Quick Summary: Today we talk with Alexander Sumner about the Difference between Style and Fashion, The Grateful Dead, Vintage Shops as well as the Four Components of a Well Made Suit
If you know me, you know I’m not the most stylish person in the world. I mean that in the sense of being suited up to the nines. I think my style is more sporty or efficient… if you will. Or better yet, ninja like or unassuming. When I’m out capturing the places I visit, I don’t really want to be seen. I don’t want any kind of attention from anyone, I just want to get my shots and get the hell out of there… A lot of what you’ll see me in is dark muted shirts, dark jeans, some Air Max 1s or some all black chucks.
That being said, if there ever comes a time that its necessary for me to get dressed up, its not a foreign concept because of today’s guest, Alexander Sumner.
I met Alex a few years ago when this little voice in my head was going on and on about getting a real suit. So I started cruising the net and social media for men’s style. Visiting tumbler as well as sites like JJJJound and Instagram hashtags like #MensStyle. One day I came across this picture of a red button hole on a suit jacket. For some odd reason I thought it the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. It was nice touch that you’re not going to find on the $100 dollar suits I was used to back then. I’m telling y’all the truth, so judge me all you want about rocking a baggy $100 suit, but it was more of check box than anything else.
Anyway, I commented on how much I liked the detail and I would like to see it in person. Alex’s response was pretty much come on by the studio. So I did and the rest is what the young people are calling, uhh history.
I met Alex in SoHo and we talked about the difference between style and fashion, The Grateful Dead, vintage shops as well as the four components of a well made suit and much much more.
Toward the end of the conversation Alex turned the tables and inquired about New York Said: Volume Three. I ranted a bit about it and if your were curious to know what’s up with the new book, that info is there.
I’m outta here, enjoy the talk.
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Links to the Stuff they Talked About
- Andy’s Chee-Pee
- Trash and Vaudeville
- Canal Jeans
- Scabal Fabric
- Mood Fabrics
- Acustom Apparel
- Tyson Beckford
- Q-Tip
- Charlamagne Thagod
- Rory Mcilroy
- Phil Heath
- The Art of Dressing Up
- Smithsonian
- National Geographic
- The New Yorker
- Adidas Sandal
- Vintage Harley Davidson Jacket
- Thelonious Monk
- The Specials
- Madness
- Grateful Dead
- Deadhead
- Miles Davis
- John Coltrane
- Tumultuous
- MLK
- RFK
- 1968 Democratic National Convention
- Tet Offensive
- Shawl Lapel
- Jack Purcell
- Chuck Taylor
- Baryshnikov
- Longform Podcast
- When Harry Met Sally
7 Wonders of Style Questions
- In your wardrobe, what’s your favorite piece of clothing, favorite shoe and favorite accessory?
- Who, both inside & outside of your circle, had the greatest influence on your style?
- Which musical group (or solo artist) most defines your sense of style?
- Which would be your decade of choice to spend your prime in, style-wise?
- As for creative inspiration; when was a time when you spotted someone or something and said, “I am going to incorporate that myself (and did) and when was a time when you spotted someone and said, “I’ll never be caught dead doing that,” and you ended up doing so?
- How have you seen style expressed in ways that have nothing to do with what a person wears?
- What do you feel is the difference between style and fashion?
This episode is sponsored by Gorilla Coffee.
