Like Birkenstock Arizona Sandals? You’ll Love These Sandals, Too
Birkenstock Arizona Sandals, $135
Birkenstock has seen its share of fashion cycles since its founding in 1774. Though the brand took a very clinical approach to footwear at its outset, it has gone on to produce some of the world’s most stylish shoes. The Arizona sandal is among its most popular models, cemented in the annals of fashion annals for decades. It was first introduced in the 1970s (Birkenstock is so old that we have to distinguish which century we’re talking about), and remains basically unchanged to this day. It features two adjustable leather straps atop Birkenstock’s famous cork footbed — a term they actually coined — and the signature rubber sole.
It’s simple, comfortable, well-made and comes in a million iterations. There’s no knocking the dual-strap goodness of the Arizona. But there are some fine-looking alternatives on the market, too. Just as appropriate as the Arizona’s are for summertime activities, countless brands have used it as a springboard for their own takes. If you’re looking to slide into a pair that’s like the fashion faves, but not exactly, here are some great alternatives.
Moses Sandals
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These lightweight renditions are made from a molded plastic upper and rubber soles, making them totally waterproof (i.e. perfect for the pool). Aside from the near-identical silhouette of the classic Arizona, these come with a textured footbed for grip as well as a fun paisley print and, no joke, a milk and honey scent.
Chaco Lowdown Slide
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Another beloved brand of outdoor enthusiasts, Chaco makes a comfy sandal ready for light hikes. It features a contoured EVA footbed with ample arch support, jacquard webbing straps and vegan materials all around.
Suicoke Zona
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Japan-based brand Suicoke is responsible for reinvigorating the sandal category and has churned out its share of fashion-forward footwear with a distinctly tech aesthetic. These are a clear callback to the Arizona, but are made of EVA and include velcro straps, a molded footbed and a thick, thick sole.
Dr. Martens Chilton
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Yes, Dr. Martens also makes sandals with its signature welted construction, yellow stitching and AirWair sole. If a British mod were to go on a tropical vacation, these would be in the suitcase.
Naot Santa Barbara
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If you want something kinda, sorta, exactly like the Birkenstock Arizona, with its leather straps, suede-wrapped molded footbed, cork midsole and rubber soles, then Naot’s Santa Barbara sandal is the shoe for you.
Grenson Chadwick Two-Strap Leather Slides
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Grenson’s best-known for its very English brogues and boots. But this take on the sandal also deserves attention. They’re crafted with premium leather uppers and leather-wrapped footbed for supreme comfort, and they come with a zigzag rubber sole.
Neighborhood x Shaka NHSK. Chill Out / PE Sandal
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Shaka was originally a brand from South Africa before it was shuttered in 2000. However, its popularity in Japan pushed for its resurrection. Though, it’s now based in Japan, Shaka is still making stylish sandals like it used to. This collaborative pair features woven nylon and neoprene uppers, an EVA midsole and rubber outsoles.
Mr. P Gray David Suede Sandals
Mr Porter
Mr. Porter’s in-house label Mr. P produces timeless pieces across several categories. More recently they launched these gray “David” sandals, a cashmere-feeling riff on Birkenstock’s Arizona slide. They’re tonal, soft to the touch and topped off with an ERGO footbed for comfortability.
Buttero El Fuso 2 Strap Sandal
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Buttero’s rendition of the Arizona combines a slim profile with lush suede uppers and footbed lining with clean nylon webbing straps and Vibram outsoles.
Yuketen Arizonian Leather Sandals
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Yuketen’s homage to the Arizona is obvious but has its own unique twist. They’re made with super soft, high-quality leather for the uppers and the footbed, brass hardware as well as jute and crepe outsoles for an espadrille-inspired look.
Officine Creative Toscano Agora 2 Sandals
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Italy-based brand Officine Creative offers up a pair of strappy sandals that’s at once minimalist and badass. These strip away the eyelets and roller buckle in favor of belt-style elastic straps, wrapped in premium leather.
Brunello Cucinelli Corduroy Sandals
Mr Porter
Crafted in Brunello Cucinelli’s family-run atelier in Italy, these are a stylish riff on the original. Featuring a comfy, contoured footbed, wrapped in luscious corduroy and a natural rubber sole, these are at once high-end and low-key.
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Here’s the Story Behind AETHER’s Unique New Moth Ads
Few outdoor-minded companies do as good a job of combining aesthetics and technical prowess as AETHER. The brand, which was started in 2009 by Palmer West and Jonah Smith, was born out of the desire for a clothing collection that looked at home in the city but could withstand the outdoors — and it’s easy to conclude that the two have been successful in their mission.
Today, AETHER encompasses a complete lifestyle collection offering top-quality gear for everything from skiing, to riding your motorcycle, to traveling and everything in between. The brand’s latest campaign, titled “You Only Get One Spin,” is one of its most unique initiatives yet. We caught up with West and Smith to discuss the meaning behind the new campaign, the history and inspiration behind AETHER and to get a sneak peek at what’s ahead.
Aether
Q: The AETHER mantra is “You Only Get One Spin”. Where did that line come from? And why did you land on moths in your new campaign?
Palmer West: “You Only Get One Spin embodies the internal drive that guides us. We’re restless at heart. This phrase is our way of saying life is short — make it count. Our new campaign is a timely reminder of what happens when you stop striving to add excitement to your everyday life. The moth is a beautiful representation of our enemy — our antagonist —because a stagnant life is the enemy of a brand like ours.
Why the moth? Well, the last thing we wanted was to make apparel that would be hung in a closet to become moth food. We put too much blood, sweat and tears into our designs for them to suffer that fate. We don’t make moth food — enough said.”
Q: You say that AETHER isn’t a business, it’s a story — a story of rebellious optimism. Tell us a bit about that story.
Jonah Smith: “We started an outdoor clothing company in 2009 because frankly, we couldn’t find what we were looking for: technically built outerwear that sacrificed nothing in design. We outgrew the traditional outerwear company offerings because at some point you have to choose to dress differently than you did in college. We were film producers by trade at the time and couldn’t find outerwear that was built to withstand all of Mother Nature’s fury while still being acceptable as daily wear.
We are a couple of guys who grew up beating the crap out of our gear, so what we lacked in construction know-how was offset with decades of real-world experience in knowing what works and what doesn’t. If we stopped to ask someone if AETHER was a good idea, we knew what the answer would be. That’s why we used our own money to start AETHER. We found the smartest and most talented people we could and convinced them what we wanted to build would resonate far beyond the outdoor space. That was more than ten years ago, and people still like what we do.
Aether
Q: You’ve been described as being addicted to adventure. How does that addiction feed what AETHER is going to do next and what design choices it makes?
Palmer West: “The more we build, the more we have to test, and the more we test, the better the gear gets. The better the gear gets, the farther we can go on our adventures. Delivering on our commitment to our customers demands that we get out there and practice what we preach. So our addiction feeds AETHER, and, in return, AETHER feeds our restlessness.
Adventure is often thought to be limited to the great outdoors. While that is part of it for sure, adventure also encompasses world travel and cultural exploration — both in cosmopolitan cities and on the most remote corners of our planet. Discovering a new place is as adventurous to us as climbing a mountain. Explaining what adventure means to us helps shed light on all of the different environments we think require specific gear. We were lucky to build a brand with more than just one note — more than just one activity to support. We can follow our passions and build accordingly. Wherever technicality is required and aesthetics are lacking, AETHER is committed to bridging that divide. We have new partnerships, new collaborations and new AETHER categories to launch in the next calendar year. We may have been locked away from each other for the last 13 months, but we have been very busy. When you lock down this many restless people, something has to give!”
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Get Jerry Lorenzo’s 24K Gold Gel Eye Patches
Fear of God designer Jerry Lorenzo has a new collection out this week — it drops tomorrow, May 14th at Fear of God, Nordstrom, Pac Sun and several others. As such, he’s been doing plenty of promotional shoots: interviews, a lookbook featuring his family and a few one-off images for retailers or editorial use.
In his behind-the-scenes Instagram, he explains he was responsible for “creative directing, fathering, modeling, styling.” Hectic, yes. “A pretty full day… not sure we’ll do it again, but so happy we did… proud of my squad,” he continues. But his first photo caught our eye, a still of him getting glammed up by men’s grooming expert Eliven Quiros. He’s wearing two glistening gold gel patches under each eye, and, based on his skin, they certainly seem to work. But what exactly do these do?
