7 Of The Most Stylish Men You've (Probably) Never Heard Of

Red carpet events are predictable affairs – and we don’t just mean the tailoring. Browse any major event coverage online and most of the ‘best dressed’ slideshows you click through tend to throw up the same familiar faces: Hollywood actors styled in luxury labels and chart-topping musicians paying their dues to the brand paying their rent.

But what about the men who – although not front-page news – are every bit as fashionable? Here, we introduce seven of the most stylish, and their styling tricks worth tapping:

Alan Ferguson

Alan Ferguson is a music video director whose fame was relatively confined to music circles until late 2014 – when he married Solange Knowles.

After rubbing shoulders with ‘Yoncé at what was arguably the most hipster wedding of all time, Ferguson proved himself a worthy style icon, thanks to his distinctive blend of heritage style and sleek minimalism. A glove-fit two-piece might read traditional, but Ferguson rejigs it slightly – adding in an oatmeal leather trench coat, or in the case of his all-white wedding suit, a pair of gold toecap shoes. Subtle enough to wear, but bold enough to sing.

Anderson .Paak

The understudy of ex-N.W.A member and billionaire headphone peddler Dr. Dre, Anderson .Paak (real name: Brandon Paak Anderson), is a walking, talking example of when the student becomes the master.

Hip-hop’s most exciting rising star is more than just a multi-talented singer-songwriter-instrumentalist. The 30-year-old has a style as distinctive and free-spirited as his original stage name: Breezy Lovejoy (no judging). Part grunge, part hipster, he looks just at home suited up or streetwear-ed out.

Simon Porte Jacquemus

Paris-based designer Jacquemus might be best known for his NSFW fashions, but it’s his knack for reinventing French classics like the Breton stripe that’s earned him his.

As headline-grabbing as his womenswear designs are, though, it’s his personal style that we think deserves some spotlighting. Like his work, this man’s wardrobe is mostly timeless pieces given a remix – jeans and an asymmetric gingham shirt or an unstructured navy suit styled with black Chelsea boots and a red neckerchief. Bon travail.

Eric Rutherford

Eric Rutherford spends most of his time in the buff. But on the odd occasion he does actually get dressed, he’s really quite good at it.

The actor/model/instaceleb has amassed a global following thanks in no small part to his razor sharp wardrobe, most of which involves well-crafted transitional staples. The remainder? Statement pieces that toe the line between trend and novelty, like a bold checked blazer or a bright suit – always masterfully anchored with muted staples.

Matthew Healy

When Matthew ‘Matty’ Healy opens his mouth, it’s not just million-selling No 1 hits that come out. The shaggy-haired frontman of eclectic Brit band The 1975 is more than comfortable engaging in a tête-à-tête on his favourite designers and their latest collections.

As a result, his look is in the vanguard of edgy, vibrant rock ‘n’ roll style, with effortlessly cool, often all-black, outfits comprising Saint Laurent (of course), Dries Van Noten and J.W. Anderson.

Roberto Raro

We can all identify a Pitti peacock, but rarely can we actually name one. Which is why Roberto Raro, in all his suited glory, gives a face to the anonymous gaggle.

As director of several menswear stores in the Middle East, Mr Raro encapsulates the sort of bird that nests in Florence for January; the primary colours, the pinstripes, the razor-sharp tailoring. But despite the excess, Raro still pulls it off with that essential Italian ingredient: sprezzatura.

Vincent Cassel

If Vincent Cassel’s name sounds familiar, it might be because he’s had starring roles in two of the Ocean’s Trilogy films. Or, and perhaps more likely, you still can’t quite get over the fact that it was him, not you, that got to spend four glorious years married to Monica Bellucci.

But Cassel can teach you more than how to woo cinema’s greatest beauties; he knows how to, er, nail smart-casual too. His go-to? A good shirt – a versatile piece he spruces up with a suit in a complementary shade or plays down with a contrasting blazer, relaxed trousers and sneaker-loafers. Parisian insouciance at its best.

Credit: FashionBeans

A Guide to Men’s Hat Styles

Hats are slowly becoming a daily accessory for more and more modern gentlemen, reminding us of a time in America when men wouldn’t leave the house without one.

