A Bit Out of the Ordinary

So most of what I post is clothing related, but not everything.  Last night I bought ten oysters to spice up Sunday dinner, feeling slightly confident that I would be able to shuck them myself.  Using a beat-up steak knife I found in my friend's kitchen, I slowly made it through my ten pack, and produced 8ish edible oysters.

Time for an upgrade.

Here's what I want:

Shucking Knife $20

I've heard this knife is really easy to use.  Classic and simple.  But if you're looking for something really sexy, and money isn't your primary concern, go for this:

Laguiole Oyster Knife $165

I can't speak to its functionality, but it is beautiful.  And with Summer only a month away, this might be a skill worth looking into.

DB

Spring is all About Bright Colors

A few weeks ago I went to get a new band for an old watch of mine when I stumbled upon this unique Mule Glasshute watch with a green face.  Check it out:

TERRANAUT I

At around $1,400 I could only try on this watch.  The owner was obviously skeptical about my ability to buy the timepiece, but I was buying a $20 dollar band, so I felt entitled.  When I got home, I tried to find something similar.  I liked the idea of having a colorful face, although I don't really understand the play button on this one.  Here's what I found.

The cheapest option I could find was a green faced military watch by HMT.

VINTAGE MILITARY HMT WINDING 17 JEWELS STEEL MENS WRIST WATCH OLD USED ANTIQUE $70

I rotated the picture from its original horizontal position, and now I feel dizzy.  Anyways, the bidding is currently at $70 on Ebay.

The next watch I found was on Dappered.com - See link above.  This blue-faced Timex has a retro look, and is only $95.

Timex Originals 1970s Inspiration $95

And lastly, my favorite of the bunch, and also the most expensive.  Check out this beautiful red-faced Tissot with a leather strap.  You can buy it now for only $283.

STUNNING VINTAGE TISSOT SEASTAR WINDING SWISS MENS WRIST WATCH OLD USED ANTIQUE $283

Again I'm dizzy.  but I hope you liked them.

DB

Gourmet Footwear

I took a look on their site, and to be honest, I think most of it is quite ugly.  However, I do like this one Nike-esque shoe that I found on JackThreads.com - See link above.  I can't decide between red and black, but check them out:

The 35 S by Gourmet $100

Every girlfriend I've ever had always tells me to stop buying the same shoe over and over again.  Well, I don't own any red shoes.  Here it is in black as well:

Having posted the black, I realize that I'm still on the fence here.  Either way, I think these are cool.  If you want to look at the rest of the shoes, here's the site:

Gourmet Footwear

DB

Burkman Bro's

So I'm pretty jealous of these "Bro's".  These two guys worked as designers at Gap for a while.  And one day they said, sorry Gap we quit, lets open our own label and make it awesome.  And thats what they did.  No longer designing clothing for the thrifty shopper, their clothing often demands serious money for serious style.

Personally I love their shirts.  Everyone wears patterned button downs these days, so it can be hard to stand out.  But these brothers always make a concerted effort to add a delicate detail that will separate you from the pack.  The shirt I own has amazing wooden buttons, each one slightly different from the next.  Seems like a small change, but it can be all the difference you need.

Check out this flannel shirt for example:

MADRAS PLAID SHIRT $175

Its hard to justify buying a shirt thats $100 dollars more than its J.Crew alternative, but if you can swing it, or find it on sale, I say go for it.  I like the detail on the shoulders, and although I often prefer collars without buttons, I don't think it matters here (although I do stick to that rule when wearing a tie, but thats just me).  

And when the weather gets chilly on a summer night, try upgrading your hoody with something like this:

HOODED SWEATER $198

Just because its the summer and you're on the beach, it doesn't mean you should just throw on some ratty old fleece that lives at your parent's place.  Again, this is expensive. But again, I want it.  

Now I don't really know if this is classic Burkman Bro's, but I posted a while back about some Pendleton blankets - See Blankets for Men (And Cool Women).  I found some more beautiful blankets on the Burkman Website.  Check these out:

Bold Geometric Stripe Throw Rug $175

And my personal favorite:

I think these are almost as handsome as the Pendleton blankets, but I've never handled one myself so I can't say for sure.

Okay last thing.  Apparently, these guys were actually made famous by their bracelets.  I used to make things like this when I was at summer camp.  Once I left camp, I cut them off.  But they're definitely coming into fashion right now.  I can't decide if I would actually wear these, but you might as well take a look.

SUMMER CAMP FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS $30

The name alone makes me sick to my stomach, but my wrist does feel naked without a watch on.  Maybe I'll try wearing them this summer, but I just know that I've looked at people wearing these and said, "Why are you wearing that?"

DB

"Cheap" but Classic

If money doesn't buy happiness, then how do you explain these vintage watches I found on ParkandBond.com?

Check out all of their beautiful watches here:

Park and Bond Vintage Watches

Unfortunately, as is the case with many fine watches, unless you have thousands of dollars to blow on an accessory (albeit the best accessory there is), clicking on that link can be a sad experience. But fear not, we can fix this.  

Does your boss's boss wear something like this IWC?

Spitfire Chronograph $6,500

Its beautiful, but we definitely can't compete with that.  I feel like a lot of people buy a Seiko or Citizen watch for the office.  Nothing wrong with that.  These are completely fine:

Men's Chronograph Stainless Steel Bracelet 38mm SNA695 $375

Nighthawk $425

Maybe I'm a brand snob, but I just don't love them, and they're not exactly cheap.  You'll have a watch, and thats fine. But personally I want something my boss looks at twice.

So I asked my dad for advice, and he told me that a lot of younger guys at his office were buying beautiful vintage watches on Ebay or in jewelry stores. For a similar price, you can get something to be uniquely proud of.  Check out a few I have been looking at:

OMEGA VINTAGE SEAMASTER COSMIC 2000 AUTOMATIC CAL $450

I like that one for the price, but I'm in love with this next one.  Pricer, but totally worth it.

OMEGA SEAMASTER COSMIC SUPER QUICK SET VINTAGE MENS AUTO 60s WATCH SLATE BLUE DL $547

I'm not sure why exactly, but I was immediately drawn to the blue face.  Pair it with the black strap, and this watch totally stands out.  I don't have enough money to buy a high end watch, but I'd definitely go vintage before I went Seiko.  

DB  

Just a Quick Note

My brother's best friend gave me a birthday present with a card.  I rarely use cards, but it was a nice touch.  I'm going to try to do the same from now on.  I like these:

ART OF MANLINESS STATIONERY FOR MEN $15

Perfect for father's day.  And they're only a dollar a card.

DB