The season is coming up quick, and a lot of the time underpreparedness leaves a lot of people in a style panic the moment the weather shifts. In a matter of days you start feeling like you have nothing to wear.

No matter how prepared you are, you still might up getting stuck with a common question: What should I wear this fall?

If that sounds like you, then we’re probably thinking the same thing: what jacket do I want to wear this season, what styles are popular, are there any brands I haven’t heard of that I should, what shouldn’t I wear, and so on.

In today’s letter we’re tackling these questions:

• How to make your fall wardrobe transition easier

• The importance of avoiding low-quality recommendations you see online

• Style tips that can set you apart from everyone else this fall season

• A coveted button-up everyone slept on is back in new colors

• New brands with great fall gear I recently discovered

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This advice might feel trivial and simple, but when I speak to people I realize that many of them don’t really do some of these things. This help doesn’t require you change how you approach fashion, but these are the tips that help me make my fall wardrobe much simpler:

EARLY BIRD GETS THE NICE CLOTHES

Almost every online store has started dropping their FW26 collections. The weather might be telling you a different story right now, but you don’t want to be last to the party once all the sizes of the good stuff is gone. The real shoppers are online buying the next season, so you have to get with the program or risk wearing stuff you don’t want to wear again.

I think it’s important to at least start looking and saving items in your cart before diving head first into a purchase you might not have thought through completely. Start browsing and start bookmarking.

CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSET

By the time summer is over you’ve probably made a mess of your closet as you tried to figure out what else you can possible put together that doesn’t feel boring. Get yourself reorganized and just flip the clothes around in your closet just to remind yourself what’s going on there.

Ok, so now let’s say you’re deep in your closet clean, finding stuff that you couldn’t believe you wore at some point, and maybe you even found something nice that you folded and forgot about. I do this all the time. My brain is cracked with thoughts to the point where I’m folding my favorite pants and putting them in corners of the house I didn’t know I had. Re-organizing my closet seasonally helps minimize the time I spend apart from random clothes I like.

During this stage you should be taking notes on what you want to replace or add to your wardrobe. Force yourself to swap out items that you don’t actually wear that much. Either physically hide that clothing somewhere or give them away to a friend — it’s actually interesting how fast the brain forgets an article of clothing after a few days. By that standard, if you remove the stuff that you don’t even like then your brain naturally creates space for new ideas, and this is where your new seasonal identity style is born.

START WITH THE BASICS

If you’re absolutely stuck and don’t know where to start your overhaul, do it by acquiring a set of good-quality base layers.

Because a good fall wardrobe starts with the basics.

I wrote The Ultimate Guide to Basics earlier this year that gets you started with brands I swear by for good base layers. I share my favorite t-shirts under $100, brands making high quality sweats, and other great layers that can live harmoniously with the rest of your wardrobe.

Read that after you’re done today’s letter.

DON’T LET THEM POISON YOU

Everyone is getting their style inspo online right now. The explore page warriors are gearing up with new video content to tell us exactly how men should dress this fall, which will end up looking and feeling the exact same, so I wouldn’t buy into it. Watch it and laugh, but don’t buy into it.

A lot of men are confused about what to do with their style, which often leads to an overconsumption of these low-quality advice videos that just create a group of guys that all look the same. You’re stuck thinking that you don’t know how to dress because you’re getting advice from people that share your exact problem.

You need to be avoiding that energy.

In one of my biggest articles, I wrote about how finding your style actually requires you to stop trying to find it. Your interests are interesting and that could translate into some really fun outfit choices. Anyway, the article is a few years old but the advice still holds today, so I strongly recommend you read that if you’re someone that feels lost when it comes to figuring out what your style is.

SO, WHAT DO I ACTUALLY WEAR?

You did everything above and now you’re feeling enlightened towards the path of fall style success. Here are a couple thoughts, tips, and an early style analysis for what men might be wearing this fall so you can prepare accordingly:

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Whenever I’m in Los Angeles I’m usually spending a bag on overpriced smoothies at Erewhon while catching beautiful vibes as I drive across the city with my windows down blaring whatever music comes up on shuffle.

But no trip to LA is truly complete without spending some time with the boys from Metalwood. During my last visit it was only right to get Cole to show me what gear he’s currently obsessed with. Cole Young is one of the main brains behind Metalwood, former brand director at Malbon Golf, and just a great person that I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over numerous alcoholic beverages in Paris.

My friend Kyle — elite skills behind the lens — was also in town that same week, so there was no choice but to force the boys into a quick little editorial photoshoot for this article. Thank you Kyle for putting up with me to make this happen. <3

Cole was also kind enough to give the SNL readers exclusive access to a private Metalwood sale.

Use promo code STREETWOOD at checkout for 50% off your entire order (some exclusions apply). This offer is valid until Sunday, August 30th at 11:59PM PST.

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10 Items with Cole Young

Words by Cole Young, editorial photos by Kyle Berger

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UP NEXT:

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The brands I shop for the best quality basics are here.

The two pairs of pants I can’t stop wearing right now.

Happy Tuesday. We have a packed letter this week so I’m keeping the yapping to a minimum.

In today’s letter:

• Supreme FW26 preview and the sleeper items that make this collection great

• The new AerTension™ collection from Earth\Studies

• A sci-fi brand that is now creating exceptional menswear

• Footwear built for fall

• Finding the perfect zip hoodie from one of my go-to brands for basics

• and more subscriber exclusive content

  SNLetter is a reader-supported blog. Become a paid subscriber unlock more regular content, discover new brands, and get exclusive information on new releases

SUPREME REMINDS US WHO’S BOSS

Happy Supreme preview to those that celebrate!

The FW26 collection feels massive. It brings some obvious bangers like the Box Logo leather jacket by Jeff Hamilton or the De Sede couch that’s going to cost an arm and a leg.

While there is always a place and time for a louder piece from Supreme, I am a bit older now, so I tend to gravitate towards the clothes that have a little bit more wearability down the line. These are the more quiet pieces that have little to no branding, which to some may seem boring, but that’s where the real heat is at.

Supreme always drops a couple of shirt bangers that seem to fly under the radar. The quilted flannel is a classic, but the Frayed Texture Plaid Shirt might be the most important item in the collection. Absolute sleeper.

Supreme has been making some of the best denim for years and it’s honestly surprising to see them be in that iykyk category. I don’t mind it though, because I’m not trying to battle anyone online for sizes.

Is grandpa swag back in full swing for FW26? The Sequin Faux Fur zip up and the Metallic Fair Isle Cardigan seem to point in that direction, and I don’t hate it.

I just stumbled upon across the Boucle Small Logo sweater that is another certified banger. I guess I missed it during my first few scroll bys, but either way, this one is good — this is the reminder to go back and look at the collection a few times, it’s easy to miss stuff, and you will always end up liking something that you didn’t at first.

Overall the collection is solid. Let’s hope the collaborations can further support that this season. Curious to know what items you’re feeling so drop your comments below.

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NEW FROM EARTH\STUDIES

This is a fan favorite because anytime I write about Earth\Studies you guys go crazy. I don’t blame you because the stuff is good.

Earth\Studies newest collection continues experimenting with new fabric tech that’s designed to keep you cool in the heat. The AerTension™ collection isn’t going to sit on their website for long, so I would recommend acting fast before your sizes are gone.

Additionally, Meridian also has some stock available on their site here just in case.

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In today’s letter:

• Menswear brands coming together to drop their fall collections all at the same time

• A look at a very exciting drop from 18 East that’s dropping later today.

• Mfpen’s deconstructed New Balance collaboration.

• New rare bookstore in New York supported by USM Modular Furniture.

• A limited edition of the 1942 Levi’s 501 that seems impossible to get in the US.

• and more.

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Earlier this week we spoke about how stores have already begun releasing the new fall collections, signaling that summer is officially winding down. A few days later my eyes became bombarded by numerous brands with fall/winter collection lookbooks and releases almost simultaneously.

I get it. It’s mid-August, the summer trips to Greece are finally winding down, most people are starting to get back to the real world, and that means shopping is starting to pick up again — I will say though, as the years go by it seems that these fall collections start creeping in earlier each summer.

Anyway, a lot of brands just dropped their lookbooks for fall, bringing in a new array of menswear garments that will leave us wanting new clothes again. I’m sure I missed some, but here are a couple of collections that caught my eye this week:

• Noah drops their lookbook for AW26: A very strong collection coming from Noah for fall. I’m not going to lie, it’s been quiet on the Noah front for me for a few seasons, so this is a nice change of pace. Nothing crazy, but nothing bad either. What we have is a collection that leans into the classics of menswear while maintaining that build quality paired with the casual feeling that makes this brand appealing to a wider audience.

