Army Knit Tie and Floral Chambray Pocket Square

I first caught wind of the Knottery the same way a lot of early adopters did, through other blogs.  Jack and Jay’s foray into the world of ties caused a stir early on, as the company seemed to have their pulse on exactly what the young menswear crowd was looking for.  The designs were attractive and varied, but most importantly everything was accessible.  Clocking in at well under fifty dollars, the Knottery’s ties filled a gap in the market, offering affordable ties that actually looked good.  I personally fell neatly into the brand’s demographic and picked up one of their first knit silk ties.  The tie was crafted well beyond it’s price point, and for the first time I found myself wearing ties just for the hell of it.

Brown Leather Nato Strap

Luckily, around this time I had a chance to actually meet Jay and learn a bit more about the brand.  The Knottery had recently started expanding beyond ties and pocket squares, and was beginning to develop into an all around accessories brand.  It was this type of “try anything once” mentality that has always struck me about the Knottery, and likely is the key to their success.  Free from the limitations and restrictions that can plague other brands, the Knottery has been able to experiment, and allow their ideas to guide them, all the while creating an increasingly larger collection of products for an ever receptive audience.  As Jay recounted stories of working with this guy on a pair of inexpensive glasses (forthcoming), and that manufacturer on a hat (available now), and yet another factory on a varsity jacket (scrapped) it became clear that the Knottery was a brand that was still in flux in the best kind of way.  By offering a range of products that spans everything from ties, pocket squares, and lapel flowers to belts, and shoelaces to five panels, eyeglass holders, and NATO straps, Jack and Jay’s company is impossible to describe in just one sentence.  Although if I had to give it a shot I would say the Knottery is ultimately about curiosity, taking an idea, and searching for a way to execute it on their terms.

Army Knit Tie

Army Knit Tie

Floral Chambray Pocket Square

Brown Leather NATO Strap

Brown Leather NATO Strap

When we overuse certain words, they tend to lose some of their meaning overtime.  In the age of the internet, and particularly in menswear writing, we seem to fall back on describing everything in the positive, saying that things are the greatest or the best, and after a while it’s hard to differentiate between what’s actually that great and what’s just good.  Which is why when I learned that Esemplare is Italian for exemplary, I was skeptical, not because what I had seen of the brand already wasn’t impressive, but strictly because when you stake a claim as being the best, you better be able to carry that through in everything that you do.  And then, as I began learning about Esemplare and their history, the name suddenly made sense, because when you’re a company that has been around for over fifty years and you still use the same production and design philosophy that you were founded upon, you have a right to call yourselves exemplary.

In 1961, Manifattura Riese (the company’s factory) began manufacturing clothes based on a system that combined technological advances of the day, with the handcrafted traditions of his native Italy.  The company’s intention was to create clothes that were not simply worn, but became a reflection of who you were.  Esemplare’s designs were then and have always been about foundations, taking away superflous elements to create clothes that are about complimenting the man.  Utilizing natural lines, and details that actually have a purpose, Esemplare has created clothes that are natural, and grant you the ability to be a bit careless.  Esemplare’s vision was to utilize high-quality production (something that continues today as Esemplare still employs the same factory from 1961) to make clothes that were more about how you live you life in it’s entirety than how you look in a fleeting moment.  Thankfully, Esemplare is easier to find today than ever, with more and more U.S. and international stockists being introduced with each collection.

For years now the menswear scene has been suffering from a case of regional bias.  While we have been focusing all of our attention on England, Italy, the U.S., Japan, and occasionally Spain and France, we also seemed to ignore some of the largest and culturally richest countries in the world.  Which is why it’s was about time that a company like Industry of All Nations was created, a brand that turns our attention onto oft-overlooked regions and their respective styles.  Belts and espadrilles from Argentina, sweaters from Bolivia, jeans and shirts from southeast India, loafers from Buenos Aires, sneakers from Kenya, slippers from Mexico.  IOAN has adopted an approach rarely seen in modern menswear, ignoring the typical “style capitals,” focusing instead on lesser talked about countries and the products that make them unique.  By going straight to the source, IOAN is able to offer products as they’ve always been, maintaining century’s old designs and localized production to keep everything as authentic as possible.

