Join me, and my friends at Smith Ave. as we host our first pop-up shop at House of Abbeydale, Thursday, November 19 - Friday, November 20th, from 3:00-8:00 pm in the heart of downtown Charlotte. Stop by and find the freshest men's casual footwear & accessories. Check out the promo video we shot below with Iron Kite films.
Behind the scenes photos from the shoot:
Mad Men is easily one of the most iconic TV series of the last decade. A few weeks ago myself and a few friends attempted to recreate the concept laid out by the show but never shot. Check out both videos, and let me know how you think we did!
One of my favorite hobbies is finding small companies with great products, and Arrow & Board is just that. After buying an Apple Watch I went on a hunt for the perfect leather band. What truly sets them apart is their "made in America" way of doing business. For their leather products they use only two US tanneries. Most of their leather is full-grain, vegetable-tanned leather. Their products are hand-cut and stitched using traditional methods that provide longer lasting results when it comes to wear and tear. I didn't have it put on my own band, they also are on of the first to receive gold strap adapters for the Apple Watch Sport.
For my own band, I chose the Whiskey brown, with black hardware, and mid brown stitching. After owning the watch for a week it has quickly become one of my favorites. The dark, rich brown tones down the high-tech ascetic of the watch and gives a much more classic appearance.
Overall I am a massive fan of the brand, and the quality of the products they make. Be sure to check out their products on their website arrowandboard.com or on Instagram @arrowandboard.
Last week I took a trip out to the coast of North Carolina. As I don't want to blow up Instagram with beach photos, I thought it would be fun to post a small selection of my favorite shots here. Enjoy!
An Evening for Reynolda was one of the more fun events I have been to this year. Being one of the younger people in the crowd, I did not feel out of place at all. The evening started with the unveiling of the museum's newest art exhibition, The Artist Garden. This is made up of paintings that highlight American Impressionism in the period between 1887-1920. Check out the link at the end of this post to learn more about the exhibition. After browsing the paintings and enjoying a large selection of wines and bourbons, the party migrated to a large tent on the Reynolda lawn where we settled into our tables for dinner. Roasted beef tenderloin paired with a pleasant melody of veggies and potatoes made up the main course. To finish it up: a chocolate torte, with an orange garnish.
With great art, and fantastic food, comes great clothing. Everyone was dressed to the nines, and the event had a very elegant feel. Being someone who does not frequently wear suits, I reached out to my friends at rentlapel.com. Usually I cringe at the thought of rented tuxedos, but Lapel has a fantastic approach. If you live in North Carolina, you set up an appointment at House of Abbeydale, a custom menswear store in downtown Charlotte. You are carefully measured by one of the fantastic staff members at Abbeydale. I was incredibly impressed by the fit of the tuxedo upon receiving it, and I received several compliments when wearing it to the gala.
Overall, I had a lovely evening. Good friends, food, and art are hard to beat. If you live in the area I highly recommend checking out The Artist's Garden exhibition, which will be up through January 3rd, 2016.
Link to Reynolda's website: www.reynoldahouse.org
Link for The Artist’s Garden: http://reynoldahouse.org/exhibitions/detail/the-artists-garden
Link to Lapel's website: www.rentlapel.com
As the leaves begin to fall, and the temperature drops we begin to pack-up our summer wardrobe, and re-introduce our Fall/Winter suits to our everyday wardrobe. This week I suit-up in a new grey suit I recently purchased from Suit Supply.
Suit: Suit Supply, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie/Pocket square: Sprezza Box, Tie-bar: The Tie Bar, Glasses: Burberry.
The Suit: I am always hesitant when buying products that cannot first try on. Having heard nothing but good things about Suit Supply I decided to go ahead and give it a try. The suit was delivered in a large box, hanging perfectly inside. I have been very pleased so far with the fit, and quality of the fabric used. After having it taken to a tailor to have the pants brought up a bit, I am very happy with the suit overall. The suit I bought is cut in their Lazio fit. This is what I would consider a fairly slim-fit cut. The jacket has a nice silhouette under the arms and it falls nicely just below the butt. While the pant is not as tapered as I would like to be, for $500 you get a great value.
