Tag Archives: style

TREND WATCH

We’re back at it again- giving you a behind the scenes look at our SS’16 buying season in New York city! Now if you follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat you would’ve seen tons of #BTS action from our trip- if you didn’t, well that’s what this blog post is for. To add context to some of those moments and to help illustrate the realities behind buying collections for a season. To most people that aren’t in the industry buying season sounds like an incredibly fun thing. Traveling from city to city, meeting reps from some of your favourite brands and who can forget being wined and dined at some great restaurants along the way. Though on the surface this all maybe true (as you may have seen on our social media) there is definitely a lot more to the experience. Here’s your behind the scenes access to how we navigated 5 trade shows and several buying appointments in just 30 hrs.

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Day 1: While Melissa arrived a few days earlier, the rest of us arrived in NYC bright and early on Tuesday July 21st. Wake up time was 5am, departure from Toronto’s downtown Island airport was 7:30am. Upon arriving we headed straight to The Dream hotel to drop our bags and to connect with Melissa and Phil. After grabbing a quick bite and a desperate cup of coffee we headed straight to Capsule Show where we zipped through over 200 brands in just 2hrs. Note we ended up picking up some great Australian and Brit brands to add to our roster, so look out for those. From there, we dashed across town (literally to the other end) where we arrived at Liberty Fairs. Another hectic show, where we connected with some usual suspects like Zanerobe, made in Canada brand Outclass, and PRPS just to name a few. The highlight of this stretch was definitely our one-on-one interview with Luke Scott, head designer for Zanerobe and getting his insights on the brands heritage and future ambitions- stay tuned for that video coming soon. From Liberty we jumped to Projects, MRkt and Agenda which were all fortunately under one roof at the Jacob Javits Centre.

 

Now imagine, there are on average 200 vendors at each show, we did 5 shows, which means we went through about 1000 brands in the span of 6hrs. Talk about making hard decisions. Fortunately, with Melissa at the helm we usually have a pretty clear idea about what brands we want to connect with which as you can imagine really helps manage our time most efficiently. The great thing about Melissa is that though she has a preferred list she’s always on the prowl to find new brands to cater to our customers and help grow the Gotstyle brand. Suffice it to say, we definitely found a few of those at the Project Show this year. Once we finished our appointment with brands like Haspel, Hardy Amies, Todd Snyder et al, we headed back to our hotel to freshen up so we’d be ready for the Elevnty cocktail preview and Zanerobe after party in Soho. You can image how crazy that got!

Day 2: Started sharp at 9am which when we had our first appointment with one of our favourite brands Eidos Napoli at the gorgeous New York Palace Hotel. Skim through the pics below to see snaps of their incredible SS’16 collection. The colours, patterns, textures and textiles will definitely have you drooling next season. Following Eidos preview we headed to check a few unusual suspects- without giving away too many trade secrets Gotstyle is definitely exploring some new brands that offer a completely different aesthetic to what we normally carry. We strongly feel that the Gotstyle man is evolving and we want to do our part to nurture that exploration. Hint: the brands are subtly visible in the photo album below.

 

Alas, at 4pm our day finally came to a close but not really because now we have to head back to the hotel, grab our bags and head straight to the airport. And there you have it, 5 tradeshows, over 1000 brands in just 30hrs. That was easy!

STYLE TIPS

Don’t be two-faced, be four-faced because no one likes a basic b%$#h! Just like you wouldn’t wear the same outfit to work that you wore to your buddy’s wedding (unless it’s the morning walk of shame in which case, good on you). Why would you wear the same watch to every occasion? Watches like any other article of clothing or accessory in your closet serve a purpose and when paired together properly can make all the difference. Like we’ve said it a million times the devil is in the details so don’t skimp out.

-CASUAL COOL-

With it’s rugged construction, stainless steel band and dual-eyed chronograph, the Ranger Chrono is possibly cooler than you are.

-Socially Inclined-

Make an impression with the bold dials and distinctive look of The Sentry 38. It’s understated size and simple design suggest you always know what’s up.

-All Business-

The custom-built chronograph and unmistakable crown design of The Sentry Chrono says you mean business and you have impeccable taste.

-Never Too Formal-

On the rare occasion there is cause to be beautifully badass. The ceramic inlays and high polish stainless steel finish of the Anthem will help.

STYLE TIPS

The defining moment of a man’s sartorial acumen comes when he masters the way in which he pairs his suit, shirt and tie. Learning to successfully match these elements is an undeniable art. Fortunately it’s one you can easily master. Here are your 5 tips on how to match your suit, shirt and tie during your work week.

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– MONDAY TIP – 

Match a detail in the tie with the dominant colour of the shirt.

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– TUESDAY TIP –

Vary pattern type. Avoid having the same pattern appear in both your shirt and your tie.

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– WEDNESDAY TIP –

Your Tie (typically) should always be darker than your shirt.

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– THURSDAY TIP –

When outfitting with a suit or blazer- ensure that 2 of the 3 items have the same colour scheme

How-To-Match-Your-Shirt-Suit-Tie-4 – FRIDAY TIP –

Always pair larger patterns with smaller ones. Avoid mixing patterns that have identical proportions.

