Classics just in time for the rain.

Powerful time lapse of rain clouds crossing… by WildFilmsIndia

Cover up in the rain, with Duluth Trading Company’s “Men’s Grab Jacket 2”

Duluth Trading Company, Grab Jacket: $69

Stay warm and dry when the wind blows rain your way with a simple, inexpensive Grab Jacket. If you’re a man of the seas and high winds, you may want to restock your supply of nautical cufflinks and Wellie rain boots.

Nautical Silver Anchor Cufflinks, $29

And no man wants to be caught outside with a soggy batch of matches. Ever get to camp ground and not be able to light your fire? The Doors would be disappointed. (haha) Anyways a perfect Halloween campfire or bon fire is not complete without a fire, or at least candles. Make sure your covered and so are your matches:

Marble’s Waterproof Match Box, from Duluth Trading Company: $10

And oh! Wellie Boots. The official rain boot of England comes surging to the fashion scene in the United States. And we’re okay with that. They look good on both sexes and can be paired with anything on a rainy day. Sometimes we even wear them when it’s not raining…

Men’s Short Hunter Boots

(and if it’s not raining, Make it Rain….)

Powerful time lapse of rain clouds crossing… by WildFilmsIndia
And keep your money intact while you’re making it rain. Or…if it’s already raining?

Fender Money Clip

And for a more ‘hunter-esque” type boot, try the new lace up green ones. Sweet. Step on em! Boom! Yeah! Nevermind. It’s hard to mix the mentality of the Carpenters and Lil Wayne in the same blog post, but alas, it’s been done! [Insert Frankenstein laugh here. Muahhhh]. And it mixes fashion that possibly both artists would enjoy.

Men’s Wellie Lace Up Boots

*Note, we do not, nor have we ever endorsed the Hunter or Duluth Brands. We just find them pretty fly, along with our own products. Just trying to spread the love during foggy weather.

Skimming through the pages in various magazines, catching the eye of style gurus on the subway, stopping to idly stare at illuminated shopping windows…all part of our job in the fashion industry. Although it seems that we simply recycle looks, adding a extra few modern touches, we are really revolutionizing fashion daily. Anything and everything you put on your back is a statement, whether you want it to be or not. A statement about who you are, where you come from, what’s important to you…What are you telling the world?

Style #1: 70s Swank

GQ magazine recently featured actor, and Jennifer Anniston’s beau, Justin Theroux in an array of vintage inspired trends. It’s a new, gritty spin on a seemingly over-worked genre of clothing:

Photograph by Nathaniel Goldberg, GQ Magazine

GET it: Jacket, $2,995 by Z Zegna. Henley, $110 by Vince. Necklace by Giles & Brother. Hat by Coal.

Tateossian Horse Cufflinks

And the street walking, urban hippie:

Photographs by Nathaniel Goldberg

GET it: Jacket, $2,495 by Boss Selection. Shirt, $125 by AllSaints. Jeans, $189 by Joe’s. Hat by A.P.C. Belt by Dsquared2. Bead necklace (top) by Giles & Brother. Other necklaces (vintage) by Melet Mercantile.

Gant by Michael Bastian

Pair this look with Sterling Silver Bear Cufflinks, from Pierce and Hobbs:ENAMEL BEAR AND BULL CUFFLINKS

 

Gucci, Fall 2011

 

Victorian Purple Script, Italian Silk Neck Tie: Daniel Dolce

AWOL bag, Duluth Trading Company; $225

Cream Silk, Italian Silk Neck Tie by Daniel Dolce

Stay tuned this week for more quick Trend Reports!

The joy of coffee. The joy of the early morning sunrise. The joy of screaming children on their way to school. The beatific sounds of construction and traffic. The wondrous burnt bagel you received from Fred. The joy of wearing two different colored socks unbeknownst to you. The joy of the slow stagger in your walk….Good morning Monday!

Sometimes the monotony, or even busyness, of each week can become unbearable. Everyone talks about how stress can cause severe physical problems: fatigue, heart trouble, circulatory problems, and even cancer. There are many little things you can do throughout each day to counter the effects of stress and add little drops of goodness to your life.

