I’m working today and haven’t seen the blogs yet, but I did see the Times Thursday Style section. The Ivy thing is great (Nice to see shout outs to ACL and the Trad), and I’m sure it is going to be written up and linked to all over the place. But, I think something equally as rad is probably gonna be missed. Page 6 of the Style section, below the fold, “When He Was Barry”

The gist is, while President Obama was a student at Occidental College, he posed for another students photography project. In the photos, Obama looks cool and casual, in styles that would still work today. No secret has been made about the fact the First Couple are sharp dressers, but these picture really reaffirm the fact the guy’s got style. Not just stylists.

These photos are now on display at the M+B Gallery in LA. If you are in LA, take the time to check it out. If you are not in LA, I got these photos from the M+B website, there are some more photographs too. Even some of the man himself looking all bad ass smoking butts. 

- Kyle

As my little profile to the side states, I used to be a mechanic. I worked on cars at a small, independent garage on and off for 8 years between going to college and, later, teaching school.

Last week, this guy Matthew B. Crawford wrote a piece for the NYT Magazine about technical jobs and it really hit home. He sums up nicely the thought process, the feeling of accomplishment, the stigma attached to pursuing a career that is thought to be for the unintelligent. He’s also written a book, based on an article he wrote for The New Atlantis which expands on this.

I enjoyed it and thought it was worth sharing. I think you all should give it a gander too.

- Kyle

It seems I’m going at about a post a month rate lately. Much slower than previously, but I swear I’m trying. Honest.

At my new job, I tend to wear a tie to work everyday. This is new for me. I rarely wore a tie when I was teaching. Usually my attire consists of Clarks, either 501s or APCs (Although my Uniqlo Vintage Chinos have been seeing more action lately, thanks for the tip Caleb!), an oxford shirt, and a tie. I usually like to rock a lightweight sweater too. Just jeans and a shirt and a tie alone remind me of how I used to “dress up” in high school.

Anyway, at work we’ve got a copy of The Graduate soundtrack on vinyl and looking at it one day it dawned on me…I need a blazer. Since then I’ve been really digging Hoffman’s style in the movie. It’s similar to the obsession with Take Ivy I experienced a few months back, but whatever, I like the steez.

Here are some images of what I’m talking about. I particularly like the one of Hoffman in his room and the Seersucker jacket. And, I bought a blazer. It’s a handsome navy patch pocket joint. It’s at the tailors as I type.

- Kyle

My new job has kept me busy and away from a computer for most of the day, hence the infrequent posts. Since I haven’t been able to Internet as much, I’ve started reading more. The past couple of days I read The Old Man and the Sea, because I never had and it was short.

It reignited my interest in Hemingway, fishing, and Cuba. It also prompted me to check out the 1958 John Sturge’s adaptation. Although I didn’t really dig this version, I did stumble upon an animated version done by Alexander Petrov in 1999.

Petrov animates using oil paint on glass frames. After a frame is photographed, it is then manipulated to become the next frame. To manipulate the paint, Petrov often uses his fingers. It’s an amazing process, which provides stunning results. Unfortunately the YouTube clips lose a lot of the visual impact, but none the less here is a taste…

I bought a Rubik’s Cube last week. I’m a little obsessed by it. Although, not to the degree of “speedcubing” yet. I need to solve the damned thing first.

- Kyle

I’m an Anglophile. I came to this shocking conclusion tonight.

Recently, I’ve really decided my next big purchase will most likely be a Burberry trench. As I was perusing the Burberry website and doing research on which model was the “original” Burberry trench, I saw that Burberry has Royal Warrants from “HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Prince of Wale”.

A number of thoughts hit me at once; “I could wear Hunter boots with this jacket in the Rain, they too have a Royal Warrant” and “Hey, my Barbour jacket has a Royal Warrant too!” and “I wonder what other great British products have Royal Warrants?” (which I Googled)

Then I realized I was wearing Clarks, which do not have a Royal Warrant, and drinking Old Speckled Hen which I’m assuming does not, and listening to Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Love” which would have a Royal Warrant if they handed them out for hit singles. Regardless, all of these things are quite British.

