Dad Jeans First Impressions, Sperry x Beams Canvas Sneakers, Brain Dead x A.P.C. Denim, Tucking vs. Untucking Your Shirt, and more
Weekly Roundup #123
Welcome back to the Weekly Roundup series, where I share my favorite discoveries with over 12,800+ readers every week.
As a subscriber, you’ll receive the latest updates on brands, collaborations, releases, events, and everything else happening in menswear.
Become a paid subscriber if you want access to every issue, to be the first to hear about upcoming events, join a community of other menswear enthusiasts, and more.
If you’re a brand or agency and would like to collaborate, let’s get in touch. Send me a DM or email.
Thanks for reading and following along—enjoy!
I. FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE PASADENA DAD JEANS BY POOL HOUSE NEW YORK
Pool House New York is a newer brand I’ve recently learned about, and in last week’s newsletter, I mentioned that I bought a pair of their jeans, which arrived in the mail this week.
Now that I’ve been wearing their Pasadena Dad Jeans for the past couple of days, I wanted to share my first impressions.
I like where they’re made (USA), the weight (15 oz), material (100% cotton Cone Denim), the wash (truly a “dad” jean), and the overall silhouette (wide-legged, straight fit).
I do not like that they’re not selvedge denim, the tightness in the crotch and butt areas on the first couple of wears, and the hardware (rivets and zipper).
For the price of $220, I was expecting a slightly higher quality product. They’re close, but it’s the small details that make a product just feel higher-end.
I bought them mostly for the style—a wide-legged jean with a long enough inseam to rest on top of my boots and chunkier loafers. So in that regard, they’re exactly what I was looking for.
They look and feel great while standing up, but they’re definitely uncomfortable while sitting down (which I mostly am all day at my desk). I hope they stretch and relax a little bit more, but I have a feeling they won’t.
I asked my son how they looked, and he said “groovy” (my wife also said the same), which made me crack up. I’m not 100% sure he understands what that word means—he learned it from Pete the Cat, who’s also one groovy dude.
They are, in fact, “groovy,” in the sense that they flare out at the bottom and have an 11-inch leg opening, which leans more on the bell-bottom side than boot-cut.
There’s another caveat swaying my first impressions: the brand doesn’t provide refunds for returns, only store credit or exchanges.
It’s hard to recommend any brand that doesn’t allow you to try on their products and get a refund if they don’t fit. They do offer appointments in LA, which is great if you’re based there or happen to be visiting. Still, shopping online is hard, and I’d expect any online e-commerce experience to offer refunds, even if they take back a small percentage for a restocking fee or charge for return shipping.
My main feedback is around the tightness of the crotch area—if I sized up, the waist would be too large, but perhaps that would have helped.
I’m keeping the jeans for now, mostly because of their return policy, but I remain on the hunt for another pair or two of wide-legged denim (my pair of 3sixteen’s RS-100x arrive in the mail today!).
Source & Imagery: poolhousenewyork.com
II. SPERRY X BEAMS MADE THE BEST SNEAKER OPTION FOR THIS SUMMER
Sperry is doing all of the right things at the moment—capitalizing on the upcoming Spring/Summer seasons, pushing their classic CVO sneakers across everyone’s feed, whether it’s on their own channels, through J.Crew’s recent campaigns, or via a collaboration with one of the best Japanese brands, like this week’s partnership with Beams.
I love Beams. Lately, it seems they’ve been on a mission to become a global, household name. They’ve been collaborating with all sorts of brands over the past couple of years, and with their pop-ups in LA and NY, I expect a broader marketing campaign over the coming years. Not to UNIQLO-levels, but perhaps a few permanent brick-and-mortar stores, where the US audience can visit and understand how cool a brand they are, and the types of products they offer.
This collaboration with Sperry is big-time. It not only highlights the brand (Beams) but also puts a subtle spin on one of the most iconic sneakers of all time.
From the description:
…this collaboration reworks the CVO using the same tooling, techniques and attention to detail as in the 1940s, recreating its authentic fit, look, and feel.
There are a few highlights that make this version slightly better than the classic.
They used a Military Canvas (100% Organic Cotton) for both the inside and outside of the shoes, and have “high cushion insoles” compared to “memory foam.” I’m not sure if the lining is any different, but from what I can tell online, the sole is what’s slightly better than the original.
They’re called the Sperry x BEAMS+ MIL CVO sneaker and come in six colors: Other White, Brown, Dark Green, Bone, Dark Blue (my favorite), and Navy.
I think the canvas deck sneaker is the best sneaker for Spring/Summer. If you’ve been looking to buy a pair, check these out.
Source & Imagery: sperry.com
III. LATEST PIECES FROM THE BRAIN DEAD X A.P.C. COLLABORATION
Brain Dead released another part of their ongoing series with A.P.C. yesterday, and after stopping by their shop in Los Angeles a few weeks ago, I was curious to see what new pieces they added.
