Bulletin Board 75
A better shave, soap on a rope and a Wm Brown insider’s style secrets.
THE ENDORSEMENT
In the 1970s, soap on a rope was pretty big. My dad loved it. The brand he used was Aramis, which was also a cologne that was pretty popular in the 70s and 80s. Aramis soap on a rope was ever present in our bathroom, and then it fell out of favor, (I have no idea why…) but I rediscovered it recently.
And on a recent trip to Portugal, my friend Jamie introduced me to Musgo Real’s soap on a rope, which Sid Mashburn carries. I really like their scents, so I bought one and immediately fell in love with it. Like my friend David Coggins, I prefer bar soap over any kind of pump-driven gel or shower soap. Keeping bar soap dry and not gooey is a challenge, and soap on a rope solves that problem effortlessly. You just hang it up on the shower nozzle, and it dries. There’s no gross gooiness, and it lasts longer because it dries hanging there on your shower nozzle rather than sitting in soap dish.
In addition, it’s really fragrant. It adds a great smell to the bathroom, and it looks cool and reminds me of my dad.
THE SHAVE
I love a straight razor shave. My favorite is in Rome at Genco Barbiere, and I’ve often thought of how to get the same experience at home.
I’ve always been skeptical of multi-blade razors. My favorite is a two-blade Gillette that is almost impossible to find anymore. I have a a little travel razor that fits two-blade Gillettes that I have to stock up on all the time, which is when I realized that buying a pack of 10 for $40 is highway robbery. No wonder they have to keep them under lock and key in the pharmacy!
So, I made the switch to safety razors. I started with Muhle, a German brand, whose razors work out to be pennies on the dollar. I buy a pack for almost nothing. But you have to be careful. They give a nice, clean shave without irritating the skin, and I especially love using them when I’ve had a few days’ growth of beard. It shaves much easier than those mult-blades that get jammed up, and they’re just great-looking objects over all.
There are two varieties: one gives you a slightly closer shave, and one doesn’t. I’m a bigger fan of the one that doesn’t, because you’re less likely to cut up your face. That being said, a septic pencil is a must and will stop your bleeding if you’re just delving into the world of safety razor shaving and make a mistake. You have to take your time, as they don’t adjust to the angle of modern, multi-blade razors.
I recently came across a brand based in Montana called Proof. These guys are making safety style razors with a single-cast aluminium handle that is so good-looking and it all has spring-loaded head that easily follows the natural contours of the face.
They have this ingenious blade system which uses half the blade of a single razor safety razor. (blades have become even more cost effective) It connects by a genius magnet system, and you get everything one should love about a safety razor shave with actual safety.
On that note, you always need to take your time with a safety razor, Proof makes it easy. It’s my new favorite razor. I see that they’ve just made a straight razor, which may be the next graduating tool in my shaving arsenal. That may require some practice.
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DRESS CODE
For the latest installment of our Dress Code series we dialed up frequent Wm Brown contributor Jonathan Petrino, whose further musings on travel, food and style can be found at his Substack the STUDIO Journal.
How early do you remember being interested in clothing—and how?
One of my earliest memories of really paying attention to clothing was at the uniform tailor shop in the Marine Corps. It was quite an operation. Fitting hundreds of Marines for their dress blues, down to the buttons, shoes and every last detail. It was the recruiting poster brought to life. You understood immediately that clothing could communicate identity, pride and belonging.
How would you describe your personal style in two words?
Carry-On Classicism.
If you have a uniform, what does it look like?
I wouldn’t say I have a uniform, exactly, but there is certainly a formula: chinos or jeans, a button-down or long-sleeve polo, suede loafers and always a blazer. I wear the blazer as a coat when it’s cool outside. Not only to dress something up.
Whenever possible, I add a tie, probably a knit one. Everyone seems impressed by a tie these days: at the airport, in the office, checking into a hotel. It’s such a simple way to make a statement. And always a watch, one that can act as a utility player. I love my Blancpain Bathyscaphe for that.
Who was your style icon when you were young?
The honest answer is my father. Oxford cloth button-downs, ties, suits and tassel loafers; classic ’80s casual and corporate style. I still have one or two of his shirts and several of his ties.
The cinematic answer would be both Michael Caine as Lawrence Jamieson and Steve Martin as Freddy Benson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. The style in that film has incredible range.
