Hello, and welcome to Rock of Eye, my monthly men’s-wear advice column for DRESS CODE. If you’re a smart, accomplished guy who has nowhere to turn for smart guidance on what to wear, how to wear it, or where to get it—look no further. But before we start, a note about the title: “Rock of Eye” is an old term from Savile Row. Most pattern cutters cut cloth according to the client’s specific measurements. Cutters with “rock of eye,” however, rely more on their experienced eye and their intuition. After enough years of looking, you stop measuring and start seeing. It’s exactly the perspective I’ll be bringing here—one that’s rooted in traditions and expertise but also values great personal style, evolution, and what looks right to the eye.
Q: “I need a go-to jacket for summer travel. Is there an option besides the seemingly ubiquitous French chore jacket?”
A: Great question. With its utilitarian lineage and artist’s imprimatur, chore jackets have been a great go-to for men for a decade or so, a way to wear a jacket but not look “dressy.” Sadly, utilitarian is now über-ubiquitous; the chore jacket has also become the official jacket of Brooklyn dads everywhere. Lately, when I see one I’m reminded of Calvin Trillin’s concise rules for wearing a Greek fisherman’s hat: 1) You are Greek; 2) You are a fisherman. The same must now be declared for the French chore jacket: If you’re not 1) French or 2) Doing chores, then leave it in the cellar, mon frère.
Fortunately, there are great options that still give you a relaxed vibe but are slightly more elevated in their style. I love this double-breasted gabardine number in tobacco from Drake’s. It looks fantastic with a white shirt. Even better: the more wrinkled it gets, the more rakish you look.
I’m also a big fan of this unlined, soft-shouldered blazer in deep navy from Officine Generale. It’s a jacket that’s lighter in weight (and cooler in temperature) than most chore jackets, but unlike a chore jacket, this can carry you from a morning meeting in Midtown to sunset drinks at the Maidstone, and you won’t miss a beat.
And I love this sage-green garment-dyed jacket from L.B.M. 1911. Sage green is the sophisticated neutral. Everyone tends to go for navy or khaki in a jacket, but sage green lets you stand out without getting all shouty. It looks great against blue jeans, white pants, or khakis. And if you want an option that is more trad but shot through with just the right amount of gritty sprezzatura, there’s this Fortela double-breasted blue blazer from designer Alessandro Squarzi.
Q: “I still haven’t found the perfect denim shirt that looks great under a blazer or sport coat.”
A: Neither had I—until a few months ago when my friends Lea Carpenter and Elliot Ackerman invited me to a dinner at Maxime’s in New York in honor of Nicolas Gabard, the founder and designer behind the super-cool Paris-based men’s-wear line Husbands. Among fashionheads, the raffish and charming Gabard is described by some as “a modern day Saint-Laurent,” a designer with superb taste in men’s wear. But what really caught my eye was Lea’s denim shirt, which Gabard had cut for her, adapting it from his men’s silhouette. It looked like Jane Birkin had nicked a shirt out of Gainsbourg’s closet. You can order from Husbands’ site, or catch Gabard when he’s in New York for one of his increasingly sought-after trunk shows.
Q: “What are the rules for summer shoes these days? I need a shoe I can wear to the office with a jacket, but with dress codes easing up, I need an option other than a black lace-up.”
A: My rules for summer shoes? Let’s start with banning the billionaire shoe. I’m sure you know what I’m referring to: the white-soled, lace-free shoe that comes in some shade of taupe or sand and looks like a mash-up of a loafer, a boat shoe, and a desert boot. Guys from Bezos to Beckham have been wearing these for a few years. They’re like Skechers slip-ons for the Sun Valley set. It’s a shoe that says, “I don’t have the time to tie shoelaces—I need to keep my fingers free to count my money!” My advice is to get a loafer or a summer-weight chukka boot. The key here is that they both need to have slimmer soles, which gives them a slightly more relaxed silhouette.
My friend John Brodie rocks the loafer better than anyone and swears by these John Lobb’s. The suede gives them a slightly more casual vibe, so they can swing between work and weekends.
If you don’t have to worry about the dressier requirement and want something that looks good with jeans as well as shorts, I swear by these lightweight desert boots from Alden.
Michael Hainey is a Writer at Large at Air Mail
Send your questions and ideas to Michael here: rockofeye@airmail.news
