Weathered Basics

Chase in a vintage military t-shirt from Assembly New York

I'm a staunch fashion existentialist; I think people should wear their most beloved, most esoteric pieces out everyday, out and proud. Such an attitude has caused me to constantly collect these odd, oftentimes impractical show pieces, so much so that I now have a wardrobe (or three) bursting with collector's items. But sometimes, it's the very faintly detailed, basic clothing that people feel most comfortable in, and in turn, look the best in. Chase Dillon illustrates.

vintage military t-shirt, Preston and York belt, Endovanera pleated linen trousers, vintage shirt tied around the waist, Dragan Mrdja shoes

He says he likes to keep a long-sleeved button-down tied around his waist to wear as a cover-up on the chillier spring evenings. I can't say I've ever done the shirt-as-jacket look again since the awkward nineties, but I may consider giving this look a chance.

vintage multi-stripe shirt tied around Endovanera pleated linen jean-trousers

another 90s flashback: drawstring hems on pants

at a vintage home goods store in Brooklyn: his white-boy version of my hairdo du jour, the disheveled finger-brushed flip

Chase just joined the menswear blogosphere with his blog The Sweet and Tender Hooligan. He collaborated with photographer friend Ashley Dupree on an impressive editorial of which many bloggers could only dream their outfit posts be of the same production value. Check it out here.

The White Dinner Jacket

Though difficult to keep clean, a little too conspicuous, and very evening, the white dinner jacket is a surprisingly versatile piece to own. I purchased my lightly structured white linen dinner jacket from a vintage store in Amsterdam, and was lucky to have it fit me perfectly; all I had to do was have my tailor hem it to today’s very wearable cropped length.

vintage white linen dinner jacket from Amsterdam, tank top courtesy of Blood is the New Black, J. Crew belt, H&M jeans, Paul Smith pink suede Chelsea boots

I like to wear my dinner jacket with a tank top to look as if I got into a fistfight, lost my shirt, emerged unscathed, but never bothered to pick my shirt off of the floor. But you could wear it with anything from a slouchy t-shirt, to a gingham plaid shirt, to a real tuxedo shirt with a bow tie and tailored pants, and the jacket will lend a distinguished debonair air to your look. I had received this top from Blood is the New Black a while back, and have been wearing it out a lot, despite only blogging about it now. The fit and fabric are superb, and it features a Brian Lichtenberg print that pays tribute to one of my most favorite designers, Martin Margiela.

Nobody embodies the iconic-ness and illustrates the versatility of the white dinner jacket like silver screen legend Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942):

Humphrey Bogart wears it to jam at a piano bar. (photo via Orbemusical)

Humphrey Bogart wears it to sip tea with a lovely lady in a qipao. (photo via Tout Le Cine)

Humphrey Bogart wears it to play an intense game of chess. (photo via Wesleying)

A closer look at my outfit:

Note the light drapiness of the surprisingly wrinkle-resistant white linen.

These Paul Smith pink suede boots were a whimsical, caution-to-the-wind purchase. It was a hot day, and I thought these sherbert-hued shoes would take me well into summer while still letting me have my boot moment.

Paul Smith pink suede Chelsea boots

When the weather gets warm, I like my shoes to look just as refreshing as my frozen snacks.

photos by Pop, Bop, and Snap

The Perfect Swim Shorts

The perfect swim shorts for me are short, fitted, and nondescript enough to let my fictitious gleaming solid gold Rolex or steel Patek Philippe Nautilus and glistening tan do the talking. Onia makes classic, timeless swimwear that tick all my boxes. My favorite is the Calder, the shortest style with the button closure:

Onia Calder swim shorts in red

My top pick would have to be black,

but the beige could also be a viable option. I appreciate the hidden drawstring waist.

in navy

The subtle floral on this pair appeals to my penchant for prints, but are subtle enough to suit my muted summer mood.

Guys who prefer their swimwear significantly more modest than gogo-length would love the Alek, Onia’s updated board shorts.

The Aleks have the shoelace closure you’d find on typical board shorts, but aren’t as long and loose and skirty as the American beach wear favorite.

Onia swim shorts are available online and at Steven Alan, By George, and American Rag.

photos via Onia

Smitten by Britten

I'm not one to gush about every other new designer that debuts a collection. Though I try my best to support emerging designers by finding a piece or two that I like and using this to bring attention to their line in my own way, exceptional talent is still such a rarity. So when a new collection takes my breath away, from turtleneck scarf to the sanded tippy toes on oxford brogues, I will wax lyrical.

From Britten Fall 2011

From Britten is a menswear line by Melbourne-based brothers Tim and Alex Britten. Their Fall 2011 collection was an exploration of classic utilitarian men's clothing---they stripped the iconic men's pieces: the shirt, the trench, the jumpsuit, and cleverly reworked them, the entire time challenging the purpose of each component and imagining ways of how they can be improved. Expertly executed, the result is something fresh and farthest from being gimmicky, with the pieces transcending an array of men of different persuasions. I could see the jackets and shirts looking just as good on my straight-laced clean-cut banker friends as they would on crazy old fashion blogger me. Who knew such great menswear was taking shape way down under?

the transcendental simplicity of a narrow-collar raglan-sleeve white dress shirt

I had the honor of having a conversation with the duo, which I'm delighted to share with you now:

In the lookbook, you narrated the inspiration for the collection by way of an ambiguous short story. Could you tell us in a few words what the collection is about?

