The variety of clothing made from it is what I like most about this fabric. There are chambray shirts, shorts, pants, ties, pocket squares, and jackets all at your purchasing power.

Fit Details: Save Khaki chambray shirt & corduroy shorts / RL pocket square / Clarks Desert Boots

Save Khaki is a dope brand that I recently added to my list for good, quality basics. The  top-notch photographer and man behind the blog Unabashedly Prep, F.E Castleberry, just shot a nice little Spring/Summer look-book for Save Khaki. I wrote about these vintage red desert boots about a year ago. Click here to see the fascinating story behind these gems.

You can’t think of workwear without thinking chambray. In fact, the phrase “blue-collar worker” is derived from the blue chambray shirts that most uniformed working class laborers wore. Chambray shirts were also part of the U.S. Navy uniform during the early-to-mid 1900’s.

Fit Details: Save Khaki chambray shirt / Billykirk Belt / Topman shorts S/S ’09 / Sebago Penny Loafers

This chambray shirt definitely stands as one of my go-to items this summer. It possesses the perfect tint of blue, which goes with anything from denim to khaki to these bright red shorts I’m wearing above. Given our love of attention to detail, a couple of things that caught my eye were the one shirt pocket and navy blue buttons. After a lot of searching, I came across the perfect white leather loafers to hit the pavements and beat up during the warmer months. You have to love the wood grain sole.

Save Khaki has definitely been on everyone’s radar since designer David Mullen was nominated for ‘Best New Designers in 2009′ by GQ. With clothes that pertain to fit and quality, I would highly recommend checking out their NYC stores if you’re in the tri-state area.

1.  Lands’ End – Chambray Shirt

2. J.Crew – Vintage Chambray Utility Shirt

3. Gap – Chambray Shirt

4. LL Bean – Chambray Sports Shirt

Although the polo shirt is discussed here as a strictly Summer item, it can also be transitioned into a great Fall layering piece by throwing a nice tweed blazer on top, giving it a touch of casual with class.  The selection of polo shirts can vary from sleeve length to material, tucked in or out (but you can wear it however you feel comfortable doing so). Once again, here we have an item that, as years have passed, has been taken out of it’s traditional function of being worn solely by polo players as sporting attire in the 1800s and has morphed into a current American prep staple.

Banana Republic Pima cotton Polo – GAP Selvedge Straight Jeans (Tailored) - Sebago Black Tasseled Loafers – Vintage YSL Briefcase – Kente Cloth bracelets (Self Made)

Fit Description : On one of the hottest days in New York City a pima cotton polo was probably the best choice to go with because of its breathable cotton and soft feel.  In this weather it’s very difficult to wear 14 oz. raw denim jeans without passing out after walking a two block radius. In general, the mission would be to actually wear in one of my raw denim jeans to the fading stages of these jeans. Since that wasn’t possible, these GAP Selvedge Jeans were found and bought for under $20. They are a nice light wash which has allowed me to make a change versus the current denim selection in my wardrobe.

Location : Harlem , NY -(Hamilton Heights) Sugar Hill section ( West 135th-155th ) Not only am I a fan of the brownstone architecture, but the history that runs rampant in this particular area of Harlem. During the Harlem Renaissance influential individuals from W.E.B Du Bois to Langston Hughes called this area home.

Friends : No stranger to this site and a good friend of ours, fellow Bronx resident, photographer/stylist and master of ‘accessories are a necessity’, here is Kadeem – another 20-something-year-old of our generation looking to express his artistic view on the world. If you happen to follow our tumblr you have definitely seen his pictures pop up from time to time.

Photography : Pictures taken by photographer Rog Walker, part of the great site Culture of Creativity. Special thanks to Suhaly, Raleigh and Carl.

Pictured above are players playing polo.

