A WEEKEND IN NEW YORK CITY (PART I: FIT BREAKDOWN)

Written By Andrew Veneziano

I like New York City… to visit… only to visit… for a long weekend. I go every few months to visit my baby bro, Christian. I love hanging out with him, but we will keep that between us, lest it go to his head. The cherry on top of seeing him is the city’s multitude of art, music, and fashion scenes. If he is busy and has to work, I can easily keep myself occupied roaming around, discovering something new I had not uncovered before, and people-watching. In all seriousness, New York City is great and I always look forward to visiting even if I have no intention of living there. Yes, it has plenty of drawbacks, but you can find beauty—and I often do—if you look for it.

My head is constantly on a swivel in New York with all the great menswear outfits I see. Even if I am not a fan of an outfit, more often than not, it is thought-provoking and makes me reflect on my own personal style and menswear as a whole. I just really enjoy seeing someone who has put thought and effort into what they wear, which is often in NYC. That is true even if it is not my cup of tea. It is nice simply to meet people who also view fashion as a form of self-expression.

My most recent trip to New York City, a few weeks ago, was a particularly short one (three days and two nights). I keep a long list of stores there that I either want to revisit or check out for the first time. During this trip, I focused on stores I had never visited before. In a future post, I will share my thoughts on the ones I visited and my hunt for some elusive items for myself and a personal shopping client. But for this post, I thought I would dive into what I wore during the trip.

the outfits

Top Left

Top Right

Bottom Left

Bottom Right

THE BREAKDOWN

When traveling for just a few days, I stick to as few colors as possible to make mixing and matching easy. I had no plans of wearing my Ralph Lauren sweater with my Baziszt jacket, but it was an easy outfit to throw together for an elevated, casual look on a chilly Saturday night out. I also always bring two pairs of shoes to give the other a break from all the walking I usually do. Since I am a bit of an Energizer bunny, I work out when I travel and need to bring clothes and shoes for the gym. This means I have less room for non-gym clothes and need to pick versatile options that can transition from day to night and casual to formal occasions. Here is a little breakdown of what I brought and how I paired them together (not including socks or jewelry).

The brown houndstooth trousers from Alan Flusser in the top-right picture are actually part of a suit I brought just in case I needed it. I almost always bring a blazer and trousers or a suit when I go to NYC, in case an unexpected occasion or dinner calls for it. Please note, however, that I always prefer to be overdressed rather than underdressed. It was warmer than I expected that day, so I wore the trousers without the suit jacket. To anyone who says you cannot wear black (or charcoal) with brown, this outfit is for you 😉. The black jeans from Todd Snyder are probably my favorite pair that I own, and I have been wearing them a lot with my ostrich Tecovas boots.

The Tecovas are a recent purchase and the first cowboy boots I have owned. I opted for the shorter profile with a zipper because I am not a cowboy, and getting proper cowboy boots did not feel authentic for me. These, however, feel more appropriate for this city-slicker. The boots are great, but they still have a long way to go before they overtake the pedestal I have placed my Alden cordovan tassel loafers on. If there were a fire in my home and I had time to grab just one pair of shoes, I would be grabbing these Aldens. This is not as crazy as it sounds, though, because they are almost always by my front door since I wear them so much. I pair them with suits, business casual attire, jeans, shorts, and everything in between. Their versatility makes them an essential item on my packing list for every trip. Actually, I do not typically pack them when I fly because they are usually on my feet.

Felix Leiter played by Jack Lord in 1962’s “Dr. No.” These chunky sunglasses, to me, are the most memorable of any in television or film. They are even somewhat feminine, which I think contrasts and plays well with the rest of his outfit and its color.

Let us talk about sunglasses next. Shoutout to Christos of SOMA Optical for recommending these two beautiful pairs to me. The black Native Sons are a stock pair of sunnies, but I had Christos put custom gradient lenses in the Pewpols so I can wear them indoors while still protecting my eyes outdoors on days when I do not really need a proper pair of shades. Both pairs have chunky, old-school frames, à la Felix Leiter in 1962’s Dr. No. These are big departures from what I was used to. It took a while to get accustomed to them, but they now feel like a part of me, and that is especially true for the Native Sons pair. This is an example of something I stress to clients. Changing your look is like breaking in a new pair of shoes. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but give it time and take small steps. If it still feels uncomfortable after a few days or weeks, okay, it is not a fit. On the other hand, you may have discovered something remarkable that feels incredibly authentic if you give it time.