Men’s hats come in many shapes, sizes and fabrics. So to make it easier for you, we’ve broken down the basic hat styles, offered a little background history, and provided some pointers for adding them to your wardrobe.

The Fedora

A fedora is typically creased lengthwise down the middle of the crown, then “pinched” near the front on both sides. Fedoras have become widely associated with gangsters and Prohibition, which coincided with the height of the hat’s popularity in the 1920s to early 1950s. They were a daily accessory for many American men until JFK, a style icon in his own right, started making public appearances sans-chapeau and started a 40-year trend toward general hatlessness.

A good felt (or straw) fedora has a sturdy but flexible brim that can be “snapped up” or “snapped down” in the front or back, allowing you to mold the brim and achieve the perfect, slightly-askew shape. My favorite are unlined and crushable. Find one in a quality lightweight felt (probably a versatile shade of brown) with a brim that’s roughly 2.5″ wide (depending on the size and shape of your face), then start working on perfecting the subtle side tilt (RIP MJ).

The Homburg

The fedora’s dressier cousin, the homburg, also made primarily of fur felt or straw, is a good choice for a formal business look. It has the same center-creased crown as the fedora (although sometimes not the side pinches), but the brim is stiffer and has an upturned lip all the way around (which usually cannot be molded or “snapped down”).

The Trilby

The trilby has a shorter (thus narrower) brim which is angled down (“snapped down”) at the front and turned up at the back, versus the fedora’s wider brim which is more level and flat. The trilby also has a slightly shorter crown than a typical fedora design.

It reached its zenith of common popularity in the 1960s; the lower head clearance in American automobiles made it impractical to wear a hat with a tall crown while driving. It faded from popularity in the 1970s when any type of men’s headwear went out of fashion. They had a moment of rise with 90’s boy bands and cheesy musicians, but lately they’ve landed closer to being a symbol of nerd culture, especially cheap versions made of synthetic fabrics.

The Porkpie

The porkpie has a narrow brim that is always turned up and a flat top with a circular indent. As fashion writer Glenn O’Brien once joked; “the porkpie hat is the mark of the determined hipster, the kind of cat you might see hanging around a jazz club or a pool hall…it is often worn with a goatee, soul patch, and/or toothpick”. The most famous porkpie in recent television history is worn by Bryan Cranston‘s character Walter White in Breaking Bad when he appears as his alter ego “Heisenberg”, whose persona is largely associated with the hat.

The Panama

The Panama hat is a traditional brimmed straw hat of Ecuadorian origin. Similar in shape to the trilby (down in the front, curled up in the back), but with  proportions more similar to the classic fedora. Traditionally Panama hats were made from the plaited leaves of the Carludovica palmata, a palm-like plant rather than a true palm.

The rarest and most expensive Panama hats can have as many as 1600–2500 weaves per square inch. These hats are known as Montecristis, after the town of Montecristi, where they are produced. The Montecristi Foundation has established a grading system based on a figure called the Montecristi Cuenta, calculated by measuring the horizontal and vertical rows of weave per inch. A “superfino” Panama hat can, according to popular rumor, hold water, and when rolled for storage, pass through a wedding ring.

Although the Panama hat continues to provide a livelihood for thousands of Ecuadorians, fewer than a dozen weavers capable of making the finest “Montecristi superfinos” remain. Production in Ecuador is dwindling, due to economic problems in and competition from Chinese hat producers. Our friend and favorite LA hat maker Nick Fouquet explored the gradual extinction of this cultural tradition during a recent trip to Ecuador, as capture in this video.

The Boater

The boater is a men’s summer formal hat made of stiff sennit straw. It’s characterized by it’s inflexible brim, flat top, and wide grosgrain band (which is often striped, or solid black for traditional summer formal occasions). Similar in formality to the homburg, a boater is correctly worn with a blazer, smart lounge suit, or even with black tie (as seen here by the one and only Dandy Doctor Mr. Andre Churchwell).

The Wide Flat Brim

A cross between a wide-brimmed fedora and a western country hat, the large, stiff, flat brim is the trendiest hat in menswear right now. These heavy beasts are the opposite of the crushable/packable hat. They are stiffened and made to hold their artistically flat shape, no matter what.

