Issue #31 | We Live In a Simulation
Dressing for the Matrix, the accessories dilemma, Outlier, Suitsupply, Carter Young, and Hugh Jackman’s Instagram
Greetings Front of Bookers,
Welcome back to the newsletter and apologies for the brief hiatus. It’s been cooking here in New York, I’ve been swamped with work, and I recently fractured my foot playing tennis. But I’m on the mend, mostly caught up, sufficiently cooled and glad to be back here.
Since I last wrote it’s become increasingly clear that we’re living in some kind of Matrix-like simulation. What else explains the pace and absurdity of the news, the carnival universe in which we’ve found ourselves? It makes you wonder, if we really are in the Matrix, if reality is an illusion, then why should we care about things like clothing and style? Why not wear nothing but animals skins or indeed nothing at all?
The answer, I think, is that, yes, we do still need to think about clothing and style. Because written in the code of our simulation there are laws and rules. There is still gravity and light and the sense of the passage of time. One of rules is that our fellow travelers are programed to think it’s weird if one of us is without clothing out in public. So in order to thrive in the Matrix, we must still dress. So we might as well dress well.
Perhaps the laws and rules of our simulation will collapse, in which case, by all means, strip down and run wild through the streets. But until then, we persevere, trying to look our very best for our machine overlords. And so, on to this week’s newsletter.
1. St. Christopher Protect Us
Some months ago I was at Front General Store in Brooklyn when I came across an oval pendant with an engraving of a religious figure carrying a child and the words “St. Christopher Protect Us” on it. I’m not religious, but Ms. Front of Book is Catholic and we’ve gone to church a few times together. I’m really drawn to Catholicism’s pomp and ceremony and iconography, and there was something about the St. Christopher symbol that I liked.
St. Christopher, I learned through Google, is the patron saint of travelers. In the image he is carrying the baby Jesus across a river. I also learned that St. Christopher medallions have historically been worn by seafarers and were particularly popular with surfers back in the 1960s and ’70s. I once took a cargo ship across the Pacific, and even though I’m a terrible surfer, I’ve surfed a number of times and love surf style. I didn’t buy the medallion from Front General Store because I didn’t like the shape and thought it was too big. But I wanted a St. Christopher necklace and set out to find one.
It was harder than I thought, and this got me thinking in general about accessories. I struggle with them. When I see stylish men wearing chains and bracelets and rings, I find myself longing to develop an approach to accessories and jewelry that works for me, but I’ve never quite found it. I feel like a phony, like I’m trying too hard, not being myself. So I’ll experiment with a chain for a while, or try out a couple bracelets, but eventually find myself back at the status quo of pretty much going without accessories other than my watch.
Since I started writing this newsletter I’ve had to think more about all of this. And I’ve found that I really like the look of jewelry on other people and wanted to try again to find a style that works for me.
It’s a fine needle to thread, and I think the right approach is a Sometimes Always Never model. Take a look at this photo of style god and coffee aficionado Brad Pitt in his latest De’Longhi campaign:
First of all, just a great outfit: the perfect-fitting white linen shirt, the ivory pants, and, of course, the accessories. But for us mortals this falls into the Sometimes category. Look close, and Brad is wearing a watch, a ring, shades, and least six bracelets and three chains. Brad Pitt can do that. The rest of us, I’m less certain.
Which brings us to the Always category, otherwise known as the Pitt Divided by Three method: One chain, one or two bracelets, one ring, and a classic watch. Nothing too showy, nothing extravagant, as our man Sterling K. Brown demonstrates:
Never is easy: Too damn many accessories. We never want to look like late-stage Johnny Depp, where you have to spend 20 minutes in the morning just layering your necklaces and bandanas:
Searching for a St. Christopher medallion, I found there were a lot of cheap imitations online, and then some nice new versions from Miansai and David Yurman. But I wanted a vintage piece, and I didn’t want to spend $400 on a site like Worn Over Time (although I really liked some of their necklaces).
Eventually I found the one for me on Etsy: A stainless steal pendent with blue enamel and a black outer ring, which I attached to a 24” box chain necklace from David Yurman. It matches my Air King perfectly in material and style.
Next up is finding the right bracelet. I love 3Sixteen’s Cuban Link Bracelet, but I need something more in the, ahem, value end of the spectrum.
2. What the Hell is Outlier?
I came across the Brooklyn-based brand Outlier while working on a story recently and then suddenly noticed wheatpaste posters for it all over the city. I must admit, I have no idea what the hell it’s about, but I have a feeling if we’re ever given the red pill option and wake up from our simulated reality, we’ll all be dressed in Outlier clothing as we go into battle with the machines.
Injected Linen Pants? Garments made of Futurecloth? A Rawcut tank? I don’t know what any of that means! But if any of you care to find out, please write and let me know.
3. A New Brand on My Radar: Carter Young
Carter Young founder Carter Altman is kind of a wunderkind of clothing design. He’s only 27-years-old and his brand has been around for five years already, so not exactly new but new to me. He started designing at 15 and has since worked Kith’s Nick Annacone and began making his own garments at a factory outside his hometown of Detroit. Now he’s based in London and showing at fashion weeks around the world. Fans include Paul Mescal, Jake Gyllenhaal, Pitt, and Ethan Hawke.
There’s a mix of workwear inspired Americana and relaxed tailoring in each season’s lines. The linen double breasted blazer and matching pants are sweet, and I love this look below, baby blue plaid Western shirt and military-inspired chore coat. A brand to watch out for.
4. Should We Be Paying Attention to Suitsupply?
I confess I have a bias against Suitsupply. It has one of the worst names for a clothing brand, topped only by Untuckit and Dress Barn. It alway struck me as a basic, skinny suit, slim lapel, off-the-rack option for guys who didn’t want to think hard about buying a suit.
But perhaps I’ve been unfair. Thanks to the Instagram account of the very dapper Jay Hazel, a “style expert” at Suitsupply, I dropped by the Soho store the other day to find that… it’s not so basic after all. The suits aren’t so skinny, the lapels not so slim, and in fact they had a range of nice suits and jackets at reasonable prices.
I was especially drawn to the Off-White Relaxed Fit Roma Suit, the Navy Herringbone Tailored Fit Havana Suit in Wool Silk, and the Dark Brown Relaxed Fit Roma Blazer. All are great, versatile summer options. Nice work, Suitsupply. (Still a bad name, though.)
5. Front of Book Endorses: Hugh Jackman’s Instagram
He’s the world’s dad who had just discovered social media and is posting relentlessly. He’s the newly minted divorcée living his best life. He’s the middle aged man on the road trip of his life with his best buds.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet Hugh Jackman.
Wolverine’s Instagram is a pure blast and his earnestness and enthusiasm for life brings a tear to the eye. As a founding member of the New York Martini Society*, I also appreciate his fondness for the perfect drink.
God bless you, Hugh. You’re a king among men. Keep posting.
(*Not a real thing, but it should be. And if I ever start it, Hugh, you’re invited!)
Lastly, I wanted to extend a very happy birthday to my pops, Ross Moxley, a very dapper and handsome fellow himself. Hope you have a great one, Dad!
That’s all for this week. See you back here soon.
Mitch
Question? Comment? Suggestion? Caught a typo? Email me at mitch.moxley@gmail.com