New York State of Mind

Manhattan opening monologue by Woody Allen


I always listen to Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin to set the mood before heading to New York.


_Nelson

It's Scary Cold

Department Seventeen will be in New York for the Capsule men's trade show. Be back in a few...

_Daniel

Tommy Ton's Photos of Pitti Uomo 2011

Video Roll

Mount Kimbie - Before I Move Off

Theophilus London - Flying Overseas

Blueprint - Radio-Inactive

Ladies Love Shoes

Jokes.com
JB Smoove - Ladies Love Shoes
comedians.comedycentral.com
Jokes Joke of the Day Funny Jokes

Guys, pay attention. "They said 'If his shoes is toe off, his life is toe off.'"

_Daniel

How To Tie A Bow Tie

Big Time Timmy Jim rocking the bow tie

I've been seeing the bow tie around a lot more lately and I couldn't be happier to see it's return. With stars like Tim Lincecum and Dwayne Wade now sporting the classic neck accessory (see what I did there?), it's only a matter of time before the everyday guy decides he'd like to wear one as well. Bow ties are fun, distinctive, and distinguished all at the same time. A guy who wears a bow tie is most certainly confident in his style. But if you decide to wear one, please DO NOT wear a clip on. Clip ons are too perfect and can be spotted a mile away. Take the time to actually learn how to tie one. It's actually a lot simpler than you think. I've included a little instructional video below brought to you by Details.com to get you started. It might help to practice on your leg so you can see better.

_Daniel

Crescent Down Works for Department Seventeen

Italian Vest

Crescent Down Works has spent nearly 30 years in the industry perfecting it's signature down outerwear using the highest quality fabrics and goose down. We at Department Seventeen are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work collaboratively with them this Spring. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for their signature Italian Vests and Down Shirts both in store and online. For more information on Crescent Down Works, please visit their homepage at www.crescentdownworks.com.

_Daniel

Paul Newman: An American Original

Paul's timeless style

When it comes to dressing well, Paul Newman is definitely one of my greatest influences.

_Nelson

In My Younger Days...

Quincy Jones - Summer in the City

This song came on in the iTunes shuffle while Nelson and I were at the shop on Tuesday. You might recognize the intro as the sample from The Pharcyde's '92 single, Passin Me By. I have to say, 1992 was a great year for hip hop.

_Daniel

Shopping Activism

Apolis Global Citizen - Indigo Wool Chore Jacket

The holiday season is a time when our values are put into practice. The activities that we most cherish during these winter months are more or less a direct reflection of our values. For some, the highlight of this season is spending time with loved ones, for others, it's shopping for friends and families and yet for some, its winter sports. These three activities may seem different on the surface, but they are similar on a deeper level because these activities involve some form of bonding and community building which could result in more empathy, understanding and compassion for our fellow man.

Why is this seasonal zeitgeist of compassion for humanity so short lived? How can we hold on to this special form of compassion indefinitely? It's shame that this feeling of kindness happens only once a year. Temporary compassion can't result in any positive far-reaching global changes because there isn't enough time to nurture it. We have to be compassionate and empathetic year round and we must understand it and hone it into something tangible and constructive so that it effects the community globally not just locally.

It is clear that our fundamental values are for building a better community worldwide and for the making the world a better place for future generations, but more often or not, our values are either squandered, misdirected or not fully realized. I don't have an answer to combat our apathy towards our values and our apathy towards our fellow man. I do believe that I have a few good tips that we can all put into practice starting this holiday season.

You can start by supporting your local businesses if you must shop and do research on the origin of your purchases. I am not going to demonize foreign made goods and praise American made products because it is more complicated than that. For example, companies such as Tom's Shoes and Apolis Global Citizen use foreign supply chains and manufacturing but are actually philanthropic in nature. Other companies that pride themselves as being made domestically such as the automakers of Detroit have their priorities in profit. I will not squander my time in talking about the pros and cons of for profit companies at this time.

Shopping smart this holiday season just the start. Active thinking about your purchases will eventually lead to the purging of passive activism.

_Nelson