Category Archives: Style

Casual meets Classic – The Evolution of My Wardrobe Incorporating Casual Outerwear

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Wearing casual outerwear with more tailored, classic menswear has quickly become one of my favorite styles. In this article, I want to give some insights into how I built my current outerwear collection, along with what styles I plan to add in the future. I’ll also touch on some of the basic principles I use when pulling outfits together, and finally, I will provide some guidance on what items I feel pair best when incorporating casual outerwear into your wardrobe.

Building My Casual Outerwear Collection

At the beginning of 2017, I owned only two pieces of outwear: a lightweight bomber jacket for spring, and a heavier jacket for winter. I made it my mission in 2017 to focus on adding quality, casual outerwear pieces to my wardrobe. I’d first like to review the process I used when choosing these items, in addition to how I pair them with work attire.

When it comes to choosing outerwear, versatility is the name of the game for me. I have a fairly tight clothing budget so I carefully consider how much use I am likely to get out of an item before deciding to pull the trigger. When starting my outerwear search, I turned to Instagram for inspiration, searching hashtags like #styleforum, #mnswr #ptoman, as well as a few of my favorite accounts such as @stylejournaldaily, @drakesdiary, and @sartorialviking. With my research in hand, I was able to narrow down a few styles I felt could be dressed up or down with relative ease. I found myself gravitating towards field jackets, chore coats, safari jackets, and classic waxed 2 pocket jackets like the Barbour Beaufort. I quickly realized that a combo of these casual styles in staple colors would be versatile enough to wear with a ton of looks – everything from trousers and a tie during the week to jeans and a tee on weekends.

I remember first trying to find field jackets and suede bomber jackets, the latter of which I have still yet to get in my hands. I searched relentlessly through the Styleforum buy & sell section looking for anything that may fit the build. There were pieces like the Eidos “Ragosta” and suede bombers from Valstar that were perfect but out of my budget. As my search continued, about a year ago I posted a wanted ad looking for any that might be sitting in people closets not being used. When that failed, I realized that it was probably for the best considering the price point; then, I turned to eBay to see what more affordable options I could find. After stalking Luxe Swap eBay listings for weeks on end I ended up bidding on and winning a couple amazing field jackets: a navy from Brunello Cucinelli and an unlined tan cotton by Aspesi. A short while later, I added a vintage Private White VC “Squaddie” waxed wool jacket (also from eBay) and a few used Epaulet field jackets off of Grailed.

The last style I wanted to add to my wardrobe was a classic chore coat, and this one took me a few tries to get right. After trying out a few brands and having to return or sell them due to fit issues, Epaulet released their updated chore coat design called the “Doyle”. I quickly snatched up one in olive duck canvas and it became one of my favorite pieces in my closet. I have since added two more “Doyle” jackets, one in an indigo dyed cotton sashiko fabric and another in banana yellow wool.

Future Acquisitions

Looking into 2018, I do have some additional outerwear items on my wish list. These items will be ones that can further bridge the gap between casual and classic menswear as I transition to more tailored items.

A field jacket like the Eidos “Ragosta” in a navy Donegal fabric is first on my list pending budget. I’d also like to pick up a slightly more tailored piece of outerwear like a raglan topcoat or belted coat but in a casual patterned cloth, such as a herringbone or houndstooth. I will be keeping a close eye on Styleforum affiliate Spier & Mackay as they hinted at adding some patterned topcoats to their line this fall. Epaulet also took to Instagram to preview plans for an updated version of their field jacket, which I am very excited to see finalized. Lastly, I am looking forward to what Private White VC does in 2018; they sold off a lot of their current 2017 inventory, which I can only hope means big things are coming.

Putting it all Together – How to Blend Casual Outerwear and Classic Menswear

The one challenge I have found with casual outwear is that you can never really get the pieces to work all that well with suits or full formal attire – unless the former is very casual in cut and fabric. With this, I like to stick to layering casual outerwear over unstructured sport coats and textured fabrics and accessories. These are the kinds of items I have found incorporate easily into an outfit with a casual jacket: oxford shirts, flannel or cotton trousers, denim, tweed or cotton sport coats, and knit or shantung ties.

