A (temporary) farewell

You might have noticed this blog has been dark for a while.  Well, I've started using my other blog (afistfulofstyle.tumblr.com) as my primary platform.  Blogger just didn't do what I needed it to do.  So if you're following us here, start following me there.  I update way more regularly.

But!  Don't worry too much.  Ashley wants to start developing a mens accessory line, if and when that happens we'll be using this site to promote that and write in a more "together" mode.

Thanks for sticking with us this long.

Best,
Alex

Thrift Shopping Vol. 2: De-constructing a major score

I have a horrible confession to make.  I posted that primer on thrift shopping in a slump.  I felt like (note to self: learn a sports players name) doing some thing involving sports (note to self: learn about a sports scandal), and then lying about it.

But then things changed.  We hit up goodwill and spent $70 on a pretty epic goodwill haul.  Check out what patience and that stupid advice I gave last week will get you after the jump...

Primer: Thrift Shopping

The big 2

Thrift shopping is one of the most debated topics I've run into on the blogo-tubes.  There are entire blogs (awesome ones I might add) that can give you some excellent advice.  But I also think thrift shopping is one of the most wrongly approached topics out there.  There are numerous advantages to thrift shopping, but essentially the only one that gets any play is that you can score top tier brands for a bargain basement bottom line.

Now, this is a very nice thing, but it eliminates what I think is the true crux of thrift shopping.  It's the only absolutely democratic shopping you can do, where Old Navy and Oxxford hold equal sway.

Not that I think I'm the greatest or anything, but I will try and give you the best advice that's ever been given on the subject.  This primer will help you grasp the basics so you can thrift not only like a pro, but like the forward thinking visionary you know you are (or aspire to be) in 5 easy steps after the jump...

Fox News hates gender | A Fistful of Style

Fox News hates gender | A Fistful of Style

I'm doing this all backwards! But I think this is worth reading (even leaving aside the fact that I wrote it)

Crayons, Punk Rock and New England: Drawing inspiration

a big box of inspiration

I recently got asked on my other blog (of course I have another blog, how else would I promote this blog?  facebook? It's not like I have twitter!)

Anyway, the question was "what inspires your style?"  So of course I just sort of wrote down the first 5 things that popped into my head.  Here's what it was.

Crayola Crayons, Punk Rock, Geometric Forms, New England Weather and the people I surround myself with

So I thought... why those?  And how do they?  What stupid bullshit did I just ramble out now?  But then I thought about it some more and it's pretty much dead on.  Delving into your wardrobe and finding things to inspire you, after the jump...

Putting your own spin on it

So I know I've been talking a lot about defining "your style" and giving some nebulous tips.  So I thought I'd make this one really practical and specific.  This look was a big hit in and around Portland today, David Wood called me a man after his own heart (also, a bum in Monument Square took 15 minutes to tell me and Ashley how "awesome" we were).  In any event, after the jump I'll talk inspiration and how to tweak things to fit your personal style instead of looking like a carbon copy of a magazine/historical picture...

Look better NOW (or in a week or so): 5 idiot proof (and free) ways to look better for spring (and the rest of the year)

Any day now this shit will be GONE!

So now that it's (please god, please) actually spring, I thought it's time for some more content.  And after my "manifesto" I thought I'd follow up with ways to look better without spending a single dime.  Though to be fair, after you do these, you'll probably want some new clothes.  ABSOLUTELY FREE advice after the jump...

I swear I'm not gone

I wore this the day of my birthday.  Feel free
to rip it apart in the comments.

I know it's been a while since I've posted... you know... actual content.  But (as you might have garnered) I was sick for a while, then swamped with work for a while after that.  Later this week I promise, actual writing and  me wearing a tux for my birthday.

fuck you winter

YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE!

March 18th

April 1st

Me, unhappy.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PICTURES?!?!?!

I'm not gone.

Sorry for the lack of posts last week, (and this week).

Here's what I've been up to.

Yay! Friends from college!  Vacation!
Whoo! Party!

Oh man!  Video games are so much fun.  Good thing I have
all of vacation to finish my work!

A hipster party?  Don't mind if I do.  Ironically adopting the
persona of a subculture you vilify isn't hipsterish at all!
Right?

Oh jesus christ... I want to die...
wait... a loogie isn't supposed to be that color.

I... I just can't compute the skewness of
male/female managers salaries...

Regional Economic development?
Tuesday?
Why no, I haven't started... that's bad
isn't it?

I'll be back.  Hopefully by then my body won't be just a horrible ball of disgusting mucus.

Sweat Pants and Dressing more like yourself. A (pseudo) manifesto.

Let’s talk about sweat pants shall we.  Lots of ink (cyber-ink at least) has been spilled about they’re ruining modern society and nobody cares about how they look anymore.  I agree with most of this, sort of.  Here’s the thing though, I don’t like sweatpants for a different reason.  Most of what I’ve read bemoans the fact that the art of getting dressed has been lost but I disagree, I think what’s been lost is any sense of personal expression.  I’m more offended by the content than the form (but I am offended by the form).  So now it’s time to say my piece I feel like my main thoughts about personal style have not really been articulated, and I endeavor to do that here.

