How He Wore It: Holiday Hov

Meet Larry. Or as I call him, Larry Hova.

I somehow talked him into shooting a spread on personal style with me, and in the mix slipped in the Woolen Holiday tie from the Co-Op.

I dig how he not only does pattern on pattern, but texture on texture.

And then even more texture with corduroy pants (!!!!)

Dobby Solids: Endangered Species

After the Thanksgiving Hangover sale, the Dobby Corduroy ties have made it to the endangered list. We're out of Dobby Corduroy in Olive (restock questionable), and there are 2 left in Maroon. 

Our corduroy is keeping lots of you fine folks warm this season, and for this we say thanks! 

Fathers Day for 1 Day Sale

True story: I forget about Father's Day and other such holidays every. single. year. I think it has something to do with the arbitrary date that gets lost in the shuffle of life. And to that extent, I find myself scrambling for gifts. If you're a self-proclaimed scrambler, we're here to lend a hand.

What's better than the old standby necktie for Dad? A cool necktie that he , that's what.

1 day only. 30% off. Ships just in time for Dad's big day. Promo code: dadsday

Easy, like grilled cheese.

The Style Cooperative: Wintertime Wrap Up

Our soundtrack for the evening

Bow tying lessons

Brian of Sir & Madame

It seems about the right the time to do some type of deep and meditative reflection of everything that's happened in the past year. It's been a whirlwind... but I won't put you through that. I'm sure you've been paying attention.

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However, I would most certainly like to say a very necessary thanks to you. Yea, you. Readers, buyers, supporters, buds, the whole lot of you. Thanks for taking interest and in your own big or small way helping me to build and be.

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I've pulled out the 2010 goals and gameplan (because I don't do resolutions), and will share it with you guys this week so you can see what I was thinking back then, and whether it played out or not. 

In the mean time, enjoy the images from last week's trunk show at Groom Mens' Lounge. I had a great time chatting it up with creative and stylish folks and did a few rounds of group bow tying lessons. How cool is that? Fun to be had, and great sartorial life skills were learned.

The Holiday 12

I was hanging out a trunk show in Chicago yesterday meeting readers and such, and had a limited edition holiday tie available.  It got a great response, so I wanted to share it with my interweb friends (that's you).

Starting right now, ending at midnight (eastern time) there is a limited edition holiday bow tie available from The Style Cooperative.  There is a very limited quantity, and only available today for 12 hours. So if you get your hands on one, you'll be one of the few to have it. Ever. Yep.

The woven wool blend tie is perfect for the holidays, and it's guaranteed to arrive in time for the festivities.

Make your moves now, because at midnight tonight, it's going in The Co-Op vault.

New Goods: The Isadore Stole

As seen in the Holiday Lookbook, the Isadore Stole is available today at The Style Cooperative for both men & women. It's a limited run item, just in time for the weather holiday fanciness.

Behind the Scenes: Holiday Book Edition

Now that you all (hopefully) have checked out the Holiday book we worked to bring you last week, I wanted to play show and tell a bit and share some "making of" type pics from some of the time spent working on it. All courtesy of our friends over at Dynastee.

Work and play, on the same day.

The Style Cooperative - Holiday 2010

The Style Cooperative Holiday Lookbook is here!

This is the biggest and best lookbook we've developed to date at The Co-Op. This is just in time for the holidays, so turn on some festive music and take a look. 

From us, to you. Images after the jump!

Tutorial: How to Tie a Bow Tie

Just like any other sartorial know-how, tying a bow tie is a life skill that not enough of us have. You may have seen one of these little guides floating around the interwebs. They are complicated looking, I know. So guys (and girls!) listen up. This is how it goes:

I'm working here with a double-sided Diamond tip bow tie from The Co-Op Holiday collection (available starting tomorrow!) in Deep Red Silk and Gunmetal Chevron. 

Start with the tie around the back of your neck. Let one side fall about an inch below the other... like a regular necktie. Then take the longer end, lay it over the short, and pull it through from underneath. Just like how you start to tie a shoe.

