I like nice things....but at nice prices.

     In an effort to post every day (and thus follow the advice of a very knowledgeable Austin reporter/blogger who was kind enough to let me interview him about getting started in journalism), I will be sharing my general thoughts and philosophies about cars, clothes and watches (translation: don't expect to see pictures in every post.)

     I have a very bad habit of "Windows" shopping in my free time.  Not only do I look for new arrivals, but I constantly scour the sales sections.  I don't have a bank roll that'll choke a hippo, so I have to be selective about purchasing the items that catch my eye.  I'm all for instant gratification, but you can lose your ass if you're constantly indulging a taste for Brooks Brothers shirts and Johnston and Murphy shoes, price be damned.

     I don't consider myself an especially patient person, but, somehow, I've discovered that if you wait long enough, you can scoop some killer deals.  Granted, those items on sale are typically out of season, but who gives a shit?  If you're buying the right thing, you'll be able to comfortably wear it when the appropriate weather comes around again, and for years after that.  I fondly remember buying a lovely raincoat last year at an end of season clearance sale for 70 percent off.  It's an ecru, 3/4 length raincoat whose only embellishment is epaulettes.  I can wear that puppy for the next 10 years, at least (the 3/4 length might become a little dated in the future.) 

     Patience truly is a virtue when building your wardrobe.  You can buy more items when they're all on sale.  I would rather have a shirt, a pair of pants and a pair of playful socks in a few weeks instead of a shirt right now.  However, there are certain items that never seem to go on sale, such as Tiffany's silver, Coach retail products (although they have an outlet store on eBay and their own outlet website) and Rolex watches (I've heard of people getting slight discounts at authorized dealers, but those discounts don't seem to be as high as those for Omegas.)
    
     For the most part, though, a lot of menswear sites seem to have perennial sales sections.  Keep in mind that the inventory changes with the seasons.  One sales section I always check is Brooks Brothers'.  You could say that, even on sale, their stuff is ridiculously pricey, but when I gotta have it, I gotta have it.

     One of my favorite online menswear magazines, Valetmag.com, has a great section listing all the sales and deals to be had in the world of menswear.  Check it out here. 

     Happy hunting, fellas!

I am now a Writer Extraordinaire!

     Quick update: I am now a Writer Extraordinaire with a Houston-based company that edits resumes for job seekers. 

     My job will involve taking customers' original resumes and organizing/rewriting them to make them more effective at showing a company why they should hire our clients.  The position is part-time and allows me to work from home using Google Chat, Dropbox, Desk.com and Skype. 

     I think this position will really hone my analytical skills and attention to details.  It will also leave me enough time for school and freelance writing.  Time for a cigar to celebrate!

A (Very) Belated Christmas Post

      Hey, everyone.  Time again for another wardrobe post. 

     Christmas was kind to me.  I got to spend time with my family and my girlfriend, as well as with my girlfriend's sweet and warm-hearted family in Palestine, Texas. 

 

     Christmas was also kind to me in a material way: I got a nice haul of clothes and grooming supplies!  It's funny how when I was a kid, I didn't want clothes as a Christmas gift; now, they're all I want.  I guess that's part of getting older (and, hopefully, more stylish.)

 

     I must say that my girlfriend's sister and brother-in-law got me a great lavender gingham shirt, but, unfortunately, it was a little small, so I exchanged it for Ross store credit.  I'm hoping to find something as good-looking as that shirt with which to replace it.

 

     Anyway, here are the new additions to my wardrobe and bathroom sinktop: 

 

Here is the lovely Geoffrey Beene tie that my girlfriend's "Aunty Dine" got me from Bealls. It has a lot of characteristics that I like: blue, polka dots and a green base that matches my eyes. Hmmm...I think my girlfriend gave her aunt a crib sheet on my tastes.

When I knotted this tie for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by the weight and thickness of the silk.



The maker's mark.

Hmmm...what could be in here?



Getting closer...



Boom! 