When it comes to building an outfit that includes casual outerwear, I like to start from the ground up. I first choose my trousers as I have less variety to choose from at the moment and therefore need to build my outfits around them. I have a wide variety of shirts so I typically select this piece based on my plan for layering/outerwear that day. For example, if I am planning to wear a bold cardigan I may opt for a simple white or light blue shirt. However, without the sweater, I would likely choose a striped shirt to make more of a statement. Getting comfortable pairing items in my wardrobe took practice and experimentation while I got a feel for what I liked and what would work well with my personal style. After pairing outfits like this for many months it has become second nature, which is great because a couple years ago this process could be rather daunting at times!

Finishing Touches

When choosing a tie I’ll look at my chosen shirt and cardigan, or lack of a cardigan, for guidance. My current collection of ties is quite casual, including lots of soft fabrics, knits, slubby shantung, and grenadines. From there, I will select my footwear and outerwear last. I’d like to say I have some sort of method to my madness here, but in all honesty, both items get chosen almost exclusively based on the weather that day. I’ve built a strong base of versatile items in both categories and will likely go into much more detail on my footwear collection at another time. Like other areas of my wardrobe, my footwear collection falls on the casual end of the spectrum (i.e. I do not own any balmoral shoes or anything in black). When it comes to the weather, if it’s wet or raining outside I’ll typically grab a waxed jacket like my Private White VC “Squaddie” jacket and functional footwear with rubber soles. When it’s dry out, which is about 4 months of the year in Calgary, Alberta, anything goes in my eye! As mentioned above, with my outerwear pieces being quite versatile, the last factor I consider is what piece would contrast best with my chosen trousers. My favorite casual outerwear as of late is the olive duck canvas “Doyle” jacket from Epaulet.

Why Blend Casual & Classic Pieces?

Pairing casual outerwear with classic pieces gives you a chance to experiment with textures and more saturated colors. It’s also a great way to spice up your business casual attire. Don’t be afraid to pair up some less conservative color palettes and outerwear that you may have written off as exclusively casual. If you try something similar out and are on Instagram I’d love to see – tag me (@burzanblog) in your pictures so I can check out how you guys style your casual outfits.

For more inspiration, you can browse the What Are You Wearing Today – Classic Menswear, Casual Style thread on the forum.

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How to Declutter Your Winter Wardrobe

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It’s half past 8, it’s 25°F outside, and you’re rushing to get out the door—running late for work again. You throw open your closet to choose a coat to layer up over your suit.

“Hmmmm, which one will I wear today?

“I could go full Russian and wear the Norwegian Rain Moscow with fur collar. But that’s my favorite coat and I wore that yesterday.

“I could go full Italian with the Eidos topcoat. Ehhh, that’s too insouciant for the workplace.

“I suppose I could go full #menswear and wear the robe coat. Nah, I’ll get a hundred snide comments.

“Dang it, now it’s 20 to 9 and I still haven’t picked a coat. Forget it, I’ll wear the Moscow again.”

The signs are obvious—it’s a Tide ad.

Just kidding, you’ve got a #menswear problem.

Maybe it’s time to declutter your winter wardrobe, including—but not limited to—your sweet outerwear collection. Here are five tips to help you do so.

declutter your winter wardrobe

I wrote a little bit about this in one of my previous article. The gist is to have a system for your clothes—whether it’s shirts, trousers, jackets, coats—where it’s obvious what you have worn recently and what you have not. Doing so allows you to identify what winter wardrobe items you just don’t wear.

I don’t recommend going full Marie Kondo, assessing the specific level of joy each thing brings, then donating the rest of it—but, if there are jackets, sweaters, flannel shirts, or anything else that you haven’t worn all winter because there’s other stuff you enjoy wearing more, it’s probably safe to get rid of those things.

declutter your winter wardrobe

Allow me to state that besides the “joy” factor, there is a time that you have to acknowledge that your style has changed and maybe it’s time to get rid of old things you never wear for that reason. There was a good season or two I was still gaming the J.Crew sales to try to score good deals on V-neck merino sweaters before realizing, “wait a minute, I don’t actually wear these things.”

There’s also a time to acknowledge your #dadbod, to put it charitably. Looking at my own dad, I can see that at my age, he had roughly the same body shape as I do. But something clearly happened in the ensuing 10-15 years (at 62, he’s back to my size again, and I have a mind to kop an Eidos jacket or two for him at some point). I fully intend to maintain my current fitness level forever, but we all know best intentions don’t always go fulfilled. If you find yourself in a position of unfulfilled intent, consider it an opportunity to sell off old clothes that don’t fit and upgrade with something that does.

