Issue #8 | The Happy Medium
And Cowichan sweaters, The North Face WTF, an amazing vintage store, martinis, and more
It’s December, Christmas party and bulky sweater season. Here are a few related things on my mind this week:
1. Finding the Happy Medium Between Comfort & Style
A little over seven years ago I was hired as Executive Editor of Maxim magazine. It was long since the publication’s raunchy glory days when it was the biggest men’s magazine on the planet. When I arrived we had a skeleton staff, a tiny office just off Times Square, and an even smaller budget. But I had been a freelancer for a long time, and so earning a regular paycheck was a welcome development. This was a good job, with a good salary.
The publication had been redefined as a luxury lifestyle magazine for men. We covered all things high-life: food and drink, high-end escapes, expensive cars, and fashion. I really enjoyed working on the fashion pieces. For a while, before he passed away in 2017, I even edited a regular column by Glenn O’Brien, GQ’s longtime Style Guy.
I learned a lot about menswear and style during that time: Classic brands, new brands, how men wore clothes in the past and present. Since I had a bit of money for the first time in my life, working at the magazine was also a chance for me to rethink my wardrobe. I splurged on a royal blue custom suit from the Australian tailor P. Johnson. I bought a wool topcoat from the British brand Harris Wharf, a navy chore coat from Barena Venezia, a chocolate brown Baracuta jacket, and a few other items previously unaffordable.
My style evolved. I experimented and had some fun. There were some misses, but a lot more hits. I began to dress smarter and more confidently.
Just as my own style was becoming more elevated, the pandemic undid it all. The Covid-era took what was already a move toward casual and accelerated it to light speed. Now everything was big, baggy, soft. And that was great for the time, when we worked from home and socialized in small groups only. But the trend has only continued. Sometimes when I walk around New York, it seems like everyone—myself included, oftentimes—is dressed like a teenager.
We’ve taken the casual wear trend too far. There are no standards for dress anymore, and so no reason to dress up. Collectively, this is what we’ve become:
The other day my friend Dave and I were lamenting how so few people put effort into the way they dress. There was a time, decades ago, when everyone dressed up to go out, when even a dinner at a restaurant was an event. Now you’re lucky if someone tucks in their shirt when they go to a Christmas party—and that’s if they manage to drag themselves out of the house at all.
This year, in the spring, I had the privilege of producing a play I wrote in New York. Because our crew was so small I had to be there for each show. I greeted people at the door and then sat in the audience for the performance.
It was a chance to dress up, and to engage with people, I relished in it. I wore each of the three suits I own in rotation (from P. Johnson; a ready-to-wear sharkskin suit from Saville Row’s Richard James; and an olive cotton Games suit from Drake’s), sometimes with a T-shirt (a look I’ve decided is not me), sometimes with a knit polo (better), sometimes with a button-down, no tie (best). I tried to look my best. All of us in the production did. We had a good excuse to do so.
Through it all and afterward, I realized something: I want to dress up more. I want to wear suits more often. I want more tailoring. I need a pair of real dress shoes, for Christ’s sake. I want to dress more creatively, unexpectedly—and sharp. This is truly one of the reasons I launched this newsletter, so I had an excuse to explore and experiment.
It’s great to be comfortable and relaxed. Everyone loves to throw on sweats and a crewneck and not have to worry about what people think. But the time has come to put in a bit more effort.
So next time you go to a party, dress up. Look nice. Try something different than what you wear every damn day.
It’s time to find the happy medium between comfort and style.
2. Front of Book Endorses: Cowichan Sweaters
O.K., rant over. But speaking of comfort and style, one of my favorite items in my winter wardrobe is a bulky, shawl collar Cowichan-style cardigan from the brand Chamula. Designer Yuki Matsuda traveled through rural Mexico in the 1990’s, and his brand seeks to replicate the delicately-made goods in the Mexican highlands. Mine (pictured above) is 100% Merino wool, hand-spun and hand-dyed. It’s beautiful.
Although it’s called “Cowichan-style,” it isn’t actually Cowichan. Cowichan sweaters date back to the 1850s when Europeans arrived in the Cowichan Valley in British Columbia, Canada. Knitting had a centuries-old tradition among the local tribes, and they adopted Fair Isles and Scottish patterns (as well as sheep’s wool, instead of goat and/or dog wool) from Europeans into the designs of chunky wool sweaters.
Pretty soon the sweaters became a defining characteristic of the region. Local producers still make them, even though you’re more likely to find them mass produced.
These things are practically works of art. They’re also insanely comfortable in the winter months, perfect for layering, and also breathable. Wearing one feels like getting a hug.
Here are a few good ones I found:
3. Did The North Face Spike the Water Supply?
One thing missing from my winter wardrobe is a warm, versatile, relatively stylish puffer for the coldest days. Inspired by gnome-core pioneer Aaron Levine, who I referenced back in Issue #1, I decided to look into a basic North Face puffer. He wears the Men’s 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket (or something like it), and I really liked it when I tried it on recently.
But then the weather dropped in New York, and, holy shit, this jacket is everywhere. I’m not kidding, you see the exact same black Nuptse puffer literally a dozen times a day on the streets of New York. I know we’re living in a period of ’90s/Y2K Style mania, but come on, this is insane. Has The North Face been drugging people?
It’s a nice looking coat, though, even if recycled nylon ripstop shell gives it a bit a garbage bag sheen.
4. A Store I Love: Front General Store
One sure way to find items literally no one else will be wearing is to stop in at Front General Store in Dumbo, Brooklyn. I’ve been browsing this store regularly since I moved to New York. The knocks on it are that it’s pricey for a vintage store (and it is), and that it’s too crowded because of the tourists hordes that descend on Dumbo (also true).
But the finds at FGS are truly rare. It has racks of gorgeous Burberry trench coats with barely any signs of wear, shelves of funky sweaters, and piles of mint Levi’s. The selection is carefully curated, so unlike at more generic thrift stores you don’t have to search for hours for one choice item. It also has its own line of originals, including terry crewnecks, Ts, shetland sweaters, and bags. There is men’s and women’s vintage jewelry and eyewear from Japan’s Guépard and France’s Gigi Fazzi. It’s selection of housewares is also worth checking out.
You’ll see the very best Front General finds in magazine shoots as well. If it’s good enough for Brad Pitt and Jeremy Strong…
5. A Recommendation Apropos of Nothing: Martinis & French Fries
I love martinis. A little too much. The other day, after popping in at Front General, I sat down at the bar at Superfine across the street and ordered a martini (Hendrick’s, with olives). I thought, this martini is perfect. And then I thought, the only thing that would make it more perfect is French fries.
With a slight buzz developing, I opened up the Note on my phone where I jot down ideas for this newsletter, and wrote, “A Recommendation Apropos of Nothing: Martinis and Fries.”
So here it is, a recommendation apropos of nothing: Martinis and French Fries are absolutely perfect.
Weekly Inspiration
For those of us looking to get a little direction when it comes to tailoring, sid.jen is a good place to start. He effortlessly combines tailored garments with everyday wardrobe items. He works with The Anthology, a Hong Kong brand specializing in modern, bespoke tailoring. This is what an elevated wardrobe looks like.
That’s all for this week. Let’s grab a martini and fries and start the weekend off right. See you next Friday.
Mitch
Question? Comment? Suggestion? Caught a typo? Email me at mitch.moxley@gmail.com
The author in a bespoke suit from P. Johnson.
Two things: Barena is fantastic. And a suit with a t-shirt is for everyone!