They’re Peter Thomas Roth’s 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift and Firm Hydra-Gel Eye Patches. Sold in packages of 30 pairs (60 patches), the sticky patches strive to offer your skin “a more lifted and firmer appearance for a more youthful-looking eye area,” the brand explains. They’ll reduce puffiness and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, oftentimes to a noticeable degree within just 10 minutes. Packed with caffeine, colloidal gold and hydrolyzed collagen yet free from sulfates, SLS and SLES, parabens and phthalates, these patches prove refreshing, rejuvenating and, well, really damn luxurious.
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Adidas and Allbirds’ Collaborative Sneaker Is Here
News of a forthcoming adidas and Allbirds collaboration first broke mid-2020. The two set out to create a sport shoe with the slightest carbon footprint yet. Together, they planned to assess their own emissions, improve their manufacturing systems, develop new materials and establish a standard, albeit a formula, for other companies to follow.
At inception, the collaboration had a clearcut end goal — to release a co-branded sneaker — but it also aimed to impact the industry at large. For context, most sneakers have a carbon footprint of about 13.6 kg. adidas reveals most of their sneakers’ numbers are slightly lower (10-15 kg), and Allbirds’ are even less (~7 kg). By establishing entirely new means for making shoes, both parties promised a sneaker with the lowest-ever carbon output — and they’ve delivered. In 2020, Carnes told Vogue that “getting to two kilograms is like running a two-minute mile. It seems impossible, but that’s what gets us excited.” Officially, the adidas and Allbirds FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT sneaker boasts a total footprint of just 2.94kg CO2e and it can be created with 63 percent less carbon emissions (when compared to one of adidas’ most popular styles).
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As promised, the all-new sneakers meets these metrics without sacrificing performance. Months of wear-testing confirmed each iteration’s durability and design tweaks aplenty helped the shoe reach its final form, which is happy marriage of both brands’ images. They’re not too tech startup starter kit nor are they just another adidas shoe. There’s a sugarcane-based SweetFoam midsole inspired by adidas Lightstrike design, an upper made from a mix of recycled polyester and Tencel (a fabric made from wood pulp) and a co-branded label near the heel that details the total footprint, the five pillars of the industry they innovated upon (shoe-making, packaging, transportation, use and end of life). To top it all off, the sneakers are sold in conical boxes that reduce total material use.
“With this project, less really was more. To keep minimalist not only in materials but also in construction, we went to extremes and left only what we really needed on the shoe to keep the performance properties,” Florence Rohart, Senior Footwear Designer at adidas, says.
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“Our partnership with Allbirds is a beacon of what can happen when competing brands from the same industry see the possibilities in coming together to design,” Brian Grevy, Executive Board Member Global Brands at adidas, says in a statement. “By truly co-creating and providing each other with open access to knowledge and resources – such as Allbirds’ knowledge of carbon calculation and experience with natural materials, and adidas’ capabilities in manufacturing and performance footwear – this is a call-to-action for other brands, and a milestone in the sports industry achieving carbon neutrality.”
Adidas aims for carbon neutrality by 2050, while Allbirds is already there. (They’re significantly smaller and made the shift in 2019.) Ideally, a successful FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT launch fuels others to follow suit. 100 pairs of the sneakers will be available via raffle only to adidas Creators Club members in May. 10,000 pairs will drop later this year, and a wider release is planned for Spring/Summer 2022. For those interested, a virtual launch event on May 12 will feature further details.
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The Best Linen Pants to Buy Right Now
Woolen pants and rugged, raw denim don’t mesh well with warmer weather. Frankly, shorts aren’t always appropriate either. As such, you should work linen pants into your wardrobe. Yes, the term “linens” is oft used to describe sheets or towels, but we’re talking about trousers here. They’re breathable, often elegant and yet under utilized.
Whether worn to the beach or the bar, a pair of linen pants are surely an upgrade in at least one category — style or comfortability. Choose wisely, though, as all aren’t made equal. Some prove see-through (too thin or not double layered) while others wrinkle relentlessly (too unstructured). Thankfully, we’ve done the legwork (pun intended) for you. These are the best linen pants to buy right now.
Oliver Spencer Linen Trousers
Mr Porter
These mid-weight linen trousers are brand new from British designer Oliver Spencer’s eponymous label. They fit in a relaxed way, with room in the crotch and calves but no synthetic stretch. There’s an internal drawstring that eliminates the need for a bulky belt, stash pockets on the front and two buttoned flap pockets on the back. Best of all, they’ve been dyed a rich, deep designer blue hue dubbed Evering Navy.
Blluemade x Standard & Strange Garden Pants
Standard & Strange
Behold, some of the most luxurious, and yet absolutely resilient, linen pants on the market. A collaboration between Standard and Strange and Blluemade, these Garden Pants are inspired by “War Garden & Victory Garden posters from WWI and WWII,” and they truly are durable enough for the dirt: double knees provide protection at stress points; a split v waist prevents splits; two tool loops offer storage; its long fiber Belgian linen construction resists wrinkling; and the additional pockets prove big enough to actually store something worth carrying.
Folk Assembly Pant
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Think of London-based label Folk’s linen Assembly Pants as casual fatigues. They are garment-dyed a similar green — olive — and boast a few pronounced design features (rubber brand patch, reinforced hems, a button fly and beyond). To note: Folk’s sizing translates typical measurements to numbers — 2 for small and 5 for extra-large.
De Bonne Facture Washed Linen Drawstring Trousers
Mr Porter
Made in France from 100 percent linen, these mustard-washed pants are ultra-soft to the touch yet perfectly structured. Although this iteration proves a bit more casual than others on this list, that doesn’t make their tapered aesthetic any less deserving of your drawer space.
Hartford Linen-Chambray Drawstring Trousers
Mr Porter
Affectionately referred to as the Troy trousers, Hartford’s linen-chambray bottoms fit on the slimmer side, boast a button-zip fly and four pockets. There’s a belt loop for tightening the waist but there’s also an external drawstring, should you need both.
Taylor Stitch The Morse Pant
Huckberry
Cut from heavyweight navy slub linen, a blend of 65 percent organic cotton and 35 percent linen that’s actually tougher than cotton alone, Taylor Stitch’s Morse Pants are workwear refined. Ultra-tough yet flattering and impressively pared back, you can wear these outdoors, in an industrial setting or to dinner — and seemingly everywhere in-between. A garment wash has given them incredible softness out of the box, but a triple stitched waistband, pair of hems, joining seams and more promise durability.
Alex Crane Cham Linen Pant
Huckberry
Alex Crane’s Cham Linen Pant might be the most stereotypical lightweight bottoms on this list. They’re striped navy blue and basic white, but basic is far from how you should describe them: they’re cut from sustainable 100 percent French linen, temperature regulating, stain and odor resistant and, as we mentioned before, stronger than 100 percent cotton. Rough these up; we promise they can take it, and the biodegradable wash they were treated with shortly before being sold promises they’ll break in well (and quickly).
Corridor Ticking Stripe Linen Drawstring Pants
Corridor
Up close, Corridor’s Ticking Stripe pants are a rich navy and natural color way. From afar, they appear almost grey — but still great for sunny days. They’re cut from a linen-cotton blend by the company’s Indian manufactory and available in sizes XS through XXL. If you’re between them, a drawstring waistband offers personalized sizing. (There’s a three-button blazer cut from the same material, too.)
Orlebar Brown Griffon Linen Tailored Trousers
Orlebar Brown
Orlebar Brown makes the quintessential Linen Trousers in a flattering, tailored fit. Yes, they’re white — we have a guide to wearing white well — ultra-light and fairly flowy, but they also come equipped with a fully constructed interior (which will prevent the sort of see-through mishaps we mentioned above). Slim through the leg and contoured in the carriage, these can pass for formal or elevate an outfit that’s more easy-going.
Todd Snyder Sutton Italian Linen Dress Pants
Todd Snyder
Because there are often plenty of reasons to rock a suit in the summer, we of course selected a pair of linen dress pants for this list. These are by Todd Snyder for his eponymous brand, and even though they’re incredibly structured, they’re fit for summer because of their overall weight. The 100 percent Italian, almond-colored linen material they’re made from is some of the finest for sale, and they breathe better than even the lightest alternatives.
Nicholas Daley ’70s Stripe Linen Pants
Nordstrom
Secretly, these are my favorite on this list. Nicholas Daley‘s ’70s-inspired Stripe Linen Pants are functional with plenty of flare. Are they expensive? Definitely. Too expensive? Probably not considering they’re made in the UK from bespoke striped linen, finished with waxed cotton accents and outfitted with an adjustable buckle waistband to boot.