The Newsboy

The working man’s cap. Flat caps were very common for North American and European men and boys of all classes during the early 20th century and were almost universal during the 1910s-20s, particularly among the working ‘lower’ classes. A great many photographs of the period show these caps worn not only by newsboys, but by dockworkers, high steel workers, shipwrights, costermongers, farmers, beggars (such as Oliver Twist), bandits, artisans, and tradesmen of many types. This is also well attested in novels and films of this period and just after.

The Driving Cap

The Ivy cap, or flat cap, is similar to the newsboy, only without the floppy 8 panels and the button on top. This style, which traces its history from Southern Italy, Northern England, and parts of Scotland, also wins the awards for the most names. It is also referred to as a cabbie cap, longshoreman’s cap, cloth cap, scally cap, Wigens cap, ivy cap, golf cap, duffer cap, driving cap, bicycle cap, Jeff cap, Steve cap, Irish cap, Paddy cap…in Scotland as a bunnet, in Wales as a Dai cap, and in England and New Zealand, as a cheese-cutter.

Cloths used to make the cap include wool, tweed (most common), and cotton. Less common materials may include leather, linen (as pictured) or corduroy. The inside of the cap is commonly lined for comfort and warmth.

The Baseball Cap

Time to grow out of the snapback with the flat brim and the stickers still on it. It probably wouldn’t be a back look to lose ant heavy sports memorabilia from your casualwear altogether. Think about a baseball cap that is a little more discreet, mature, and versatile – like this simple worn-in cotton cap by our friend Josh Woods.

The Beanie

This one is pretty straight-forward. Wool or cashmere, usually. Keeps head warm, not great for keeping hair in place.

As men, we wear a lot of hats…

So what’s your go-to style? Feel free to share in the comments.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

Credit: Dan Trepanier

The Versatile Burgundy Suit

As for those of you who don't know, I’m a huge fan of the color burgundy. It looks regal, confident, mature and flatters just about any skin tone.

Lately it’s also one of the most popular colors in menswear, so I couldn’t resist putting together a burgundy suit.

It’s more versatile than you might think – here’s three ways to wear it.

1. Formal Event

Burgundy is a terrific color for evening wear. It’s subtle and looks especially regal in a dimly lit room.

It also looks very sleek against black accessories.

2. Date Night

The best outfits, in my opinion, come down to simple pieces in solid colors that compliment each other.

No gimicks, no pattern matching, just the simple use of colors that flatter each other and don’t distract from the subject. Simple, mature, rakish.

3. Office Chic

Trying to be the most dapper guy at the office? The dark burgundy jacket will work with all your other suit trousers – navy, grey, khaki, brown, etc.

Thanks for reading.





Credit: Dan Trepanier

The Best Sneakers to Wear with Suits

The keys to pulling off the suit + sneakers look:

1. The fit of the suit is everything, especially the trousers which should tapered with little-to-no break
2. The suit needs to be unstructured. Shoulder pads with sneakers will have you looking like Jerry Seinfeld.
3. The fabric should be textured and seasonal. This gives the suit an appropriate, leisurely, non-corporate vibe.
4. The right sneakers, or course. Think low-top, no-frills, classics.

We tapped downtown NYC legend, and former backcourt mate, Niko Scott to show us a few kicks that are designed to be well-suited. 

Lanvin Captoe Trainers

The quality of the sneaker goes a long way in keeping up with a good suit.

Vans Authentic Low

If you’re planning to sharpen-up a pair Vans, make it a pair in a unique fabric that is slightly more luxe than the traditional cotton canvas – like these genuine suede versions, for example.

Common Projects Achilles

Readers often ask if Common Projects are worth the $400 price tag. As anyone who has owned a pair will tell you, yes, they are. There’s something about the leather and construction of these – they last incredibly well and actually build a patina over time, similar to pair of benchmade lace-ups.

This pair is more than four years old and have been worn through the worst of NYC winters. The “serial number” is completely rubbed off, but they are still kicking – a fresh shine would probably go a long way as well.

Adidas Stan Smiths

If the $400 price tag is too steep, you really can’t go wrong with low-top classics in all white, like Stan Smiths.

Scoring a rare release (like these “whole-cut unstructured” versions) will elevate the selection for the sneaker connoisseurs, too.

 

Thank you for reading.

Credit: Dan & Niko