New York

Ask Danny Agnew

My As to your Qs about all matters sartorial

By The Editors / July 23, 2015 9:00 am

Because every man must dress himself, and sometimes even leave the house wearing pants, we present “Ask Danny Agnew” — a series that answers your questions regarding all matters vestiary, and recurs whenever he gets around to it. Have a query? Email it to style@insidehook.com.

I’m a bike commuter and hate bringing a change of clothes to work. You’ve gotta have something for me here.
—Carmichael, Palo Alto, CA

Since I don’t know what you do for a living, I’m gonna give you a couple options:

Brooklyn’s own Osloh makes the gold standard of commuter jeans — cut slim, reinforced in all the right places, and still the only properly placed cellphone pocket I’ve come across. Killer shorts, too. Throw these on with a white tee and Levi’s Commuter Trucker (which has reflective panels to keep you off the hood of a car) and you’re good to go.

[sl]

For more businesslike fare, Ministry of Supply’s Aviator chinos have unprecedented stretch — step right this way to see how we put ’em to the test with help from our friends at Y7 Yoga Studio here in NYC.

I’m also a huge fan of the moisture-wicking, quick-drying shirts from new outfit Tahaanga: super luxe fabric from France that miraculously regulates body temp. Currently available for preorder, but I got an early test on one and it performed beautifully on an 85° ride to the office.

I saw a well-dressed guy pull out a pocket watch the other day. It actually looked pretty cool. Acceptable or trying too hard?
—Alex, New York, NY

Well, depends. A pocket watch on its own is a pleasantly understated yet left-of-center touch if you ask me. Paired with spats, a monocle and a handlebar moustache (don’t laugh; I’ve seen this in my native Williamsburg), it’s a bit affected.

Regardless, they’re certainly trending: Detroit watchmakers-of-the-moment Shinola now have two handsome fob models available, while pics recently surfaced online of an Apple Watch version designed by none other than Tom Ford.

I myself would go in for a vintage model (antique watch sellers Ashton Blakey have a perennially solid selection). Any way you slice it, keep it to jacket or vest — pants are traditionally accepted as well, but at that point you might as well be pulling out your phone.

What’s with this 3-D body scanning I’m hearing about for custom clothes? Is this really a thing?
—Travis, Evanston, IL

Travis, I’ll admit I was a skeptic as well. I value my tailor more than my doctor. But I’m now three guinea-pig sessions deep (on three different items of clothing, it bears noting) and I’m thoroughly satisfied across the board.

My first foray was a pair of chinos from Acustom Apparel, whose scanner featured a pleasant British female voice and netted me arguably my best-fitting pair of casual pants. Same goes for a trench I picked up on a second visit, complete with room for three-piece underneath.

The final test was on my dogs, at a pop-up for cobblers The Left Shoe Company. Long story short, their space-age device scanned me ankle-down and the brogues I got are so comfortable I’ve since ordered a pair of monkstraps and custom boaters (with my measurements kept handily on-file).

The future is now, good sir.