Tips for Building an Essential Menswear Collection

Building a solid and versatile menswear collection can definitely seem overwhelming. Whether you’ve already begun your collection or are starting from scratch, if you are like me, just thinking about the scope of such an undertaking can lead to confusion, frustration, and a sense of defeat. A little strategizing can go a long way though. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Take Stock. Categorize. Make A Plan. Identify Your Economic Comfort Zone. Be Disciplined. Stay On Point with the Style Values.

Take Stock. This is a great time to go through your closet and identify what you already have on hand. There’s a good chance you’ve forgotten what you own and it is equally likely that you will stumble upon some real gems. There’s absolutely no way to know what you need if you don’t know what you already have. And while you’re at it, make a note of the pieces you haven’t worn at all in the past one, two, three, or more years—we’ve all got clothes like that—and get rid of them. Seriously. If it’s been that long since you’ve pulled something out, you’re not ever going to wear it again. A good closet purging is liberating. More on this topic in the near future.

Categorize. Just like making an outline was the way we were taught to compose a coherent essay or term paper back in the day, the same rule applies for building a menswear collection. Breaking menswear down into its most general components will put your collection in focus and give you a template to fill in with what you already have and what you need. Here are the categories:

- Suits
- Shoes
- Casual Pants
- Shirts
- Sweaters
- Outerwear
- Accessories
- Seasonal Items

As the site goes on I’ll be breaking each of these categories down into their essential elements, complete with looks offering up some of the many possibilities each piece presents. The end result will be a resource and lookbook called The Essential Menswear Collection. My hope is that this will serve as a guide as well as inspiration to those looking for it. Definitely stay tuned.

Make a Plan. This is your menswear to-do list. Decide what you need and/or want the most. If you are just getting started or missing an extremely versatile staple piece—like a three-piece suit, for example—that should go immediately to the top of the list. You’ll get the biggest bang for the buck acquiring the most versatile pieces first. Also, take the season into account. If it’s wintertime, you obviously aren’t going to be looking for shorts. I definitely recommend keeping a living document of your menswear needs and wants. Seeing it in black and white and in an organized fashion is a great way to put it all into focus and suddenly makes everything seem a bit more manageable. If you are already a list maker, you know what I’m talking about. It’s also a good feeling when you get to cross something off the list.

It’s important to balance the aspirational with the practical.

Identify Your Economic Comfort Zone. This is personal and in no way a reflection of you as an individual. Remember, there are quality items at most every price point and more costly does not always equal higher quality. When defining a budget it’s extremely important to balance the practical with the aspirational. This is critical. The good thing about placing a premium on classic and timeless pieces versus chasing the latest trend is that by acquiring these items you are building a wardrobe that will never go out of style instead of one that will be obsolete in a few months.

Be Disciplined. You’ve made a plan, zeroed in on a spending level, and identified what you are willing to budget, so stick to it. A best practice here is to always have an idea of what you would like your next acquisition to be. That way, when you walk in to a store or are shopping online, you are doing it with a purpose. Stay focused and don’t be swayed by a pushy or talented salesperson. Stick to the game plan.

Having said that, always be aware of your list as a whole. Though you may be looking for something specific, keep an eye peeled for other essential pieces that you may find on sale. End of season sales and promotions are great, and if you can find what you are looking for, they make economic sense. Plus, nowadays if something is on sale as part of an end-of-season sale, it will still likely be in season for another month or two.

Stay On Point with the Style Values. This is mostly a reminder. The big ones to pay attention to are quality and fit. The others—versatility, timelessness, and affordability—are pretty well covered with the other tips here. And, of course, as you build your menswear collection, be sure to wear everything with confidence.

How To Change a Watch Band

Watch bands help maximize your watch’s style and versatility.

A classic timepiece is an essential menswear accessory. And if you’ve chosen a versatile wrist watch, there is no better way to maximize its style and versatility by having a few different watch bands to choose from. Changing them out is quick and easy and requires just a small tool and a couple minutes. It’s a small investment that pays big style dividends. Here’s how to do it.