I’m not sure when or how this happened. I had alway fancied myself a fan of true American classics. I do love jeans, which are pretty American. And, canvas sneakers….those are American, right? I love the 4th of July which is both American and Anti-British as hell. Also, I like the American Office better than the British, original version.

Look at all the other things I’ve written about that are British:

• Parker Pens (They have a Royal Warrant too!!!)
• PG Tips
• Hackett’s London
• Clarks
• Baracuta

And I’ve actually been working on a post about Albam and Nor Sea…to newer British designers. My roommate from England has been telling me since I moved in I would love London, maybe she is right.

- Kyle

I started a new job this week, which, as we’ve learned in the past, means I’m neglecting Selectism. 

I’m really excited about this though, so I am at the Apple store on Prince St. writing about it. Tomorrow Smith+Butler (full disclosure, my former employer) is opening up a pop-up shop at Moscot on Orchard St.

Moscot was opened by the guy chilling in the roadster above, Sol Moscot, in 1899 and four generations later is still owned and run by the Moscot family. Smith+Butler carries Moscot at the store in Brooklyn along with a bunch of other American heritage brands, so the pop-up was a natural fit.

Anyway, it opens tomorrow (I have the day off so I’ll be stopping by to check it out), and runs through the month of April. Stop by, check it out, and buy something…do your part to get the economy running…

- Kyle

Colonel Littleton first came to my attention with their No. 1 Watch. I like the fact it comes with a SS grill to protect the dial. The rest of the product line is made up of beautiful leather goods, knives, pens, et cetera. High quality accessories that a man should only have to buy once in his life. And I think they are all made in the U.S., but don’t quote me on that.

And then I stumbled upon these…

I had thought I outgrew my can coozie days in college. Perhaps not. Leather outers, with neoprene inners, they’ll keep your beer cold at warm summer afternoon cookouts (I can’t wait!) and do it in style. Plus, imagine them in a few years with some wear to them. Gorgeous. You can either get them embossed with an inital (as pictured), or you could have them embossed with an image of a dog, or a pheasant, or a sailboat, or one of 7 others images that say “I enjoy outdoor activities.”

- Kyle

Legendary Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton took his own life Monday, rather than serve time for illegally producing distilled spirits and being a felon in possession of a handgun. Here’s a clip of the man himself…

- Kyle

The weather is starting to get nice here in Brooklyn. The very first beautiful day we had, my bike seat got stolen. My bike has been locked outside the store for over 3 months with no repercussions until the first day I actually wanted to ride it. Total bullshit.

I own a bunch of bikes, but the bike I decided to bring to NY was my 1972 Schwinn Collegiate Tourist.

It looks just like the one on the left, but almost 40 years older and with a basket on the front. It’s even yellow, or “Kool Lemon”, like the one in the picture. I decided to bring this bike to NY because; a) it’s a beater, b) it’s practical, and c) it was free. It was found on the side of the road with a “FREE” sign taped to it. All I had to do was inflate the tires. It quickly became my favorite bike last summer. I could ride it to work, or the bar and leave it locked up on the mean streets of Portland with out worrying about it. Sometimes for days. I figured if anything happened to it, easy come, easy go.

Anyway, back to my seat getting stolen. Old Schwinn’s have funny sized everything. I think they did it so you had to buy replacement parts from them. The joke is on the thieves though. Now these jerks have a seat that won’t work with many bikes, but I still had to track down a seat that will work with a 13/16″ tapered seat post.

As if by fate, last week Smith+Butler got an email about Jack & Jimbo’s Bike Shop, a pop up shop at Jack Spade’s Bleeker Street store with Rapha and Landmark Vintage Bicycles. Landmark Vintage Bicycles? Where better to find a vintage bike seat, than at a vintage bike store?

I had yesterday off, and it was a beautiful day so I walked to Landmark Bikes. Was in and out with a new-to-me Schwinn bike seat within 10 minutes, so I figured I’d take the afternoon to walk around the city. Like I said, it was a beautiful day and I could install my bike seat tomorrow.

Well, now it is tomorrow. My bikes is together. And it’s raining. Total bullshit.

- Kyle