#mantic59

I’ve been trying to include more links than I had been in these Weekend Reading posts. I hope you’re finding some great resources here. Today’s links focus a lot on summer jackets and building up/slimming down your wardrobe. I’m really paying a lot more attention to what I buy, how it looks on me, and what it says about me (or at least what I want it to say).

I didn’t know desk envy could be a thing until I saw Simon’s.

This 2.5 button Rubinacci linen blazer is perfect for summer.

Aside from number ten (sorry, Mark), I would recommend these rules to anyone.

I’m obsessed with this linen jacket too!

Personally, I dig having a hairy chest, but if you want to trim it up a bit, check out Ashley’s advice.

Not into linen? Check out this hopsack jacket.

Just say no to board shorts.

Grenson loafers for $149? Yes, please.

The hat definitely makes Brian’s outfit. I just don’t know if I have the guts to try it.

Be sure to check out the Herring Shoes sale going on now too!

I’m following Peter’s advice soon and decluttering my closet. Also, be sure to grab the PDF.

Gilt is running a huge Floris sale right now.

This is a huge focus for me as I make clothing purchases going forward. I’m glad Megan could validate my angst.

Have you seen the new Proraso colognes? I definitely want to try these!

Yikes! What a week! Honestly, I was just happy I was able to get out one post this week. My kids were off from school different days. One school recognized Columbus Day, and one Yom Kippur. I’m not sure how that worked out, but the end result was me spending two days at The Franklin Institute in one week. They both got to choose where we they wanted to spend the day with me, and they both choose the same place. I love The Franklin Institute, but seeing the same exhibits twice in one week was a bit much.

I also went downtown on Tuesday to have some items altered at Suitsupply. I had recently ordered this sport coat and these trousers, and they just needed a few minor touches to finish them up. I’m relatively new to Suitsupply, but so far I have nothing but great things to say about my experiences there. I hope to try to work with them in the future.

Thursday was spent writing, and Friday was reserved for some errands. Right now, it’s close to 7:00 and I’m finally getting the chance to work on this post. Luckily “Weekend Reading” is mostly based on the hard work of others, haha!

Boy? Girl? It doesn’t matter. This is one hell of a hit!

These sneakers are a necessity!

Sick of irritating razor burn?

I sampled this fragrance on Friday. One of the cleanest vetivers I’ve ever smelled!

Is there anything The Rock isn’t funny doing?

I’ll file this post by Mark under YMMV. Every product is different for different people.

If you haven't tried a shirt from Twillory yet, you have to give them a shot. Everyone needs one more white shirt.

One step closer to The Federation.

Years ago, when I first started wet shaving with a safety razor, I knew WHY I wanted to start, but I didn’t know WHERE to start. I chose traditional wet shaving because I had grown tired of ingrown hairs, nicks, skin irritations, and all sorts of breakouts directly related to cartridge razors and chemical-laden shaving products. What I did not know is how much I would actually enjoy the process or that I would start writing about it to encourage others.

Like I said, the bigger issue was figuring out where to start. I browsed around on the internet for a while before discovering some of my favorite YouTube channels like Mantic59 and Geofatboy. After that I read reviews, scoured Amazon, and looked at just about every site I could find. I’ve said before that I think the hardest part of starting traditional wet shaving is actually getting started. Dorco has put together a great starter kit making this process significantly easier.

The first thing I noticed before tearing into my new Dorco Prime Starter Kit was the quality of the packaging. Aesthetics are important to me. They convey the attitude and appreciation a company has for their product. Chances are if the packaging is shit, the contents inside will be too. And, most likely, I won’t be valued as a customer either. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but that’s my take. Anyway, the packaging for the Dorco Prime Starter Kit is fantastic. Solid, sturdy, sharp looking.

Upon opening the Dorco Prime Starter Kit, I discovered it was packed with goodies. First and foremost was, a classic and sophisticated chrome butterfly razor. Followed by thirty blades and a travel case. For only $25, I think this is an exceptional value.

The travel case is designed to hold the safety razor and a few blades; plenty for most trips. The mirror inside the travel case is probably a little too small for daily shaving, but it could definitely be used in a pinch. If you’re looking to travel light, pack this starter kit up, toss in a shave stick and a travel brush, and you’re off. I think this case is so efficient, you could even take it camping.

