N/Style: The Urban Exploer

Jacket/Pants: Brooks Brothers Red Fleece, Shirt/Glasses: Polo Ralph Lauren, Sweater: Banana Republic, Hat/Gloves: Top Shop, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy. 

I've always been a huge fan of the classic American style. Boots, field jackets, and denim shirts are always a good recipe when it comes to layering up for cold days in the city. I purchased the field jacket pictured last last Winter from Brooks Brothers, and it has been a staple in my wardrobe ever since. I paired the jacket with a sweater from Banana Republic, and a denim shirt by Ralph Lauren. The pairing of solid colors gives the outfit a very simple, but elegant look that has a timeless appeal. 

Jacket/Pants: Brooks Brothers Red Fleece, Shirt/Glasses: Polo Ralph Lauren, Sweater: Banana Republic, Hat/Gloves: Top Shop, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy. 

A pair of Ralph Lauren spectacles are a daily essential. After wanting round frames for quite some time I finally stepped out of my style comfort zone and tried something new. To step farther out of my comfort zone I recently bought an Indiana Jones-ish hat from Topman that I have fallen in love with. The only downside to this hat is how easily the wind can/will knock it off of your head as the brim is in essence a sail. 

Jacket/Pants: Brooks Brothers Red Fleece, Shirt/Glasses: Polo Ralph Lauren, Sweater: Banana Republic, Hat/Gloves: Top Shop, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Watch: Daniel Wellington 

To finish off this outfit I threw in some wing-tip boots by Johnston and Murphy, and some grey trousers from Brooks Brothers Red Fleece collection. The tapered cut of the pant sits perfect at the top of the boot when cuffed. A large pet-peeve I have is when there are multiple breaks (pants bunching at the top of the shoe), simply cuffing your pant, or having it tailored for a specific shoe is a great way to improve your style.  

N/Review: Salence Outerwear

When it comes to putting together outfits, this is my favorite time of year. I love getting creative with layering, and adding different garments. For me it's an enjoyable challenge to put things together. When it comes to outwear however, I often find myself struggling to get more creative than a traditional overcoat, or field jacket. Enter Salence Outerwear, a brand that aims to create durable, and versatile pieces that have a bit more modern design, while still paying tribute to some traditional design aesthetics. 

Pictured in this post is the Gabion Jacket. It's Salence's take on the traditional mid-length trench raincoat. This jacket is incredibly versatile, and can be worn with everything from a suit, to jeans and a button-down. It has a detachable hood which comes in handy if you get caught out in the rain. The coat is made from a lightweight, breathable fabric that will keep you well protected from the elements. 

I've teamed up with Chase Sabina and Salence to give a away a couple of jackets, for rules and conditions head on over to my Instagram and check out the post in which I used the photo shown above. 

N/Review: 2015, and my new home (for now)

Overcoat/Pants: Banana Republic. Glasses/Sweater/Shirt: Ralph Lauren. Photo: Drew Hall

As I sit in a busy coffee shop in the Chelsea neighborhood of NYC, I think of how crazy a year it has been. If you had ask me a few months ago what my plans for 2016 were, I would have told you I was simply taking a gap semester from school and working on various projects in North Carolina. If you have payed any attention to any of my social media outlets over the past week you might have noticed I recently moved (temporarily) to New York City. Over the next few months I will be interning at the New York office of Battalion PR. After finishing my first week at the firm am incredibly excited about the possibilities that will occur in the next few months. 

Pants: Brooks Brothers Red Fleece, Sweater: Banana Republic, Shirt: Ledbury, Watch: Daniel Wellington, Glasses: Ralph Lauren, Photo: Taylor Camp

As for my personal blog, and business ventures I have no plans of slowing down. North Carolina bookings will still be handed by my business partner and myself, and I plan to be potentially creating more blog content than ever before. New York is such a vast melting pot of people, and locations to shoot, so I'll have no shortage of subjects. 

Blazer: Indochino, Pants: Brooks Brothers Red Fleece, Shirt: Brooks Brothers, Tie: Eddie Bauer(vintage), Boots: Johnston & Murphy, Glasses: Ralph Lauren, Watch: Victoninox

In 2015 I worked with around 25-30 brands in producing content, I hope in moving forward and continue to expand. I am so grateful for all of the support I have received, and look forward greatly to what this year has to offer. If you are a photographer/blogger in the NYC area feel free to drop me a line if you want to meet up and shoot.

