Style and Direction

What's the deal with white suits? Well they have a curious history. They are perceived to be incredibly fancy yet white clothing has its roots in practical workwear. The hope would be that a white suit would be just as easy to wear, being made of casual cloth and as slouchy as they come. We discuss white tailoring on the latest episode, discussing their roots, iconic people who have worn them, and...

Ethan is back from Italy and is ready to talk about the Dolce Vita! He goes through his packing process, how he ate geltao and drank nearly everyday, and goes into the menswear stores (as well as what he bought). It's a big one, so be sure to check out his blog for all the photos and nitty gritty details that we didn't have time for in this episode. But don't worry, we got through all the main stu...

Ethan was away so Spencer and MJ are here to play! We go over Spencer's short Texas trip as well as what he wore during it. We also talk about what's been going on recently (like Succession) and what are excited to wear this season. This is a very laid back episode that should only further your parasocial relationships with us. Subscribe on patreon for the full episode as well as access to our Dis...

We heard the blues a-callin'! The next episode is all about the menswear in Frasier. With all the brown suits, double breasted Armani numbers, and jokes about classical music and cashmere, Frasier is one of our favorite shows. In fact as we get older, we've even found our lives aligning getting closer aligned to the Crane boys. No, not in terms of income or big apartments but in how much time we s...

Style & Direction isn't immune to the writer's strike, so at the direction of our owners, we had to rely on ChatGPT to make our entire script for us. I guess the future is here and we must follow. There's also a few clips from previous episodes, which feature interviews with wacky guests and even snippets from The Style & Direction Cinematic Universe of Films. There's also a new catchphrase canoni...

@brettwhite joins us on the pod! He's a stylish pop culture reporter that has a penchant for classic menswear, specifically through the lens of TV and comics. We speak to Brett about his unlikely source of menswear inspo, the struggles of finding clothes that fit perfectly out of the box (because tailors can be far), and what it's like to have made a career out of talking about nerdy things! We al...

In this episode, we discuss basic and capsule wardrobes and how their pragmatic take to NOT be naked doesn't allow you to connect with your clothes in a meaningful way. Instead, we offer an alternative: the Foundational Wardrobe. It's more of a philosophy than a specific list and is meant to encourage introspection. The hope is that you'll be able to figure out what are essentials for YOUR specifi...

In this bonus episode, Spencer tells us about his brief NYC trip! He was there for a conference but that didn't stop him from squeezing in menswear shopping and a few fit pics for us. Maybe a full SaD NYC trip will be on the horizon... Support us on Patreon for the full episode and join the Discord: https://www.patreon.com/styleanddirection/ Photos on Ethan's blog: https://alittlebitofrest.com/202...

In this latest episode, Ethan takes Spencer and MJ through the book "Reflections on Musical Expression" by Peter Kivy which posits that expression is a valid method in evaluating and critiquing music through concepts of Contour and Convention. We extrapolate on that to say that making outfit is all about using the plethora of expressive details and either upholding or subverting them to create an...

Our coverage of the terrible menswear in Live By Night (2016) is here! This is the movie that put Affleck in baggy suits for no reason, makes 1926 look like 1946, and contains a flash back that lasts for about 30 minutes. If people want to ask why Golden Era Menswear never took the zeitgeist like Mad Men, just watch this mediocre gangster flick. Show Notes: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2023/03/19/...

Producer MJ gets the limelight in the newest pod! We talk to him about how he was inspired to get into menswear through hanging out, how his expression remains personal (not just a carbon copy of Ethan and Spencer), and where he sees himself going next. He is newer to this after all! Ethan's Essay: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2023/03/11/my-brother-mj/ Support us on Patreon and join the Discord: h...

Chinatown is one of our favorite movies and we're excited to go over the film's costuming on the latest bonus pod! We go over it all, from Jake's awesome belt backs and spearpoint collars to Noah Cross's corduroy suit. Compared to some of the other movies we've covered, this one definitely takes the cake as one of the most accurate ones. Show notes: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2023/02/26/we-cant-...

The newest podcast episode is about defining what exactly is an “Occasion” and the “right” reasons to get fitted on the regular. This is because people tend to avoid “wasting” outfits, whatever that means. TL;DR, we see everyday life as an Occasion. Every activity we do is an opportunity to dress up. This could mean wearing a nice fit to get dinner with a friend or even treating yourself to a solo...

