Hello everyone, and welcome back to Signals, my bi-monthly write-up of the things that I’m currently thinking about.
The topics cover anything that has really struck my interest over the past two months, and isn’t necessarily limited to fashion or style stuff.
Let’s start this installation off with some music to set the mood:
First off, I’d like to apologize for the relative lack of activity on my part recently - I’m getting married this weekend and have been pretty mentally distracted between that, work, and a few personal issues that have all seemingly cropped up at the worst possible time. God bless my fiancée by the way - she’s handled the lion’s share of the planning so far and is only cracking from stress just a little bit.
Anyway, this isn’t a pity party, but I should be back to regular form after my honeymoon.
That being said, this is technically a menswear/lifestyle newsletter, so I think it’s pertinent to start out with my fit details for the wedding:
-Brooks Brothers blackwatch velvet shawl tux
-Proper Cloth wing-tip tux shirt
-Proper Cloth bowtie
-Brooks Brothers charcoal pants
-Alden calfskin tassel loafers (really not a fan of patent leather personally)
Pretty pumped about my fit. It’s hard to appropriately capture the velvet jacket in a picture, but it looks so good irl.
The weather looks like it’s going to take a turn for the worse thanks to Hurricane Ian, so I also have my trusty rain green slicker from Norse Projects x Elka.
-Birkenstock
Birks have been back for a while now and seem to only be gaining momentum. The Boston clogs (and clogs/mules in general) have seen a huge resurgence in the menswear scene over the last couple of years, but are now benefitting from a newly-formed trend for women (apparently a highly controversial trend at that).
Anyway, they’ve been all over my social media feeds again, and I’ve recently decided that I really enjoy the black oiled leather colorway of the Bostons. I personally have the classic taupe suede version which I love dearly, but might be convinced to pick up a black pair as well.
As always End Clothing (a UK company) sells Birks for cheaper than direct purchasing from a US-based company. Something to do with import duties/VAT taxes I imagine.
-Uniqlo
Speaking of Uniqlo, they recently announced their perennial collaborations with Christophe Lemaire (UIniqlo U) and JW Anderson, for the upcoming Autumn/Winter season.
The JW Anderson lookbook in particular has some great outfit inspiration for the coming months. Of note, most of the fits in this lookbook have that perfect slouchy-but-tailored fit that is really in right now. All-in-all, I think I’ll pick up a few things.
Also, I know most of you guys are on the younger side and looking for advice or inspiration on dressing well - these Uniqlo collaborations are a really great way to get flattering (and pretty solid-quality) clothing for comparatively cheap prices.
They also get some pretty big names in fashion, such as Engineered Garments and White Mountaineering, to partner up with them every once in a while. Definitely worth checking out imo.
-House of the Dragon
Game of Thrones was one of the most disappointing shows of all time. It’s hard to go into a new spinoff with too much hope, but I’m feeling optimistic about this one so far. A good amount of scheming and plotting, but a known outcome (referenced in the main show itself) will make for some interesting TV.
Personally, I’m gang Alicent (apparently controversial). I think that there’s a massive expectation of drama and plot twists, and her character sort of fills a role of curtailing the expectations of the viewer if that makes sense. Like she’s the only one in the show that is willing to push back against the crazies (Rhaenyra et al.), which I find refreshing. Things aren’t looking great for her though if I’m being honest.
-Diemme
I recently came across this Italian hiking brand and was pleasantly surprised. I think I’m a little late to the party, but they sell some pretty cool designs that are innovative in a playful way. I’m a big fan of their Ramon model - it’s a rubberized/weatherproof chelsea boot that has a surprisingly proportional chunkiness to it.
I understand that these designs won’t be for everyone, but I’m enjoying what I see for the most part.
-How to Develop Good Taste
I’ve been enjoying this series from the blog Die, Workwear - it’s a very (almost overly) in-depth look on what it means to have taste in dress, and how to go about developing your own.
As an aside, I’m considering creating a “what I’m reading/watching” sort of series for the newsletter, maybe a monthly round-up or something. I read a ton of stuff, and am enjoying the idea of offering a curated look into what’s influencing me as of late. Let me know what you think either way.
-Head of the Charles Regatta
The largest rowing regatta in the world is back this month.
If you didn’t know, I rowed in college and now row recreationally (maybe competitively, stay tuned) on the Charles. Rowing is a very lovely method of torture and the atmosphere at the HOCR is top-notch. If you’re in the New England area, I highly recommend heading to Boston for this event (October 21-23).
It’s also a great place to people-watch, and I did a small “style trends” kinda post last year based on what I saw people wearing (it perfectly fits the bill for great Ivy/prep fits).
Also, and rather sadly, Brooks Brothers has been the merch sponsor for the HOCR for quite a while, but was finally replaced by Vineyard Vines this past year, and they have been renewed this year as the sponsor. The old BB designs were great and really fit with the general vibe of the event. I didn’t really like what I saw from VV last year, but here’s to hoping that they make some cool stuff this year. After all, the gear is the most important aspect of any serious sport
-Exchange rate
Britain’s economy is on the verge of collapse. For us non-Britbongs, that means a strong dollar versus the pound. The trends seem to point to this getting increasingly worse over the next few months, and we may even see USD/GBP parity at some point.
If you are morally okay with pillaging the English, there are some deals to be had from companies who don’t sell by regional price (e.g., Cox the saddler has really good prices on Barbours).
Either way, godspeed my British friends, I really hope that things aren’t too disastrous.
Alright guys, that’s it for this edition of Signals. That’s everything I’ve been up to or have otherwise been thinking about recently. Again, I expect to have much more free time starting next month, so hopefully I will be able to put out way more content for you guys.
These posts take a lot of time and effort for me to write out — if you liked this post, I would appreciate a like/subscription. Engaging with you guys really does make a difference in my ability to dedicate time toward putting out quality content.
Thanks for reading and see you next time!
Congrats on the wedding! I'm a fellow newly wed, coming up on a year.
Great post. I'd be in to the idea of the "what I'm reading/watching" series.
Great piece as always, I took the advice of your last post when I found some American made Sebago penny loafers in the thrift store, and so far they haven’t disappointed!