Swimming time

So im making a list of things to pack for my weekend getaway , and the top item on my list is the swim-trunk.

These days most guys i see are wearing ridiculous loud or very long swim attire or just the same one with the same old boring print.

A great new brand i've had the pleasure to get a sneak peak ,have some amazing classic swimtrunks is blessthesummer - they will launch their swimwear line this upcoming winter.

Ralph Lauren $65

Opening Ceremony $240

Marni $324

Lands end $29.50

Adam $165

Overnight Bag

I have been looking to get a nice weekend/overnight bag recently and found it hard to locate one i liked , here are just a few (although some are not recession friendly) that would do.

Tumi $795

Sandstorm $350

Ralph Lauren $3,700

Loro Piana $3,200

Bottega Veneta $1,270

Barbour - waxed cotton $295

How to care for your suit

The chemicals used in the dry cleaning process can significantly shorten the life of a suit, and I try to have mine cleaned only at the end of their active season. Before cleaning, send suits to an alterations tailor to tighten buttons and make any required repairs. When they come back, have the suits dry cleaned to remove any dirt that might be attractive to moths, and hand pressed. When you get the cleaned and repaired items home, remove the cleaners' poly bags and store them for the inactive season in cloth suit bags.

If you wear hand canvassed jackets and your dry cleaner won't hand press the jacket fronts, I urge you to find another dry cleaner. 

Minimizing dry cleaning frequency requires five minutes of home brushing and steaming before and after each wearing. A suit should be brushed to remove dust and dirt before it gets ground into the cloth. After brushing, empty the pockets, remove belts or braces and hang the suit on a shaped or padded hanger with the closures zipped or buttoned.

Suits should rest for at least 24 hours (flannels and tweeds should rest for at least two days) so the cloth has time to recover its shape. Many wrinkles that developed during the wear will fall out of their own accord overnight.

Before wearing a garment again, remove any remaining wrinkles, and any new ones that developed during storage, with a steamer. Steam relaxes the fibers and, unlike ironing, will not scorch them.

Some trousers may lose their crease during the season. When this happens, I prefer to have my trousers pressed but not cleaned (a jacket and trousers should always be cleaned at the same time to keep them looking like a matched set). This is only a good idea if they are brushed regularly. Pressing dusty cloth, even cloth that looks clean, grinds dirt into the fabric. And, because most people don't brush, many cleaners don't offer a separate pressing service. 

Need help finding a competent dry cleaner? If there is a Four Seasons Hotel in your city, call and ask where they send their guests' clothing. Try the service they use -it'll usually be the best establishment in town.

Rover

Land Rover  is introducing some new faces for 2009 with the new aggressive looking 'Range Rover' offered in 4 versions and my personal favorite the 'Defender' keeping its classic look with a few detail upgrades including a massive grille. 

Also for 2009 panoramic roof on the 'LR2'.

With the gas prices at an all time high they will introduce fuel efficient versions as well.

Fall 2008 Ralph Lauren Preview

So as much as most of us love our dear Uncle Ralphy , i thought it would be nice to share some things coming for Fall 2oo8.

This season, twists could be found at the other end of the Lauren spectrum, in the top-of-the-line Purple Label, with its flamboyant color scheme (to wit: fuchsia herringbone, a strawberry blazer, and radical orange cords)

Wide ties are in heavy rotation in the Purple Label area as well as Fair isles and Herringbones in the Classic Blue Label with hints of colors.

And no that is not Dracula with the cape.

Get ready to splurge.

More to come.

Shirts shirts shirts

Some of my favorite shirts for the summer . 

RRL $185

Polo Ralph Lauren Madras Shirt $85

Daniele Alessandrini $205

Band of Outsiders $175

Topman $55

Polo Ralph Lauren $98

Wristwear

The wristwatch. 

A staple in every mans accessory department ,and should be the only 'jewerly' a man should need.

These masterpieces are timeless in design and are just wonderful to the eye.

Here are just a few of my favorite watches for the moment .

Patek Philippe 'Calatrava' - $22,400

Panerai 'Luminor Marina' $5800

Hublot 'Big Bang' $10,800

Chopard 'Mille Miglia' $16,060

Cartier 'Rotonde'$34,100

Wallets & Money Clips

A gentleman's accessory should be of good quality and last a lifetime.

I personally don't like carrying a wallet , so instead i opt for a slimmer credit card case for cards, id's etc , I usually rotate between 3 cases to reduce wear and also depending on the affair. 

Most men carry wallets which i usually notice are very bulgy and stick out of your trouser or jean pockets and are a mess, keep it simple and organized with these great looking credit card cases , for cash get a nice looking silver money clip. Invest in something of better quality .

Cartier sterling & onyx money clip $285.00

Dior Homme sterling money clip $125.00

Montblanc case $150.00

Hermes calfskin case $250.00

Ralph Lauren Alligator case $325.00

Dior Homme case $198.00

Alligator wallet $250-500

Summer footwear

Some great foot attire for the summer. 

Quote of the day

"Personal style is about having a sense of yourself and of what you believe in, which is basically self-confidence. When you have that confidence, you can wear whatever you want and project something personal about who you are and how you feel. Dressing, then, can be an adventure. You dress for the role you are playing on a particular day."

-Ralph Lauren