The First Edition: The Style Guide In Brief
Welcome to ... my world.
Well, folks. Here we are. If you’re reading this, it’s because you signed up for The Style Guide In Brief, a new dispatch from Brooklyn, and to be more specific, a new dispatch from, well, me. Thanks for signing up! I’ll be here every Tuesday and Saturday (and potentially more!). My name’s Beau, and in addition to my day job working in social media, I write and edit The Style Guide, a Brooklyn-based style blog I launched in my college bedroom at Michigan State University “back in the day.” You can also, as it were, find me on Instagram. But back to why we’re here: The Style Guide In Brief is, for now, a shorter version of my blog, with a bit of a different focus.
In fact, if ever you’ve ever read my Friday Read series at my site — where I talk about the best men’s style deals and gear, plus craft beer & a bit of music — this dispatch is going to be just a bit like that, but … not quite. Before we dive in: In my spare time, I write for TheManual.com and WERD.com, so stories from those sites will pop up here, too. (I plan it all out with help from gear like the above desk essentials from Bespoke Post, FWIW). For now, let’s keep it simple: A song to listen to right now, something to sip on this week, and a few shopping picks. Alright, here we go!
What To Listen To Right Now: “Frozen Pines” by Lord Huron
Let’s kick things off with some easy listening. Over these past few weeks and months in quarantine, I’ve been drawn toward music that reminds me of simpler times, of my family and friends and of my home state of Michigan. There’s not a more perfect band to encapsulate all of that then Lord Huron, started by Michigan native and Okemos High School graduate Ben Schneider (Okemos is but a stone’s throw from my hometown of Mason!). Across three albums of perfectly executed, modern indie folk rock, Schneider weaves epic tales and visions of far-off places with ruminations on life, death and love. It’s powerful stuff, and “Frozen Pines” (off 2015’s “Strange Trails”) gets right to the heart of the matter. If you’ve got some time to pass, I’d also recommend checking out the band’s wonderfully done 2018 show at the House of Blues Boston, which featured plenty of standout tracks from one of my favorite albums that year, the epic “Vide Noir.”
What To Shop Today: Buck Mason Chambray Work Shirt
If you read my blog, you know I’m a big fan of the classic, Americana-leaning menswear of California’s Buck Mason. Inspired by gritty workwear of days gone by in Midwestern cities, Buck Mason is now a standout brand for the modern man, blending old-school cool — like this rugged chambray work shirt — with modern wearability. They make everything from stylish men’s T-shirts to expertly cut denim. As it were, this tough chambray shirt would be a fitting match with just about anything you can dream up this summer. And if your partner or husband could use a cool new denim shirt, one that’s easy to throw on and look great while wearing? This could just be the one.
Moving on …
What To Sip This Week: Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
From a chambray shirt to the musical stylings of Lord Huron, I’m sticking with what I know for the first edition of this newsletter — and what I know is that the classic Bell’s Two Hearted Ale never lets me down. It’s a particularly fitting beer for today, given that I’m back in my home state for the Fourth of July holiday, but I never pass up a chance to enjoy this top-rated beer even when I’m back in Brooklyn. It’s great ice-cold out of a can or poured in a pint glass, bursting with Centennial hops for citrus flavor and aroma. Next round’s on me — and it’s going to be Bell’s.
The Final Pick: Sound & Vision Coffee Blend from Huckleberry Roasters
Whenever I’m on the road — and increasingly, now that I’m at home in Brooklyn — I’m on the hunt for a great cup of coffee to fuel my writing. For the weeks ahead, I’m considering going outside of Brooklyn for my coffee needs (I’ve been enjoying Bushwick’s Variety Coffee Roasters) and getting the Sound & Vision Coffee Blend from Huckleberry Roasters. I think you should do the same.
OK, folks. That’s wrapping up today’s first edition of The Style Guide In Brief. If you liked what you read, let me know via my E-mail, or catch me on Twitter. Look for another edition later this week, and be sure to head over to my blog in the meantime if you just can’t get enough of my work (ha!). Have a great week, thanks for reading, stay safe!