Besides, those old 32 waist APCs have too low a rise for your more sophisticated appreciation of higher rise denim.

declutter your winter wardrobe menswear

There’s a point where you can declutter too much. I know because I’ve been there. My friend Jonathan had gotten engaged, and for his bachelor party, we went paintballing—in March (in Ohio). Sounds like a great (if freezing) time, except I had purged my closet of nearly everything I might’ve been okay getting covered in paint. I wore pebble-grain chukka boots from Banana Republic that up until then were still in somewhat regular rotation (this was early in my menswear transformation, cut me some slack). So while I enjoyed the final gauntlet we put Jonathan through (he had welts all over his body for his honeymoon), I was definitely not appropriately dressed for that day.

These days, I make sure to have stuff in my closet or in storage bins downstairs so that I’m not caught without the right gear. Like a few weeks ago when I dug a trench outside my house for drainage in 30° weather after a week of heavy rain. I was glad to have a fleece, old jeans and some old boots to work in the mud in.

declutter your winter wardrobe men

Back in my merino V-neck wearing days, I recall having a perfect navy sweater. It was from Banana Republic and I wore it to great effect all the time (in particular over a blue gingham button-up shirt—you know the one). But even then I recognized that Banana quality left something to be desired, and there came a point within 2-3 years that it was clearly showing its age. I knew I needed to replace it and reduce how often I wore it.

I’m not the kind of guy to, say, buy seven identical pairs of shoes so as to spread out the wear and tear amongst them and prolong their natural life. But I do think it’s good to recognize those things you’ve identified as your best-of, favorite items (see point 1), and when there’s an awesome deal on the same or very similar thing, you can buy it to keep the magic alive. Depending on what it is, you can take advantage of seasonal sales, especially if you’re under no time pressure to immediately replace it.

declutter your winter wardrobe outerwear

The coat matrix skews admittedly toward a tailored-favoring audience, so I apologize to the streetwear guys. But it can be useful for classifying the coats in your wardrobe, which will, in turn, help you spot gaps (or surpluses in certain categories). The gist is to break your outerwear into categories based on the level of formality level, and how warm they are.

It’s fair to say that the colder months are more ripe for dressing well because of all the layering opportunities and wealth of great clothing categories (sweaters, outerwear, scarves, etc.). The flip side of that is that the risk of over-stocking your closet to the detriment of warm-weather attire. You need to save some room in your wardrobe so you can look great all year round—not just when it’s freezing outside.

Use these five tips to help free up some space and clear out the cruft of your wardrobe. Of course what you do with that newly vacant space is up to you. Something tells me it’ll quickly be filled again.

Peter’s Guide to Dressing for a Date

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Ah, Valentine’s Day. I remember our 2nd Grade class getting loads of pink cardboard paper and glitter to create cards for “our valentine,” not knowing what that was. Then I found out. A good way to jump-start anxiety at an early age. Fortunately, I was exempt, because if you’re like me (you know who you are), every day is Valentine’s Day!

But let’s say you want to take your SO on a special date. What do you wear? The answer to that depends on the situation. Dinner and a movie? Opera and cocktails? A walk on a moonlit beach? Decisions, decisions.

The quick answer is: be you, but a bit nicer looking. You could show up in your pajamas, but dressing up demonstrates respect for your date and the occasion, because both are special, right? Right. Unless the date is a pajama party. In which case, wash your pj’s first.

 

VALENTINE’S DAY DATE FOR NEW COUPLES

For new couples, keep it casual. If you’re meeting at a coffee shop, wear a nice pair of jeans or khakis, a button up oxford, and clean sneakers or oxfords. After coffee, why not take a walk at a nearby park? Or better yet, find out what activities she likes – hiking, bicycling, karaoke – and plan around that.

valentine's day outfit menswear

Shawl collar jacket: Eidos | Long-sleeved t-shirt: Orcival

Of course, just because you’re a new couple doesn’t mean you can’t get all fancy. If you’re date’s down for a night on the town, go for it – and dress accordingly. If you start with dinner at a nice restaurant, go for a dark outfit. It’s safe, unfussy, and easy to dress up or down, depending on where you go. A fail-safe option is a navy suit. Pair it with a crisp white button up shirt, or swap the shirt for a thin charcoal or black merino turtleneck. If dark jeans are your thing, reach for black Chelseas or zip boots, a blue oxford button down, and a grey tweed sport coat or field jacket.

Daytime date from Beige Habileur. Everything about this is awesome and chill, but refined.