Om Symbol Cufflinks

1. Drink tea…slowly. Most of us hastily drink down our coffee or tea throughout the day, not taking our time in our consumption. Try this: brew some hot tea, either at work or home. Make sure your alone for at least ten minutes and if you are not, put on your headphones and tune out the world. The Japanese believe that tea drinking is a spiritual, zen activity, and so it is. While pouring the water in the glass, concentrate on slowing down time, visualizing the water as a cleansing agent, and transport yourself somewhere calm. Take long, deep sips of the tea. Think about the tastes, visualize light in your head and all around you. After ten minutes of this, you will undoubtedly feel much more relaxed and in tune with yourself.

2. Open your jaw for three minutes. That’s right. If you have a headache or tension in your body, believe it or not, we hold most of our tension in our jaws. It’s an extremely powerful muscle, used all throughout the day in talking, eating, chewing, grinding…Give it a break. The best part is, this can be done alone or in public. But you may look a little funny: Sit with your mouth slightly ajar for three minutes straight. Don’t completely lock your jaw in an open position, but let your jaw just hang there, let your tongue drop out a little. After about an entire minute, we promise you’ll feel different! This simple activity is so relaxingly powerful, you’ll thank us 🙂

Jupiter’s Moon Cufflinks

3. Instead of coming home to action packed TV or movies, try watching an old childhood film or cartoon favorite like superman movies.. It will instantly calm you, remind you of the inherent relaxation in childhood, and bring back warm memories. You may even forget the deadline for tomorrow and the next day and just focus on the colors, memorable songs, lines…etc. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with relishing in our favorite cartoons.

Superman Cufflinks

4. Once a day, turn off the phone and internet. Literally. After reading this even! Literally shut down your fancy phone so you don’t even see the pulsing lights and close your laptop. Science has recently shown that our brains are literally re-wired through the excess of technology–the constant beeping of phones, trains, computers, emails….sometimes we just need a break. Once a day, everyday, let the world know you will be unreachable for two hours. There is so much freedom in this simple activity, almost like taking a quick mountain hiatus in your daily routine.

5. Go outside and play your favorite sport. Even if it’s just for fifteen minutes. It will get your blood pumping, release “happy” endorphins in the brain, and release pent up stress, anger, and energy. Plus you’ll sleep better and get your metabolism going.

Football Season Cufflinks

People always wonder: are ghosts real? Paranormal TV presents a very interesting series on America’s Most Haunted Sites. Some of the stories are pretty eerie, so sit back and relax…if you can.

Manhattan Bistro, New York, New York
Manhattan Bistro, located at the ultra-trendy section of Soho at 129 Spring Street, is a French restaurant known for its famous ghost Juliana Elmore Sands. She was reportedly killed in the building in 1799 when her body was thrown into a well in the basement. Her spirit is often referred to as the “Ghost of Spring Street,” and can be seen as a vapor rising from the kitchen floor, occasionally scattering dishes and throwing ashtrays.

Emerald Eye Skull Cufflinks

Moundsville Penitentiary; Moundsville, West Virginia
Moundsville Penitentiary, located in West Virginia, has a history of being one of the most violent prisons in the United States. Around 1,000 inmates have made their way to this location and were holed up in cramped quarters. Many of the prisoners were hung or executed in the electric chair, but some were murdered by their fellow inmates, especially due to the excessive riots. Built over 100 years ago and closed in 1995, the tortured ghosts of the inmates are thought to be still trapped behind the jail bars, and visitors report to have seen and heard them on tours.

GRENADE CUFFLINKS

Waverly Hills Sanatorium Louisville, Ky.
Legend has it that this former Kentucky hospital is haunted by the ghosts of some of the thousands of ill-treated tuberculosis patients who died here in the mid-1900s. One of the most famous features is the “body chute,” which was used to transport corpses from the hospital to the bottom of the hill.

Stanley Hotel: Estes Park, Colo.
Staff at the 1909 hotel—which inspired Stephen King’s novel The Shining but is not where the 1980 movie was filmed—have heard parties in an empty ballroom and music from an untouched piano. Ghost hunters also report seeing a table jump two feet in the air.