Who is your style icon now?
I’m not sure how “now” this answer is, but Pat Riley (the NBA coach) in the ’80s and ’90s. Those looks have aged incredibly well. There’s a lot of inspiration to be found there…modernized, or not.
How often do you edit your closet, and how?
Not often enough. I’m a collector, so editing doesn’t come naturally. But maybe once a year I go through it and ask whether I actually wear something, whether it still fits my life and whether it has a story. If the answer to all three is no, it can go.
What’s your travel kit?
Always suede loafers (I have several pairs) along with dark, sometimes black, denim and a few pairs of khakis or chinos that can dress up or down. One or two blazers come with me: always a dark-blue J. Press blazer or a Ralph Lauren corduroy piece depending on the weather and season.
I’ll add a few Ralph Lauren featherweight mesh button-downs, several OCBDs from the handful of people who still make them well and, of course, at least two ties. Shoe trees always. Everything gets packed neatly into my sticker-covered yellow Rimowa.
This gives me enough to dial it up or down, but still be accepted at any restaurant or club in any city I might find myself in.
Is there an article of clothing you got rid of—but wish you’d kept?
If something is truly special (or I suspect it might become special) I’m very unlikely to get rid of it. My problem is less regret over things I’ve let go and more the pieces I still own that no longer fit quite as well as they once did. They’re still in the closet, waiting patiently for a comeback. Mine, not theirs.
What would you never, ever part with?
I could easily name a few things here…and certainly a stainless steel Rolex Datejust from my father qualifies.
But, I’m going to say back in 2002, I was in Queensland, Australia, while deployed with the Marines aboard a navy ship. We pulled into port for a few days, but somehow I hadn’t packed swim shorts when I left the ship. I popped into a local shop and bought a pair of Canterbury rugby shorts, they were about the only thing available that would work. I still have them, and they’ve come with me on nearly every beach vacation for almost 25 years. Hardly a high-fashion item, but few things I own hold more meaning.
What style rule is worth breaking?
The idea that everything has to coordinate perfectly. You can, and should, mix styles. Something slightly “wrong” or “out of place” like a military jacket, an old collegiate hat or a scarf that doesn’t quite belong can make an outfit feel more personal. Black and navy can look great together. White can work year-round. You should research a lot of these “rules” and how and why they came to be and then you will know that many times they are/were relevant in only a limited set of circumstances.
Which isn’t?
Dress for the occasion. You don’t have to be conventional, but you should show some respect for where you are, who invited you and what the moment asks of you. At the very least, look as though you made an effort. Even if your version of making an effort is entirely personal.
If you had to buy from a single designer/brand for life, it would be…
This answer is going to be rather unoriginal, but Ralph Lauren. Not necessarily for the reasons you might think. The depth and availability of the vintage catalog is incredible, and the pieces have aged remarkably well.
Want something classically ’80s? You can find it. Need a tuxedo for a black-tie event? Covered. Something for a day on the boat? Plenty of options. Something fun and colorful? You know the rest.
New or vintage, formal or casual, traveling or at home: Ralph Lauren covers literally every base. Also, not every designer sells underwear and socks. Ralph strikes again.
What independent designer/store deserves more attention?
There are so many, but three immediately come to mind.
Le Alfré has a Midtown Manhattan penthouse where you might be served a martini while you shop. It’s a fun, personality-filled brand doing its own thing, with a lot of creativity behind it. The filmmaking is especially good. It tells an ongoing brand/origin story rather than simply selling clothes.
I’ve followed Fred Castleberry, and his brand F.E. Castleberry, online for years. I finally popped into his Tribeca shop about a year ago. I’m a big fan of his visual style, his content, storytelling, and the distinct point of view he brings to the conversation.
My wife introduced me to Tibi, which is decidedly a womenswear brand with some items that work for men, but the way they run the business is fascinating. Its founder, Amy Smilovic, is a force. Tibi is simply worth knowing about if you care about fashion (or creative businesses) in any context.
What style advice would you give your younger self now?
Buy fewer things, but wear them harder. Buy really good vintage and, more importantly, buy what you actually like. Forget about trends. Skip the mall. Talk to people who care about style and ask them a lot of questions. Don’t save the good jacket, shoes or watch for some imagined future occasion. The wear, the miles, the patina and the memories are what eventually make them yours. Also: buy once, cry once.