Shirt: G. Inglese x Beige | Pants: Husbands

 

A SPECIAL VALENTINE’S DAY DATE

Perhaps you’ve been together for a while now, and are looking for something special to do. Show that you were paying attention – you were, weren’t you? – by choosing something she said she liked to do. It could be a picnic, wine tasting, or a leisurely walk to a park, downtown, or movie theater. If you have access to a beach, lake, or river, walk there, and bring a frisbee with you to enjoy the sun – everybody can play frisbee. All you need are a nice pair of jeans, boots, and a nice button-up shirt.

However, when it’s a special occasion that calls for something a bit more formal, consider what she’ll be wearing. Being over- or underdressed can be a bit embarrassing, so set the tone by saying “Let’s dress up,” and be sure to follow by saying what you’re wearing so that she can have something on which to base her decision. On the other hand, she could have that one outfit that she’s been dying to wear, so let her choose and follow suit. What if she says she has nothing to wear? Besides starting an argument (don’t do it), you have two options: go shopping with her (that’ll score you major points) or tell her far enough in advance so she can plan to go shopping with friends. Whatever she chooses, be a gentleman and let her take center stage. You may have the perfect red velvet cocktail jacket, but be careful not to outshine your date; remember that this is her night. Show that she’s important by taking her into consideration. For example, ask her what her favorite outfit of yours is and wear it. Or find out what her favorite color is, or which one she’ll be wearing, and chose a flower or pocket square that complements it.

the armoury menswear outfit date night valentine's day

Shirt: The Armoury | Pocket Square: Drake’s

SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN A DINNER…

Dinner and a show is always a safe bet, but why not try something different? Go to that one restaurant she’s been dying to try, and then follow up with a dancing class. Or you could go to a club that plays her favorite music. Many museums have evening hours, perfect for an after-dinner stroll and providing easy topics for conversation. If black tie is too formal, a nice suit, comfortable shoes, and a listening ear are all you need to enjoy your time together.

Pro tip: if she likes perfumes, start the evening out by going to a department store and trying scents. Let her pick one for herself, ask her to pick one for you, drop your bank card, and the rest of the evening is set. You’re welcome.

Evening date - houndstooth flannel suit and rollneck

Evening date – houndstooth flannel suit and rollneck.

 

 

Grey flannel suit: Eidos
Navy turtleneck sweater: Stephen Schneider

 

Any date, no matter the day, is an opportunity to show your partner that you care about your relationship. Let your dress reflect that by notching it up a bit. These are occasions to engage in relaxed conversation, have fun, and cement your relationship. The special dates are your chances to create long-lasting memories. Don’t let your dirty sneakers ruin it.

Pitti Uomo 93 – Day 3 & 4

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It seemed like Peter Zottolo (@urbancomposition) would have never reached Mediterranean soil, after being stuck in America (first) and the Old Blighty (then) due to inclement weather and air traffic conditions; however, in the end, our hero did arrive in the Promised Land aka the Fortezza da Basso, and these are his first shots from the opulent carnival known as Pitti Uomo.

Enjoy!

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Pitti Uomo 93 Streetstyle

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I appears like more people are taking menswear more seriously this year at Pitti Uomo 93. And by “more seriously”, we obviously mean that we’ve been seeing many more “Styleforum Approved” outfits than usual.

If you’re in Florence, don’t forget to stop by the Styleforum Maker Space – we are showcasing great artisans and having lots of fun eating mozzarella di bufala and Tuscan salumi!

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Styleforum Maker Space – I Sarti Italiani

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i sarti italiani bespoke suits abiti su misura sicilia sicily

While Neapolitan, Milanese, and even Roman tailors are world-famous and respected, we can’t possibly ignore the fact that tailoring schools flourish all over Italy – even on the southern island of Sicily.

I Sarti Italiani has been making bespoke suits, trousers, and shirts since 1986; they focus on precise, careful stitching, and they only use the best quality materials for their suits. The lining is always cupro bemberg, the buttons are either corozo, horn or mother of pearl, and the canvas is in camel hair or horse hair.

The selection of fabrics is on point: Ermenegildo Zegna, Loro Piana, Cerruti 1881, Draper’s, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Bottoli, Larusmiani, and Scabal are only few of the names you’ll find in I Sarti Italiani’s fabric book.

i sarti italiani palermo styleforum maker space quality

Sicilian tailoring features the same, relaxed characteristic of Neapolitan tailoring, without the flairs typical of the Partenopean tradition. I Sarti Italiani offers bespoke solutions and blends Italian craftsmanship with unique Southern taste. Our very own Peter Zottolo has recently written an article about his recent experience with I Sarti Italiani in occasion of a recent trip to Italy.

