A WEEKEND IN NEW YORK CITY (PART II: THE HUNT)

“Get in, loser—we're going shopping.” But not just anywhere—we’re in New York City with about five hours to kill. So, where are we going? To a handful of stores I’ve never stepped foot in before, but have been on my list of places to check out.

While this trip is mostly about window shopping and trying on pieces to better understand the fit of various brands and their offerings, I’m also on a mission. I’m hunting for something elusive—both for a personal shopping client and myself: pants. Yes, pants. My legs and those of many of my clients are bigger than average with butts large enough to have their own orbit. If you’re not one of us, you might not realize just how challenging this is. The butt problem is a big one (literally) as often times the fit leaves too much to the imagination, isn’t very comfortable, and leaves no extra room if it gets any bigger.

Spoiler alert: the trip was a successful one, but the solution came from a store I didn’t even know existed and wasn’t planning to visit. Not only did they have what I was looking for, but they also carried another item on my radar. Suffice it to say, this brand is now firmly on my watch list. Keep reading, loser, to find out who that is.

RRL

So much potential, yet oh so frustrating. If you’re unfamiliar with RRL, it’s a standalone brand under the Ralph Lauren umbrella that focuses on workwear-inspired American styling. Founded in 1993, the brand is named after Ralph Lauren’s Colorado cattle ranch.

Unfortunately, this was the most disappointing customer experience I had during this trip. I wanted to try on seven or eight different items, but they didn’t have my size in any of them—not one. At one point, I considered grabbing something labeled “one size fits all” just to see if they’d have it and help improve their batting average.

The store itself is spacious and visually has a lot going on—not just with the clothes but also the decor. To navigate stores like this, I find it helpful to focus on the top shelf and work my way down methodically. Trying to take everything in at once can feel overwhelming.

I was eager to visit a store dedicated exclusively to RRL. While typical Ralph Lauren stores might carry a few RRL pieces, the selection is usually limited. I wish I could comment on the fit of their items, but since they didn’t have anything in my size, I couldn’t try anything on.

Price-wise, RRL is on the high end especially when compared to similar workwear brands I like, and nothing I saw felt like a must-have. Later in this post, I’ll discuss a store that was just as expensive (if not more so) but whose prices felt better justified due to the quality and uniqueness of their offerings.

242 Mulberry (Blackstock & Weber)

Mulberry Street in New York’s SoHo neighborhood is one of my favorite spots to shop in the city. A recent addition to the street is 242 Mulberry, which describes itself as, “A retail concept offering apparel and footwear from Academy and Blackstock & Weber, alongside a selection of branded accessories, books, magazines, and vintage curated by Chris Echevarria.”

The main reason to visit 242 Mulberry? Loafers, loafers, loafers, but strictly Blackstock & Weber loafers. If you think loafers aren’t versatile or can’t be fun, this place will change your mind. As I mentioned in my last post, my black tassel loafers from Alden are my favorite shoes. I wear lace-ups less and less these days—not only because loafers are more versatile but also because my work as a Realtor involves regularly taking my shoes on and off when entering clients’ homes.

I’ve been on the hunt for a pair of horsebit loafers to wear primarily in casual settings, which is my favorite way to style them. Lo and behold, I stumbled across a pair called The Mason in pebbled full-grain leather. Unfortunately, they didn’t have my size in stock; otherwise, I might’ve pulled the trigger right then and there. These loafers are beefier than my others, which would add some welcome variety to my wardrobe. Plus, as my first pair of horsebits, they’d help balance out trousers with more drape than the ones in the picture. Blackstock & Weber also makes another version of The Mason with a Vibram 1757 lug sole, which is even chunkier. I plan to come back with a more casual outfit—maybe patchwork jeans and a hoodie—and try both versions on.

One last thing worth mentioning: 242 Mulberry may be the smallest store I visited on this trip, but it had by far the nicest staff. That includes stores not mentioned in this post and even those outside the realm of clothing. The team wasn’t just “nice because we want to make a sale”—which is easy to see through. They were genuinely kind and authentic, and it was a pleasure to visit 242.

Schott nyc

Of all the stores I planned to visit, Schott NYC was the one I was most excited about—and it did not disappoint. It was the most fun I had at any store during this trip trying different things on. Schott was founded in 1913 by brothers Irving and Jack Schott. A really interesting fun fact is the brothers were the first clothiers to ever put zippers on jackets in 1925, and the American manufacturing company is best known for their leather jackets. You’ve probably heard the expression “like a kid in a candy store,” but in this case, it was more like “a man in a leather jacket store.” In a way, I felt like a pre-schooler again playing dress-up at the costume chest.

