Apr 9
Hey Guys,
As you know I’ve been dedicating way more time to finishing my 18 song opus “Songs From The Sea” than concentrating on clothing so I wanted to offer up the first video from the album here.
It’s called THROUGH THE GARDENS AND THE FIELDS and was shot by the lovely Heather Elle of the local band Glitter Freeze.
So much of my time is going into releasing this album, hence my lack of updates.I do hope you enjoy this.
Best,
Dennis
Skagen Watch, $70 on Amazon
One of the best wardrobes in modern movies (besides INCEPTION) had to be the one put together for DRIVE starring Ryan Gosling. I would never be caught dead in that jacket but the look he helped create with the aid of a stylist has to be one of the most coveted in recent years. It’s been so talked about and obsessed over that many bloggers have tried to recreate his look (and very unsuccessfully might I add) right down to that beautiful Patek Philippe watch. It was a model that was specially made for the movie and can’t be found anywhere.
A lot of research was done by many to find an inexpensive alternative and the closest one was by SKAGEN. It’s got the sub dial, simple face, and brown band. It’s very light and thin and from a distance looks a lot like the DRIVE piece. Unfortunately it’s quartz and doesn’t have a stopwatch function on it. But if you’re not planning on being a get away drive with a penchant for smashing gangster’s heads in with your $1oo Stacy Adams boots, I don’t think you’ll miss that function.
*Bonus* – If you really want to imitate his look, go for these brown driving gloves on Amazon for $26.
Feb 1
Cartier Inspired Seiko Tank, $150 on Ebay
I was sitting next to Alan one day recording voice overs for his website and stared at his watch which I always thought was some rare and expensive piece, only to be found or made in a place only he knew of. As I gazed a bit longer and closer I finally caught the brand insignia towards the top.
“Is that a fucking Seiko??” I exclaimed.
Alan smiled wide and nodded as I sat dumbfounded at how beautiful and expensive the watch looked for a budget brand.
“Everyone thinks it’s a Cartier,” Alan explained, “and I get a real kick out of people’s reaction when I tell them it’s a $100 Seiko.”
After this little episode I became pretty obsessed with finding the same model but to very little avail. I searched every where. Amazon, Ebay, Etsy. Nothing. The search continued on for some months until finally I came across one on Ebay. I placed my max bid, crossed my fingers, and eventually won the damn thing (after all my research I found the model number which is SXB850). There’s also one in all black available on Amazon.
Seiko have been modeling these Cartier like watches for quite some time now. One of the closest to an actual Cartier tank is one I found on, you guessed it, EBay for $25. This one is almost exactly like the classic tank right down to the faux cabochon gemstone in the winder. These are a bit easier to find than the model above and when placed next to an actual Cartier, very hard to tell the difference.
Seiko Cartier Inspired Tank, $25 on Ebay
The tank watch is one that can go from a suit to casual because of it’s classic style. I find that these Seiko models are some of the best for those on a budget.
And at these prices do what I did. Buy two.
Jan 31
Invicta Pro Diver With Coin Edge Bezel, $84.99
One of the best features of James Bond films has to be the gadgets. But of all of them my favorite is his Rolex Submariner with a coin edged bezel. There is something so manly about it. So rugged. In the Connery years he always wore it with a black Nato strap but when Lazenby took over for his one shot performance in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, the steel band made it’s first appearance. One of it’s most noticeable close ups is when he places it atop a photocopier.
Mr. Lazenby’s wardrobe in the film was, what I consider, one of the best Bond wardrobes ever. It was the late sixties so everything fit a little closer to his body but still he could kick ass comfortably in each beautifully tailored piece. And the watch itself was with him through every costume change. Looking just as good in the opening scene where he dons a tuxedo and later on when he is in a trim gray suit.
Since I don’t have nearly enough wampum to purchase a Rolex Submariner, I did my research and found that the Invicta Pro Diver for only $84.99 on Amazon is the closest alternative. My model is Japanese made (not Swiss) so the automatic movement is the more choppy Miyota rather than the smoother Swiss alternative but it wasn’t a deal breaker at that price. I’ve worn this piece with a three piece suit as well as jeans and a t-shirt, proving it’s incredible versatility. It’s the one I wear the most out of my new collection and always gets mistaken for a more expensive brand.
If you can only afford one watch, make it this one. You will be happy you made the investment.