You can find I Sarti Italiani in Sicily at these locations – but they also do a home or office bespoke service for those who are too busy to stop by the showroom:

Sartoria Montelepre (PA) C/da Vallotta s/nc 

Show-room Marsala (TP) Via Mario Nuccio n°10-12 

Show-room Palermo Via Isidoro la Lumia 27/A 

Official Website

At The Maker Space, you’ll be able to chat with the tailors and get measured for your Sicilian bespoke suit. Click here to read more about the event and RSVP.

Why Black Tie Matters

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“What are you wearing tonight?” My wife and I have this conversation, more or less, every year, about this time. She calls out to me from her closet. We’re off to see The Nutcracker, which starts in less than two hours.
“Black tie.” 
“Again?”
There’s more than a slight tone of incredulity, but then, I can’t blame her. The egalitarian tuxedo (or dinner suit) has remained, in principle, unchanged for over a century, and although every sort of fashion has been tried on the red carpet, most likely it appeared ridiculous.  Classic black tie, however, looks good on everyone, not because it defies the folly and fickleness of fashion, but rather transcends it.  Which is fortunate, I think as I reach for the hanger, as it makes getting dressed for black tie events easy.
White tie may be the reigning champ of event dress, and when done correctly it is indeed a sight to behold, but I’m glad black tie casualized things somewhat.  The jacket shed its tails, and the wing collar on the shirt softened into the turndown collar, except on single breasted dinner jackets with peaked lapels, where wing collars are still OK. 
Vests became an option alongside cummerbunds, or both embellishments can be ditched altogether, if your waist is covered by a double breasted jacket, as mine is. It’s a bit more sporty since single breasted one-button jackets increase the elegance of an outfit, but both should have peaked lapels; notch lapels make an outfit look like a regular old suit, and what’s special about that? Peaked lapels, or swankier yet, a shawl lapel, with silk satin or grosgrain facing is appropriate for your black tie event. My outfit for the evening has the latter, which I prefer; the sheen from grosgrain is more subtle and has a bit of texture. 
Trousers, of course, match the facing down the outside of the leg, making the top and bottom a complete outfit.
As I take out a pleated white shirt with covered placket, I wonder if I should get another shirt in piqué and some nice onyx studs.  I prefer the sleek appearance of a “fly front” placket, and owning studs is just another thing to lose.  Still, it adds a small bit of decoration suitable for special outings, and some might argue that it’s historically proper.  Maybe I’ll start shopping for them.
I’ve always felt self-conscious about pumps.  Having large bows on my feet not only seems a touch precious, but slip-ons seem casual to me. Fortunately, a pair of well-shined calfskin wholecuts are just fine. Perhaps later my wallet might surrender to the luster of patent leather oxfords. I like how they echo the gleam of silk from the jacket, down the trousers, and continue unto one’s feet – which are covered in fine black hosiery, of course.
The beauty of black tie is simplicity.  Everything except the cotton shirt and optional silk or linen handkerchief is black.  Equally acceptable is midnight blue, which caught on fervently in the 30’s, fell out of style, and presently is returning with a vengeance (although too blue is too blue, GQ).  
Limiting your options is incredibly liberating and makes dressing for formal engagements a breeze – I’m fully dressed in ten minutes, and there’s not many other outfits that flatter the physique as well.  The only way you’ll look like a penguin is if you’re The Penguin.
“You’re done already?” 
Congratulations, you won the race.  Now help your partner get ready, or you’ll miss the curtain rising and you’ll both lose.
PETER’S SHOPPING LIST FOR BLACK TIE 2017

Still have questions? Ask the Styleforum community! Join the conversation on The State of Black Tie thread, and post your black tie outfit on the What Are You Wearing Today thread.

The Art of Tonal Layering

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You’d be forgiven if, from a distance (and primarily through Instagram), you thought that ‘layering’ in menswear meant technicolor vest worn under saturated suits. That’s certainly one angle that certain large menswear e-tailers have pushed in recent years – gotta find a way to attract eyes in a sea of online images –  and you can’t really blame consumers for wanting to lust after garments more titillating than grey and navy suits. That’s not to say it’s necessarily a bad thing – look at our friend and occasional contributor @flannels_and_tweed for some great examples of high-contrast layering – but I’ve always loved the alternative that is tonal layering. Some colors work much better than others, however. I think that matching earth tones – blue, olive, brown, camel, taupe – works out much better than than brighter colors (including, for example, burgundy), which are apt to make you look like a streetstyle hanger-on, or a movie villain.

