Immaculate Selection

Designer, costumer & artist: Alec Remington.

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My Current Interests

Long time no post. Fashion has been in a strange state, and during the pandemic I fell in and out of love with the industry almost every passing day. I thought I’d sit down and take the time to reflect on what I’m into seeing and wearing these days. 

Post-pandemic, I was poised to take a position in Los Angeles as an Associate Producer for Nordstrom.com. My lease was up, my bags were packed, and I had a landing spot in Culver City in my sights. Long story short, the world shut down, the job offer was rescinded, and I fell in love. Fast forward to present day, I have the same role but in the Seattle region, I’m married, and I’m still in and out of love with the fashion industry.

It seems like anything goes these days and I’m not mad about it. Kanye has a finger to the pulse of what is high-street daily wear. Lads are wearing skirts and dresses, on and off the red carpet, and kids are going balls to the wall remixing, editing and reconstructing identity through up-cycling and repurposing.

I’ve always dressed in “costume” as I put it. Donning (mostly what I already have) in an attempt to dip a toe in the current trend. As I (gracefully) age, I lean into comfort. Fewer are the days where I reach for something I know I won’t be able to move comfortably in. Don’t get me wrong, a tunic or a too tight jacket will still work its way into my rotations. However, on the whole, the question is will I not want to tear it off at the end of my day.

The pandemic was a fashion reset for many people, and it got us asking new, important questions. Are belts really necessary? Is a sweatsuit still a suit?

I think in this very blog I once bemoaned the casualization taking place in the states. The dress joggers and terry cloth blazers that were worming their way into business wear. I now embrace this acceptance, and the opportunity of being given a chance to stand on the edge of the line of what flies in the corporate work place. Granted, I have the good fortune of working somewhere that more often than not gives me the benefit of the doubt, wth a dress code that is summated as “use your best judgment.”

So without further ado, here are my top wardrobe rotations. Most of which I purchased second hand from one of the many resell apps/sites available today.

Sweats

Machus (pictured) and Pangaia champion my cozy-wear crusade. Owning tops and bottoms from each, I can say they are the best for both at home and out in the world use.

Pangaia pieces are sleek, eco-conscious and generally fleecy on the inside, while Machus’s selection are hardier, super solid construction and terry looped for better breathability. Both come in fantastic options of neutral and brighter colors, of which I own both. Tops work seamlessly as mid-layer or stand alone pieces, while the sweats are a solid choice from either for just chilling.

Jeans

I pride myself on how long it’s been since I last bought denim. I used to be a diehard raw denim head, constantly seeking the heaviest, deepest dyed dungarees. I’ve come to appreciate a pair with a touch of stretch, and Acne Studios takes the cake for my favorite silhouettes and washes.

I’m still pretty true to a skinny or slim fit, but am slowing loosening up to the straight cut and wider options. As it’s really a matter of taste, I leave it to you, the reader, to do your own research on what works best for you. Once you’ve identified the make and wash of a pair, take a look at Ebay or The Real Real to avoid paying full price.

Shorts

18East makes a mean short, but they’re hard to come by. The sizing is all over the place too. You have to be in to their slouchy, relaxed fit to really enjoy them yet even as a 28″ waister, I comfortably belt a size medium and enjoy the laid back look.

Shoes

I’ve stayed out of the samba v. 990 debate and instead have quietly settled into the Boston Clog and C 85 life. They’re comfortable, go with everything, and there are plenty of collabs to keep those that run the race engaged. Maybe I’m behind the times, but

I am very interested in getting a pair of high top McDowell’s (pictured) but have yet to find them in my size used. I can’t remember the last time I paid more than $150 for a pair of shoes (part of aging I guess) but they are a leather alternative so I may pony up to get a pair and at least feel like I’m doing a small part in buying less animal products.

Shirts

I’m still working the camp collar circuit, and haven’t bought into the crotchet or knitted style just yet. What I have been loving instead are the wonderfully playful polos of Good Fight. They seem to be absent from their current season collection but I encourage you to check out their shirting.

I had also been long searching for the perfect boxy, relaxed tee and Darryl Brown (pictured) knocks it out of the park. I will admit, I paid full price for one, but I loved it so much I got another and constantly wear them both. I do notice the necks of both have stretched out, but for me it adds to the look of sprezzatura.

Socks

A long standing and still favorite of mine is Anonymous ism. They come in tons of rad colors and patterns and are totally worth the higher than usual sock price. I’ve had a pair for almost two years now and they can really take a licking.

And that’s it! I’m by no means reinventing or serving something fierce in my triumphant return to the blogospher - these are just some of the mainstays that have kept me feeling and looking good as of late. 