The Shirt/Tie: I chose a crisp white shirt from Ledbury with french cuffs. The elegant combination of the spread collar, paired with the french cuffs adds a tasteful degree of sophistication, while the blue polka-dot tie gives it a bit of a fun touch.
The Shoe: One of my favorite shoes this season is the classic horse-bit loafer. The specific loafer I chose is the Cates-Bit from Johnston & Murphy. This shoe is part of their "Handcrafted in Italy" collection, and is without a doubt a showstopper.
The Watch: No matter how many high-end watches I get to play with, there will always be a special place in my heart for this Daniel Wellington. They were first company that sent me a product to review and photograph, and it's been a staple in my wardrobe ever since.
Links to products:
-Suit: Click HERE
-Shoes: Click HERE
-Watch: Click HERE
-Tie, Pocket Square: Click HERE
-Shirt: Click HERE
Photographer for this post: Alec Hutchins
I want to preface this post by saying, this is not a technical review. In this post I will not talk about pixel density, the chemical formula of the rubber used, or processing capabilities. These are simply my thoughts about the recently released Apple Watch Sport in brushed gold. In around 3 weeks time I will do a longer review and show how to style it, but for now let's talk about my initial thoughts after wearing the watch for a week.
My phone, tablet, and computer are all Apple products. I don't have a weird obsession with Steve Jobs and I'm not one of the customers who will stand in line for days(or hours) waiting to be the first to purchase a new phone. The simple ease of use and reliability I have experienced, paired with fantastic customer service have been what made me a loyal consumer. When the watch was first announced earlier this year, I cringed a bit when the prices were announced. Despite the seemingly innocent price tag of $399 for the 42mm sport, after adding Apple care, tax, and a snazzy Apple leather strap you weren't getting out for under $600. When rumors surfaced a few weeks later that another version would release at the end of the year I decided to wait. With the introduction of the brushed gold, and rose gold variants of the sport model, I decided to bite the bullet and get one.
1. Wearability: Despite being at the bottom of the price-sheet, the rubber strap is surprisingly comfortable. It feels well made, and is very comfortable throughout the day as your wrist moves about, and swells. I love the navy strap which was a selling point for me. Unlike the previous sport band colors, I felt the navy was conservative enough to wear with more dressy clothing.
via @nwilliamsphotos Instagram
2. Functionality: I will admit, before purchasing the watch I thought of it as an overpriced Fitbit that you could get text message alerts on, but after using it for a week I can see it is more than that. While admittedly it is not as life changing as your first iPhone or Macbook there is a notable added convenience to the watch. I frequently use the maps application on my phone, but being able to simply look at my wrist for the next turn; and when close notified of that turn is really nice. As far as phone calls, and texting goes I wouldn't be caught dead doing either on the watch in public, but when in my car or in a more private setting both do work well. Also the health application is a nice feature. I like being reminded to stand up and move around after binge watching The Office for a few hours.
via @nwilliamsphotos Instagram
3. Style: Look GQ slammed it right out of the gate for being a bit nerdy. And while I see their point(maybe I'm a nerd), I disagree. This is absolutely not a replacement for your Rolex or whatever beautiful analog watch you own. While Apple would like you to think that, you will not catch me in a tuxedo anytime soon wearing this. Can you wear it with a suit? Debatable(I do), with the right strap it doesn't kill me. If you're hitting the town on a Friday night with a hot date, lose the Apple Watch immediately. The only way you could be ruder than texting on a date is glancing at your watch every 5 seconds to read your utterly unimportant Instagram notifications and emails that can wait.
Conclusion: For me this was a fun splurge/reward after a good season of work. Before you go out and buy this I would recommend picking up a nice traditional watch. The first that springs to mind would be a piece from Daniel Wellington. I've owned my DW watch for a year now, and I love it as much now as when I first got it. It is light, comfortable, and with the ability to easily change straps makes it incredible versatile. An important thing to note is that you are buying a trend, not investing in a long lasting timepiece. If you are looking to spend $500+ on something that is going to last you a long time, please don't buy this. Save up your money, and spend $2,000 on an Omega that you will be able to give to your kids one day.
Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia), Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams
A "black-tie" dress code is fairly straightforward, and an easy style for most of us to put together. But when presented with the theme of "Black-tie with floral notes" by my friends at Reynolda House Museum of American Art, my imagination went wild. For the purposes of this guide, I wanted to show simple touches for having a bit of fun and thinking outside the box when it came to this gala, or really any similar formal event. For links to the businesses and products shown, be sure to check out the last part of this post!
Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni(courtesy Saks Fifth Ave.), Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia), Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams
Look 1: The Tuxedo
For this first look, I kept things fairly straightforward: a gorgeous black tuxedo, with a crisp white shirt, black shoes, and, for this event, a floral black bowtie. And, of course, no outfit would be complete without the ultimate accessories that elevate you to 007 status: an Aston Martin DB9 with matching private jet.
Crosby Square "Stevens" in black. Photo: Noah Williams Media
Generally speaking, you would wear an all-black shoe with this tuxedo, but since the theme of the gala is a little more creative and playful, I thought it would be interesting to throw in this black shoe with a brown sole from Crosby Square. The brown sole breaks up the monochromatic tones found throughout the rest of the outfit.
Watch: Patek Philippe Nautilus, Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia), Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams
In consideration of the elegant Back-Tie dress code, I thought it fitting to pair it with an equally luxurious and extravagant watch. Though it breaks from the classic James Bond Omega, the Patek Philippe Nautilus seemed the most appropriate piece to pair with this outfit. Its elegant, yet commanding design is sure to catch eyes and become an instant conversation topic.
Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia). Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams
Now, one might note that I did not wear a traditional tuxedo shirt, with studs, but instead opted for a clean, white, spread collar design shirt. This is where your personal preferences come into play. I gravitate toward the more seamless and minimalistic design of a plain white shirt... but to each their own. Another way you could take this look, would be to throw in a floral design pocket square, and stick with your formal black bowtie. Personally, I would try to stick to only small accents of floral in your outfit, as too much floral comes off a bit overbearing.
Ties: thetiebar.com
Suit: J. Lindeburg, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Glasses: Burberry, Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams, Location: Reynolda House Museum of American Art historic indoor pool.
Look 2: The Casual Gala Goer
Let me start off by saying this: I prefer navy over black any day. If wearing a black tuxedo isn't your cup of tea, don't worry, we have an alternative idea for you. For this shoot I used a more formal navy suit, but this is interchangeable with a navy tuxedo if you have one.
"Cates-Bit" in Brown by Johnston & Murphy, made in Italy. Photo: Noah Williams Media.
I am convinced that few things in life smell better than a pair of new Italian loafers. For this look, I went with a rich, caramel brown, horse-bit loafer from Johnston & Murphy. The classic style of the horse-bit elevates the style of the loafer giving it a sophisticated and effortless look.
Watch: Rolex, Shirt: Ledbury, Suit: J. Lindeburg, Tie: The Tie Bar, Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams, Location: Reynolda House Museum of American Art historic indoor pool.
I chose a classic stainless-steel Rolex Submariner for this outfit. I love the timeless design of this watch, and it's versatility. Whether you're out on the lake, or headed to a gala, this watch looks fantastic.
Suit: J. Lindeburg, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Glasses: Burberry, Location: Reynolda House Museum of American Art historic indoor pool.
All in all, if a black tuxedo is not your forte, this look offers a more casual, but still dressed-up look. An important thing to note is fit. If you have something tailored properly it greatly improves the overall look.
Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia). Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams
In Conclusion: I hope this post has sparked some ideas for what you might wear to the upcoming gala, An Evening for Reynolda, and furthermore, if it did, please feel free to tell me in person the night of the event! It takes a village to raise a child, and likewise it takes a lot of incredible businesses dedicated to serving their customers to make this post. Everything photographed down to the pocket square was given, loaned, or driven down to make this post possible, and below I have listed links for all of the businesses/products shown (short of my heirloom cufflinks). Click directly on the Store/Product to be redirected to the companies' websites/direct links to the products if available on their e-store. For more details on this event click HERE.
-Aston Martin DB9 Volante: Foreign Cars Italia
-Patek Philippe Nautilus: Windsor Jewelers
-Rolex Submariner: Schiffmans Jewelers
-Armani Tuxedo: Saks Fifth Avenue
-J. Lindberg Suit: J. Lindberg
-Brown Loafers: Johnston & Murphy
-Photography: Alec Hutchins
-Producer/Model: Noah Williams
BONUS: Thanks for taking the time to read this post, check out this behind the scenes video of the shoot we did for the first look.