From my experience, this attitude is clearly paying off when it comes to their products.  I had seen the faja belt and Portenos saddle loafers in person before, and while I was drawn to the  look of them, it wasn’t until IOAN sent me a pair of their sport espadrilles that I had a chance to try their stuff out for myself.  First things first, these are not some goodyear soled, thousand dollar cordovan leather dress shoes, and they certainly will not last as long.  But this is part of the appeal of espadrilles, the sole is made of braided rope and will wear away and fray overtime, (the box itself even says “meant to fray”). The rope sole does have some advantages though, as it flexes, rolling off on each impact for a very comfortable feel.  The shoe itself dates back to 1907, when a factory in Alpargatas, Argentina began producing them, and since that day the design and technique have all remained the same.  The laces give the shoe a different look than most espadrilles, which is nice as they don’t tread into the dangerous Toms territory.  Overall, the sport espadrilles have that perfect summer kick around feel, they’re breathable and simple and at only thirty-five dollars, you can afford to toss them on and let ‘em fray.

James Bond wearing a NATO Strap in Goldfinger

I, like most people, have always believed that the NATO strap was somehow related to the real NATO, that the straps were standard issue for the soldier’s of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and that’s how they got their name.  Yet, the truth is that the straps don’t come from NATO at all, they’re actually a product of the British military and their official title is the G10 watch strap.

Military Issue 20mm Admiralty Grey NATO Strap

The British Ministry of Defense has had a long history of issuing nylon straps to their soldiers as part of their uniforms.  Unlike leather or other materials, nylon is sturdy, light, and easy to take off in a pinch.  While these straps went through many different incarnations over the years, the NATO strap as we know it today was issued sometime during the sixties, taking the name “G10″ from the title of the form needed to acquire one.  The authentic military grade G10 only specifies a twenty millimeter watch strap in admiralty grey, so unfortunately all those bright colored NATOs that are out there today wouldn’t fly in the service.  But it was that civilian attraction to the design of the G10 that brought the NATO strap to the plain clothes public, as military surplus stores began stocking the straps.  And this is where the term “NATO” actually comes from, as the straps were identified by their NSN or NATO stock number, which was eventually just shortened to NATO.  As Sean Connery exemplified in Goldfinger, NATO straps are an easy way to some character to your favorite watch, without skimping on durability.  And while Bond kept it relatively reserved with his strap, companies today continue to push the envelope by offering NATOs in increasingly brash and inventive color ways.

Navy and Red NATO Strap by the Knottery

Army Green NATO Strap

Orange NATO Strap

Navy NATO Strap

Navy and Yellow NATO Strap

Navy and Green NATO Strap by the Knottery

Red White and Blue NATO Strap by the Knottery

Red and Khaki NATO Strap by the Knottery

Brown Leather NATO Strap by the Knottery

As Put This On recently pointed out, over the past few years designers have begun to reinterpret the understated GAT, or German Army Trainer, selling their versions of the sneaker at a price point, generally agreed to be outrageous. While brands such as Maison Martin Margiela, Dior, and Agnes B. were no doubt drawn to the GAT’s minimalist design, they nonetheless presented the simple sneaker in a high fashion context that’s a far cry from the trainer’s original utilitarian purposes.

In the seventies, prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the recently reorganized German Military was outfitted with the original GATs.  Featuring little more than a rubber sole for traction and an all leather body for comfort, German Army Trainers were first and foremost a shoe designed for soldiers during indoor exercises.  For these soldiers they were a practical means to an end–a sneaker more revered for its comfort during training than for its aesthetic merits.  Today, thanks in part to their recent reintroduction by contemporary brands, the GAT has become one of the preeminent options for a clean, white sneaker.  And while those “designer sneakers” might run you several hundred dollars, it is still possible to find a pair of surplus GATs direct from Germany for about eighty bucks, just by doing some crafty eBaying.  Check out the links below for some options.

eBay Germany: “Bundesweher Sneaker” - “Bundeswehr Sportschuhe” - “Bundeswehr Hallenschuhe” - “Bundeswehr Trunschuhe” - “Bundeswehr”

“StyleForum German Army Trainers Thread” A few users in here are willing to proxy them Germany.

“SuperFuture German Army Trainers Thread” This user proxies GATs from Germany

Considering the fact that half of you reading this right now are probably wearing one, It’s only right to start this week off with the most commonplace of all acronymic items– the OCBD (oxford cloth button down.)  While the latter half is attributed to the shirt’s button down collar, Oxford Cloth itself has a far less straightforward explanation.  As the last remaining fabric from a series of four, Oxford cloth’s story is one of inexplicable survival.  In the late nineteenth century a Scottish Mill designed and produced four cloths, one for each of the world’s most distinguished universities.  While Harvard, Yale, and Cambridge all had their respective cloths lost to history, for reasons unknown Oxford endured becoming one of the most widespread fabrics in the world.  Oxford cloth is created by weaving together two yarns that are of the same color but just a shade different, giving it a marled texture that breaks from the ordinary aesthetic of a solid dress shirt.

