We’re always sifting through shit upon shit upon shit. Instead of letting the good stuff rot away on our personal wish lists or disappear into the endless stream of shoot-from-the-hip menswear recommendations clogging the group chat, we figured it deserved a proper home.
So, for August, here’s what we’re excited about and what we’ve got sitting in our carts. From a concrete incense holder and a dreamy transitional unstructured blazer to a military-inspired tropical jacket and mechanical pencil sets, these are the things currently occupying real estate in our brains.
Leon’s picks
New Balance Made in UK 991V2, $249.99
The New Balance 991v2 is hands-down the best silhouette in the entire 99X series. They’ve cooked up one of the best colorways I’ve seen in a while with this Walnut and Shiitake rendition. It’s a prime example of how you don’t need some weird-ass radioactive hue to make a classic feel fresh again. Sometimes, you just need to let the damn shoe cook.
Le Labo Concrete Incense Holder, $70
Any time I’m working during the day or into the evening, I’ll always have a candle or some incense burning. I recently picked up this one and love it not only for its brutalist look, but also for how functional it is. Most incense holders leave a little pile of ash and remnants behind, but this one actually catches everything while looking cool next to my stack of coffee table books.
Original Madras Trading Company N°249 SB 5-Roll-3 Button Soft Jacket, $275
This will be the transitional jacket I’ll make myself wear every day. I’m a fiend for a chore-unstructured 5-roll-3 button jacket. The handwoven herringbone twill is like no other, and I can wear this with the middle button closed for a traditional look, or freak it fully buttoned with the throat closure to protect my neck.
Flamingo Estate Medium Roast Whole Bean Coffee, $27
I was kindly gifted these beans earlier this year and reorder them once a month. Flamingo Estate is definitely a brand worth the hype, as most of their ingredients come from the local garden, and these acidic beans are grown in Central and South America. The taste is acidic cherry with a slight sugary note—it can be enjoyed all day.
Atlantic Coastal Supplies Fishing Shirt Striped Oxford, $236
I'll be the first to tell you, I'm not the biggest angler; however, I can appreciate the shirts that you need to catch a few bluegills. ACS is one of my favorite brands right now from Double RL alum Shawn Lowry, and the ties still run deep, as he's got Double RL legend Doug Bihlmaier in the latest campaign.
Mariano’s picks
Creek Angler Device’s Ontario by Quiet Mountain Cafe x Blue in Green, $250
The only thing better than a collab between two good brands is a collab between three of them. This is one of those shoes that might go under the radar for most people but will stick out to any real menswear nerd. I think the brown pair might be the more popular color way (they’re almost all sold out) but the black pair is the sleeker choice. Go cop in peace you cosplaying goth gorpcore nerd.
orSlow U.S. Army Tropical Jacket, $434
We are a few weeks away from those 2-3 weeks of northeastern weather where your day starts off in the 40°’s but then creeps up to the 70°’s by lunch and you need to dress in a way that you can be slightly cold at 8AM but perfect at noon. This is the perfect choice to survive those days and look good doing it.
Grenson Sterling Loafer, $290
Not sure if you saw the Sabah’s x Drakes Woven Bolo that dropped but boyyyy did that get me hyped about woven details on shoes. Although the Sabahs is a gorgeous shoe, I think Grenson packs a bit more punch for the price, and the thicker sole looks cleaner IMO. I think these are a fun way to add some texture without going overboard and looking like a fool.
Snow Peak Takibi Ripstop Adjustable Fishtail Coat, $464.97
I feel like I’m realllll close to getting my wife to agree that this flame-retardant CONEX ripstop fabric fishtail is a genuine safety necessity in my life as someone who is near an open flame once every 2-3 years. Maybe buying this would change that? Also it’s currently on sale which means you’d be losing money, and increasing your chances of catching on fire, if you don’t get it.
Pentel GraphGear 500 Mechanical Pencil Classic Colors Box Set, $42.39 (currently on sale for $33)
I’m a diehard pencil & paper guy to this day and love having different line strokes to take notes or sketch. This set gives you 4 sizes—0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.7mm, and 0.9mm—each in an easy to pick color. In a world of taking notes on an iPad or remarkable, grab yourself this set and a good Leuchtturm1917 notebook and you’re golden.
Mystery clicks
Have a nice weekend!