The dry winter air really does a number on my skin. It ain't cute. I've sung the praises of Kiehl's products before, and with good reason--I haven't been able to find a better hand moisturizer for the winter months than Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve. It's thick, absorbs quickly, and isn't the least bit greasy.
A particularly picturesque driveway, abutted by two pieces of farmland, near Saucon Valley, Pennsylvania.
On a crisp winter night, there's nothing quite like the smell of a wood-burning fire drifting through the cobblestone sidestreets of Georgetown. Since I don't have the real thing, I approximate with Diptyque's Feu de Bois candle. I love the gorgeous gray wax and the smoky smell of burning wood. Makes a fabulous holiday host/hostess gift, too.
I have the privilege of meeting Ms. Lisa Birnbach this evening at a book signing at the City Tavern Club in Georgetown, and I'm breaking out my finest for the prep doyenne. Polo by Ralph Lauren cashmere blazer; blue/white striped shirt and hunt scene tie, both Ralph Lauren Purple Label. Worn with navy wide wale cords, red wool pocket square, and cordovan tassel loafers.
A Polo by Ralph Lauren unlined wool/angora jacket, 1980s Ray Ban shooting glasses, and 12-gauge Beretta shotgun make for a classic hunting look. Clay pigeons only, natch.
I've always been a fan of the navy tuxedo. It's something of a rarity in the black tie wild, so it makes spotting the same one on two dapper gents (NPH and Cap't. Kirk himself) in one week all the more noteworthy. Midnight blue, as you may know, actually looks more like black under indoor light (black takes on a greener tinge). While this tux from Polo Ralph Lauren is a somewhat brighter blue than the traditional midnight, these two men carry off the look with aplomb. My only issue with this tuxedo is the notch lapels - call me a traditionalist, but I think the notch lapel has no place in this arena. Peak or shawl next time, Ralph.
The phrase "tea party" carries with it a lot of ... shall we say, interesting connotations. Last weekend I cast those aside and threw together a daytime party for some friends on a sunny (but still chilly) Saturday afternoon. It was a great way to entertain - I had all morning to prepare, and the guests were out the door by five p.m., just in time for a nice nap. I could see moving the whole shabang outside once the weather gets nicer. Here are a few shots of the table --
Lots of spring things - hydrangea, Pimm's Cup, cucumber spears...
The homemade fruit tart was tricky to put together, but well worth it.
Cucumber watercress sandwiches, egg salad on endive, smoked salmon and herb butter...
The only tea at the party was Firefly sweet tea and fresh mint lemonade...
and from his much-talked-about collaboration with Gant.
This guy's unstoppable. Fall 2010, here we come.
Each trip I take to Palm Beach, I stock up on secondhand preppy essentials at Fiore Menswear, a store near Sunset Avenue in a section of the island devoted to thrifting and designer consignment shops. It's chock full of finds, including Loro Piana cashmere outerwear, vintage Hermès ties, shirts from Turnbull, and the like (all at quite reasonable prices). My favorite, though, is the extensive selection of vintage Lilly - they've literally plastered the walls with it. This trip I returned with two pairs of "go-to-hell" pants (a la Tom Wolfe): a blue and white cotton batik-esque print (left), and the very loud ostrich print ones on the right in, gasp, polyester. Some alterations were needed to take these pants into this century - removing the flared leg and taking in the waist and seat - but the finished product will be 100% unique, pants not likely to be seen on anyone else from Bar Harbor to Winter Park (not in this print, anyway). Pictures of the final product to come once the tailor is done with them.
This past week has been something of a wash for those in the DC area, where a record breaking snow total pretty much shut everything down. Now it seems we're out of the woods for a while. While digging ourselves out of the snow may seem annoying, I'm just thinking of how sweet spring will feel this year when it finally arrives. Cherry blossoms, anyone?
We're currently in that sartorial in-between season, the purgatory between the tweeds and tartans of fall/winter and the linen and madras of spring/summer. It's still damned cold, but wide wale cords and blaze orange cableknits don't seem quite right either. So for right now, it's best to pick a neutral color palette and stick with it. I find J.Crew makes a terrific cashmere v-neck that is a good layering piece all year round. The fit is spot on, it comes in basic colors (gray, navy, black) as well as seasonal ones (purple, olive, seafoam), and the construction has improved significantly since they first partnered with Loro Piana for the yarn several years back. At $188, it may not be cheap, but it's on par quality-wise with sweaters twice its price (and with luck, you can even nab it on sale).
Yeah, it screams "I am Chuck Bass," and you can probably only wear it once a year, but... I do love this blazer. Purple silk shawl DB Purple Label. Buy it Now for $488.
The lovely folks over at Pierrepont Hicks give us a peek at some of their fabrics for the coming season. For those of you not familiar with the Minnesota-based neckwear company, all their ties are handmade in NYC's Garment District (including my favorite reversible bowtie from this fall). Really interested to see what they do with that gingham and the Nantucket red...
A good scent always tells a story. That's not to say the story is always a good one. One whiff of Polo Sport and all the awkward memories of middle school come rushing back. (Fortunately, Ralph has all but discontinued it.) Yet most of the olfactory recollections brought on by Creed's complex and subtle fragrances are fabulously vivid - Green Irish Tweed reminds me of fitting a tuxedo shirt with studs for a black tie event in New York; Erolfa instantly brings to mind the Lilly pants and G&Ts that pervade the balmy evenings in Palm Beach. With this cologne, Himalaya, I hope to add to that repertoire. Bergamot, sandalwood, ambergris, and musk combine to create a cool, crisp winter breeze. (Even cooler if you keep it in the fridge - it actually extends the usable life of the cologne.) Fresh and masculine, and just the thing to keep the January doldrums at bay.
Happy new year, everybody! Hope everybody got what they asked for from Santa. And while the weather outside is still pretty damn frightful, the warming trend coming to the Northeast this weekend (40s!) has my heart aflutter over spring clothes. While it's best not to get too excited yet (it's still winter), now is always a good time to start thinking about what the wardrobe is going to look like come March. Here's something I'm looking to add to mine: Polo came out with some linen pants in six great colors - they've got the mainstays of white, navy, and khaki, but my favorite is this coral red color - perfect for that classic WASP look of linen pants (in a go-to-hell color, natch), a blue or white shirt, blue blazer, and cordovan tassels. Simple, elegant, easy. Done.
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