This new episode is Spencer's attempt to codify what he calls "reporter style". The look comes from personal observation of the journalists he has interacted with professionally, famed journalists of the last century and of course, the image of the reporter that was created by Hollywood in films like “All the President’s Men” or “The Parallax View”. He also goes into how he co-opts elements of thi...

The first bonus of 2023 is all about The Sting (1973). We watch the beloved grift movie and cover its 70s-does-30s attire that actually looks pretty great. Its full of grey fedoras, sharp suits, and elegant tuxedos. That's all stuff we like! Show notes: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2023/01/29/i-finally-watched-the-sting-1973/ Subscribe on Patreon for the full episode and join the Discord: https://...

In this episode, we discuss the Tangibility of our various menswear experiences on the pod and how it helped us in our journeys and how it assists in "evangelism". A "tangible experience" could mean anything, from trying something new at the store to just handling your clothes and carefully making outfits. Getting tangible is what connects you to your clothes and helps you figure out what you like...

The first pod of 2023 is here and it's all about menswear "evangelism" or how to get others into this little hobby. The discussion talks about what type of advice people respond to, anecdotes about how we introduced our friends to specific pieces, and what seems to work in getting them to approach clothing in a personal rather way instead of being pragmatic. We honestly don't try too hard to get o...

The 1920s are back! In this bonus episode, the SaD Boys cover the attire in Damien Chazelle's Babylon. The outfits are meh and the film is...interesting, but its worth a watch if you just love the movies. We also talk about Avatar 2, which sounds random but if you see Babylon...you'll know why it makes sense. Ftxozä Kerìsmìsä Lefpom! Show Notes: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2022/12/25/babylon-and-...

What does "Menswear as Hobby" mean to us? Fun! This hobby is not just about gathering inspo or collecting specific garments, it's ALL of it, culminating in putting together daily outfits wearing them out. We also discuss how menswear compares to our other activities and how fun will always be the higher priority when compared to practically covering our bodies. Yes, clothes are necessary. But we c...

Three fashion movies all released in close proximity? What a treat for Ethan and Spencer! This bonus pod covers some of the great film fits we've seen including the slouchy tied sweaters on Tar, the immaculate black tie in Amsterdam, and the contrasting American and British looks in See How They Run. They're all worth a watch, so try to see them before you listen to this pod. Ethan's Essay: https:...

Spencer and Ethan reflect and apply the framework provided in W. David Marx's new book: Status & Culture. It's not a proper book review, but the SaDBoys do get into it, sharing whether they agree on their own status, what they perceive benefits of high status to be, and how the internet and monoculture are setting back culture. Don't worry, we (along with Marx) have our own solutions! We recommend...

Our friend Doug is the next guest on the podcast! Not only is he an actor famous for his Amazon and Liberty Mutual spots, but he's one of the most stylish guys we know. Doug's knowledge from collecting(and selling) vintage Americana was obviously quite formative for our style, and so we had to have him on. We discuss his predilection for minimalism, how being a vintage seller had an effect on his...

We’re posting the Bonus early so you can hear all about Ethan’s NYC trip! He tells us about the cool shops he went to, the Patreon dinner, and what he ended up bringing home. We also get to discuss the mid century style of Don’t Worry Darling (and its bizarre plot). Ethan’s Essay: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2022/10/09/nyc-2022-a-trip-just-to-hang-out/ Get the full episode on Patreon and join the...

As we get deeper into the "no context" world, it's only fair that we discuss irony and subversion! We talk about the difference between the two, how irony can be a weak defense for a 'bad" fit, and how when time goes on, things will become less subversive— and that's okay! Fashion should be about what we enjoy wearing! Ethan's Essay: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2022/10/03/on-irony-subversion/ Sup...

This bonus episode just might be the wildest one yet, with topics like Spencer's new fascination with necklaces, Ethan on farts, compound interest, and a primer on Status and Culture which we will dive into more in a future episode. Support us on Patreon and join the Discord: https://www.patreon.com/styleanddirection/ Follow us on Instagram! @StyleandDirection @EthanMWong @SpencerDSO Watch us stre...