My girlfriend Misty bought me this beautiful teal pocket square and I love it, not only for its color and polka dots, but also for its generous proportions.  It's king-sized!

The stitching looks as if it was done by hand.

 

Plopped in.

Ain't it purddy?

 

Let me guess where this came from.  :-P

Almost there...



Stop teasing...

Ah ha!  My girlfriend paid attention.  Every time I go with her to Sephora, I go to the men's section and gussy myself up with Jack Black eye balm, face lotion, body lotion (on my elbows), lip balm and cologne (if I'm not wearing any already) while she shops for base and eye cosmetics.   

I had never used the Beard Lube before, so this was a pleasant first experience for me.  It's a three-in-one pre-shave oil, shaving cream and post-shave balm.  It's light and creamy and creates a comforting buffer between my face and my safety razor.  I already use a face moisturizer, but this one has a higher SPF level and comes from the same company as my new shaving cream.  I love having things from a matching set. 

 

 



Here are some great socks that my mom got me, mainly from Last Call for Neiman Marcus.  I love the colors of the socks on the left (and argyle socks in general), but I am not impressed with their wrinkle resistance.  They have a lot to learn from their more resilient, more presentable drawer-mates.



I love the marled green-and-white camp socks in the middle and wearing them with corduroys and Sperrys.  The orange-and-blue argyles on the right are one of my all-time favorite pairs because just looking at them is fun and pleasant.



Introducing the handsome quilted Barbour jacket my mom got me from Orvis.  I had wanted a quilted jacket like this, in this color, for the past couple of years.   



Where's my check for all this free advertising, Barbour?  :-P



Body shot.

    

Shopping Shot-Outs:

    

     Give the Bealls website a peek if you like my new tie.

 

     If you like my new pocket square from The Texas Clothier and would like to pay them a visit, click here to learn more about them and find out their address and hours.

 

     For guys who are not familiar with Sephora: Check out their men's section here.

 

     Learn more about Jack Black skin care and grooming products on their website.

 

     Find plenty of great deals on socks and other things at LastCall.com.

 

     The Orvis website has quilted jackets like mine and plenty of other great outdoor clothes and accessories.

 

     Go straight to the source and look at all of Barbour's jackets and clothing at Barbour.com.

 

     *Visit my girlfriend's artist website to see her fantastic portfolio of work.  If you're in the Austin area, please buy a ticket to her RAW artist showcase (February 21st) here.  Be sure to select Misty Poe when you're given the choice of which artist's show you're going to see.

    

Going Back to the Future: A Layman's DeLorean DMC-12 Design Review



     I've been fortunate to know my best friend Jacob since we were in 7th grade.  We became friends when we started talking about, among other things, the fifth-generation (C5) Corvette.  Our friendship since then has been full of talking about and going to look at cars, as well as watches and clothes.

     Jake, a very talented Transportation Design student at the illustrious Art Center College of Design, has been a supporter of "Watches, Whips and Wardrobe" since I started it and was kind enough to read my term paper about the media practices and biases applied to and exploited by John Z. DeLorean (which you can read elsewhere on "Watches, Whips and Wardrobe" here.)  He recently requested I critique the design of the (in)famous DeLorean DMC-12.  Who am I to say no to my best friend?  Below are a few key facts about the DMC-12 and a layman's analysis of its design. 





DELOREAN DMC-12

Model Years Made: 1981-1983

Number Produced: <9,000 

Country of Production: Northern Ireland

Engine: 2.8 liter V6

Horsepower: 130 (US-spec)

0-60: 10 seconds

Designed By: Giorgetto Giugiaro



The obvious color difference between the stainless-steel-on-fiberglass bodywork and the "nosecone" appears a little low-grade.  I can imagine this piece was not made of stainless steel for safety reasons, though.  (Photo courtesy of ConceptCarz.com.) 

