Won't know until we get there

Like an hourglass running out of time

Rise and shine, up and at ‘em, let’s haul out that Christmas tree and don’t hit the Snooze button too many times this morning. It’s the first Tuesday edition of The Style Guide In Brief of 2021, and I’m ready to keep my menswear-music-craft beer-whiskey newsletter rolling the right way. If you caught last Saturday’s newsletter, the theme these days is all about moving forward into a new year with optimism, soulful music and a touch of revamped style at the forefront. It’s with all that in mind that I selected today’s featured track and accompanying menswear. The track in question is the really lovely, hopeful and searching “Until We Get There”by L.A.-by-way-of-Brooklyn indie folk band Lucius. It’s a 2013 favorite that took me through my senior year of college, and it’s one I’ve been returning to on vinyl (the deluxe reissue specifically) as of late. You might recognize the track from season two of the excellent, moving comedy “New Girl,” but either way, it’s a great track to put on as a tone-setter for Tuesday morning and beyond. For those more inclined to seek out style tips once you’re finished with this newsletter, my regular blog, The Style Guide, has everything you need. Plug in and let’s get to work!

What To Listen To This Week: “Until We Get There” By Lucius

I was home on Thanksgiving break *way* back in the fall of 2013 when I came across a friend’s Instagram photo featuring a black-and-white photo of two singers encircled by a small, impossibly cool crowd in an Ann Arbor venue — who were these singers, and why weren’t they onstage? The answers I would soon come to find out: It was the supremely well-dressed Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of the aforementioned Lucius, acting out a well-practiced show ritual by bringing a few songs into the crowd in the round (seriously, they often wore incredibly ornate matching costumes and make-up when performing).

I had to find out more about the band immediately, and I dove right into their excellent October 2013 debut album “Wildewoman,” filled with powerful singing, introspective lyrics and a kind of reckless abandon and fun spirit that reminded me of throwback ‘60s groups. The full band behind the duo was excellent, as I’d come to find out myself when they played the Music Hall of Williamsburg in March 2016 behind the group’s spirited second album, “Good Grief” — it was a long wait from my initial discovery to that first live show! One of my instant favorites off that debut album is the song shown above, a hopeful song about squaring your shoulders forward, taking a chance and figuring it out along the way. As with what’s to come in 2021, we “won’t know until we get there,” right? Right.

What To Wear This Week: Rogue Territory x UNCRATE Reporter Overshirt

Today’s menswear pick, as with my past newsletter entries, is fittingly inspired by the sort of gear you might find me wearing to see a Brooklyn show by Lucius … once live music returns, that is. For now, this rugged black selvedge denim overshirt is as cool and fitting a winter mid-layer as you’re going to find, with the ability to break in over time like a beloved denim jacket. Chest pockets provide handy storage for everyday carry essentials, crucial when trying to streamline what you’re bringing to a concert, and the black denim is impossibly cool (even when worn with, say, grey denim on your bottom half). Catch this as part of my ensemble when live music returns.

Shop UNCRATE

What To Sip This Week: Fistful of Bourbon via Drizly

Save this shopping selection for later in the day as happy hour rolls around, but I can guarantee you won’t regret it. Fistful of Bourbon uses a proprietary blend of five bourbons (hence the name!) to craft a distinctive final product that’s perfect for sipping neat or on the rocks, preferably as you spin a vinyl record from Lucius. Better still is the fact that you can pick some up for delivery via alcohol delivery service Drizly, a mighty useful thing in these quarantine days. Sipping on a nice bourbon has become a way for me to kick back and get some good use out of my bar cart and my record player on cold winter nights, at the very least. If you want to find out more about Fistful of Bourbon beyond its seriously cool name, I profiled the brand at GearMoose.

The Final Pick: Bonobos Premium Stretch Jeans

In the spirit of new style for a new year, how about picking up some of the best men’s jeans from a lauded brand that knows a thing or two about making proper pairs for every occasion? From my NYC commute to Brooklyn rock shows and strolls through Prospect Park, the Bonobos Premium Stretch Jeans have never let me down, especially in a crisp and dressy dark wash. I bet you’ll feel the same way. Of course, the stretch fabric makes them plenty agreeable to wear at home when you want to step it up from sweatpants. In the meantime, head to my blog to read all about the Bonobos Longest Year Ever Sale to stock up on new men’s style essentials aplenty.

Are we feeling revved up and ready to go for a new week in this brave new year? I know I am, and I’m doing my best to slowly but surely ease into a busy writing schedule between this newsletter and my bylines at sites like The Manual and Maxim, covering all things menswear, gear, watches & more. You can expect plenty of new men’s style content with my name on it at those publications, plus my blog, and of course, this newsletter. Through it all, I’ll be hunkered down in Brooklyn spinning new and throwback tracks by artists like Lucius and scheming for ways to get my hands on a pair of Bonobos Premium Stretch Jeans and the aptly named Fistful of Bourbon. Here’s to 2021, folks!