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The Best Spot Treatments for One-Off Blemishes
It takes one pimple to ruin a good day. And luckily, it takes one good spot treatment to ruin a pimple.
Spot treatments are exactly what they sound like: one-off treatments that target individual pimples or blemishes as they arise; these can even include stubborn dark spots that refuse to disappear in the wake of a blemish.
Many acne-prone people use products that target the entire face, like a salicylic acid cleanser or serum, or an oil-free moisturizer to prevent clogging. These individuals are probably more cognizant of how each product can clog (or unclog) pores. But for anyone with a periodic pimple — or for acne-prone people who can usually keep the biggest, baddest ones at bay — every so often, there’s a blemish that simply refuses to stay quiet. You can feel it under there, stewing and steaming, or you wake up with it, practically ready to burst already. They’re sneaky like that. And what’s not sneaky is the open wound or active volcano they leave on your face.
That’s where the spot treatments come in handy. They can contain any variety of bacteria-fighting, pore-clearing, or complexion-brightening ingredients. Below is a roster of the best spot treatments, each with some unique way of disappearing, calming, or healing blemishes. You may want to stock up on a few of them, given the range of blemishes that can pop up at any time.
Best Overall Spot Treatment: Mighty Patch Hydrocolloid Patches
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Familiarize yourself with the miracle of hydrocolloid patches. They are little stickers that you leave on for 6 hours or overnight (sometimes with microdarts to seep deep into a cystic pimple, sometimes flat-bottomed to focus on whiteheads). They soak up the oil and grime beneath the surface of the skin, and Mighty Patch sells one of the more affordable and more reliable patches in the game. They are discreet enough for daytime wear, and durable enough for day or night. Simply apply it to the spot (after cleansing), and after the 6-8-hour wait, you’ll have a less rabid pimple, with much of its goo now on the underside of the sticker. They’ll spare you any need to pop (and thus any week-long haunting / dark-spot agony after the acne is gone).
Best Upgrade Spot Treatment: First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum
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This serum can be applied all over the face or can target specific dark spots and hyperpigmentation patches that just don’t want to turn over. You can expedite that cellular regeneration with First Aid Beauty’s blend of smoothing niacinamide and soothing allantoin. Both promote the production of healthy, new skin cells, and, if used all over, this serum also encourages long-term firmness and smoothness in the skin.
Best Budget Spot Treatment: Advanced Clinicals Tea Tree Oil
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Tea tree has natural antimicrobial and antifungal powers, making it terrific for all sorts of things, like toning the scalp, neutralizing the feet, and of course, diminishing pus-filled pores. That buildup of bacteria is no match for tea tree oil; it kind of feels like a “fight fire with fire” scenario, too, though tea tree oil is non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores. Best of all, Advanced Clinicals’ tea tree serum is 1.8 oz., nearly 60 percent more than a standard 1-oz. jar that would charge you twice as much for the essential oil.
Malin+Goetz Sulfur Paste
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Sulfur is a common ingredient in spot treatments since it can soak up excess oil and grime from within a pimple, and also eradicate dead skin cells that might be causing the blemish in the first place. And Malin+Goetz’s sulfur treatment contains salicylic acid, too, to further clear out pores and help you wake up with smoother, calmer skin. (It’s an overnight lotion paste, for that matter.)
Peace Out Skincare Salicylic Acid Acne Healing Dots
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Peace Out’s hydrocolloid stickers also deploy salicylic acid into the pores to help extract trapped sebum and dissolve dead skin cells. They use Vitamin A to promote smoother, faster-healing skin, as well as aloe vera to mitigate redness and to calm the spot on contact. Wear them overnight for a miracle, or for 6-8 hours during the day, also for a miracle.
Maapilim Mud Mask
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You can turn your trusted mud or clay mask into a spot treatment, by simply applying it to the budding blemish and the surrounding skin. Since muds soak up impurities from deep within the skin, they’re just as effective at extracting trapped sebum. Maapilim’s utilizes Dead Sea mud to boost circulation and soothe skin, as well as olive oil to moisturize and nourish (don’t worry, that olive oil won’t leave you feeling oily or clogged up, in fact, this mask does exactly the opposite of that).
Mario Badescu Drying Cream
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This cult-fave product magnifies the aforementioned drying abilities of sulfur with zinc oxide. This sinz also sponges up any excessive or trapped sebum. The lotion also cools, soothes, and promotes cellular turnover with aloe and allantoin, while lifting away dead surface cells with citric acid, so as to promote smoothness and prevent future breakouts.
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This Jacket Is a Spring and Summer Necessity
If your wardrobe is lacking a lightweight but durable jacket for spring and summer, then look no further than the Nevada Jacket from AETHER. Fully water- and wind-resistant with a clean design, this jacket is the refresh your windbreaker collection needs. It’s up for whatever you have planned this season, thanks to its woven fabric that is not only water-resistant, but also offers plenty of breathability. Plus, with AETHER’s Lifetime Manufacturing Guarantee, you can adventure in this jacket for life.
Aether
Aether
Thoughtfully Designed
This elevated windbreaker was designed to take an ordinary wardrobe staple and produce an upgraded sophisticated look. Plus, with its flat-felled construction at the seams, this jacket is as sleek as it is durable.
Pockets
With patch chest pockets and in-seam hand pockets with hidden snaps, this jacket has a pocket for everything. You will have a place to store your phone, keys and wallet whether you are riding the trail or running errands in the city.
Versatile
When mother nature is at its worst, there’s a hood with adjustable Cohaesive® cord locks. And when the sun comes out mid-hike, pack it into the standing collar with a concealed zipper for a super-clean look.
Price: $350
Gear Patrol Studios
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The Man Behind Some of the World’s Best Eyewear
A version of this story first appeared in Gear Patrol Magazine. Subscribe today for more stories like this one, plus receive a $15 gift card to the Gear Patrol Store.
All I see on the tiny screen are a bearded smile, a wool hat and a pair of handmade sunglasses. Some 7,000 miles away, Tommy O’Gara walks me through a small factory in western Japan, where he and half a dozen craftspeople turn out some of the world’s finest eyewear. O’Gara is a boyish 62, and even over FaceTime, he oozes the kind of energy that only comes from finding great success in something you love. His accent is hard to place, as if it has become unmoored by four decades of living in Japan and isn’t quite sure where it belongs. The son of a steel erector, O’Gara grew up in South Sioux City, Nebraska. And he strikes me as the most improbable Nebraskan since Marlon Brando.
O’Gara went straight from The University of Nebraska to Japan for graduate school in 1982. “The same year The Clash started their Japanese tour,” he likes to say. O’Gara has since earned legendary status as an eyewear designer through his dynamic creative force and fearless integrity: he was the creative director of both Freshjive Japan and Dita Eyewear, and launched Thom Browne Asia. His own company, The Light Co. Ltd., produces eyewear for Sauvage, Native Sons, Visvim, Supreme, Neighborhood, Deus Ex Machina, Max Pittion — a brand owned by none other than John Mayer — Julius Tart, Shady Character, El Solitario and others.
“The art, the history, architecture and craftsmanship of Japan has always piqued my interest,” says O’Gara, whose fascination with Japanese culture stretches back to his teens. In college, he practiced Kendo and Karate, studied Asian military history and took Japanese language classes, all in preparation for going to Japan. “I feel that it was always in the cards for me to go,” O’Gara says.
While studying in Nagoya, he became one of only two non-Japanese students ever to be accepted into the centuries-old Yagyu Shinkage Ryu sword school, and after grad school, he moved to Tokyo and began his design career as the creative director for a skate- and snowboard brand. Later, while developing eyewear for Dita, he got to know the ins and outs of Japan’s handmade-eyewear traditions. But the quality-over-all mentality he connected with eventually clashed with the profit-over-all mentality of the fashion industry, where he says the businesspeople treated their brands like ATMs. So he made the bold decision to run his own show. “The only way to control your own destiny in this type of hardware fashion is to do it with your own team, directly, and not through a third party,” he says.
To that end, O’Gara’s frames offer a rare blend of avant garde design and timeless lines. They are known globally for their classic and elegant shapes, their impeccable craftsmanship and, most of all, the subtle embellishments found on every pair.