So what is Sprezzabox? It is a monthly subscription service that sends out one curated box per month with 5-6 small pieces like ties, pocket squares, and fun patterned socks. The content changes from month to month, but it is usually something along those lines. So, is it worth it? Yes, yes it is. For a month to month plan you pay $28 and can cancel anytime, they have other plans that I won't go into detail on, but if you wish to see them, click HERE. You can also buy the boxes on their website, you just pay slightly more for one time transactions.
When building a wardrobe, the small accents such as a tie, and pocket square take an outfit to the next level. For someone who is new to the sartorial arts, this service is a life saver. The pieces you receive each month complement each other nicely, and from what I have seen so far go together perfectly.
What are the brands you are receiving in these boxes? Usually small, emerging brands. The quality of the tie for instance, is comparable to something you might pickup from J. Crew. The box acts as somewhat of a sampler platter for ties, and pocket squares. While it is not luxury-class products, the quality is fair, and by no means cheap.
In summery: If you are trying to step up your wardrobe game, and are in need of a few accent pieces to tie things together this is just the service for you. It is something I wish I had earlier on in my quest for outfit greatness, and it can really help train your eye to what pieces go together.
-You can use Promo code: NWILLIAMS With this code, your fans and followers will receive 10% off first box for monthly & prepaid subscriptions and/or 10% off entire order from the Store.
Blazer: J. Lindeburg, Pants: Banana Republic, Shirt: Twillory, Pocket Square: Arnold Steiner, Tie: Bows-n-ties.com, Glasses: Burberry, Watch: Michael Kors, Belt: Ralph Lauren. Hair/beard grooming done by The Oval Office in Winston-Salem, N.C.
This week I mix it up, and throw in some patterns. When mixing patterns you have to be careful not to get carried away. To make the patterns work together start with smaller patterns, and then add in looser patterns as you go.
Photo: Jak Wallis for N/W
I built this outfit around the shirt,I wore the Twillory "Glen Plaid". The red, blue, and gray color pallet makes it a very versatile shirt. I love the spread collar design, and how slim the fit of the overall shirt is. I went with a more simple large polkadot tie, and then used a loosely striped pocket square from Arnold Steiner to "tie" back into the blue and white found both in the shirt, and tie. The stripes in the pocket square add a bit of visual interest to the rather simple tan blazer.
Photo: Jak Wallis for N/W
With weather that stays consistently in the 90 degree range this time of year I try to avoid darker colors that absorb more light, and therefore are hotter. I paired some white chinos from Banana Republic with a light tan blazer from J. Lindeburg. Then to stay with a more neutral color pallet, added in a pair of brown drivers from Johnston & Murphy. I am a huge fan of the sock less look during the warmer months. I either wear a pair of no show socks from Calvin Kline, or use a deodorizing spray to keep my shoes from procuring a stench. I wore a simple gold watch, and a couple of bracelets from oursaints.com, to give the outfit a little more flair.
Photo: Jak Wallis for N/W
If you are a little less fashion forward, and need to get something a little more practical out of this post try this. Replace the shirt with a plain light blue oxford button down, add in some variation of a navy blue tie, and find a nice white pocket square. If you need something more formal than drivers thrown in a nice brown plain toe oxford shoe. This will give you a clean, and well put together look that will still set you apart, but will give you a bit more serious look.
Suit: J. Lindeburg, Shirt: Ledbury, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Tie: Bows-n-ties.com, Glasses: Burberry.
This weeks outfit is a little more on the formal side. This look is ideal for weddings, work, or that date you want to look fantastic for. I love the classic style of the pale blue shirt, with a white contrast collar, and french cuffs. The history of the contrast collar shirt goes back around 100 years. Like most menswear, the concept of contrasting collars, and cuffs started out as something very functional. The shirt and cuffs on shirts used to be the first things to get dirty, and wear out, so a very creative woman made collars and cuffs that would detach from the shirts. Being that most shirts men wore back then were white, the cuffs came primarily in white and somewhere along the line someone swapped in white cuffs with a colored shirt.