The large, flat trunklid makes me think of an oversized ice chest.  I'd still love to flip it up and fill it with a cool set of matching luggage for a weekend trip out of town.  (Photo courtesy of ConceptCarz.com.)



What design review of the DMC-12 would be complete without a shot of those remarkable gullwing doors?  If people don't notice this car going down the road, they'll certainly notice it when the owner steps out of it.  It really makes me think of a time machine that you're sealed inside of when those unique doors are flush against the perennially attractive bodywork.  (Photo courtesy of ConceptCarz.com.)

For such an attention-getting car, the front end is surprisingly plain. The grill is a generic corporate blank with horizontal ribs and is flanked by nondescript, square headlights. You know what?   I don't care. The DMC-12 looks bad-ass in spite of it.   (Photo courtesy of ConceptCarz.com.)



The profile almost makes me think of a shooting brake. The black side moldings lead your eye down the length of the car and keep it from looking blank and slab-sided. The front wheels appear a little too small, especially when compared to the rear wheels, but the size difference between the two sets gives the car a certain rake and feeling of pent-up power and speed.  However, the car still appears too high-riding.  The tiny side windows are an unfortunate side effect of the construction limitations of the gullwing doors.  (Photo courtesy of ConceptCarz.com.)



The rear end is one of my favorite parts of the DMC-12. The tailights are very '80s grid-style units with amber turn signals, set under a massive rear window covered with black louvres - a cool, Mustang Mach 1 touch. The dual exhausts are a progressive touch for a non-muscle car that went into production in the early 1980s.  Giugiaro worked magic by taking conventional, straight lines and combining them with sterile, unpainted stainless steel to create one of the most eye-catching, iconic automobiles in the world.  (Photo courtesy of ConceptCarz.com.)



This angle shows a substantial rear overhang, adding to the shooting brake image. An original concept sketch of the DMC-12 had the rear side windows blanked out - a choice that, fortunately, did not make it into production. It would have made the rear end look even bigger and heavier and ruined the car's looks. The wheels pleasantly remind me of the face of an airliner's jet engine.  (Photo courtesy of ConceptCarz.com.)

As interesting as the car looks on the outside, its interior is pretty dull.  I blame most of that on the severely limited available color palette of black or grey. Other than that, the design seems to be standard '80s squares and rectangles and white-on-black analog guages. The steering wheel looks like it's straight out of a spare parts bin.   (Photo courtesy of ConceptCarz.com.)



    
     Even though the original DeLorean Motor Company went under, it was resurrected several years ago.  If you live in Texas and you're reading this, I have great news: The new DeLorean Motor Company is now headquartered near Houston, in Humble, Texas!  They restore and repair old DeLoreans and offer "new" cars built out of unused original parts.  Watch out for the all-electric DeLorean DMC-12 coming out this year.  The new DMC has dealerships across the United States and in Europe.  Check out their website at http://delorean.com/.

     You can also check out Motorweek's 1982 review of the DMC-12 on Youtube: http://youtu.be/bh_4LemfCDg.

     If you'd like to see a ton of cool car pictures (including a lot of the DeLorean DMC-12), go to ConceptCarz.com.

John Z. DeLorean and the Media

          Below is the term paper I wrote for my Critical Issues in Journalism class, in which I discuss the media biases applied to and exploited by John Z. DeLorean.  I got a perfect score on it.  (Yay!)  Please let me know what you think of it. 

John Z. DeLorean and the Media

          As a captain of industry, the late John DeLorean was not a stranger to the media and the biases with which it operated.  As an ideas man and skilled promoter, he also used those media biases and prevalent practices to his advantage.  DeLorean was a target for cueing, an exploiter of framing and possessed the credibility to support that framing.

