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…
It’s winter – almost. That means a certain type of guy will be making an appearance over the next few weeks: the urban adventurer. Unlike the gentleman to the left, they’re not out climbing a glacier, hoofing it up K2 or trekking the Appalachian Trail. No, they’re just going to work. These are the guys…
Assembling a great wardrobe can take a lot of time, effort and of course, expense. When done well, it is not something you “do”; rather it becomes a process spread across the days of your life. Because investing in custom suits or dress shirts, those perfect chinos or Ravello shell cordovan wingtips from Alden is…
I’m wearing a very unique shirt right now, from a company called BraeVal. It’s not a dress shirt and it’s not really a sport shirt. It has a nice tattersall look to it; big chest pockets to store lots of gear, zip-out underarm vents and a handy secret stash pocket down along the bottom hem.…
Last Tuesday evening, the J. Crew Men’s Shop in Georgetown was closed down for a private cocktail party with Frank Muytjens and an invited cross section of Washington D.C.’s style crowd. OTC was happy to be on the list. Frank is the head menswear designer for J. Crew, so if you love the weathered updated…
The family OTC recently got together with some friends on a warm Spring evening for a relaxed birthday celebration that included bocce and the random chipping of golf balls. Add in some Dogfish Head 90 Minute, and it was a nice time indeed. While we all tried to achieve a certain “lawn party” casual look,…
OTC is honored to welcome guest contributor Jon Green. Jon is best known as one of the finest bespoke clothiers to be found anywhere. Jon is also a remarkable teacher, formally trained musician and a stellar arbiter of sartorial wisdom. We are more than happy to call him a friend. There are those who believe…
Whatever happened to the barber shop? The kind of place guys went to – not a salon, not a day spa, just a good old barber. Instinctively, men do know about these things, because real barber shops are guy places. They have a certain smell, a certain feel; other guys hanging out before or after…
I was recently in New York City, meeting with Alan Flusser with whom I will be working on a rather significant project, and was given an advance copy of Style & The Man. The book, which is an updated and trimmed down re-release of the seminal sartorial guide, hit the shelves this week and I…
Brooks Brothers recently launched its Spring “Generations of Style” ad and I have to say, it’s looking pretty good. While it’s not cutting edge or breaking new stylistic ground, the design team has struck a nice balance between the Jazz Age Americana of Ralph Lauren and classic elegance of British classicism. There is a pleasing…