• Unkruid Series 6 is now live on their site. I recently placed Unkruid on a list of brands that are shaping the current landscape of mens fashion, and this collection solidifies why they deserve the hype. A special brand that takes dedication to fabric development to another level, and it shows through each individual garment they drop. Some standouts from the new collection that I like right now: this wool/silk new dream hat, these pants that have already sold out only after a few hours, and this late night jacket in a big corduroy finish.

• Corridor released their AW26 lookbook: Another great example of menswear that just works in anyone’s wardrobe. Corridor has been dialing in their creative approach by keeping the designs simple while focusing on fabrics and details throughout each garment. I find that this is a brand that’s better understood in person, so go out there and find it in the real world. The clothes will do all the talking.

• Thisisneverthat Fall 2026 lookbook: A collection that reminds me of how the average person working in the fashion industry actually dresses day-to-day. It’s just classic streetwear that’s done well. Thisisneverthat comes at a really great price point and they make quality stuff for the money you spend.

• Khakis has also begun slowly rolling out their new Fall 26 collection. We just have a couple of shots and a video on their IG, but Khakis is definitely not a brand you should be sleeping on. Up and coming but has already made waves with great rounds of collabs with Reebok, and their clothes are getting better with each season.

SUMMER IN COPENHAGEN

Get those wallets ready because 18 East is dropping a new ‘Summer in Copenhagen’ collection this Friday, and there are a bunch of gear that a lot of us will want to add to their wardrobe.

The lookbook is up on their Instagram here.

A lot of good stuff, but there is one item in particular that I don’t think I’ll be able to avoid, and that’s the Pacis Full Zip jacket:

3M grid pattern, big kangaroo pockets, and a perfect hood that just covers enough of your face that sits nicely on your head — finding the perfect fitting hood is a mission that needs a lot more effort than one might think.

This might be the only fall jacket I need this season, truly.

All of this will be dropping on the 18 East website later today, August 14th.

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I’M LISTENING

Mfpen and New Balance have a deconstructed 992 coming out early next year that I’m really excited about. The shoe debuted during Mfpen’s runway show at the last Copenhagen Fashion Week.

At first glance you see a familiar silhouette, but a closer look reveals deconstructed details that makes this shoe interesting in a more subtle way — I’m not always trying to wear the loudest or more design focused shoe, a subtle change to an already familiar model is sometimes the only difference I need.

A really great shoe. This is going to be a big release so expect these to fly when they drop sometime next year. Will keep you in the loop once we get to the due date.

THE NEW HENDER SCHEME FLAGSHIP

Listen, if I see Hender Scheme doing anything, I’m supporting whatever it is with everything I got.

Their new flagship just opened up in Minoshima, Fukuoka, bringing together the essence of the brand in a new space. My favorite part about a Hender Scheme store is their ability to find spaces that fit so perfectly with the brands identity. Each store is the same, but it feels so different at the same time because of the surroundings and the location of each of their shops.

A NEW RARE BOOK SHOP IN SOHO

Rare book and ephemera collecting wizard, Geoff Snack, has partnered with USM Furniture to bring his shop to life in New York city. The Wrong Answer shop is opening this weekend, August 15th within the USM Showroom at 28 Greene St, New York.

Did you know that AI companies have been actively buying up books to scan them and then destroying the physical copies so the information lives forever in their database? Insane. Preservation of books of any kind is so important right now, and that’s why I’ve said that everyone should have their own physical library in the past.

Anyway, highly recommend visiting if you’re in the area to enjoy a wide selection of books Geoff has been collecting and selling across a range of genres and art practices.

A PAIR OF LEVI’S THAT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET

Levi’s Vintage has been dabbling in the archives by reproducing original denim from the past. For this release, Levi’s tapped into a 501 from 1942 to reproduce stitch for stitch. Unfortunately, these sold out instantly in US but Europe will have their chance when these drop on the Levi’s website on September 3rd, 2026. Mark those calendars and good luck.

A RETURN OF A CLASSIC

The Tor Ultra Lo is probably my favorite model that HOKA has to offer. The olive colorway is probably one of the best, and it’s the one that hasn’t been as easy to get right now because stock is low, but Saison Shop is restocking them on their website here.

Fall is coming up, it’s a good shoe to get yourself covered. It’s comfortable, GORE-TEX upper for that extra protection, looks great on foot, especially if you got some proper pant stacks going on. You can’t go wrong. I recommend going with your true size!

It’s also the last stretch of the summer, so I’ve been trying my best to regain my energy and stay offline as much as possible while keeping the blog regularly stocked — SNL is a one person operation, and that means all the research, graphics, and writing is done entirely by me. Needless to say, it’s been nice to not write as much as I would during other seasons.

I’ve noticed that we’ve already started shifting focus towards fall clothing, with some stores already starting their first deliveries for fall gear.

While we wait for that good gear to hit online, I’ve been deep in my own search to figure out what I want to wear this fall. Today’s letter is a selection of gear that’s been on my watchlist that functions like a personal moodboard of sorts.

All of today’s items will come with links to purchase. No affiliate links, just great recommendations.

KATHARINE HAMNETT LEATHER COAT - SIZE L

Owning a good leather jacket is an essential experience that every menswear enthusiast must participate in. I got this Avirex Type A-2 last year for around $100 that I probably will never get rid of, but now I’m looking for a different styles to add to the rotation. This Katharine Hamnett Leather Coat is a good example of what I’m looking for.

TNF PURPLE LABEL MADRAS JACKET - SIZE M

GOOUCH LINEN SHIRT - SIZE M

Last week I featured GOOUCH in my The Brand I Should Be Gatekeeping letter that highlighted these amazing cotton trousers for under $100. The pants sold out pretty quickly after that letter dropped… That’s the SNL difference. Still lots of other great gear available from that brand in that letter that you should check out if you haven’t already.

Anyway, this linen shirt is only $25, so you’d be silly not to buy it right? May the fastest shopper win. Good luck.

VISVIM UT.SATCHEL

This bag is crazy. It’s a canvas tote that comes with a raw deerskin cut that’s sewn overtop the bag. Check out some additional photos of it here — each bag comes with a unique cut of leather which ages in its own way depending on how you wear it. That’s what makes this bag so cool.

Insanely rare and is only really sold to the V.I.P. clients of Visvim. If you find one being resold expect to pay at least a thousand. Chances of me getting this is low, but remembering this bag exists has definitely triggered new ideas for what bag I want next.

BETWEEN YOU AND ME

If you’re looking for a bag, something that’s over the shoulder, maybe something that leans towards the messenger style, and don’t mind getting something older, then you should look at vintage Ralph Lauren options on eBay. Always type out the bag style with Ralph Lauren in the search for better results, and don’t give up after page 5.

A lot of good stuff at places like eBay specifically, like this faded canvas messenger with leather detailing that’s only $90, or this Mountain Expedition bag for $265, or this insane madras patchwork bag that comes with a long strap for $150.

DOUBLE BREASTED WOOL COATS

Don’t tell me these didn’t come straight from Patrick Bateman’s closet. Found a bunch of made-in-England double breasted wool coats for under $300 over at Front General here. Honestly, a huge vibe depending on the style choices you’re going for this fall.

KATHARINE HAMNETT BOMBER - SIZE M

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TNF PURPLE LABEL + PALACE JACKET - SIZE XL

Absolute grail. One of the best Palace collabs to me. You don’t see this collection hit online often, and when it does it always haunts me to pull the trigger… XL is going to be a bit big I think, but that’s just giving myself an excuse not to spend $500.

POLO RALPH LAUREN BOMBER - SIZE L

Made out of oilcloth, a fabric finish that’s similar to Barbour’s Wax cottons — basically a treatment that would help protect you from harsher weathers. The difference here is that once the oil comes off you can’t really re-apply it in the same way you can with wax cotton material. Alas, this Ralph Lauren Oilcloth Bomber is still sick enough to get a season full of wear in. I like that deep green, and I’m always a sucker for a small stand-up collar.

COMME DES GARCONS BUTTON UP - SIZE S

Made in France, the CDG button-up are very special. They’ve really dialed in the fabric to make these shirt stand out above your other traditional options. Buying them new if you have the money is cool, but you can get older ones from reputable sellers for under $200. What draws me in are the sharp short collars, and typically in a length finish that isn’t too long. I know this one is a size S but I recommend checking out the measurements — CDG kind of fits big in some cases.

