.

Leather Jacket- Original Penguin | T-shirt- Mack Weldon | Jeans- Jacob Davis Denim | Bag- Filson
ph: Richard Gerst

Made In The U.S: Bluer Denim

July has come to an end and so this month's series of Made In The U.S concludes with Bluer Denim. What better way to finish off this celebration of American made products than by featuring a great denim brand which also has devised a way to help those in need, with their Buy One, Give One initiative. When you buy a pair of jeans from Bluer you can use the box your new jeans came in and use it to ship them your lightly used jeans. They'll inspect the jeans and if they qualify they'll send you a discount code of  $5 dollars off your next purchase, sanitize the jeans and donate them to someone in need.

I wore my pair of Bluer denim on a trip to the Natural History Museum in NYC. I kept the look simple and rolled up jeans to show just a bit of my bright blue socks from Mack Weldon and wore the Black Hook bracelet from Giles & Brother. 

Jeans- Bluer Denim | Shirt- Club Monaco | Bracelet- Giles & Brother

Socks- Mack Weldon | Shoes- G.H Bass Bucks