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The Suit Died, but for Good Reasons

Men in suits love nothing more than to talk about how no one wears suits anymore. And it’s true that with each passing year, fewer and fewer people wear traditional tailored clothing. One retailer tells me that he mostly considers his necktie inventory part of his store decor these days, like bars that display antique liquor ads or currencies from exotic nations now defunct. But the reasons given by fashion writers for the decline of the coat-and-tie are often shortsighted, missing some of the more fundamental reasons why men’s style has continually gotten more casual. Since my own theory crosses paths with the reasons why we celebrate the Fourth of July in the US, I thought I’d share it today. 

Almost every story about the death of the suit starts in 1945, the end of the Second World War and roughly three decades before the suit would eventually wane. For Americans, the end of the war was a turning point in the 20th century, not only because it came nearly halfway through, but because the war revolutionized America’s role in global affairs. The US shaped the new post-war order with organizations such as the UN and NATO, which together with American diplomacy and military strength gave rise to the Pax Americana. America emerged from the Second World War as the only power virtually undamaged, its vast military and economic capabilities fully intact, and the only country with nuclear weapons. American power was at its height. 

For American men who love tailored clothing, however, the apogee of the 20th century was a little earlier, in the 1920s or 1930s – the Golden Age of Hollywood, the well-dressed set, and the coming of age of classic American style. The post-war period, on the other hand, was fractious, confused, and noisy. Sportswear thrived. Ready-to-wear proliferated. Designers eventually replaced tailors. This revolution in menswear coincided and overlapped with the culture wars of the 1950s and ‘60s. Establishment types wore the suit; anti-establishment types took to white tees, leather jacket, and jeans. That shift towards what Bruce Boyer calls “rebel clothing” was the first meaningful move away from the coat-and-tie. The suit has been trying to wash itself clean of the stench of Establishment ever since, never with complete success. 

There are dozens of other theories on why the suit has died, ones that are often less convincing and more cantankerous. Some say people are lazy and lack personal pride. Others say the availability of cheap clothing has crowded out the market for quality tailoring. The worst takes are the ones that link the decline of tailoring to Western civilization itself – as the suit has declined, so has morality and virtue. These are about as bad as people who base their conception of the 1950s off film noir.

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Sukotora: Scottish Style Alive in Japan

If there’s any country that knows how to make cold-weather clothes, it’s Scotland. Heavy tweeds, cabled sweaters, and what I think is the best cashmere in the world. Recently, David Marx – the author behind Ametora – wrote a great essay on how Japan has become an important export market for traditional Scottish clothes and textiles. The article was first published in Vanguards Magazine, a bi-annual publication celebrating design and products. 

Marx’s essay starts with how traditional Scottish goods landed in Japan in the first place. Mid-century American clothes, marketed as Ivy Style, originally brought things such as Harris Tweed to the island. Pictured above, for example, is Tailor Caid’s Yuhei Yamamoto (photo by Mark Cho), wearing a classic, soft-shouldered, American-style overcoat. It’s this sort of tweedy look that would later open up the Japanese market to other Scottish specialities, such as fisherman knits and teaseled scarves. Marx’s essay is republished in full here with permission, but if you like it, check out Vanguards’ second issue, from which this is taken (there’s a graphic novel in there about Aero Leathers). Vanguards is also selling a specially designed bandana that accompanies this story.

Each autumn in Tokyo, there are a series of annual rituals which alert shoppers that crisp weather and burgundy maple leaves are just around the corner. First, traditional menswear retailer Beams Plus covers an entire wall with stacks of fluffy Jamieson-made sweaters in a crayon’s box worth of color variations. Next, stores such as United Arrows, Tomorrowland, and Ships join Beams in bringing out piles of thick wool shawl cardigans from Inverallan, each with a tag certifying the sweater’s hand-knit origin. In November, men celebrate the bountiful harvest of late summer trunk shows: their made-to-measure Harris Tweed sports coats have arrived. They match their herringbone and dogtooth jackets with explosions of fair isle patterns and tartan scarves to scatter festive color across the Tokyo streets.

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Playing in glitche app. Styling, modeling editing by me.

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So excited to see the music video I did costuming for come to life!

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Styling and modeling myself with a kit from the new Nordstrom Seattle Pop In De Solei

Photocred: @foryoungmoderns (IG)

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Glitched shot from the other day. The talented @danieljshapiro shooting some of my clothes on Gwendolyn (@babiigeee)

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10 Technological Innovations That Changed The Way We Wear Clothes - Observer

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Zed Catch-All Jacket

Inspired by vintage workwear, this jacket pulls all of our favorite elements into one piece. We love the fabric and fit and all of the design details. T...

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The C.P. Company Goggle Beanie

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Mannequin mayhem at Nordstrom. Styling by yours truly. 👕👖👞

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