Here’s a deep blue version that’s a size L. Check the measurements either way!

ARMANI COLLEZIONI TROUSERS - SIZE 36

ISSEY MIYAKE REVERSIBLE COAT

I don’t know about you but this fall I’m tryna channel that Jedi swag by copping a jacket that looks a lot like their robes. This Issey coat is from the 80s and comes with a reversible liner that’s removable, which is basically three jackets in one — I’m just trying to convince myself that spending $2000 on something like this isn’t going to financially destroy me.

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RAF SIMONS + ADIDAS STAN SMITH - SIZE 10.5

It’s about that time. Raf Stan Smith is back, and that’s all I have to say about that. I really need a pair but I’m holding off to find an even better colorway. This one is fresh though.

AURALEE DENIM JACKET — SIZE XXL

MAN-TLE WAXED COTTON JACKET - SIZE M

This thing is awesome. I love the large paneling on the side for the pockets. It’s not cheap, but it’s definitely much cheaper than retail. Quick tip: If you favorite the listing on eBay and wait like a day you should get a $50 discount from the final price. Don’t want to wait? Flex those negotiation muscles in the DM’s.

ARMANI JEANS DENIM SHIRT - SIZE S

It doesn’t matter the season, you can’t go wrong with a nice faded denim shirt. This Armani one is nice. It’s tagged size small, but a quick glance at the measurements make it seem more of a size medium. Again, check the measurements because labels don’t mean anything.

COUPLE OF HATS

I’m clearly on a Ralph tip because most of my watchlist is Ralph Lauren of sorts. I found a couple of hats from various labels that have been sitting in my cart:

• Polo Country Corduroy Sportsman cap $85

• RRL Baseball cap $140

• Vintage Southwest pattern cap $80 — these are very cool. There is another one from the same seller here.

An essay on how to stop overthinking your style development.

My guide on the brands making good basics right now can be read here.

Welcome back to another edition of What To Buy; your one stop for the latest info on drops happening this week, and gear I’m enjoying that I think you should buy before it sells out.

In today’s letter:

• Exclusive subscriber-only release date info for the Hartcopy + Adidas BW Army in North America.

• Two pairs of pants built for the summer heat.

• A new shoe from New Balance I can’t stop wearing right now.

• A Canadian-made brand making high-quality menswear is back in the US.

• and other great releases and new collections you don’t want to miss this week.

I just secured my plans to go back to Japan this fall to continue to explore the land of great garms, food, and everything in between. If you’re traveling there soon and need recommendations, check out my comprehensive guide for shopping in Tokyo, featuring my favorite shops, areas for the best vintage, and more that are all organized by area.

PANTS IN THE SUMMER

I understand that it’s shorts season and we are letting the dogs out. That’s great, but as a true lover of pants, I participate in WMPAYL: Wearing My Pants All Year Long. It’s doable in the summer to an extent, and it really comes down to leaning into fabrics that maximize breathability.

When we’re talking about pants in the summer, I’m looking at options that are made using thin cottons, linen, or hemp fabric construction. They need to be lightweight enough to the point where I don’t even feel like I’m wearing pants.

For this summer, I have two pairs of pants that do just that.

Let’s go from top to bottom:

• Lost & Found + Beams Plus Pleated Trousers: Just got these in the mail, and wow, what a pair pants. The Cotton/Linen blend makes these exceptionally soft, lightweight, and gives you a good amount of breathability that makes these comfortable to wear in the summer. What I like about them is their taper at the leg opening, which helps create natural fabric stacking around the shoes. They just fall into place instantly.

  
  I got the black pair but they have two more additional colors on at their shop here.

• Lemaire Relaxed Pant: it’s going to be difficult to find these exact pants, but Lemaire makes plenty of similar options that you can try out yourself — these Pyjama Pants are pretty similar and are currently on sale for 50% off. The cotton/hemp construction of the Relaxed Pant creates a weave unlike anything else I have in my closet. Not only are they the thinnest pants I own, these somehow are wrinkle resistant, which I absolutely love.
  
  Although the fabric is slightly different on James Coward’s Carry On Pants, the mission feels more or less the same: lightweight flowiness that focuses on comfort through each step. Good alternative and has a cut that feels slightly roomier in the legs in comparison to Lemaire’s options.

NEW BALANCE’S LATEST HIT

The 1890 Abzorb deserves all of our attention. It has to be one of my current favorite New Balance models right now. The vision clicked for me when I got a pair of the JJJJound + New Balance 1890s, and have been obsessed with them ever since.

Amazing level of comfort for those that enjoy a more narrow toe box, looks great with all pants or sockless with the shorts, all of the general release colorways are great, and they come in abundant sizes directly on the New Balance website.

Go with your true size on these.

It’s always good to have a sneaker that can do everything in: go to the gym, run quick errands, walk your dog, or whatever. You will not be disappointed having these in your rotation.

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HARTCOPY + ADIDAS BW ARMY

So you come to me on the day of my daughter’s wedding to ask me when the next Hartcopy + Adidas collab is dropping in North America? I see. Hartcopy is back with new colorways of the BW Army, this time giving us a White and Halo Gold colorways to enjoy right as we close down the summer.

The initial drop in Europe is already live, but I have the exclusive release date information for those looking to secure a pair in North America — Europe folks don’t sleep on the Halo Gold colorway! I’m telling you.

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If you’re in the search for something new then you’ve come to the right place. In today’s letter: I’m sharing some personal favorite outerwear that’s been with me for years, what brands I shop for when I need to re-up on a rain jacket, where to get high quality without having to pay a lot, and some sales for some good rain outerwear at the bottom of the letter.

You only really need 1 good rain jacket in your closet — anything more and you’re doing it for pure style purposes. I say that because when you properly invest in an item like this, you don’t really need to purchase anything else. A good rain jacket, along with proper maintenance to the exterior that keeps the water beading off, should last you a decade without issues.

I have a lot of options in my rotation simply for research purposes, and after test running a bunch my current three favorites that I enjoy wearing are:

• Beams 3M reflective blouson that I got last year in Japan. It’s not insanely waterproof, but it’s good enough for those light rain days that requires you to jump outside for a second.

• Haven Spectre Jacket is probably the one I wear the most. Got this a few years ago and have worn it through the harshest winters and rain Montreal has to offer, and it’s still looks brand new. Good amount of pockets, great hood size, and hardware is solid all around. It’s definitely more of an investment, but it’s one that I would say is worth the money.

• Dime + Adidas GORE-TEX jacket. This one is fun because it’s the first time GORE-TEX had made a product penetrating the membrane with studs while keeping the jacket completely waterproof.

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MY PICKS

Below are the jackets that I would recommend for anyone looking to upgrade or replace whatever they are wearing now. All of today’s suggestions will come at various price points but more or less they do the same thing — protect you from the rain.

You might have noticed that GORE-TEX or other water-repellent treated outerwear isn’t as cheap as it once was, and that’s just the reality of the fashion world right now.

The technology and resources that go into making a jacket completely waterproof is going up in price, and that is reflected in today’s market. Because of this, I recommend not going with the ultra cheap options because there is a noticeable difference in how they perform when you need them to.

Portal is all about performance, and their Sphere GORE-TEX Jacket is the perfect example of that. Insanely light, packable, great simple design, what I think is the perfect hood that tightly wraps around your face when you need it, and it’s completely waterproof.

All that for $500 is not that bad, especially if you plan on having this for the next several years.

The Vingtor Jacket from Klattermusen is another great option that is under $500, more on the lighter side, but still built in a way that keeps that all the water out. Comes in a wide range of great colors, and even has a 30 day return window if you aren’t satisfied with your purchase.

This is a solid option if you just want something that works well without having to spend a lot of money. It is less fashionable, but it doesn’t always have to be about that when we’re talking about performance-based clothing.

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Today’s letter is free for everyone. Big thank you to all paid subscribers whose support allows me to focus on this blog full-time! Without you there is no SNL.

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I’m back at the SNL HQ after a short break in New York. For those planning on traveling there soon, check out my updated city guide featuring my favorite spots to shop at, eat, cafes, bookstores, and stuff in between.

