In the process of doing a little background to answer a question on my recent J. Press column, I came across this great Time Magazine article from last year. The question was whether Brooks Brothers gets more street cred than J. Press on the Trad front because it is an older company. My response was…
Author: OTC
J. Press: As Classic as You Can Get
This is a true story: Back when he was running for president in 1980, George H. W. Bush (that’s George senior) was giving a speech at his alma mater, Yale University, and being heckled by some students. Someone yelled out that Bush was just another out of touch “Brooks Brothers Republican.” The president, apparently offended…
Going Old School: Manhattan Portage Waxwear
This is the last installment of my Commuter and Dad Bag Test. I have had the chance to examine and test numerous bags from a number of brands spanning a variety of styles. From nylon messenger bags built for urban transport to a classic leather mailbag ready to handle a lifetime of aging. I have…
Rugby.com Expanding Online Presence
According to DNR, Rugby is getting ready to unveil its new e-commerce site. Considered in many ways the future of Polo Ralph Lauren, the company is carefully nurturing the brand’s growth and expansion. The next step for the younger-skewed and lower-priced line, which is sold in 12 company-owned stores around the U.S. (including D.C.’s Georgetown…
Menswear on the Move – Part 2
As we discussed in part one, the New York menswear market is in the midst of renaissance of sorts. But it’s not just luxury brands that are focusing more on the men in their lives; mid market brands are making a statement in the Big Apple too. J.Crew, a favorite everyday brand of Off The…
Time to Hit the Showers – New Grooming Products
I’ve recently been contacted by the marketing folks at a couple of men’s grooming product companies. They were kind enough to send along some of their new products so that OTC could test them out and get back to you with the results. While many of us still scoff at the idea of men’s grooming…
Menswear on the Move – Part 1
Things are going full steam ahead on the menswear front, particularly when it comes to New York City, the capital of fashion retail. High end labels are making serious investments and seem quite bullish on the future of men’s fashion. Locals style icons like Ralph Lauren are putting money on the table with major brick-and-mortar…
A Reasonable Delay
Well, I am very sorry for the delay in recent posts, but I think it’s for a pretty good reason. On Wednesday, July 9, I was starting work on a quick article about a wonderful posting by fellow blogger Easy & Elegant Life. About two sentences into my missive, that was to be titled “An…
Style Guide: The Elusive In-Between
Some while back, my fellow MensFlair columnist Simon Crompton and I traded thoughts on the in-between look; that particular style which falls somewhere in the midst of formal and casual. He commented that Americans probably do this a little better than the English. I retorted that I know more than my share of fellow Americans…
Happy 4th of July!
To all my fellow American readers, I want to wish you a happy Fourth of July! With over 10,000 readers we have come along way and I want to thank all of you for making Off The Cuff a small part of your life. So throw on your favorite pair of Nantucket Reds, worn out…