          It should come as no surprise that DeLorean, a successful engineer with Packard and lucrative division manager at General Motors, was the subject of rampant media cueing.  One cue applied to DeLorean was the sort, using a variety of words, which painted a picture of him as a flashy, jet-setting, glamorous playboy.  DeLorean’s obituary from the New York Times in 2005 included a description of him as a “flamboyant automobile industrialist” in its first line.  Houston station KHOU-11’s coverage of the revived DeLorean Motor Company several years ago called the DeLorean DMC-12 “a sports car built by the rich and famous for the rich and famous” and DeLorean himself “a jet-setting ex-GM celebrity.”  Hemmings Muscle Machines magazine described his lifestyle as “extravagant” and “rockstar-like.”  The documentary “Anything to Win: The Crash of John DeLorean” called him “an international playboy” and “an iconoclastic celebrity businessman.”

          Another type of cue used for DeLorean was that which depicted DeLorean as a rebel or nonconformist.  As far back as 1969, Sports Illustrated said, “Yet there are those who predict that General Motors will clamp down on its house rebel and that he will accept the clamps if he harbors any thoughts of gaining the corporation's presidency—a job at least 10 years in the future if GM tradition means anything.”  People magazine published the 1980 article “G.M. Renegade John Delorean Toots His Own Horn with a New Life, New Book and a New Car.”  In 2008, The Detroit News ran an article titled “The rise and fall of John DeLorean, dashing, maverick automaker.”

          The third cue the media has used for DeLorean is that of conman, although he was never convicted in his notorious cocaine trafficking case.  The New York Times Style Magazine described him as a clarinet-playing former engineer that turned into a hipster conman.  In 2005, The Guardian summarized DeLorean as “a world-class conman” for his association with fraud, embezzlement, tax evasion and defaulted loans in its article “John DeLorean: American car-maker and conman whose victims included the UK and the US governments.”

          It is clear that DeLorean was a bountiful source of cueing opportunities for the press and that the press indulged in those opportunities often.  Cues such as “jet-setting”, “maverick” and “con man” are quick, easy ways of not only gaining an audience’s attention, but of emotionally involving the audience in the story.

          Given DeLorean’s well-known history of legal troubles, it seems appropriate that his story is one rife with framing - albeit media framing, constructed by those at DeLorean Motor Company and the media itself.  The DeLorean DMC-12 print ad and commercial featured the tagline “Live the Dream.”  This frame tapped into consumers’ inner Walter Mitty complexes.  Automobiles inspire visions of freedom, independence and unforgettable journeys and the gullwing doors swinging up as the line is superimposed on the screen and gulls flying over the ocean only serve to entice viewers to chase those visions and live their dreams behind the wheel of the DeLorean DMC-12.  Automobiles are also glamorous status symbols and the DMC-12 print ad showed DMC’s awareness of this by stating that other drivers would be envious as a DMC-12 owner drove by.

          Another example of framing lies in the media stating that DeLorean “broke the mold” in the automotive industry.  Forbes magazine said DeLorean “broke the mold” when he founded his eponymous motor company in 1975.  Fox News’ obituary for DeLorean said, “DeLorean ‘broke the mold’ of staid Midwestern auto executives by pushing General Motors Corp. to offer smaller models, auto historians said.”  Such a frame is comprehensible and familiar to most news viewers and implies that DeLorean is exciting and revolutionary, which is, conveniently, the kind of person viewers are likely to tune in to see and learn more about.

          DeLorean had the credibility to justify his self-imposed framing.  One could argue that he lived the dream suggested by his company’s advertising.  He dated glamorous movie stars Raquel Welch and Ursula Andress while he was a free-wheeling bachelor.  DeLorean was married to Kelly Harmon and the successful model Christina Ferrare, undoubtedly the objects of many a man’s desires.  He also had lavish estates in New Jersey and New York and socialized with celebrities such as Johnny Carson and Sammy Davis, Jr.  Luxurious homes and high-profile friends are typically envied possessions - much like a DMC-12 would appear to other motorists.  Perhaps this credibility is what caused the DMC-12 to be such a highly anticipated release and DeLorean to be such a successful automobile promoter.