Where these little wearable works of art originate from may come as a surprise. The single-story factory was once an outbuilding that stored tractors and tools for a rice farm. Everyone else who works here is Japanese, and they bow and nod to my image on FaceTime politely as he walks by with his phone. He speaks to them in fluent Japanese, sounding more comfortable in his adopted language than he does in English. He jokes that depending on how his last name is pronounced, it either sounds Irish-American, “oh-GAIR-ah,” or Japanese, “OH-gur-ah.”
The machines that occupy the factory are big, mechanical, greasy, turquoise-colored and old. They read “Sabae,” (pronounced “sa-BYE”), the name of both the region where they operate and the company that made them half a century earlier. “Those things are fifty years old at least,” O’Gara says. “But we had them fully refurbished.”
He shows me the machine that cuts the brass jigs to make the frames. Each design requires a custom solid-brass jig, and no jig will work for more than one or two models. To make the temples for a pair of frames, there are two nearly identical sets of machines for the right and left sides: machines for cutting the temples, machines for milling them out, machines for bending the temples, machines for drilling holes in them, machines for cutting the angled joints where the temples meets the frames, and machines for embedding the hinges. I ask him to clarify the bit about having two copies of every machine. “That’s some handmade-eyewear shit,” he laughs. To the uninitiated, the sequence of machines is both immediately intuitive and unbelievably complex.
After the final polish stage, frames are hung to dry on a rack called a tree. “It’s not super complex but you have to have everything ready and in line,” O’Gara says. With six employees, this facility produces 2,000 high-end acetate frames per month.
O’Gara comes by his manufacturing discipline honestly. “My dad was an amazing builder,” he says. He even built the high school O’Gara went to. “I grew up sitting on the floor of the site trailers with my dad, figuring out how to set steel from a very young age,” he says. And his early interest in building didn’t stop when he moved to Japan — he merely switched industries. “Once I started in eyewear,” says O’Gara, “I spent more and more time in Sabae with the owners and engineers of these factories, and I learned how to do this.”
Business has never been better for The Light Co. Their domestic Japanese business alone has grown 40 percent since the onset of COVID-19. “People not going out to the office don’t wear contacts, so they just want some frames,” he says. His is one of the only local businesses that didn’t cut jobs because of the pandemic. He kept buying advertising in Japanese fashion magazines throughout the shut-down, even though people weren’t going out to shops, just to help keep these publications afloat.
After a tour of the factory, O’Gara steps outside. Suddenly, we’re surrounded by rice fields. “The freeze will end soon,” he says. “The rice farmers will be out here working every day.” I spot a black AMG 1998 V6 G-Wagon behind him. It’s his. Four-wheel-drive is a requirement in Sabae because “it snows a shit-ton here,” he says.
It was this heavy snow, and the threat it posed to a local economy based on rice farming, which inspired a pioneering local at the turn of the 19th century to develop an eyewear industry as a way to diversify their economy. World War II led to advancements in eyewear and manufacturing in general, and Sabae was the only major Japanese production site that survived the war. The post-war economic expansion provided a growing market for Sabae’s signature product, and the town that once had to import its experts from Tokyo now makes over 90 percent of the eyewear produced in Japan. In the early 1980s, Sabae’s engineers were the first in the world to make eyeglass frames out of titanium. This legacy and culture of cutting-edge eyewear expertise, the tight-knit community of engineers and suppliers, and the deep expertise of local craftspeople all combine to make eyewear from Sabae the finest in the world.
What makes Tommy O’Gara’s position in Sabae so unique is how difficult it is for an outsider to develop a holistic understanding of Japanese eyewear’s complex production methods, acquired by local craftspeople over years, if not generations.
“There are so many steps in the production process — over two hundred and fifty steps to make metal frames,” says Hidemi Umeda, owner of a Sabae eyewear engineering company, Umeda Inc., who works with Tommy on metal and combination frames. “Tommy’s designs are very unique in that he creates a design from zero, instead of referring to other eyewear products like other designers,” says Umeda. “He wants them to look simple, but they are very difficult to produce, which is an inspiring challenge.”
O’Gara’s design process is effervescent and inspired. Hearing him talk about it — the cadence of his voice, the energy that animates him — I can tell this is the part of the process where he really slips into his flow state.
“I don’t work on two brands at once. And I start by packing my van or jumping on my bike, and just going somewhere for inspiration.” Recently that meant a solo drive on Japan’s snowy mountain roads. Sometimes it means surfing, or a ride on his 1982 Harley Davidson XLH 1000 Street Tracker. When working on his Sauvage line — which was inspired by a blend of French and Japanese culture — it meant running around different Parisian flea markets, poster shops and paint stores. Next he builds up what he calls “vibe sheets” with images of objects, people, architecture, airplanes, cars, motorcycles — anything that inspires him. (A recent collection was inspired by ‘70s stereo equipment.) Then he writes about it longhand in notebooks and sketchbooks — what he likes, how these things move him, what inspires him. “Gathering the inspiration and the writing take twice as much time as the design, but that’s the fun part,” he says.
From the writing, he picks out shapes — beginning with the lenses — before moving on to the frames. He scans his hand drawings into his computer, and then sits back and thinks about the lines. “After I choose the lines and dial in the fronts and the temple shapes, I hand them off to my assistant and he does all the spec sheets,” O’Gara says. “Every line delineates a carve, a cut, or an angle. Then we have to make tools, or bits, to cut that angle. Every line you see on a frame is done by a different bit.” So an engineer in his factory takes these specifications and turns them into blueprints, which drive the machines. These steps between design and fabrication are usually where things can become distorted, which is why his vertically integrated process is so important to maintaining design and manufacturing purity. It also shortens the process: “We can go from design to the prototype in twenty days.”
O’Gara doesn’t look at other eyewear for inspiration, nor is he satisfied with stock acetate colors. He happened to be wearing the Kowalski frames from his Native Sons brand, inspired by the film, Vanishing Point, when we spoke. “This color is called blood,” he says, pulling off his frames and holding them up to the computer camera, “Because one night in the studio, I poked my finger and bled onto A4 paper, and I photographed it as it was drying, just so I could get the right tone.” All the acetate colors he uses, except for black and clear, are custom colors that he creates with the scientists at Takiron.
“He’s a whirlwind,” says Carby Tuckwell, cofounder of the motorcycle and fashion brand Deus Ex Machina. “He talks a million miles an hour, always churning up ideas.” Tuckwell created an eyewear line with O’Gara that quickly sold out. The two are now developing a second collection called Deus Special Ops. “Eyewear is a small space [in which] to express something,” Tuckwell says. “Eyewear designers are big personalities, they’re gregarious, and even a little bit crazy — and Tommy fits into that.”
Gui Martinez
Shortly before we hang up, O’Gara pauses our conversation to greet one of his workers who was just showing up for work — late. He’s a widower who lives alone, O’Gara later tells me, and he needed time to take his dog on a morning walk. “He’s part of our ‘Silver Team,’” O’Gara explains. He, like the rest of the Silver Team, works on flex time. “They can come and go however works for them,” O’Gara says. And they repay his flexibility by working doubly hard during heavy production runs. “We are all pretty much linked together.”
O’Gara is looking to double his production by this time next year. “We are interviewing now. A lot of people lost jobs during COVID, so now is a good time for me to expand and help people out at the same time,” he says.
Gui Martinez
Gui Martinez
From factory to face, O’Gara is driven by the highest purposes of his craft. He likes to look at a person’s face to intuit what frames would best suit them, both physically and psychologically. Maybe it’s clear-lens frames for a female executive in a male-driven industry, or dark lenses for a jazz musician craving armor while he emotes through his instrument. “Eyewear is part of a person’s repertoire for representing their image,” O’Gara says. “And if that pair of frames fits the bone structure, the style, the hair, the skin tone… that person can be warm, they can be cool, they can be passionate, they can be anything they want to be. Because their eyewear gives them the confidence.”
As for the business side, he’s cemented his company’s reputation by doing things the hard way. “If you chase money, you’ll get to a certain level, but if you build something dynamic that has its own message, the money will follow.” The dark side of the fashion business — the ruthlessly commercial side — is what led him to the path he’s on, which is why he named his company, “The Light.”
“It’s been a lot of fun,” he says. “And I hope we can have more fun.”
Utility and comfort over style with the 2021 BEAMS x Crocs slip-ons
A certain foam clog brand has been the subject of ridicule for years which somehow also gives it the publicity to push sales. Still, many find it hard to justify its purchase unless they too become the subject of public mockery. Nonetheless, the 2021 BEAMS x Crocs will surely find its way into the hands or feet of collectors.