The story, I guess is an insight to our process of design... It’s truer than you’d imagine! However, for this collection we took inspiration from the idea of the future from the past. We looked at the futurist work of Umberto Boccioni, and movies like Gattaca and Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, which was fundamental in creating our silhouette for this season. We focused on the industrial and engineering characteristics of these works, which, like the sophisticated styling in Gattaca, has a uniformed cohesion and is clone like. We also referenced the intricate attention to detail, rough gritty textures and strong shapes present in the film Metropolis as a starting point for our fabric combinations. We wanted to subtly capture the essence of the work wear they may have worn in those times, so the fit was a little boxy and slightly oversized.

the smartly boxy Zeppelin blazer

close-up of the collar on the Ludwig shirt and the fabric on the jacket

What is menswear in Australia like? What are men in Australia like?

A very interesting question! Australia is a very active and lifestyle led country. Historically, our menswear has needed to be very practical and our climate and environment dictates this. However, in Melbourne (Home of From Britten P/L) it is very different to the rest of the country. We have a small but strong fashion scene and is the hub for the rest of the country. We’re a multi-cultural place, with a very European influence, and because we’re so far away we’re quite resourceful.

I noticed a lot of bondage in the Fall 2011 collection, but done in a soft way, e.g. bondage straps in soft leather, buckled closures softly knotted instead of fastened through the buckle, or soft leather "belts" built into the sides of trousers. What was the reason behind this sort of gentle restriction?

soft leather straps on the engineer's coat

The use of leather straps was to do with function - in a luxurious way, like beautiful luggage or watch straps - soft yet strong. It was looking at how the protective wear was fastened in those earlier times, like the cobblers apron for example. Then applying that idea to the garments and creating the desired look.

leather straps help tighten the waistband of pleated trousers

In saying that, our aesthetic and approach is “Sans the Superfluous”. What we design and feature in our design is there for a reason. Utility is a fascination of ours and a defining element of menswear. Of course all this philosophy isn’t any good if it doesn’t look good as well! It’s classic with character.

Everything tastes better with ____ on it.

Humour.

The fake turtleneck has been the highlight of many a comedy show holiday joke, but the Britten brothers somehow manage to make their turtleneck scarf worldly and masculine. Here it is under a shirt with a bunched-up high collar.

and here more scarf-like with a shirt with top button undone

On one of the detail shots of the shoes, a piece of the brogues seems to be made of sanded leather. Are you as obsessed with sanded leather as I am?

Yes the boot and brogue is a combination of leather and brushed leather and we do love it! It was perfect for creating that “sooty” look you might find after a day in the old industrial factory. We played with tone and texture, which followed throughout the collection right down to the shoes.

the multi-textural brogues

What is your take on the current workwear/heritage Americana trend?

There are a lot of parallels between Australian and American historical brands that have been around for 80 odd years. Those brands that created functional products to serve a purpose where the emphasis was on quality that would last, because it wasn’t trend or fashion based. It’s “timeless”. The work-wear trend is not so much a ‘trend’ for us, but Utility in our designs and menswear in particular, is always relevant and something we hold as a strong part of our philosophy. What we look at when we design is the history of the piece. Why is there a collar? Why do men button left side over right? Why are there shoulder flaps on the trench? Why do we call it a blazer? We take this “question everything” approach with all our designs. We subtract, add, and playfully adapt the original ideas, whilst respecting the tradition of where things came from. What may be there is just as important and why it is there. So whilst the look is trendy, it’s always around in one way or another, which is testament to those brands, which have been around so long.

hidden details: blueprint-print lining on a seemingly plain gray jacket

Do you read any blogs, and if so, which do you read? How do these blogs play into the whole scheme of your business?

Blogs are an endless resource for all creatives, and us especially when you need that hit of inspiration! The speed in which things happen, it’s imperative to be up to date with what’s going on. We’ve finally taken the plunge and got twitter, once you start it never ends! We constantly refer to The Dandy Project, Continuous Lean, Archival Clothing, and all the usual suspects. Having said that though, there’s still nothing quite like a magazine.

I have a weakness for all things jumpsuit, and this bomber jumpsuit-suit is high, high up on my list.

What do you like to wear?

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue! Maybe a quality watch (or two) and don’t forget the perfect shoe.

photos via From Britten

The Sweatsuit Alternative

I am just as allergic to the word comfy as your average celebrity shoe designer; I think that the best-looking clothes have a little bit of constrictive reining-in here and there. But if I were to don my sharply tailored suit and shiny new oxfords sockless every single day, I'd be a terribly cranky twenty-something with perpetually bloody feet and a bad case of frozen shoulder.

