Men Tell All
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This roundup of things we liked this week originally appeared in the March 14, 2024 edition of theSecret Strategistnewsletter, a weekly email where we share the stuff our staff — plus a rotating cast of writers, design-world people, and various others with very good taste — would otherwise keep to themselves. If you want to get our picks straight to your inbox each week, sign uphere.
This week, we wrote down the names of men we believe to have excellent taste, then asked them to tell us about the clothes they wear at least once a week. This was an extremely useful exercise — it turned up a bounty of great sweaters, pants, and various other items that anyone might want to buy.— Katy Schneider & Simone Kitchens
Pants
*Dan Solomito, creative strategist:As a tall guy, I try to stay away from anything too tapered or skinny.Engineered Garmentshas been making incredible clothing in NYC for years, and thismilitary overpantis one of my favorites.
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*Bobby Doherty, photographer:Margaret HowellCarpenters Trousers Dense Cotton Drill Elephant. They’re like my Carhartt’s more handsome English cousin.
*Bennet Schlesinger, artist:Denim Utility Pant in Raw Black Selvedge fromMister Green. They have the best fit out of any pants I wear. Solid daily driver.
*Mario Kardana,M. Kardana:My girlfriend’sBrandy Melvilletrack pants are really comfy and wash out in a nice way. Perfect for the park.
*Jason Stewart, podcaster:Finding the perfect pair of jeans is impossible, but my friendBen Edgarcame close. They’re high-quality heavy denim that should last for the rest of my life. He’s sold out, but you should bug him to make more.
*Jon Boschetto,Good Friend:My new absolute favoritesweatpants, made bySky High Farms. It’s a great brand and a great cause. I cannot stress enough how good the quality is, too. (It uses the same factories as Comme des Garçons.)
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*Will Fox, architectural designer:WhiteLevi’s501(plus a white Hanes V-neck — basically my uniform). The fit is comfortable, not too tight, but not loose. I like that there is no stretch in the fabric, which is hard to find nowadays (I don’t like stretch). Wearing all white eases decision-making. They look good when they get dirty, at least in my opinion.
Shirts, Sweaters, and Jackets
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Lady White Polo
*Jon:My favoritebasicsare fromLady Whitein L.A —sweatshirts, sweatpants, T-shirts,polos. The long-sleeved polos are really nice. The fits are great, so are the colors, and they hold up really well in the wash. Everything is made in L.A. On multiple occasions I’ve reordered the same thing in another color because they’re just so good. AlsoMargaret Howellsweaters are everyday classics. The brand makes similar sweater shapes each season with different materials and in different colors. My sweater drawer is full of cozy warm wools as well as breathable cottons. My absolute favorite is a very lightweight navy linen-cotton sweater from years ago. It’s so lightweight and breathable you can wear it on a hot summer afternoon and not get hot. I can’t find it vintage. Here is asimilar sweaterbut in cashmere/merino, which looks super nice but not for warmer days.
*Jason:A good white teeis hard to find, especially with an unusual body. I’m six-foot-nine, but I size down to a large because that’s where we’re at. Plus, these fromKirkland Signatureare like $4 a shirt.
*Dan: Front Street General, the best vintage store in New York also makes some of the best basics.The FGS raglan hoodieis probably the most worn item in my wardrobe. Also, I try to buy staple pieces that are timeless and will last forever. No brand matches the product innovation (colors, materials, process) asStone Island. This isthe perfect down jacket.
*Mario:I like to layer and keep it fairly basic when it comes to this. My go-to isUniqlo, fairly good quality with the price point. A couple ofsupima cotton T-shirts, acashmere V-neck jumper,and in the winter I usually have aUniqlo HeatTech underneath. Also, I have this great mid-length pin-striped peacoat byNN Studio(an Italian brand created in early ’90s by Carla Sozzani) that I bought fromTwos Care,my friend’s vintage clothing shop in East London.
*Geoff Snack,Wrong Answer:Body of Workis from Toronto (where I’m from) and makes really high-quality sportswear basics. Think sweatpants, hoodies, etc. The company even produces its own fabric. The crewneck fits perfectly. It’s boxy and cropped — so it feels relaxed but not too relaxed. I like the shale-colored one; it’s a nice black-but-not-black choice that works with anything.Wanzeis a new designer (also from Toronto) who does very simple silhouettes with precise detailing.The classic button-up stripe shirtis really good, insanely nice fabric with a wider silhouette without feeling oversize. AndUniqlocashmere crewnecksare good enough, inexpensive, and go with pretty much everything.
Shoes
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*Matthew Schneier,New York’schiefrestaurant critic:Klemanmakes an affordable dupe of the Paraboot that everyone wears. The dye bleeds, so all your socks will turn black, but in my experience, it washes right out. And I wear them every day! I want another pair inbrown. (Editor’s note: Kleman lists all prices in euros, so the price shown is an approximate conversion to U.S. dollars.)
*Dan:It’s not easy for me to find footwear in size 15. Fortunately,Blackstock & Webermakes an amazing loafer and does so in my size. I’m more of a sneaker guy, but this is a great shoe that can be dressed up or down. And one of my favoriteNikesilhouettes of all time is the Air Max TN. Last year’s collab withA Cold Wallhas been a go-to for me of late.
* Jason:I’ve been wearingtheseJack Purcellssince high school. They used to come in baby blue. Something to think about, Converse.
*Mario:Currently sold out but checking the website daily for the newNew Balance x Miu Miu530 SLsuede sneakers. I always liked New Balance sneakers but was never a big fan of a chunky sole, so these are perfect.
Other Stuff
*Dan: Packerdoes a great job putting small, tasteful spins on the most famoushatin the world. Also, often an overlooked item in a guy’s wardrobe, buttheseDruthersboxers are best in class for quality and comfort.
*Jason:I did not go to the Culinary Institute of America or the Central Intelligence Agency, but thehatis funny.
*Nick Sugihara,Ijji:Maximum Henryslim three-piece belt. Perfect little accessory.
Check These Out Too
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* In our last send, we identified two great lamps from a picture on Michael Bargo’s Instagram (theLumina Daphinereading lamp and aWalter Von Nessen brushed-metal torchiere). But what we failed to identify, Geoff Snack helpfully pointed out, was ahalf-obscured postersitting in the corner. It’s “a really greatWalter De Maria, available at Dia for only $25. A beautiful design and an insane deal, in my opinion.”
* There’s aFrette online outlet sale happening! We’re very tempted to go for thisunder-$200 duvet cover, down from nearly $500.
*The Primary Essentialsis doing a pop-up with a brand-new children’s company,Darling. The line is all made from deadstock and vintage fabric. Lauren Snyder, the owner, told us a little more: “We don’t usually sell clothing, but I have two young children, and so many of our customers do as well, so working on this felt fun for us — these pieces feel so extremely special, they are really heirloom items.” It runs March 14–24 in store.Darling’s sitewill be stocked soon; email info@theprimaryessentials for more details.
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
