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Sonoma

My wife and I just got back from a relaxing 24-hour getaway to the Sonoma Valley, for what we described as a “Birthday-Birthday-Babymoon-Anniversary” Trip. It was my way to make up for not really getting a chance to celebrate her birthday (in November), celebrating my birthday (today!), getting a break in before the birth of our second child, and celebrating our 5th anniversary a few months early since it falls within days of said second child’s due date (late July). Phew.

We packed light—a single duffel for both of us—and I used the opportunity to road test two pairs of pants I received courtesy of Khaki’s of Carmel. Part of an in-house line developed by owner Jim Ockert, they’re both tailored in New York City with a not-too-full, not-too-slim classic fit.

For the hour-and-a-half drive down to Sonoma, I wore a blue gingham buttondown collar shirt and these amazing dress chinos from Khaki’s, made from a British dress twill in a beautifully rich golden brown. The fabric is sturdy and dense, holding a crease well if you want to dress them up, but after a few washes I’ve taken to wearing them unpressed and a little rumpled.

For dinner, I threw on an unstructured blazer and changed into Khaki’s grey wool-cashmere dress trousers. I was a bit worried about folding them into the duffel, honestly, as I didn’t know if I’d have time to iron them. Amazingly, they came out of the duffel unwrinkled, a testament to the quality of the fabric. They look a bit messy below the knee, but that’s because they’re catching on my over-the-calf socks, a weird problem I have due to my biggish calves. To be frank, I should’ve known better than to pack OTC socks. Sockless, the trousers drape beautifully.

The next day, or itinerary was simple: explore downtown Sonoma, grab a nice lunch, and then head home. I was back in the Khaki’s dress chinos, but this time with a polo.

Pictured above: View near our room at the Kenwood Inn & Spa; antipasto misto at Della Santina’s; fireplace in our room at the Kenwood Inn & Spa

What I Wore

Dress chinos and wool-cashmere trousers: Courtesy of Khaki’s of Carmel

Blazer: Boglioli

Pocket Square: Hermès (eBay)

Shirt: Courtesy of Hucklebury

Polo: Kent Wang

Boots: Loake

WIWT: Americana … Sort of. Great American brands, but not all made in America. Flannel Blazer: Gant (USA) Pinpoint Buttondown Collar Shirt: Brooks Brothers (Malaysia) Cashmere-Silk Tie: Robert Talbott “Best of Class” (Italy) Flannel Trousers: Howard Yount (Italy) Shoes: Allen Edmonds (USA)

WIWT: Americana … Sort of.

Great American brands, but not all made in America.

Flannel Blazer: Gant (USA)

Pinpoint Buttondown Collar Shirt: Brooks Brothers (Malaysia)

Cashmere-Silk Tie: Robert Talbott “Best of Class” (Italy)

Flannel Trousers: Howard Yount (Italy)

Shoes: Allen Edmonds (USA)

Locked myself out of the house. Hence, the odd expression as I waited for my wife to come home and let me in. (Yes, the garage door was locked. Yes, we have a Star Trek poster in our garage. What?) Looking at this picture, I wish I’d gone up a size for the Club Monaco jacket. It doesn’t fit too tightly, but I would’ve liked more room to layer underneath, and slightly more length. The trousers are courtesy of J. Lawrence Khaki’s of Carmel. From their house label, the construction and details are superb—at least comparable to the Howard Yount and Epaulet trousers I’ve handled (some would say the Khaki’s are superior). The fabric is a sturdy British dress twill in a rich golden khaki (as you’d expect, iPhone photography doesn’t do it justice). I’m wearing their classic fit, which is a bit fuller than current #menswear tastes, but I rather like it—it accommodates my larger thighs and, erm, derriere, without bagginess or the dreaded “diaper butt.” You can see it runs a bit long here, but I haven’t put these through the wash yet — I figure they’ll shrink down to the right inseam length after this week’s load of laundry. Jacket - Club MonacoSweater - Lands’ End CanvasShirt - Courtesy of Hucklebury (review)Trousers - Courtesy of Khaki’s of CarmelBoots - Loake (review)Aviators - American Optical

Locked myself out of the house.

Hence, the odd expression as I waited for my wife to come home and let me in. (Yes, the garage door was locked. Yes, we have a Star Trek poster in our garage. What?)

Looking at this picture, I wish I’d gone up a size for the Club Monaco jacket. It doesn’t fit too tightly, but I would’ve liked more room to layer underneath, and slightly more length.

