Style and Direction

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...

Outerwear, specifically big coats, is the topic for the latest pod! Big outerwear is one of the best reasons (and benefits) to wear menswear as it changes the vibe of an outfit, literally swallowing it up in cloth and providing some extra slouch or structure, depending on what style you go with. We discuss it all, especially the fact that we love Big Outerwear despite living in Southern California...

In the latest pod, we talk about an element of expression that isn't exactly a garment but still plays into our overall style: hair! With distinct facial hair and hairstyles being tied to certain eras, subcultures, and overall vibes, it is no surprise that it can be something we can leverage when having fun with our POV and expression. Let's talk hair! Ethan's Essay: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2...

Bradley Cooper's Maestro is our last movie-menswear movie bonus pod of the year! We discuss the film and how it stacks up to Tár in terms of portraying a conductor/composer. We also dive into the style of both IRL and Film Lenny Bernstein, who dressed with ease in what seems to be EVERY possible facet of menswear. It seems that Summer needs to sing in you not just to make music, but to get a fit o...

After dedicating episodes to Spencer and MJ's personal style this year, we decided to finish off 2023 with an interview with our very own Ethan. Even though every episode touches on his philosophy on getting dressed (for fun), this one puts [most] of his thoughts on one podcast. We specifically discuss his interest in connecting menswear to art/music, what elements of his life has lead to his curr...

We discuss Killers of the Flower Moon on the the pod! Martin Scorsese's epic film has some of the best vintage costuming we've seen in a recent release, particularly because it spans the late 1910s to the mid 1920s, which really lets you see how menswear has changed throughout time. You can listen to a short clip now, but you'll have to subscribe on Patreon for the rest. Blog Post: https://alittle...

Trends! Love them or hate them, they are a big part of a fashion hobby that communicates your intentions with wearing clothes. While that can seem nihilistic, trends can actually be a useful source of inspiration...provided that you already have a strong taste to guide your participation. In this episode, we discuss our philosophy on trends, how it helps to be Early or Late to them, and review som...

The SaDBoys discuss the Pocket Square! We get into how guys use it to harmonize the colors in their tailored outfits, how different aesthetics use it (like the TV fold for ivy or a unicorn-tapestry print in a puff fold for #menswear), how it isn't exactly a replacement for a tie, and ultimately how it can be a cool more to forgo wearing one at all! Isn't wild how a small piece of cloth can still f...

Calling Dick Tracy, Calling Dick Tracy! We cover Warren Beatty's take on the hard boiled detective. It's a silly film (that Gangster Squad seems to have ripped off), but its actually got really great costuming! Even though everything is exaggerated and colorful, every outfit is masterfully put together and evokes the spirit of the Golden Era. Ethan's Essay: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2023/10/22/...

The next episode is about how much we love the brown suit. Oftentimes, brown suits are unfairly maligned and cast over in favor of navy and grey suits. A brown suit's rustic nature and lack of ubiquity give them an inherent charm that can be leveraged by any menswear enthusiast. Brown suits aren't necessarily corporate nor are they overly bold, but they are versatile, being able to be worn in any...

This bonus episode takes a look at Kenneth Branagh's latest Poirot installment: A Haunting In Venice. To our surprise, this spooky turn is actually a quite enjoyable film that does some fantastic period costuming worn by its rather small cast. There's a lot to enjoy about this one! You can listen to the first 15 minutes now on all platforms or join our Patreon for the full episode as well as our l...

Since Barbenheimer is the phenomenon that got people dressing up for the movies, we've gotta talk about it! The SaDBoys discuss people's response to Barbenheimer, if they dressed to watch the double feature themselves, and the best menswear looks from the two films. Whether it's the Ken's faux-fur coat or Oppy's baggy suits, it's clear that the costumers of both films took special care to dress th...

We got the King of Movie Style on the pod @bamfstyle ! We chat with Nick (that's his name) about how he started his iconic menswear website, his process in analyzing the fashion in his favorite movies, and what his taste in menswear is! It's a great interview that will surely please all the filmbros out there, especially those with an eye for clothing. Show notes: https://alittlebitofrest.com/2023...

A movie about a rivalry between two con artists in the French Riviera while dressed in classic menswear? Yes, please! For this bonus episode, we watch Frank Oz's 1988 film "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels", which shows off Michael Caine's Lawrence Jamieson in his English trad glory, complete with DB blazers and regimental ties. Steve Martin's buffoonish Freddy Benson gets to rock menswear on the other sid...

If The French Dispatch's 60s tailoring was made for Ethan, then the 50s Americana of Asteroid City was for Spencer. In the new bonus pod, the boys discuss the charming vacation and western attire found in Wes Anderson's latest film! We go into all the characters, note how there isn't THAT much western wear, and touch upon the meta framing of the flick. If you want to hear the full episode, you'll...

In this next episode, the SaDBoys critically examine how they buy things, or at least as critically as they can. How many of our purchases were inspired by social media? How many purchases are made on impulse, whether on eBay or in person at the flea market? Are many of these things upgrades or replacements of things we already own or are they "newly found" interests? The episode provides insight...