Archive for July, 2009

Jul 25

Von Zipper Fulton Sunglasses

While always searching for a great bargain, I had to try on a very pricey pair of my co workers Von Zipper Fulton sunglasses yesterday. I was blown away to say the least. They fit the shape of my face perfectly and are REALLY comfortable. No pinching or unevenness, either.

Only problem is that these things are $90. That’s the most I’ve ever spent on sunglasses but it may be time for a true upgrade to something that I would really take care of as well as be more mindful about losing them. If my calculations are correct, the amount a year that I spend on cheap sunglasses may equal out to about one pair of Von Zippers.

If you have any other suggestions, please leave me a comment!

Have a great weekend,
Dennis Cahlo

Von Zipper Fulton Sunglasses - $90 (!!!!)

Jul 24

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Love In The Time Of Cholera + A Past Photo Comes Back To Life

Once in a while I will veer off the subject of menswear to talk to you about other great things in life like books, photography, quotes, or art.

This is one of those posts.

The two books in my life right now are KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL (AWESOME) and my second attempt at finishing LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA (it’s a snooze fest and the movie is terrible).

I had to stop reading it because AGAIN it was making me a bit sad but one of the lines in CHOLERA that really hit me I just had to share with you guys:

“Pitiless indifference might not be a subterfuge for hiding the torments of love.”

My interpretation is you cannot ignore and cover up your issues. You have to deal with them head on. You have to laugh, cry, shout, love, get angry, and feel. Excessive behavior to mask emotional pain just leads to more and more suffering. How long you want to stay in that place is your choice.

On a lighter note:

Long before I started Made To Measure I had a small blog dedicated to photography. I was flipping through some past photos from said blog and came across one that I wanted to share with you all.

In photography there are always beautiful accidents. The photo I am featuring today is one of those. Here is the story:

I had purchased an Olympus XA2 from Ebay in the winter of 2004 and loaded it with Kodak B&W film. At the time I was working at a veterinarian’s office on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and during my lunch break took the camera out for a test run and at the corner of 67th and something or other I saw a man hunched over to brace himself from the onslaught of snow whipping through the air. I had my camera literally at my hip and snapped a picture. When I got the roll developed I was pleased to see this:

Man In Snow

Back to menswear in the next few days. Have an excellent weekend!

Stay well,
Dennis Cahlo

Jul 23

Stretch Your $$ Series–Home Essential Tips that also Save You Money (By Kevin Finke and Rob Stalder)

TIP #1: Once cut flowers have lived out their life, don’t throw away the greenery that accompanies them. Continue using the greenery, displaying it alone or with a few new stems.

We are firm believers that one should have live flowers and plants in one’s home rather than dried or artificial ones. Live flowers and plants bring nature into your environment, have a positive energy and, with larger potted varieties, can help improve the quality of your indoor air.

When we buy cut flowers from our local market or any of a number of online flower retailers (www.1800flowers.com is our favorite), we have a realistic expectation that they will last only a couple of weeks. But rather than throwing away the entire arrangement when the flowers themselves have lived out their lives, we pull out the greenery and re-vase it. The greenery by itself is beautiful and will last a long time, stretching the value of the original bouquet we purchased.

For an occasional refresher (for as long as the greenery lasts), we purchase a single stem or two and add it/them to the greenery. Again, saving us $$ since we’re only purchasing individual stems rather than an entire new floral bouquet.

This is a floral arrangement we bought in mid-March. When the calla lilies and roses had lost their vitality, we threw them out but kept the greenery. We divided it among two small (recycled use) jars, putting one in our living room and one on our kitchen table. With occasionally refreshing the water, this greenery has lasted for four months. A great value for our initial outlay!

Kevin Finke and Rob Stalder are the owners of Gatherings, an earth-conscious lifestyle and event planning company.

Jul 22

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Summer Simplicity

In a scene from North By Northwest, after Cary Grant’s gray suit has been nearly destroyed, he is given some simple pieces to wear: slacks, a shirt, and loafers. As mundane as this may sound the way the outfit falls on Grant looks easy and comfortable yet totally stylish.

I could not help but put together my own version of this last week. The little stand out details that really complimented the ensemble was a Burberry wrist watch and silver cuff links:

Custom Shit by Imparali, Slacks from Daffy's, Belt by Kenneth Cole, Shoes by Aldo

Jul 21

Blog Alert: Paper Hearts And Cranes

One of the dumbest things I have done in the past year is bail on my friends wedding so I didn’t have to run into my ex and create an awkward moment. Even after a billion apologies I still feel like a total heel.

But as serendipity has it, Karolina and Scott started a blog called PAPER HEARTS AND CRANES as a sort of how to guide to hosting a unique wedding on a small budget and falls directly into what I am trying to do here: create a custom made experience with the smallest bit of cash.

As a result of these worlds colliding we are currently in talks to contribute on each others sites so expect collaborations in the future.

Please take a moment to check out their beautifully written and designed site here:

: http://paperheartsandcranes.blogspot.com/

Jul 20

Steal These Looks: Marcello Mastroianni & Perfect Imperfections

One shining example of how Italian men get style right is the master himself Marcello Mastroianni. You see, Italian men have a way of breaking the rules in such a subtle way that you don’t even notice they are. A good example is the photo below. Notice that the shirt sleeve button is undone, possible to give him some air, possibly because he just couldn’t be bothered that day; but it doesn’t look sloppy or out of place (even if he is sitting on a TOILET).

A perfect imperfection.