One of the exciting side effects brought about by the sustained and evolving resurgence in menswear, elegantly executed lifestyles, and well-crafted luxury goods, is the recent release of some great new books geared toward men. For the past several years, there has been a coffee table drought of sorts; a lack of interesting books devoted…
Category: Product Review
Sette Neckwear’s DC Trunk Show: April 21, 2012
Every now and then OTC is contacted about a brand that is so well executed it effectively redefines its product’s category. Sette, maker of incomparable seven-fold neckties, is such a brand. You are invited to visit with Sette’s founder and peruse their beautiful neckties tomorrow, Saturday, April 21. Read on for the event’s particulars. Founded…
OTC Recommends: American Giant
When Bayard Winthrop founded American Giant, which makes perhaps the best sweatshirt we have laid eyes and hands on, he had a very specific mission. As the former CEO of Chrome bags and with a handful of other start-ups under his belt, ranging from real estate to high-tech, he knew how to drive down cost,…
OTC Recommends: Dahlgren Socks
Portland, Oregon, based sock maker Dahlgren has been making technical socks for the outdoorsy crowd since 1978. Not only have they been fixated on creating the most comfortable and technically superior socks possible, the family-owned company has also kept an eye on the casual wear market. With a variety of styles, colors, designs, and thicknesses…
OTC x Frank Clegg: Bespoke Leather Goods
When we first sat down with master leather craftsman Frank Clegg to discuss the idea of creating a leather goods collection, it was an idea not fully formed. Our thought was to start with some basics, but to interpret them in a more luxurious way while still keeping practicality and function front and center. After…
OTC Recommends: Moonshine Gentleman’s Cologne
For the most part, OTC is not a grooming-focused resource. That’s not to say that we won’t tell you when we do like something, like The Art of Shaving products; great stuff. Colognes are another thing altogether, and something that is very difficult to endorse as what smells great on you is awful on your best friend (or vica…
The Proper Suit Review: Exceptional
When OTC and Proper Suit first sat down to create a suit that could be used as a core wardrobe staple, we wanted to first see what Proper Suit had to offer. Our first article highlighted the founders, Richard and McGregor, and ran through the initial fitting and selection of suit style, details and fabrics. …
Hook + ALBERT: Modern Dandies
Along with the general movement these days towards better dressing and personal expression through style, a certain element of dandyism has again come to the fore. However, instead of exploding with color, pattern and anachronistic flourishes, today’s dandies are taking a refined and targeted approach to flair. In many ways, this is a natural extension…
British Heritage Brand Turf Legends
When Stuart King co-founded Turf Legends back in 2008, his goal was to create a clothing brand that reflected the storied history of British steeplechase. He wanted to pay homage to the sport’s great horses and their riders in a way that conveyed his love for this sport and its historical importance. Steeplechase is a…
Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Style
When first reading my copy of Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Style, I was reminded of how omnipresent the whole preppy thing has become. OTC hit the internet back in 2005. Back then, there were very few men’s fashion blogs out there. And there were even fewer sites dedicated to the preppy/Ivy League/East Coast style so familiar…