Style and Direction

The SaDBoys finally watch the John Huston's noir classic: The Maltese Falcon! We discuss it's fantastic cinematography, snappy dialogue and of course, the fantastic menswear. Leave it to Bogey to make a pinstripe suit and fedora feel so easy to wear! Listen to this short preview and join the patreon for the full episode. Blog Post: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2024/11/29/the-menswear-in-the-maltes...

In this episode we talk about the OTHER things being into Menswear has taught us. We don't just mean an appreciation for watches and furniture but in deeper topics such as the importance of introspection, honing self-expression, labor practices, and a variety of introspective and ultimately progressive things! Who would've thought that our silly little hobby would lead us here? Ethan's Essay: http...

Ethan tells us all about his epic NYC trip! He shares his experience attending the Permanent Style x Rubato Party at J. Mueser, hanging out with the Male Fashion Advice Discord, and two full weekends at Alfargo's Marketplace! Ethan's Blog: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2024/11/04/ethan-in-nyc-2024-the-best-one-yet/ Support us on Patreon and join the Discord: https://www.patreon.com/styleanddirectio...

We look at the 1954 film that inspired Indiana Jones and it is....a drag. It's a boring film without a semblance of adventure. The menswear on the other hand is pretty good! It's easy to see why Spielberg saw this film and decided to copy Steele's look: a leather jacket, officer pinks, and a big fedora. There's also a few other cool looks too! It's just a shame the movie sucks. Ethan's Essay: http...

Part 2 of our coverage of Indiana Jones is here! It's clear that Indy isn't the only well dressed character in the franchise! There's a whole slew of great outfits to be found, like the ivy of his father Dr. Henry Jones Sr., the greaser look on his son Mutt (ripped from Marlon Brando), and of course Sallah's summer tailoring. We discuss all of the non-Indy Vintage Menswear found in this beloved fr...

This is Part 1 of our two part series on Indiana Jones, with this one focusing specifically on the adventuring archaeologist. We LOVE this franchise as its a fantastic example of character based costuming, with each detail sharing something about the person as well as the era it is set in. The SaDBoys dive deep on everything Indy wears, from his crazy big sable fedora and his A-2 leather jacket to...

The boys discuss Ethan's Hawaiian vacation and whether or not a hot dog is a sandwich. And then they all take a trip to Bali Ha'i and discuss the milsurpy glory of the menswear in South Pacific! Show Notes: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2024/09/22/the-menswear-in-south-pacific-1958/ Support us on Patreon and join the Discord: https://www.patreon.com/styleanddirection/ Follow us on Instagram! www.in...

We finally watched The Red Shoes and fell in love with its glorious vintage menswear. Its an Apparel Arts-lovers dream with its various takes on tailoring, superb casual attire, and of course, ICONIC two lounge wear outfits that is unlike anything we've ever seen in a film. "The Red Shoes" is bound to inspire a few fits before summer comes to a close. Overall, we get pretty in-depth on analyzing t...

We return to discussing our obsessions with specific garments with a new episode on the Pinstripe and Chalkstripe Suit. It's a garment oozes confidence and power thanks to its history of being worn by businessmen, criminals, and myriad of well dressed men over the years. Spencer and Ethan share their own takes on this iconic pattern as they get into its attitude, how you can subvert the vibes, and...

This next episode is all about Inspiration: mainly where we get it and how we act on it! After all, being into fashion is really about *acting* on Inspo. It could be replicating an outfit you saw online, being enamored with a combo in a painting, or trying to capture the vibe of a photograph. We also discuss how Ethan is obsessed with Inspo and how it plays into his neverending backlog of outfit i...

It's about time we did a guide! In this episode, Spencer, Ethan, and MJ share how they stay stylish in a SoCal summer. They get into their favorite summer pieces, the different POVs that guide their outfits, and how they stay excited about dressing even when they know its going to be a scorcher. Ethan's Essay: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2024/07/28/how-to-stay-excited-to-dress-up-when-its-warm/ S...

July was kind to us and gave us TWO 60s movies with pretty decent costuming. Fly Me To The Moon boasts some fun late 60s menswear ranging from knit tees and neck scarves to short brimmed fedoras and the NASA Special (the short sleeve shirt, slim tie, and browline glasses). The Bikeriders on the other hand fuels our Americana dreams with sportshirts, worn selvedge jeans, and of course epic leather...

