Save on classics as summer wanes

I have been remiss about posting this summer. It is still warm and a great time to pick up two perennial summer staples. The seersucker jacket (or suit) and a pair of bright white Levi's. These two items together or separately may be dressed up or down as the occasion demands, and you will always look crisp and cool.

Seersucker sports coats and/or suit jackets are available in single or double breasted with the DB making a strong comeback especially as a separate. Blue/white is the traditional classic, gray/white is nice and very versatile while red/white appears pink and is a bolder statement that demands a high level of masculine confidence to pull off. Match the coat with a white shirt and tie, or dress it down with a T-shirt. Yes, even a polo (I'm not much of a fan but every body seems to wear them). The one key is a solid color shirt. If you are wearing a tie, be careful about mixing patterns. A silk foulard print is good, a solid is always safe and a madras can work although it has become a cliché. The striped tie with a seersucker coat is not for the amateur because it takes a good eye to know what works and what doesn't.

As for the white Levi's, they are a great choice that can go to most offices and then out for dinner and clubbing. A pair of white wingtips, cap-toed oxfords or bucks are great for the office (that isn't Wall Street or a day in court). A pair of sneakers — preferably white — are a great way to go casual ad still look very put together. If you're planning to go with a white shirt (the full blizzard look), you may want to tuck in the shirt and wear a belt to help define the outfit.

One advantage to white Levi's is that most stains can be washed out if attended to quickly. The white wool, linen and silk don't respond as well, require dry cleaning and can become very expensive rags. At about $40 a pair white Levi's launder up well and really tough stains often come out with a soaking in a diluted bleach solution.

Not to fear, pick up these items now at a substantial discount and they will be stylish favorites for years to come.

Casual Wingtip

Casual wingtip may seem like an oxymoron to those who think of dad's (or granddad's) black brogues. But the wingtip actual started out as an English walking shoe for the country gentleman. They were most frequently brown and were frequently laced up just over the ankle bones.

The wingtip has gone casual. This season's offerings work as well with jeans as they do with slacks or full-on suit. The best are in suede or Nubuck in colors including blue, gray, white, buff, brown and tan. Most have rubber soles which lend them the more casual air.

This is some fun footwear often seen with patterned socks or no socks at all. (A suggestion for the no-sock look is the very low cut white cotton sock. They will give you the look, save your shoes and are just plain more hygienic.)

All the offerings above are available for less than $165. Clockwise from top left: To Boot blue suede wingtips at Saks Fifth Avenue, Rogue Wingtips in Universal Lead from Banana Republic, Brennan Wingtip from Johnston & Murphy in navy, brown suede wingtip (from Bass?), Barrett Ice Suede from G.H. Bass & Company, and Brennan Wingtip from Johnston & Murphy in white.

These exude and polish casual cool at a price that's too good to forego.

Eternal Style

There are some men that have eternal style. Photos of such icons seem fresh even today. Cary Grant and Steve McQueen are two such icons. Their sense of style always seemed effortless, never contrived.

I recently came across The Lost Beatles Photographs: The Bob Bonis Archive, 1964-1966 in Rolling Stone and this photo of John Lennon. Taken in Shea Stadium on Aug. 24, 1966, he looks as cool today in this photo as he did then.

The Beatles were more than just a very popular musical group. They were a cultural and stylistic phenomenon. The British Invasion of the 1960s wouldn't have happened without the Beatles, and Carnaby Street fashion might have never been popular stateside.

And while Carnaby Street became very "Austin Powers" with velvet Edwardian suits, the Beatles never went so far in that direction. However, as the group started to disintegrate, there were some questionable fashion selections such as the brocade Nehru jackets pictured inside the Magical Mystery Tour album. But, the era from 1962 through 1967 represented an amazing time of music and style for the Fab Four.