I have a lifelong appreciation for designs that respect a product’s utilitarian roots. Classic and traditional styles have always done that. In fact, the hallmark of the true preppy aesthetic is the re-purposing of utilitarian items for everyday life: foul weather gear becomes a fashion statement, prep school ties and jackets appear in the office,…
Month: May 2010
Alan Flusser on Your iPhone: The Killer-Look App
For some time I have been alluding to a big project of which OTC is part; well it’s now live and ready to go. I am working with legendary clothier and menswear authority Alan Flusser on an amazing new free iPhone application called BeSpeak. I am BeSpeak’s online and social media brand ambassador. This means…
Vented Interests: Single, Double or None
In fashion, certain cultural indicators are reassuringly obvious. They can clearly say “French,” like a Hermes briefcase, or “American,” like a Louisville Slugger baseball bat. Often, they are immutable, solid and stable examples of permanence in a fast changing global marketplace. However, as the saying goes, the only constant thing in life is change. The…
Review: Style & The Man
I was recently in New York City, meeting with Alan Flusser, with whom I will be working on an exciting and significant project, and was given an advance copy of Style & The Man. The book, which is an updated and trimmed down re-release of the seminal sartorial guide, hit the shelves this week and…
OTC Endorses: BraeVal Apparel
I’m wearing a very unique shirt right now, from a company called BraeVal. It’s not a dress shirt and it’s not really a sport shirt. It has a nice tattersall look to it; big chest pockets to store lots of gear, zip-out underarm vents and a handy secret stash pocket down along the bottom hem….
OTC in NYC
I’m in New York for some meetings on a major project that will be announced shortly. Our team had a nice dinner in the West Village and afterwords we strolled over to the East side. Along the way, we passed by the world famous Strand Bookstore and I had the chance to duck in and…
J. Crew in Georgetown
Last Tuesday evening, the J. Crew Men’s Shop in Georgetown was closed down for a private cocktail party with Frank Muytjens and an invited cross section of Washington D.C.’s style crowd. OTC was happy to be on the list. Frank is the head menswear designer for J. Crew, so if you love the weathered updated…