The trousers are courtesy of J. Lawrence Khaki’s of Carmel. From their house label, the construction and details are superb—at least comparable to the Howard Yount and Epaulet trousers I’ve handled (some would say the Khaki’s are superior).

The fabric is a sturdy British dress twill in a rich golden khaki (as you’d expect, iPhone photography doesn’t do it justice). I’m wearing their classic fit, which is a bit fuller than current #menswear tastes, but I rather like it—it accommodates my larger thighs and, erm, derriere, without bagginess or the dreaded “diaper butt.” You can see it runs a bit long here, but I haven’t put these through the wash yet — I figure they’ll shrink down to the right inseam length after this week’s load of laundry.

Jacket - Club Monaco
Sweater - Lands’ End Canvas
Shirt - Courtesy of Hucklebury (review)
Trousers - Courtesy of Khaki’s of Carmel
Boots - Loake (review)
Aviators - American Optical

Commute kit, Part 2. I picked up this Brooks Brothers cashmere cable-knit sweater on eBay just over a year ago. Made in Scotland of Italian cashmere, similar sweaters regularly retail for around $400 at Brooks Brothers. I don’t recall exactly what I paid, but it was well south of $100. On first receiving the sweater, I was surprised to find how short the sleeves and torso measure. My guess is that a previous owner accidentally ran the sweater through the wash, causing it to shrink. As you can see, that actually worked out nicely for my shorter-than-standard arms and torso, though I’d like it to be a smidge longer in the body to keep it from hiking up. Washing the sweater doesn’t seem to have otherwise affected it, as it remains warm, tightly-knit, and fairly pill-resistant. Jeans are from Peter Manning, sterling silver belt buckle is another great eBay find.

Commute kit, Part 2.

I picked up this Brooks Brothers cashmere cable-knit sweater on eBay just over a year ago. Made in Scotland of Italian cashmere, similar sweaters regularly retail for around $400 at Brooks Brothers. I don’t recall exactly what I paid, but it was well south of $100.

On first receiving the sweater, I was surprised to find how short the sleeves and torso measure. My guess is that a previous owner accidentally ran the sweater through the wash, causing it to shrink. As you can see, that actually worked out nicely for my shorter-than-standard arms and torso, though I’d like it to be a smidge longer in the body to keep it from hiking up. Washing the sweater doesn’t seem to have otherwise affected it, as it remains warm, tightly-knit, and fairly pill-resistant.

Jeans are from Peter Manning, sterling silver belt buckle is another great eBay find.

It’s cold. At least by Californian standards, with highs in the mid-forties and overnight lows dipping into the twenties. Accordingly, yesterday I opted for heavy flannel trousers, part of a suit from Samuelsohn that I picked up on eBay—figure Canadians know a thing or two about dressing for the cold. Wool fairisle socks from Lands’ End Canvas kept my toes toasty. Up top I wore a barleycorn tweed jacket from Paul Stuart. Another fortuitous eBay find—full canvas construction, with soft shoulders, slightly-bellied lapels and horn buttons in a lambswool fabric sourced from France. I bought it for around $70, thinking it was navy, only to find it’s a lighter color my wife identifies as “petrol blue.” Up close, the weave reveals a rich variety of colors. Under the jacket, I wore a light blue buttondown collar shirt and a Club Monaco merino sweater (a great value on sale). It occurs to me that this is a variation of the Italian background, with the light blue and navy offering a subdued complement to the more adventurous jacket. Surprisingly, wearing a topcoat proved unnecessary, as this was all I needed to stay warm. Well, this and gloves. And shoes.

It’s cold.

At least by Californian standards, with highs in the mid-forties and overnight lows dipping into the twenties. Accordingly, yesterday I opted for heavy flannel trousers, part of a suit from Samuelsohn that I picked up on eBay—figure Canadians know a thing or two about dressing for the cold. Wool fairisle socks from Lands’ End Canvas kept my toes toasty.

Up top I wore a barleycorn tweed jacket from Paul Stuart. Another fortuitous eBay find—full canvas construction, with soft shoulders, slightly-bellied lapels and horn buttons in a lambswool fabric sourced from France. I bought it for around $70, thinking it was navy, only to find it’s a lighter color my wife identifies as “petrol blue.” Up close, the weave reveals a rich variety of colors.