What You Need

Watch pin/spring bar tool. You need a spring bar tool for two purposes: to depress one end of the spring bar and maybe to remove the watch pin from the band if it is wedged in tightly. There are lots of spring bar tools out there. If you search for one, it is actually a little overwhelming. Some are pretty expensive and unnecessarily so, in my opinion. This is the one that I use. It doesn’t cost much at all but feels like quality in my hand. Most importantly, it gets the job done on a daily basis.

Soft cloth. It is best to keep the watch face down when removing and changing the band. This is so if you accidentally slip with the spring bar tool, you end up scratching the back and not the front of the watch. As a result, having a soft surface to place the watch is a good idea to avoid scuffing or scratching the glass over the watch crystal.

Replacement watch band. No comment necessary.

Some people recommend having extra spring bars on hand just in case one goes flying. I have yet to have that happen but if you want to be prepared in case of an emergency, by all means, get some extra spring bars. Just make sure they are the same length as the ones you currently have.

How To Do It

1. Place watch face down on a soft surface.

2. Grab the watch band and, if possible, pinch it slightly to move it away from the lug. This will reveal the flange on the spring bar and give you a little more room to work with the spring bar tool.

3. Using the forked end of the spring bar tool, hook the flange and slide the spring away from the lug. It should come out of the lug easily and release the band.

4. Take the spring bar out of the band you just removed and slide it into the replacement band. I like to do this immediately rather than waiting until I have both sides of the band removed. This keeps me from accidentally losing the spring bar or mixing up which part of the band goes on which side of the watch.

5. With the spring bar in the replacement band, carefully thread one end into the lug. Hold the watch and watch band in place with one hand.

6. Take the spring bar tool, depress the other side of the spring, and move the band toward the lug until the spring snaps in. Give it a quick tug just to make sure it’s fastened properly.

7. Repeat steps 1 through 6 on the other side.

Tailor Shirts: Choosing the Right Color for the Occasion

It is a universally accepted truth that colors – black, white, blue, yellow, pink and so forth – convey a lot of different meanings to various people. So it is important that one must be sensitive enough to realize what he is communicating just by the color of his tailor shirts.

In being invited to a particular event, the main thing to know is what kind of occasion it is. Obviously, if the invite indicates a black and white event, then so be it. It would be a tremendous fashion faux pas to show up wearing anything but.

Another factor to consider in choosing the right color for the occasion is the peculiar customs and traditions of the people. In general, it is not appropriate to wear colorful tailor shirts such as red or yellow to a funeral. Black, grey and sometimes even white custom made suits are acceptable to this somber occasion.

Meanwhile, on the business front, navy blue and grey custom suits seem to be the favorite of the executives especially the more conservative types of them.

However, black fitted suits and black shirts during daytime are not the preferred style of most traditionalists. This dramatic ensemble is better suited for nighttime formal wear.

Aside from being aware of the color appropriateness of tailor shirts in attending a particular event, another important consideration is the skin complexion of the wearer.

Men with very pale complexion would not look attractive in light khaki colored or pastel colored suits. A better option would be grey colored or navy blue fitted suits.

On the other hand, someone with tanned complexion can usually pull off wearing any shades of custom made suits.

Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why sun tanning is so popular amongst the pale colored people.

But to ascertain the best color for one’s complexion, try out tailor shirts in different shades. But two pivotal suit colors are blue and grey because these can be worn in most settings or occasions.

For formal occasions, black as well as white suits seem to be the popular choices. For daytime social events, browns, khakis, beiges, greys and blues dominate the scene.

Meanwhile, for a more dramatic flair, one can opt for burgundy, olive, white, powder blue, beige, and maroon.

Just remember that in the quest for finding the right color of tailor shirts, one’s perfect fit may not necessarily be for everyone.

Light and Versatile Business Travel Packing

How to pack light, versatile, and stylish for business travel.

I’m a fan of keeping it simple. And when it comes to travel, taking a less is more approach in terms of packing really pays off. It’s a skill I have honed by spending nearly 100 days on the road every year for the past 10 years. Packing versatile definitely requires some thought, but that little bit of time invested in planning can save a ton of time (and money) at the airport.

I recently went to Dallas on a three-day business trip. I took one bag that I carried on the plane. Here’s what I packed, along with some tips on how to pack light, versatile, and stylish for business travel.