So for now, I leave you with a quick iPhone photo I shot out of my office window. Expect great things, 2016 will be my biggest year yet. 

View from the boardroom of my Office(Sorry for the iPhone Pic)

N/Week on the Wrist: Victorinox Maverick Chronograph

I've talked several times in the past about the vast amount of great watches under $1,000. The Maverick Chronograph is a 43mm Swiss-Made watch which costs anywhere from $395-$795. At first glance, it could be said that it has similar characteristics to the Rolex Submariner, or Daytona. The Chronograph complication adds a nice technical, as well as aesthetically pleasing touch to the sport watch.  

Wearability: I have rather small wrists, and usually tend to go with watches in the 38-40mm range. However, with that being said after a few days I got use to the slightly larger size of the watch. With the steel band, the watch weighs around 7 oz. When it comes to sport watches, I prefer something with a bit of weight to it because it simply feels like a more solid, high end piece when wearing it. After wearing it for a week, I have gotten used to the heft of the watch, and have really come to love it. Victorinox also sells both leather and rubber straps for the watch.  

Functionality: When it comes to functionality, I see this very easily becoming a watch I would wear everyday. The 43mm face is easy to read, and the luminescent on the hands works well. When it comes to styling this watch it is pretty diverse in what it can be worn with. I have worn this watch with everything from a T-shirt to a suit, and it has worked flawlessly with all of them.  Because the watch has a brown face, I would recommend wearing it with more brown shoes/accessories as it will match better. 

N/Closing: Overall this is a fantastic value for the price you pay. It has received lots of complements when I wear it, and it has come to be a daily necessity. From the lake, to the city this watch is a worth while investment that will be the perfect accessory for years to come. 

N/Review: Indochino

Suit: Indochino, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Glasses: Burberry, Watch: Snyper, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie/Pocket Square: Sprezza Box, Car: Ferrari FF, Photo by Alec Hutchins Photography, Hair styled by: Carlos Carvana; Owner The Oval Office. 

Over the past few years, mens fashion has become an ever-increasing trend. Gone are the days when baggy pants and oversized jackets are given an "A" for effort. At the height of this trend, the bespoke suit sits at the top of every man's list. The process of picking out a fabric, being carefully measured, and helping design your very own custom suit is something that is out of reach for most of us...or is it?

Suit: Indochino, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Glasses: Burberry, Watch: Snyper, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie/Pocket Square: Sprezza Box, Car: Ferrari FF, Photo by Alec Hutchins Photography, Hair styled by: Carlos Carvana; Owner The Oval Office. 

A few months ago, Indochino reached out to me, and offered to let me try their custom suiting process. I was a bit skeptical at first, having heard horror stories online about similar online custom suit companies, but I decided to give it a try. On their website, they have videos that guide you through the rather extensive steps on how to take the measurements (you'll need a friend's help) but it really was a relatively easy process to complete. Being able to chose a fabric, and add in little details to the suit such as functional buttons, and a double-breasted style was a very enjoyable process. 

Suit: Indochino, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Glasses: Burberry, Sweater: Ralph Lauren, Pocket Square: Bows-n-ties.com, Car: Porsche Panamera, Photo by Alec Hutchins Photography, Hair styled by: Carlos Carvana; Owner The Oval Office. 

Around four weeks after placing the order I received my suit. Right out of the box, I must tell you, it did not fit perfectly. It was pretty close, but just a tad off. Several factors could have lead to this, including error on my own part in the measuring process. After a trip to my tailor, the suit fit much, much better. Really, my only word of caution would be, when measuring, make absolutely sure you get the shoulders correct, as this is the one thing a tailor cannot fix for you.  

Suit: Indochino, Shoes: Cole Haan, Sweater: Ralph Lauren, Watch: Seven Friday, Bracelets: Our Saints, Pocket Square: Bows-n-ties.com. 

Bottomline: Would I recommend this to a friend? Yes, I would. Despite a few short comings, for the price you really cannot beat the quality and fit of what you get. The suit above is from their Winter collection, and is currently on sale. As shown this will run a little under $400 which is a steal. You won't be able to find many (if any) comparable suits for that price. Overall I think it's a great service, and if you are on a budget I highly recommend looking into this brand. Click HERE to be redirected to their website. 