The watch I chose to go with this is the Daniel Wellington "Classic York". I love the minimalistic face of the watch, with the dark textured brown band. The rose gold goes perfectly with the brown loafers, and tortoiseshell glasses. The white face complements the white accents found in the shirt, and pocket square.
The bracelets I selected are from oursaints.com. The brown and black textured beaded bracelets give the outfit a fun lift from the otherwise formal look.
I wore the same loafers I posted last week. This just goes to show the amount of versatility you can get out of this shoe. If you wanted to dress this look up a little bit you could swap out the loafers for a pair of brown oxfords or a velvet slipper from Stubbs and Wooton.
I chose a bright yellow silk knit tie, with navy stripes. The yellow adds a bit of flare to the overall look while the navy stripes connect back to the color of the suit. Lately I have been wearing a lot of knit ties. It gives a bit of a twist to the conventional tie, and provides a bit of fresh life to the outfit overall.
When it's all said and done, I really love this look. It has an air of classic sophistication, while not being to stuffy. It's a practical, and comfortable outfit that can give you the confidence you need whether you are wining, and dining clients or headed out for a night on the town.
With menswear becoming a bigger, and bigger trend over the last few years, there has been a massive amount of small companies that have popped up to capitalize on the demand. With a mission statement that starts off by saying "We live live by the belief that a few well-made items are better than many that are not..." Ledbury had my attention. There are three main things I look at when purchasing a shirt: Fit, material quality, and price.
Shirt: Ledbury, Suit: J. Lindeburg, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Glasses: Burberry, Watch: Daniel Wellington
When it comes to buying shirts, being tall, and slender can be a bit of a disadvantage. However the slim-fit cut of Ledbury's shirts was pleasantly surprising. Add in the fact you can pay a few bucks extra to have the sleeve length tailored and it's hard to go wrong. I received two dress shirts, and one casual shirt from Ledbury. The tail length of the two dress shirts tucked perfectly, while the length of the casual was short enough to go untucked.
Shirt: Ledbury, Suit: J. Lindeburg, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Glasses: Burberry, Watch: Daniel Wellington
The fabrics used in the construction of the shirting is phenomenal. The fabrics have a good weight to them, while still being fairly breathable. Often times when companies are trying to cut corners they cheap out on the buttons of the shirting, but I was very happy with the quality of buttons used. They feel very sturdy, and I don't feel like they are about to fall off if tugged on.
Shirt: Ledbury, Jeans: Vans Off the Wall, Watch: Seven Friday, Blazer: Jcrew, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy
To me, one well made shirt, that fits well is worth more than three cheaply made, ill fitting shirts. To get quality clothing, one cannot simply pick up a $10 shirt from H&M, or Zara. Ledbury shirts are made well, and hold a high standard. Because of this they are priced accordingly between $125-$185. This is in line with similar shirts from companies such as Twillory, Ralph Lauren, and Jcrew. Having worn, and lived in the shirts I can tell they will last me for years to come, and will stand the test of time.
Shirt: Ledbury, Watch: Daniel Wellington, Shoes: Cole Haan.
All in all Ledbury, from my experience is a fantastic company. Through my experience in working with them their staff has been more than accommodating. They are a solid company, and I highly recommend trying out some of their clothing!
Pants: Banana Republic, Shirt: Brooks Brothers Red Fleece, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Belt: Ralph Lauren, Glasses: Ray-Ban
Summer is the best time to break out your white pants. For this look I styled my white chinos with a basic brown loafer, and blue gingham shirt. For the shoes I kept it simple with a dark brown, sheepskin loafer from Johnston & Murphy. This shoe has really worked well for me this summer. I have worn it with a wide variety of outfits from suits, to more casual looks like this one.
After owning these white pants for around a month now, they have become a style necessity. When I am putting together an outfit I always start with one piece. Lately I've been leaning towards these white chinos from Banana Republic. If you look through my Instagram (@nwilliamsphotos), you will see the pants pop up time after time. They go great with this more casual look, but throw on a blazer and you are ready for a night out on the town, or that big meeting you have at work.
I paired these pants with a Brooks Brothers Red Fleece shirt. To me, fit is of the utmost importance. I've worn Brooks Brothers Regent fit (slim fit) classic shirts for quite sometime, but find that their Red Fleece collection shirts have a bit more of a tailored feel. They also are not cut as long, so one can in fact wear them untucked.
