Don't miss this one -- trust me

A giveaway opportunity and more

Folks, thanks for being here during another weekend edition of The Style Guide In Brief, your favorite menswear-music-craft beer/coffee/whiskey newsletter, publishing two days a week. Today’s newsletter will hit all the high points, but before we dive in, let me point you back to my regular blog, The Style Guide. Over on the blog, you’ve got the chance to enter a giveaway with the stellar American-made leather goods brand Ezra Arthur (as seen at the top of this newsletter). Based in Phoenix, Ezra Arthur makes finely crafted leather wallets, notebook holders and much more — and all you need to do is sign up for E-mails from the brand, and you’ve got from now until March 12th to do it. It’s that simple — and with that being said, let’s get back to business.

I told you that you won’t want to miss this one, and if you want a jaunty, throwback jam (and cool gear) to kick off your weekend, you’re in luck. It’s all happening below, so thanks for reading, thanks for entering that giveaway and go right ahead and tell all your friends!

What To Listen To This Weekend: “Listztomania” By Phoenix

I mentioned above that a throwback jam would be the way to go this weekend, and how about this one? Released in 2009, I associate this one from the longtime French indie rockers with my early days at Michigan State University. In recent years, I also fall back on a standout 2018 show by Phoenix at Brooklyn Steel. This song was a highlight, it’s a major hit, it’s much-loved and it’s been stuck in my head since I heard it sitting on the nicely distanced patio at Big Storm Brewing in Cape Coral, Florida last week. Sometimes, songs just hit you at the right time (in the same way that you stumble across a seriously cool shirt or a pair of boots, or a great craft beer), and this one has checked all the right boxes for me since I first heard it. How about you? A favorite throwback song is sometimes the right way to slide into the weekend, yes? You know it.

What To Shop This Weekend: Alex Mill Blazer in Vintage Twill

Here’s an homage to the casually cool, effortless and laidback style of Phoenix lead singer Thomas Mars, an underappreciated style icon in his own right. This vintage twill blazer is part workwear jacket, part blazer, and all retro cool in its own right. Wear it with light wash jeans, a white T-shirt and high-top sneakers for expert spring style if you feel like dressing up a little bit these days. And in the months ahead, wear this stylish vintage blazer to the park, to coffee … anywhere you please. Oh, and make sure you’ve got some tunes by Phoenix on lock, yes?

Shop Alex Mill

What To Sip This Weekend: Blue Bottle Coffee Blend Box

Here’s an homage to all you early weekend and weekday risers. The right coffee helps get me out of bed in the morning, although I’m not up before dawn commuting these days. And yet, I still appreciate Blue Bottle coffee when I can find it around the borough back in Brooklyn. If you feel the same way, the Blue Bottle Blend Box is a perfect way to get variety, excellent coffee and a very agreeable price delivered right to your doorstep. As is custom here at The Style Guide In Brief, you’ve got your weekend shopping pick, your weekend coffee and that ever-critical soundtrack.

The Final Pick: Converse Chuck Taylor Chuck 70 Sneakers

This isn’t the first time I’ve talked about classic high-top sneakers in this newsletter (the kind you could certainly wear to see Phoenix play at your favorite venue in the years ahead!), and it won’t be the last. The Converse Chuck Taylor Chuck 70 Sneakers look great whether worn with chinos or light wash denim, and they’ll pair with everything from a pocket T-shirt to a vintage twill blazer and an Oxford shirt. They’re as tough to top as it gets, in my book. And they’re at once timeless and also retro-leaning (kind of a like a track by Phoenix, yes?). Get them on your feet to celebrate spring right now.

That’s “curtains” on today’s Style Guide In Brief newsletter, as they say, and I hope you found it to be the right catalyst for your weekend. Be sure to enter the Ezra Arthur giveaway before you go about your weekend errands, because a stylish wallet and leather notebook holder is well within your reach (if you’re lucky). On the style front, a vintage twill blazer is a classic-yet-modern and fresh pick, the perfect way to step into spring in style. And of course, they’ll pair up nicely with the Converse Chuck Taylor Chuck 70 Sneakers. As per usual, you won’t be able to put together that ensemble without some help from Blue Bottle coffee. You already know what you’re listening to this weekend, right? It’s Phoenix, my friends. Just like the good old days! Have a great weekend and we’ll see ya back here on Tuesday.