Menswear Monday: Shave and a Haircut

Well it may no longer cost 2 bits for these items, but sometimes there's nothing better than a good haircut and a nice close shave. For me personally -- a trend that I am happy to see sticking around is the old school style shaving. No more five razor combos and aerosol gel spray. It's all about going back to basics. Props to Aili's bro for introducing me to some of my favorite shaving items.

This safety razor is nice and heavy; and the it twists to open the head for a blade change. A years worth of blades can be found super cheap online and will make you wonder why you ever spent $15 for a set of name brand heads that will only last you two weeks. 

The positive for this stick soap means it's great for anyone on the go. No need for a cup just rub directly on your wet whiskers, lather and get your shave on. The end result is a much better experience and a smoother shave. 

Trust me, you won't be the only one to feel the difference.

Cheers & Happy Shaving.G

From Left to Right

Brush:  Pure Badger, Art of Shaving | shop  

Soap:  Mike's Natural | shop

Blades:  Personna | shop

Razor:  92R Super Heavyweight, Parker | shop 

Soap:  Shave Stick | shop

International Orange - San Francisco

Menswear Monday: To Infinity and Beyond!

Sometimes I can be accused of living under a rock and the Infinity Scarf is another example of that. After seeing them more than a few times I grabbed one on an impulse and its been a pretty solid buy. 

Here are the reasons I like it so far: 
1) Adds a lot of warmth 
2) Dresses up any button down or Tshirt 
3) In a pinch can work as a makeshift Balaclava to block the wind. 

That coupled with the rest of this getup will keep me warm and comfortable on the ‘average’ winter day. It's all about adaptation up in here!

Scarf: Navy Infinity, Boutique | shop similar

Shirt:  Denim Top, Uniqlo | shop

Jeans:  Brixton Reserve Denim, Pac Sun | shop
Shoes: Chuck Taylor Slip Ons, Converse | shop

Menswear Monday: Lunar New Year

I was told it was good luck to ring in the Lunar New Year you should wear red for good luck. So, I decided to do so in a big way -- for me. I got these pants a few years ago and was told they would be great for fall, but somehow I have been able to shoehorn them into every season. Pairing with this blue shirt shows that opposites do really play off of one another. Sometimes you need to mix it up no matter what season. Also, a friendly competition has started with the gang via Fitbit. How are you tracking your fitness goals this year? Hope you guys were able to enjoy the New Year, as well.  

Shirt: Jack & Jones | similar 

Pants: Slim Fit Chinos, Dressman | shop

Shoes: Chuck Taylor Slip Ons, Converse | shop

Menswear Monday: Ogres & Onions

It's Menswear Monday! Welcome back guest blogger G.

Ogres are like Onions.

They have layers, which is also a good way to dress in this weather. For walking around in one of the polar vortexes, temperature, as well as wind can vary throughout the day. Proper layering helps me block the wind and keep warm. This new jacket combined with a cardigan and button down certainly did the job. Other additions to help as well are: good gloves, 180s which can be a good substitute to for a cap, and even long johns in extreme wind. Additionally, when you are indoors and you start to peel those layers off you can loan one of your layers to your favorite Jane. See, chivalry isn’t dead.  

Thanks for reading.

G 

Jacket:  DuraDown, Eddie Bauer | shop

Cardigan: Lambswool Gray, Uniqlo | shop

Shirt:  Oxford Slim Fit, Uniqlo | shop

Jeans:  Levi's 514 | shop

Gloves: Craft | shop
Boots: Jack & Jones | shop similar
Earmuff: 180s Ear Warmers | shop

Menswear Monday: Introducing G - Like Steve McQueen

JaneSquared is mixing it up and introducing a new feature:  Menswear Monday. We're welcoming G to Jane Squared for regular menswear posts. You've seen G around in several of Aili's photos, but now we get to hear from him!

**********

I'm usually behind the camera, so this is a nice change. 

Like Steve McQueen:

All I need is a fast machine, well also the right gear. A leather jacket and set of boots are a great investment and can be worn in almost any occasion. Keep in mind that leather, if taken care of properly, can last several years so it's worth the extra amount on the initial purchase. The other benefit is it blocks the wind very well while looking awesome. Stay warm!

Also, the beard isn't permanent so, I'm going to do a feature on shaving in the near feature.   

G

Jacket: Jofama AB | shop

Boots: Jack & Jones | shop similar

Shirt: Slim Vintage Oxford, JCrew | shop

Undershirt: Henley, H&M | shop
Jeans: Redwood | shop similiar

Thailand: Night Bazaar & Thai BBQ

G - blog posin'

Later Bangkok! Our next stop is Northern Thailand to a city called Chiang Mai. We spent our first evening checking out local crafts and beautiful fabrics at the night bazaar. This market is open late with great eats, all types of meats on kebobs and various types of fresh fruit.

G and I took a break to grab some Korean/Thai BBQ close the bazaar...YUMMY!