The first pique tennis shirt that was mass produced was created by French tennis champion Rene Lacoste in the 1920s after being fed up with tennis attire that was not comfortable. In 1927, Lacoste sewed a small crocodile logo on the left breast of the shirt. After retiring from tennis in 1933, Lacoste joined with Andre Gillier to market his tennis shirts with the well-known crocodile logo in Europe and North America. The term “polo shirt” dates back to the late 1800s at the Hurlingham Club in Buenos Aires. – Kayla Layne Crawford

The oxford shirt serves as a nice median between formal and casual. Its the perfect shirt to roll up and wear casually during the summer. The shirt gets its name from the type of fabric used to make it; Oxford cloth was originated in Great Britain during the 19th century. The greatest thing about these shirts is that they are completely season-proof; no matter the weather, they serve a great deal of function. You can use them to layer with in the Fall/Winter and in the Spring/Summer wear them as freely as your heart desires.

I love denim, but as the weather once again takes a turn, I’ve found myself putting the denim aside and more frequently wearing the chino. Chino pants first gained popularity in the U.S after the Spanish-American War when soldiers brought back their cotton trousers. These Chino pants were first made in China, hence the name Chino, a Spanish word which translates to Chinese. I like these form of trousers because, like the oxford shirt, they are the perfect mid-ground between laid-back and dressy. Not to mention they definitely keep you cooler than the traditional raw denim jeans.

Fit Details: Travis –  Rugby University Oxford shirt, Uniqlo Chinos, Tanner Goods belt, Billykirk bag, TOMS shoes

Fit Details : Joshua –  Uniqlo Oxford , Braided Belt , J.Crew Urban Slim fit chinos , Clarks Desert Boot Oakwood

Recommendations – Chinos – Rugby RL Vintage Chino - J.Crew Sun faded  Stanton Pant

Oxfords – GAP Oxford Shirt - J.Crew Pinpoint Oxford – Rugby RL Solid University Oxford – BR Chinos

Given its status as a somewhat classy clothing line, I often wondered why the company chose a name for the brand that is also used to describe unstable Third World countries dependent on agriculture. My curiosity, however, was never quite severe enough to push me to seek an answer. It was one of those frivolous questions that we sometimes ponder with no intention of taking it any further. It’s quite obvious now that it was meant to be a witty name used to describe this adventurous safari line.

Founded in 1978 by husband and wife Mel and Patricia Ziegler, Banana Republic got its start as a catalog company selling vintage military surplus items from around the world. They later made the leap to a full-fledged clothing line that was widely popularized by their quirky, fascinating catalogs. GAP bought the brand in 1983 and slowly transitioned it into the Banana Republic we know today.

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on this vintage BR jacket. It’s essentially a jacket with removable sleeves. The abundance of pockets means there seems to be a place for every little item I tend to carry around. What I like most is how light-weight it is. I can easily get away with wearing this jacket on a hot day. In fact, it looks a lot like a photographer’s vest with the sleeves removed. I also came across another cool jacket that I’ll be sure to incorporate in an upcoming post.

Fit details: BR jacket and shirt. Topman pants. Polo loafers.

I mentioned that Banana Republic became widely known due to their creative catalogs. In 1986, they took that a step further when they released Banana Republic Guide To Travel & Safari Clothing. This book is fundamentally similar to the catalogs but on a larger scale. It catalogs virtually every piece of safari/military clothing with nice visuals and some insightful text that covers the history/origin of these pieces. This book is sure to hold your interest, as it explains everything with a fun, adventurous writing style.

Although sometimes looked down upon, blogging plays a major role in today’s social media landscape by allowing people to provide their own unique point of view, a far cry from traditional media. I’m still perplexed in this particular experience and how we were allowed to do such a project with free reign over the whole process.

We at Street Etiquette would like to sincerely thank everyone at Sebago and Ronnie Fieg for making this project possible.

