fyi | Take Ivy Interviews

Before I post Fall Bags part deux, an interview worth mentioning: Racked tracked down on of the blond-blue-eyed prepsters from Teruyoshi Hayashida iconic 1965 publication "Take Ivy." Combining my love for prep, history, and good ole' Ivy League elitism, the interview below with Ed Heald, Dartmouth '68, showcases his take on 1960's style.

When we moved to Ohio, Hudson had one of the best high schools in the state—and an ultra-prep environment, with bouffant hairstyles, Princeton cut button-down shirts, and penny loafers. It was the standard attire for guys out there, so going from high school in Ohio to Dartmouth, where prep style was very much the norm on campus, I had very little culture and fashion shock.

Heald's in the 1968 sweater. Definitely worth a look.

Take Ivy's also being republished by powerHouse Books and is being released on August 31, 2010.

want | Fall Bags Pt. 1

So, after years of buying relatively inexpensive crap, I've decided to start buying select investment pieces. First on the list: bags. Valet had a great fall bag post, but a lot of its suggested bags were just a little too clunky for me. Though I'm very partial to backpacks and ruck sacks and though every time I see the Albam Summit Pack I find it appropriate to use Rachel Zoe's god awful phrase "I die," backpacks are soon going to hit their saturation point.

And thus, it's between a briefcase or a messenger. Part 1 begins with briefcases. A few loves of my life below:







Steve Mono has some great briefcases. Young, relaxed, and beautiful leather.

And then you have the classic Filson:



Danish Mismo also has a great briefcase. A tad stiff though:



Beautifully constructed Glenroyal briefcase (only sold in Japan):




And of course Jack Spade; though I was never one for his logo all up out there.



Gah. Want them all.

stuff | So Here We Go Again

So, much like my 2nd grade diary and high school live journal, this blog has suffered from writerly neglect. And this would have been the perfect summer to reinvingorate -- living downtown (oooOO) away from the cesspit of depression known as Morningside Heights. But alas, here's to a new year -- my last year before real life -- and to a renewed commitment to posting.

I'm going to take the blog in a new direction, somewhere more menswear-style focused. Finally, figuring out how to use Google Reader, I've managed to compile all the blogs and sites that I've never been able to read due to laziness. And I've realized that I just really don't like blogs that try to curate a lifestyle for you. Keep my book choices away from my clothing choices away from my dining decisions. The whole 1960's vintage-life concept, especially, is getting overblown -- so no thank you, I will not read On The Road while looking at Life photos in my 1960's inspired J.Crew suit.

So, right. No more a mish mash of everything -- though I will post articles that have amused.

Also, fashion-focused. Mostly because I want to be a little fashionisto and fulfill my dreams of becoming male-Anna Wintour and get a lot of free crap that I would never be able to afford. I really have taken an interest in "fashion" -- whatever that term may mean. And though I may be no expert, I've had more direction in my own style and where I want go and what I'm looking for in pieces.

And so the "Good Man" will be looking for as follows; a manifesto if you will: disheveled, modern prep. I love preppy style, but at times it can get to stodgy. I like my Scandinavian-mod influences thrown in - new cuts, new colors, new takes. Work wear meets hipster chic.

But, regardless, here goes the relaunch to my 3 readers out there.