Fashion for Men and Teens

11/21/2015

Hermes Tie Review: Whimsical Sheep

Whimsical Jumping Sheep

Many of you are in college now, myself included, and it is time to start searching for spring/summer internships. When looking for a position in an administrative field or going to a job interview, you are limited to what you can wear as a male. I personally feel as though a well fitted suit/clean cut and being confident is sufficient enough. However, a nice tie can be considered as a statement piece that can even change people's perception about you.

After purchasing a few cheap ties, I felt as though this was the prime opportunity to purchase a quality tie. If you read my review of the Thomas Pink tie, you will know that ties of this caliber command a higher price tag and to avoid breaking the bank, looking for a used tie on Ebay is your best bet. This particular tie is by Hermes, known for their beautiful designs and is referred to as, "Whimsical Jumping Sheep". This was purchased for $30 and has no stains (however I did notice that some of the loop stitching on the back was coming loose).

Geometric Pattern (58in x 3.5in)

This first thing to be cautious about Ebay Tie listings is the pictures. Hermes ties in general, have a matte finish and this tie in particular looked lime green in the pictures. To my relief, it turned out to be very subdued and not tacky looking. As for the pattern, nearly all Hermes tie patterns move in a 11 to 5 direction (good way to authentic them). Obviously, the "whimsical" look is not for everyone but, I find that most people don't notice it unless they are talking face to face with you and really stare at your tie. If sheep are not your thing, a quick Ebay search will show that there an endless amount of designs for you to choose from and you can expect to pay about 40 to 80 dollars for one. Note: If you are looking for an interview tie, I highly recommend going with a blue or yellow one with a striped or dot pattern.

Quality

As I mentioned earlier, this is not your off the rack tie and it really shows. Hermes is known for their hand stitching and materials. Both my Hermes ties are silky smooth and when you tie it, it drapes really well and makes a great knot. If you don't get any stains on it and keep it in good condition, this is a tie that can last a lifetime.

10/26/2015

Thomas Pink Tie Review

Whimsical Pink Elephants

After a while, I started noticing that my tie collection mainly consisted of the traditional striped ties or the modest polka dotted ones. If you are like myself and are looking to switch things up, then I would suggest picking up an Animal Print/Whimsical pattern tie. The tie above is the Whimsical Pink Elephants Tie by Thomas Pink. Brands such as Hermes, Thomas Pink, and Salvatore Ferragamo are looked highly upon by many because of their quality and pleasant designs. The trade off for the craftsmanship and "brand name" that these ties command will be a price tag of well over $100. If you are seriously considering one, I would advise going the Ebay route. You can pick up used/vintage ties for $30 to $100 depending on the brand and condition. As always, I suggest "buying the seller" and checking the tie dimensions and condition.

Back to London

The company, founded in 1984, was named after a tailor by the name of Thomas Pink. If you don't really care about history and prestige, then there is no need to worry because they do make one great tie. This particular tie cost me $25 and for an Ebay find, it was nearly flawless. The first I noticed was the feel of the tie and how vibrant the colors were compared to my off the shelf ties. The silk makes it extremely smooth and there is a sharp contrast between the rich blue and whitish pink. As for the dimensions, it is about 3 inches wide and 58 inches long. Another huge difference would be in the way that it ties a knot. The experience is hard to explain but, when you compare it to cheaper ties, you will notice how it seems almost effortless and comes out perfectly each time.

What I really enjoy most about this tie is its versatility. Blue is a very "safe" color that is applicable for any occasion while the pink elephant motif prevents it from being boring. As you can see, each elephant is very detailed and the way that they are positioned, it makes appear as a simple striped tie from far. This makes it great for the work place if you are looking from something that will not stand out. The general rule of thumb is, "The color of the tie should always be darker than the color of the shirt." Therefore, a light blue, light pink, or white shirt that is solid will work best. No matter what, I always recommend going with the Four-in-Hand or Half-Windsor knot.

Overall, this tie a great conversation starter and can make your outfit a little more fun. If you find yourself really enjoying Whimsical Ties, the next best thing would be to start collecting Hermes ties which I consider to have the best designs.