I have my own ways of managing to look at least half-human when I'm stricken with the lazies. They make up my sweatsuit alternative; a term I first heard on darling old Tim Gunn's show. These tips may or may not work for you, but let me share them with you anyway:

1. A good long black coat hides a multitude of sins. Worn closed with black bottoms, the world sees chic all black and not the salad-stained Sugababes t-shirt you wore to bed last night.

cashmere coat with rabbit fur-lined pockets by Assembly New York, Raf Simons x Eastpak weekender

2. Loosen up in luxe fabrics. Precious prints and soft silks don't only feel good to touch, their wonderful drape also makes them look great worn loose.

Dries Van Noten printed cotton linen jacket, Assembly New York silk shirt

3. Non-athletic athletic pants. A lot of designers are now making sport-inspired bottoms cut a little more flatteringly than your regular sweats, but nearly just as comfortable. Y-3 always makes a good pair.

the signature Adidas trefoil on my favorite Y-3 ninja pants

4. Bring out the bijoux. I'm not recommending you wear a long necklace of tiny silver bells on a lazy day (I'd caution you against wearing one, actually. The heaviness and repetitive chiming did give me a baby migraine...) but what I'm trying to say is that a little hint of bling, say, a nice watch or a subtle ring, would help perpetuate the illusion that you took some time to put yourself together and look polished.

belly-dancing belt from a costume store worn as necklace

5. Find your favorite shoes. You may have to go through tons of pairs before you find those that will allow you to walk for miles without fracturing foot bones, but that you'd still consider stylish and smart. But once you find them, I highly recommend buying more than one pair.

white-soled Dr. Martens lace-ups, perfectly broken in

photos by Pop Bop and Snap

How to Age a Barbour

You might recall the gripe I had with my Barbour International jacket: the stiff, heavy fabric, the shiny gold buttons. It was just too new. After a few attempts at accelerating the aging process, some exaggerated and some crafty, I finally got it to a stage where I'm satisfied.

My very own battered Barbour. It still isn't quite as worn as Crangi's, but I think it's patina-d enough to be proudly worn out.

This is what it looked like, new:

my Barbour International, fresh from London

And this is how I aged it:

My first point of attack were the almost orange-gold buttons. I took heed of the advice from an anonymous commenter who suggested a paste of flour and vinegar to tarnish the buttons.

I spread it on thick on all the brass on the jacket, left it on overnight, and peeled the hardened paste off the next day. It did a great job at mellowing the bright brassy hue of the buttons. I also spread some on the badge to dirty up the bright yellow.

I then wore the jacket out as often as I can, and on the days with the most horrid weather. And when nobody was looking, I'd rub my arms or back against a rough gravel post or two. One day after it rained, I found the boldness to take my jacket off in the yard in front of my apartment, drag it along the grass and gravel, and trample on it shamelessly.

After a while, I knew it was time to highlight the patina by re-waxing it:

Barbour Wax Thornproof Dressing, available at Barbour boutiques or at Blackbird

I placed it in my poison pot with about three inches of water and heated it just short of boiling; I didn't want the bubbles to tip the can over and spill all the precious wax.

I then worked the melted wax in with an old tea towel, making sure to rub it in well on the seams. (Note for the future: I might have been better off using a sponge; my white tea towel pilled all over the jacket and the lint took quite a while to clean off.)

the jacket starting to show that sought-after shine

I had to re-heat the wax twice, as it had hardened on me. When I was done with the entire jacket, working in the wax thoroughly to achieve that patina, I used a hair dryer to go over the spots where the wax was laid on too thick or where it had hardened before I had the chance to rub it in. Re-waxing my Barbour took an entire messy afternoon of nearly finger-bleeding towel-scrubbing, but I'm very pleased with the result.

the distressed, shiny look at last!

As a finishing touch, I went over the buttons with a scrub sponge to scratch and matte them up a little bit.

my aged Barbour International jacket

Re-waxing a Barbour is much like waxing a car: it requires attention to detail, lots of elbow work, and usually more wax than you thought you needed. The car emerges looking fresh, almost like it did the day you took it out of the dealership. But the jacket ends up looking like it survived the ten worst London winters... and that's just how I like it.

The Vague H Belt

I'm not one to profess my unwavering adoration for a brand, but I do love Hermès, without shame, without a doubt.

the orange box of deep, deep joy

Much as I love the brand and my classic H-buckle Hermes belt, seeing everyone and their uncle and their local newscaster and their Euro-distasteful friend wearing it is starting to get a little disconcerting. But I saw this belt on my recent trip to Hong Kong, and it changed my feelings about Hermès and their waist-cinchers:

Hermès Etriviere belt in distressed black saddle leather

The "H" is vaguely recognizable, and is even obscured by the leather when the belt is buckled.

the Hermès logo ever so sparsely etched on the underside of the buckle

I've long wanted the Etriviere, but when I saw it rendered in this black saddle leather distressed to reveal undertones of bluish gray, I knew it was the one.

close-up of the leather

The leather is thick and sturdy, and, in the same spirit with which I rationalize purchases of such perceived frivolity, "it will only become more beautiful with age."