One day late: The Weekly Roundup

St. Patrick's Day

Good week.  St Patrick's Day Thursday.  Dance Party Friday.  Weekly roundup... RIGHT NOW.

Tom Waits Is Basically Edward Cullen, and Other Things We Learned at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction -- Vulture

Tom Waits is more awesome than words can describe.

-->And, gee, I don't know where to begin. Songs, uh, are really just interesting things to be doing with the air. I love working with tunes. I love music, but we really want music to love us.

I mean COME ON!

The Sartorialist: UPDATE - Before Winter Is Over, Try Tweed & Denim

Done and done. (And I mean done.)

Spring Trends for Men 2011 - Spring Fashion 2011 Men - Esquire

-->Five new looks she'll love -- risky sure, but worth embracing if you execute them well enough to turn her on.


Well I hated ALL of these, so I showed them to Ashley who hated ALL of them too (probably more than me).  So... not so well played Esquire.  Not so well played.

The Dominance Of The Carrot-Fit Trousers « Antenna Magazine

-->Gordon Richardson, design director for Topman, summed up the trend’s popularity: “Carrot fits are the natural successor to the skinny fit that has been dominating the past few seasons. Originating in denim, the shape moves effortlessly into chinos. Its versatility as a silhouette means that it can take utility details and simple wash effects well.”


It's funny, my biggest problem with super tapered pants up 'til now has been, "It looks like you've got carrot legs, it just doesn't look right!"  So... apparently I was right... or... wrong?  I don't even know anymore.

St. Patrick driving the awesome into some green ties.

Happy St. Patty's day!  Hope you're still sober enough to read my quick rundown of all green outfits after the jump...

Job fairs: apparently only useful if you want a job in sales or insurance (selling insurance mainly)

I am SO EXCITED to be going to a job fair.

I'm looking all sharp, gonna knock 'em DEAD!

Hey... wait... this is all insurance companies, that's just a school club over there, can they really have the army, army reserve and 2 police booths at a job fair?  Suppose this isn't for me.

oh well! guess I'll just keep taking out student loans.

Palette Swap Lvl 2: Springtime for plaid ties and corduroy

Well hey guys.  It's spring all of a sudden so I'm spending my time outside instead of blogging my brains out.  So... brief post as a companion to some of my other posts.  After the jump...

Spring is Sprung.

Outside: Now in Technicolor.

Please stop looking at my blog and go outside.

NOW!

Don't use your name as a pun it makes me too changry... oh god... it's happening to me for the weekly roundup...

Remember when I had the crown?  Good times...
Photo: Geoff Roecker

2 weeks in and I'm already invading the internet.  Ashley is so proud of me.

A COBBLER’S GUIDE TO PROTECTING YOUR SHOES - Even cobbler's are in favor of beat up shoes!

--> I’m a big proponent of natural wear and tear on your shoes I really think it looks beautiful, like a personal patina. 


Fuck YES!


The Wrong Shoe for Any Occasion - I dunno, that doesn't look so... OH GOD MY EYES THEY BURN!!!


_The Momentum - Presentation: 3/9/2011 || In Maine with LL Bean, a pair of Sorels, and compliments on my yellow sweater - My internet ubiquity begins!  Get in on the ground floor people!

The 10 Most Compelling Quotes from Peter King's Hearing - I'd like this blog to remain relatively politically neutral, but Peter King (like George Will) is an asshole.

-->8. "I thank God we didn't have a hearing on Christianity and how it's radicalizing our youth. We could have."


Yep.  Look at somewhere like Northern Ireland where catholics and protestants have been killing each other for quite a while, something you'd know quite a bit about.

WEAR MORE TIES!!!!

these don't exactly scream "I'M A BUSINESSMAN!"

Ties are probably the most misunderstood element of menswear.  The bespoke set thinks they all need to be the highest grade silk and cashmere and speak to your taste and refinement.  The sweatpants crew thinks they're corporate nooses that you are forced to wear at weddings and funerals.  As per usual, both are wrong.  I fucking  LOVE ties (much like sunglasses), but the biggest trick (especially if you are not currently a tie wearer) is figuring out how to really work ties into your day to day without looking like a corporate jag, fortunately I'll give some ideas after the jump...

Dr. Strangeglass or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Knockoffs

I fucking LOVE sunglasses.  Probably has something to do with the fact that my eyes are extremely sensitive to the light.  However, I also have a predilection for losing small items (I've lost about 30 hats/scarves/gloves/sunglasses over the last 5 or 6 years).  Additionally I'm kind of allergic to spending $100+  on... just about anything, much less something 6 inches across.  Fortunately I've found a solution, after the jump...