In today’s letter:

• A brand I should be keeping to myself because it’s too good

• Footwear for all-seasons

• Pants on sale from Margaret Howell and Unlikely

• A collab campaign that hit me right in the nostalgia

• A brand that has a free research library at their store in New York that you need to know about

• and more great recommendations

A BRAND I SHOULD BE GATEKEEPING

If you’re a true vintage head then you already know about GOOUCH, but if you don’t, the brand was started in 1968 by Alan Goouch, a British photographer that wanted to create clothes that had a rock ‘n’ roll spirit. He achieved this by utilizing loud patterns and colors throughout the collections, but GOOUCH also has a lot of really simple clothing that’s crafted using exception linens, silk, and cottons.

You really have to spend time to track down vintage pieces online, but Front General Store just dropped their own selection of GOOUCH clothes that I’m surprised are still sitting online. Sizes are varied because it’s New Old Stock, but everything is priced under $100.

Definitely go through it and look at the measurements because a Size M could easily fit larger than usual. I had to pick up a pair of the Washed Flap Chinos… I mean, for $78 that is an absolute steal.

A SHOE FOR ALL-SEASONS

Is it too early to start talking about fall footwear? Maybe, but it’s also better to be early than scrambling for options when everything good is already gone. The KEEN Jasper is one of those styles that’s great for daily wear for the summer because they are exceptionally light and comfortable, and are the perfect way to transition to fall thanks to its waterproof upper.

There are a lot of colorways available online, but I’m really feeling the Steel Grey/Black that just dropped over at Alterior here. I’ve put a lot of my friends onto this model and all of them have had a great experience sofar. Go with your true size.

PANTS ON SALE

Stumbled upon a couple of pants from MHL by Margaret Howell, Unlikely Drygoods, and Engineered Garments on sale over at Brother Brother right now. Also recommend checking out Brother Brother’s in-house label that makes really great trousers for under $200.

NOW THIS IS A ROLLOUT

Jian DeLeon, Men’s Fashion Director at Nordstrom, and Oliver Cabell came together to bring back forum culture for the heads. Although this shoe collab was limited to a run of 50 pairs that were exclusive to Friends & Family, the campaign is what gave me life.

A nod to a time that a lot of us miss, the campaign recreates old style forum fitpics, often paired with blurred out faces for anonymity, as well as snippets of profiles that you would tell the community a little bit about yourself through your niche interests in fashion.

Absolutely loved this. Well done.

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TWO FROM PILGRIM

What is so special about these Serra shirts from Pilgrim? Well, I love the regular collar finish — none of that camp collar stuff. I’m also big fan of the slight sheen, which is achieved with the wool/nylon fabric finish. Simple, good earth tones, and priced in a way that doesn’t ruin your wallet.

FOR THE RESEARCH HEADS

I finally got around to visiting the Vowels store in New York this past weekend. Besides having the opportunity to experience all of their clothes in full, the space has a dedicated research library that has a rotating selection of books and all the tools needed to scan or print your research for your creative needs. The best part? It’s all free to use. Just book your session at the Vowels website and go crazy.

What’s going on everyone. I’m currently in New York seeing a couple of friends, having a few work meetings, and conducting a new interview for the Item Series, but more details on that later.

The city has a lot going on, so writing letters at the same time as I traverse across different areas isn’t as easy when I’m traveling elsewhere. Still, I figured this would be a great time to update our New York City Guide from a few years ago.

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I’m writing this at 11:46pm, just 7 hours before this letter goes live, so forgive me for the brief letter this week. I recommend reading the first edition city guide, as it has a lot more in depth breakdowns of some of my favorite spots.

Today’s guide is a paid subscriber exclusive, because I simply want to somewhat gate keep my favorite spots in the city. I have created individual list that you can sync directly to your Google Maps for shopping, books, bars, and restaurants.

In today’s guide I wrote a quick breakdown of my favorite stores for vintage shopping, stores I always hit when I’m here, and must eat food spots. Enjoy

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In today’s letter, I’m sharing what shoes I’ve been enjoying this summer, a pair of shoes I haven’t stopped wearing since 2024, and rediscovering old bangers hidden deep inside my closet that I have completely forgotten about.

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ADIDAS STAN SMITH DECON

I originally got these back in 2024 and I haven’t stopped wearing them since. The Decon is one of the most underrated lines that Adidas has. In most cases, any Decon shoe comes in a unconstructed upper, meaning that it doesn’t have any interior padding, giving the shoe more malleability. They also tend to be made out of higher quality materials.

I’ve probably worn these over 300+ times over the course of the last 2 years — that’s not even an exaggeration — and they still look brand new. The best part is the premium leather upper is thin, allowing me to collapse the back of the shoe and wear them like a mule with ease.

KIKO KOSTADINOV + ASICS GEL-DELVA 1

Early Kiko/ASICS days are undefeated. I was recently cleaning out my studio when I found a pair of my old Gel-Delva 1s that completely took me by surprise. I forgot that I had these.

Insanely comfortable. Insanely swaggy. This is one of those shoes that requires no notes. They don’t resell much so trying to find a pair of your own is going to be a mission — unless you’re into paying $1000 for a pair…

AURALEE + NEW BALANCE 204L

Some shoes just don’t really look that good with pants. Maybe I haven’t found the right ones, but that’s how I feel about the Auralee + New Balance 204L. They do look really great with some shorts and no socks though, which is exactly how I’ve been wearing them this summer.

They are available in some super small sizes here, but you’ll probably need to do some digging if you want to find a pair in your size. That slight square toe box took a second to get used to, and maybe that’s why I don’t like how they look with pants, but after a while it kind of grows on you. Plus, it’s always nice to have a different shape to play with.

Related Articles:

• Paris City Guide: my favorite spots to shop, eat, and more.

• Where to buy good quality basics.

SAN ANTONIO SHOEMAKER LOAFERS

I’ve written about these a lot in the past few months it might look like I’m getting paid to write about them, but that’s not the case at all. These are the most comfortable loafers I have ever owned, and I need people to know that they exist.

They look great with everything except white socks… Don’t fall for the trap people! The Venetian loafer is available for just $200 directly on the SAS website. Go with your true size and enjoy pure comfort without having to worry about these falling apart.

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There’s no easy way to say this: clothes are expensive and they will probably never go down in price again.

There’s this false idea going around that prices of pretty much everything is going to have to go down at some point, and sure, maybe prices of gas will be slightly lower and we’ll see the supply chain ease up, which should make products cheaper. But let’s be honest, that’s just not a reality that we’ll get to live in anytime soon.

Industries all over are feeling the squeeze, and fashion is one of the first that got hit. Tariffs and manufacturing costs are changing by the minute — I’ve seen a $120 shirt go up to $300 in a matter of days after the new tariffs came to life.

The smaller brands are struggling the most with covering costs while maintaining honest margins, but unfortunately, they simply have no choice but to raise prices just to keep the lights on.

But then we have brands that are pricing things that aren’t even meant for the average consumer. Brands like A.Presse have crazy fabric development that costs a premium, but even in the last year it feels as though their prices started to make no sense. It doesn’t seem to matter because they’re still selling stuff out — there’s money all around us, it’s hiding, but it’s there. So, don’t be fooled by someone larping that they are broke while being “between jobs” in a major city.

Not all is bad though because we have lots of brands that still offer modest pricing while keeping that quality in check. Most of the time, these are the brands I write about in this letter.

Anyway, what I wanted to say is that it’s still ok to splurge and buy something expensive because you deserve it, even if it’s out of your budget. Having really nice stuff brings a certain level of joy and experience that the cheaper options will never be able to reproduce. The point I’m trying to make is, if you have a grail you’ve always wanted, vintage or new, you should do your best by trying to secure it sooner than later, because yesterday’s price is not today’s price.

Speaking to the people in the industry and seeing what fashion might look like in the near future tells an interesting story, but it doesn’t end with clothes magically becoming affordable again.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK

• Action Bronson is dropping his debut New Balance 2811 this Friday. The BAKLAVA x NB 2811 is awesome and I’m really liking how this partnership is evolving with time. The New Balance 2811 will release July 24th at 10am EST via Specializing in Life website.

• For whatever reason OpenAI is making merch now, and it’s absolutely horrible. Nobody asked for this.

• JJJJound is putting out a banger after banger lately. The upcoming New Balance 740N is a need — these will be dropping July 30th. The new denim program is also a banger.

  

• Hiroki Nakamura of Visvim has been documenting his development trip on the Visvim Instagram. The imagery has nothing to do with clothes, just shots of him driving his Porsche in beautiful places across Europe. While your favorite brand is putting a Porsche inside of a store in Bushwick, the real heads are putting those cars to the test. Now that’s good #content.

• This might be old news, but Diemme + Rayon Vert SS27 preview is looking really good. We’re not going to get these till next year probably, so for now let’s just enjoy the imagery.