Crocs may be the last thing on your mind when you are about to purchase a new pair of footwear for your upcoming outdoor escapades. Yet, it seems the previous two collaborative projects with BEAMS were successful enough to warrant another capsule for this year.
We have to hand it to the team behind these designs because the latest models are notably functional. It’s somehow strange for anyone to choose these over hiking boots, trail runners, sports sandals, and others. Yet, those who seek the legendary comfort it brings to the table will likely find it with the 2021 BEAMS x Crocs
The collection features two configurations: MILITARY and OUTDOOR. True to its name, the former has a vamp with what appears to be a MOLLE attachment system. There’s no mention of it specifically, but that’s what we can gather from the photos. Also, it comes with a removable pouch that attaches via a strap with a plastic buckle.
The OUTDOOR version of the slip-on goes for a more casual silhouette, but with elements that denote its more trail-ready nature. There is a pocket with a zipper and netting that can hold small items on the vamp. We can also spot a carabiner on the strap across the top. Both of the variants in the 2021 BEAMS x Crocs collection have textile uppers and a rugged outsole.
Images courtesy of BEAMS/Crocs
The Bennett Winch S.C. Holdall Is ‘No Time To Die’ approved
The Bennett Winch S.C. Holdall takes you from country to suit-and-tie events in no time. It guarantees a crisp, wrinkle-free suit or tuxedo on the go so you never have to look for the ironing board when strapped for time.
This suit carrier is James Bond approved having made a cameo in “No Time To Die” and for all good reasons because it keeps you looking sharp sans the unsightly creases and folds in your suit. The carrier comes in a unique 2-piece design developed in collaboration with Permanent Style.
The Bennett Winch S.C. Holdall prevents hard, tight folds by letting a jacket and trouser wrapped around the spacious central cylindrical bag, which is secured afterward with magnets and straps. The suit carrier can function on its own or used around the holdall. Either component can be used separately.
Designed for travel, the exterior of the suit carrier uses 24oz British dyed, waterproof cotton canvas. Meanwhile, the holdall is from lightweight British dyed and proofed 180z canvas twill. It features solid brass hardware welded in London, YKK golden brass zippers, and premium vegetable-tanned Italian leather.
The Bennett Winch S.C. Holdall also features storage compartments including an external pocket for a passport, keys, or wallet. It also comes with a removable waterproof shoe bag and slimline coat hanger. For convenience, you can either carry it as a handbag or a sling bag using its detachable shoulder strap made with military-grade webbing. It also has a storage capacity of 32 liters and is airline-compliant at a weight of just 2.2 kg.
Images courtesy of Bennett Winch
9 Best Ideas for a Business Outfit
The way you look can affect a person’s opinion of you. A stylish yet elegant work outfit can get you the promotion you want – just because your business partner will see you as a highly professional person. On the other hand, a stained blouse can be the fastest way to leave the company. A business outfit can impact your career success, which is why it’s extremely important to choose clothes, accessories, and a hairstyle wisely. In this article, you’ll find the best ideas for professional attire.
Basics
The first thing to remember is that a business outfit should be classic. This doesn’t mean that you have to wear boring pieces. On the contrary, you can wear bright colors and unique patterns. But avoid prints with symbols like hearts or stars, as they can look a bit childish.
Black, grey, and navy are the best basic colors for a professional outfit. Avoid white and cream as they can look too casual. You can also choose blue, but only if you pair it with black accessories so you don’t look too casual.
Haircut & Hairstyle
Your hair is an essential part of your overall look. When choosing a haircut, make sure it suits your face shape and suits your profession. If you don’t have enough time to visit a professional hairstylist, then you can always trim your split ends at home.
There are plenty of tutorials online on how to do it, all you need is the right equipment. You’ll need a comb, hair clips, and some professional scissors.
We recommend the Matsui Scissors from Scissor Tech to do the job at home. As for styling your hair, you can choose a simple hairstyle, something that is easy to do at home like smooth straight hair or a ponytail.
Accessories
When it comes to accessories, always choose quality over quantity. A small bag made out of leather or a satin clutch, a watch, and earrings is more than enough. Do not wear too many rings, bracelets, or necklaces as they can look gaudy and cheap and that’s not very professional.
Men’s Business Outfit
It’s extremely important for men to have their clothes tailored. Buy shirts and pants in the right size, rather than choosing something too large, so the clothes will fit you perfectly. In terms of color combinations, dark colors look more formal than light ones. Try to avoid white, pale yellow, and black, as they can give off a strong informal vibe which is not appropriate for a business outfit.
Women’s Business Outfit
Women can wear skirts and dresses in the office, but keep in mind that they do need to be somewhat longer than the knee length. Of course, women can also opt to wear a suit to the office as well. The same rule applies to tops, they should fit perfectly on your body without showing too much skin. In terms of color combinations, try to stick to one main color (black, grey, or navy) combined with accessories in another color (white, cream, or blue).
Makeup
Make sure your makeup looks clean and fresh, but subtle at the same time. Avoid wearing too much makeup and going overboard with blusher and mascara otherwise, you’ll end up looking amateur and unprofessional. There is plenty of information out there on some of the best products out there that will look great all day.
Also, one small piece of advice to keep your makeup in good condition during the workday: you can use private car sharing instead of public transport, which will save your pretty makeup from unpredictable troubles.
Shoes & Socks
The shoes should be polished and clean at all times, this is crucial! If you wear heels for work, choose classy ones that are fine enough for the workplace. The same rule applies to men, choose elegant leather shoes that are the right height for your pants. As for socks, choose black ones that match your shoes, no matter how tempted you are to wear patterned socks with printed panda faces!
Blouses & Skirts
Blouses should be made out of natural fabrics like cotton or silk so they feel comfortable against your skin when you wear them for long hours in an air-conditioned office building. There is nothing worse than having to change because the fabric irritates your skin! If you are wearing a skirt, make sure it fits your hips perfectly otherwise, it will make you look larger than you actually are and thus unprofessional.
Colors That Look Professional In The Office
- Black – Black is the most formal color of all and goes with any kind of shoes or accessories – it’s a safe bet for every business outfit. It can make you look more serious and authoritative in the office so if you want to appear both stylish and professional, it’s the best choice you have!
- White – White looks great on women who have tan skin but avoid it when you’re fair-skinned because you might end up looking washed out in comparison with your white blouse or shirt. However, white is always a great choice for a skirt because it makes your legs look slimmer (which can be a great advantage if you’re self-conscious about them).
- Navy – Navy goes well with everything from white shirts to bold accessories like hats – after all, the navy anchor was chosen by Coco Chanel as her favorite symbol. The reason navy looks so good in the office is that it makes you look more serious and professional without appearing too formal.
- Grey – Grey is another great color for an elegant business outfit. It’s classy, subtle and it can make you look like a successful professional. This color is particularly good for women with fair skin because it will make you look more tanned than usual.
- Blue – If you want to wear a color that’s striking but professional at the same time, then blue is your best choice. Navy blue looks especially good in the office, but you can also go for a light blue as well.
- Dark Green – Dark green looks great on women with olive skin and dark hair. However, fair-skinned ladies can also wear this color if they choose a lighter shade – if they choose a deeper one, they might end up looking washed out by the contrast.
- Bright Red – Bright red is one of the most striking colors for a professional outfit. It’s best worn by women who have tan skin and dark hair, but anyone else can wear it if they choose the right shade (the darker it is, the better). Choose a slightly darker shade of red for an evening event rather than wearing something bright during the day otherwise, you may end up looking unprofessional.
Summary
Putting together a professional-looking outfit can be hard if you have never done it before. You don’t want to walk into a new office somewhere looking like you just threw your outfit together. It can give the impression that you don’t care about how you look, which is not the impression you want to leave, especially if it is a new job you just started.
If you give this impression, your boss might also think you don’t care about your job, and that’s not a good start for anyone. Try to build a work wardrobe that is filled with classic items such as suits and dress shoes. Stick to minimal accessories and colors that work well together. If you can get your outfits tailored, do so! Stick to classic hair and makeup styles that look refined and polished. If you follow all the tips in this article, you will look like a million bucks!
Everlane’s Popular Linen Shirt Is Perfect for Spring and Summer
With all the hype surrounding technical apparel, it’s easy to forget that some of the most comfortable summer fabrics come from natural fibers. Case in point: Everlane’s recently reissued collection of linen shirts for spring and summer.
