Angolo di Modo Weekly Tip: The Homburg Hat

The Homburg - A hat you cannot refuse

Angolo di Modo Men's Haberdashery & Style weekly tip series recommends one of our favorite hat styles: The Homburg.

The Homburg is a formal men's felt fedora style hat. Lesser-known, we consider it to be a staple in the classic gentleman’s wardrobe. Three attributes distinguish the Homburg from the typical fedora: The "gutter crown" or u-shaped wedge down the center, a stiff piped brim called the kettle curl, and bounded edge trim. In addition, a grosgrain hatband and brim trim is typically is a signature feature of the Homburg.

Named after Bad Homburg, a spa town in Hesse, Germany, the hat became popularized by England's King Edward VII at the fin-de-siecle when he returned from a trip to Germany sporting the lid. During the early twentieth century, the Homburg became popular amongst American businessmen and mobsters. It is also called a "Godfather" fedora because Al Pacino's Michael Corleone character wears one in The Godfather movie.  The Homburg's popularity waned along with men's hat culture in the 1960s, but it remains a cache item amongst the sartorial cognoscenti.

We recommend the iconic Homburg for your formal attire. It is not as extravagant as the top hat and more appropriate then then the popular stingy brims men wear today. Purchase a Homburg at a respectable hatter such as J.J. Hat Center on Fifth Avenue at 33rd Street in New York City.

Angolo di Modo Weekly Tip: Vicuna - The Fabric of the Gods

Vicuna: The Fabric of the Gods

Angolo di Modo Men's Haberdashery & Style weekly tip series continues with our recommendation to consider "the fabric of the gods" this Fall: vicuña wool.

Noticeably different and softer than any other wool, vicuña (pronounced vee-cun-ya) is the softest wool in existence and the smallest fiber capable of being spun. Loungerati's style guy, Eff, has a sport coat made of vicuña and swears that the fabric is insanely warm and supple. It is so dissimilar to regular wool that people insist on a second touch but cannot place the fabric. Higher end designers such as Kiton of Napoli are fond of using the coveted fiber.

The vicuña is part of the camelid species and is relative of the llama. It is also the national animal of Peru. They live on the grasslands of the high Andes in Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina at an altitude of up to three miles above sea level. The wool is gathered from the back and neck of the beast. However, the vicuña wool can only be cultivated in the wild as the animals are know to starve themselves to death in captivity. Peruvian peasants gather the wool using a centuries old communal herding method called the chacu. In the chacu ritual, hundreds of farmers form a circle by joining hands around a vicuña herd. They corral the animals into clusters, shear them, and release. A single vicuña produces just one pound of wool and it can only be gathered from one animal every three years. As you can imagine, this makes farming the animals impossible and production low.

In the 1970s, the  number of vicuña dropped under 10,000 animals so the United Nations stepped in and made any trade of these endangered animals illegal. Twenty years later, their numbers returned acceptable levels and trade has resumed - but at a price that keeps production relatively low. In 1993, Peru formed the National Council for South American Camelids (CONACS), which was charged with overseeing Peru’s vicuña preservation program. Today there are around a quarter million vicuña in the Andean region.

This Autumn, get your mitts on a vicuña wool scarf or a sports jacket if you can swing it. Due to the limited production of this high quality wool, vicuña can easily cost its weight in gold!

Angolo di Modo Weekly Tip: Functional Sleeve Buttons on Suits

Functional sleeve buttons on a jacket

Angolo di Modo's Men's Haberdashery &  Style weekly tip kicks off with functional cuff buttons or "the surgeon's cuffs". Cuff buttons on suits may have first been used functionally in Germany around the 13th Century; their origin is unclear. There are various theories behind the practice: surgeons rolling up their sleeves or laborers rolling up their sleeves make the most sense. We have also heard that they were introduced by the Royal Navy to prevent midshipmen from wiping their nose on their sleeves (though that last one screams a Snope write-up).

Today, some suit makers (typically haberdashers specializing in high end bespoke or made to measure apparel) still "work it" into their designs. This practice also extends to men's overcoats. We suspect overcoats ALL had functional cuff buttons at one time for the same reason shirts still do: ease of donning and removal. Once it became cheaper to mass produce coats with just cosmetic ones, that became the norm.

One could argue that functional suit cuff buttons in the modern age is ostentatious. Heck, sleeves buttons real or cosmetic technically are not needed at all - even a snot nosed midshipmen could tell you that! Our position is we would rather have buttons that work and the option to roll up the suit sleeve to keep both shirt and suit clean. A friend of ours who will remain nameless (his last name translates to 'rickety old wagon' in Polish), thinks unbuttoning only the first button as the Italians are known to do is completely unnecessary and showy. We disagree and think of it as spreading the gospel of sprezzatura! 

