TheCreativeRoutine

  • Archive
  • RSS
  • Ask me anything
  • Submit Here
banner
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters
ALEXANDER’S STYLE
I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.
To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni
Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?
I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s
PATRICK’S STYLE
Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…
Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.
The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection
Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic
EVAN’S STYLE 
There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact
Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead
Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters
ALEXANDER’S STYLE
I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.
To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni
Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?
I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s
PATRICK’S STYLE
Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…
Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.
The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection
Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic
EVAN’S STYLE 
There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact
Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead
Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters
ALEXANDER’S STYLE
I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.
To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni
Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?
I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s
PATRICK’S STYLE
Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…
Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.
The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection
Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic
EVAN’S STYLE 
There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact
Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead
Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters
ALEXANDER’S STYLE
I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.
To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni
Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?
I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s
PATRICK’S STYLE
Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…
Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.
The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection
Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic
EVAN’S STYLE 
There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact
Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead
Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters
ALEXANDER’S STYLE
I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.
To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni
Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?
I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s
PATRICK’S STYLE
Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…
Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.
The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection
Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic
EVAN’S STYLE 
There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact
Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead
Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters
ALEXANDER’S STYLE
I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.
To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni
Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?
I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s
PATRICK’S STYLE
Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…
Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.
The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection
Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic
EVAN’S STYLE 
There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact
Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead
Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters
ALEXANDER’S STYLE
I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.
To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni
Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?
I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s
PATRICK’S STYLE
Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…
Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.
The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection
Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic
EVAN’S STYLE 
There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact
Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead
Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters
ALEXANDER’S STYLE
I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.
To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni
Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?
I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s
PATRICK’S STYLE
Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…
Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.
The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection
Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic
EVAN’S STYLE 
There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact
Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead
Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters
ALEXANDER’S STYLE
I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.
To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni
Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?
I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s
PATRICK’S STYLE
Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…
Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.
The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection
Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic
EVAN’S STYLE 
There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact
Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead
Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters
ALEXANDER’S STYLE
I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.
To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni
Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?
I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s
PATRICK’S STYLE
Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…
Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.
The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection
Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic
EVAN’S STYLE 
There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact
Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead
Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info

1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters

ALEXANDER’S STYLE

I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.

To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni

Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?

I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s

PATRICK’S STYLE

Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…

Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.

The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection

Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic

EVAN’S STYLE 

There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact

Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead

Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.

    • #Downtown Thrift Shoot
    • #Fashion
    • #French
    • #Nashville
    • #Nashville TN
    • #Prep
    • #Sexy Sweaters
    • #TheCreativeRoutine
    • #Thrift
    • #Vintage
    • #Work Jacket
    • #menswear
    • #masonify
  • 1 year ago
  • 16
  • Permalink
Share

Short URL

TwitterFacebookPinterestGoogle+
More on the Breton Stripe
It’d be hard to say that I have a favorite piece from all of those that I highlighted in my most recent post, but if I had to choose, I would perhaps choose the Breton stripe. I find it to have the most intriguing history, at the very least.
As I previously stated,

The Breton stripe, or the nautical stripe, dates back to 1858. Declared into existence by the March 27, 1858 Act of France, the Breton stripe started off as a uniform for the French Navy. The stripes were said to be easily recognizable underwater, you know, for saving drowning sailors and such. Like many other fashion staples, it was quickly re-apportioned by non-military personnel for personal use.

After it came into existence, it was quickly picked up as general mariner wear by nautical types: sailors, fishermen, and others who made their trade on the sea. But for a while, the popularity and use of it was contained to northern France. This makes sense, because northern France is the area of Brittany (the area for which the stripe is named). I feel like there’s often confusion in regards to the origin of the Breton stripe. Since it’s sometimes referred to as “Briton stripes” and not Breton, people often assume that the famous stripe has some sort of origin in Britain. However, this is not the case. The Breton stripe is indeed French. Something that is not widely known is that the area of Brittany is often referred to as “Lesser Britain”, which explains why Great Britain is referred to as…Great Britain. Of course, northern France is just miles from the British Isles, so it makes sense that there’s been so much cross-cultural influence.

the flag of brittany, influenced by the breton stripe
Interestingly enough, the area of Brittany is said to be one of the six Celtic nations, and the Breton language is indeed a Celtic language.

which explains why these french soldiers are playing bagpipes
One of my favorite things about Breton stripes is their versatility. I featured them on this site as a summer staple, but really they can be worn year-round. These stripes look good on sweaters, polos, v-necks, crewnecks, t-shirts, long sleeves, and any other conceivable top.