Oxford Cloth shirts were originally perceived to be a piece of formal wear and were exclusively worn as part of a suit.  This all began to change in 1896, when John E. Brooks, (the grandson of Henry Sand Brooks, the founder of Brooks Brothers’) went to England and noticed that polo players were wearing shirts with button down collars to keep them secured during games.  Brooks brought the design back to the states, and Brooks Brothers combined the button down collar with oxford cloth to create the OCBD.  They remained a relatively formal shirt until the 1930′s, when tennis and polo players began wearing Oxford cloth button downs during their games.  While these were still unequivocally upper class sports, they nonetheless placed the Oxford shirt in an entirely new context, and by the 50′s Ivy League undergrads were wearing OCBD’s.  For the students, and their limited wardrobes, the versatile shirts were a major asset.  OCBD’s could not only be worn untucked on weekends, or with a jacket when going out, the shirts relaxed basket weave also allowed them to be worn pretty much year round.  Today, practically every company produces their version of the OCBD, and they’re somewhat of a collectors item, not because they’re rare but because you can never collect too many.

Mark McNairy

Thom Browne

Epaulet

Gitman Vintage

Gant Rugger

Polo Ralph Lauren

Björn Borg

There was a time, during tennis’ early days, when the entire sport could be described as simple.  Casual games were played between friends on country clubs’ grass courts during the weekends.  They dressed in basic white shoes, wide legged pants, long sleeve button downs, or the occasional polo shirt, and tennis sweaters in the cooler weather.  The competitive sphere was fragmented and difficult to make a living off of, which kept pro tennis is relative obscurity.  And then in the early seventies, the sport experienced a major shift.  The professional circuit became more organized as “The Open Era” was ushered in, allowing players to travel along the tour circuit and live off their tournament earnings.  As tennis was legitimized, public interest in the sport rose sharply, and television networks began broadcasting matches.

John McEnroe

These televised games introduced the modern tennis star to the American public and by the late seventies, tennis was dominated by players that were noteworthy not merely for their prowess on the court, but for their larger than life personalities.  It was a time when players were unforgiving and unforgettable, when pros proudly wore Fila headbands, striped polos, long hair, and Nike sneakers as they won championships.  Players such as John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg were idolized not only for their skill, but for their personalities as well.  This was an era when audiences would sit on the edge of their seats, as games would come down to that final point.  And then as that last hit would land just so, turning pro into champion, that player would fall to his knees and let out a defiant victory cry.  It is those moments that define the golden years of tennis - extraordinary athletes  playing the once simple game with legendary style.

Björn Borg

John McEnroe

Björn Borg and John McEnroe

Jimmy Connors

Jimmy Connors and Arthur Ashe

John Newcombe

Guillermo Vilas

Guillermo Vilas

Ivan Lendl

Ilie Nastase

Ilie Nastase

Arthur Ashe

Ken Rosewall

Stan Smith

Onny Parun

Manuel Orantes

Manuel Orantes

Roscoe Tanner

Roscoe Tanner

Pro Bill Tilden Wearing a Tennis Sweater

Since I’ve started writing about menswear I had never come across a topic that I simply couldn’t find a clear narrative about,—that was until I decided to write about the tennis sweater.  As I attempted to string together the history of this classic piece of American sportswear, it became clear that no one really knows exactly where it came from.  It’s not as if the sweater hasn’t been popular for decades, there are even photos dating as far back as the thirties of tennis players sporting these cable knit v-neck sweaters on the court.  The biggest problem with determining exactly where the tennis sweater comes from is that it actually isn’t exclusive to tennis.

Tennis Sweater from Apparel Arts 1935

Around the turn of the 20th century, tennis pros were seen wearing early versions of the tennis sweater that had thin, spread out stripes around a v-neck collar.  But from here the sweaters took an odd and indirect route,  ending up as ski gear both in the U.S. and in Europe.  While it’s not clear how they moved from the court to ski resorts, by the twenties the cable knit sweaters had found their place on the slopes.  From there, it was the Prince of Wales, in his typical innovative manner, who brought the sweater onto the links, wearing it as part of his golf outfit.