To really set this outfit apart I added in a few bracelets to give it a little something extra. The round bead bracelets are from Our Saints, and the quad wrap rope bracelet is from House of Abbydale. By throwing in a few bracelets you can really set yourself apart from the crowd and show even more personal style.
So often while shopping, we find ourselves playing it safe and sticking to safe colors. While I recommend building your wardrobe up with more basic and versatile colors first, every once in a while I find it refreshing to throw a pop of color into my wardrobe that I don't quite know what to do with at first. Below the dark teal pants are my example of a more unique color
Pants: Brooks Brothers Red Fleece, Shirt: Brooks Brothers, Blazer: Banana Republic, Tie: Jcrew, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Pocket Square: bows-n-ties.com. Glasses: Burberry, Belt: Ralph Lauren
To be quite honest, I bought these pants about a few months ago and they have really rather puzzled me until this past weekend. When trying to put an outfit together with a more unique color, try throwing in more basic and neutral colors to go with it. The white shirt, and solid navy knit tie go with practically anything. The same goes for the grey textured blazer. These pants could very easily be replaced by navy, or khaki pants, and if you don't own already own both buy those first.
Pants: Brooks Brothers Red Fleece, Shirt: Brooks Brothers, Blazer: Banana Republic, Tie: Jcrew, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Pocket Square: bows-n-ties.com. Glasses: Burberry, Belt: Ralph Lauren
Bottom Line: Personal style is something that is developed over a period of time. When you have a solid collection of pieces the next step is integrating colors that are more unique. While they are less versatile if paired correctly they can go toward creating a fantastic outfit that is going to really stand out.
Photo: Noah Williams Media
SevenFriday is a watch company based out of Zürich. With this company you aren't buying the heritage of the brand, you are buying the modern design aesthetic ingrained in the brand.
Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography
With a 47mm face, this is not a watch to be worn subtly. The bold lines incorporated in the design, paired with the intricate details of the face itself are very visually appealing. The watch pairs nicely with a wide variety of outfits. It can be dressed up as shown above, or paired with a more casual outfit shown below.
Photo: Noah Williams Media
To touch on the technical details, the P2 boasts a automatic movement with open balance wheel on Miyota 82S7. Upon removal the watch will continue to keep time for several hours after not being worn, so you don't have to worry about constantly resetting it after not wearing it. I found that after wearing the watch for the day, I could take it off before bed, and when I got up it was still keeping time. As far as wearability goes yes the watch is heavy, but no more than one would expect from a watch with a 47mm face. The square shape of the face, with the rounded off edges give the watch a very streamlined look. The design of the face complements the size, and SevenFriday did a great job using their space wisely. I didn't find that the face was unnecessarily large for the watch.
Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography
This is a watch for the person who likes to stand out. The large face, and bold design make the watch standout quite a bit. This is not a subtle watch, and is definitely one the pieces that gets a lot of attention when I wear it. While it isn't quite elegant enough to wear with a tux, as you can see I have paired it quite nicely with a fairly formal look. This watch really is versatile in the outfits you can wear it with.
The Bottom Line: This really is a great watch. From the design, to the build quality it really has impressed me. That being said, you definaly are paying for the uniqueness of this watch. At $1,250 ($1,350 after tax) it is not a cheap watch. For that price point it is competing with Tag Heur, and vintage Rolex watches. When it comes down to it, if this watch is really for you and fits your personal style you will know it. This watch is very aesthetically bold, and makes a great statement piece. If you are someone who is very fashion forward I say go for it!
Link to watch: http://www.sevenfriday.com/sevenfriday-p2.html
It's Mid-June, the days are long, warm, and full of adventure. You pack your car Friday, and head out with friends for a weekend full of memory making times. Here are the three outfits that you need to pack to make sure you are ready for anything.
Suit, shirt, and shoes: Jcrew
Look 1: The Suit
You are a classy guy, you like eating at fancy restaurants and want to look the part without seeming to stuffy. For this look we paired a gray Jcrew Ludlow suit, blue suede shoes, and an oxford half-button short sleeved shirt. Normally I prefer long sleeve button-downs but for this look, and the heat relief that the shirt gives, it works. Want to throw in a tie too? Sure, go ahead that will work as shown below.