Ransom Drysdale played by Chris Evans in 2019’s “Knives Out.” Not your grandfather’s cable knit…or maybe it was given how worn it is. Dare I say I like it even more?

Henry Hill played by Ray Liotta in 1990’s “Goodfellas.” Scott Fraser Simpson makes a replica of this iconic knit button-down shirt.

Next up, the shirts. Let it be known that I had an ivory cable-knit sweater long before Chris Evans stole the show in Knives Out. Just like him, I enjoy wearing it a little more casually, with the sleeves pushed up past my wrists instead of rolling them back to the “correct” length. Dressed up or down, this sweater looks great with pretty much anything. The one I have from Ralph Lauren isn’t entirely cashmere, which I like because it is less formal and has a bolder texture like Chris’ does.

The knit button-down from the Scott Fraser Collection is a recreation of the knit worn by Ray Liotta in the 1990s classic Goodfellas. Scott, you are a legend among men for bringing this iconic shirt into existence and in a silhouette that is absolutely perfect for my proportions. Its shorter length is also ideal for guys like me who prefer wearing it with high-waisted jeans and trousers. The vertical pattern also aids my trousers in making me appear taller, which is important in creating balance being 5’9” with a broad chest and shoulders.

Last but not least is a custom charcoal denim shirt from Alan Flusser. When it comes to button-down shirts, I need to go the custom route. My proportions are too difficult for off-the-rack options—and even for many custom shirtmakers. That is right, I tried several reputable folks before I found Jonathan at Alan Flusser. No one else could make a shirt I felt comfortable in, even after multiple attempts. On the very first try, Jonathan and his team essentially nailed it. After a second round of alterations, the shirt was perfect, and now Alan Flusser makes all my button-downs.

This denim shirt, though, is one of if not my absolute favorites. I cannot emphasize enough how comfortable the fabric is and how good it looks with each wear. We designed it to be long enough to tuck in yet short enough to wear untucked, making it an extremely versatile piece that comes with me on almost every trip.

Bruce Wayne played by Robert Pattinson in 2022’s “The Batman.” Unlike Robert, I always smile when I am in my version of this topcoat.

Finally, the outerwear. When traveling in the fall and winter, I usually bring two pieces of outerwear. One of them is almost always a full-length coat. While I am not a fan of cold weather, getting to wear a full-length coat always puts a smile on my frigid face. Some of my favorite charcoal and black pieces of clothing accompanied me on this trip, including a beautiful statement topcoat I commissioned Alan Flusser to make.

The topcoat is a wool, alpaca, and mohair blend in charcoal, with a lighter color that dances in the light and texture that stands out and adds intrigue in a sea of boring black topcoats. The idea came to me after seeing Bruce Wayne, played by Robert Pattinson, wearing a similar coat in 2022’s The Batman. My jaw hit the floor the first time I saw it on-screen. I remembered Jonathan once posted a photo on the Alan Flusser Instagram account of a similar green coat. Needless to say, I was thrilled when Jonathan told me he could create one in a more traditional charcoal.

Surprisingly, I dress down this coat more often than I expected. The weight and design of the lapels and collar make it really fun and intriguing to wear casually, especially with the collar popped.

Because it is fall and peak layering season—with mild days when the sun is up and much cooler evenings—I also brought a lighter jacket. This second option is to keep me warm enough in the evening while going from the subway to whatever nightlife spot Christian takes me to, but light enough to wear indoors without sweating like I was just watching an episode of Cops.

The jacket I chose is a new addition I picked up from Jinji during a recent family trip to Paris. I had been on the hunt for a fringe jacket for some time, and this one in dark green suede caught my eye the moment I walked into the store. The combination of this jacket with the green-tinted lenses of my Native Sons sunglasses and my boots is killer. It is also roomy enough to layer over my cable-knit sweater, allowing me to mix western and Ivy styles in an interesting way.

In my next post, I will share an inside look at some New York City stores I visited for the first time, including one I had not known about that turned out to be a treasure trove for both my client and me.

Andrew Veneziano
Previous

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

I BROKE MY OWN RULE IN NEW YORK CITY