The Nexus Project

http://www.Jakedavisfilms.com

http://www.marcustroy.com

http://www.williamyan.com

http://www.Cultureshoq.com

http://www.Ronniefieg.com

SEBAGO^® COLLABORATES WITH RONNIE FIEG TO INTRODUCE “THE NEXUS PROJECT”

Power Bloggers and Ronnie Fieg Work with Sebago to Design a Series of Custom Docksides, Lighthouse and other Nexus Styles

ROCKFORD, Mich. (June 2010) — Over a span of months and a collaborative spirit, David Z’s Ronnie Fieg along with a select group of power bloggers, teamed with Sebago to design a series of ten custom Sebago shoes to form “The Nexus Project”.  Fieg and some of the most influential bloggers including Marcus Troy, Jake Davis, Greg Weinstein of Culture Shoq, William Yan, and Joshua Kissi of Street Etiquette experienced a complete immersion at Sebago’s Dominican Republic Facility to create this ultimate collaborative Sebago collection.  Designs include individual takes on the Docksides, Lighthouse boot as well as other exclusive Nexus styles.

“Ronnie has a well-known history of putting together great collaborations,” said Gary Malamet, Sebago’s general manager.  “We’ve worked with him many times in the past with success.  When he came to us with this project, we knew we had a chance to develop something completely fresh. In this day of collaborations, and the unstoppable power of blogs, we felt the combination of the two was unprecedented”.

Sebago worked with the bloggers and Fieg and took them to the manufacturing plant in the Dominican Republic, bringing in representatives of some of the world’s best tanneries and various suppliers to pore through leathers, colors, finish details and more to select materials for each custom shoe.  Each participant in turn went through the process of creating their shoe by hand with the team of master craftsmen at Sebago.  Processes included soaking and heating the leathers and finally stitching the shoes together – a seven hour project for each shoe.

Throughout the summer of 2010, a limited run of 48 pairs will be created of each Nexus style.  The shoes will be available exclusively at David Z’s flagship store in New York as well as davidz.com. Bloggers will each bring their own angle and story to their blogs to communicate the Nexus Project. The entire collaboration was filmed by Jake Davis on location in the Dominican Republic. Each blogger will have their own trailer that can be seen on their respective websites. Please make sure to check out each bloggers trailer throughout the release of this project”

Stay tuned for our pair.

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]]> http://streetetiquette.com/2010/06/09/shoe-etiquette-the-sebago-nexus-project/feed/ 44 http://streetetiquette.com/2010/06/04/family-etiquette-the-wonder-years/ http://streetetiquette.com/2010/06/04/family-etiquette-the-wonder-years/#comments Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:42:20 +0000 admin http://streetetiquette.com/?p=3195 JKISSI: Today, we’re going to stray from the normal events of formulated post on my and Travis’s latest sartorial endeavors. Everyone has them: The photo albums we sometimes refuse to visit because of some rather embarrassing photo moments from stages in our lives which bring back nostalgic feelings.

I randomly came across piles of family photo albums and began to follow suit by cleaning off the flakes of dust toppled on the covers. My parents’ loyal enthusiasm for taking photographs during any event with significance left a visual story without words.

Our posts have always contained an element about reflecting on the past. This time around, though, we chose pictures of ourselves from the late 1990s instead of pictures from the early-to-mid 1900s. Diverging from our usual editorial-esque posts, Travis and I provide a more personal look into our earlier lives with little resentment.

It seems we grow up in a heartbeat, often forgetting these types of moments that were filled with pondering on what was yet to come. The rather interesting point is we all go through many styles from our adolescent years to adulthood, depending on how we choose to identify ourselves at that moment.

(Photo from 2010)

Growing up quickly, Jeremiah may have a different aesthetic from the usual five-year-old kid. He has play dates on the weekends and he’s still a kid who loves to return home with stains all over his clothes. With technology altering the way we live our lives, things may be slightly different for this spelling-bee champion Jeremiah when it’s time to look back. Instead of flipping through an old photo album, all he may have to do is look online to find his own pictures on his uncle’s blog.

(Photos from 1994-1998)

In these pictures, you see a turtleneck tucked into trousers, multi-colored button-up shirts, and loud color palettes. I can still somewhat sense a connection to my style presently. To see myself in what looks to be a double-breasted suit brings a smile to my face, totally aware that in a previous post, I mentioned my unique admiration to possess one.

I’m not here to discuss semantics of the piece (Waistcoat vs. Vest), but instead, to talk about how it can be incorporated into your own style across the map. Because the first waistcoats were originally meant to provide an extra layer of warmth, it shouldn’t be a surprise that today’s version of the waistcoat makes a great layering piece.

