vestiti

Ikiré Jones, a collection from blogger, friend, and a real-life (like, offline!) Esquire’s “Best Dressed Real [see!] Man in America” finalist, Wale Oyejide launched yesterday. The inaugural collection consists of fine sportcoats and pocket squares, aka the foundation of your burgeoning ballertastic wardrobe. Everything is made here in the US of A (Brooklyn, to be exact) with great attention to detail. The trim on the jackets (prominent in the photos of Wale himself modeling his wares) is really something to behold in person. The West African inspired print underlying Ikiré Jones jacket lapels, a risky detail to incorporate in a line of high-end, business-ready sportscoats, is executed with a pitch perfect balance of flair and sophistication.

After catching up with Wale at a recent #menswear meetup in Philly, I can tell you the construction, fabrics, and fit of these jackets are the real deal. You’re not buying an off-the-rack, marked-up gimmick here. No—Ikiré Jones jackets are made to order, entirely by hand, by expert tailors seasoned in bespoke suiting. The pocket squares, also channeling West African designs, feature hand-rolled edges, a true sign of quality. While these handkerchiefs add personality to your breast pocket like any traditional paisley or floral design, rather than pump out the same European influenced fare, Ikiré Jones put their own spin on things to come up with something truly unlike anything else on the market.

Do yourself a favor and stop by the online store today. Just browsing the site alone is a free lesson in branding and creating an immersive online retail experience. Lastly, I’d just like to wish the best to Wale in this new venture. I thank him personally for inspiring me to reevaluate the trade-off of quelling my creative aspirations daily for a reliable paycheck as a stagnant desk-jockey. I invite you to evaluate the same for yourself.

som very fine very novel stuff from America oh yeah via Reblog for iPad

nackymade: Singapore Blue MTO Specs :) I need a new pair of...

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 23:42:02 +0100

nackymade:

Singapore Blue MTO Specs :)

I need a new pair of glasses

menstyle1: FOLLOW for more pictures slightly supergiovane ma...

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 23:35:02 +0100

menstyle1:

FOLLOW for more pictures

slightly supergiovane ma ok

afro-passion: thefemaletyrant: ikirejones: Vigilism x Ikiré...

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 23:07:51 +0100

afro-passion:

thefemaletyrant:

ikirejones:

Vigilism x Ikiré Jones present “Escape to New Lagos.”

An imagining of Lagos in the year 2081 A.D. The Great Crude Explosion has just occurred; leaving oil flowing freely through the streets of the slums. Politicians have been exiled at the heels of bomb blasts and the populace’s uprising. The building of a new Center of the World has begun, much to the bewilderment of Western nations. This is the birth of New Lagos…and men of taste are wearing Ikiré Jones.

YES!

(Though I need to see more bubas, and iros, and gele, and agbada, and ankara, because I imagine us still wearing our “traditional” clothes in 2081 A.D or any other time in the future)

A BEAUTIFUL LOOK INTO OUR LAND OF PROMISE

some new perspective at last

refinedcoast: Woolrich John Rich & Bros. S/S ‘13 casual...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:30:27 +0100

refinedcoast:

Woolrich John Rich & Bros. S/S ‘13 casual outerwear.

like the one on the bottom right

wgsn: More street style awesomeness from day one of the #SXSW...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 22:39:48 +0100

wgsn:

More street style awesomeness from day one of the #SXSW music festival, stay posted for all the mayhem, music and madness coming up on day two!

lucky guys you out there

heels on bike = one of the sexiest things ever

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 23:16:57 +0100

heels on bike = one of the sexiest things ever

mind the colors

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 23:15:10 +0100

mind the colors

pretty much my first girlfriend (I was 17… and very lucky; and...

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 23:42:08 +0100

pretty much my first girlfriend (I was 17… and very lucky; and silly enough to lose her)

fine with a tshirt — easier said than done

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 23:31:13 +0100

fine with a tshirt — easier said than done

thestylebuff: Viola Milano offers men all over the world a...

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 23:28:51 +0100

thestylebuff:

Viola Milano offers men all over the world a genuine and passionately made accessories. The collection finds inspiration in the culture and lifestyle of the classic Italian gentleman. New eshop at www.violamilano.com.

i used to wear something like that when I was in my early 20s I guess. Maybe…

putthison: Because You Are An Adult, You Need A Sincere...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:02:52 +0100

putthison:

Because You Are An Adult, You Need A Sincere Suit

Not every man should wear a suit and tie every day. I myself wear a suit once a month at most. But every man in America should own a suit. I am defining “man” broadly here - let’s call it sixteen and up. One suit. For when it matters.

