I think it goes without saying that I spend an insane amount of time shopping online for things I do not have enough money to buy. I may have a minor obsession with apparel, but most specifically I am always on the lookout for great ties.
Ties are a funny thing to me, because people pay so much for them, it is just culturally acceptable to spend $100 or so on a tie. While I am not opposed to spending this kind of cash on a quality tie, and I can see myself doing if it is something I cannot live without, I am proud to say that at this current time in my life I have never paid more than $20 on a necktie. How, you may ask? I would like to let you in on three of the best secrets you will ever hear;
1. The Tie Bar: This little gem carries some of the best ties I have ever seen, and no matter if you are a skinny tie kinda guy (as I definitely am), or lean towards bulky knots, they have everything your looking for. The best part is that EVERY tie on their website is $15. My current favorite is the Coral and White "Dotted Dots" Linen Skinny Tie, check it out here.
2. Uniqlo: The tie selection here isn't quite as vast, but the quality is very impressive. For a measley $12.90 you can get a high quality, great looking skinny tie (sorry fat knot guy). Super cool, and all their other products are pretty great too. I dig the "Linen Cotton Tie" in navy, check it.
3. The next option isn't as easy as the first two, but I have gotten some of my favorite ties from outlet stores, and thrift shops. I reccomend goodwill's tie racks, because they offer some great vintage ties for about a dollar. It takes some time, dedication, and looking at a lot of ties that make you want to throw up, but when you find THE ONE, it makes it all worth it.
A man's view of life, fashion, and love
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Beards, Timber, & Leather
There are some things in the world that just reek of masculinity. Those iconic items that say "I am a man". Everyone's "claim to manhood", if you will, is different. I could personally go on for quite some time about the things that make me feel like a man, but to narrow it down, the three things that are just plain manly are;
Beards
Timber
& Leather
Beards, what is more masculine than some good old fashioned facial hair? You will never see a man with a bald face wrestling a bear, or chopping down mighty trees in the woods. It's just not going to happen. Beards are sweet, but for me they are kind of a "man goal" I have; mother nature thought it would be funny to give someone who has an innate love for facial hair the curse of bald spots on their face. Well played, mother nature, well played.
Timber, sometimes, when I am just not feeling very manly, I put on some jeans, and a flannel shirt and go walk down the lumber isle at the hardware store. There is just something about the smell of fresh pine, the feeling of the wood grain, and the battle of trying to get tree sap off of your hands for weeks after you touch it that seem to boost your testosterone levels.
Leather intrigues me, there are so many different textures, and tones of leather, it can be worn as shoes, a watch band, or if you are Stephen Tyler it can be worn as skin tight pants, it can be used inside out or right side in, it can hold up your pants, or be worn as a jacket, it can add a rustic touch, or create a high end, classy look. The versatility of it is what makes it my favorite. It is something I cannot quite put my finger on why it is masculine, but the fact of the matter is that it is just a man's material.
I have started this project because I see a need for masculinity in an unlikely place. Two unlikely places to be more precise; blogging, and fashion. I love reading blogs, especially fashion blogs, and I have noticed that the idea people have of blogs, and most often fashion blogs, is that they have a very feminine appeal, and a feminine spin on things. I created this project to show men that you can be a man, and still be inspired by fashion, still care about how you dress, and still go out and wrestle with pigs, work on cars, ride loud motorcycles, and grow a beard. Here's to men.
Here's to Beards, Timber, & Leather.
--
What is your "Claim to Manhood"? Making steel sculptures? Mud Wrestling? Caber Tossing? Comment below to let the world know what makes you a man!
Beards
Timber
& Leather
Beards, what is more masculine than some good old fashioned facial hair? You will never see a man with a bald face wrestling a bear, or chopping down mighty trees in the woods. It's just not going to happen. Beards are sweet, but for me they are kind of a "man goal" I have; mother nature thought it would be funny to give someone who has an innate love for facial hair the curse of bald spots on their face. Well played, mother nature, well played.
Timber, sometimes, when I am just not feeling very manly, I put on some jeans, and a flannel shirt and go walk down the lumber isle at the hardware store. There is just something about the smell of fresh pine, the feeling of the wood grain, and the battle of trying to get tree sap off of your hands for weeks after you touch it that seem to boost your testosterone levels.
Leather intrigues me, there are so many different textures, and tones of leather, it can be worn as shoes, a watch band, or if you are Stephen Tyler it can be worn as skin tight pants, it can be used inside out or right side in, it can hold up your pants, or be worn as a jacket, it can add a rustic touch, or create a high end, classy look. The versatility of it is what makes it my favorite. It is something I cannot quite put my finger on why it is masculine, but the fact of the matter is that it is just a man's material.
I have started this project because I see a need for masculinity in an unlikely place. Two unlikely places to be more precise; blogging, and fashion. I love reading blogs, especially fashion blogs, and I have noticed that the idea people have of blogs, and most often fashion blogs, is that they have a very feminine appeal, and a feminine spin on things. I created this project to show men that you can be a man, and still be inspired by fashion, still care about how you dress, and still go out and wrestle with pigs, work on cars, ride loud motorcycles, and grow a beard. Here's to men.
Here's to Beards, Timber, & Leather.
--
What is your "Claim to Manhood"? Making steel sculptures? Mud Wrestling? Caber Tossing? Comment below to let the world know what makes you a man!
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