Trav: For the past couple of years, this iconic shirt has become a summer staple.  Its slightly glossy, lightweight, comfortable fabric adds to its desirability. Chambray, also known as cambric, is a lightweight cotton cloth used as fabric for lace and needlework. Chambray first originated in Cambrai, France in 1595, hence its name.

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

JKISSI : In the midst of layering up with scarfs and sweaters during the previous winter, questions were  directed at us  by readers curious about how our Summer looks would pan out. Now we’re here, presently knee deep in our Summer Etiquette post series, amongst the sweltering weather. The only piece that has been myself and Travis’s “haven piece” to beat out the weather, besides a plain t-shirt, has been the polo (also known as the “tennis shirt”). A common misconception is that the term ‘polo shirt’ comes from the popular brand Ralph Lauren, but it actually derives from the sport of polo.

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)

Ode to the ‘Lo from CJ Something on Vimeo.

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

Trav: As summer rolls into full swing it is only befitting that we share some of our many favorite items appropriate  for this scorching season. Dressing for summer can be a tricky task as it is sometimes difficult to find a clean, casual look while staying comfortable. The summer heat has the power to hit the pause button of one’s sartorial prowess and start the “I couldn’t care less” look. I’m sure we all get that feeling sometimes. The best way to beat this situation is to stick with the basics, two of which are the oxford shirt and the chino pant. 

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