#freshcoconutsallday   

Jane's look

Tank:  Gap | shop

Skirt:  City Mini, JCrew | similar

Flops:  Slims, Havianas | shop

Watch: Watch: Runway Twist, Michael Kors | shop

G's look

Top: Short-sleeve, JCrew | shop

Shorts: JCrew shorts | shop

Shoes: All Stars, Converse | shop

Linked up to the Monday Mingle, Monday Bloom, & The Pleated Poppy.

Dressed to the Nines: Black Tie

Snaps! It's black tux and fabulous dress night! "G" and I were all decked out for a charity ball. Oh man --- it's been a little while since I've been this dressed up, but what fun!

I found this fantastic dress from Macy's last year. I just love the sweetheart neckline and the draping in the front of the dress. I think this shape is extremely flattering to many shapes, and feels so comfortable. I'm obsessed with this number. I found this great silver clutch thrift shopping around town and paired it with a pair of silver flats.

"G" is looking handsome in his tailored tuxedo. G did a good amount of research on his piece trying to figure out if he should purchase or rent a tux. He ultimately purchased this well fitting, beautiful suit.

When's the last time you dressed up? Thanks for reading!

Dress:  Xscape; | shop similar

Shoes: Silver Flax, Nine West | shop

Clutch:  Vintage | shop similar

Earrings:  Limited | shop similar

Ring:  Express | shop similar

Dashing "G"

Tux:  Jos. A. Bank, slim fit | similar

Shoes: Cole Haan | shop

Drink: Woodford

Linked up to Monday Bloom.

Camping!

*Photos courtesy of Larimore Photography.

A few weekends ago, G & I went camping with friends. I have not been in years, and it was a great time. We rode bikes, boats and had s'mores. I mean.. anything with s'mores is a perfect combination. I also have to hand it to "G" -- he can make some pretty mean meals on the back on his '66 pickup truck. We ate very well with an electric hookup and a trusty skillet. Who knew you could have a delicious rueben in under 15 minutes?

Maybe the weather will hold out and we can go camping one more time... What do you think "G"?

Thanks for reading.

Shorts:  Midi Shorts, AE | shop

Shirt:  Vintage Tee, JCrew | shop

Scarf: Montana shop | shop similar

Sunnies: Foldable Ray-Ban | shop

Shoes: Sperry Topsiders | shop

Linked up to the Pleated Poppy and Two Thirty-Five Designs.

Last of the Summer

G & I are holding onto our summer wardrobe before it gets too cold! I already see people are busting out their Fall decor, but we'll take the last of the warm days!

I love this striped dress from Crew. It's one of my favorite shapes, and this vibrant color can make any cold day -- bright and sunny. 

How's your summer to fall transition going? 

Jane

Dress: JCrew | shop similar

Belt:  Forever 21 | shop similar

Shoes: Unionbay | shop

"G"

Shirt:  JCrew | shop similar

Pants: JCrew | shop

Sunglasses:  Wayfarer Rayban | shop

Shoes:  Reef | shop

Old Fashioned: Mad Men

Looking sharp!

Over the weekend, "G" & I spent Friday night at the Milwaukee Art Museum for a Mad Men themed 'After Dark' event. This was one of the coolest things I've been to in a while... what an awesome place! They opened up the exhibits, had poker tables and even several arts and crafts stations. It was very cool. Probably the best part was -- almost everyone dressed up in 1950-1960s attire!

G went all out with full on suspenders, a bow tie and his Buddy Holly glasses!

I went with this awesome gingham dress that I had in the closet...win! And, glamed it up with a few statement pieces and some long, magic black gloves & slid right into our favorite advertising era. Seriously, nothing beats dressing up and having a great night out on the town.

Who's ready for an old fashioned?

Dress:  Limited | similar

Shoes:  Enzo Angiolini | shop

Belt:  Forever 21 | shop

Clutch:  Thrifted | similar

Earrings:  Kate Spade | similar

Gloves:  Thrifted | similar

G

Cardigan: Uniqlo | similar

Shirt:  Arrow | shop

Bowtie: Macy's | shop

Pants: Berle | shop

Shoes: Bostonian | shop

Cali Part III: French Inspired in Lake Tahoe

G aka Pepe "the model"

Our last stop in California is the gorgeous Lake Tahoe! With simply breathtaking views, this Lake was an awesome place to visit. However, there were a ton of references to the Donner party everywhere we went. That was pretty creepy...

Good thing I had a cheerful outfit to help me forget the creepiness and focus on the beauty of the lake. I picked up this sheer, French inspired blouse from Forever 21. The collar is a bit oversized for my taste, but I really like the overall look. Even G got into the Pairisan vibe sporting my yellow scarf - oui, un beau garçon.

Are you wearing any sheer items in your outfits? Tell us how you're styling it!

Shirt:  Collared Sheer Blouse, Forever 21 | shop similar

Tank:  Seamless Nude, Limited | shop

Pants:  1969 Gap ponte | similar

Shoes:  Cece Suede Ballet Flats, JCrew | shop

Earrings:  Very Audrey JewelMint | shop

Purse:  Kate Spade | similar

Sunnies: 01OS, Prada | shop