Sweaters: 3 ways, of the non-freaky variety

I have way more, but these are the solid ones...
for simplicity sake

This time of year is just the worst.  It's been 40 degrees and raining for the last 4 or 5 days.  When it doesn't rain it's windy and it threatens rain.  There's dozens of solutions from staying in and drinking pot after pot of hot coffee to staying in a hot shower all day to burning your furniture for warmth.  But theres only one that lets you interact with society, and that's layering sweaters.  I take you from business to the great outdoors after the jump...

Birthday Party Downstairs

Birthday Party downstairs last night so these are going out (and down the stairs and then back in) clothes.

Lessons to be learned:

Fur lined corduroy jacket + 501 StF's = Party suit

 1. Ties with everything.

 2. If you can't dance in something you shouldn't be wearing it.

 3. Looking like a cartoon character is totally sweet.

4. (note to self: come up with 4th lesson)

we don't actually think we're this cool.  we just look like we are.

Merry weekend times!

side project

I started a side project cataloging every piece in my wardrobe one at a time.  check it out.

afistfulofstyle.tumblr.com

and then follow us, and it.

What's angrying up my blood now? The weekly roundup.

what? it's after 6, what are we, farmers?

Well, it's the weekend.  Time for a weekly roundup type thing.  What's the internet doing to piss me off now, after the jump.

Palette Swap: All I really need to know about style I learned from video games

As you might have garnered, I have a very colorful wardrobe.  This can present problems from time to time when I find myself wearing something nice, but not necessarily appropriate for the (weather, occasion, locale, etc...)  Fortunately I'm also a nerd and video games (as they often do) have the answer!  If you've ever played a game that came out before... let's say 2000, you're familiar with the palette swap.  This is a tremendously effective tool for managing an otherwise out of control colorful wardrobe.  So let's level up our style here, shall we?  (now that's a good pun for before the jump!)

Enough scarfs to tie 10 on (note to self: come up with better title)

If there's one thing I have to many of other than shoes, it's scarves (and gingham shirts... and vests... alright, so I own too many clothes).  Aside from the fact that one of my favorite directors and one of portland's greatest citizens certainly knew their way around some neck adornment, I think scarves are a great way to add some punch to an outfit.  Depending on how you tie them and what color scheme you use you can end up with lots of different looks from the exact same outfit.  One outfit 10 ways with scarves after the jump.

Wolverines: Weapon X footwear

I have too many pairs of shoes.  18 at last count. Compounding my problem is that this winter has been so brutal that I've worn shoes maybe 3 or 4 times.  Every other day it's boots.  And it's been very cold and very wet so serious boots are the only kind that are viable.  Fortunately I have some Sorels (which I thought was just a term for boots until I was about 13) and when I went home I found these in the basement.  Of course I couldn't wear them every day (alright... every other day) if they didn't play nice with my other clothes...

Dressing for the (miserable miserable) weather

Oh man was today awful.  Yesterday had about 8 inches of snow fall and then today was 30 degrees with freezing rain all morning then 34 degrees and heavy rain so far this afternoon.  In general this winter has been the worst since I was in high school.  So I figured if I'm staying in all day I might as well do this about some serious wintery mixes for this serious wintery mix (note to self: come up with less lame joke for right before the jump)

Ver. 2.0: Laundry Day

So the return coincides with 2 things.  1 is a new focus (also... just a focus of any kind).  I actually have things to say, not just weird pictures and high levels of undifferentiated snark.  So I'm going to dig deep in my closet.  Actually put stuff together.  Figure out and communicate why I wear what I wear and what thought (or lack of it) goes into making those decisions.  So in the interest of beginning at the beginning I bring you laundry day...

BIG CRAZY RETURN POST!!!!

Oh hi.  I didn't see you there.  How're things?  Been a while.  10 weeks as of tomorrow.  What can I say, all 6 seasons of LOST won't watch themselves.  Plus I've been super broke and not going out much.  But there's been mass outcry.  Seriously!  At least 7 people have requested more blogging!  And I want to give the people what they want.  Also, I went into David Wood today (just to look at the beautiful beautiful stuff) and got complemented by the man himself.  Because I'm THAT stylish.  Seriously though, I've been thinking a lot about what I should be writing and how to be writing it.  In the future expect slightly more serious thoughts from the ol' mind grapes.  I have actual thoughts on mens style that are NOT pure snark.  Seriously! (again).  Also I have some new things in my wardrobe that are new and awesome that I would like to talk about and share with the world (or at least the portion of the world that follows this blog).  Don't worry though, this won't become just another menswear blog (with occasional posts about jewelry that hopefully will also become more frequent).  I still have very little love for the establishment (I'm looking at you Brooks Brothers).  I've got some thoughts coming up on military coats, flannel suits, work boots, tuxes, raw denim and all the other colors of the sartorial rainbow.  So get ready for a super fun happy time.

And now, several hilarious context free photos of me...

having trouble standing!

cleaning off a car!

being surly at having to clean off a car!

Wearing things I never thought I would ever wear! (ever)

and finally...

Looking like a badass motherfucking Bond villain!

So starting tomorrow, expect Alex and Ashley's Adventures ver. 2.  Alex and Ashley-e-ier.  More adventuretastic and with actual content!  Hurrah!!