9/23/2015

Ray Ban Aviator Review

Ray Ban Aviator 3025 Blue Gradient (62mm)

Having never owned a pair of sunglasses before, along with the fear of giving off that so called "douchey" look, I was pretty hesitant in purchasing this pair of Ray Ban Aviators. After not being able to find a decent review, or a review at all for that matter, I felt I would just make one myself so others could decide for themselves if these are right for them. First thing to note, I bought these online (Ebay) without ever trying on this style before, so I definitely took a risk. If you have not seen the CBS news report yet, then you should really watch it and you would be surprised to find out that the prices of sunglasses is heavily inflated. Before you even decide to buy online, I highly recommend you first go to the mall and just try on a bunch of sunglasses that you like and copy down the model, lens, and size. Then go home and order it online.

I went with the Aviators simply because they are pretty cool and they were the only style that looked decent on me. Another thing is you don't have to limit yourself to Ray Ban (or Wayfarers...) Other brands that make a similar style of Aviators are: Maui Jim ($$$/Best Lens), Randolph Engineering ($$/Military), and American Optical ($/Decent Quality).

Packaging Box

The pair I ordered was: Ray Ban Aviator 3025 - Silver Frame w/ Blue Gradient 0003/3f (62mm).

Aviators manufactured by Ray Ban come in three sizes 55mm, 58mm, and 62mm. Although a few mm doesn't seem like a lot, it makes a huge difference on how the lens appear on your face which is why I highly recommend you try them on at the store. Another thing to note is that the Aviator comes in numerous lens and frame combinations as well. If your a guy or don't like drawing too much attention to yourself, I would go with the silver or black frames and the standard lens colors (Blue/Grey/Green) in a gradient/polarized tint. The flash/mirror lens are... well very "flashy". They do look cool if you can pull it off. The normal retail price for a pair of Aviators is $150 - $200. I ordered mine off Ebay from MySpecs for around $80. If you do buy from Ebay, make sure you check out the seller ratings. If you order from Amazon, make sure order directly from Amazon or you might end up with some fake Ray Bans.

Black Case (Comes in Brown also)

The sunglasses come with a carrying case that is made of decent materials and holds up pretty well. Depending on where you order online, you may or not be able to choose the case color. I would recommend brown just because it goes better with the whole aviation theme. One qualm I have is that the case doesn't really fit well in a pocket and if you throw it in your backpack, you might end up breaking the glasses. If this is a major inconvenience for you, then look at some folding sunglasses.

Cleaning Cloth

Standard Cleaning Cloth that works well and should be left in your case because the top of the lens tends smudge way more than I expected.

The Blue Tint

As for the glasses themselves, these came with a blue gradient tint. Which is different from the technology used in polarized lens. The blue tint is bold and dark at the top and subtly transitions to white/clear at the bottom of the lens. The gradient design was originally designed for the intent of pilot use to reduce glare from the sun and see their instrument panel at the same time. Obviously most of you don't fly planes on a daily basis but, I find they work very well when driving. The blue tint works exceptionally well in the rain and improves clarity while driving.

The Good and Bad

The frame is very lightweight and the nose pads contour your nose nicely. However, the frame design is situated in a way that makes it slant downwards and towards your face from the brow line. While situated on your nose, the top of the lens in constantly touching your eyebrows and gets smudged every time you wear them. If you like "people watching" then you will hate these. In the light and in most angles, others can see your eyes. If your hesitant about the price tag, even with the online discount, don't be. These are built to last for years to come and pay themselves off.

Given their history and appearances in movies, they definitely give off that cool factor with the trade off of being hard to pull off. At the end of the day, just go with what is sized proportionately to your face and what you like and feel good in. Who doesn't want to look bad ass like the guys from Top Gun?

1/23/2015

Hutch Collection

This outfit is great for those "casual" nights out playing ping pong with the boys in a garage or your old high school's football game on Friday nights. Wear whatever shirt color you want because you can't go wrong with this look.