This Look: Khaki poplin suit by Brooks Brothers (Made to Measure), Blue polo shirt by Billy Reid, Brown silk pocket square with light blue border by Brooks Brothers, Brown suede penny loafers by To Boot New York, Watch with brown leather band by Timex, Brownleather plaque belt by J.Crew, Leather duffle bag by Floto Imports (similar here), Brownleather iPhone case by J.Crew

When packing light, what you wear for the travel portion of the trip plays an even bigger role than what you put in your suitcase or duffle bag. A versatile suit is always a great option. Knowing the climate as well as what types of activities and events you will be attending—meetings, seminars, cocktail parties—should provide all the information you need to choose an appropriate suit. This is important and will be the foundation of each look.

Since it was spring and temperatures were forecast in the 70s, going with a khaki suit was a no-brainer for me. For the flight, I kept it comfortable and casual with a polo, but packed a few other shirt options, accessories, as well as a pair of navy chinos to pair with blazer to break up the suit. But rather than spell everything out, take a look a what I packed in my duffle.

What I Packed

Top Row: Leather duffle bag by Floto Imports (similar here), Khaki poplin suit by Brooks Brothers (Suiting Essentials), Blue polo shirt by Billy Reid, Brown silk pocket square with light blue border by Brooks Brothers

Second Row: Black neoprene computer sleeve by Incase, 13″ Apple MacBook Pro, Orange and camo large accessory bag by Topo Designs, Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle with leather case, Credit card reader by Square, Orange and camo medium accessory bag by Topo Designs, Black New Wayfarer sunglasses by Ray-Ban, Brown leather plaque belt by J.Crew, iPhone 5 by Apple, Brown leather iPhone case by J.Crew, Watch with brown leather band by Timex, Coral silk pocket square by Brooks Brothers, White cotton pocket square with navy border by The Tie Bar, Eye glasses by Bellagio (similar here)

Third Row: Black running shorts by Nike, White sleeveless running shirt, Radar Path sunglasses by Oakley, Black running hat, Navy chinos by J.Crew, Blue micro stripe shirt by Michael Andrews Bespoke (similar here), Blue/purple plaid shirt by Neiman Marcus, Pink stripe shirt by J.Crew (similar here), Navy and coral striped bow tie by Brooks Brothers, Navy silk knit tie by The Tie Bar (similar here), Vintage silver tie bar (similar here), Grey cardiganby American Apparel

Fourth Row: Running shoes by Mizuno, Slippers by Gap (similar here), Trunks by 2xist,Socks by Johnston & Murphy, Dopp kit by Jack Spade, Brown suede penny loafers by To Boot New York

A Few Things of Note

- Items are arranged by how they were packed in my duffle; bottom row went on the bottom of the bag, and so on.

- Always put electronics on top to make getting through security screening a breeze. And don’t bother putting your belt or watch on before heading to the airport—you’ll just have to take them off. Remove that extra step by just placing them on top of everything in your packed duffle bag and putting them on once you are through security.

- I knew I was taking a bit of a risk by choosing to bring just a pair of suede loafers. Any rain at all and I could kiss them goodbye (or look a little less put together wearing the suit with my runners). But with clear skies and no clouds forecast, it was a style risk I was willing to take.

- If you are like me, you travel with all manner of electronics. It’s always good to have a small bag to keep all of your device’s power cords together in one place. I really like thisaccessory bag from Topo Designs. It’s the perfect size and stylish to boot.

- Slippers? Yes, slippers. (To go with the pajamas that aren’t pictured.) At the hotel, whether I’m unwinding at night or grabbing breakfast in the morning, I inevitably find myself needing to go to the lobby for something. For that reason, I always pack slippers, which are a much better option than just socks.

La depilación de las cejas en los hombres

Pensar que la depilación de las cejas es algo reservado a las mujeres es un error. Al igual que la barba, un hombre debe cuidar sus cejas con el fin de no parecer una persona descuidada. Para ello, no se trata de tirarse muchas horas delante de un espejo. Basta con conocer y respetar ciertas reglas.

Al igual que la mujer, la belleza de un hombre está hecha de pequeños detalles. No basta con darse una ducha y ponerse unos jeans para convertirse en un sex symbol. Cuando se es un caballero, se deben evitar los detalles que perjudican la propia imagen, como las manos sucias, las uñas mal cortadas, la piel grasa, o unas cejas demasiado pobladas. Bien visibles en la cara, las cejas pueden convertirse en un problema si no se mantienen con ciertoscuidados. Para desprender la mirada, conviene depilarse siguiendo estas reglas.