The popular button-downs, which sold out the first time they came out, are cut from a naturally breathable 100 percent linen fabric and feature a slim fit. Long and short sleeve versions are available with more than 10 colors each. They also start at all of $50 — so you might as well grab a couple.
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Stop Wearing Your Old Sweatpants. Try a Pair of These Instead
Sure, sweatpants got many us through most of last year. Maybe you’re in a pair right now still — toiling away on the Internet or endlessly (doom)scrolling on a smartphone —wondering how to style them or who makes the most durable ones for men. But, breaking news: most sweatpants suck (and they aren’t going anywhere.) The ones that cinch around the ankle, balloon at the knees and slouch off the hips don’t exude an aura of put-togetherness. Perhaps your pair’s pilling in the inner thigh or a hole has formed in your pocket. These aren’t flattering nor are they office (albeit errand) appropriate, and, honestly, prove best saved for sleeping in or shuffling to the kitchen for coffee in the wee hours of the morning.
Simply put, if you can’t pry yourself from the comfortability of sweatpants, opt for these sweatpant-adjacent styles instead. Each boasts something extra that ushers the garment past living room loungewear or lifting gear and closer to formal attire. They’re to be worn similarly to a smarter pair of pants, but you’ll feel far more comfortable in these.
Richer Poorer Tailored Terry Trousers
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The loungewear experts at Richer Poorer produced a pair of Terry Trousers designed to look plucked from the tailor shop. Pin tucking and a faux J-stitch elevate the bottoms beyond traditional sweatpants, while slanted pockets, a hidden drawstring waist and cuffed hems add further elegance. They come in four colors (Stretch Limo, Olive Army, Blue Nights and Charcoal Heather Grey) and five sizes (Small-XXL).
Massimo Alba Yamato Tapered Cashmere Sweatpants
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Milanese luxury label Massimo Alba (by the designer of the same name) makes an excellent Navy cashmere sweatpant that cuts closely at the hip and tapers down the leg. An elasticated waistband gives while retaining its shape and slant pockets offer space for storing your KWP (keys, wallet, phone).
Buck Mason Pima Lounge Pants
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Buck Mason reimagined their best-selling Pima Cotton T-shirt into a pair of ultra-soft Pima Cotton Lounge Pants. They feature a stretch poplin waistband and a pair of stash pockets and are roomier around the legs. (Yes, the brand advises you wear them around the house, but, in the summer, they’re the ideal casual pants — especially in white.)
Topman Houndstooth Classic Fit Joggers
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Topman’s classic joggers lay like dressier pants, while still flexing and fitting like comfier sweatpants. They boast a bit of thickness that prevents unsavory see through moments, and a Houndstooth pattern proves more stylish than a simple garment dye. They’re available in five sizes — XS through XL — but come equipped with a drawstring waist, too.
Orvis Ultra-Ragg Fleece Sweatpants
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Orvis’ retro-tinged Ultra-Ragg Sweatpants are cut from hefty 12 oz. fleece fabric, rendering them appropriate for trips outside your own own. A faux fly adds a detail while a drawstring waist ensures they stay up. Opt for the “Natural” hue, which is a nice blend of basic grey and washed beige.
James Perse Black Loopback Supima Cotton Sweatpants
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Sized 1 through 5 (1 meaning small and 5 XXL), James Perse’s super-simple straight-leg Supima Cotton Sweatpants pass for softer trousers with the proper top, all without sacrificing the comfortability you’re accustomed to.
Norse Projects Falun Classic Sweatpant
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Norse Projects’ Classic Falun Sweatpant evokes athletic silhouettes of yesteryear without succumbing to kitsch or costume. Their tapered fit affords modernity and a 100 percent made-in-Portugal cotton construction promises durability.
Maharishi Classic MilType Jogger
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These are something like a convertible—and not in the detachable bottom halves kind of way. Adjustable drawstring cords at the waist and hem let cinch your cuff if you must, and knee panelling on both legs signal these are ideal for adventurous activities. (But, in the same way some of us wear workwear without reason, adventure isn’t required.)
End. Folk Pine Green Track Pant
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Like the Richer Poorer trousers pictured above, End. and Folk’s collaborative Track Pant (in Pine Green) boasts both pintuck detailing and a faux J stitch. They’re cropped slightly shorter than most sweatpants but that adds to their allure (and versatility). Yellow accents on the waist and back pocket add a pop of color, and the pant’s hybrid fabric formula — 72% viscose, 24% polyamide, 4% elastane — offer stretch and softness.
Schiesser Matthias Tapered Combed Cotton Sweatpants
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From afar, these Schiesser Matthias Sweatpants drape and stack like Cotton Twill Chinos. For the wearer, they feel like combed cotton-jersey sweatpants (hint: because they are). They’re midweight, mildly stretchy and at the top of my shopping list.
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16 Style Releases and New Watches We’re Obsessed About This Week
The first week of May is officially over. (What’s that saying again? April showers bring May flowers?) Surely spring has arrived in some parts, while others are battling wetter weather. As such, colorful releases on the watch and style sides are aplenty. There are collaborative shoes from several companies, an update to an original Oris dive watch, ultra-short shorts in an eclectic print, a Timex release with a record label and plenty more to peruse.
Yema Navygraf Marine Nationale Watch Collection
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French watchmaker Yema has had a history of military collaborations, the latest of which is with the French Navy. A new, all-blue version of the brand’s 39mm Navygraf dive watch features the Marine Nationale’s logo at 6 o’clock and comes in several variations, starting at $399 for the quartz men’s version (there’s also a 34mm women’s version for $349). The automatic and GMT (1,000-piece limited edition) versions feature the brand’s own movements for $790 and $1,049, respectively.
Price: $399-$1,049
Taylor Stitch Washed Denim Ojai Jacket
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Taylor Stitch’s popular Ojai Jacket arrives in a new tone. It’s cut from 100 percent organic cotton selvage denim, stonewashed for a broken-in look and feel and finished with pockets galore. There is one on the chest (with a built-in pen slot) and two — with top and side entry points — closer to the hip. It’s a workwear release with a slimmer, more modern profile.
Price: $188
Oris Aquis Depth Gauge
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Oris’s dive watch game is strong within its Aquis collection, and few watches have a more serious vibe than its model featuring a mechanical depth gauge. The brand has now announced a second generation that refines the watch’s design and functionality all around while retaining the original’s basic looks and features.
Price: $4,100
Alife x Timberland Three-Eye Classic Handsewn Shoes
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The sole (pun intended) review on shoes implies that they shouldn’t have been given the “platform effect.” But, sorry Chris M., that’s exactly why these work. New York-based label Alife — who closed their Rivington store this week — breathes new life into Timberland’s lesser-known silhouette, rendering it interesting again. The brand’s eco-conscious Better Leather is dyed a reddish hue designed to contrast the orange EVA midsole. Each pair is painstakingly sewn by hand and arrives with rugged tread we can all agree upon.
Price: $170
Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Military Diver
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Take Bell & Ross’s famous square-cased pilot’s watch, give it a timing bezel and 300m water resistance, and somehow you’ve got a strikingly original-looking but convincingly instrument-like dive watch in the BR 03-92 Diver. If that’s not cool enough, how about a military makeover, with a matte black ceramic case and khaki green dial? That’s the brand’s latest iteration of this watch, and as always from Bell & Ross, the result is well-conceived and well-executed but probably takes a certain personality to pull off.
Price: $4,500
Lee x Aries 191-J Rust Jacket
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London-born label Aries applies a floral pattern to US-based denim brand Lee’s iconic 191-J Jacket. While it’s traditionally a workwear piece, the jacquard patterning spruces it up a bit. However, a few functional features remain. Three pockets populate the front and brass buttons add an industrial touch; a patch adorned with logos from both parties pays homage to past styles, too.
Price: $249
Serica 5303 Diver’s Watch
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Microbrand Serica first charmed watch enthusiasts with its fun take on the humble field watch, and they’ve now followed up with a diver. So many dive watches look similar, but the 5303 has a unique style that nevertheless feels retro-influenced, with a quirky dial design matched to a segmented bezel for tracking both minutes and hours. It’s powered by a Soprod Newton automatic movement and is complemented by a cool mesh bracelet.
