The Sharp Style Blog

The Perfect Swimsuit

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

No matter what your body type is, your swimsuit will make or break you this summer, so here are a few tips to make sure you’re looking your best.

With all of the clothes you wear the most important aspect is fit, and swimwear is no different. Those board shorts that go past your knees and have huge cargo pockets make you look more like a preteen than the stylish man you are. The key for this summer is to go short and slim. If you are looking for a good length, try going a couple inches shorter than your shortest shorts. (You wouldn’t want an awkward tan line when you put on your shorts a few days after the beach.) If you’re still not sure on the length, aim for mid-thigh to a few inches above your knee. As for the leg opening, go narrow but not tight. If they are too wide they can give your legs appearance of being scrawny.

Once you've nailed the fit, it’s time to pick a color and pattern. Keep it simple and classic and you will never go wrong. If you are on the slim or athletic side don’t be afraid to try bright or bold colors and patterns. Just remember the brighter and bolder the pattern, the more attention you draw to yourself. If you’re a little bit heavier though, don’t worry, just stick to darker solids like navy or black.

Now that you are almost ready to choose the perfect swimwear, here are a few words of advice before you make a final decision. Stay away from elastic waists; a flat front will be more flattering and make you look trimmer. When choosing between an option with a fly and one without, the former will give you a little more modesty as you get out of the water. And finally, pick something you feel confident in and you will usually never go wrong.

Here are a few stylish options for every price range:

JCPenney $16

J. Crew $70

Sundek $119

Orlebar Brown $240

Warby Parker: Summer Collection 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

With Warby Parker's Summer Collection 2013 set to launch today, I thought I would give you a look at some of my favorites of the new styles. The collection features eyeglasses and sunglasses in a variety of laid-back styles perfectly suited for the days to come this summer.

The Theo - a classic look for anywhere you go this summer:

The Baxter - a slimmed down look in the awesome and unique "Catalina Blue":

And a few of the other styles making their debut:

Check out the rest of the collection and all the other awesome Warby Parker eyeglasses and sunglasses.

8 Stylish Gifts on My Christmas List

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:30:00 +0000

With Christmas only a few short weeks away I thought I would share some things I'd like to unwrap Christmas morning.

1. Everlane Weekender

A grown-up bag for the occasional weekend getaway.

Everlane ($95)

2. Ludlow Suit

A timeless, well fitting suit.

J. Crew ($650)

3. TOMS Botas

A pair of boots for the winter.

TOMS ($99)

4. The Tie Bar Tie Bar

Something to keep my tie always looking sharp and in the right place.

The Tie Bar ($15)

5. Fair Isle Sweater

Stylish warm sweater for the winter in a fair isle pattern.

J. Crew ($128)

6. Timex Easy Reader

A clean and simple watch.

Nordstrom ($65)

7. Selvedge Jeans

A good pair of dark wash jeans that goes with everything.

Rogue Territory ($210)

8. Personalized Stationary

Perfect for writing out some thank you notes.

Page Stationary (prices vary)

What to Wear to Thanksgiving Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Some looks for wherever you may be headed this Thanksgiving.

More Casual

Khaki Pants
Green Plaid Shirt
Navy Henley
Brown Oxfords

A Little Dressier

Navy Suit

Faire Isle Sweater

White Shirt

Men's Style Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Great, you know your style, what you like to wear, and what works for you. But if you're anything like me, you're probably always looking for style inspiration and new ways to wear things. That's why I decided to put a collection of stylish pictures together on my new page, "Style Inspiration." Scroll through, get some ideas, and be sure to check back often because I'm always updating the pictures.

3 Ways to Wear a Denim Jacket

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:25:00 +0000

With the weather starting to get a little colder and more like typical fall weather, it's a good time to throw on a denim jacket. Here's some inspiration for wherever you are headed.

1. Everyday

A good denim jacket never goes out of style. Put it on with some khakis and a casual button up shirt and you're ready for casual Friday.

2. Dress it Down

For a more casual look, throw it over a t-shirt or henley and roll the sleeves up, or for some extra warmth layer it over a hoody. Also don't be afraid to try one with distressed denim.

3. Dress it Up

You can also dress up your denim jacket for a night out by throwing it over a shirt and tie. It is also a great piece to layer with; try it under a coat, over a sweater, or with a blazer.

Elie Tahari Spring 2013 Menswear Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:30:00 +0000

A look at Elie Tahari's Spring 2013 collection.