Let's get the functional button back on suit cuffs and not make it an indulgence of the well to do. 

Angolo Di Modo: Blind Barber - Fine and Dandy Pop-Up Shop December 4th & 5th

 

The guys at FineandDandyShop.com are opening as pop up shop with our good friends at Blind Barber so of course that weekend is going to Dapper. To top off all the Dapper wears Dandy Wellington and The Made to Measure Band will be on hand to provide best in Dapper entertainment.

Dandy Wellington and The Made to Measure Band + Fine and Dandy Shop  + Blind Barber

Sunday December 5th
339 East 10th Street btw Ave A and Ave B
Doors at 6:00
Music at 6:30

Dress Code: Dapper

FREE

Angolo di Modo: Men's Autumn Essentials

Autumn is the Grand Prix of Men's haberdashery. The layering, the fabrics, and the patterns are a veritable palette as diverse and colorful as the falling leaves. The season is by far our favorite. It is a time of year where the slight chill in the air can only be balanced by a rich tweed, plaid, corduroy, cashmere, wool, or flannel. In that vein, Loungerati's dapper gents are sharing their essentials for this Fall; this is our wish list and in keeping with the times, we present a high end and more recession friendly alternative.

Fredo suggests:

Alden Black Suede Chukka Boots

Black Suede Chukka boots by Alden available at Epaulet. This is a pricey pair of footwear but well worth the investment. The "flex-welt" leather sole is bathed in oil to make it exceptionally supple - but just as durable as any other solid leather sole. The suede chukka has a timeless style and the craftsmanship of venerable Charles H. Alden shoe company is renown. $450.00

Epaulet - 231 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231 (718-522-3800)

Affordable Alternative: Clarks Orignals black suede desert boots ($105) available at Grahame Fowler at 138 West 10th Street. New York, NY 10014

The Grey Herringbone Tweed Blazer is standard Autumn attire. Dressed up or dressed down, with dark indigo jeans, the tweed blazer is synonymous with the season. Stick with a single breasted, single or two button version. Brooks Brothers has luxurious lambswool "Black and White" tweed jacket has just the right lining to serve as an outdoor jacket yet versatile enough to wear indoors. $398.

Affordable alternative: J.Crew's Whitman Ludlow Collection has a version that brings together the modern, yet classic style of Italian tailoring at the good value of $265.

Eff suggests:

The Peacoat: Originally worn by sailors of various European Navies, the Peacoat exudes confidence and, at once, autumnal practicality. Flip up the collar for that Steve McQueen cool.

Dunhill Peacoat

Dunhill - $1,695 Hand-finished seam, horn buttons, knitted waffle collar for a modern touch. Navy blue is the way to go.

Affordable Alternative: Banana Republic - $225 - cotton/wool blend, peaked lapels, 6 buttons, try it in grey.

The Orange V-Neck cashmere sweater: Cashmere is in a league of its own when it comes to warmth, luxury, and tactile reward. Its said that orange cashmere, peeking out from under a blazer, beckons the leaves to fall. 

If money is no object, Eff suggests the quality and design of the sweater by the iconic brand Hermes - $1,075.

Affordable Alternative: For the rest of us, hit a forward trending chain like Gant or  J. Crew - $188

Enjoy the Autumn in style ... you owe it to yourself!

Angolo di Modo: Cocktails at Tiffany - Who Knew?

Effervescent lounging at Tiffany & Co. Private Cocktail Party

His invite to me read, “Cocktails at Tiffany  tomorrow night?” “Cocktails can be had at Tiffany and Co.?”, I replied. “Who knew!?!” 

Our man about town, Eff, apparently knows how to make such arrangements. The Sicilian dandy recently had a diamond of a time making the scene at the iconic Tiffany and Co. on tony Fifth Avenue. The event was thrown for some of the premier jewelers' best customers and celebrities as show of appreciation for continued business. Clearly' Eff's moglia is making out like a bandit.

From the moment one walked into the flagship store, which opened in 1940, it was red carpet treatment reminiscent of a Gatsby cocktail party. For starters, the Taittinger "Le Francaise" Brut Champagne flowed (in Tiffany crystal, natch) like a river! There were also passed canapes and hors d'oeuvres to wet the appetite. Once the first class crowd was properly buzzed, the white glove service bar started pouring top shelf scotch, Johnnie Walker Blue Label ,no less.  