STYLE TIPS

Forget about 9 to 5 style and relish in the joys of patio season attire. Whether it’s a classy garden party or wild pig roast, here are your 5 summer essentials to lounge in style.

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1. The Unconstructed Blazer

Keep the look, lose the weight. Dress it up or down, a deconstructed blazer is the answer to all your sweaty style problems.

Outfit Details: Vito Bowie Tooth Embroidered Stitch Blazer $198, Tiger of Sweden Cotton Linen Crew Neck T-shirt 129,  John Varvatos Bowery White 5 Pocket Pant $188, Anderson’s Woven Belt $135, buy now.

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2. Light Denim

Keep it light, not tight. These aren’t your dad’s jeans. Rock’em, roll’em, get down and garden in them. A little dirt never hurt anybody.

Outfit Details: DL1961 Russel Slim Denim $215, Mood’s Of Norway Kristian Vik Embroidered Polka Dot Shirt $159, Anderson’s Woven Belt $135 buy now.

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3. Duffel Bag

Don’t check it, duffle it. Stay-cation or vacation- a weekender is the answer to packing light and right for a quick and easy getaway. Don’t forget the sunscreen.

Outfit Details: J.Lindeberg Leopard Print Polo $125, Vito Solid Cotton Short $89 buy now, Anderson’s Woven Belt $135, Monte & Coe Duffel Wool Felt Bag $389 buy now.

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4. Updated Swim trunks

A cut above. A swimsuit that fits will give you confidence, make you look trimmer and even out those tan lines. In this case, shorter is better.

Outfit Details: Benson Anchors Print Swim Shorts $98, buy now

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5. Bold Floral Shirt

Be a big, bold, no umbrella in your cocktail type of flower. People will comment, but that’s kind of the point.

Outfit Details: Circle of Gentleman Botanical Print Shirt $300, The Daily Chino Pant $95 buy now, Anderson’s Woven Belt $135, buy now.

STYLE TIPS

A lot of guys come to us complaining about how they can never find anything that fits them when they go to the “other” stores. Fortunately for them we’ve got an owner that has made it her life’s mission to scour the world to find those very brands that will fit them just right. Whether you’re 6’4 and 260 lbs like Billy here or 5’7 and 140 lbs like our good friend Reggie, we’ve got something just for you.
_MG_4715BW How-To-Dress-Your-Size-Billy

If you’re big and tall we recommend checking out brands like Circle of Gentlemen, Blue Industry and Benson. They offer a great fit while still giving that sleek tailored look. Also, who says big guys can’t wear colour or patterns? When the fit is right you can pretty much do anything- here is proof.

– WHAT HE WORE – 

Circle of Gentlemen Blazer: $750 – Circle of Gentlemen Check Shirt: $275 – Doro Lapel Flower $19 – Hudson Francis Brogue Shoes: $185

_MG_4787bw How-To-Dress-Your-Size-Reggie

If you’re short and slim we recommend brands like Tiger of Sweden  and J. Lindeberg. Both these brands offer a modern European fit that is great for people with a trim stature. The shorter blazer helps elongate your body as do the skinny jean. Don’t forget that nothing fits perfect off the shelf especially when you’re short. So make sure to hem your pants and jacket sleeve appropriately to complete the look.

– WHAT HE WORE – 

Nudie Grim Tim Jeans: $179 – Hudson Weave Derby Shoe: $175 – Tiger of Sweden DB Blazer: $599 – Paolo Verri Bright Stripe Shirt: $145

STYLE TIPS

To Celebrate Canada’s 148th birthday, we put together a Canada Day Survival Guide. These are the Canadian coloured items you’ll want with you on Canada Day. Find something for the beach, cottage, rave, fireworks, or baseball game.

If you don’t have plans, check out our Canada Day guide here.
Our favorites pieces include The Home is Toronto Varsity Jacket from The Peace Collective. The perfect light-weight jacket for watching fireworks in the park. You’re gonna want a blanket to curl up on, so we included that with this one by Wool Rich. If you’re heading out of town, were jealous. Don’t forget your Swims and Nixon blaster!

bottom Details: Dropshot Chino by Zanerobe $140, Inferno Chino by Zanerobe $150.

middle
Details: Letterman Jacket by The Peace Collective $199 buy now, Helmer Leather Backpack by Sandqvist $475 buy now.
red-side
Details: Acron Ridge Stripe Blanket by Woolrich $120 buy now, George Summer Lace Loafer by Swims $199 buy now, Coloured Laces by Stolen Riches 19.99 buy now.
side2
Details: Watch by Daniel Wellington $220 buy now, Woven Belt by Andersons, Sunglasses by Custom Projects, Slip On by Lacoste, Long sleeve crew neck by Benson, Knit Cardigan by Haspel, in store only.
top
Details: Leather High Tip Shoe by Tiger of Sweden $229 buy now, SWJ 5 Mid Leather Sneaker by Sully Wong $280 buy now, Toronto VS Everybody Tee by The Peace Collective $30 buy now, Slim Fit Shirt by Haight & Ashbury in story only.