GIIN Feynman Polo Shirt – Review

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Fair disclosure: I’ve reviewed a few products from GIIN in the past. I’ve also bought products from them as a result of my experience with the product that they sent me. I’ve written about the artisanship and the beauty inherent in their boutonnieres, and I’ve talked about the functionality of their undershirts; each time I’ve seen their products I’ve been thoroughly impressed. As a whole, my impressions of the brand have been excellent.

The Feynman polo is a shirt that has been in the works for quite some time now. GIIN—as a company—has a habit (detrimental for them, beneficial for the consumer) of performing extensive research, design, and testing for each of their products. This shirt has been a long time in the making, having seen several iterations before finalizing a product that they are ecstatic to offer.

Photo: GIIN

 

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Memorial Day 2021 – Menswear Sales List

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18 Montrose: 20% off full price items

Abercrombie&Fitch: 25% off select styles

Adidas: up to 50% off

All Saints: 20% off select styles

Amazon: discounts on basics and accessories

Allen Edmonds: Memorial Day sale: save up to 60%

Alpha Industries: up to 50% off mid-season sale

American Trench: 15% site wide

Antonioli: Memorial Day sale up to 50% off

Arcido: 40% off backpacks

ASOS: shop more save more – up to $70 off

Aquatalia: 25% off with code WKND25

Bally: up to 50% off select styles

Banana Republic: 40% off purchase

Barbour: Memorial Day sales on select items

Beckett Simonon: any 2 pairs of shoes for $299

Bergdorf Goodman: designer sale up to 40% off

Billykirk: 25% off everything with code MEMORIAL21

Bloomingdale’s: extra 50% off sale items

Blue Owl: 20% off with code THANKYOU

Bluefly: up to 90% off

Bluffworks: 25% off with code GETHITCHED

Bodega: 20% off online orders with code WARMUP20

Bodileys: 20% off London and Mayfair collection with code HOLIDAY20

Bonobos: 25% off everything

Breda: up to 35% off Summer sale

Brooks Brothers: up to 40% off selected men’s items

The Bureau: TAKE15 for 15% off

Canoe Club: Memorial day sales with code MEMORIAL20

Carmina: 10% off everything + 20% off select items

Clarks: 30% off everything with code THIRTY

Champion: Memorial Day sale event

Charles Thyrwitt: 31% off with code MEMORIAL

Clae: extra 30% off with code SEMIANNUAL

Clarks: 30% off entire purchase with code THIRTY

Club Monaco: 25% off everything with code LONGWEEKEND 

Coach: up to 50% off Memorial Day sale

Cobbler Union: 20% off sitewide with code MEMORIAL20

Coggles: 30% off seasonal itemss with code PREVIEW

Cole Haan: up to 50% summer styles plus extra 20% off a selection with code MDW20

