Unabashedly Prep

  • Double Trouble

    Dress Code  

    Photographed in New York, NY

    Noteworthy: hopsack navy blazer (the workhorse blazer of a man's summer wardrobe), gingham/repp stripe shirt/tie pairings.

    May 24, 2013 | Permalink (4) View/Leave Comments

    Kenneth left a comment on 6/7/2013 at 5:22 PM:

    I too like Social Primer.


    chb left a comment on 6/7/2013 at 7:25 AM:

    I like Social Primer.


    JK left a comment on 6/6/2013 at 6:47 PM:

    I like th SP reversible bow ties. I think the bow tie naturally has the parity needed for that approach.


    cam left a comment on 6/4/2013 at 11:46 AM:

    solid


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  • The Official Preppy Handbook

    Music & Books  

    There were whispers of a limited gift edition of Lisa Birnbach's original preppy bible. Part satire, part reference guide, The Official Preppy Handbook, when published in 1980 became an instant cult classic. Given the book was published over 30 years ago, I have never actually seen a hardback copy (the few hardback gift editions went quickly). The secondary market proved not much better. After watching eBay for a couple of years for kicks, only a handful of hardback copies popped up cuffed with asking prices of $200+...until last month. Indian madras print slipcover, a linen hardback cover, and a fill-in-chart family tree make up this “completely outstanding gift edition.” While the demand has cooled in the wake of True Prep, landing a copy (for $50, no less) still made for a fun story over drinks with Birnbach last week.

    May 22, 2013 | Permalink (8) View/Leave Comments

    Angela left a comment on 6/11/2013 at 2:50 PM:

    I got my hardcover copy at Amazon (sans dust jacket).  I don’t remember exactly how much I paid for it, but it was reasonable, and it’s in good shape.  Now I can mark up my ratty paperback copy. :)


    Cedric left a comment on 6/9/2013 at 10:00 PM:

    Pretty content with my paperback copy aswell, though I do wish I had a hardcover. haha, good stuff FEC!


    Casey left a comment on 6/5/2013 at 3:32 PM:

    I’m happy with my paperback copies but, oh, how I would love that family tree to give to my husband as a gag gift.


    Thomas left a comment on 6/4/2013 at 10:35 AM:

    I picked up a hardback gift edition with the madras sleeve on ebay a couple years ago for around $20. It is in excellent condition but no gift sticker on the outside sleeve. Had no idea they were going for so much. Thanks


    BMOC left a comment on 6/4/2013 at 10:20 AM:

    Have one in better than mint condition. Never even been opened. In the gift box and everything. I am shocked to know what it is worth. Thankfully I probably have at least 3 other well-worn paperback versions around the house.


    F.E. Castleberry left a comment on 6/4/2013 at 6:58 AM:

    @PSP—This gift edition with slipcover isn’t available on Amazon. Not to mention none of the Amazon listings (which quickly escalate to $150+) have any pictures of the hardback copies for sale.


    PSP left a comment on 6/3/2013 at 6:56 PM:

    Try Amazon for $50 for this addition.  I like it much better than True Prep.  It was more optimistic.  FEC still interested in your advice for Nantucket on July 4th?


    Valerie left a comment on 6/3/2013 at 2:27 PM:

    Ten years ago, I bought mine from Ebay at $70 (which was too much). I can’t believe it’s up to $200 now. Yikes! Glad you scored on for $50.


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  • White Sneakers

    Style  

    After April showers fall and the mercury rises, the white sneaker is my go-to shoe in the summer. Not only do they look cool given their light color, they literally keep your feet cool by the light they reflect. And if in canvas, even cooler thanks to the lightweight fabric's porous nature. The English refer to them as trainers, which seems more appropriate since most of them are worn on and off the courts of racquet sports like tennis, squash, and badminton.

    Tretorn Nylites (tennis), Jack Purcells (badminton), and Adidas Sambas (soccer) can be fished out of my closet on any given summer day (after some diligent digging, mind you). But it's these Nike Killshots for J.Crew that are my favorites this season. Originally designed some 30 years ago with a low profile stance for playing squash, they boast touches of white suede. If there is a leather that embodies "summer," it's suede—exhibit A: white bucks. Wear them with chinos, canvas jeans, shorts, and even your cotton khaki suit. All four of these white sneakers can be found for less than $75, a price you can take in stride no matter how hot is gets.

