Acne Jaipur Cardigan

In a slightly surprisingly addition to their stock list, Firmament have added Acne to their shelves this spring. I don't doubt we will see some nicely edited buying from Mr. Haas as he has done a really nice job with his shop both on and offline. One of the first pieces to arrive from the Swedish label is this mix between a cardigan and a baseball jacket-type sweater. The cotton-cashmere mix would be nice almost all year around but I think the style of the knit would definitely require a collared shirt underneath. Whether worn as a light jacket or a layering piece, it's pretty hard to go wrong with most of Acne's knitwear. I have had a bit of a piling issue with a couple pieces from Acne, but I suppose that's fairly natural with delicate fabrics and a reasonable amount of wear - which this sweater would surely get.

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Acne Cable Knit Pullover

One of the best things Acne does is provide simple, well made knit basics. I consider the cable knit pullover as a basic because it it's a pretty generic piece of knitwear that gets done often but a really good option is often hard to find. A nice medium weight like this one is a staple in any wardrobe though. The relaxed but not slouchy fit and proper sleeve proportions is key. On this one I'm drawn to the perfect spacing between cables and the cuff and collar. I like the slightly larger neckhole for the glimpses of button down shirt poking out as shown. It's a little thing but one that shouldn't be overlooked. I realize that the lighter baby blue might not be of everyone's tastes but I think that it's a nice soft shade that borders closely enough to grey. It'd look great under a darker overcoat. Courtesy of Opening Ceremony

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Acne Pop Base Check Shirt

My outfits tend to get bogged down with the usual drab navy, grey and black colour combination in the fall. That's why I've been looking for garments with a little more colour in them. While Ryan loves his black watch plaid, I'm a huge fan of the tried and true black, white and red edition, in any style. Woolrich Woolen Mills made a great version of their Upland B.D. in a similarly coloured plaid but it's nowhere to be found in stores anymore. Acne's Pop Base Check Shirts on the other hand are just hitting stores and this colourway is perfect. The shirt is pretty thin as far as fall cotton shirts go but the fit is a good slim one that'd be a perfect first layer. One with a bit of colour poking through to add a bit of life to an otherwise dull fall palette like mine.

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Gladiator Sandals for Guys

No, these aren't another "Don't wear" from Oak, don't worry. Guys have been wearing these gladiator sandals for hundreds of years...while fighting lions with swords and inventing the Olympics. I'm curious if today's male is going to accept these gladiator style sandals into their wardrobe as a footwear option, while not attending a Greek themed party? I actually saw Mr. Stoten, designer of Mjolk, wearing a pair last summer and to be honest, they looked good. He was a fully heterosexual man wearing sandals quite similar to these by Acne, and looking good while doing it. So either it will take an high level of confidence and great sense of style to pull these off, maybe even being in the right city/climate in the world, or of course, a white sheet. I would say good luck selling these for $388 in the middle of a recession.

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Spring Buyers Guide: 8/64

Well I just finished clicking through the highly extensive Buyers Guide for Spring 09 put together by Mens.Style.com and several of the top stores in the USA, from big to small. First off I would like to say thanks to Steven Torres for taking a lot of really nice product shots, along with the rest of team over there. It was well done for the most part. I guess my bone picking is more directed to the buyers featured in the article. Now I'm not running a store, not trying to pump up my own zebra pattern collaboration or buying for a huge department store, so my opinion is just that, my opinion. I do feel like I have a pretty good idea of what looks good and what I might actually think about buying. No I'm not in a huff because nobody picked anything by Engineered Garments. But I went through the whole feature and only pulled 8 out of the 60-something products. For the most part it was the smaller shops that had the items I liked, unsurprisingly. Odin, Blackbird, South Willard, Opening Ceremony and Jake all came through with an item or two. So what are the top picks that will save you clicking your mouse 73+ times? Woolrich Woolen Mills Upland jacket, Patrik Ervell grey blazer, Kolor double breasted blazer, Common Projects canvas safari boots, Quoddy blutchers, Our Legacy cable knit, Band of Outsiders plaid shorts and the blue corduroy YSL shorts. There you go, that's all you need this spring, notice how they all even look good together. ------------ Turns out Ryan and I wrote a post on the same thing at the same time, so for what it's worth here's how I feel about it. GQ's buyers guides are generally good. Their shop selection is good, each owner/buyer's picks are usually pretty good and it's always interesting to hear their forecasts. However, their latest installment for Spring is not bad, but slightly frustrating. Everyone knows the state of the economy, so I agree with quotes like these: "Spring 2009 is the next stage in the evolution of the modern, style-conscious man's wardrobe, and one that focuses on investment pieces." and, "...invest in must-have fashion that is memorable and adds value." They make sense, we as consumers should be buying smarter. Which is why I'm confused as to how one could consider a $275 deconstructed sweater (aka 2 sweaters cut in half and sewn back together) or a $1,715 blazer with paint splattered on it a good wardrobe investment. Unfortunately there are a handful of other not so great picks. I get that the guide is a marketing tool for these stores but it's not that hard to select items for promotion that are actually smart buys; just like most of the independent boutiques did. In addition to the stuff above, I don't mind the look of the Acne x Lanvin overcoat (but denim?) and the Marc Jacobs bomber (I'd rather a Baracuta though) for those inevitable spring showers. I'll give them half a point each to make it 9/64. -OP

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Acne Wailer Jacket

This Wailer Man jacket by Acne is definitely one of the more interesting pieces I actually like for the spring collections I've seen. The lightweight toggle coat has a waxed treated outer shell with no shortage of details. Bamboo toggles with nice buttons on all pickets and the sleeves, along with an adjustable hood, throat closure for when the seas get rough and your hot on that whales' tail. I really like the collar of the jacket and Acne's slim fit usually agrees with me quite well. I have never actually owned any of their denim but have been far more into their knitted sweaters and jackets - this is a good reason why.

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Acne Classic Wide Patch D Shirt

I don't really know what a 'D shirt' is or how this one is classic, but I'm loving it either way. I need a new shirt or two and a light blue one is definitely on the list. The two-tone contrasts on cuff and collar are solid and work well with the white buttons. I like the look of a 3/4 button down, even though it's not a real one. I haven't had a chance to try it on yet but I like the fact that it's a looser fit so you can wear it as an over-shirt if you want or probably size down for more of a slim fit. Acne nailed the styling for it on their site too, (I think I might want some beige-y jeans now) the only problem would be it's inflated price tag.

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