Two of the most understated, yet easy to combine colors for menswear would be the richness of a brown earth-tone and the crispness of a cool blue. No matter the shade, the two colors always seem to compliment one another.

Pictured above we paired a rich, summer brown with blue paisleys tie from Brioni with a wool/silk/linen blend soft coat from Luciano Barbera.

To mark the 90th anniversary of the company, Samuelsohn developed a new line of tailored clothing under their Samuelsohn 1923 Black Label. Their jackets remain full canvased, but Samuelsohn found a premium horsehair canvas to use for this line. Additionally, they’ve added genuine horn buttons, a boutineer hole and loop under the lapel, and a range of exclusive fabrics.

The Italian fabric on this dark mocca brown sport coat is a unique blend of 70% silk and 30% camelhair with an ecru windowpane check. The fabric drapes exceptionally well and has an incredibly soft hand.

We’ve paired it with a light lavender shirt from Eton, a royal purple silk tie with mini paisleys, chino-lino trousers from Incotex, an ostrich belt from W. Kleinberg and espresso calf Connaught austerity wingtips from Gaziano & Girling.

When a dress shirt is too formal and you’re looking for a slight bit of warmth that breathes well, reach for a polo sweater. These polo sweaters from Gran Sasso are made from a lightweight Tasmanian virgin wool in vibrant colors for summer. They wear easily by themselves with chinos or trousers, but also under a sport coat or suit instead of a dress shirt.

For the spring & summer we’ve had some nubuck suede pairs coming in from Edward Green that are simply beautiful. We had them unlined for maximum breath-ability and kept the sole edging a natural color.

Pictured above is an Italian calfskin jacket by Gimo™s with a ton of little details like blue stitching and horn buttons. Also shown is the Alfred Sargent Stepney longwing in a tan pebble-grain with Dainite soles. Lightweight cotton shirts by Eton and English cotton/silk ties also help bring a summery twist to the entire ensemble

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J. Lawrence Khaki’s of Carmel

Last week I finally traveled south to visit J. Lawrence Khaki’s Of Carmel.  The long-established menswear retailer has received a lot of buzz lately regarding its private label and the launch of its online store.  I had been wanting to visit for quite some time and so when Jim Lawrence personally invited me to take a tour of the store, I eagerly accepted.

Khaki’s is located in the Carmel Plaza where it makes its home next to stores such as Tiffany & Co. and Kate Spade New York.  Inside, the store is simply stunning.  Running the full spectrum of the rainbow, gorgeous colors shine from the enormous stock of ties, pocket squares, and sports coats.  It might seem unbelievable that red, pink, yellow, green, and blue all go together, but when you see it on one of the mannequins that has been so expertly curated, it suddenly makes perfect sense.

One of the things that I found interesting and appreciated is that Jim doesn’t organize his store by brand.  Instead, everything is grouped together by style.  So rather then making a beeline straight to your favorite designers, customers can visually explore the store to see what appeals to their sense of style and are able to discover new brands in the process.

And there’s a lot to discover at Khaki’s of Carmel.  The store’s goal is to make Khaki’s completely different than any menswear retailer in the country and to carry things here that you won’t be able find anywhere else.  Instead of the same Drake’s tie you’ll find in other stores across the United States, Jim carries literally hundreds of options from brands like Eton, Breuer, Canali, and Seaward & Stearn.

Another example is their collection of Edward Green shoes.  These aren’t the same typical models you would find in other stores.  Instead, they feature special antiquing and burnishing as well as natural edge coloring.  These special details really give the shoes a unique accent that make them stand out among their contemporaries.

The store also offers its own private label featuring shirts and pants made in the United States.  The company is gearing up to launch its own private line of sports coats this July with models ranging from an ultra-soft shoulder three-button jacket to a more Savile Row inspired coat with strong shoulders.

I could literally go on for days about the wonderful work that Jim has put in to his store.  The way everything is perfectly collected and arranged reflects Jim’s own passion for menswear.  If you’re ever in the Carmel area, take a stop at Khaki’s of Carmel.  You owe it to yourself to experience this unique and colorful menswear retailer.

Also pictured: Edward Green Hove in dark oak antique, tropical weight wool trousers from Brioni, and a pocket square from Armstrong & Wilson.