An untrimmed, pony-tailed Sean Connery in not much more than a bandolier and loincloth is a sight you can never unsee. Happy Halloween!
October 31, 2006
October 30, 2006
The Emergency Allen-Edmonds
Faced with a shoe emergency (he foolishly forgot to pack a pair of dress shoes for an important business trip), Izzy recently bought this pair of oxfords from Allen-Edmonds. Although he knew of the the American shoemaker’s excellent reputation, Izzy has been still been quite impressed by his pair’s sturdiness, substantial feel, and comfort even when walking long distances.
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October 26, 2006
By Jules
Izzy must admit that he had never previously heard of Rochester-based Adrian Jules, but according to this article in the Robb Report, they and Oxxford Clothes are the only major American suitmakers that do most of their tailoring by hand. Alas, that kind of detail-work doesn’t come cheap, as their custom-made suits start at $1,500.
October 25, 2006
A Wale of a Good Time
As a wee lad, Izzy hated corduroy trousers because of the zip zip sound they made while walking. But as he got older, and wiser, he came to adore the fabric (which allegedly derives from the French corde du roi, or “the king’s cord”) and also discovered that wearing more closely fitting trousers would eliminate the noisome sound. But Izzy long felt alone in his infatuation with the warm and cuddly material. Now, however, there is finally a place to meet like-minded corduroyalists: the Corduroy Appreciation Club. Their motto? “All Wales Welcome.” (Izzy is not making this up.) The cozy club will be hosting their second annual meeting on 11|11 (guess why) in Brooklyn, New York. Izzy hopes to attend in full regalia. (Their first meeting was reported on by The New Yorker.)
The festivities will include keynote speaker author Jonathan Ames, corduroy-inspired art; and the Corduroy Awards, for which the nominees include actor Heath Ledger (Exemplary Usage of Corduroy in a Motion Picture: Brokeback Mountain), fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi (Exemplary Usage of Corduroy in Fashion), and British comedian Marcus Brigstocke (Exemplary Usage of Corduroy as a Comedic Channel). All attendees are strictly required to wear at least two items of corduroy, but of course the more items of the material, the better.
If you wish to attend, you need to purchase a ticket by November 1st.
October 24, 2006
U-turn
It takes a lot to get Izzy excited by a belt, but this number from Zegna fittingly has a magnetic pull. It’s too bad about the unecessary cross-stitching, though.
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October 19, 2006
Booming Thom Thom
The New York Times is touting Thom Browne, the notorious proponent of ankle cleavage, as “today the most envied and influential American men’s wear designer.” Though the article contains much of interest, including the observation that Browne’s suits “caught on with an underserved customer: the businessman who wants to look both conservative and cool,” one claim in particular caught Izzy’s attention. The paper reports that to gain attention for his style, Browne “started eating breakfast—black coffee and white toast—every morning …at Pastis, neatly dressed in a Thom Browne suit-slash-sandwich board.”
It just so happens that one day this past summer, Izzy, apeing the idle rich, himself breakfasted at Pastis, a pretentious French bistro in New York’s meatpacking district. And whom did he behold sitting at his regular table just next to the entrance? Thom Browne, clad in extremely short seersucker pants with massive cuffs, and going sockless in black wingtips, just like in the above photo. The sight of his get-up did make an indelible impression. Little did Izzy know at the time that he was witnessing a highly effective self-advertisement. Mr. Browne deserves a belated hat tip.
October 17, 2006
Raging Brow
Could Scorsese’s forehead caterpillars be a rare case where gray dye is actually needed?
The Devil’s Advocate Doesn’t Wear Prada
There is a long tradition of plaintiff’s lawyers intentionally dressing badly—after all, you don’t want the jurors to think you’re a rich shark. But it’s safe to say that law professor and criminal defense attorney Alan Dershowitz was not trying to look like a shlub for the cover of his book. Yet not only is he swimming in the suit (probably because he lost weight since he bought it), but the shoulder is lumpy and the tie is straight from the Johnnie Cochran collection. A good criminal defense lawyer usually seeks to draw attention away from his client or opposing counsel, so if the suit doesn’t fit, well, you might not be acquitted.
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October 12, 2006
Unfortunately Dressed for the Event
Daniel Handler, a.k.a. author Lemony Snicket, demonstrates the importance of choosing a bowtie in proportion to one’s head.
Combine a substantial noggin with a tiny tie, and one’s head can perilously look like a balloon that’s been tied off.
October 11, 2006
Infinitely Bad Taste
Izzy has long been fascinated by the mathematical constructs known as fractals, infinitely recursive self-similar shapes that can be quite beautiful. (Their nature is easier to understand when seen than explained.) But upon seeing that Jhane Barnes placed such a pattern on a sweater, it makes Izzy want to throw up forever and ever and ever…
October 6, 2006
Strapping Monks
The fine folks at Brooks Brothers are purveying this handsome pair of monk strap boots from Peal & Co. Fittingly enough, Izzy has taken quite a shine to them.
October 5, 2006
Double Dutch
The New York Times calls the “transgressive” designs from ambiguous Dutch duo Viktor & Rolf “radical” and “chic.” But something about the pair’s appearance makes Izzy expect them at any moment to suddenly stop everything and declare, “Now is the time on Sprockets vhen ve dance!”