• A part of me wants to replace my entire closet with clothes from Jake Bert. New drop isn’t available online and you can only purchase these at Jake’s store in London at 63 Vyner Street — this is a level of gatekeeping that’s interesting to me. Still available to buy, but in a very limited way. I’m not against it.

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WHAT’S IN MY CART

Got a couple of things in my cart that I’m about to pull the trigger on as well as a few private sales available to our subscribers below:

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The current state of how we talk about fashion online is a topic that has been on my mind for what feels like years. The way it has evolved and where it’s heading isn’t leaving me excited about the future. Today it’s all about maximizing engagement and not the actual fashion itself, and because of that, there’s way too much focus on constantly needing to prioritize the execution of content in hopes of keeping up with the algorithm.

When the masses figured out what the formula is to get the most engagement out of their posts, that’s when things started getting absolutely repetitive and boring. We’ve ended up with content that looks exactly the same, blending together in a whirlpool of low quality that lowers the expectations of what good content should look like, and the latest trend of placing a clickbait caption in the middle of a photo is probably the worst example of that right now.

Recently, every conversation I have with peers in the industry lands in the same place. “I hate posts with text in the middle of the photo. It’s pure engagement farming.”

Even though I’m in the fashion media world, I refuse to abide by social media trends in order to maximize my viewership. I think that constantly needing to “hack” and figure out new ways to get my content across is an insanely daunting process that takes the fun away from posting online.

It’s already corny to be constantly posting so much, and on top of that you want me to dance like a jester for some extra likes? Yea, I’m good on that, bro.

My viewership on Instagram has been fluctuating because I don’t post videos, show my face, or put clickbait titles in the middle of my photos. I try my best not to look at the numbers, but we’re all human, and there was a period where you could post a simple photo with no caption and it would do numbers. Those days are gone and have since been replaced with content that doesn’t actually do any of us good.

I was curious to see if following the current rules of Instagram would yield better results, so I decided to make an experiment post that would mimic what everyone else was doing.

The formula is simple: find a random topic that you think is interesting, do a short write up in the caption, find a clickbait title to throw on the first image, followed by a carousel of vibey photos to support your claim or story, then hit post and watch as the numbers go up.

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So, I did exactly that with a post called “The Lost Art of the Luft”. To my surprise, it worked really well. I did absolute numbers on this, and it remains one of the best performing posts I’ve had in months, but the truth is, a successful post in this style brought me no joy.

Sure, the topic was cool and it was great to learn more about it myself, but having to jump through all of these hoops to get more eyes to see it just felt exhausting. The vultures don’t think so because many of them ended up posting their own version of the same post right after me.

Listen, I’m not saying that I was the first person to talk about this topic but I do find it interesting to see how quickly the copying happened after my post. These types of accounts are starving for engagement and they will do anything to continue to stay relevant by jumping on anything that’s deemed as valuable to them.

That’s a problem.

There was a time when we were much more authentic when it came to discussing clothes online. Part of it had to do with the fact that fashion just wasn’t as popular online as it is today, and we only have social media to blame. But for whatever reason, everyone wants to be an influencer of some sort, and a lot of these people lean into fashion for their own gain — if I’m being real, we need more plumbers and less influencers, but that’s a topic for another day.

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Throwing clickbait titles in the middle of a photo is eroding our attention spans. It also allows the so-called leaders in media to get away with putting out low quality content because they know the formula will get them the engagement they want.

I’m not going to say which accounts are the worst for doing this… It’s Outlander Magazine. There’s no beating around the bush. We’re all talking about the same account here. Sure, it’s a platform that’s consistent at providing information quickly and it’s insanely easy to digest, but at what cost?

The content is just bad and it baffles me how many people interact with it.

We’re addicted to receiving information as quickly as possible, and if you’re someone who’s constantly on top of your game in terms of providing that information, then it doesn’t matter how or what you post. The name of the game is consistency, but I believe there is a moral duty to at least try and make half decent content.

The internet is not what it used to be and it’s only getting worse. We went from fashion forums filled with great discussion to one line clickbait sentences that lowkey make me feel stupid when I read them. I mean, what are we doing here?

You can’t beat them, so the answer to this problem is to simply block this content and move on with your life. Easy fix, but when you commentate on fashion culture it’s impossible to sit idly by as you watch a space that used to be great, get worse by the day.

Back in the forum days you got called out for corny behavior. We don’t do that anymore, and I think we should bring it back, which is more or less the point of today’s letter.

I know I’m not alone when it comes to these thoughts, and neither are you. What’s important is what you consume and support. The algorithm is actively working against creators that are making great content, and it’s up to you to uplift and support them. If you’re reading this and you think you’re part of the problem, then it’s up to you to do better by start making better content that isn’t dictated by the algorithm’s standards — just remember, it’s not corny to try.

Despite trying the formula and knowing that it works, I still won’t use clickbait titles on photos, even if that means sacrificing viewership. I can’t be caught dead doing something I don’t believe in.

UP NEXT:

We all have different jobs that allow us to push the boundaries of what we can and can’t wear to the office. For some, there’s no escaping the suit in the summer, maybe you have casual fridays where you can get a fit off, but that’s the extent of it.

Before going full-time with this blog, I used to have office jobs that had me wearing suits daily and jobs that let me dress casually. If I had to pick, the casual dress code is obviously better, but in a way, it does become slightly harder to navigate what to actually wear to work — if you’re stuck in a uniform or a suit then your answer is pretty clear.

In today’s letter we’re going to focus on getting dressed for your low-key office job that doesn’t have a strict dress code, we’ll explore how to charisma-maxx by dressing less formally but still having that presentation factor, maximizing wardrobe versatility, juggling fits that work in the heat and an ice cold office, and outfit ideas that you can recreate yourself.

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Whether you’re a seasoned office veteran or starting your first job that offers free matcha on Friday’s, you have to come correct with your fits, because a good fit = good productivity. On top of that, a fit that you enjoy wearing will at least help you temporarily forget about the fact that you’re probably at a job you don’t really want to be at right now.

When I was in my casual 9-5 era I was maximizing versatility within my wardrobe. I was buying clothes that were acceptable at the office while still remaining casual enough to wear outside of work without coming off like I was trying too hard. I wasn’t making crazy money, so having stuff that I could wear in all aspects of life was really helpful on the wallet.

The name of the game is Versatility — above are 6 quick outfits I made using the same 9 items. Wear these to your creative director ahh job or casually to dinner or on the weekend. Point is, don’t group your clothes into specific life categories. Clothes are clothes and should just be that. Shop smart and buy stuff that you like so much you naturally want to wear them outside of work.

Now, you might be thinking this is too casual, or jeans to the office? I can’t do that. But I’m here to tell you that you can, you just need to do it at a high enough level mixed with a little bit of charisma that lets you get away with what you wearing because you look good and presentable. It’s that bit of confidence that’s rooted in “I’m doing this because I can” that will get you to places you’ve never been before.

Also, we have to break down the walls of the office dress code because I think that concept is stupid in general — my past suit and tie job wasn’t fun to dress for but we did have casual Fridays where I slowly started pushing the needle on what was acceptable or not. My charisma helped my coworkers accept my wild fashion choices with time, which subconsciously had an effect on the entire office because I noticed my coworkers started getting slightly more casual with their outfits themselves.

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If you’re new to the whole office job thing, maybe you have your first internship coming up in the fall, then there are some tips you can follow to make getting dressed for work a little bit easier:

• Button-ups are king: Feel like this one is pretty self explanatory. This classic garment is perfect for any office situation that you can make instantly casual with a simple unbuttoning. One tip that I will suggest is to look for smaller sized collars on shirts in general. These tend to be more casual leaning while still being perfect for the office.

  

• Create a good foundation: Once you start getting comfortable at work then you’ll realize you can take off your button up or sweater and just rock a tee by the end of the afternoon. If that’s the case, then make sure you have crisp t-shirts that still keep a well balanced presentation throughout your outfit. Nothing sloppy, make sure you steam your stuff. I wrote a guide on how to buy good basics here to get yourself started.

• Get yourself some pants that fit: it doesn’t matter what the dress code is, you are allowed to wear pants that supposed to fit you right. None of that ending at the ankle or skinny pants bullsh*t. I worked in finance for a few years and never once felt like I needed to wear pants like this:

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In today’s letter:

• The shoe of the summer that’s dropping this week

• Accepting the current flip-flop/sandal narrative by buying a sandal that doesn’t look like everyone else’s

• Diving into the world of watches

• A new Birkenstock model that I actually want

• Affordable performance gear for runners that can be worn by everybody else

• Shirts your favorite tastemakers are wearing quietly

• A new vintage-inspired athletic loopwheel tee that I’m obsessed with right now

• and more!