Corridor NYC: 20% off site wide with code MEMORIALDAY2021

COS: 25% off everything

Cultizm: 20% off after registering

Diesel: up to 40% off summer styles

DXL: 50% off a selection

East Dane: up to 50% off designer items

eBay: discounts on select brands

Eddie Bauer: 50% off entire purchase

END.: 15% off at checkout

Evolve Clothing: up to 50% off

Express: 40% off everything

Farfetch: up to 50% off

Flannels: 20% off with code FF20

Florsheim: 20% off with code DFS2

Fossil: 40% off sale items

Frank & Oak: 25% off everything with code SPRING25

Gap: 40% off with with code SUNSHINE

GIIN: 20% off for all SF members with code SF

Gilt: up to 60% off menswear

Graduate: 30% off

Gravel Travel: 30% off everything

Hackwith Designhouse: 20% off sitewide with code SPRING21

Haven: 25% off with code PRE25 

House of Fraser: 20% off full price items with code FF20

Hunter: 30% off select styles

Indepedence: 25% off sitewide + 50% off select styles

Indochino: sales throughout Memorial Day weekend

Italist: up to 60% off

Isotoner: 30% off with code MEMORIAL

Jachs NY: 60% off everything and free returns

J. Crew: 25% off with code WEEKEND

J Crew Factory: up to 70% off

Jomashop: up to 70% off

John Elliott: 25% off Spring sale on select items

John Varvatos: 30% off select styles

Lacoste: 40% off everything with code FORTYOFF

La Garçonne: up to 40% off

Ledbury: Memorial Day Archive sale

Levi’s: 30% off site wide plus 50% off sale items with code: SMILE

LNN-CC: up to 50% off

Lucky Brand: up to 50% off + extra 10% off

Luisaviaroma: use code S30 for 30% off fill price items

Macy’s: 20% off everything with code MEMDAY

Malford of London: Bank Holiday sale 20% off everything

Matches of Fashion: up to 50% off designer sale

Mavi: up to 30% off select styles

Modes: up to 40% off

Miloh Shop: 20% off denim with code DENIM20

Namu Shop: 20% off almost everything with code SALE20

Nautica: 50-70% off everything

Neiman Marcus Last Call: up to 70% off designer sale

Neiman Marcus: up to 50% off luxe brands sale

Nike: up to 40% off

Nordstrom: half-yearly sale up to 50% off

Nordstrom Rack: 25% off clearance items

North Face: 25% off select styles

Oak Street Bootmakers: up to 30% off

Oliver Cabell: 15% off sitewide

Orvis: up to 70% off in the outlet section

Outerknown: up to 70% off 

Pact: sitewide sale

Parks Project: 20% off sale items with code EXTRA20

Puma: 20% off sale + outlet with code EXTRA20

Rag & Bone: 25% off

Rei: biggest sale of the year

Rooney Shop: 25% off everything

Saks Fifth Avenue: up to 50% off designer sale

Saks Off 5th: up to 50% off

Sandro: up to 40% off plus 20% off spring/summer styles

SARTORIALE: 25% off everything with code MEMORIAL

Shoes.com: 30% off with code MAY30

SK Manor Hill: 25% everything with code MD25

Slam Jam Socialism: use code SNEAKER30 for 30% off sneakers

Song for the mute: 30% off with code PRIVATE30

Superga Shoes: 30% off sitewide with code SUNNY30

Spier & MacKay: 20% off sale items with code MAY20

SSENSE: up to 60% off

Stio: up to 30% off summer kickoff sale

Sunspel: 30% off summer styles

Sutro: up to $80 off select styles

Tanner Goods: 25% off select styles

Taylor Stitch: 25% off sitewide
 
Ted Baker: up to 40% off select styles

Theory: up to 40% off select styles

The Tie Bar: up to 70% off with code WKND

Timberland: 25% off

Tiziana Fausti: Extra 20% Off sale items with code TFX20 

Toad & Co.: 20% off summer favorites

Tommy Hilfiger: 40% off sitewide plus free shipping & returns

United by Blue: 40% off select styles + 25% off with code MISSIONBRAND

Uniqlo: special markdowns for Uniqlo’s 15 years anniversary

Unmarked: 25% discount at check-out

Urban Outfitters: extra 30% off sale styles

Velasca: 20% off everything with code VDAYS21

Vince: 25% off sitewide with code MAY25

Vineyard Vines: up to 50% off

Volcom:extra 40% off sale with code SLIPNSLIDE

Watches.com: up to 75% off + free shipping

Wilson Leather: 30% off leather + 25% off everything else with code MDWK

Wrong Weather: up to 50% off

Yoox: sale on sale up to 50% off

Zadig & Voltaire: sale up to 40% off

 

A Guide to Braided Leather Belts

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A braided belt is hardly a novelty, but we’ve been seeing a lot of them on our Instagram feed in the past few weeks; sure, it could be a sign of the imminent warm season, but it could also signal a desire for more elaborate accessories as humanity slowly emerges from months of isolation. If experts are right and we can expect the “Roaring 20s” to come back, we can reasonably believe that fashion trends will lean towards dynamic and creative styles to reflect the optimism that permeates our society.
Truth be told, in the realm of classic menswear a braided belt is as dynamic and creative as they come – if we choose to ignore fun ties and (gasp!) socks.
Even if social uniforms are getting more and more relaxed and braided belts might be something we can expect a manager to wear soon, this article will refer to braided belts as a traditionally casual accessory and we’ll feature outfits that treat is as such. But first, a bit of history for context.

