From Johnny Mac’s outbursts to Serena’s catsuits, tennis has enjoyed its fair amount of irreverence over the years.
And no one embraces it quite like Boast, the on- and off-court apparel company that sports a conspicuous red leaf as its logo.
Hot on the tail of a new NYC store opening and a capsule collection with Prince, we hit up Boast president Teddy Bretschger for his take on the seven essentials every fella needs — and the seven that needed to be incinerated yesterday. Says Bretschger: “I love all things retro — classic, well-made and purposeful items with a history will always have a home.”
And to be clear, that leaf is a Japanese maple. It’s symbolic.
THE 7 ESSENTIALS
A Swiss Army Knife
“The only practical object that I own. It has screwdrivers, can openers and bottle openers — all in the same place.”
A Classic Car
“It’s totally impractical, but I love classic cars: the clean lines, the round dials and the manual aspect of it all. Over the summer, I drive a 1987 Mercedes 560SL. It’s better than a piece of art because you can take it out on the road and enjoy it. While it may have been expensive new, a great example can now be had for less than the price of a KIA.”
A Polo Shirt
“The polo is an indisputable menswear icon. It’s the uniform of choice for tennis players, golfers, private schools and preps. Naturally, I prefer sporting the Japanese maple Leaf on mine. While it reminds some of a cannabis leaf, most simply see it as a discreet symbol of irreverence.”
Stubbs & Wootton “Screw U” Velvet Slippers
“Boast also recently teamed up with Stubbs & Wootton on a pair of their signature velvet slippers embroidered with Boast’s Japanese Maple Leaf logo, but I originally fell in love with the brand when I first spotted these ‘Screw U’ slippers almost a decade ago.”
An Eye-Catching Watch from Bamford Watch Department
“I like the idea of taking something that’s so seemingly untouchable — like a classic watch — and breaking the rules to make it even better. Very badass.”
A Stylish Tennis Racquet
“To celebrate our new clubhouse pop-up at 694 Madison Avenue, we teamed up with Prince on this R107 graphite racquet as a showpiece to hang on your wall. Now that it’s in my hands, I can’t wait to use it on the court!”
A Custom Suit
“While my regular workday doesn’t call for a suit anymore, one of these relatively affordable made-to-measure options from Brooks Brothers feels like an instant upgrade to any occasion.”
AND THE 7 THINGS YOU SHOULD TOSS IMMEDIATELY
Fast Fashion
“It’s not going away, but more people are waking up to fashion’s impact on the ecosystem.”
Designer Shower Slides
“Come on, no one asked for these. Save shower slides for the dorm room. And don’t get me started on Crocs.”
Vape Pens
“Cigarettes were bad enough but, now people are addicted to flash drives.”
Drop Crotch Pants
“They may be comfortable, but they don’t look good — on anyone.”
Tie Dye Shirts
“Unless you’re heading to a Phish concert … and not even then.”
Fanny Packs
“Even when they’re worn slung over your shoulder, fanny packs should be reserved specifically for misguided tourists.”
Cargo Shorts
“If you need that many pockets, you’ve got a bigger problem. Time to streamline.”
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