La primera regla es la de no pasarse. No conviene llevar unas cejas demasiado finas y muy perfiladas. Suele provocar un efecto demasiado femenino. Con ayuda de una pinza de depilar, se deben retirar los vellos del entrecejo y un poco por encima de los párpados. Con el fin de desprender el espacio entre las cejas, se debe tener cuidado de no ir más allá de las esquinas internas de los ojos.

No retiréis nunca los vellos por encima de las cejas y dejad algunos pelos dispersos para una impresión más natural. Si incluso depiladas las cejas parecen desordenadas, es posible que están demasiado largas. En este caso, se les pasa un cepillo y se corta lo que supere vuestra línea natural.

Finalmente, si el dolor de la depilación os echa para atrás, podéis aplicar un cubito de hielo sobre la zona antes de comenzar. Gracias al efecto anestesiante del frío, no sentiréis nada.

Piazza San Marco

While I would classify just about everything in Venice as must see, one thing you definitely do not want to miss—and actually can’t miss unless you take a serious detour—is Piazza San Marco. It is Venice’s main public square and is absolutely breathtaking. In person it doesn’t even look real, though the pigeons can quickly snap you back to reality. Here’s a look I thought matched the location well that we shot during a fun late afternoon walk aroundprior to a dinner with my friend Roberta from Luxottica.

Having taken a ready for anything approach to packing for Venice, I wanted to make sure I brought along at least one suit. And preferably one that would work in a range of settings from sharp casual to formal depending on what shirt, tie, and shoes combination I paired it with. The obvious choice was my favorite custom blue suit from the Quinntessential Gentleman. Completely versatile and easily made to work in a variety of situations, which is what you want when suitcase space is at a premium.

I mentioned having brought a fairly large assortment of ties—12, to be specific—from my collection so I’d have the ability to chose one based on how I felt in Venice rather than how I felt when I was packing. I liked my rust colored knit for a late afternoon/early evening stroll. And although no event turned out to be black tie, I brought along my black cap toesand slim black bow tie just in case.

This Look: Blue suit by Quinntessential Gentleman Custom (similar) – White french cuff dress shirt by Brooks Brothers – Rust color knit tie by The Tie Bar (similar) – White pocket square by The Tie Bar (similar) – Brown leather plaque belt by J.Crew – Sterling silver cuff links by Tiffany & Co (similar) – Watch with brown leather strap by Timex – Sunglasses by Ray-Ban (Clubmaster) – Brown leather double monk strap shoes by To Boot New York (also try these and these)

Consejos a la hora de llevar una bufanda

Con el fin de llevar con elegancia una bufanda o un fular, hay dos reglas de base que se deben respetar. La primera consiste en combinar la bufanda con otras textura, y con los colores de la ropa. La segunda regla va dirigida a la manera en la que se anuda la bufanda.

Como la moda actual se centra en las bufandas y los fulares, es fundamental llevarlos con un estilo personalizado, no sólo para mantener el cuello caliente, sino para que la cara destaque. Con un turbante, se puede presentar un estilodiferente, sobre todo si este complemento es de color bronce, oro o anaranjado.

También se puede llevar un modelo amplio, dejando caer los picos sobre los hombros, recubriendo totalmente el busto. Un pull de lana, una pequeña cazadora pueden completar el look a la perfección. Para un estilo más étnico, se puede llevar un keffieh oriental.

Por otro lado, el fular se presenta como un complemento camaleón, porque se adapta a todo, y que suele ofrecer un look bohemio, salvaje, con cierto toque romántico. También ofrece un lado glamur, ideal para los amantes de la moda. El fular se combina muy bien con una camisa, unos jeans, y unas botas.

En verano, el fular debe ser de algodón, para un estilo mucho más cool. En otoño, el fular pega mucho con una chaqueta. En invierno, se lleva más largo y más fino, para que pueda anudarse bien alrededor del cuello y dar más calor.

El fular puede llevarse de dos modos diferentes: como una corbata, o enrollado alrededor del cuello y dejando caer los picos por la espalda.