Note: to offer a brief, insufficient definition, tonal layer is when you’re matching single colors but the tones aren’t quite the same. I’m also discounting monochrome (black and white) outfits, because that’s not what we’re talking about here.

the art of tonal layering menswear styleforumI’m a guy who wears blue a lot. Like, a lot a lot. I’m not the only one – layering blue is very simple, and you don’t have to be wearing fifteen pounds of indigo-dyed cotton (like me); it might be as easy as pairing a blue sportcoat or jacket with your denim, as seen in this fetching shot from Drake’s:

Of course, there’s a contrasting layer involved here, but add a washed-out blue knit to this ensemble and you’re good to go. You probably have a lot of blue in your closet already – navy being, as we all know well, one of menswear’s sacred pillars – so it should be easy for you to experiment.

Plenty of people do this, and in all honesty it’s not that hard if you don’t mind looking like you’re wearing nothing but indigo – which I don’t. You can find examples all over the internet, including on the Styleforum tumblr, but if you’re looking for casual inspiration I can direct you to both 45RPM and Blue Blue Japan.

The latter is a company I’ve written about many times, best known for their incredible work with indigo dyes. The clothes boast incredible depth of color, which makes donning multiple layers of blue a bit less strange than it sounds. Of course, you just have to be comfortable wearing head-to-toe indigo – if you’re not, I understand.

Camel is also a good bet, and the same cam be said of other neutrals like taupe and oatmeal. All white tends to come off a bit priestly – or Miami Vice-y – but a little bit of grey calms things down quite a bit. I happen to be a big fan of camel (as are many men), although I maybe wouldn’t recommend wearing it head-to-toe the way you might wear navy. It’s such a classic color for outwear that slipping on a similarly-colored inner layer isn’t hard, nor are the results strange.

Finally, green layers can look very nice, both with militaristic olive tones and mossier country greens. Something like the below, featuring cotton cargo pants and a Ten C nylon and shearling liner, is a nice option, since not only do you have the subtle variation in color, but you have mixed fabrics as well. This helps you feel a bit less like you’re wearing a not-quite suit, and becomes especially fun if, like me, you have trouble distinguishing green from brown.

the art of tonal layering menswear styleforum

You may have picked up that neutral colors work pretty well for this. Think oatmeal and grey wools, textured browns, as the subtle variations in these colors create a wonderful depth when they’re combined. When you’re matching similar layers, one key is to make sure that you’re also mixing textures. Just because something is blue, or camel, or green, doesn’t mean that everything needs to be the same fabric – lest you end up looking as though you’ve draped yourself in bedsheets.

We’d love to see your own examples of tonal layering, so stop by the Classic Menswear and Streetwear and Denim what are you wearing threads to share your own inspirations.