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IS THIS THE SHOE OF THE SUMMER?

New Balance Tokyo Design Studio has returned with an absolute heater for the summer. Building on the foundation of the MT10T model, the MT2 is the newest version that combines elements of water shoes, low profile soles, and the mary jane all into one to create a truly unique piece of footwear.

I’m going with the orange colorway myself, although the brown would probably get way more wear. Alas, I think that this is a shoe that would be more fun to wear in a brighter colorway anyway — the on foot pics are even better, which has me excited to add these to my rotation because they are unlike anything I own.

The New Balance Tokyo Design Studio MT2 is set to release on the New Balance website on July 10th. It’s also available here at Dice & Dice.

Update as of July 10th: North America is set to get these around mid August on the New Balance website. Could be as early as the 6th of August!

THE TIMELINE IS GOING BONKERS OVER THESE

Speaking of summer footwear, everyone is going crazy over the new Amsterdam Wrapped Birkenstocks. Honestly, I don’t blame them because it looks really good. The simple slip-on design is going to quickly become your daily, and that hint of suede that wraps around the foot at the bottom will give you a little bit more control on your feet.

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While I believe those brands deserve their flowers because they’re making great clothes, I find myself feeling bored because at times it seems like those are the only brands everyone is talking about.

When you submerge yourself into the world of menswear, especially online, you can’t help but feel jaded by clothes sometimes. While I enjoy the top brands everyone else is obsessed with, there are others on my radar that are sparking a different level of joy that has me excited about the future of menswear.

In today’s letter I wanted to share the brands that are making noise in my world. These are the brands, large or small, that fit a current aesthetic of design that I’m currently drawn to at the moment. These brands are redefining what it means to source fabric and how you apply that to everyday design.

The world of colorful clothing is expanding, and it’s all thanks to Auralee. Their influence is undeniable, and brands all across the board are taking notes by expanding their own color palette for future collections.

I’ve noticed Auralee’s effects even in my own wardrobe. Just a simple scroll through one of their many amazing collections, and you’re left with endless color combinations you didn’t think were possible — ssstein is also another brand that has that same insporation for me.

Expanding the colors I wear has made getting dressed not only more fun but easier as well, and because of this new obsession, I find myself more interested in brands that are putting out more colorful clothing.

LII

New York-based LII has only been around since 2023 but has already made a splash by being one of the finalists for the LVMH Prize in 2026. Stockists are going to be pretty low because they are new, but you can explore some of the past season items from LII at SSENSE here.

I think their bold use of primary colors are pretty on point when it comes what’s happening in fashion right now. Their SS27 collection preview just landed on their site, which is probably my favorite of theirs yet.

It’s simple, but I do like they way it was styled, which represents how I’ve been dressing myself recently. We’re not reinventing the silhouettes, but rather expanding our world with the use of color, and that’s what captivates me about the brand.

UNKRUID

What seperates a good brand from a really good one? A lot of things really, but the main one is fabric development. Belgium-based brand Unkruid takes fabrics to a whole different level; whether it’s cotton-linen denim made by a self-taught weaver that creates fabrics with too many characteristics to name in Eastern France, or ramie-cotton blends that yield beautiful soft colors in a pre-wrinkled finish that feels lived in.

I’m not going to lie, the price of their clothes isn’t exactly accessible to the average person, but the prices do reflect the work they put in, so I think it completely makes sense to me. This level of development, craftsmanship, or the use of specific machinery that’s only available in certain corners of the world costs a lot of money, and it’s only going up

At this level it’s more than just clothes, you’re sort of buying into art.

I’ve seen the products firsthand, and although I haven’t been able to pull the trigger on a piece just yet, that time is coming very soon. This is my end game though. Once I start wearing Unkruid there’s no turning back.

I will say to check out their headwear, which is probably the best way for you to experience the brand without having to ball out.

Follow Unkruid on Instagram here. Ven Space carries the brand in New York and Neighbour in Vancouver if you’re around. Highly recommend seeing the clothes in person because the photos only tell half the story.

Related Articles:

• A pair of everyday denim that I can’t stop wearing only cost me $150

• Summer Sales Report

• The ultimate guide to my favorite basics

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POLYPLOID

I recently spoke about Polyploid in a Paris Fashion Week recap letter about their amazing showroom and the even better clothing for SS27. I’ve heard about the brand but only got to really experience it when I saw it on a trip to Japan last year — shout out Jesper of Hender Scheme for really introducing me to the brand. I’ve been obsessed with it ever since.

Fabrics and the cuts go crazy, but what I love is how the brand is split into 3 different categories. I can try to explain it myself, but Polyploid does it the best themselves:

The collection presents a series of patterns which are multiplied into three different categories: A ,B and C. Each silhouette showcases three selected fabrics: A, B and C. In the category A, all shapes are realized in white calico - a fabric that represents the foundation of tailoring. It simplifies the product to its most basic expression. In categories B and C, different materials are used, which convert the basic form of A into new concepts, functionalities and feelings. Each pattern is reproduced in six colours. In A, one color, off white. In B, two colours, and in C, three colours.

It’s a cool approach that I haven’t seen other brands do, and that makes the collections that much more special to me.

Follow Polyploid here.

Shop the brand on their site here.

CONKERS

By now it’s clear that I’m really obsessed with high-quality fabrics that require a lot of effort to develop. It’s one of those things that once you touch them and truly understand them, you can’t stop thinking about them. Think about having a really good meal followed by something more mediocre right after, it’s just not going to hit the same, and clothing is exactly the same.

Conkers is a London-based menswear brand that started in 2021 with the goal to create garments that stay with you for life by utilizing high-quality natural textiles — very much on theme with the rest of the brands that we looked at today.

But Conkers stays in their own lane by creating garments that stand apart from anything we mentioned today, and that’s what’s cool. There’s a whole world of how fabrics are made and used to be creative through the final designs, and that’s really exciting.

Conkers has a pretty large stockist list, allowing for an easy in-person exploration wherever you may be. Brands of this level should be required, by law, to be only experience in the real world. Me talking about it to you through a screen can only do so much.

Their range of clothes is great, but I’m definitely a sucker for their Irish-linen products that seem to sell out rather quickly.

Follow Conkers on Instagram here.

NICENESS

If you’re a menswear enthusiast then you should be well aware of the Japanese-based brand Niceness. The brand has been making waves through its amazing line of shirts, and overall quality of products. The cuts are much more relaxed, and where they stand out is across the various details that are hidden with the individual items.

Feels like this one is less IYKYK because they’re getting the recognition they deserve, and I think that’s totally fine.

Sadly, I was unable to make it to their showroom for Men’s Fashion Week, and I regret it deeply. Next time, though! Either way, their AW26 collection just hit their website here that I recommend you check out.

They are pretty wildly available at places like Beams America, and Lost and Found also.

This is obviously the tip of the iceberg from what has me excited about menswear right now — shout out Camiel Fortgens, Taiga Takahashi — but I think it’s important to keep pushing the narrative forward by highlighting great work from other brands that are simply that haven’t hit the mainstream media yet.

Most of the time when I talk to someone about their summer plans they mention that they have some sort of wedding they have to attend that they aren’t really prepared for.

A lot of men seem to be stuck: getting a new suit every time you have a wedding isn’t sustainable, and re-wearing a fit you wore to another wedding isn’t a vibe either. The mistake isn’t spending money on a wedding fit, it’s spending it wrong. Buying something disposable you’ll wear once and resent. The move is putting that money into a few pieces you’ll actually reach for again.

You can update your look by refreshing a few items like a new shirt or a new pair of shoes. It’s a more budget friendly fix that doesn’t require you to get an entirely new fit, but you risk the chance of the look falling short when paired with past items you’ve worn to other weddings.

It’s a vibe thing. Weddings are the place to go bolder and even a bit crazier with your fit. It’s the perfect occasion to assume a character that you’ve always wanted to be by wearing an outfit they would if they were in your shoes. But doing that requires full commitment in finding a fresh new outfit — yeah it’s going to be more money, but you’re going to look and feel that much better.

I’ve never had a conversation where someone told me that they regretted wearing a really nice outfit to a wedding. Most of the time, even if the look was expensive, you tend to forget about the financials after you realize how that outfit made you feel at the time.