Under the jacket, I wore a light blue buttondown collar shirt and a Club Monaco merino sweater (a great value on sale). It occurs to me that this is a variation of the Italian background, with the light blue and navy offering a subdued complement to the more adventurous jacket.

Surprisingly, wearing a topcoat proved unnecessary, as this was all I needed to stay warm. Well, this and gloves. And shoes.

Today. Think I need to get these pants tapered. One of the things about being 5’7” is that hemming unfinished trousers involves chopping 8” or more from the bottom, which can add as much as an inch to the original leg opening. When I forget to specify tapering at the tailor, they splay out as you see above. At least, that’s what I think is going on. Thoughts?

Today.

Think I need to get these pants tapered. One of the things about being 5’7” is that hemming unfinished trousers involves chopping 8” or more from the bottom, which can add as much as an inch to the original leg opening. When I forget to specify tapering at the tailor, they splay out as you see above.

At least, that’s what I think is going on. Thoughts?

Ran out of daylight. So I took yesterday’s WIWT indoors. Inspired by this and this, but since I don’t have a dope suede blouson, my rust-colored cotton Harrington jacket had to do. Can’t see it here due to the poor camera phone lighting, but I thought the sweater’s cable knit weave added some nice visual interest. Jacket: Ben ShermanShirt: Brooks BrothersSweater: Brooks BrothersFlannel trousers: Howard Yount Broke a cardinal shoe care rule by wearing the same boots as the previous day.

Ran out of daylight.

So I took yesterday’s WIWT indoors. Inspired by this and this, but since I don’t have a dope suede blouson, my rust-colored cotton Harrington jacket had to do. Can’t see it here due to the poor camera phone lighting, but I thought the sweater’s cable knit weave added some nice visual interest.

Jacket: Ben Sherman
Shirt: Brooks Brothers
Sweater: Brooks Brothers
Flannel trousers: Howard Yount

Broke a cardinal shoe care rule by wearing the same boots as the previous day.

Semi-intentional Pitti homage. I’m helping serve at a men’s dinner tonight, so I threw on something nice that I could still wear in a busy kitchen: casual chinos and an OCBD. It’s cold out, though, so I added a merino V-neck, two-tone scarf, and unstructured jacket. And like that, I was dressed for the Pitti Uomo trade show in Florence. We actually have a low concrete wall outside the office, and I was tempted to do a Pitti spoof shot, but there’s no way I could take a picture without the whole office watching. So here’s me in my driveway. Scowling because the sun’s in my eyes, and my toddler has twisted my aviators beyond repair. Jacket: LBM 1911Shirt: Lands’ EndSweater: Club MonacoScarf: John SmedleyChinos: Courtesy of Peter Manning (review and interview coming soon)Boots: Loake

Semi-intentional Pitti homage.

I’m helping serve at a men’s dinner tonight, so I threw on something nice that I could still wear in a busy kitchen: casual chinos and an OCBD. It’s cold out, though, so I added a merino V-neck, two-tone scarf, and unstructured jacket.

And like that, I was dressed for the Pitti Uomo trade show in Florence.

We actually have a low concrete wall outside the office, and I was tempted to do a Pitti spoof shot, but there’s no way I could take a picture without the whole office watching. So here’s me in my driveway. Scowling because the sun’s in my eyes, and my toddler has twisted my aviators beyond repair.

Jacket: LBM 1911
Shirt: Lands’ End
Sweater: Club Monaco
Scarf: John Smedley
Chinos: Courtesy of Peter Manning (review and interview coming soon)
Boots: Loake

Surreptitious Bathroom Shot. Suit: eHaberdasherShirt: BorrelliTie: CucinelliSquare: Robert Talbott Notes Everything but the suit is from eBay.  Something funky going on with the shirt collar.  First time I’ve worn this tie—it’s a bit narrower than what I usually prefer. Thinking of selling it. Really nice wool blend that appears solid navy indoors, but reveals a burgundy/green plaid in natural light.

Surreptitious Bathroom Shot.

Suit: eHaberdasher
Shirt: Borrelli
Tie: Cucinelli
Square: Robert Talbott

Notes

  • Everything but the suit is from eBay.
     
  • Something funky going on with the shirt collar.
     
  • First time I’ve worn this tie—it’s a bit narrower than what I usually prefer. Thinking of selling it. Really nice wool blend that appears solid navy indoors, but reveals a burgundy/green plaid in natural light.