Overcoats for Cold Weather

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Everybody looks good in an overcoat.  Or, more accurately: everyone looks good in a good overcoat.  Even growing up in San Diego, I knew this, despite never wearing one – until I moved to New York.
A few weeks before my departure, one of my father’s friends, originally from Indiana, took me aside and asked me if I was ready for the cold.  Being a teenager, and thus knowing all there is to need to know about everything, I mentally reviewed my closet – full of shorts, t-shirts, and flip flops – and replied, “Yes.”
He smiled graciously, humored no doubt by youth’s ignorantly blissful anticipation of the unknown, before adding, “Well, I’ve got a coat for you, just in case.”  And he handed me an old LL Bean barn coat, faded and creased from years of use.  I remember looking at it with dubious skepticism, like earmuffs on the equator: with recessed cuffed sleeves, snorkel neck, 3” storm zipper, and rainproof Thinsulate liner, It must have weighed 20 pounds. More importantly, it was downright ugly.
“Thanks…?” I meekly offered. “Um…I do have a jacket…” thinking of the Starter jacket I wore when temps dipped to the low 60s. “I should be okay.”
“No,” he shook his head. “You have no idea.”
Sure enough, he was right about one thing: the Nor’easter blizzards of 95-96 would paralyze me with a bracing chill that I had never before experienced, a wetness whose piercing winds blasted through five layers of clothing as if I were naked, that left my feet frostbitten even standing three socks deep in Sorel’s. And yet that ugly barn coat, with all its engineering and overkill insulation, wasn’t enough; it still didn’t keep my legs warm, like a too-short bed blanket.  What I needed – and finally got – was a good overcoat.
Overcoats are not only practical, but in covering most of the body, they lengthen the wearer and give the illusion of height.  The slim and casual trends of the past 20 years have had men cropping everything from pants to jackets, and overcoats were traded in for parkas.  Thankfully things are starting to change, albeit slowly, and longer coats are beginning to make a comeback. Depending on how it’s constructed, an overcoat’s cut and contour can give the wearer various silhouettes, all of which have their own charms.  Here’s a quick breakdown of styles:
The Chesterfield – what most think of when they hear the word “overcoat”.  In fact, your typical modern variation basically looks like a long sports coat: single breasted, notch or peak lapel, straight hip pockets, single back vent.  The big differences are that the fronts are squared, rather than curved, and there are no front darts to shape the coat close to the body.  Up to the early 80s you might have seen a velvet collar, but those mostly exist on the internet, and mostly in pictures of Roger Moore.  Generally plain, in charcoal or navy; as it traditionally has no darts and is meant to fit over a suit, it looks slightly large on the hanger but looks perfect when worn.
The Covert Coat – like the Chesterfield, it’s single breasted, can have a velvet collar, but typically has a fly front (covered placket) so the the buttons are unseen when the jacket is closed.  There are other details, such as the rows of stitching at the sleeves and hem and inside poachers pocket, but the most important is the eponymous cloth.  Initially popular for sporting gentlemen, covert cloth is a rare bird these days – what with the decline of fox hunting – but is still a good choice for a hearty coat.  Made of a dense twill, its tight weave not only protects the wearer from vicious game, but from rain and wrinkles as well.  Traditionally cut generously, its colors fall somewhere between a mid-grayish-browny-moss.  To hide in the brush, you see.
Lasse Hedenstead from Denmark wears his covert coat traditionally, but it fits in well with his surroundings.  Check out his blog here.

styleforum overcoats for cold weather

The Balmacaan – I’m happy to see this one making a comeback.   Similar in purpose to the covert coat, the balmacaan is cut a bit oversized, with raglan sleeves for ease of movement.  However, unlike the covert coat’s comparatively plain city-suitable twill fabric, the balmacaan is generally made from country-ready tweeds in various patterns of houndstooth, checks, and plaids.  This overcoat can just as easily be worn with a suit as with jeans, as there are no lapels to suggest formality; only a small collar that can be turned up when temperatures fall down.  Its blobby shapelessness gives it a casual charm that doesn’t take itself too seriously.  G. Bruce Boyer describes it as a “blanket with sleeves,” and I’m inclined to agree.  Read his feature on the balmacaan on Drakes here.
Here’s a choice offering from S.E.H. Kelly:

Styleforum overcoats for cold weather

The Paletot/Guards Coat – this is the coat you see in all the old Hollywood movies.  Like a classic double breasted jacket in most every way: a 6-to-2 stance (meaning the top two buttons are at a wider stance like a Y), peaked lapels, and the occasional single vent.  Usually tailored closer to the body.  Being the most formal of overcoats, the absence of decoration makes it appropriate in practically every situation that calls for a suit.  Which means you should wear it with a suit.  The Guard’s Coat is similar, but can have a different buttoning stance, turned cuffs and and optional back belt.  A little less formal, but in today’s athleisure world, no one will bat an eye.
The Ulster Coat – the one you want when it’s really cold.  Recognizable for its collar and lapel made to be turned up to protect the neck, it’s usually made from heavy marled tweed for protection, double breasted for warmth, and a roomy fit for layering.  Details include turn back sleeve cuffs, big patch flap pockets, and probably a force field for errant laser beams (currently only available on bespoke commissions).
The Polo Coat – one of my favorites, as borne out by this previous article.  Originally Polo players threw on an oversized coat and cinched it with a belt to keep warm post-game, but since then the tan coat has morphed a bit.  For example, the belt might still be there, or there might be a Martingale half-belt in the back.  The collar could have peaked or Ulster-style lapels.  There could be six or eight buttons, and sleeves could have cuffs or not.  It could be camel hair, wool, or a mix of the two.  What hasn’t changed is the color: always golden.  Also, it’s always double breasted.   A single breasted Polo coat is just a camel coat.
Another coat that I like is the bridge coat.  Unfortunately you don’t see it too often, like its close cousin the great coat, even though it’s basically just a longer peacoat.  Being that overcoats are gaining popularity, the bridge coat and great coat’s oversized collar, structured shoulders, and sweeping fronts add a bit of drama to an otherwise drab city seascape of boring coats, and I hope to see it more often.