New York Fashion Week 2012 Picks

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 15:15:00 +0000

Here's a look at some of my favorite looks from last week's shows.

Gant by Michael Bastian

J. Crew

Michael Bastian

Rag and Bone

Ralph Lauren

Steven Alan

Todd Snyder

Tommy Hilfiger

Gray with Khaki

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 16:18:00 +0000

Gray jackets and khaki pants, the perfect casual yet sophisticated summer look.

More pictures after the break.

A New Kind of Store: Everlane

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:05:00 +0000

Ever wonder why that designer t-shirt costs way more than you think it should? So did the founders of a new breed of retail store called Everlane. By cutting out the middleman and selling products directly to the customer via their online store, they are able to sell quality goods at lower prices (all of their products are less than $100). Some of my favorites are the canvas weekender (shown above) which costs $95, and the essential belt and buckle (below) for only $40. If you happen to be in New York you can check out their four day popup store which will be open from today until Sunday (July 1st).

Men's Fashion Week: Spring 2013 - My Favorite Looks

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 03:12:00 +0000

With pictures from Men's Fashion Week all over the internet at the moment, I thought I would take the opportunity to post some pictures of my favorite looks from the Spring 2013 collections.

Burberry Prorsum

Emporio Armani

Ermenegildo Zenga

Calvin Klein

Salvatore Ferragamo

Canali

Gucci

Vivienne Westwood

Roberto Cavalli

Jil Sander

Ports 1961

Prada

Photos via style.com

Bold Color Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Looking for new ways to wear color? Check out these looks from United Colors of Benetton for some inspiration.

Tom Ford's 15 Things Every Man Should Have

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Here is a list of the 15 things Tom Ford thinks that every guy should have that I read over at vogue.co.uk. I would say I agree with (almost) all of them.

1. 'A sense of humor.'
2. 'A daily read of the newspaper.'
3. 'A sport that you love and are good at.'
4. 'Tweezers.'
5. 'A good cologne that becomes a signature.'
6. 'A well cut dark suit.'
7. 'A pair of classic black lace up shoes.'
8. 'A smart blazer.'
9. 'The perfect pair of dark denim jeans.'
10. 'Lots of crisp white cotton shirts.'
11. 'Always new socks and underwear.'
12. 'A classic tuxedo.'
13. 'A beautiful day watch with a metal band.'
14. 'The perfect sunglasses.'
15. 'Perfect teeth - if you don't have them, save up and have them fixed.'

An Interview with Plain T-Shirt

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Menswear blogger Jace Lumley combines classic styles, impressive photography, and stylish advice seamlessly on his blog, Plain T-Shirt. I was able to ask him a few questions the other day, and here is what he had to say...

Sharp Style Blog: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Plain T-Shirt: Well I'm currently a photography student at a school in Pittsburgh and spend to much time on the computer. I play basketball a lot and know Netflix instant like the back of my hand. The movie selection on there is terrible.

SSB: What are you wearing today?

PT-S: A pair of Khaki Waders by Dockers, some striped J. Crew socks and classic bucks. Oh, and a beat up sweater I have had for a while. Next level comfortable.

SSB: How would you describe your personal style and what is some of your style inspirations?

PT-S: I would describe the blog as a mix of confidence, laughs and a little bit of fashion. Just some advice on how to not take yourself to seriously and have fun with your own personal style. Without spending all of your money. Only some of it.

I don't know if I have any specific style inspirations. I'm still finding my own sense of style, so it's hard to pinpoint certain things. Mostly the large amount of lookbooks and pictures I look at. I'm very visual, so pictures that don't necessarily have to do with style correlates with my inspiration.

Milan Vukmirovic is pretty badass though.

SSB: What motivated you to start Plain T-Shirt?

PT-S: I wanted to display the process of how I put outfits together. So it's a constant work in progress because I'm still teaching myself how to do that while showing or letting people know how relatively easy it is to do themselves.

SSB: I can tell you really enjoy photography, how and when did you become interested in it?

PT-S: Man, I have always been taking or looking at pictures. Whether I was outside with my parent's old AE-1 or flipping through some Cartier-Bresson or Robert Frank books, I just enjoyed looking at pictures way more than reading stuff. So I stuck with it. And majored in it. And love it.

SSB: What are your favorite things to photograph?