The Four Musketeers of Tennis – Henri Cochet, Jacques Brugnon, René Lacoste, and Jean Borotra

By this time the sweater had arrived at it’s modern incarnation—a white body, with cable stitching across the front, and colored stripes tight around a v-neck collar.  The Prince of Wales favored the touch of color amidst the simplicity, a style that was quickly picked up by American golfers on courses throughout the nation.  Interestingly enough, back in Europe the sweaters had also found their way onto the pitch, as cricket players, following the Prince of Wales’ example, started wearing them. This is why today the terms “tennis sweater” and “cricket sweater” are often used interchangeably.  Once the sweaters had made their way into country clubs, it was an easy step onto the court, allowing play to continue well into the cooler months.  It was here that the tennis sweater found its rightful place, becoming an iconic part of the sport itself.  Off the court the tennis sweater became a casual favorite of everyone from Cary Grant to suburban dads.  The tennis sweater is less easy to find these days, but  it’s unmistakable cable stitching and colored stripes, still make it a timeless piece.

Brooks Brothers Cable Knit Cotton Tennis Sweater

Polo Ralph Lauren Cable-Knit Tennis Sweater

Smart Turnout Ampleforth Tennis Vest (Also Available in Long Sleeves)

Smart Turnout Navy Tennis Sweater

Charles Trywhitt Off-White Cotton Sweater

Charles Tyrwhitt Navy Cotton Sweater

Tennis Pro Charlie Pasarell Wearing Boast in 1975

In 1973 when Bill St. John founded Boast, the company’s name was not just a word, it encapsulated the very spirit of American tennis during that era.  The early’s 70′s were a time of American dominance on and off the court, when players with big personalities would win games with authority and then go out for a few beers after.  During that year, St. John was working as a resident pro in Greenwich, Connecticut when decided to start a company that would emulate this bold era of American tennis.  Boast’s tennis sweaters became an instant success, not only on the tennis courts but in golf and squash as well.  Boast tapped into the attitude of this period, when athletes were brash and creative, and creatives dabbled in sports.  For Boast, this was a time of dominance in their own right as, everyone from the Yale squash team, to tennis pros, to John Updike sported the company’s maple leaf logo.

John Updike Wearing Boast

While that maple leaf emblem might have fallen out of the public eye for a few years now, the brand has recently seen a revival as entrepreneurs John Dowling and Alex Tiger have worked to reintroduce Boast to the modern market.  Inspired by their love for the brand that they used to wear as kids, the two men decided to contact Bill St. John to bring the brand into the 21st century.  Boast’s recognizable Pervuian cotton polos and maple leaf logo remain, but with the support of creatives Partners & Spade, and Ryan Babenzien, the designs have been updated for the contemporary man with that same brash spirit of 1970′s tennis pros.

Bill St. John and His Sister Wearing Boast in 1974

]]> http://wax-wane.com/2012/05/07/boast-usa-whats-in-a-name/feed/ 0 waxwane13 Tennis Pro Charlie Pasarell Wearing Boast in 1975 John Updike Wearing Boast Bill St. John and His Sister Wearing Boast in 1974 LB! LB1 LB2 LB4 LB5 Green Polo RedPolo Tipped Blazer green_tie_zoom_listing Pin http://wax-wane.com/2012/05/04/last-days-of-disco-a-shifting-scene/ http://wax-wane.com/2012/05/04/last-days-of-disco-a-shifting-scene/#comments Fri, 04 May 2012 13:54:05 +0000 Jake Gallagher http://wax-wane.com/?p=1843 Read More

Whit Stillman is a rare find – a man that actually enjoys disco.  Stillman’s love for the much loathed genre runs deep, going as far as being the impetus for 1998′s, The Last Days of Disco.  Following a group of friends as they spend their nights at the club, the film takes a look at the untold side of disco, those people, that like Stillman, not only enjoyed the music but lived for it.  For these friends in the early 80′s they aren’t only watching their favorite music fade away, but they’re watching the death of their current social life.  For Stillman, and for preps in general in this era, their world was changing.  Their lifestyle was evolving and losing favor, forcing those that held fast to it to make a decision.  As contrast collars and checked suits contrast with tee shirts and washed denim, The Last Days of Disco recognizes a shift in the American prep scene, leaving the old guard behind, and beginning to move toward a more casual aesthetic.  Stillman recognizes this change as the characters seem to not only mourn the death of disco, but the death of their very style as well.

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