Last week an interesting thing happened. As I headed out the door to catch the Metro and head to the office, I realized that my pants were too short. Way too short. Now, I pay fairly close attention to my wardrobe, as you might guess, and I know that all the pants in my closet…
Author: OTC
Father’s Day Sale – Ashley Ashoff Ties
I am very happy to announce that Ashley Ashoff is offering OTC readers 30% off of her tie and pocket square collections for Father’s Day. Ashley’s beautiful ties and squares are a longtime favorite of OTC. All you have to do is send an e-mail with your order selections to salesinfo@ashleyashoff.com, and mention that you…
OTC Reading List: Monocle
As an avid reader and hardcore information junkie, I’m always on the lookout for the perfect publication; the one which combines news on culture, style, design, architecture, clothing, art, politics, and global affairs. While OTC focuses primarily on the physical side of style and culture – clothing, bags, shoes, ties, watches, etc. – equally if…
OTC For Ivy Style
I recently had the opportunity to be a guest writer over at Ivy Style, a site of encyclopedic scope dedicated to the living history of classic Ivy League style, and lifestyle. That Christian even thought my writing is up to Ivy Style’s considerable standards is enough of an honor. My piece on the legendary Tom…
How Not To Dress Like Your Grandfather
I was recently contacted by a young gentleman in Sweden who asked that I help him with his style of dress. This 25 year-old man is drawn to a very classic clothing; so much so, that his friends felt he dressed like an old man. “You need to dress for your age,” they said. Black,…
OTC Recommends: Maurice de Mauriac Zurich Watches
With the sharp rise of interest in high-end mechanical watches over the past several years, luxury brands like Rolex, IWC Panerai, Omega and Cartier have become interchangeable status objects – with glossy magazine ads, flashy websites and extensive marketing and “ambassador”campaigns to back it all up. Though each is certainly unique on its own, luxury…
Break Out The Ribbon
The weather is finally kicking into summer mode here in the nation’s capitol, and I’m restocking the OTC closet with a more season-appropriate wardrobe. Adding color to the mix is standard fare for most women. The flexibility of layering it on while still maintaining a professional or at least classy level of style is a…
Review: The Man’s Book
After some back-and-forth with a very nice PR rep, it arrived. Here, I thought, we have yet another “guidebook for guys.” After all, men finally seem to be getting their due when it comes to lifestyle guides, how-to books and advice sites (OTC being one of the earlier ones, thanks you very much!). So, when…
China’s Terra Cotta Warriors Make Rare Visit to DC Museum
Living and working in Washington, D.C., definitely has its perks. One day I’m in the elevator with Fox News heavy hitter Chris Wallace and the next day it’s former majority leader and almost-DHHS secretary Tom Daschle. And by the way, Daschle is a very sharp dresser. It’s a pretty cool town. Even cooler though, is…
Summer Argyle
I have always tended to think of argyle as an Autumn thing. To me at least, argyle’s fundamental overlapping diamond motif has a certain heavy warmth which reminds me of bundling up on crisp mornings to walk the dog. Maybe it’s the historic pattern’s Scottish heritage or its current prevalence in sweaters and thick socks,…