The Myrtles Plantation; St. Francisville, LA

1796 plantation was reportedly location of a Native American burial site, which might explain some of the horrible happenings. Chloe, a slave-ghost who is alleged to have had a passionate romance with a rich Myrtle son but whose ear was cut off when she was discovered eavesdropping. Apparently she baked a poisonous birthday cake which killed the wife and two children. Ewww. Creepy.

The 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa, Eureka Springs, ARK

Crescent Hotel & Spa, Eureka Springs, Ark. Photo: Courtesy of the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa

FROM their official website: “These famous spirits include Michael, the Irish stonemason who fell to his death while building the hotel in 1885, Theodora, the cancer patient of the Dr. Baker hospital days who seems to need help finding her room key, Norman Baker in his white suit and lavender shirt, Morris the cat, a mystery patient in a white nightgown who appears in the luxury suites at the foot of your bed or any of the innumerable “spirits” who have been captured by the thousands of guests and hundreds of thousands of images captured while roaming the halls of this world famous hotel.

Investigated by the Sci-Fi Channel’s Ghost Hunters, the hotel has also been featured on NBC’s Today Show, A&E’s Haunted Road Trips, USA Today and most recently the Bio Network’s My Ghost Story, the hotel continues to gain popularity as the legend continues.

Frankenstein Stamp Cufflinks

In 2011, a new mystery has surfaced with a sighting believed to be world renown dancer Irene Castle seen at the hotel by a young visitor. Castle retired to Eureka Springs and passed at the local hospital. Read more on this celebrity ghost discovered in “America’s Most Haunted Hotel.””

You are what you wear. Or at least what you put on your feet. Not long ago, an individuals’ livelihood was directly dependent upon keeping their body safe from nature’s harsh elements. A good pair of shoes to ‘weather the storm’ was a necessity for survival and unsurprisingly, it still is. This season the  rustic, rugged, yet modernized hiking boot is back. Here are a few examples of the hottest trends for your toes this season:

1. Otadan boot from Aldo shoe stores. Actually, they have an entire line of casual boots that pair wonderfully with jeans, dress slacks, and even hiking gear. They won’t positively break the bank either, starting at around $150.

OTADAN, Casual Boot from Aldo. $150, www.aldoshoes.com

Pair this suave, rugged boot with a symbolic adornment from nature. You can take the great outdoors with you to that business meeting or unwanted weekend shopping trip with the wife. If you can’t have a fishing pole, a six pack, and a bon fire on a fall evening, you might as well take the woods with you:

SLAP STICK PINK CUFFLINKS

2. Next up we have possibly the best boots made in America: LL. Bean ‘s Beanboot with Thinsulate. The great thing about this type of boot is not only is it completely functional and stylish, but it is also hand-made in Maine. The can take a heavy mud beating, get rained on, and scrapped by unforgiving pavement, but they still protect your feet. You can also get them insulated with sheep’s fur for a slightly higher price. The BEST part is…wait for it…if at any time, with or without a receipt, you wish to exchange your boot for another pair, you can! No extra cost, no hassle, just simple quick exchange. And no, we do not work for LL bean….

Bean Boots by L.L.Bean®, 8″ Thinsulate

Isn’t hunting season coming up? Pair these ultra hip boots with a pair of hand-painted cufflinks from the famous Pierce and Hobbs:

RUBBER DUCKY CUFFLINKS

3. Last we have the classic Timberland boot with a twist. Not too street, yet not too rustic, this Timberland boot is a great spin on a classic look. The brown coloring will look great with just about any of this season’s sweater colors: grey, mustard, navy blue, and hunter green.

Men’s Earthkeepers® Original Leather 6-Inch Boot $180.00

Dress up or down, or even pair this boot with a Pierce and Hobbs hand painted boxer dog cufflink this season.

HAND PAINTED BOXER DOG CUFFLINKS

For more saving tips, style trends, and in-the-know facts, stay tuned to CLM.