          Although the media filtered the picture of John DeLorean through its prism of cueing, he was able to appeal to customers by making them see the DMC-12 in the favorable light cast by advantageous framing and shined brightly as a beacon of credibility.

My Favorite Coat: Fox-y, Furry and Fancy

     I've come to discover that aside from shoes, you can never have too many coats and jackets.  There are so many different occasions and circumstances in which you might need a certain kind of outerwear. 

     I have quite the assortment these days, but it has its holes.  I'm still looking for a great car coat, an overcoat to wear over a suit, a more casual overcoat (like this moleskin number from Banana Republic) and a toggle coat (this one would be nice.) 

     However, I'm happy to be able to say I have plenty of barn jackets, a blazer (which desperately needs an upgrade), a couple of sports coats, some nylon outdoors jackets, a wonderful Brooks Brothers rain coat, a Gap jean jacket, some Polo zip-up jackets and this lovely thrift store find from Fox Knapp...

 

Just hangin' out.

 

Collar down.



Collar up.  Keeps me from having to bring a scarf.

     Now that I have this coat, I'm very drawn to faux fur collars (just take a look at some of my Pinterest pins.)  I still can't believe in what flawless shape this coat was when I found it.  No stains, no tears, no shedding, nothing.  The stitch holding the rear vent closed was still intact.  Its condition is even more impressive when you consider this coat was probably made in the 1970s (the wide pocket flaps are a tell.) 
     My only complaints about it are: the body is a little boxy (that can probably be removed by a tailor) and the "woven leather" buttons are hard plastic.  Overall, though, I love this piece and look for reasons to wear it.  It's warm, has an attractive herringbone pattern and its "fur" collar makes an elegant statement (with a Victorian English accent, I imagine.) 
     If you'd like to see more of Fox Knapp's outerwear, you can find a lot of it on eBay.

My First Time with Florsheim

     Anyone who knows me or has read/seen this blog knows I have pretty conservative tastes in fashion.  I prefer classic designs that have stood the test of time, like knitted ties, argyle socks, saddle shoes, bucks and penny loafers.  They always look good, which means you won't spend money on something that's going to look awful and dated in 2 years.
     With that in mind, it makes sense that I developed an interest in Florsheim shoes.  I've always had an appreciation for American clothing/shoe brands (although these days it's likely that companies which started out American-owned and -operated back in the 19th and 20th centuries are now owned by foreign companies.  However, I am happy to report that Florsheim is owned by the Weyco Group located in Glendale, Wisconsin.)  For those unfamiliar with Florsheim, it was started by Milton Florsheim of Chicago in 1892.  Florsheim boots were worn by soldiers in the Spanish-American war of 1898 and in both World Wars.  Florsheim still makes classic shoe styles, but it has also partnered with Duckie Brown to add some modern twists to timeless designs. 
     A few days ago, I was poking around my local Nordstrom Rack store in search of whimsical socks.  That proved fruitless, but since I was already there, I decided to see what kind of shoes were available.  I'm glad I did.  I found a pair of Florsheim Lowell tassle loafers at a motivated-to-sell price that I couldn't pass up.  Not wanting to rush to purchase, I tried on both the 11s (hard to get on and instantly binding) and the 11.5s, which wound up being very comfortable.  I'm confident of this because I wore them to walk around the store to look for the size 11s.  Since I got such a great deal on them, I decided to get a pair of cedar shoe trees to deoderize and maintain them (Nordstrom Rack has a great price on cedar shoe trees as well.) 
     I am so glad I got these Lowells.  They're my first pair of Florsheims, my first tassle loafers, a great pair of dress/casual nighttime shoes and they have leather soles.  Anyway, enough blabbing from me - here are the shoes!
    

Lookin' good!

 

 

 

     For those of you who'd like your own pair of Florsheim Lowell tassle loafers: they're available at 6pm.com for 26 percent off retail price.

 

     If you happen to be in the Austin area and would like to see what a Nordstrom Rack store has to discover, click to find out the North store's location and hours here and the South store's location and hours here.