I already own a leather jacket from AllSaints that dates back to my college days, recently painted by a talented Boston artist. However, I’ve been searching for one of even higher quality—something I can wear in more formal settings or even to work. Are you noticing a trend here? Between this and the loafers, I have a thing for taking pieces with casual or formal aesthetics and flipping them. For instance, I often wear high-waisted trousers with my shirt tucked in, so I was specifically looking for a shorter-length leather jacket to complement that style.

The staff at Schott was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, which was reassuring given the store’s extensive inventory and the subtle differences between jackets. Most people probably don’t realize just how many variations of leather jackets exist. The naked cowhide leather flight jacket in the left picture was a really nice and unexpected find, but it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for. When I tried on the jacket in the right picture, the associate assisting me asked if I rode motorcycles. I don’t (and I’m pretty sure my family would have a heart attack if I did), but when I told him that, he suggested I might not be interested in the jacket. Moto or riding jackets are shorter in length to prevent bunching while riding. However, the shorter length was precisely why I wanted it.

The model I tried on is the Cowhide Moto Jacket. This teacore leather jacket features a limited-edition Conmar zippered front, three diagonal front pockets, a notched collar, sleeve gussets, and a vintage houndstooth lining. I learned a lot about its details during my visit. For instance, Conmar was the leading zipper brand for apparel and workwear in the United States and was frequently used in U.S. military clothing from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s. I also learned a new term: teacore. This Japanese term refers to leather that starts brown but is surface-dyed another color, typically black. Over time, as the jacket wears, the smooth black grain with medium-high shine will fade to reveal the brown “tea core” underneath.

As someone who values clothing that wear better with age and develop unique character based on how you live and move, this jacket has it all. Plus, it offers the perfect response to anyone who says black and brown don’t go together. I didn’t purchase it (yet), but this moto jacket and another I discovered later (the horsehide Perfecto® leather jacket) are currently the front-runners for the one I’ll eventually choose.

NN.07

NN.07 (No Nationality, founded in 2007) came onto my radar after one of their jackets, the Gael wool jacket in brown check, went viral—and sold out. Twice. It’s the green jacket on the hanger below, and you might recognize it from the scene here in a scene from FX's/Disney + "The Bear" worn by Jeremy Allen White. Is the hype over a jacket real? I had to find out for myself, while also checking out some other, let’s say, more interesting pieces in their shop.

First off, the Gael in that specific color was sold out when I visited the store. I tried it on in a gray variation but realized after leaving that I’d forgotten to snap a picture. My verdict? It’s a cool jacket and would appreciate it if I saw someone wearing it in public, but I wasn’t compelled to own one—especially at $650 plus tax. Part of that reason is the blocky pattern and oversized patch pockets aren’t the most flattering for someone with my build (5’9” and broad shoulders). I gravitate toward clothes that elongate me rather than making me look wider, and this jacket just didn’t hit the mark.

Another hyped-up item that had just dropped while I was in town was the NN.07 + Fracap handcrafted boots. Featuring a Vibram® commando sole and a calfskin upper with a pony-hair look, these boots are part of a limited release of just 100 pairs. They’re absolutely wild. While I think they’re cool, the only people I can imagine buying these have 50 pairs of boots already and bookoo bucks to drop the $400 needed to acquire a pair. Even though no two boots are alike and they’re apparently easy to clean (just brush them, according to the staff), these boots feel like a trend trap.

There were several pieces that caught my eye at NN.07, but two, in particular, stood out—and not just because they were in the window display. First was the Mika Intarsia Cardigan in black. I didn’t buy it, but my mom did—for herself. The chunky fit was fantastic, and I’m always a sucker for floral or leafy patterns. The only reason I passed on it is that I already own more than enough cardigans, but it was tempting.

The second standout was the Franco Wool Blend Coat, a mid-length overcoat with an oversized collar. I’m a big fan of oversized collars because they balance out my proportions—especially my broad shoulders and sizable nogin. If this coat had been full-length, I might have pulled the trigger, but like the cardigan, it wasn’t something I truly needed or was actively seeking.

Both were great pieces, and NN.07 is a brand I’ll definitely keep on my radar. Whether it’s for staples or more eccentric finds, they’ve got a lot to offer.

Standard & Strange

Etched beautifully on the front window of Standard & Strange is a phrase I want to shout from the rooftops and have engrained in the minds of all my clients: “Own Fewer, Better Things.” This is the mantra of S&S, and yowza they sure supply the better things. This is, without a doubt, the priciest store I visited on this trip. It’s not the place for you if you’re on a budget or indifferent to the quality of your boots or leather jacket (and hey, that’s fine—I won’t yuck your yum). That said, I came across several pieces that were priced much lower than I expected for the level of craftsmanship, including the Indi + Ash full-length Johnny Coat (seen in the top right picture below) I purchased for myself and wrote about in a previous post.