Similar to other garments recent times (like sweaters and pullovers), we snatch the waistcoat away from its previous notions of formality and give it a more casual context through the addition of jeans, T-shirts, and even sneakers.

Joshua – Vintage Brooks Brothers tie  - GAP Tweed Waistcoat – Tanner Goods Belt – Self Edge Flat Head Jeans – Sebago shoes

Kenny – Vintage Ralph Lauren Glasses & Tie  - J.Crew Waistcoat & Shirt – Uniqlo blackwatch plaid trousers – Bass saddle shoes – Vintage bag

Fit Details: I got the tweed waistcoat from GAP while I was working there several years ago. Interestingly enough, I recently stumbled upon it while welcoming the spring season by cleaning out my closet. I found the vintage Brooks Brothers tie for 99 cents at a thrift shop. It’s similar to a tie many companies would charge $50 or more for. At two-and-a-half inches wide, I think it’s the perfect width for a tie. It’s not necessarily too skinny, but not incredibly wide, either. The Flat Head jeans have been receiving a ton of wear even though the temperature is rising.

It intrigues me when I see older gentleman wearing waistcoats with a pocket watch dipped in one pocket. A perfect example of a person who does this is professor Cornell West. I recommend you watch this video on his thoughts on “What is Style” brought to us by Prepidemic Magazine.

“Style allows you to project to a sense of what is outside of you and connect those things , and other that are outside of you and bond you in such a way that people feel you” – Cornel West

Item Etiquette : The Waistcoat from Street Etiquette on Vimeo.

Photography/Video: We set out to achieve the great city ambience of New York City and there was no other place better do so than Midtown. Midtown—known for its glorious skyscrapers and recognizable architecture—fit perfectly into the mood we were looking for. This mood was further accentuated by this happening in the midst of clusters of dress-up business individuals, all maneuvering in an automaton-like way. We figured that since were born to such a great city, why not express that with style?

People :  Joekenneth, no stranger to this blog and the potent mouthpiece behind the ‘Sewn From the Soul’ video, made an appearance with myself in this post. A keen eye can see the meticulous detail that went into his outfit –  I enjoy the color transition from his plaid tie  <-> stripe shirt  <-> shoes <-> red bag.

“King Charles II introduced the waistcoat as a part of correct dress during the Restoration of the British monarchy. Samuel Pepys, the diarist, wrote in 7th October 1666 that “the King hath yesterday in council declared his resolution of setting a fashion for clothes which he will never alter. It will be a vest, I know not well how”. This royal proclamation is the first mention of a waistcoat. Pepys records ‘vest’ as the original term. The reason for the term ‘waistcoat’ was to denote the termination at the waist, whereas, at the time, men’s formal coats went well below the waist as frock or morning coats.” – Giles, Bellamonte – Designer, UK

What I like most about these hats is their ability to change the entire aura of an outfit. They implement a different type of “cool,” which I find very much refreshing. Take a look at the 1975 movie Cooley High and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about. All of the main characters, in their everyday wear, sported a variation of this cap. These hats flawlessly added some charisma to their ensemble.

Fit details: BKc 8-Panel Hat, J.Crew multicolored corduroy shirt, Goodwood x Chace Infinite Africa necklace, Nudies, Clarks Desert Boots:

The J.Crew shirt was yet another lucky eBay find. It’s now one of the most unique shirts I own. The details and color placement are both great, and the fact that it’s corduroy adds to its uniqueness. I really like the BKc hat, too. The red silk lining and leather sweatband make for a justifiable price. I don’t usually wear it buttoned out, but I wanted to show the versatility of hats like this. The buttoned out look works really well for people with long hair.

Photography/Video : While scouting out an area to shoot this quick video, I thought to myself, “Why not shoot it at the BKc?” It was the perfect call seeing as all of the guys at the store happened to be wearing the hat that day. If you haven’t already, be sure to check the store out. It has a cool, laid-back, welcoming aura. Much thanks to Adam Kerchman for bringing yet another post to life with this video.