PT-S: I like to shoot people mostly. I enjoy seeing the comfort level some people have with a camera pointed at them. If I had to choose something else though, it would be architecture. So many leading lines and fun colors.

SSB: What is one thing people wouldn’t know about you from your blog?

PT-S: I'm left-handed. Bet that just flipped your world upside down.

SSB: Is there any piece of clothing you really wish you had right now?

PT-S: Burberry Brit Showerproof hooded poplin parka. It won't happen. But it looks like a nice layer for any weather.

SSB: What are some of the style necessities that you think all guys should have?

PT-S: A plain t-shirt. A pair of running shoes. And something to hold all of your keys on.

SSB: Where do you see your blog going in the future?

PT-S: That's a good question. I'm a very down to earth guy and just want to keep doing what I do. Talking to people. Enjoy personal style and hearing how people have changed after buying a couple simple items. Hopefully it will continue to grow and provide me the opportunity to do so.

You can check out Jace's blog at plaint-shirt.com and follow him on Twitter @lum1ey.

What I'll Be Wearing Easter Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:57:00 +0000

Easter is now less than a week away, and the summer weather appears to be here. Since I am fortunate enough to be spending Easter at the beach, I will be dressing accordingly keeping it cool with shorts, a white oxford, and tying it all together with a pastel bow tie.

Necessities for Dressing Nautically

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:49:00 +0000

Warmer weather of spring and summer is almost here, so I thought I would share a few of the necessities for dressing nautically:

navy blue and white
horizontal striped shirts (navy blue and white of course)
boat shoes
exposed ankles
sunglasses
at least a thirty foot sailboat to wear it all on

(pictures via Drop Dead Prep, Jetter Life, and Where is the Cool on tumblr.com)

Shorts for Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:35:00 +0000

It's only a week into official spring, but it already feels like summer out. With the temp reaching the upper 80s during the day I've had to start thinking about my warm weather clothes and updating my summer wardrobe. I decided to start off with some new shorts, so I hit up the nearby outlet mall and found these: top and middle - J. Crew Gramercy Chino Shorts for $30, and bottom - GAP Outlet $14.99. Now I'm at least a little bit ready to handle the summer heat.

Cruise Look

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 02:34:00 +0000

This past week I was fortunate enough to go on a cruise to the Bahamas with my family and had a great time. Since I didn't get to take any pictures of what I wore on the boat, I thought I would take one now that I am back home. (It's hard to tell from the picture but the loafers are navy as well.)

I Want Yellow Pants

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I don't know why, but I really want a pair of yellow pants to wear this spring and summer. They would definitely make a statement.

(photo via cracz on tumblr.com)

43 Quotes about Men's Style at Men's Flair

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000

The people over at Men's Flair have put together a list of 43 quotes about men's style. I've pulled out my favorite four, but you can read the rest of the list here.

“Know first who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.”
- Epictetus

“To be noticed without striving to be noticed, this is what elegance is about.”
- Luciano Barbera

“Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not.”
- Oscar Wilde

“A man should look as if he had bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care, and then forgotten all about them.”
- Hardy Amies

My New iPad Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:15:00 +0000

I was getting tired of my old iPad case, so I decided it was time to make my own.

An Interview with Thread & Salt

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:15:00 +0000

Scroll through the pages of Thread & Salt and you'll see two things: killer style and delicious food. The 21 year old blogger and college student behind it all, Dillon, is constantly adding compelling content infused with his personality and sense of humor. I recently had the privilege of asking him a few questions and here's what he had to say...

Sharp Style Blog: Tell us about you and your background.

Thread & Salt: Hah, this is a broad question. I was raised in central New Jersey with my mom and stepdad, my dad lives and work in Manhattan as a chef, so most of my time with him was spent in/around NYC restaurants. Up until a few months ago I though that's what I was going to pursue (currently in my final year of Johnson & Wales in Providence, RI for restaurant management) but I can't let myself be absorbed by something I don't really want to do. I've always been pretty eclectic, did lot of community theater when I was younger and was the kid with 6 different Halloween costumes, looking back - I should've known...

SSB: What motivated you to start Thread & Salt, and what is the meaning behind the name?

T&S: My wardrobe got to a point where I felt it was established, it had a direction and I almost obtained that 'effortless composition' effect I strive for. Truthfully, curiosity drove me to start thread & salt. I wondered if what I was doing actually made sense (I’m still not sure if it does, but I like nonsense). Not to mention, I had an archive of foodporn to make a fat kid do hurdles. The name stems from the content, pictures of food and pictures of clothing. Thus thread (clothing) & salt (food).