Price: $1,200
Dr. Martens x Bodega 1461 Toe Cap Leather Oxfords
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This iteration of Doc Martens’ 1461 shoe is their second collaboration with Bodega. Made from four different materials — pebble lamper, milled nubuck, suede and TecTuff — the all-weather Oxford arrives as a celebration of the silhouette’s 60th anniversary. All of the subtle tweaks made this version an upgrade on the standard release, which, as evident by its enduring design, remains a popular style.
Price: $160
IWC x Mr Porter Pilot Automatic Chronograph Watch
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The online retailer Mr Porter is celebrating its 10th anniversary with its first collaboration with Swiss watchmaker IWC. The 110-piece limited edition is a bronze version of IWC’s 41mm, in-house-movement-equipped Pilot Automatic Chronograph watch featuring a black dial, and it’s available exclusively from Mr Porter.
Price: $7,100
Hermanos Koumori Sala de Espera Green Hat
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CDMX-based running-inspired menswear brand Hermanos Koumori makes an array of staples in simple colorways. One such example is their new six-panel Sala de Espera hat constructed from washed cotton (cap itself) and suede (brim and adjustable strap). It affords a lower profile like a “dad” hat but without being kitsch or overtly branded. (In fact, there isn’t a logo in sight.)
Price: $38
Christoper Ward C63 Sealander Watch Collection
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Versatility is the idea behind British brand Christopher Ward’s new collection. That’s indeed what many watch wearers appreciate, and the brand accomplishes it with a splash of sportiness enlivening an otherwise straight-ahead, handsome design. It comes in automatic and GMT versions (with a vibe channeling the Rolex Explorer II) as well as an Elite model, which feature lightweight titanium cases.
Price: $695-$1,695
Satisfy Running 3″ Trail Shorts in Leopard
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Ultra-short shorts are in. We’re talking 4″ inseam and shorter. Satisfy Running’s new Trail Shorts clock in at 3″, but they feature a stretchy inner liner that extends beyond the leopard print top layer. Sweat-proof pockets for cash, cards and keys prevent unwanted clinking when walking or running, a pair of “nutrition pockets” leave room for snacks and a carabiner clip for your valuables is hidden in the waistband. On the exterior, there’s a detachable label detailing the shorts construction and reflective patches that improve visibility.
Price: $221
Timex x Ghostly Watch
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Timex partnered with the record label and art company Ghostly International on a fun and affordable new version of the quartz Timex field watch. Incorporating a black case and purple crown, the watch features the Ghostly logo at 12 o’clock and its name encircling the dial.
Price: $99
Jam Rocks of California T-Shirt
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Graphic designer Sam Jayne’s emerging label Jam originated as compact collections of clever shirts and hats. Now, he’s expanded the launches to include several hats, long sleeve t-shirts, sweatshirts, oxfords, incense, mugs, tote bags and coin purses. Our favorite, though, from this new drop is the Rocks of California shirt. That same text is positioned where a chest pocket would be, and the back is covered in a silkscreen graphic that details rocks one could find in the state of California: Jasper, Magnetite, Psilomelane, Lepidolite and Molybdenite.
Price: $40
Seiko 5 Sports Auto Moai Limited Edition Watch
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In the relatively short time since it first came out, the reborn Seiko 5 Sports collection has been the canvas for a multitude of variations and limited editions. The latest collaboration on Seiko’s impressively affordable automatic watch is with Japanese artist Auto Moai on a limited edition based on his “faceless figures” motif and expressed on the watch’s dial, bezel and strap.
Price: ~$584
Dries Van Noten Mr. Porter Exclusive Polo Shirt
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Exclusive to Mr. Porter, this cotton-terry polo by Dries Van Noten is soft to the touch yet ultra-loud. Blazing suns of varying sizes are dotted across the shirt, which fits a bit boxier than traditional polos. The collar is open and relaxed and arrives without buttons. (Buy the full set — a bucket hat and shorts in the same pattern — and make a serious statement.)
Price: $785
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Experience Handcrafted Luxury Shoes Like Never Before With Ace Marks Factory Access
When it comes to high end shoes, we’ve always felt like the quality and craftsmanship didn’t add up to the price. Ace Marks changed that by offering the highest quality shoes at a fraction of…
The post Experience Handcrafted Luxury Shoes Like Never Before With Ace Marks Factory Access first appeared on Cool Material.
The Best White Pants to Wear This Summer
Ah, white pants. Donned the “look of leisure,” or painter’s pants, depending on who you ask, they’ve lived under the reign of seasonal rules since their inception. Some say they’re only fit for summer and that wearing white after Labor Day signals you’re of a “lesser status,” at least that was the case in the early 20th century. City folks who could flee urban life for tropical oases did so in style, opting for a wardrobe that contrasted the drab dressers in cities they escaped from.
Nowadays, white pieces are more practical — laundry products prove capable of keeping whites nearly new, summers are hotter than ever — and we feel they’re a lesser utilized utilitarian style still capable of making a statement. There are a few tricks to the trade, though: avoid ultra-thin fabrics that’ll inevitably end up see-through, favor machine washable fits for easy cleaning and avoid super-skinny silhouettes (they’re less flattering than black pants cut the same way).
Best Overall White Pants: Todd Snyder Japanese Garment Dyed Chino
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Made in Portugal from 100 percent Japanese cotton, Todd Snyder’s Selvedge Chinos break in like luxury denim. They boast a broken-in fit and feel fresh off the shelf and are bound to get better with age. Rough ’em up; wear ’em wherever. They’re meant to be well-loved.
Best Upgrade White Pants: Olive Clothing Twill Volk Trousers
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British contemporary clothing company Olive offers a pair of white twill trousers inspired by workwear silhouettes of yesteryear. They’re dense — fit for both warm days and cooler nights — and feature a pair of pleats across the front and are slightly cropped at the ankle, courtesy of a pre-done cuff.
Best Affordable White Pants: Levi’s 501 Original Fit Jeans
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The Holy Grail goes au naturel: Levi’s 501 Original Fit Jeans done in a hue they’ve dubbed “Optic Daisy.” Available, with a few noted tweaks along the way, since 1873, this silhouette set the standard for denim production. They’re straight through the leg and comfortably wide without being baggy.
J. Crew 484 Slim-Fit Stretch Chino
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J. Crew’s best-selling basic chinos offer a natural feel and fit, stretch when needed and reinforced fabrics at stress points (pockets, belt loops, cuffs). They’re cut from a medium-weight 7.9-ounce twill, rendering them thick enough to prevent unintended previews and yet thin enough for the hottest of days. Plus, they’re available in an array of waist sizes and inseams.
Alex Crane Cham Pants in Bone
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These Alex Crane Cham Pants are cut from sustainably produced French linen in a shape reminiscent of classic denim. U-shaped pockets on the front are paired with bucket ones on the back, while the button is made from a Brazilian nut affectionately called “plant ivory.”
Stan Ray 80s Painter Pants
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Close your eyes. Envision white pants. A painter probably comes to mind, right? Stan Ray’s 80s Painter Pants riff on the style donned by artists and contractors alike without succumbing to the less flattering features of more functional pairs. The side pocket and tool loop remain, but they’ve been altered to be more aesthetic than they are essential. This iteration is also cut slimmer and cropped a bit shorter than the classics — though, in this case, that’s a good thing.
Noon Goons Glasser Jeans
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California-grown skate label Noon Goons’ loose-fit Glasser Jeans are bleached until off-white. They’re made in America in the traditional five-pocket style and feature the sort of contrast stitching typically found on your usual blue jeans.
Tasso Elba Drawstring Linen Pants
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Macy’s private label brand Tasso Elba produces solid products at affordable prices. These Drawstring Linen Pants are no exception; they’re sturdy, soft, flowing and well-fitting, all while clocking in under $70. They are dry clean only, though, so if you spill, you’re forced to spot clean them (rather than rely on the power of bleach).
Mister Green Classic Pant
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Mister Green — a “friendly shop for high minded people” — creates an eponymous line of made-in-L.A. apparel. Among the offerings is the Classic Pant, a workwear-inspired trouser cut from sturdy twill fabric with a plethora of pockets and two hammer loops. (It has “so many pockets we lost count,” the shop confirms.) Relaxed yet rugged, they’re an ideal part of an abundance of outfits.
Daily Paper Kareem Pants
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Designer label Daily Paper’s Kareem Pants comprise of two layers intended to lend texture and allure. The bottom track pant layer (65 percent polyester, 35 percent cotton) fits like a traditional track pant with adjustable ankles and a drawstring waist. The 100-percent cotton lace layer drapes overtop, rendering the set “wearable art,” DP designers add in the product details section. (We’d agree.)