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In today’s letter we’re talking about last minute wedding outfits: how to build a few looks from less clothing to have you covered for each of the different stages of a wedding weekend, tips every man should know to make themselves look sharp, going vintage over new, and brands that are having sales on elite shirts and suiting right now.

ALL YOU NEED IS A FEW LOOKS

Ok I know it’s funny to say, oh all you need is just three looks. No problem, buddy! But the question you have to ask yourself is: are you trying to look good, or not? Sadly, there isn’t a cheat sheet on how to look exceptional without spending money. It’s also one of those things that I recommend spending a little bit more money on in order to get the results you really want — a cheap wedding fit will make you feel cheap.

Be smart with your purchases. Spend a bit more on stuff that you can rewear on other special occasions, to work, or even casually when styled right. Plus, if you’re spending money, you might as well get an item that gives you more opportunity to rewear it later while still being excited about it.

A lot of people just buy a new white shirt and rewear the same pants and shoes they’ve worn to multiple special occasions. Nothing wrong with that, but there’s a reason why you aren’t feeling as sharp in a fit you’ve rinsed multiple times.

The magic is gone.

Ideally, you have a fit for the welcome/rehearsal dinner. This look can be more casual, lose the blazer and just wear a nice button-up with a pair of clean trousers or even jeans and some nice leather shoes — this is where you can maybe get away with wearing your suit bottoms and the footwear you’re going to wear to the ceremony. Just make sure the shirt is the main item here.

Acquire a really sharp button up to take away from the fact you’re planning on re-wearing the same bottom fit to the ceremony — nobody is going to notice. You are more than welcome to bring multiple pair of shoes, but one good leather shoe is worth a thousand b*tches, or however that song goes. Just make sure it’s a pair that’s comfortable.

The ceremony requires a suit. It’s annoying, but it has to be done. Depending on the dress code you could get away with a nice crisp tee underneath a blazer, but it has to be new and has to be steamed. But I think you should go the distance by wearing a classic suit with a tie. I’ll have some specific recommendations on these down below for vintage options that doesn’t require you to spend an arm and a leg.

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Last but not least, the after party is where you have more options. Some weddings don’t have time for a fit change, so you can lose the blazer and tie and you’re ready. If you can change, then you can really wear whatever you want as long as it looks crispy.

BRANDS TO SHOP FOR WEDDING FITS

Here are some brands that I like to start with when re-upping on that perfect wedding attire.

• Ecole de Pensee is currently having 50% off some great button ups, trousers and belts. Honestly great spot to get your entire wedding look figured out. If you’re in Montreal, their made-to-measure program is really great. I have a full suit from them, which is probably one of the best ones in my closet.

• New Sunflower just dropped a bunch of more casual, yet sharp button ups here.

• Paracia is having a sale on Italian-made leather footwear over on their site.

• Another Atelier is Another Aspect’s solution to easy wedding attire. They have it all.

• Los Angeles-based Goofight offers custom made-to-measure suits at their store in Westlake. They have a great variety of wedding-ready trousers that are worth looking at.

• NN.07 is probably the best bang for your buck in Europe. Double breasted linen suits, lots of dress pants and a variety of linen shirts in great colorways.

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Navigating multiple shows a day across the city while stopping by showrooms to catch up with familiar faces where I’d quickly charge my phone while trying to decipher where men’s style is heading next required me to take a pause on writing for the week. But it is unbelievably good to be back at the comfort of my own home while I write these words.

In today’s letter we’re recapping what I saw during Men’s Fashion Week this summer: what are men wearing right now, the signs that tell us where style is heading next, key runway moments, brands that left the strongest impressions, footwear that made the biggest splash, and the best showrooms I’ve visited this week.

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WHAT WERE THE MEN WEARING

• Natural fiber shirts mixed with colorful socks. I saw a lot of short sleeve button-ups not just on the streets, but in the showrooms for next summer season as well.

• Spotted a couple of caps by MAN-TLE on the streets — shape of it is insane, so there’s no surprise there. It’s a really great hat.

• Village PM was the clear sneaker I saw most on feet. Felt like they were literally everywhere, my own feet included.

• Flip-flops were undeniably the most popular footwear I saw on both men, and women. It was kind of crazy to see how quickly these took over fashion. There were literally worn with every sort of outfit.

• A couple of people came up to tell me they agree: we should not be mixing white socks with loafers. Sadly I did see this happening a bunch this week.

• Short sleeve button-ups are starting to pop-up more and more.

Between needing 3-4 showers a day, fresh clothes were depleting quickly, and I found that the overall style shifted by the end of the week. I think everyone was tired and was just throwing on whatever they had left, but in doing so, it felt as though the style on the streets became even better by the end of the week — it was less about pulling off fits and more about just living in clothes.

Footwear was pretty solid all around: Soshiostuki + ASICS was one of my favorite sneaker moments from the runway, Moonstar is busy with new collaborations with Body of Work, and Lady White Co., Another Aspect is diving into footwear with their first leather derby for SS27, Tarvas has a new model that’s coming home with me, Khakis and Reebok have another shoe in the works that’s coming out next year, Corridor convinced Mephisto to bring back an old boot model that’s going to hit for fall, and Colin Meredith has a slip-on derby with Paracia in a nice brown leather that I might need as well.

WHERE IS STYLE GOING NEXT

If you go outside long enough you’ll start to see patterns. There were a lot of clothes to see but there were specific styles that kept popping back up. Now, I don’t have a crystal ball, but I do have access to showrooms that tells me what styles of clothing is going to be popular next year.

• Brands like Niceness and Metalwood are doing their own reversible tees for the next summer. It’s something I’ve been noticing more of recently from other brands as well, mostly done in primary colors, so you can really great creative once you start folding the hem or sleeves.

• Flip-flops are already everywhere, but I saw them even more across different showrooms and the runway. As temperature continues to rise, we can expect these to be in fashion for a very long time.

• Big buttons are starting to show up on jackets and shirting more — something I’ve been really wanting to see for a white now, specifically through a more menswear perspective.

SHOWROOMS OF THE WEEK

The best showroom was the one that had air conditioning. Jokes aside, more and more showrooms are starting to pop-up, which is making it impossible to visit all of them. If we spoke and I missed yours, I do apologise, the schedule was insanely hectic and I ended up not having the time to visit a lot of brands I’m usually hyped to see.

The one showroom stood out to me the most was by far was the one from Hender Scheme. Tucked away from the main streets in the back of an alley was an entryway covered with bamboo and other foliage that revealed a room that felt oddly familiar — they nailed to find a space that encapsulated their brand identity that presented itself as one of their many stores back home in Japan.

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Hender Scheme also hosted a party celebrating their collaboration with Artek. Stools and tables were wrapped in Hender Scheme’s signature vegetable-tanned leather that displayed different tanning stages. They also let you keep the wine glasses you got from the party; each came with its own custom leather holder made by Hender Scheme that could be worn around your neck. Absolutely incredible stuff.

My obsession with Hender Scheme runs deep, and it’s about to become even deeper after this trip. I can go on and explain myself, but it’s better just to read my past letter on why I’m obsessed with the brand here.

POLYPLOID

Tucked away upstairs of the same showroom is Berlin-based Polyploid. Hender Scheme helps with distribution of the brand, so they share a showroom together.

Polyploid was definitely one of the stronger brands I saw this week, bringing a selection of finely executed garments in relaxed cuts with great attention to detail. I could talk about the high-quality fabrics, but it’s something that you should experience on your own if you can. I think it’s safe to say that this is a brand that can easily fit into the realm of that elite level menswear that we all strive for.

Similar to Hender Scheme’s showroom, Polyploid managed to capture its identity perfectly, even though it was in the same showroom — it’s not just about showing clothes on a rack, it’s about the full experience that sets a specific tone and aesthetic for the clothes, and you do that by curating the space that the clothes are in.

Polyploid isn’t a brand you should be sleeping on, especially if you’re someone who tends to lean towards brands like MAN-TLE and Casey Casey because of their fabrics selection. Their development is definitely on that same level, which after a while, makes you realize what high-level clothing should feel like.

A NEW OBSESSION

During the week a couple of my friends took me to the Gathering showroom. I’ve never heard of the brand before, but I was instantly hooked the moment I saw what they had to offer.

The button game here is crazy — it’s a detail that is not skipped at Gathering. On top of that you also have another exceptional fabric selection from Asia and Africa, but most importantly, the fits of the garments is what did it for me.

Definitely worth keeping your tabs on this one, because I know I will be.

