welcome to the 21st century, to take the train. everyone seems to have a facebook page these days, so why not me. i realize that if i’m going to post blog updates on facebook that i don’t need to be doing it from my own account. (this was an excellent suggestion from my girlfriend who said i didn’t need to blow up peoples timelines with my bulls**t. i don’t disagree.) if you want to receive updates on the reg via the fb, then please like or follow my page. here’s a deal: if i get over 1000 likes or follows by the end of april, i’ll get a tattoo or something to commemorate this achievement. how about about that. you can’t lose. here’s the link one more time: facebook.com/totakethetrain.
last week j. crew released a new collaboration with new balance featuring some stylish workout gear. being that i’m quite partial to lulu and now outdoor voices, i’m not going to jump on any of the clothes portion of this collaboration, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. you can check out the full collection here. there are some really good pieces. what i am going to do is grab a pair of these olive green kicks you see before you because the color is too good to pass up and they look ridiculously comfortable. i’ll report back as soon as i have them in my possession.
my golf blog didn’t really take off. i didn’t realize it at the time, but blogging about golf is pretty damn hard. it would also be a full time job and i have a job and don’t want to lose that one. i’m going to combine the two blogs and occasionally throw up some golf stuff on here. i hope you don’t mind.
yesterday nike released their new lunar control golf shoe (which should be called “the rory” but whatever it’s not up to me). i absolutely love them. i bought a pair of lunar control 3s this summer and they are the ultimate in comfort and function. these are apparently lighter and more comfortable with improved cleats (or spikes if you will). they also feature an extra large swoosh across the front. be prepared to see a lot of these when the weather gets warm.
summer hasn’t technically arrived (we’ll have to wait until June 21st to make it official), but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be working on your shades game. my recommendation – in addition to the usual wayfarerers, clubmasters, etc. – is this pair of retrosuperfuture for a.p.c. sunglasses. there really isn’t much to them except they’re handmade in italy for everyone’s favorite french denim brand. who’s feeling like a trip to europe all of a sudden? *raises hand*
vans are probably my all time favorite shoes. there’s no telling how many pairs i’ve owned over the years. every spring / summer i buy a new pair. it’s usually authentics or slip-ons, but this year i decided to change it up and go with the sk8-hi. there’s really not much to them – they’re canvas and suede with the vans vulcanized signature waffle outsole. it’s been a long time since i skated, but that doesn’t mean i can’t relive my not-so-glory days every once in a while.
good socks are hard to find. once you find a pair that you like on your feet, you need to go ahead and buy 2 or 3 more pairs of the same socks. trust me you will use them. earlier this week oakstreet bootmakers released their own version the trail sock and they are amazing. here are the stats: 85% recycled cotton; 13% nylon; and 2% spandex. they are also made in the usa. and do you want to know the best part? they are only $8 a pair. you read that right. you can load up here, but don’t waste any time as they are going fast.
i went and did it. i said i wouldn’t and i did it anyway. there’s a good reason for it, ok? i wear my sid mashburn double monks almost every day. they’re half a size too big for me and starting to look a little ragged. rather than ordering another pair from sid, i decided to check out the alfred sargent for j. crew double monks, and i’m glad i did. don’t get me wrong i love my mashburn monks, but variety is always welcome.
there are few differences between the two double monks strap shoes (alfred argent also makes sid’s). color wise the new ones are a little lighter than sid’s (not sure if you can tell from my shotty iphone photos). the only other difference is the toe. the j. crew double monks are less pointy than sid’s and fit my feet better. if you’re planning on making a purchase, go a .5 size down from your measured or street shoe size. they run big like most english made shoes.
the trailer for the great gatsby was released last night. i wanted to turn it off after 30 seconds. actually, i wanted to find baz luhrmann and give him a piece of my mind. what has he done? why did he do it? he took America’s greatest novel and turned it into a spectacle. when I think of the roaring twenties, surprisingly i don’t think of kanye and jay-z’s “church in the wild.” i think about jazz and flappers and stock markets crashing. where is that in the trailer? where the hell is the jazz?
i’ve read the book over 10 times. i’ve memorized the opening and final pages. fitzgerald’s writing speaks to me better than any other author i’ve ever read. the way he describes women and love and loss is the way i would want to if i was a great writer. the themes of this novel resonate with anyone who’s wanted a shot at the american dream. we want things we can’t have, but we spend our whole lives trying to find them or make them right. everyone has a “daisy” whether they’ll admit it or not.
i saw esquire’s tweet calling the film possibly the most stylish movie ever. that’s great, but where is the story? baz luhrmann’s biggest problem as a director is telling a story. moulin rouge was candy for your eyes, but not for your brain. storytelling used to be an important piece of film making. i’m not sure where it went. hey hollywood, sometimes bigger is not better. i was excited about this film and ready to give luhrmann another shot after sitting through australia, but i can’t watch this movie – especially not in 3-D as it’s intended to be viewed…”so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
like many #menswear bloggers, steve mcqueen was a major influence on my current obsession with personal style. my first introduction to him came from his film the great escape. a friend of mine told me he wore desert boots in the film, so i went to clarks and bought some desert boots. it wasn’t until watching the film a second time that i realized his boots looked nothing like my clarks. i went to the internet for answers and discovered that mcqueen’s boots in the great escape were world war ii service boots and not desert boots. i spent the next several hours back on the internet looking for anything that resembled wwii service boots. i found nothing…until now. l.l. bean signature has recently released their very own version of the classic boot made with roughed out leather and a rubber soul. they look pretty damn close to the boots in the picture above if you ask me. time to put on your persols, fire up your triumph tr6 650, and make your own great escape (sorry i couldn’t resist).
if you’re looking for more information on some of mqueen’s other footwear choices, see my previous post on his playboy boots here.
this post doesn’t pertain to menswear or christmas or any of the usual junk on here. what it does pertain to is the world’s greatest fast food restaurant finally opening in nashville, tn. chick-fil-a is in a class by itself when it comes to extremely casual dining. the food is consistent as well as the staff and cleanliness of the restaurant. there is nothing like a chick-fil-a chicken biscuit in the morning. i got spoiled when i lived in georgia during my college years. sadly, i’ve missed it more than i probably should. welcome to nashville, chick-fil-a. i think you’ll like it here.
to take the train 