Leather braiding is an ancient craft: it is hard to pinpoint a time and place in history when it started being used, but we know it was present in South America over four centuries ago and in South Africa even further back. The Moors introduced the craft of making leather and braiding it to the Spanish during their rule, and that was the start of Spain’s centuries-long tradition of leather craft. Mexico has a tradition of braiding leather as well, which was brought to California and adopted by cowboys to make headstalls, reins, and other horse gear. Ultimately, bolo ties –a Native-American neckwear style– are perhaps the most iconic braided leather accessory before braided leather belts were introduced.
The first machine-made leather braided belts were created in Italy by Manifattura di Domodossola. Originally, the company produced cables, braided trimmings, and ropes for ships, and only in the 80s did they introduce a machine to produce belts featuring braided leather and elastic material; before then, such belts were made entirely by hand.

What’s the appeal of a braided leather belt?


At first, it may seem like an unnecessary frill, since bridle leather belts have existed for centuries and serve the same purpose. However, while we’re not opposed to attributing the existence of something to purely aesthetic reasons (we are all drawn to beauty after all), braided leather belts do offer a couple of benefits compared to their plain counterparts.
First, there is the matter of sizing and holes. We carefully pick a belt based on our waist size only to get frustrated when weight fluctuations throw balance out the window. Braided belts remove this design limitation, as one can simply pop the prong in between the leather stripes to find the perfect length. 
Second, the elastic quality of braided leather, even if minimal, makes it particularly comfortable as some stretching occurs when the wearer sits down or moves around; this benefit is even greater if the belt is made of leather as well as elastic fabric, which stretches even further.

However, aesthetic reasons alone would be enough to justify the existence of braided leather belts: they introduce a textured element to the outfit, in many cases completing it. Below are a few examples picked from the #Styleforum hashtag on Instagram.

 

 

And here is a selection of braided leather belts in case we’ve convinced you it’s a piece worth of your wardrobe:

Handwoven: Nisolo

 

Suede: Anderson’s

2,5 cm: Anderson’s
Cotton/leather: J. Crew

Elastic structure: Farnese

The Best Sartorial Tip of All Time

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Sartorialists usually think rules ought to be either followed or broken, depending on one’s rebellious inclinations. The in-betweens are sometimes referred to as ‘a twist’, which still implies the bending of a fundamental rule. 

However, we should only call those instructions that we are compelled to follow for social reasons by the term ‘rules’; these might apply to uniforms, black tie, and other functional outfits that are collectively mandatory–you wouldn’t think of setting foot on a judo mat with a silk paisley belt, would you?

Sartorial tips fall under the umbrella of recommendations rather than rules: they’re mere guidelines to make your life easier. For instance, the Italian background, is arguably the most useful sartorial tip ever, especially if you have a taste for bold-coloured or patterned jackets.

The ingredients are very simple: light blue shirt and navy tie. 

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Wardrobe Maintenance Kit: Essentials

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It’s not about “babying” your clothes: the long-term goal of maintaining clothes regularly is to make sure the money you invested is not wasted and your material possessions will stay in pristine condition as long as possible. It is a practical and eco-friendly approach that has nothing to do with being “obsessed” with your wardrobe. Would you shame someone for taking their car for a check-up and an occasional repair?

This list is a starting point for building a maintenance kit that will serve you well as the occasional mishap occurs and threatens one of your prized menswear pieces. I am on a mission to convince people to not over launder and dry-clean their clothes, so you’ll find several tool that will help you stretch the time between loads.
Feel free to expand this list by suggesting other items in the comment section or on the forum.

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Last-Minute Gifts You Can Still Get Delivered By Christmas

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The clock is ticking: Christmas is on Friday and if you have not finished your Christmas shopping, your options are narrowing by the minute. Here are some last-minute suggestions for the loved ones you find hard to shop for, and for those persons you don’t like that much in the first place. I’ve only chosen items that, if you shop RIGHT NOW, can get to the intended recipient before Christmas, albeit at a premium and assuming the USPS doesn’t collapse in the coming days.

This year, it seems that Zoom family get-togethers are inevitable, and at the very least, you can avoid having to make awkward excuses and blame it on AT&T if you have to pull a figurative as well as literal plug on the virtual celebrations. Also, don’t bother asking: I don’t know how to get a PS5 either.

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