they also look really good on james dean
But Breton stripes don’t have to be contained to just tops. I ran across an interesting photo of an individual sporting Breton striped socks. Pretty genius if you ask me. Striped socks are always the way to go (as Josh showed in my previous post).
And of course Breton stripes are completely unisex. Perhaps nobody wore them better than Audrey Hepburn.
What started off as 21 navy blue stripes (one for each of Napoleon’s victories) on a white shirt has evolved into so much more. And I absolutely love it. Find yourself a stripe for each season. I’m about to begin the process myself.
Pop-upView Separately

More on the Breton Stripe

It’d be hard to say that I have a favorite piece from all of those that I highlighted in my most recent post, but if I had to choose, I would perhaps choose the Breton stripe. I find it to have the most intriguing history, at the very least.

As I previously stated,

The Breton stripe, or the nautical stripe, dates back to 1858. Declared into existence by the March 27, 1858 Act of France, the Breton stripe started off as a uniform for the French Navy. The stripes were said to be easily recognizable underwater, you know, for saving drowning sailors and such. Like many other fashion staples, it was quickly re-apportioned by non-military personnel for personal use.

After it came into existence, it was quickly picked up as general mariner wear by nautical types: sailors, fishermen, and others who made their trade on the sea. But for a while, the popularity and use of it was contained to northern France. This makes sense, because northern France is the area of Brittany (the area for which the stripe is named). I feel like there’s often confusion in regards to the origin of the Breton stripe. Since it’s sometimes referred to as “Briton stripes” and not Breton, people often assume that the famous stripe has some sort of origin in Britain. However, this is not the case. The Breton stripe is indeed French. Something that is not widely known is that the area of Brittany is often referred to as “Lesser Britain”, which explains why Great Britain is referred to as…Great Britain. Of course, northern France is just miles from the British Isles, so it makes sense that there’s been so much cross-cultural influence.

the flag of brittany, influenced by the breton stripe

Interestingly enough, the area of Brittany is said to be one of the six Celtic nations, and the Breton language is indeed a Celtic language.

which explains why these french soldiers are playing bagpipes

One of my favorite things about Breton stripes is their versatility. I featured them on this site as a summer staple, but really they can be worn year-round. These stripes look good on sweaters, polos, v-necks, crewnecks, t-shirts, long sleeves, and any other conceivable top.

they also look really good on james dean

But Breton stripes don’t have to be contained to just tops. I ran across an interesting photo of an individual sporting Breton striped socks. Pretty genius if you ask me. Striped socks are always the way to go (as Josh showed in my previous post).

And of course Breton stripes are completely unisex. Perhaps nobody wore them better than Audrey Hepburn.

What started off as 21 navy blue stripes (one for each of Napoleon’s victories) on a white shirt has evolved into so much more. And I absolutely love it. Find yourself a stripe for each season. I’m about to begin the process myself.

    • #TheCreativeRoutine
    • #Breton Stripes
    • #Audrey Hepburn
    • #Menswear
    • #Men's Fashion
    • #Style
    • #Nautical Style
    • #French Style
    • #French
    • #France
    • #Great Britain
    • #Brittany
    • #Breton
    • #Briton
    • #Unisex
    • #Summer Style
  • 1 year ago
  • 21
  • Permalink
Share

Short URL

TwitterFacebookPinterestGoogle+

Portrait/Logo

About


creative - having the ability or power to create.

routine - an unvarying, habitual method or procedure.

TheCreativeRoutine. Seeking authentic pursuits of the mind.

Follow. Like. Re-blog. Comment. Tell your family and friends. Disseminate. If you like what you see, do all of the above.

Twitter

loading tweets…

I Dig These Posts

See more →
  • Photo via asvfe

    rewindthatbackk:

    ISABEL SIMPSON-KIRSCH

    PARSONS THESIS COLLECTION

    BASED 2013

    INSPIRED BY LIL B THE BASEDGOD

    ISABELSIMP.K@GMAIL.COM

    ...

    Photo via asvfe
  • Photo via jessesantana

    thecloudsaregathering:

    unsuccessfulmetalbenders:

    we went upstate and my dog was being a butt and trying to swipe at fish in the lake and...

    Photo via jessesantana
  • Photoset via mollysoda

    ghostparties:

    monika mogi

    Photoset via mollysoda
  • Photo via audreyhepburncomplex
    Photo via audreyhepburncomplex
  • Photo via pushthemovement
    Photo via pushthemovement
  • RSS
  • Random
  • Archive
  • Ask me anything
  • Submit Here
  • Mobile
Effector Theme by Pixel Union