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KEY RUNWAY MOMENTS

Even though my schedule made me miss a couple of shows — specifically the Auralee presentation which I’m extremely bummed about — I still ended up at about 8 shows in just 2 days. The most I’ve been to yet.

Thank you to everyone who invited me, it was a lot of fun. Experiencing clothing at this level is definitely interesting because it shows you a different perspective to the ideas that are at the base of these collections.

Almost all of these shows had incredible music to go along with the clothes that made the viewing experience that much better.

But the presentation that stole the show for me was Camiel Fortgens SS27. A lot of these shows are set in these amazing, grand venues, historic buildings, but sometimes keeping it simple and real makes the clothing hit that much harder.

For SS27, Camiel Fortgens took over Bigo Bistro, where viewers got to sit around the tables outside while models stood by the bar before hitting the streets to showcase the new collection. After attending so many shows in such a short amount of time, this one just felt more authentic to real life, and that made me enjoy the clothes that much more. It was also the last show I saw that week, so it was a nice way to end it all.

Loved the big hair, many models would come with their own soundtrack that would be blaring from a speaker in their pocket or a phone in their hand.

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In today’s letter: t-shirts, shorts, and tops made with fabrics designed for those hot days. Plus, tops inspired by vintage American football jerseys, footwear for that special occasion, and a new batch of Japanese cotton long sleeves from one of my favorite brands.

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SHORTS

Couple of football inspired shorts from New York based, Scenes just dropped on their site. Simple, affordable. Doesn’t get much better than that. They also have a couple of their past styles available at a discount.

MAXIMUM BREATHABILITY

The Lazy Tee from Stussy might be one of the best go-to options to survive the heat. The thin cotton knit construction makes these some of the thinnest tees I have in my rotation right now. Great breathability and it’s light enough to feel like you’re not wearing anything at all.

I personally love the reverse seams, which gives these a little bit of texture. Each tee was individual dyed, so you get these soft shades that are mainly found in vintage t-shirts. I’d say that they fit more on the relaxed side. No crop cut. Oh, they’re also $50.

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This is the time of year where brands and stores start having really great summer sales. To minimize wasting time trying to search for the best deals, I’ve curated a list for you to enjoy all in one place.

In today’s letter, we’ll have a selection of clothes on sale that I like right now, as well as list of stores from North America, UK, and Europe that have deals worth looking at.

Enjoy!

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THE LIST

North America

• Dover Street Market: 40% off a pretty wide selection of mens and womens wear on sale that’s definitely worth going through. I would start by checking out the deals from brands like Comme des Garcons, Dries Van Noten, and PET-TREE-KOR, they have a solid selection.

• Colbo: up to 50% off a variety of brands as well as Colbo’s in-house line which has some very strong deals happening right now — the overnight bag is one of my favorites.

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I wrote about this space about two years ago. Since then, readers, and friends have stopped by to discover brands they’ve never heard of, try on different clothes, and just hangout. The reaction to this space has been overwhelmingly positive, but I want to bring more than just discovery, I want it to be a place where you can also buy a highly specific curation of items, clothes, and whatever other things that might feel special to me at the time.

So, that’s exactly what I did, and that’s how Teste was born. I’ve had this space for 2 years and now it’s time for an upgrade, so I’m clearing out my warehouse by letting go of a lot of stuff for the low, so this way I can make room for new stock that will be available at my new location and online this fall.

This coming weekend, June 20-21, the space will be open to the public for two days in Montreal, Canada for a warehouse sale. I’ll be selling clothes, footwear, and objects that I’ve picked up during travel in the last few years. We’ll also have a selection of goods from at the pop-up and some other friends as well.

Prices will be low, we’ll have stuff between the $25-$250 range with some exceptions for those truly special items.

Stop by and say what’s up, grab a drink, and shop for great clothes for the low.

Hope to see you soon!

Welcome back to The Offcuts! A series of random fashion thoughts, recommendations, and everything in between.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MENSWEAR

• RIP to Nigel Cabourn: one of the best to ever do it. An absolutely devastating loss for menswear. If you’ve never had a chance to wear one of his items, I suggest you do so, it’s just really great clothing, and it’s wildly available. Those who know, know.

• Human Made to acquire Undercover: I think the craziest thing I learned from this deal is the fact that Human Made generated $89.14 million in 2026, a 26.8% increase from the previous year. Crazy. Not really surprised because that brand is everywhere in Asia. Either way, it looks like Human Made might be interested in becoming bigger than fashion, and this acquisition is a sign of that.

• Paris Fashion Week is just a few weeks away, so expect full coverage right here on the blog with exclusive releases, runway moments, and showrooms throughout the week.

• What are we doing here? The evolution of the Explore Page Warrior is reaching levels never thought possible. The machine is exhausted and those depending on it are clawing at the wall trying to keep that engagement up. It’s something that we should obviously ignore, but the damage the algorithm is doing is something that shouldn’t go unnoticed. Keep clear!

• Knicks won and I love to see it. I will say, I was big on the Spurs during the season, but it was New York’s moment, so you have to be happy for everyone in that city right now. Huge win for the culture.

  • Nike’s latest Knicks campaign was directed by Josh Safdie, so you know it’s about to be a banger. I mean, the brand feels like it’s been asleep for a while now, but I’m digging this new energy Nike is putting out right now.

• Speaking of the Knicks, is Landry Shamet the next it guy for menswear inspiration? I don’t know, but who ever is dressing him is doing a good job — white socks with the loafers is questionable, but I will remain silent until further notice.

• Last week I included the The Broken Arm x Salomon in the latest Summer Footwear letter. It’s a shoe that looks amazing from the top down view, but then you see it from the side, and all of it starts to crumble. I’m still undecided on it, but now there seems to be a bit of controversy surrounding the imagery that was used for the collaboration. Looks like it was taken from an album cover by The World is a Beautiful Place. I don’t know, but Broken Arm seems to have deleted that post since and has still not addressed the allegations. Mistakes can happen, but what does it mean when you remain silent?

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WHAT’S IN MY CART

Summer is a busy time to revamp that wardrobe, and I’ve been looking around. Here are my favorite items that are in my cart right now.

• Premium French linen tees from Batoner to minimize any sweaty situations. It’s going to be really light, and that’s The beige/brown one is calling my name.

• New hand-dyed swim trunks from Bather are awesome. If you’re hitting the water at some point this summer you might as well do it in a pair of swim trunks you actually like. Each pair was hand-dyed by Toronto-based artist Jefford Lam, where he dyes each trunk individually in Indigo, creating a one-of-a-kind textural pattern throughout.

• The fit on these selvedge jeans by ONI Denim is looking good. Plus, I love a little bit of ecru during the summer.

• This Welders Stitch hat by Sexhippies is an absolute need — sexhippies is a hilarious name for a brand.

• A Living Taste just restocked the all-black Plasticana clog. These are for the heads. The Vert color is also very fresh.

• These cotton & hemp blend pants from Barbell Object reminds me of boxing shorts — that thick elastic waistband, which is sort of mimicked at the back of these pants are really cool. I think the most important part is the fabric construction: the hemp properties gives this cotton fabric much more breathability while keeping things light for those hot days.

• I’ve been looking for a very simple, slim, black leather belt. I don’t want any bells or whistles, I just need it to be low-key. The Slim Oval belts by Maximum Henry are handcrafted in New York, and you’re able to customize the color of the leather and the brass buckle to your liking. Might be just what I’ve been looking for. I would also recommend checking out their full belt selection.

• What’s better than 1 t-shirt? 2 of em. The Real McCoy’s reversible shirt is unlike anything you ever had in your closet.

• Comme des Garcons makes some really good wallets. They just dropped a transparent snakeskin collection that I think is awesome.

• I’m all in on these bags by Anthony Calydon. No release date yet, so hit that IG follow to stay in the loop.

• Insanely disappointed I slept on the Henry Johnson Souvenirs drop. There are a few still left on the site, but not the ones I really wanted… This is is the ideal amount of fun from a t-shirt I want right now. Hopefully we can see a new drop soon.

• It’s no Matthew shirt, but the Beach Ombre shirt is pretty damn close. These are already sold out on Stussy, but I found them over at Lost & Found here.

• Three exclusive shorts from Orslow for Blue in Green. Below the knee, great colors, and a nice wide fit for that maximum comfortability. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Calling all writers!

I’m looking to hire additional column writers. SNL is growing fast, and that means doing everything myself is not sustainable. I’m looking for individuals with high level of taste. Past fashion writing experience helps. Paid.

For applications: eugene@streetnightlive.com

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