The Virtue of Wearing Out Your Favorite things
Off the Cuff
by OTC
1y ago
Growing up in New England, I was raised in a family that, stereotypically, cherished thriftiness and a well-worn aesthetic. In a household of five boys, it was both economical and a practical imperative. That top image is a little before I showed up, but rest assured that I wore pretty much all of that gear at one point or another. Handing down blue blazers, jeans and winter jackets, reusing sports gear, and viewing Christmas as the wonderful time of year when new socks and boxer shorts showed up was the rhythm of our sartorial life. To be sure, we also had a fair amount of inherited everythin ..read more
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The Original American Icon: Brooks Brothers
Off the Cuff
by OTC
2y ago
Brooks Brothers. If there is a single brand which at its core is a byword for ‘American,’ it’s Brooks Brothers. Around the world that name quite literally defines the ideal of classic American style. And, with nearly 200 years of Ivy League, East Coast establishment history under its belt, Brooks can lay claim to the rare title of being an authentic American legend. This is the first in a series of deep dives into how a small family business became, improbably, one of the most famous and influential brands in the world. For a more than a century, Brooks Brothers has conjured up images of a pr ..read more
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Heading Back to the Office – or Not
Off the Cuff
by OTC
2y ago
As the world of office dwellers shakes the collective dust off its shoulders and stumbles over to the closet, there is a sense of uncertainty in the air. What the heck to wear back to the office – when one even bothers going ‘to’ the office? As the very concept of where to work is changing, so to is the idea of what constitutes ‘work clothes’ in the first place. Figuring out this new code of appropriate office wear is front and center in the minds of HR executives and worker bees alike, Nonetheless, may voices still weigh in on the vicissitudes of bespoke versus MTO, barrel or double cuffs, or ..read more
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Michael Bastian’s take on classic American style
Off the Cuff
by OTC
3y ago
A few years ago, we had a chance to sit down with award-winning fashion designer Michael Bastian and discuss his belief that what we know as classic American style was in fact born from the confluence of three disparate societal trends. In this article we revisit that conversation and Bastian’s insightful observations of American men’s style. If there’s one thing you need to know about Michael Bastian, it’s that when it comes to American menswear and its various influences, he is a student of history. Growing up on the East Coast and attending Babson College in the 1980s, Bastian was surround ..read more
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Why Great Style is Personal
Off the Cuff
by OTC
3y ago
The question which often lingers in the back of many a man’s mind is this: does it matter what you wear when no one is looking? Whether one works in a casual office or from home, or simply operating out of other’s sight, many of us often struggle with what to wear. Too formal and we feel dressed up with nowhere to go. Too casual, and it can quickly descend into 24/7 workout wear – minus the exercise part. One gentleman we know sees donning a suit as a specific obligation based on his audience for the day, otherwise, he is a shorts and ball cap kind of guy. His issue is that he doesn’t know how ..read more
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Revisiting The Colonel Littleton No. 43 Mailbag
Off the Cuff
by OTC
3y ago
Here at OTC, we are lamenting the loss of one of our favorite bags – the No. 43 Mailbag – made by American leather goods brand Colonel Littleton. The design for the No. 43 was based on the iconic U.S. Postal Service mail carrier bag, once a ubiquitous sight on America’s tree-lined streets. This roomy and distinctive leather bag is beautifully crafted and exceptionally durable, ensuring that the more it’s used, abused, and put to work, the better it will age. The company sent us a No. 43, which we first reviewed in 2016 – loved it. So, we were quite saddened to recently learn that the Colonel ..read more
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Don’t Let Your Commute Ruin Your Suit
Off the Cuff
by OTC
3y ago
In partnership with British label Charles Tyrwhitt, we are thinking through some real-world issues faced by men and the clothing they wear. In 2016, the UK Office for National Statistics determined that 3.7 million workers traveled for two hours or more every weekday as part of their commute. This might involve walking, driving, cycling, taking public transport, or any combination of those modes of transportation. On top of this, many men – particularly in city environments – choose to wear a formal suit to the office to look smart; not particularly ideal attire for such a lengthy travel time ..read more
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One Star Leather’s Park Sloper Senior
Off the Cuff
by OTC
3y ago
A debate has been slowly but steadily percolating to the surface in the world of menswear opining as to whether or not the wallet’s luck has finally run out. With digital currency inevitably moving into the mainstream, and cards otherwise replacing cash for many transactions, the question of the wallet’s relevance and even need is a valid point of discussion. While technology may make irrelevant the traditional wallet’s function of carrying cash, its ability to also hold one’s scraps of meaningful ephemera, or that parking garage ticket that needs to be validated, makes it an unusually pe ..read more
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Adidas Terrex Agravic Trail Runners
Off the Cuff
by OTC
3y ago
Sneakers can be a tricky thing. Often, they are either too sporty to be practicable for everyday wear or more shoe-like than performance, therefore limited to fashionable pursuits. There are some which can cross these lines – classic tennis shoes like Stan Smiths come to mind. All that being said, sneakers, especially purpose-built ones, have a job to do beyond simply looking good. And, as runners, the OTC crew know from good performance footwear. The Adidas Terrex line is one brand that we really like, and it’s a label that not everyone knows much about. Designed for trail running and non-sta ..read more
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Coming Soon: Ball and Buck’s New Active Anorak Jacket
Off the Cuff
by OTC
3y ago
Ball and Buck is not your typical menswear brand. Founded in 2008 by Mark Bollman, a guy who actually does a lot out-of-doors, this Boston-based company offers more than just rugged looking gear. B&B is an experiential brand for guys who don’t simply want to look like they hike, camp, shoot skeet, or trail blaze, but who also may really do (at least some) of those things. The label partners with classic makers on great product collaborations and has it’s own branded collection of timeless staples that can live in – or carry – your wardrobe for decades. We are excited to partner with the Ba ..read more
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