Is being into menswear Pretentious? Does having strong taste make you a Snob? Is it bad to be Pretentious? The SaD boys answer these questions as they discuss Dan Fox's incredible essay: Pretentiousness & Why It Matters all in the latest podcast. Spoiler alert by the end of it, you may just end up thinking that being Pretentious is a good thing and should even be celebrated! Ethan's Essay: https:/...

Hoo-ah! We watched Scent of a Woman (1992) and to our surprise, it's a decent menswear film! Not only is there some classic tailoring but there is a swath of ivy as well. It's also pretty funny thanks to Al Pacino's equally horny and despondent acting. Subscribe on patreon for the full episode as well as access to our Discord! https://www.patreon.com/styleanddirection/ Show notes: https://alittleb...

In this pod, the SaD Boys discuss how we frame giving menswear feedback, advice, and critique! We go into how important it is for Askers to set intentional goals, how Advice Givers should function as guides and help guide the conversation, and how we should all focus on building Awareness and experience to help achieve a POV. Because in the end, how else are we supposed to separate the good advice...

We cover the actually-pretty great menswear in Michael Mann's 2009 film, Public Enemies! The outfits are quite spectacular and certainly period accurate— everyone gets to wear a double breasted suit, spearpoint collar, a big coat, and a fedora. It's so good! We also briefly share some thoughts about the most recent Met Gala (I know we're late). Listen to a clip now or subscribe on Patreon for the...

When you look at the long history of menswear, it seems that everything comes back: flared jeans, wide leg pants, double breasted jackets, western wear. In this latest episode, Spencer, Ethan, and MJ discuss how menswear goes through its cycles of Revival, how its helpful to understand eras of clothing, and how these Revivals always augment the details instead of being a verbatim copy. We also div...

In the latest bonus pod, the boys discuss Peter Bogdanovich's 30s send up to 30's road comedies: Paper Moon (1974)! It may have been made in the 70s but by golly, it looks like its straight out of 1938. Even the clothes are spot on! Ethan also shares his experience on the red carpet and watching Pulp Fiction at the TCL Chinese theater. Listen to a clip now and subscribe on patreon for the full epi...

The boys take a respite from faux-philosophical menswear topics to talk about two events where they went to the 80s...the 1980s and the 1580s to be exact! Spencer, MJ, and Ethan recount their misadventures at James's Birthday and the Renaissance Faire, getting into how they made their outfits and what the rest of the style scene was like. At the end of the day, this is what its all about: making f...

How do you pick the “right” shoe for an outfit? Is it about formality? Color? Or the subculture or genre we’re trying to play up? We discuss it all on the latest episode of the podcast, going into our favorite pairs and even the little footwear rules and guidelines we give ourselves that ultimately play a part in our Personal Style. Ethan's Essay: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2024/04/09/how-i-thin...

In this new bonus episode, the boys take a little field trip down nostalgia lane and discuss the style in Inspector Gadget— specifically the 1999 live action version starring Matthew Broderick. While the movie isn't great and certainly deviated from the classic cartoon look, we can't deny that there is something special about the live action Inspector. In fact, it may actually be Ethan's first for...

In this bonus episode, we take a look at the 1950's clothing in L.A Confidential. With Exley's version of Ivy, Vincennes's hollywood-esque style, and Bud White's almost militaristic brown tones, this film is an excellent example of both character-based dresing and accurate period styling. It's also a fantastic noir (which we should make more of today)! Listen to the beginning now and subscribe on...

Our first guest of 2024 is here! It's Chadbourne Oliver, better known as @alltimedarling . Hailing from NYC, Chad is a corporate guy who moonlights as a vintage seller, alterationist (if he's got time), and a musician! And crazily enough, we became friends through Tiktok, the latest platform for fashion mfers to indulge themselves. We talk about how his punk past (which seems to be at theme among...

Dating Attire is the topic of discussion! We talk about the "struggle" of wearing classic menswear when we go out, what we think we look good in, and the reception we've gotten from our matches and partners. It's a fun topic, mainly because we are fully aware of the fact that suits and ties aren't the most ideal thing to wear when trying to impress someone. Hell, it may not even be great to wear e...

The Holdovers might be the best menswear movie of 2023. Hell if we're not counting Wes Anderson flicks, it may be the best one in a while. We know it's a bit late but that's because our discussion coincides with Spencer's solo trip to Boston, which was semi-inspired by the third act of the film. We talk about what Spencer did, what he packed to brave the REAL cold, and of course the stellar ivy lo...