Close your eyes. What comes to mind when I say, “handmade mechanical timepiece,” “exacting quality,” and “coveted by collectors, celebrities, explorers and heads of state?” Did your thoughts immediately drift to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania? Maybe they should. While Switzerland is home to the likes of Rolex and Germany to Glashutte, the Steel City is in fact…
Author: OTC
Behind The Scenes: Terra Cotta Warriors at National Geographic
I headed up M Street feeling a bit like an archaeologist being ushered into a dig site long after the locals had cleared out. With the White House a few short blocks away, I strode up to the National Geographic Museum and promptly entered the wrong door. After finding the right entrance, I found myself…
OTC Find: Punto (Machine Washable) Cashmere Socks
New York-based British Apparel recently contacted OTC with the news that, along with its Italian partner Punto, they had developed the world’s first, 12-month, year-round cashmere socks. And, they are machine washable. Would I like to try out a couple of pair? Of course I did; not only because I’ve wanted to check out cashmere…
From The OTC Archives: Bow Ties
Mike T. from Scottsdale Arizona recently asked if OTC has ever written about bow ties. Mike has been sporting them for 30 years and I couldn’t be happier to hear it. As a guy from New England, and an Ivy League college town to boot, I know from bow ties. I have long been a…
J. Peterman’s Mailbag – The Best Bag Ever?
It’s funny how sometimes things just come together. I am a bag guy; I have lots of different bags, from elegant leather briefs to beat-up nylon messengers. One of my all-time favorites is the Counterfeit Mailbag, from the J. Peterman Company. In fact, it’s one of the first bags I ever wrote about and was…
OTC: Behind DC’s Velvet Rope
On Monday Fashion Washington, The Washington Post’s luxury lifestyle magazine hosted a private party to celebrate its one year anniversary. It was also FW’s chance to flex a little fashion and eco star power as it also awarded Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau the honor of being DC’s Most Fashionable. From 7:00-10:00 that evening, the recently…
OTC Recommends: Suunto Elementum
About two months ago OTC was contacted by Suunto, a watch company based in Helsinki, Finland. Suunto is best known as a designer of midrange digital sports watches that border on being wrist computers. Founded in 1936, Suunto has a long and respected history as an innovator in sports timing, especially in the field of…
Timeless Classic: The A-1 Flight Jacket
In this weekend’s edition of the Wall Street Journal, I read a great piece about Norman Rockwell’s famous painting, “Freedom of Speech”. The iconic image, pictured here, represents one of the four “essential freedoms” set forth in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inauguration speech of January 6, 1941. The painting was made in 1943 as part of…
Saks Goes Private….Label
What do you think of when I say “Saks Fifth Avenue”? Exclusivity, style, pricey clothes and perhaps most of all – labels. Saks typically brings you the kinds of label that break the bank: Armani, Boss, Brioni, Brunello Cucinelli, Burberry, Cavalli, Gucci, Maison Martin Margiela, Rag & Bone to name just a few. One of…
Style Guide: Argyle Socks
A couple of months ago, as the weather was heating up, I posted a piece about Smart Turnout’s new line of argyle socks. Although I still think wearing lightly patterned argyle in the summer is a fun, albeit incongruous look, it’s now Autumn and this is truly argyle season. Argyle’s classic design of overlapping diamonds…