Suit, shirt, shoes: Jcrew. Tie: Izod.
Shoes, Shirt, Swim Trunks: Jcrew
Look 2: The Causal Swim
Ditch the baggy swim trunks you bought for $5 at Walmart and pick up some from Jcrew that add a little flair to the outfit. Notice Simms is still wearing the henley/button-down hybrid shirt from the last look. This really speaks to the versatility of the shirt. Throw in a pair of striped espadrilles and you are good to hit the pool in style, and stand out.
Shoes: Jcrew, Shirt/Pants: Ralph Lauren, Bag: Orvis
Look 3: All white
With a bit of color thrown in for good measure this is a look as timeless as Ralph Lauren and Land Rover. It's no secret white is the ideal color for battling Summer heat, and with a fun colored belt, and the ever quintessential brown driving shoe thrown in this look will make you look like you own the place.
Checkout the gallery below for alternate angles of the outfits.
Shirt: Ralph Lauren, Blazer: J. Lindeberg, Pocket Square: J Crew, Sunglasses: Ray-Ban, Watch: Daniel Wellington
We all own one, it's been the staple of your wardrobe since you can remember. The polo shirt originated in tennis with the sole purpose of replacing the tradition dress shirts that tennis players wore that were far to hot and cumbersome to play in. The polo shirt is something that we have all worn with shorts and sneakers for a long time, but it's potential can go far beyond that.
Shirt: Ralph Lauren, Blazer: J. Jindeberg, Pocket Square: J Crew, Sunglasses: Ray-Ban, Watch: Daniel Wellington , Shoes: Cole Haan, Bracelets: Kjp, Our Saints.
Living in the southern region of the U.S., during the summer my go-to outfit is shown above. I am all about being well dressed, and put-together but when it's 90 degrees outside and I've got a full day of running around from meetings to shoots a dress shirt simply is not functional. Replacing your dress shirt with a polo shirt is a great way to stay cool, and look good.
Shirt: Ralph Lauren, Blazer: J. Jindeberg, Pocket Square: J Crew, Sunglasses: Ray-Ban, Watch: Daniel Wellington, Jeans: Vans
This is also a really great look for causal summer weddings, and parties. This outfit works best if the clothing has a very tailored fit, avoid baggy clothing at all costs. When shopping I always try on a size smaller than I think I need to see how the fit is, often times I find it fits better.
Suit: J. Lindenburg, Shirt: Burberry Brit, Shoes: Cole Haan, Pocket square: thetiebar.com, glasses: Ray-Ban
To step this look a bit more, trying throwing on your favorite slim fitting suit to add a touch of sophistication. The light comfort of the polo gives the suit a dressed down look, while still keeping an air of class. I have really come to love the suit/polo combination because it gives me the ability to wear my suits more often without seeming overdressed. During the Summer this is a look I opt for on a regular basis.
Suit: J. Lindenburg, Shirt: Burberry Brit, Shoes: Cole Haan, Pocket square: thetiebar.com, glasses: Burberry
So after wearing it for a few months, I have come to love the Genesis X1. It's held up very well, and is a watch I wear frequently. The 45mm case was hard to wear at first, but after a few weeks something I got used to. The large, and bold numerals are very easy to read at a glance and really pop when looking at the watch.
The double injected silicone band wears very nicely on the wrist, and holds the watch securely. I love the yellow accents on the band, they give the watch an un-expected pop of color that breaks up the black band very nicely. The yellow and orange accents that are found through the watch are very ascetically pleasing to look at, and I found myself constantly staring at the watch.
While some may find the 45mm size a bit on the larger size, Liv really did a good job of maximizing the use of the watch. All the elements of the chronograph are spaced out so that they are easier to read quickly. When engaged, I found the 1/16th second counter to be very useful and accurate. The sound of the pusher has a very firm clicking sound that matches the overall quality of the watch. Overtime I have no doubt that the watch will hold up well. The construction of the watch is very sturdy, and utilitarian.
Speaking purely to the design/style of this watch I can say I have received countless complements when wearing it. In addition I have been ask multiple times by friends if they can try it on. It has been a very gratifying experience to be able to introduce people to a new brand, and tell them all about the product. Having a watch that not many have heard of gives it a very exclusive feel.
