Wear What When

Score: Whistle

A somewhat unlikely place (but then again not) to work out the utilitarian trend

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Apr 15, 2010 at 08:00AM 0 Comments

Dickies painter pants from Whistle in SoDo

It’s been percolating for a while, but for me the workerly utilitarian trend spiked when I met and interviewed Ruben and Isabel Toledo last year. Isabel was inspiring, for sure, but so was Ruben in his snug, worn-in Carhartt jacket and white painter paints. They were so perfect; crisp and stiff like raw denim, and just a little short in the leg like the look was lifted right from some old black and white image of his grandfather. I’ve been on the hunt for an authentic pair to call my own, but haven’t had any luck finding my size. And then I spotted the new worker-dud emporium Whistle on First Ave South near Herban Feast’s SoDo Park.

Whistle exists for folks who do real-deal hard labor, not just those of us who have co-opted the look for the sake of style. Still, if you’re a Filson-bag carrying, Pendleton-wearing member of the whole heritage brands Field House aesthetic, you should go check it out.

Brands like Woolrich, Redwing, Carhartt, Dickies, and Key are stock and trade, and available without the we-know-this-stuff-is-cool mark-up.

Case in point: My Ruben Toledo-esque white painter pants, pictured above. They were $25.

A look from the current Ralph Lauren spring/summer 2010 collection

Whether you take it full-on, rugged blue collar style or just hint at some jacket shapes, hammer rings or subtle engineer stripes here and there, the Americana look feels just right for spring.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Heritage Brands, Score

Score: Driftwood

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Sep 01, 2009 at 07:00AM 1 Comments

View Slideshow » Illustration: View Slideshow » Illustration:

It’s true that sometimes you do “have to see that on” … not everything looks great on a hanger.

View Slideshow » Illustration: View Slideshow » Illustration:

I hardly recognize myself when I’m not wearing these three things.

At Driftwood, designer consignment doesn’t mean bland blazers or bad, seasons-old cast-offs that were probably poor decisions to begin with. The women who consign with owners Natalie Anderson and Adam Peart at their Madrona and Downtown storefronts shop at Mario’s and small, indie-minded boutiques, and they love Chloe wedges and the occasional Anthropologie layering piece. I found this out for myself not long ago when I dropped by with some pay-day cash burning a hole in my pocket.

I immediately recognized the bat-wing, heavy linen, perfect-pocketed sac dress/tunic here as a piece from A Small Collection, a sustainably built line from Austin, TX carried at the now defunct Last Waltz. I also immediately recognized it as just the thing to take me outta summer and into fall. Sold.

Too bad about those pointy-toed Jil Sander oxfords that were too small for me, and the red leather purse from Italy that was just, upon contemplation … too … red.

But as Adam got to work ringing up my purchase, I noticed something else in the accessory case. I’d had cloisonne on the brain and was really picturing a bangle to mix in with my other bracelets, and there it was. Sold.

Dress: $49 (on sale from $69)
Bracelet: $22
Total cost of moving from summer into fall: $71

^{^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^}^^

Add a Comment »

Tags: Seattle Consignment, Score

Score: Mario’s

A tie, a pocket square, and a pair of socks walk into a wedding …

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Aug 10, 2009 at 08:00AM 0 Comments

View Slideshow » Illustration: View Slideshow » Illustration:

On Sunday I was called upon to help a gentleman reader color in his all-season Hugo Boss suit for a wedding next weekend. Fifteen minutes and one summer clearance sale on Sixth Avenue was all it took.

For reasons too complicated to explain, this gentleman — let’s call him S — wanted to wear an orange tie. What shade of orange? Plain or patterned? Who knew. The details were unclear. We’d have to let the available options at Mario’s speak to us.

And they did. There on one of the sale tables — 70% off to be exact — was a copper-colored Ermenegildo Zegna tie with a sort of textured stripe pattern saying Hello, I would be pleased to meet your needs. Although we hadn’t set out to make price a determining factor, it didn’t hurt that this tie was once $160 and would now be just $48.

Since S’s wedding is just next weekend—despite the recent cooling trend, still totally 100% summer—we went looking for a pocket square to take the autumnal edge off the tie. An Etro piece in slate blue, soft gray, muted eggplant, lavender, rose and soft, seashore green/blue was perfect. At $90, the price was on the upper end of what S wanted to pay for a piece of silk that would spend the night stuffed into a hole near his heart, but the print is so lively and so lovely, (but of course, Kean Etro) and, with the discounted tie factored in, well …

As we headed up to pay, I lingered over a pair of Tom Ford loafers I’ve been eyeballing (for whom?) since April, and S said, “Want to find me a pair of socks—just for the heck of it?”

I did. Magically, a pair from the Paul Smith line included that coppery bronze softened by soft, seashore green and slate blue. I love it when a plan comes together.

Bagging up our finds, Karen, the Mario’s staffer on hand, complimented our exquisite taste and offered just one piece of sartorial advice for S: “Make sure you cross your legs.”

I was a little confused until she added, “So that everyone can see those socks.”

Tie: $48
Pocket square: $90
Socks: $30
Total cost of coloring in an all-purpose suit for a summer wedding= $168 + tax

Add a Comment »

Tags: Accessories, Seattle Menswear, Score