Fairytale of New York

And the bells were ringing out for Christmas Day

I might be in Florida right now for Christmas, but this one goes out to New York City, to Ireland and to a very classic, oft-controversial and yet much-loved Christmas song, “Fairytale of New York” by oft-controversial and yet much-loved Irish band The Pogues. Heck, it was just named Britain’s favorite Christmas song, as it were. This Irish folk ballad is at times funny, sad and singalong-worthy (“And the bells were ringing out for Christmas Day,” after all), so it seemed like the right featured song to kick off the holiday festivities this week at The Style Guide In Brief (folks, the censored version is below, for the record). Elsewhere, I’ve been covering Christmas gifts and gear aplenty from the likes of Taylor Stitch and other favorite brands on my regular blog, The Style Guide, in the run-up to the big day later this week, so I hope your shopping is in good shape. If not, well, I’ve got a time-honored tune to send you on your way, plus a few shopping picks that you might be able to squeeze in if you act quickly. If not, well, digital gift cards are an option. As is a nice bottle of whiskey, perhaps in a nod to The Pogues? I’ll leave it up to you — happy holidays!

What To Listen To This Week: “Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues

It only feels right to go with this rather rough-and-tumble take on a Christmas tune from the beloved Pogues, as crass as it can be at times. I heard it for the first time this season at the sidewalk shed bar known as Highbury Pub back in Brooklyn — a plenty-windowed plywood-and-sheet-metal shed built on the sidewalk (with only a few seats), all aimed toward a safe pubgoing experience outdoors. To say it pleased the small group there was an understatement. It’s not your typical Christmas song, and it surely isn’t the all-time classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” but consider this a change of pace once the eggnog or Christmas whiskey starts flowing, will ya? It’s a classic overseas, much-played and well-loved.

What To Wear This Week: Wellen Recycled Cotton Headlands Sweater

Consider this rugged sweater a fitting homage to the type of knits found everywhere these days, and especially near the chilly coasts of Ireland. This sustainable sweater, made with recycled cotton, is as fitting a layer as it gets for winter, and it’s wearable atop everything from a classic long-sleeve tee to a denim shirt. And yes, it looks just as great for enjoying a dram of whiskey as it does for layering under a waxed trucker jacket when you’ve got to take on some outdoor winter work (or just restock your firewood, ehh?). Act accordingly, folks — and save me some whiskey, will ya?

What To Sip This Week: Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey via Drizly

An Irish folk-style song and band needs a good Irish whiskey, yes? I’m not Irish, but I surely get the connection. The Teeling name carries plenty of weight when it comes to Irish whiskey, dating back to the 1780s, when Teeling first rose to prominence in Dublin. The distillery under the Teeling name was relaunched in 2012, and this whiskey gained a reputation as being something of a “maverick” whiskey. Heck, in my opinion, it’s a better Irish whiskey than Jameson, as I found out when I visited Teeling and Dublin back in February 2019! (For the record, I do enjoy Jameson as well). But for now, let’s go with a modern take on the Irish whiskey, and one that you can get delivered to you this holiday season via Drizly.

The Final Pick: Oak Street Bootmakers Camp Boots

Today’s final pick doesn’t come from Ireland, but it does call to mind the type of rugged leather boots that would be well-suited to a trip across the pond in fall, winter or even spring. These classic leather camp boots, made from Horween® Chromexcel® leather and featuring a Vibram sole (the best sole money can buy!) are the kind that can carry you through all kinds of adventures across the globe and yes, around Ireland when the time comes to travel again. Lace ‘em up and see for yourself.

“Fairytale of New York” calls to mind cold winter nights, good whiskey and the holiday season all at once, does it not? If you haven’t yet heard this Christmas classic (again, of the rough-and-tumble variety!), it’s worth a listen if you want to shake up your Christmas music after several weeks of listening. And yes, it assuredly goes well with the right pairings, be it classic leather camp boots or a rugged fisherman sweater and naturally, some Teeling whiskey. It’s all coming together this holiday season. Expect a shortened newsletter on Saturday as we head into a post-Christmas weekend, but just know that you can catch my style blog for daily updates in the meantime. Here the bells ring out on Christmas Day, enjoy the season & cheers!