-Special thanks to Foreign Cars Italia of Greensboro for the use of the Ferrari FF, and Porsche Panamera, click HERE to checkout there website.  

Suit: Indochino, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Glasses: Burberry, Sweater: Ralph Lauren, Pocket Square: Bows-n-ties.com, Car: Porsche Panamera, Photo by Alec Hutchins Photography, Hair styled by: Carlos Carvana; Owner The Oval Office. 

N/Style: Why you need LL Bean "Bean boots"

For the last couple of years I've been contemplating purchasing a pair of these boots, and this summer I finally pulled the trigger. This classic american hunting boot is worth it's weight in gold. From the quality of the materials, to the functionality it provides on a day to day basis, I regret not buying them sooner.  

Style wise you are somewhat limited. You won't be wearing these with a suit, or a tie. It's a more causal boot, but you can dress it up enough to pass on a rainy day. I love wearing them on short hikes, and anytime I know it's going to be a rainy day. 

As far as comfort goes, generally they are pretty good. If you don't wear thicker socks, they can feel a little clunky. I recommend trying a size or a size and a half down from what you would normally wear. My one beef with LL Bean on this boot is that there are a large amount of colors to chose from when it comes to the women's version, but very few with the mens line. 

Truth be told, for around $100 you won't do much better than this American-made shoe. The current problem if you want to buy them is, well you won't get them until around January(closer to Christmas you'll see more of a delay). Due to the fact they are handmade, they can only turn out so many. I bought mine midsummer due to this issue they had last Winter. 

N/Style: You need a turtleneck sweater

Suit: Indochino, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Glasses: Burberry, Sweater: Ralph Lauren, Car: 2010 Porsche Panamera Turbo courtesy of Foreign Cars Italia Greensboro, Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography.  

I feel, over time, that trends often recirculate in new, fresh forms. For instance, things such as double-breasted suits, wide lapels, and collar pins are back in style. One of my current favorite classic pieces is the grey turtleneck (or mock-neck) sweater. You can spend as much, or as little as you want when it comes to this item. The one I am pictured wearing in this post is by Ralph Lauren, and I found it at a local consignment shop for $20 (proof good style can be affordable). 

Suit: Indochino, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Glasses: Burberry, Sweater: Ralph Lauren, Car: 2010 Porsche Panamera Turbo courtesy of Foreign Cars Italia Greensboro, Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography.  

Recently, I've been pairing the sweater with suits. It's a way to add effortless style and sophistication to any suit, while giving overall a more relaxed feel. I love dressing down suits, because you tend to get more use out of them. 

Blazer: SuitSupply, Pants: Banana Republic, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Watch: Seven Friday, Glasses: Ray-Ban, Sweater: Ralph Lauren, Car: Ferrari California T, Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography

Another fantastic use of the sweater is pairing it with a blazer, and pants (white pants, Labor Day, I know). Yet again, it's dressing down a somewhat formal look, while remaining upscale in appearance. 

Overall, if you don't own a turtleneck, now is the time to invest. I see it sticking around through at least the coming Spring, and it is a great way to standout from the crowd. Yes, you might look like a poet of some sort if paired incorrectly, but when done right you will look nothing short of royalty. 

Link to Porsche shown: Click Here

Link to Ferrari Shown: Click Here

Link to Shoes: Click Here

Smith Ave. Pop-up Shop

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:

N/Style: An Ode to Mad Men

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! 

N/Review: Arrow & Board

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. 

Vacation: Oak Island/Southport N.C.

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! 

A Night For Reynolda: Gala Recap

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

N/Style: Outfit of the week

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

N/Review: A week with the Apple Watch

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. 

N/StyleGuide: An Evening for Reynolda

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. 

View fullsize

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. 

View fullsize

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. 

View fullsize

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. 

View fullsize

"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. 

View fullsize

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

-Shirt: Ledbury

-Black Shoe: Crosby Square

-Brown Loafers: Johnston & Murphy

-Bowties: The Tie Bar

-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. 

N/Review: SprezzaBox

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. 

N/Outfit of the Week: Mixing Patterns

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. 

Outfit of the week: Suited, with Cuffs

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. 

The Shirt On My Back: Ledbury

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! 

Outfit of the Week: Adventures with White Pants

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.