Well, I'm skipping Mod Gone Wrong this week to offer up some clothing accessory suggestions for you. Heck, I know if my wife were reading this blog (ahem), she wouldn't be stressing so much.
First off, what every style-conscious fella needs: a new pocket square! Might I suggest a visit to the Kent Wang site for a range of beautiful, colorful pocket squares itching to jump into a man's breast pocket:
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| A couple of fancy Kent Wang pocket squares. |
Speaking of socks (oh boy, here he goes again), don't believe the old myth that men get bored with the gift of socks. I mean, how can any clothes-minded guy not get excited with the types of socks I've spoken about before, in addition to the types offered by Bugatchi Uomo:
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| Seriously... with socks like these, who needs shoes? |
Y'know what else is always a great gift idea for the dapper gentleman? Ties! And right now, Munsingwear (Penguin) has been putting out some nice, simple, thin ties that have been catchin' my eye:
Men's jewelry, including cufflinks and tie bars, is also a great way to go, but I tend to steer away from contemporary brands and stick with the ol' vintage variety, because they just don't make 'em like they used to. And your best bet for great vintage pieces? Ebay, of course!
Unfortunately, I shouldn't be sharing these because I WANT THEM!
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| But since I'm in a giving mood, I'm GIVING you the opportunity to bid. |
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| Must... resist...urge to... bid... |
Maybe your favorite Mod male has enough clothes and accessories already and you're tired of losing closet space to him. In that case, why not look into getting him a nice male fashion book? Here are some new ones out that would look great on the coffee table:
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| Hollywood and the Ivy Look |
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| A book on the sapeurs! |
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| Sharp Suits... essential coffee table decoration! |
Well, I'm all suggested out. Hopefully, some of these ideas will steer you in the right direction to getting that man in your life a bit more spiffy for the holidays.
BUT WAIT!
It's Christmas and I'm in a gift-givin' mood! A while ago, Karen Finlay of the 97 Things To Do Before I Turn 97 blog tossed me the idea of having a giveaway and now I'm using it.
Over this past weekend, we were all at a local music shop/art gallery, VAMP (which I'd highly recommend for GREAT jazz/soul/and more records, and located at 547 Athol Avenue, Oakland, CA), and I found a couple of vintage Ernst ties* I thought would be nice to give to a lucky MOD MALE reader!
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| 2 vintage Ernst ties, one in a tiki-esque pattern and the other in red/brown stripes. |
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| Black pocket square with red/brown patterns. |
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| Black Bugatchi socks (one-size-fits-all) with half a chocolate argyle pattern. |
- Become a follower of this blog, if you're not already, and leave a comment on the blog telling me what your favorite clothing accessory (male or female) is. Or,
- 'Like' the MOD MALE Facebook page and leave a comment on the page, telling me what your favorite clothing accessory (male or female) is.
On Wednesday, December 22nd, I'll announce the winner on this very blog! That's right, this contest will last one week only!
Ladies, I know you don't have much use for any of these giveaways, but they'd make great belated Christmas gifts for either your boyfriend, your husband, your good friend, your brother, your uncle, or your dad, even!
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| Mod Male gift giveaway! |
My favorite accessory is, by far, the watch. I must spend at least 100$ a year... just on batteries! I guess it's a good thing I have 2 wind-up ones!
ReplyDeleteWatches are THE ultimate male jewelry. When was the last time you wore a chain or a bracelet? One of my most treasured watches is my prestine Seiko G757. The one James Bond (Roger Moore) wore in Octopussy. I'm sad to say that mine doesn't activate bombs.
http://www.jamesbondlifestyle.com/index_gadgets.php?m=ga&g=ga015
My latest addition is a Brooks Brothers chronograph watch with crocodile bracelet. A beauty!
Believe it or not Ben Sherman was or is doing some nice semi narrow ties, I found a load of them at a discount place here called Loehmanns (don't know if they're strictly an "East Coast thing"). They also had some Munsingwear ties which were equally cool, perfect for my workaday world wear I don't want to wear a fat contemporary "kipper tie" or a too-narrow "vintage" one either.
ReplyDeleteHmm, asking a mod what his favorite accessory is, is like asking a mother which of her children is her fave... we all have one, but it's hard to chose.
ReplyDeleteSo here goes: I have a couple of ties... semi narrow, silk, with a pattern of the head of a fox and a horn, that fit right into my "country gentleman" obsession lately. they are from different makers, but feature the same pattern.
Carlos, I love your sense of humor. A "tribal tattoo", indeed. (And I'm not just buttering you up to try and win the contest.)
ReplyDeleteMan, I love those Ernst square-bottom ties!
Socks are my favorite accessory. (And no, I'm not just saying that to butter you up, Carlos, ha!) Most of my fancy socks I bought from deadstock on Ebay when I was regularly buying clothes on Ebay (about 10 years ago). I still buy occasionally if I see something really special.
Here's one of my favorite colorful pairs:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/380453_2360140005202_1301353312_32129597_415552818_n.jpg
Tip: If you're looking for plain, good quality socks (for dress or work) that are made in the U.S. at Macy's they have these which are very soft & warm wool - great for winter:
http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/gold-toe-adc-windsor-wool-3-pack-dress-crew-socks?ID=319742&PartnerID=EMAIL2&BannerID=240
My favorite accessory? Hmmm. I don't think my English Beat girl pin counts, huh. But I guess my favorite accessory would be my glasses -- they've become my trademark, I love them, and I NEED them.
ReplyDeleteI don't need to win, I just need to comment and tell you how awesome your blog is, and how awesome you are for keeping it up with style and panache. And I also gotta say... SOCKS RULE.
Patrick, a wrist-watch is something I do need to invest in. I have a pocket watch, which I love, and used to carry that around often, but now just use it when I'm wearing a waistcoat.
ReplyDeleteI trust you've explored http://www.watchismo.com/?
Bill, I was digging hard on the Ben Sherman ties from a couple of years ago, especially their paisley varieties. Lately, however, the ones I've seen have been getting more 'new-wave' thin... I should drop by the shop again, though.
ReplyDeleteAnd, luckily, we have Loehmann's here too! (That's where I found the pocket square!)
Wrathscallion, you mentioned the 'country gentleman' look... Have you ever entertained the idea of a cross-tie?
ReplyDeleteThose also have a pretty cool feel to them. If you do, go for the patterned variety, though, otherwise you run the risk of looking like a waiter!
Dean, you are a man who truly appreciates the accessory! I take it you're into both Ernst and Rooster ties?
ReplyDeleteI never thought of hunting vintage socks down really, because, y'know... old socks. But I should give deadsock a shot. And you're right about Macy's. I try to drop in every once in a while to see their latest selections which, honestly, are more affordable than the ones I've been listing.
And thanks for the compliments!
Karen, you're crazy... of course I'm adding you to the drawing! And you better believe socks rule!
ReplyDeleteBut please wear your English Beat pin this weekend... I'll have my camera with me!
I'm now a dedicated follower of Mod Male!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite accessories have changed over the years. At the moment, socks are my thing. Here's why: To me a lot of Mod design is about subtlety. Nothing is more subtle than socks. You can just see a hint of what's there when you are standing up, but since mod trousers are cut short at the ankles, as soon as you sit down, they are revealed in all their glory.
It's kind of a "hipster" shop, but IMHO Zuriick makes some of the best socks around at the moment http://zuriick.com/store/men-all/socks/
Thank you Agent00Soul!
ReplyDeleteI'm really surprised (and pleased) that so many do put thought into something you'd think was mundane.
And thanks for turning me on to Zuriick. Great socks... although, did I really need to see them modeled by dudes not wearing pants??