I tried on the Type 00 Selvedge Denim Pant in Indigo, which are made with the same fabric A.P.C. has used for its jeans forever now, and while I preferred the slightly heavier, slubby textured versions that aren’t part of the collab, I did like that these had a much longer inseam. The folks at the shop mentioned they’d shrink about an inch after washing, since they’re raw denim. I hope Brain Dead eventually brings back the option for a 34-inch inseam (please, if anyone at Brain Dead is reading this, all the tall guys out there would greatly appreciate it!).
There’s also a washed option, which looks great, but the inseam is 31 inches (too short my long legs).
The jackets are my second favorite pieces—a washed chore jacket and a raw trucker jacket. The leather patch on both the pants and jeans is also nice, and feels super soft.
There’s a bunch of other pieces part of the drop that aren’t for me (graphic t-shirts, hoodies, and hats), but if you’re into the skate/streetwear scenes, check out the rest here.
Along with the collab, they released four tracks on SoundCloud—which I’m currently listening to while writing today’s newsletter. They’re all great, featuring chill sounds and composed by Brain Dead’s founder, Kyle Ng, and members of the Brain Dead community. It’s such a cool concept.
I read through their post to better understand who the band was, because it was a little unclear to me, and I’m glad I did. I love when brands fuse things—especially “music, culture, and clothes built for everyday life.”
If you have anything from the brand or picked up a piece from the collab, let me know! I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Source & Imagery: wearebraindead.com
IV. WHEN TO TUCK VS. UNTUCK YOUR DRESS SHIRTS
One of my most loyal readers, friends, mentors, and people who helped me start my career in marketing and design reached out asking a simple, yet complex question:
I’m not much with keeping up on the latest fashions, but I still like to look good. Have you ever covered the topic of dress shirts with regard to tucking in vs not tucking in? I would love to not tuck in more often, but I also don’t want to look sloppy.
I’d guess many people have this same question—I have some thoughts that I hope help answer it.
My best answer for when to tuck vs untuck is: it depends on the type of shirt you’re wearing.
Dress shirts should always be tucked in. The fabric, collar, and fit of dress shirts make them more formal, and it looks off when they’re untucked. They also look best with a tie and a suit. When worn without either, it’s like a hamburger with just the patty and no bun or toppings. It needs the extra accessories to look put together, otherwise it just looks plain and out of place.
Casual shirts, however, can be worn both ways. And that’s where the button-down shirt comes in. In today’s world, it’s considered “dressy,” but not formal, and it’s a step up from a t-shirt or polo.
Again, it’s the fabric, color, and fit of a button-down shirt that makes tucking and untucking look better compared to a dress shirt.
A white, Oxford-cloth button-down (with a great collar roll) with a relaxed fit is the best solution here. It comes in a variety of other colors and fabrics, and can still be worn with a tie, if needed.
I’ve included an image (above, right) with it tucked in, to show how it can still look elevated and “dressy.” And, it looks great when worn untucked with a pair of chinos, jeans, or shorts. I’ll also wear my vintage Brooks Brothers button-down shirts with pleated dress pants when I want to look a bit more put-together.
One other recommendation—you want to make sure your shirt isn’t too long, but also not too short. I’d aim for it to end a few inches below your waist, so you can still easily tuck it in without it looking like a night gown when untucked.
There are plenty of other casual shirt options (Workshirts, Camp shirts, and Western Shirts) that can all be worn tucked in, but they’re designed to be untucked. I’ve used Ralph Lauren for all of the examples as they tend to always tuck, but if you’re looking for something to always wear untucked, the options I’ve included above are great ones to consider.
I don’t always give advice here on the newsletter, but I’m always happy to help answer your questions as best I can. I hope everything I shared above helps. Thanks again for the question, Leo, and wishing you a happy birthday!
Source & Imagery: ralphlauren.com
V. EVERYTHING I WANT FROM THE LATEST CASATLANTIC COLLECTION
Casatlantic’s Spring/Summer collection launched this week on Tuesday, and it’s full of pieces that I’d recommend buying, especially if you’re just starting your journey in menswear, or are looking to upgrade some pieces you’ve tried along the way that you know fit your personal style.
Part of my own journey has been trying things, wearing them for a while, then either reselling or donating. It’s a lengthy process when you’re trying to find what works for you, and thankfully, brands like Casatlantic are making excellent, quality products that are cohesive, timeless, and will last you a lifetime.
I could wax poetic about the brand for days on end, so I won’t get too much more bogged down into why I love everything they’re doing, but I do want to share with you the pieces that stood out to me from their latest release:
Congrats to the founder, Nathaniel, and his team on another excelletn collection!
Source & Imagery: casatlantic.com
Want to support my newsletter? Share this link with a friend, hit the like button, and subscribe for free.
P.S. Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful wife and all of the other moms out there. I’m grateful for you, every single day.
P.P.S. The Bear’s final season premieres June 25. I can’t wait.
Thank you for helping an aging, fashion-challenged guy out, Vic (and I appreciate the birthday wishes too! :)