So grateful to be a part of Cloak and Dapper’s VIP social event last night. Great people, great time and incredible vision. Gents, check out www.cloakanddapper.us for quality, everyday essentials made in the U.S.A. Here’s a couple shots from last night.
Today I’m thinking about casual watches. I’ve been eying a number of these to facilitate my resolution this year of dressing casual more often. One brand I keep noticing, whether seeing a friend wearing one or browsing online, is Timex. Yes, you can find Timex at Wal-Mart, but they are killing it in the casual watch department – so much so that J. Crew has started placing them in their stores. I love these watches for several reasons: 1) They look fantastic 2) Interchangeable straps, see below 3) The affordable price point. Do you have a go-to casual watch? Which one below is your favorite?
1. Easy Reader Dk Brown ($65) / 2. Easy Reader Lt Brown ($65) / 3. Unisex Weekender ($37)
4. Red ($37) / 5. Blue ($37) / 6. Orange Stripe ($44.95) / 7. Army ($44.95)
J.Crew Watch Bands
1. Camo ($20) / 2. Brown Leather ($28) / 3. Variety of colors ($20)
Meet Calvin Cearley, founder of Cloak & Dapper – A Gentleman’s General Store.
Cearley isn’t just a purveyor of fine, American-made goods. He personifies the modern American gentleman, insisting (and we agree) it’s more than how you dress. It includes your speech, manners, friendships, and the provisions that fill your home.
The current renaissance in the men’s clothing and fashion industry is, overall, a good thing. Yet the market is getting crowded. The style conscious man can become disoriented and annoyed while searching through the nonsense for quality pieces to fit his lifestyle.
That’s why we’re excited to talk about Cloak & Dapper (www.cloakanddapper.us).
“The American general store was the primary supplier of the local townsmen’s essentials: clothes, grooming, provisions. Cloak & Dapper is reviving the one stop shop – delivering the highest quality goods crafted in the USA while offering a more simplified shopping experience.”
Cloak & Dapper carries a wide selection of clothing – Like Tellason Jeans and Stevedore button-ups. Accessories from whiskey-scented bar soap and shaving goods to sunglasses and shoe laces. You can even pick up whiskey stones or a deck of playing cards. The magical thing about Cloak & Dapper is that they don’t just have a random assortment of clothing for sale. Every item has been expertly selected by Mr. Cearley. It doesn’t matter what you buy, you’ll love it.
Also, Calvin has supplied our readers with 30% off your first purchase (Sale items included)! Click the pics below, find what you like and use the code “brosandcraft30” at check out.
Last week we had a chance to sit down with Calvin for a few minutes and talk a about his personal style and his general store. To learn more about Calvin and Cloak and Dapper, check out the video below.
Here are a few shots from a wedding in Tampa I attended last weekend. The day was overcast so I kept it simple, wearing a navy suit. However, it is spring so I did pep up my look a bit by wearing a sky blue and navy striped shirt with an orange, spotted tie, and a print B&C Cotton Square.
Similar items:
- Kirk
Since work doesn’t allow casual Fridays, I wear a tie instead (hence the title). Today I decided to wear a striped navy tie over a red, white and blue plaid shirt. Everyone has their own style or way of tying ties and what shirts they wear them with. I normally wear striped ties with plain, gingham or plaid shirts and usually use the four-in-hand knot for my tie, keeping the length of the skinny tail the same as the wide tail.
How do you match ties and shirts? What are some different ways you like to tie neckties?
Yesterday we posted a pair of kicks you’ll most likely need for your everyday casual spring look. We do realize that not everyone has escaped the cold yet, so for those of you still bundling up on a daily basis, this is for you.
This is one outfit Clay is wearing to keep warm. Clay currently lives in New York City.
The weather is finally warming up. I’ve got my boardshorts, tank top, and plimsoll sneakers; I’m ready for the beach.
-Zac
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Plimsoll Sneakers – $18 or 2 Pairs for $30
Make sure you’ve got your boat shoes ready to go this spring!
- Clay
Spring is right around the corner for most people. If you live in Florida you know it actually began in December. No, really. On Sunday it was 80 friggin’ degrees in Orlando! That got me thinking about warm weather clothes.
There are two items that I recently acquired and I can already tell I’m going to get a lot of mileage out of them this Spring and Summer – my Vans Authentic sneakers and tapered shorts.
I used to think Vans were just for skaters and punk band rockers, but over the past year or two the brand has shown a casual and even preppy side. I like them because they’re versatile and they come in virtually every color. I picked up the ones in the photo from J.Crew. You’re going to see these a lot this year, guaranteed. If you already own a pair, try adding leather laces to change the look of them!
Tapered shorts. I’ve always been “skinny”. Growing up, other kids made fun of me and called me names like ‘chicken legs’. I always dreaded warm weather because I never liked how I looked in shorts – always two wide in the legs, even if they fit in the waste. Often, I would sweat it out in pants to spare myself the embarrassment. So tapered shorts mean a lot to me! I picked up these at JC Penney and they’re part of Buffalo’s exclusive JCP line. Luckily tapered shorts look great on pretty much anyone.
Tapered Shorts:
1. i Jeans by Buffalo (JC Penney) $35 / 2. Levi’s 508 $54 / 3. Levi’s 508 twill (Via Amazon) $29.99
Vans sneakers:
1. J.Crew $60 / 2. Vans (Zappos – tons of variety!) $45-55, Free Shipping
Leather Laces: J.Crew $6
Gents, unless you live in the mountains or work for yourself, shaving is an everyday task in which we must comply. There are some essentials when it comes to a good shave, and this Tweezerman shaving brush is one of them. I bought one a couple weeks ago and it has made a huge difference. Shaving brushes do many things, but most importantly they spread the shaving cream or lather evenly on your face while helping soften and raise the facial hair evenly. Why is that it important? When the facial hairs are raised evenly, you will not need to press the razor against your skin for a close shave, thus reducing the amount of razor burn.
These brushes can range from $10 all the way to $100, but this particular one falls at $12. It’s 100% Badger hair and a great buy. If you don’t already use one, I would strongly encourage you to try it out.
What kind of product or utensils do you use for a close shave?
- Kirk
A couple weeks ago, I lucked out and found this leather jacket for $8 at a local thrift store in Orlando. For $8, you really can’t go wrong, but this was an exceptional buy for me because of the jacket’s versatility and unique color. There wasn’t a label or name brand attached to the jacket, but I was able to find a couple items online that are similar and on sale. Check it out!
Gents, here is an epic thrift find by Zac. He picked up this vintage Ralph Lauren Cardigan for $6 at a small town thrift store this Winter and it has been making the rest of the brothers jealous ever since!
This style of cardigan became trendy again in the last few years. My favorite thing about it is the versatility. You can dress up in it or go casual (clearly Zac wears it while traveling through the land of Narnia!). These designs are still making appearances on the runway from NYC to Milan. This style won’t be going away any time soon.
Do you own one like it? Is it your style?
Here’s what he’s wearing (similar):
Photo Cred: Kirk Chambers of Brothers and Craft