“What do you mean, ‘for when it matters?’”

Well, I get an email about three times a week that says, “I’ve got an unexpected (funeral/wedding/job interview/christening/wake/big meeting/court appearance) coming up next week. Where can I get a good suit on short notice for a good price?”

I usually (almost always) help these people. I suggest Brooks Brothers or maybe Suit Supply, two very good sources for suits, and I suggest they try to find a passable alterationist to work on short notice, and I suggest they not try to save money on this because it’s important and because as engineers say: “cheap, fast, good: pick two.”

But there’s something I really want to say to these people that I don’t. Something a little sour. Something I will say to you, man-who-has-not-yet-faced-sartorial-crisis.

YOU’RE A GROWN MAN. YOU SHOULD ALREADY OWN A SUIT.

This particular event may have been unexpected, but did you seriously not expect that something would come up in your life that would require grown-up clothes? Even professional surfers who live in beach huts in Bali have great-uncles who die back in Fresno. And great-aunts who’d feel bad if their grand-nephew showed up at the funeral in khakis and a polo shirt from his catholic high school’s uniform.

You will need a suit, and it is better to buy it on your time. When you buy a suit on short notice, you get something ill-fitting, you pay too much, you don’t have time to make your own decisions about what you want, you can only go to one store, you might not even be able to get it altered… in other words: you’re fucked from the word “go.”

So get real. Take some time, and buy yourself a good suit. One good suit. What my mom calls a “sincere suit.” It should be solid gray and conservatively styled so you can wear it for a good five or ten years when this stuff comes up. A plain, mid-gray suit can be worn to any event which requires a suit, from Easter Dinner at grandma’s to your co-worker’s unexpected wake.

Get yourself a shirt and two ties, too - one very dark for funerals, one a little happier, though still sober, for not-sad events. Neither of these ties should have Bugs Bunny on them, by the way. And some dress shoes, and socks and a belt. Just one set of basic, serious-business clothes. Because you will need them. Not all the time, but sometime. Inevitably.

You don’t have to be a suit-and-tie guy. You don’t even have to be a wears-pants-instead-of-shorts guy. But if you’re a grown man, you should own a suit.

words of wisdom (also for the informal fandom)

beyondfabric: Norwegian Rain AW13 Preview When you live in...

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:59:02 +0100

beyondfabric:

Norwegian Rain AW13 Preview

When you live in Europe’s rainiest city, Bergen, Norway, chances are you grow tired of hiding your carefully put together attire under boring windbreakers or parkas. If you’re lucky enough to have a unique sense of style and aesthetical sensibility, such as creative director Alexander Helle, you might want to take matters into your own hands. This is the underlying premise behind Norwegian Rain.

Defined as a “sartorial take on extreme outerwear”, Norwegian Rain aims to deliver uniquely designed garments inspired by Japanese sensibility, while assuring the ultimate weather protection. This eclectic mix of styles and universes results in an outstanding collection of highly technical trenchcoats, capes and parkas you’ll actually want to throw on top of your other pieces.

Even if rain isn’t as much of an issue where you live as it is in Bergen, these items are definitely worth taking a closer look…

nordic guys know it all when it comes to bad weather

khakiscarmel: The Anatomy of a Soft Coat. When it comes to...

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 23:13:56 +0100

khakiscarmel:

The Anatomy of a Soft Coat.

When it comes to deconstructed, textured soft coats, Italian designer Boglioli seems to have perfected the art. Whether using cotton, washed wool, or linen blends, their K jacket has all the comfortably of a well worn jacket without the breaking-in period.

Little details like the smoky mother of pearl buttons, a 3-roll-2 front button closure, and patch pockets help to make Boglioli’s casual coat something capable of dressing up an outfit without looking stuffy. The lack of padding in the shoulders helps create a natural silhouette that proves appropriate for a large range of settings.

destructured best

carolinastyle: Andy Spade old decent yet informal

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 23:13:27 +0100

carolinastyle:

Andy Spade

old decent yet informal

wgsn: The new Biker. Love the hair, too! #PFW...

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 22:53:18 +0100

wgsn:

The new Biker. Love the hair, too! #PFW #JunyaWatanabe

biking in the wind