Bottom line, for $590 you aren't going to find another watch to match the Genesis X1. Having worn similarly priced sport watches I can tell you the build quality is far superior to their competition. The attention to detail that goes into this watch is breath taking. Liv's goal of building a Swiss-Made chronograph watch for under $600 has been obtained by building this watch. You get more than your money's worth for this timepiece and it is by far one of my favorite watches to wear. Liv also recently came out with an updated version of this watch, with a black leather band, and Rose Gold case which gives the watch an entirely new look. I hope to review the updated version soon. I have listed the link below to checkout this watch!
Use promo code "nwilliamsphotos" to receive 10% off your purchase!
Link to this watch: Click HERE
We all dream of Rolex's, but in reality most of us cannot afford to drop the $10,000+ for a new Submariner. This was a problem realized by Mike France, Chris Ward, and Peter Ellis. In 2004 they set out to create what we know today as Christopher Ward London, a luxury watch company that puts elegant Swiss-made watches within reach.
Their design HQ is based out of England, but all of their watches are made in Switzerland. The workshop where their watches are constructed neighbors the workshops of companies such as Rolex, and Omega. So knowing this, you might ask why their watches are not more similarly priced to a Rolex? Well it's really quite simple, they do not advertise by using costly celebrity endorsements, F1 cars, or advertisements placed on premiership soccer jerseys. They eliminated these expensive overhead costs so that they can keep the costs down for you, the consumer.
Fair margins, and honest pricing are at the heart of this company. They are incredibly transparent about their pricing method. Quoting from their website "it’s a simple philosophy that informs our approach to pricing our Swiss watches. Whatever the cost price of the watch, we multiply this up to 3 times and that is the selling price, including VAT. This gives us just enough to make a fair margin after covering the running costs of the business".
So now that you have some background on the company, let's talk about the watch. I received the C60 Trident Pro 600. The 600 is in reference to the 600 meter diving capability. In wearing this watch I have really come to love it. I opted for the 38mm version, and love the size and simplicity of the face. The second hand has an incredibly smooth movement to it that I like a lot. It boasts a beautiful ceramic bezel which looks, and feels of the finest quality. I chose the black bezel/white face version because of how easy it is to match with a wardrobe. It was is a very versatile watch that can go with pretty much anything. Whether you are suiting up for work, or headed down to the lake for the weekend this watch will go anywhere. With an automatic movement you never have to worry about changing it's batteries. It comes in a gorgeous leather box, that makes a great place to safely store your watch.
So what are my final thoughts on this watch? Well, your next best option is a Tag Heuer Aquaracer, which when similarly configured comes out to around $2,800-$3,400. After that you are looking at a Tudor Pelegos which on average will sell for around $4,000. Both of these options only have a 500 meter rating, as opposed to the C60 which is rated for 600 meters. The watch feels rock solid, and is something you can wear everyday without worrying constantly about knocking it about. The clasp feels strong, and secure and has a very firm clicking noise when closing it. Overall it really is a great watch, the materials and movement are a good value. In my personal opinion the watch isn't for me, as I am a big fan of vintage watches and could pick up a Rolex Datejust 1601 for around $2,500-3,000. For me the brand recognition and design heritage is worth the extra money, but make not mistake the C60 is a great watch.
Checkout this watch, and the wide selection of styles they have on their website here: christoperward.com
Liv watches launched as a Kickstarter campaign asking for $30,000, and received just under $200,000 for their product. The founder of the company worked for a small Swiss watch manufacturer for several years and realized that the industry was missing an affordable Swiss watch brand that embodied strength, quality and fashion.
After getting well aquatinted with the watch I have come to really like it. At 45mm it sits large on the wrist, but the face does not feel unnecessarily large and it is a very comfortable watch to wear on a daily basis. The rubber strap do not feel cheap and flimsy and holds the watch securely on the wrist. The stopwatch function of the watch works incredibly well, and is very smooth.
This color is in the initial launch collection of the Genesis X1 line. Later this month they will release a rose gold version of the X1, with a black leather strap for a more elegant, and formal look. It can be worn in the morning to the gym, then easily go with you into the office or classroom.
Overall this is a very solid watch. I will do a more in-depth review in a few weeks when I have had more time with it.
Check out Liv's website here: livwatches.com