Member Focus: Baltimoron

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Styleforum member Baltimoron is a regular sight on the SW&D subforum, where he posts regular contributions in the form of WAYWT photos and KPop gifs. Here, he talks about walking the long road from deal-chaser to designer-clothing-collector and general well-dressed dude.

I got interested in clothes because of my brother. I remember walking past his computer once while home from college one summer and asking him why he was on a site called Put This On. After he explained he was reading about clothes, I laughed and then walked immediately to my own computer to start reading Put This On, because brothers can’t help but imitate each other sometimes. In the beginning, I made all the mistakes that people that get into clothing tend to make. I chased deal sites, ordered cheap button downs from Land’s End Canvas, and read more lists about what clothing items I needed than anyone ever should.

Looking back, I was someone who was just trying to change how he looked by checking things off a list and emulating what was around me. I grew up in Northern California wearing band tees and cargo shorts, but attended college on the East Coast surrounded by boat shoes and button downs. Changing how I dressed was a way for me to try to fit into the new culture in which I had found myself, but it wasn’t something that I enjoyed beyond chasing check marks on lists. At some point I ended up on Styleforum, though the exact path has slipped from my memory (I’d hazard a guess I was trying to decide if I should put shoe trees in my boat shoes…oh man, what a painful thing to write).

When I started here, I browsed the Classic Menswear side much more frequently than Streetwear and Denim. I can think of two major factors that caused me to slowly transition to spending more time in Streetwear and Denim; a user named Parker starting the Dries Van Noten thread and a user named El Bert posting a series of links to Yahoo Japan in the “Someone should buy this” thread. The Dries thread was one of the first designer threads that I ever followed, and it left quite an impression on me. Up until that point, I’d never seen clothes with the types of prints, colors, embroideries, and elegance like I was exposed to in that thread. I remember thinking that the clothes made people look as if they were almost gliding across space in their elegance.

One of the wonderful things about the thread was that other posters like Parker, sipang, the Shah, and others had faithfully compiled a virtual lexicon comprising of videos, interviews, and pictures of past collections. It was a daunting experience at first, but having that much information forced me to move slowly, so I read and absorbed as much as I could from those posts before I ever owned my first piece of Dries. Even today, I’ll still sometimes go back to the first page of that thread just to read interviews or look at different collections again (personal favorites include FW11, FW14, and SS15).

The second major moment for me, however, made my interest in owning clothes from Dries more attainable. He doesn’t do it quite so often anymore, but El Bert used to post these semi-frequent lists of all the cool things for sale that he found on Yahoo Japan and Rakuten for others to see. Of course, I was most interested in Dries, but many of the listings El Bert posted were for brands that I’d never heard of before. Everytime I’d see him post a brand, I’d go searching through old threads here to read about different seasons and the pieces that other users owned. It’s how I first learned about Helmut Lang, Undercover, and many other designers. El Bert was also kind enough to answer my private messages about how proxy buying worked and to help introduce me to lesser-known brands (he’s still the best at finding cool stuff). This opened a whole new world of clothes to me. It offered a second-hand market for me to explore my interest in Dries, but beyond that, I found that hunting for cool clothes was just an enjoyable activity for me. Some of my purchases have turned out great, others have not, but all the way through I’ve been able to pursue the things that I’m interested in and control my own experience.

These days, Dries is still one of my favorite designers, but my closet has expanded to include influences from all over. I’ve found that the more time I’ve been on the forum, the more willing I am to try different things. I certainly wouldn’t have thought about wearing more voluminous trousers before seeing them on people like Parker or the Shah, but now my Issey Miyake trousers are some of my most worn (and comfortable) clothes. In this community there are always people to learn and take inspiration from. Seeing posts from people like diniro, conceptual 4est, penanceroyaltea, ghostface (whose blurred out faces I emulated when first posting), frankcowperwood and so many others continues to encourage me to think about my own personal style and how I might incorporate elements that I enjoy from others. This forum is one of my favorite places to be, and I credit the people as much as the clothes for making that so.