    May 20, 2013 | Permalink (15) View/Leave Comments

    Cedric left a comment on 6/9/2013 at 9:18 AM:

    Would you prefer these over the tretorn’s & the purcell’s?


    F.E. Castleberry left a comment on 6/6/2013 at 2:19 PM:

    @Ian—Nike Killshots.


    Ian left a comment on 6/6/2013 at 12:05 PM:

    @Fred, What type of Nike shoes are those in the picture?


    ency left a comment on 6/4/2013 at 10:07 AM:

    what are the female equivalents to these white sneaks?


    F.E. Castleberry left a comment on 6/1/2013 at 5:22 PM:

    @WFB—No comment whatsoever :)


    WFB left a comment on 6/1/2013 at 4:08 PM:

    Any thoughts on Chensvold (Ivy Style) turning his blog into an ego-fed hate machine?


    F.E. Castleberry left a comment on 5/31/2013 at 1:21 PM:

    @Old School—Soccer, yes. Badminton, no. Luckily one doesn’t have to necessarily enjoy these particular sports in order to lace these sneakers up.

    @Ronnie—Borg probably wore several different brands throughout his career.


    old school left a comment on 5/31/2013 at 12:37 PM:

    play a lot of badminton do you Fred?


    RONNIE left a comment on 5/31/2013 at 8:56 AM:

    i thought borg wore diadoras? he even had a signature model.


    Alexander left a comment on 5/30/2013 at 9:01 AM:

    @Fred Haha - too true! Looks and game…how can I go wrong


    F.E. Castleberry left a comment on 5/30/2013 at 8:13 AM:

    @Alexander—Nylites are still practical for tennis. If Bjorn Borg (click on the “tennis” link above), one of the best pro players in the world at the time, won in them, you can certainly play in them. I do as well.


    Alexander left a comment on 5/29/2013 at 10:52 PM:

    Agreed w/ Campbell. Leather shoes are appropriate in many situations, but not all. Tennis, soccer and the beach are very reasonable excuses to give your nine to fivers a break.

    On another note, Tretorns are great but are they still practical for tennis? I was thinking of snagging a pair for use on the court but was worried they would do more for my looks than my game.

    www.abostonblazer.com


    Campbell left a comment on 5/29/2013 at 4:34 PM:

    @Jess—A grown man is one who can wear various things and make them look effortless and stylish. If sneakers work for the man, they work. No need to put baby in a corner.

    Also, I (a barely adult man) love the living hell out of a fresh pair of white or canvas Vans’ Eras. Same design since the beginning.


    F.E. Castleberry left a comment on 5/29/2013 at 9:47 AM:

    @Jess—I couldn’t agree more. But when there is a time for sneakers (and summer is definitely that time), you can’t go wrong with one of these four.


    Jess left a comment on 5/29/2013 at 9:42 AM:

    Grown men should wear fewer sneakers, not more.


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  • Summer with The Grey Lady

    Miscellany  

    Maybe it's the therapeutic outdoor morning showers, or the privilege of getting the sunrise before anybody else on the east coast, or the simple fact that it is devoid of a tether to whatever "real world" you left behind at Hyannis. Nantucket is magical in the summer. Worry seems to roll off your shoulders, like beads of sweat erratically migrating down your cocktail.

    The island, aside from its locals, is home to an inherently preppy summer colony. It is beloved in part for the geographical fact that it's a pain in the ass to get to. The harder the trek, the preppier the locale. And Nantucket is perhaps the preppiest (edging out Martha's Vineyard and its trailer parks). If you're not flying into ACK, you have to cross the moat to the WASP kingdom via an hour long ferry.

    Despite the inconveniences, The Grey lady more than quadruples in size come June. Frankly, it gets crazy around the Fourth. But that's not to say you can't get alone. This secluded beach I photographed Alise Shoemaker* on a couple years ago is on the South Shore somewhere between Nobadeer and Tom Nevers. It's a great spot if you can find it. Odds are good that you'll have it all to yourself for a picnic, skinny dipping, or whatever else bakes your (crab) cake. As for how to get there exactly, well, it wouldn’t be preppy if I made it that easy.

    *click on the image above to download a wallpaper version

    May 17, 2013 | Permalink (12) View/Leave Comments

    Kelly left a comment on 6/6/2013 at 5:17 PM:

    that’s my beach! I’m not telling…. ;)


    howie left a comment on 5/27/2013 at 8:12 PM:

    George - it’s a Sankaty Light.


