Mad Men Marketing Part II- Banana Republic Mad Men Collection

Mad Men® Collection Straw FedoraOkay I admit it, I am a sucker. I love cross promotion, I fall for product placements, and believe brand ambassadors. There are literally hundreds of examples of great partnerships and cross promotions out there; The James Bond Omega, Breitling for Bently, and Ball for BMW. Product placement has been around since Thomas Edison and Moving Pictures, and Mad Men is a show that is built perfectly for and flawlessly executes good product placement. For seasons Five and Six, the “Mad Men” creators are going at the idea of cross promotion and going at it hard. I admit they have some great ideas and it has worked on me yet again. That’s why I am writing about it here; a two-part series on Mad Men Marketing.

Part 2: Banana Republic Mad Men Collection Continue reading

Mad Men Marketing Part I: The Limited Edition Jaeger LeCoultre

Okay I admit it, I am a sucker. I love cross promotion, I fall for product placements, and believe brand ambassadors. There are literally hundreds of examples of great partnerships and cross promotions out there; The James Bond Omega, Breitling for Bently, and Ball for BMW. Product placement has been around since Thomas Edison and Moving Pictures, and Mad Men is a show that is built perfectly for and flawlessly executes good product placement. For seasons Five and Six, the “Mad Men” creators are going at the idea of cross promotion and going at it hard. I admit they have some great ideas and it has worked on me yet again. That’s why I am writing about it here; a two-part series on Mad Men Marketing.

Part 1: The Limited Edition Jaeger LeCoultre Continue reading

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air King

IMG_1287 My first foray into the world of Rolex is the simple, yet wonderful watch loaded with history. I have been acquainted with many of the Rolex models, and I have a few favorites, I mean who wouldn’t love a Daytona, and I can’t ignore a Submariner with or without a date, but for my entrance into the world of Rolex I chose a simple model with a rich history. The air king has been a part of Rolex for what seems as long as Rolex has been a part of horology.

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Milk and Sugar

Here is another great post from my friends at the Cordial Churchman. I read it this morning on the first day of spring and I wanted share it with my swell readers as well. This post is about the seersucker bow-tie, the perfect accoutrement for your spring wardrobe. If you haven’t checked out The Cordial Churchman yet, I urge you too now. They make beautiful bow ties and will even convert and re purpose some of your old neck ties for you. In a word they are Swell!

thecordialchurchman's avatarThe Cordial Churchman Blog

Since this week has quickly become seersucker week after selling more seersucker bow ties than we thought possible, I thought I’d share a little about this special fabric.  Maybe I’m a geek, but I think it is pretty cool.  Here’s what Wikipedia has to say:

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Seersucker is a thin, puckered, all-cotton fabric, commonly striped or chequered, used to make clothing for spring and summer wear. The word came into English from Hindustani (Urdu and Hindi), which originates from the Persian words “shir o shekar”, meaning “milk and sugar”, probably from the resemblance of its smooth and rough stripes to the smooth texture of milk and the bumpy texture of sugar.

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During the British colonial period, seersucker was a popular material in Britain’s warm weather colonies like British India. When Seersucker was first introduced in the United States, it was used for a broad array of clothing items. For suits, the…

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How to Buy an Enagement Ring

engagedYou’ve been courting this girl for some time now, and things have progressed to the point where you know what is next… She has probably looking at you with arms folded and tapping her foot in anticipation for some months now. Uh Oh what do you do?! You have been wanting to buy her a ring and make her an honest woman, but where on earth do you begin? Being a Gemologist, I can’t believe it took me this long to post about this. Continuing the Every Swell man should learn series, here it is all you swell gents, a crash course in buying an engagement ring. Now, put on some antiperspirant, and wipe the sweat from your brow, it can be complicated, but I will help you through it. Continue reading

Rolex Deepsea Challenge

imageGreat and wonderous things happen when worlds of technology and exploration collide in pursuit of a common ambition. The catalyst of exploration has spurred technology many times in the past, and technological advances have paved the way for some fantastic voyages in history. This wonderous ballet has provided man glimpses of the most magnificent views on earth and in space, as well as some of the most complicated and ingenious gadgets you have ever laid eyes on. You will soon be able to see, on the National Geographic Channel, one such history making adventure. Continue reading

Baume et Mercier Capeland Flyback Chronograph

Baume-et-Mercier-Capeland-10006-Mood_1One year ago I shared my first post on my own Baume et Mercier Capeland, so I thought it proper for the one year anniversary of How to be Swell I would again write about a Baume Mercier Capeland, only this time one that unfortunately isn’t in my personal collection. The Capeland flyback chronograph was part of their re design the year before last. The flyback is at the top of the Capeland series that was redesigned to a more classic shape and dial design harkening back to the gilded age of horology. Baume & Mercier describes it as: The sport-chic Capeland epitomizes a relaxed lifestyle and strength of character. This charismatic series resolutely embodies shapes, colors and authentic functions that uniquely represent the brand’s universe of seaside living at its best.
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The Cartier Roadster

headlightThis may not be a new and exciting timepiece for everyone, but for me it is an all time favorite, that I have yet to write about. The Cartier Roadster had been a “Holy Grail” watch for me for a long time. You know the type, that piece that you would want to acquire using any means necessary, but has always been just out of reach. Rest assured my crusade was not in vain, I’ve made my conquest and this watch rests in my personal collection. I didn’t consider this to be a grail watch because of some technical prowess, or revolutionary complication, the feeling was purely about style and design. Being the car aficionado that I am, when I first laid eyes on this watch and understood its nuances, I was captivated. I knew that I would have to have this object of beauty. It was unmistakably the most interesting watch that I had ever seen.IMG_1249 Continue reading

JFKs watches

Our 35th president was a man who exuded style and class. John Fitzgerald “Jack” Kennedy  became one of the most popular presidents and his administration was refered to affectionately as Camelot. He garnered respect from politicians on both sides of the aisle, but he also had a fair share of detractors. Some disliked him so vehemently that they were able to take his life on November 22 1963. Of course any discussion of JFK can go in so many directions; His politics are open for debate, his storied personal life, and many rumored trysts make for sordid conversation. He without a doubt left a huge legacy here in america and depending on your perspective will decide the degree of said legacy. I wont be addressing those topics here, I want to talk about Jack’s personal style, specifically his taste in watches. There are four specific watches related to JFK that tell stories of their own. Four distinguished pieces belonging to the president that he wore for various reasons in noteworthy situations. Continue reading

What you’re wearing today

I thought I would do a quick post and try out the WordPress app on my I phone. Since I write I style blog, what better to write about than my style today.

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I am wearing one of my favorite shirts from express. It is a French-cuffed cotton shirt with a black and grey bulls-eye pattern. I love French cuffs because I love cuff links. Cuff links are a great way to show some personality subtlety in your wardrobe. With many themes and whimsical designs there is a cuff link for every swell guy.

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Mrs. How to be Swell thought this shirt was too daring, but I think it looks swell. I matched with a pair of cuff links that I really like in solve with Onyx and a cool snake design surrounding it.

You will also notice my favorite watch to wear with this shirt is my vintage Heuer Carrera, I think the black and white dial with the perforated is the perfect compliment to this shirt.

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I finished it off with a charcoal paisley skinny tie, and grey pinstriped trousers with black belt and shoes.

It’s fun to dissect what your wearing in a given day, and why. Try some cool combos, and think about why you would put them together. Also tell me what you think of the “iPhone post”. So go have some fun and always look swell.