Dickies Relaxed-Fit Utility Pants
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Are you relatively risk-averse? Feeling uncertain about seeing yourself in some white pants? What about dirtying them during your first wear? Dickies’ affordable Relaxed-Fit Utility Pants boast plenty of the design features we adore in the others on this list, but they’re about 25 percent the price. The affordability also eases the stress of a potential mess. Break these in; spill something on them; we totally encourage it.
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The Best Night Creams for an Overnight Reset
If you’re following a foundational skincare regimen, then you’re moisturizing twice a day, at a minimum — morning and night. However, these two hydration sessions should target different things. That’s because what you need in a daytime moisturizer—like sun protection, extra pollution defense, possible blue-light blockage, and invigorating ingredients to ‘wake up’ the skin — well, those aren’t all as needed for your night cream. So what does the best night cream do?
Nighttime moisturizers are often more heavily concentrated than their daytime counterparts. That’s because they’re more proactive and restorative in nature. They sync with your sleep cycle (and thus, with your body’s regenerative and reparative cycle) to promote the healthy turnover of skin cells, and to keep your complexion bright, smooth, and clear. It’s a terrific time to add an even more active ingredient to the mix, too, like age-reversing retinoids/retinol, resurfacing hydroxy acids, firming eye serums, and the likes. In the short term, it can often be the difference between looking like a puffy panda in the morning, or looking spry and refreshed. And in the long term, consistent use of a proactive night cream ensures you have more youthful, radiant skin.
So, given that this step is so valuable (even in a minimal skincare regimen), here are the best night creams to pair with a full night’s sleep.
Best Overall Night Cream: Clark’s Botanicals Retinol Rescue Overnight Cream
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If you want a lightweight but impactful dosage of retinol (without getting a prescription from your dermatologist), then Clark’s overnight cream is an optimal source. It soothes skin with colloidal oatmeal, counters dullness with Vitamin C, minimizes pore appearance with red clover flower extract, while Vitamin E and jasmine oil help shield skin from toxins while giving you a fresh-faced, fully nourished mug in the morningtime. It has everything you should seek out in a night cream, and at a reasonable price given its regenerative potency.
Best Upgrade Night Cream: Augustinus Bader The Cream
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This one is powered by a proprietary blend of amino acids, shea butters, aloe vera, nourishing oils, and Vitamins A, B, C, and E. Augustinus Bader promises to restore tired-looking skin in as little as a week, while also giving you softer, more alert skin every morning. In the long haul, its highly concentrated formula can reverse signs of aging (hyperpigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles, rough patches…). “The Cream” is especially suited for more oily skin types. However, they have a similar separate cream (called The Rich Cream) targeted at drier skin types, featuring a higher concentration of oils and butters.
Best Affordable Night Cream: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream
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If I’m traveling and need a hydration boost in a hurry (without breaking the bank), then Neutrogena is my low-cost savior. It’s fueled by moisture-absorbing and -retaining hyaluronic acid, and ensures that my skin feels hydrated and plump by the time I wake. It’s a terrific top layer for a powerful serum, or to deploy on the few occasions when your oily skin gets overly parched (while being a great nightly staple for routinely dry skin). It absorbs fast, wears light, but delivers on its promises — no frills, no bullshit.
Cardon 3-in-1 Hydro Boost Gel Moisturizer
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Cardon’s moisturizer hits the sweet spot between “night cream for all” and “day cream for dry skin”. Use it as you will, no matter your skin type, but know that it delivers a soothing (cactus-extract-powered) and smoothing (niacinamide powered) recharge. (The 3-in-1 in its name refers to its hydrating, soothing, and reparative functions.) If you are someone who insists on using the same product for day and night, then this one passes the test—so long as you apply a lightweight SPF layer over it all in the daytime. You can even use this one as a soothing aftershave, applied after a skin-toning splash of witch hazel.
Herbivore Bakuchiol Smoothing Serum (Retinol Alternative)
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Some people find retinol too irritating for their skin, no matter its dosage. (Others, meanwhile, can tolerate high-concentration prescription doses without any issues.) If you want to take a natural approach to your anti-aging regimen, or if you simply cannot tolerate retinol on your skin, then remember this word: bakuchiol. It’s derived from the babchi plant, and has the same complexion-clearing, pore-refining, texture-smoothing benefits of retinol. Herbivore’s excellent night serum makes this list for that reason, plus another: If you want incredible overnight benefits from your regimen, another way to get it is through a proactive serum, layered with a less expensive but dense moisturizer. So, you could combine something like this, with the Cardon or Neutrogena hydrators above, and get all the same benefits from your bedtime regimen. It’s totally OK to mix and match, to layer a nighttime serum under a moisturizer. So long as you’re getting those regenerative benefits one way or the other.
Verso Super Eye Serum
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Verso’s entire assortment is built in a utilitarian way, for the person who wants to innovate his or her regimen without confusing the purpose of any products. Two perfect examples (in addition to the brand’s own excellent retinol-powered night cream) are its retinol eye serum and dark spot fix. Apply them both at bedtime for magnified benefits, to help expedite the turnover of pesky dark spots, and to ensure smoother, firmer skin around the eyes (and preventing sagging, puffing, wrinkling, and dark circles, all in one). You’re playing a long game with both, hence why Verso has designed an entire numbered regimen with its products. Stick to it, and you’ll have the best complexion of your life, in addition to brighter and firmer skin come morning.
Sisley Paris Velvet Sleeping Mask
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Night masks and night creams are often interchangeable, but the primary difference is that you can reserve your masks for a 1-2x weekly use (or whenever your skin needs a super hydration boost, or if you know you’re going to look groggy/hungover come morning). The mask is even more concentrated than the night creams, typically, and it’s a bit wasteful to use it every night (since your skin doesn’t need a vitamin overdose on the daily). It’s great to have one in rotation, though, for those emergency cases, and Sisley Paris’ aptly named velvet sleeping mask ensures that you wake with smooth, luscious skin, especially if you’re prone to dryness or dehydration (perfect for those cold months, in particular). Between the shea butter, indica seed butter, macadamia/jojoba/cottonseed oils, honey, and more, it’s loaded with nourishing, rejuvenating, ultra-hydrating ingredients, so you know you’ll wake up looking brand new.
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New Balance Tokyo Design Studio Adds a Ripple Sole to the 574
New Balance sneakers attributed to the Tokyo Design Studio are designed by a collective headquartered in Japan. A team of creatives in Tokyo, Taiwan and Boston combine cultures and influences with American-born footwear silhouettes. The resulting styles are innovative and often vastly different than products found in retailers stateside
Altogether, the shoes are representative of the larger company’s newfound commitments to collaboration and innovation. The energy the Tokyo Design Studio team — specifically creative design manager Shugo Moritani — brought to the Boston-based company, we’d argue, forged a path forward in several fledgling, albeit foundational, categories (basketball, streetwear and retail).
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Typically, the US-based team offers designers and influential figures the opportunity to collaborate on unique color ways, interesting materials or patterns and, in the sole case of Jaden Smith, entirely new silhouettes. (Though newly appointed Creative Director of New Balance Made in USA Teddy Santis is surely next.) As such, the iterations done by the TDS are more limited in quantity but less limited in creative liberties taken.
That being said, they’re still rooted in a rigorous set of design principles — Precision, Nature Tech, Sports Craft, Protection — but are aimed at improving the wearer’s everyday life. On his design process, Moritani-san tells Sabukaru, “It starts from daily life and is completed by daily life. It’s a simple process actually, ‘How can I improve our lifestyle?'”
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For the 574 by TDS, the most notable design decisions are the removal of the embossed “N” logos on both the medial and lateral sides, the reduction of any typeface logo to the TPU heel clip and the addition of a Vibram ripple sole. The latter evokes outdoor gear and more aggressive, functional apparel, but the shoe’s overall tone proves softer and more vintage. (It references an early NB sneaker called the Trackster.)
The toe is rounder, the footprint less curvaceous and the exterior less “puffy.” Constructed with a welted sole, lightweight EVA foam cushion in the midsole and heel, the aforementioned TPU heel clip, an upper comprising pig suede overlays, mesh underlays and reflective accents, the shoes are completed with cotton laces and an embossed suede tag — final touches from a design team that clearly emphasizes process and presentation.
The 574 by TDS will be available on May 7th on New Balance’s site and via select international retailers.
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The 25 Best Travel Accessories for Any Trip
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