    F.E. Castleberry left a comment on 5/26/2013 at 10:51 AM:

    @Victoria—It’s more like a “family campground.”


    Victoria left a comment on 5/25/2013 at 9:54 PM:

    I’ve been going to the Vineyard my whole life, where is this trailer park you speak of, because I’ve yet to find one?


    Alex left a comment on 5/25/2013 at 4:59 PM:

    @F.E. Castleberry do you know what model year it is? I believe I saw one around my neighborhood the other day, I assumed it was some sort of old Jeep.


    Josh left a comment on 5/25/2013 at 1:21 PM:

    This photograph is your new calling card.


    George left a comment on 5/24/2013 at 6:51 PM:

    Please tell me that is NOT a Schlitz on the dash…


    Alexander left a comment on 5/24/2013 at 1:46 PM:

    @MGM - Agreed! Love the photography FE but it’d be great to see (even more) creative writing.


    MGM left a comment on 5/24/2013 at 8:33 AM:

    Great writing, FEC.  You should write more!


    F.E. Castleberry left a comment on 5/22/2013 at 4:49 PM:

    @Sam—This is a Chevy Silverado.

    @Alexander—Nice insider tip.


    Sam left a comment on 5/22/2013 at 3:19 PM:

    I love that truck. Does anyone know what it is?


    Alexander left a comment on 5/22/2013 at 2:59 PM:

    One of my favorite things to do on ACK is a late evening BBQ at Great Point. You can only get to it with a beach vehicle permit, so it’s definitely off the beaten path.

    Technically you’re not supposed to be there after sundown if you’re not a fisherman, but the cops will give you a break if you drop a pole in the sand and let the lure bob around in the Atlantic. The late night ride back is the best part.


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  • Frank Clegg Leatherworks Small Signature Duffle

    Style  

    Frank Clegg is closer to an artist than a master-craftsmen (though I assure you he is both). Each time I pack for a long weekend I'm reminded of this. His Signature Duffle, a triumvirate of beauty, craftsmanship, and utilitarian design, only gets better with age. It's cloaked in simplicity—a design meticulously reduced to only what is necessary to get you there and back again. Case in point, there is no interior liner. A frivolity to Clegg. After all, there is nothing to hide since he only employs the finest vegetable dyed leather he can get his hands on. Swiss RiRi zippers, brass hardware, and double thick leather bottom round out the exceptional construction.

    After a few trips with my Signature Duffle in hand, I offhandedly mention to Clegg that I would love to see it in a smaller size. I think selfishly I just want to carry my bag not just on weekend getaways but every day. Not long after our conversation, Clegg makes short work of what is now his Small Signature Duffle. The new overnight bag, featured here in chocolate*, is ideal for overnight trips or just daily jaunts to the gym.

    At $765, the Small Signature Duffle is a far cry from an impulse buy. But you don't really want that in a heirloom piece. You want something that you can aspire to. You want something that is going to sting a little. And Clegg offers that at an incredible value. See, Frank Clegg sells his bags directly to his customers. If he didn't, Bergdorf Goodman would be peddling them for upwards of $1300. And that is probably why Clegg doesn't allow that, the hard working American that he is. He understands the value of craftsmanship and that of a dollar...especially when it stings.

    *courtesy of Frank Clegg Leatherworks

    May 15, 2013 | Permalink (6) View/Leave Comments

    AGW left a comment on 5/30/2013 at 12:58 PM:

    I’m partial to the ever present neon Swiss Army knife.


    Orgastic Future left a comment on 5/24/2013 at 12:04 AM:

    Oh wow! amazing shape they are in! Love the laces in them! I love to switch mine out with tennis shoe laces in various colors.


    F.E. Castleberry left a comment on 5/23/2013 at 8:55 AM:

    @Orgastic Future—Funny because they are actually about 17 years old.


    Orgastic Future left a comment on 5/23/2013 at 1:23 AM:

    C’mon Fred, those bucs are a little too clean! Play a quick game of catch in them and give em character! Lol


    F.E. Castleberry left a comment on 5/19/2013 at 8:56 PM:

    @A Boston Blazer—Bring extras for friends…they’ll be thankful when they’ve forgotten or lost theirs.


    A Boston Blazer left a comment on 5/19/2013 at 8:42 PM:

    Looks great - just the right size for a few days out of the city. Three pairs of sunglasses may be a little bit of overkill though :)

    www.abostonblazer.com


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