Award winning designer Michael Bastian recently joined forces with eye wear maker Randolph Engineering, provider of classic aviator specs to the U.S. military, to give a fresh take on classic sunglasses. The 2011 CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year and head of design at Gant by Michael Bastian, reinterpreted five of Randolph Engineering’s classic frames. …
From billfolds to pocket secretaries to slim card cases, a wallet is one of the most personal items a man carries. In addition to credit cards and cash, IDs and licenses, your wallet is often home to those personal scraps of memory and nostalgia unique to you. Unlike your bag, your shoes or even the…
Do you remember the 1990s? It was a decade of change; serious social and sartorial paradigm shifting – to use a very ‘90s term. Back then, the rules which governed the very concept of business attire and professional decorum were being tossed out the window wholesale. Prior to the dot-com revolution, suits were de rigueur…
When you hear “Washington, DC lobbyist,” this is, perhaps, not the face that comes to mind. KR is an old friend of mine, a coworker who is indeed a true-blue DC lobbyist. More specifically, he is a dyed-in-the-wool son of the South who, by the sheer misfortune of life landed in the Yankee infested bastion…
This has been one long, cold winter, but spring is finally starting to poke through the clouds. Here in Washington, DC, that change comes in the form of our famous cherry blossoms – a gift from the people of Japan to the people of the United States – as they explode in full bloom. Given…
When it comes to wardrobe basics, one garment stands head and shoulders above all others. The blue blazer. The backbone of any serious wardrobe, the blue blazer is probably one of the most versatile garments ever designed. Without a doubt, it is the one article of dress clothing all men should have hanging in the…
A few years ago, I wrote about achieving what I broadly referred to as the “college professor” look. Grounded more in cherished stereotype than classroom fact, the tweeds, corduroy, tortoise shell glasses and leather dispatch case round out an idealized look. While more inspiration than practical, this style embodies classic Ivy League charm and blends…
I had the pleasure of hanging out with Scott while he was in DC during his book tour and found him to be a particularly insightful and thoughtful guy. He has a genuinely distinctive view on fashion and style, often seeing the trees for the forest – the glove, the scarf, a unique bracelet or…
Happy New Year. If you are an avid follower of Off the Cuff, you’re probably an elitist. This heady topic is one that we debate often here at OTC. And as Capitol Hill here in Washington, D.C., prepares for an ideological and partisan handover, that word is again popping up. “Elite.” Grab a brandy and…
Jay Kos is one of the reasons I started OTC. I first read about him in GQ, it was a one page profile titled “Would you buy a homburg form this guy?” or something to that effect. Back in 1996, with no formal retail background or fashion/design training, Jay opened the eponymous ‘Jay Kos’ store…