Jan 30
My New Stührling Ascot, $79.99 on Amazon
Watches, to me, are an integral part of a man’s wardrobe. Just like choosing the right color tie or shirt, the watch can dictate what mood you are in that day. The watch should compliment this mood and work with a number of looks including formal, dressy, and casual. The color of the band (be it leather) should compliment the shade of your shoes, belt or ensemble as a whole.
I started to retool my watch brigade at the end of 2011 through the New Year by selling all my old time pieces and restarting with models I will not tire of or lose any kind of appeal. My goal was to stick with watches of the classic variety as well as simple faced watches that will consistently stay in tune with the times just for their sheer lack of any bells and whistles.
For your consideration, the first choice for my new collection a simple faced Stührling Ascot. I fell in love with this watch the moment I laid eyes on it. It looks more expensive than it’s price ($79.99 on Amazon), can go with a tuxedo, suit, or casual attire, and does what it is meant to do: tell time simply and effectively.
I urge everyone who is into watches to add one of these to their collection. It’s just the right size, extremely thin, comes with an attractive black crocodile watch band, and will never go out of style.
Jan 17
I was tired.
So tired that I couldn’t even keep my eyes open. Alan Flusser, who sat next to me in the confines of his midtown office, nudged me awake. I reticently opened my eyes to stare back at the two mac book screens in front of me. His to the right. Mine to the left. Sweeping angles and zoom ins of old Esquire scans traversed the monitors. I achingly propped myself up for a few more hours of work, wrapped in some expensive cardigan made of fine cashmere that Alan lent me to fight off the 5 week head cold I had been suffering from. And the kicker? I had to wake up at 5am the next day to do it all over again.
But Mr. Flusser hadn’t taken up all my time. You see, my position at the Custom Shop had been rearranged to a creative one with me at the head of photography and assisting with content building for Alan’s new website. It was a role I gladly took on. Unfortunately, it was only a part time position. To fill my time (and wallet) I took another part time position at a cafe right next door to my apartment. I figured the commute was only a few steps, how bad could it be?
Then they promoted me to manager.
I went for it full steam ahead, finding myself such a natural fit in the food service industry with a great knack at customer service. I also created a new atmosphere through changing the music and instilling in the staff the kind of customer service level you would rarely expect from a New York City cafe. It was, and still is, very hard work but work that I really enjoy doing.
At my peak I was clocking 105 hours a week between the cafe and my work with Alan. I would wake up at 5am, work 6am-3pm at the cafe, run home, shower (if I had time), change clothing, get to Alan’s by 4pm, work until 8 or 9pm, get home by about 10, edit some work, then pass out.
During this time I didn’t know if I was coming or going. I lost a bunch of weight, was smoking too much, and generally did not take care of myself very well. On the one day off I would have I generally slept all day then took my 25 pound laundry bag that was piling up for drop off and pass out again. I didn’t see my friends or loved ones. I hardly had time to even think about clothing for myself. And I completely dropped off the radar in terms of blogging.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not writing these words for any kind of sympathy from my readers (however many of you may even be left) but you could imagine what little interest I had after an 18 hour work day to set up my photography equipment and take photos of myself. Nor did I even want to write about clothing. In fact, I was sick of the whole menswear blogging world. Especially “street style”. Honestly, everything that was being posted on some blogs looked ridiculous to me. Even more ridiculous than runway. So I just stopped and worked my ass off on other things. And let me tell you, working with Alan so much and digging through all those Apparel Arts and old Esquire magazines really boosted my knowledge of what to look for in clothing.
As the months rolled by my work with Alan finally slowed a bit and I’ve gotten back into a more manageable schedule. I’ve also reinvented my wardrobe which has me excited to write a new series of articles for Made To Measure, NY and made a promise to myself to stay a bit more insulated instead of “keeping up with the menswear blogger Jones’s”. Because most of them, honestly, annoy the living shit out of me.
You’ll be hearing a lot more from me this year, albeit sporadically. As I said from the very beginning I do not write this blog in hopes for big money, a “collab” with some up and coming designer, spots in GQ, or anything like that. I write this blog because I like clothing and want to show guys how to do it without busting the bank. So if I drop off again, I apologize. But always know that I will come back to writing for Made To Measure, NY. Sometimes I just need a long ass break to do so.
Welcome back, Cahlo.
P.S.: Did I mention that during my 105 hour a week work schedule I was writing a new album? Yeah…that too.
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