Location: The Brooklyn Circus- 150 Nevins Street, Brooklyn NY

Headwear Etiquette : The Newsboy Cap from Street Etiquette on Vimeo.

Reggae legend Peter Tosh and the cast from Cooley High sport the cap below.

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Vintage DB Blazer – J.crew madras shirt – TM Jeans – Dexter Hand-sewn  – Vintage YSL Briefcase

Videography/Photography : Due to my own camera ( Canon Rebel XTI ) being out of commission presently, I called on a friend to help me with our new post , Adam Kerchman. A graduating photo/video student,  he pretty much sold me on my next camera purchase with everything from the photos to the video shot with a Canon 7d w/50 mm 1.4 lens . The video was an experimental project that I came up with to change the pace slightly, at the same time bringing life to still images with some personality. There’s a possibility that we may continue to incorporate visuals other than photos to accompany our post. A special thanks to blogger/friend James Jean, no stranger to this blog and one of our ‘Sewn From the Soul’ contributors, for making a brief cameo in the video. Check out his blog.

Location : New York City

Neighborhood : Tribeca

Fit Details : I scored this lovely 4-button double-row double-breasted blazer off the Internet. I knew I wanted a double breasted blazer but for the first time around wanted to stray away from the typical navy blue, 5 -6 gold button blazer I see so often. The double-breasted jacket is really known for its formality, but here I avoid any neck accessories/pocket squares to give it a more casual look, therefore putting my own spin on the jacket.   Ebay can be a mans best friend for thrifting if you have some semblance of patience, and it definitely delivered in this instance.

A great image via LIFE Archives showing the double-breasted blazer being worn by a young gentleman in the 1930s. The blazer has its broad shoulders and overlapping lapels and, of course, one row of functional buttons with the rest being simply decorative.

My good friend  Antonio Centeno from A Tailored Suit and writer for Art of Manliness gives a nice run-down on the double-breasted jacket.

“The original double-breasted jacket has six buttons, with three to close. This originated from the naval reefer jacket. Because shorter men may find that six buttons overwhelms their shorter torso, a four or six button configuration in which only the bottom one fastens may be a better option. The four-button double-breasted jacket that buttons at the lower button is often called the “Kent”, after the man who made it popular – the Duke of Kent”

J.Crew Fatigue Jacket – Lands End 5 pocket Colored jeans – Army Jungle Boot - BR Utility Shirt – (Alternative) - 3sixteen x Tanner goods double strap

Fit Details : I have been wearing this J.Crew fatigue jacket quite frequently since the weather refuses to burst into full-on spring. This item is a classic rendition on military inspired outerwear which everyone can appreciate with J.Crew’s distinctive wash on the piece.  My personal favorite detail on  the jacket has to be the drawstring and multiple pockets. -||-  Have you ever come across a pair of jeans and wished that they came in your desired fit ? Add a tailor and a few days and that’s exactly what I did here with these Lands End jeans – a great toasty shade of brown. Fair enough my family has been receiving the catalogue for countless years and I decided to take advantage of that to broaden my pant color options. Some people would definitely label this idea slightly out of the box,  or in better words just plain old crazy.

This ode to the boots speaks for itself: It was interesting to rip the tag off the boots that read “Check for snakes and insects” notifying me of the severity that could be at hand. These are great boots that can also be multi-purposed for this moderate spring weather we’re experiencing. I would seriously recommend wearing cushion socks and getting your hands on a nice insole if you don’t want any unkind foot blisters.

The first jungle boots were made of canvas and rubber and used in the South Pacific during World War II. The first model was standardized 31 Aug 1942 and went into production that year, to try to meet the unexpectedly large requirements for war in the Pacific Theater. It had a canvas duck top and an attached tongue that kept out mud and insects (top photo on this page). The corrugated rubber sole had good traction while a removable fabric insole kept the feet away from the rubber. Overall, the boot was lightweight and kept the feet and lower legs comfortable when worn with cushion sole socks. It was easily cleaned and dried. – Source – Olive Drab

Jungle boot production line via LIFE Archives