The Dorco blades are high quality as well. I think they are a great entry point for new wet shavers because, to me, they fall in the middle of the road on both sharpness and comfort. They’re highly comfortable and sharp enough to get the job done. But not too sharp to get yourself into trouble.

I really enjoyed using the butterfly razor too. It’s mild, but extremely comfortable. I think this razor is perfect for two sets of people. Obviously, first is the new wet shaver. This razor and included blades provide a comfortable shave with an easy learning curve that can help anyone pick up this gentlemanly routine. The second group of people I think the Dorco Prime Starter Kit would suit are those looking to round out the finer points of their shave. Maybe you’re having trouble getting around your chin or neckline and want to experiment with blade angles. Or maybe you want to take a stab at nailing that against the grain (ATG) pass. This is the razor (and blades) will help you perfect those steps. Whether you’re a wet shaving newbie or a veteran, you will find value in this razor.

Dorco has also generously offered a 20% discount, exclusive to all Tailor & Barber readers. Enter the code TBPRIME20 at checkout to claim this promo. This is valid now through 8/15/2016.

Regards,

What’s your anchor?  What’s your one thing that keeps you grounded in reality?  That keeps your day on the right track?  For me it’s meditation.  From my conversations with mantic59 of Sharpologist, I can safely guess it’s his morning shave.  For others it might be something they look forward to doing every night, like an evening run or Crossfit after work or building model ships inside bottles.  So what’s yours?

Why have an anchor?

This world is crazy at times, and at no time is that more true than during the holidays.  From gift-giving, to Christmas cards, to kids with too much candy in their system, my day can get away from me pretty quickly.  Starting my day off with a quick twenty minute meditation (yes, you have time for twenty minutes to yourself too) keeps me balanced for the rest of the day.  I may fall off-center momentarily, lose my temper, complain, worry too much about the uncontrollable future, but my anchor always keeps me from drifting too far.

What should an anchor look like?

I want to refrain from giving too much advice here.  An anchor can be just about anything that helps keep you centered.  I would suggest keeping your time to an hour or less.  The point is to help you manage your responsibilities, not to add another.  I would also suggest keeping the number of people involved limited.  This is supposed to be something for you.  Sure, Crossfit and yoga classes are rarely one-on-one, but everyone is there for themselves, and the sizes are usually small.  Finally, and I think most importantly, no screens.  To me, an anchor is about mindfulness.  Being present during my meditation helps me stay present during my more trying points in the day.  I love movies and television, but those are about getting lost in a story and viewing someone else’s experience, the opposite of being present in your own life.

The challenge of maintaining an anchor.

I think the biggest challenge in taking a few minutes each day to cultivate my anchor is doing it despite other people needing my time and attention.  It’s on me to tell people “no” or “I will after I meditate”.  My anchor is not their responsibility, it’s mine.  Of course, I can go about this politely.  Saying “no” does not mean I’m a jerk.  The funny paradox is that the more often I center myself, the better equipped I am for all my other responsibilities.

I hope this post inspires you to go out, experiment, and find your anchor.  If you already have one, I hope this post inspires you to maintain it diligently.  I would love to hear what you do to keep yourself in balance daily.

Regards,

I was so excited this week to get the razor blade experiment underway!  I’ve been planning it for a while, and finally had all the gear to get going.  If you haven’t read about it yet, make sure you check it out.  Thanks for all the positive feedback I’ve received on it so far!  I hope everyone out there has a great Father’s Day too!  I know what I’ll be doing.

1. Don’t miss this great article from Sharpologist on a very serious issue.

2. As someone who works from home, I found these tips from Shopify extremely helpful.

3. In my free time this week I was watching episodes of The Inbetweeners.  Definitely worth a watch if you like juvenile, raunchy comedy.

4. The folks over at Onnit put together an incredible list of Father’s Day gifts.

5. Amazon is still running an amazingly low price on the Merkur 34C.  If you want to grab this classic razor, now is the time to do it.

6. Don’t miss Nordstrom’s Summer Clearance Sale.  Here’s a few of my favorite items available: Sunglasses, Shoes, Shorts, Polo Shirt.

Regards,