At Standard & Strange, you’ll find boots priced over $1,000 and leather jackets that can exceed $4,000. Even as someone who champions the idea of investing in one lifelong leather jacket to pass down to future generations, I have a hard time justifying (let alone funding) a $4,000 jacket. For me, the balance of quality and price at Schott NYC is a better intersection. Unless I win Mega Millions or Powerball (or both), I don’t see myself making that leap anytime soon. That said, once you touch and try on the pieces at Standard & Strange, you’ll begin to understand the price tag. I visited a few couture and designer stores with my family on this trip. At many of those stores, I struggled to justify the prices based on the quality of its items. You are mostly paying for the name of the label, and I prefer not to be flashy in that regard. At Standard & Strange, however, many of the brands are relatively unknown, yet the garments’ quality speaks for itself.

The store’s brands and products are meticulously curated by Kyle Foxworth (you can hear him on Drew Joiner’s podcast HERE). From The Real McCoy’s to Indi + Ash to Bryceland’s Co. and beyond, the range of quality brands is impressive. It felt like a treasure hunt in S&S, with every piece offering something unique and unexpected. The pricing makes this an aspirational store, but unlike many other shops with similar price points, S&S feels its clothes are meant to be lived in and aren’t stuffy or fussy. With the greatest variety of any store I visited, it was a lot of fun to try on pieces that pushed the boundaries of my personal style. I experimented with items I’d never normally wear, challenging my sense of fashion in the best way possible. Every time I return to New York, a visit to Standard & Strange will be on my itinerary.

J. Crew Men’s Shop

The Holy Grail of my New York shopping trip turned out to be a complete underdog and total surprise. While walking through SoHo, I noticed a logo featuring the silhouette of a man holding an oar. That logo belongs to J. Crew’s Oarsman, synonymous with recreations of their iconic vintage ‘90s style—a time I consider to be the brand’s heyday. Like RRL and Ralph Lauren, you’ll typically find only a few Oarsman pieces in a standard J. Crew store. However, this was a J. Crew Men’s Shop, and it boasted the largest Oarsman collection I’ve ever come across. The variety of fits and clothing options of varying formality made it feel like I had stepped back into a version of J. Crew I was too young to remember, or from the golden era when designer Todd Snyder (now with his own namesake brand) was at the helm.

J. Crew holds a special place in my heart because their athletic-cut Crosby suit was a godsend when I was a hockey player 15+ years ago. Unlike the synthetic stretch-fabric suits many brands offer today, the Crosby looked and felt like a proper suit while accommodating an athletic build. At the time, not many brands understood the demand for something like this. In fact, I think it is still lacking.

I had been on the hunt for a while for fuller-cut chinos, corduroy trousers, and long-sleeve crewneck shirts for myself. Recently, when a client with sizable legs asked me to find him chinos, I thought, “You and I both, man.” Walking into this store and seeing the crisply dressed mannequins gave me a glimmer of hope. It turns out J. Crew Men’s offers six different cuts of trousers: slim, straight, classic, athletic tapered, giant, and skinny. The athletic tapered options are mostly in stretch or tech fabrics—not in 100% cotton or wool. Personally, I’m not a fan of stretch pants and don’t love how they look. I believe natural fabrics combined with the right cut for one’s body composition is a much better route.

In the pictures below, I’m wearing two different trousers in two different cuts. The top right picture shows the giant-fit chino pant in navy. This cut is very spacious through the hip and thigh, with a longer rise and wide leg. The bottom left picture shows the classic 10-wale corduroy pant in black. It’s less roomy through the hip and thigh compared to the giant fit but still provides a comfortable, full-leg silhouette. I ended up buying both pairs, plus a second pair of corduroys in green. I really like corduroy as a stylish alternative to jeans, especially for cold New England falls and winters. For my client, I recommended the chino in the classic cut instead of the giant fit.

Paired with both trousers is my new go-to long-sleeve crewneck: the long-sleeve brushed waffle-knit crewneck. I’m obsessed. It’s so good that I bought it in white, navy, and the gray pictured below. I had struggled for a while to find a shorter-cut long-sleeve crewneck that works with higher-rise trousers and fits my chest and shoulders. Most options I’ve tried made me look too chesty and scooped under my pecs versus showing my shape and falling flat. This shirt from J. Crew solves all those problems. A quick note: the shirt runs large. I bought a size small. Even after laundering it and with some shrinkage, I am still a size small. For reference, I have a 41/42 short torso.

J. Crew is trending up. It is too soon to tell if they’re back to their glory days—but they’ve definitely caught my attention. If they continue to produce solid, affordable staples in a variety of fits at a one-stop shop, they deserve your attention too.