Eff towering over LA Laker Lamar Odom

Before too long Eff was hamming it up with none-other-than a champion Los Angeles Laker basketball forward Lamar Odom. Soon Eff and Mr. Odom, who hails from South Jamaica, Queens, were checking out Tahitian pearls for their better halves. Eff even rode on Mr. Odom’s shoulders a near 7 feet up in the air after daring him (there’s witnesses). Shenanigans continued until Tiffany security intervened (very discreetly, I might add!). Blame it on bubbly and blue.

After the initial reception, the crowd was treated to a viewing of the famed Tiffany Diamond. Then Lamar introduced Eff to NBA Commissioner David Stern, the duo (and a sauced up Eff) then posed on the runway outside for a near 500 tourists, even signing a few autographs for some budding Holly Golightlys. As the event was winding down, Tiffany & Co. was proud to report that no guests had absconded with any of their prized baubles. However, the Johnny Walker Blue, and our Lounge Essentials contributor were no where to be found.

Mangari, Eff! Cocktails at Tiffany: a “brilliant” new Loungerati tradition.

PS: Be sure to check out our (first ever) Loungerati iMovie account of the evening: 

Angolo di Modo: Dr. Martens 50th Anniversary 1460 Oxblood Boots

The trip to purchase my first pair of classic Doc Martens leather boots involved hiding money in my socks, extreme paranoia, and an exit plan. The year was 1988. The only place worth getting a pair of the air cushioned rubber soled 8-eye Oxblood colored boots was a store called 99X in New York's East Village neighborhood. The East Village in the late 1980s was a sketchy place and not the gentrified college campus of today.

My strategy was to go early, when the place opened, buy the "Docs", and run like hell back to Astor Place subway station. There were rumors of Skinheads camping out in front of the store or hiding in dark stairwells down the block near Fourth Avenue. They would mug kids buying Dr Martens boots at 99X. This of course was urban legend but as far as my 16 year-old mind was concerned it was real. In fact, some girl I met at the Cure Concert  heard it happened to a friend of a friend -  so it had to be true!

99X was the only game in town at the time when it came to cool British apparel like Fred Perry, Ben Sherman, football scarfs, braces, skinny ties,  and of course the must have DM boots. My junior year in high school was starting the following week and I had saved money during the summer just for this event. I had to have new Docs for the first day! So I ventured down to 99X on East 10th street between 3rd and 4th Avenues wearing running shoes.

Well the worst that happened at 99X was the coveted oxbloods were out of stock. So, I decided to settle for the regular black Doc. There were no skinheads or punks outside, the street was empty. The only human contact I encountered was a disinterested store clerk reading a fanzine.  I remember Iggy Pop was playing on the PA. Luckily, the black boots in a UK size 9 (a US 10) were in stock and they fit perfectly. I opted not to get steel toes which were more expensive and a bit too  "New York Hard Core" for me. I was more of a New Waver dude.

The mystique behind the boots is not only the iconic yellow stitching around the sole or their cool factor. It is the comfort. The difference is the  air-cushioned sole, which is oil and fat resistant, tough as nails, and practically slip proof. The original craftmanship still endures, the upper and sole are sewn together, not merely glued like other boots. Doc Martens' patented "Z welt-stitch and heat-sealing process" ensures a life time of durability making it a true working class rugged boot.

This year marks the 50th Anniversary since the first hand crafted Dr. Marten boots rolled off the Cobbs Lane factory assembly line on April 1, 1960 in Wollaston, England. Since then it has been the signature footwear of the British working class, then Skinheads, Rude boys, New Wavers, Punks, and eventually even Mall Rats

Vintage 1460 Oxblood Quilon boots ($180), a direct replica, of the very first boots are now available. They feature "narrower horizontal tread bars, criss-crossed coring bars, a darker sole, a storm welt bound together on the lateral side, small indentations left on the welt by the original stitching machine, no top collar binding and runs into the eye stay above the top eyelet." 

My original pair of black boots went to the Salvation Army ten years ago, which means only one thing - I am buying a pair of the replica Vintage 1460 Oxbloods!! It is about time! Oi!

www.dmusastore.com

- Fredo

Brooks Brothers Mad Men Edition

Loungerati endorses the Brooks Brothers "Mad Men Edition" suit. The limited edition gray static sharkskin suit is designed by Janie Bryant, AMC's Mad Men wardrobe designer. Only 250 will be produced and will be available from October 19 until the show's finale on November 8th.

The suit features: a slim cut, two button, single breasted jacket with diagonal pockets, narrower notch lapels, and side vents. It has the early 1960s style but with that classic American style of JFK. In other words, the suit is not a costume but rather an ode to modern haberdashery's golden era.

You can order The Mad Men edition online or pick one up at selected stores ... while they last.