SSB: How would you describe your personal style?

T&S: Modern American worn. I make a conscience effort to avoid adding items with that "preworn" look, I’d much rather wear it 30 times and create that authentic vibe. There’s nothing better to me than unpolished shoes, frayed cuffs and bandana scraps.
It’s very fit focused, because I’m a smaller guy (5'7) I have to be very aware of fit and proportion - it makes adding items to my closet very difficult and almost forces brand loyalty. Luckily, some of the brands I’ve found fit well - are quality stuff.
I also think I understand what colors work best with me, although occasionally I stretch this, it's important to identify what draws focus to what and simply what colors you look best in.
I can really bang out a mean formal look also, but I treat that on reserve. Come on, I’m a reckless 21 year old college kid, tieclip < try not to trip.

SSB: Whose style do you particularly admire?

T&S: I’ve been following menswear blogs for roughly 2 years now so I’ve seen some these guys evolve and establish. I really admire Sean Hotchkiss (@ShotchkissNYC) because he has a very approachable and functional wardrobe. From what I can tell, we have similar stature - I’ve pirated some ideas from him. Also, Ryan Plett (@ryanplett) - every one of his posts brings #envy. Everyday I’m finding more style icons to admire, err - aspects of them to admire.

SSB: What is the one thing people would not know about you from looking at your blog?

T&S: I have dyslexia.

SSB: What is one thing in your closet you could not live without?

T&S: Aside from my "perfect blue blazer" (Bonobos almamater) I have this one grey marble hoodie from Gap, it’s warm, it’s a little too small and it looks good. It rarely sees the daylight, but its perfect for dehydrated mornings..

SSB: What stores do you like to shop at, and what is one quality item you think guys should invest in?

T&S: I shop online mostly but that’s attributed to my location. I've been spending a bunch of time at WHARF (@shopWHARF) recently and picking up a few things there when I can. As far as tangible stores go - Club Monaco, Levis & J.Crew. Careful with J.Crew - their quality has been slipping.

SSB: You always have cool stuff around your wrist, especially the bandana shreds. Where do you find it all?

T&S: I’ve been wearing odd things around my wrist for awhile now, most of them I make, I have this big bag full of random cuffs, fabrics, lace, twine - everything. So whenever I have 30 minutes to kill I make something. I have roughly 15 bandanas and one pocket knife. but I’ll be picking up a KJP bracelet.

SSB: You seem to be doing a lot with Alex of mrdanger recently. How did you two meet and do you influence each other's styles?

T&S: Yeah, Alex is a great guy. I actually met him via tumblr, we have a very similar sense of style and personality, so we hit it off pretty quick. We’re working on some big things for this upcoming year so I’d say we influence each other a bit - probably more in the future.

SSB: What are your future plans for your blog?

T&S: Take over the world. haha. I still am not sure, I’d like to transition some of my "thread" posts to another outlet and keep my blog as a sort of personal area. but we'll see. I didn’t know what to expect from the blog itself, it's already given me much more then imagined.

You can check out Dillon's blog at threadandsalt.com and follow him on Twitter @threadsalt.

Club Monaco Spring 2012 Lookbook Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:35:00 +0000

Here's a look at some of the highlights of the Club Monaco Spring 2012 Lookbook.

Social Media Style: Layering

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

(photo via compl3tedistr4cti0n on tumblr.com)

In addition to the various single Social Media Style posts, I thought I would start grouping some of the pictures together. Here are a few examples and some thoughts on layering.

Layers are much more efficient at keeping you warm in colder temperatures.

(photo via wiebelet on tumblr.com)

You can mix pretty much any patterns, even stripes and plaid can work together.

(via bromo-aj on tumblr.com)

They also make it easy to add a bright color to a look.

(via whereisthecool on tumblr.com)

Fair Isle Shawl Sweater

noreply@blogger.com (Sharp Style Blog) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:12:00 +0000

It's finally starting to get a little bit colder where I live so I can finally start wearing my thicker sweaters, including this one I just got for Christmas. It's heavy knit sweater that has an awesome fair isle stripe and a shawl collar, something kinda different for me. I kept it simple and just wore it over a gray v-neck t-shirt and paired it with some slim fitting khaki pants.