 Make it as tight as you want the end result to be; you can't really adjust it once tied.

Take the longer side and make a loop and lay it flat across the center of your neck. This will be the first half of the bow. Hold it in place right above the knot with index & thumb.

With your free hand, take the shorter end (which should be behind the first loop you just made) and pull it over the top of that loop.  This will create the center tie part of the bow. Hold this in place with the center knot that you've been holding. Multitasking, I know.

Here's where it gets tricky. Pull the hanging side behind the first (and still only) bow loop.  There will be a small gap behind the loop that you will push the base of the hanging part of the tie through.  This will create the other half of the bow. This will take practice.

Now take a second to adjust the sides so that they are even, the bows are pulled to look even, and everything is centered.

Something you probably won't realize when tying, and get frustrated by: the loop parts will not be both in front. Only one side will have a front loop, the other side will have the end of the tie in front. So just when you thought you messed up, like magic, you've got a great looking bow tie.

Need more visuals? Check out a tutorial with Swizz Beats on Dynastee, and hooray for them shouting me and Co-Op ties today! Be a friend and show them some internet pleasantries.

Frock the Bells

2 holiday related posts in a row. Wow and sorry for those of you who have the same sentiments I shared yesterday about the drawn out season. The thing is... I had this idea.

You know how during the holiday season, you have a few select events, dinners, parties, etc to attend and the following happens:

1. You are invited to an event and have about 1-2 frantic weeks to get the logistics together.

2. You don't know what to wear, and you try to grill everyone on what the scene is like.

3. You spend a little longer than you hoped looking for something to wear that you only feel so-so about... then you look at the price tag. Let's just assume we know the feeling at that point.

4. You decide on something that both fits the budget and you can hopefully love in the future.

5. You wear it. Everyone loves it. Loads of pictures are tagged of you on facebook in it.

6. You can't really see yourself wearing it again with a clear sartorial (and fb tag) conscience.

7. You have a love/hate relationship with a really great dress that will hang in your closet, never to see the light of day ever again.

So here's what I propose: borrow it.

I know, not so genius. However, services like Wear Today, Gone Tomorrow offer you the chance to rent a really beautiful dress that is so appropriately right now, and at prices somewhere around 5%-10% of retail. Hello, affordable yet totally outside of my typical dress comfort zone 3.1 Phillip Lim dress made of pure bliss.

So you can count on the fact that if I show up in a really stunning dress on NYE (and Christmas Eve, and Christmas day, and the beau's office party)... chances are, it will be sent back in the little pre-paid envelope a few days later. No buyers' remorse. No ramen for 2 weeks. Just (really cute) memories of moments past.

All images via

This Scrooge Needs Holiday Cards

As people are starting to get their holiday playlists together and are getting into the spirit of this time of year, I begrudgingly avoid all things that sound like Christmas music and almost go out of my way to not get into the holiday windows along Michigan Ave. You've caught me: I'm one major scrooge.

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of the holidays. Let's just say my attention span for all things holiday related is considerably shorter than others. For this reason... I'm holding off for as long as I can.For the holidays this year, I've decided that I want to send really special cards to the people that make my life colorful, beautiful, exciting, and worthwhile.

I heard about this mini letterpress on Poppytalk today, and thought it holds the potential to create some really beautiful work.

1, 2, 3, 4

Saw some great cards in a few etsy shops.

via

And was inspired by these watercolor textures to break out the paints and create something a little more personal over the long Thanksgiving weekend.

Style Works: Halloween Crunch Time

image via

It seems like every day, more and more people ask what I will be dressing up as for Halloween parties this year. I must admit, while I love dressing up for real life, Halloween dress-up is not a favorite. However, if you still need a costume, don't feel like the old stand-by witch or cat costume, here are some great ones you make with things you may already have.

Karl Lagerfeld

Frida Kahlo

Lady Gaga

Balloon Boy

Flapper (baby costume)

Your Facebook Profile

What is your plan for a costume? Have any fun ideas to share or hear of some other fantastic ones you plan on "borrowing"? Do share!