The Grooming Artist News Roundup: September 2016

News-Roundup-Sep-2016

Starting September is like pushing the reset button. Summer’s over, the kids are back in school, and a brand new season of men’s fashion and grooming products tempts our bank accounts. The Sharpologist’s Jay Harrell actually tries out one of these trendy grooming products – the very hip Harry’s razors, and gives an honest assessment and comparison with safety razors.

A man who most definitely prefers safety razors is Malcom Harris of The New York Times, who ditched his Gillette Fusion out of frustration, purchased a Merkur 23C, and never looked back.

If you are a straight razor devotee yourself, make sure to take a gander at our guide to caring for a leather strop. It’ll keep your strop in excellent working condition as well as increase its longevity.

Finally, we are giving summer a due sendoff with Labor Day recipes.

Enjoy!

Over at the Sharpologist, Jay Harrell tries out Harry’s razors and gives his take on the Gillette competitor. (Sharpologist)

Fall and winter are coming, and so will those party invitations. The Gentleman’s Gazette not only deciphers dress codes, but also gives you tips on how to look for cues in case no dress code is indicated. (Gentleman’s Gazette)

Labor Day is the last big hurrah before summer ends. Saying goodbye to summer won’t be so sad, however, with these finger-licking good recipes perfect for a relaxing outdoor BBQ. (Food Network)

2016 has taken a lot of great talents from us, most recently Gene Wilder. Here, New York Times’ Wesley Morris waxes on Wilder’s career and brilliant comedic timing. (The New York Times)

Also from The New York Times: a Letter of Recommendation for safety razors. (The New York Times)

Keep your strop working well and long with our leather strop care tips. (Grooming Artist)

Untitled-1

The History of Wet Shaving: Taylor of Old Bond Street

edcharmain

Instagram: @edcharmain

Keeping it in the Family

First and foremost, Taylor of Old Bond Street is a family business. Passed down over the course of 4 generations, the company keeps the operation small and immensely attentive, offering discerning wet shavers what they call the “Taylor Tradition” – products with pure, natural ingredients and a product range that “includes the luxurious and the unusual.”

Taylor of Old Bond Street was founded on September 1st, 1854 by Jeremiah Taylor, the great grandfather of today’s Chairman, Leonard Taylor. The business began as a hairdressing salon on Bond Street, and soon enough Taylor of Old Bond Street gained a reputation amongst the British gentry for superior hair and scalp treatments extracted from natural ingredients.

Jeremiah’s son, Ivan, later took over the business, using his expertise in chemistry to develop many new treatments.

In 1930, Ivan’s son, Sidney, expanded the business, opening up a second location on Jermyn Street. And today, Sidney’s son, Leonard, continues to be at the forefront of Taylor of Old Bond Street, creating hair, skin, and beard products that epitomize classic British style.

baffiabuffo

A Commitment to Quality and Style

Taylor of Old Bond Street’s philosophy of balancing natural, high-quality ingredients with refined elegance has been a hit with wet shavers since its inception. Whether you’re lathering up their perennially popular Sandalwood Shaving Soap or applying their Bay Rum Aftershave Lotion, you always feel like a gentleman.

Taylor of Old Bond Street products are reliable and add a touch of understated elegance to your shave den.

Today you can visit Taylor of Old Bond Street at 74 Jermyn Street, located in the heart of London’s fashionable West End. Stop in for a relaxing barbershop shave or simply admire the dizzying array of shaving soaps, brushes, razors, and every wet shaving implement you could imagine.

Find out more about Taylor of Old Bond Street on their website, and shop Taylor of Old Bond Street at RoyalShave.

Untitled-1

Inspired Style: Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. has starred in over 83 movies and T.V. shows and has 2 Oscar nominations and 2 Golden Globe wins under his belt.  Starting in the 1970s at the early age of 5 and continuing to this day with his latest hit, Captain America: Civil War, Robert Downey Jr., who is the world’s highest-paid actor, can only be described as prolific.  

c5c11ebc-954e-4d9c-abf9-d4f47d88fea4Whether he’s saving the world as Iron Man or solving mysteries in Victorian era England as Sherlock Holmes, pioneering the beginning of motion pictures as Charlie Chaplin or dressed to the nines for the Monaco Grand Prix, Robert Downey Jr.’s sense of style has always stayed impeccable, evolving and growing with the times regardless of the role he is playing.  

Today let’s learn from the best by taking a look at some of our favorite looks from Robert Downey Jr.’s more recent offerings.  It’s important to note that with some of these looks, the clothing that is worn during filming is a custom rendition made exclusively for the film by costume designers, so in those cases we’ve gone ahead and selected nearly identical, just-as-stylish offerings that are available in stores.

Enjoy!

Outfit 1: The Three-Piece Dinner Suit

As Seen in: Captain America: Civil War

robert_downey_jr_98017Let’s start with the movie Captain America: Civil War. RDJ’s look was already causing some buzz before the movie’s launch when it was seen in pre-launch trailers. The look consists of three major pieces: a timeless black three-piece dinner suit, a red paisley print silk tie, and awesome two-tone sunglasses with custom red-tinted lenses.  The three-piece dinner suit is a classic that has recently seen a resurgence in popularity over the past few seasons.  This suit, in comparison to traditional dinner suits, is quite toned down, as this type of suit is traditionally worn with a bow and features silk striping, as well as more prominent pocket and lapel designs.   

Robert-Downey-Jr-Captain-America-1050x700The suit features a blazer with peak lapels, the traditional option for dinner suits, along with a single rear central vent, and side slit pockets.  This is tied together with a sleeveless waist coat featuring a v-neck and slightly more casual trousers with a straight-legged design.  This formal, somewhat rigid look is extremely fitting for RDJ’s role in the movie, who sides with the government, and we can only speculate that the custom red-tinting of his glasses along with the red tie are subtle nods to his alter ego, Iron Man.  

SHOP SIMILAR: The Suit   The Tie   The Glasses

Outfit 2: The Classic Suit & Tie

As Seen in: The Judge

Our next pick is from The Judge. RDJ’s outfit offers up something a little more casual yet without a doubt still sophisticated.   Wearing a classic pinstriped wool twill suit and a colorful two-tone blue and white dress shirt, tied together with a dark blue woven silk tie, this look seems extremely fitting for RDJ’s role as a lawyer.  

the-judge-official-trailer-2014-robert-downey-jr-robert-duvall-movie-hd_7586711-3590_1280x720The blazer features a simple design with narrow lapels and front slit pockets, as well as dual rear vents and a two-button closure.  The trousers are also simple, with a standard straight-legged design. The two-toned dress shirt with white collar and a blue shirt alongside the dark blue silk/cashmere woven tie add a twist to what would regularly be just another businessman’s outfit by offering a touch of Robert Downey Jr.’s trademark playfulness.

SHOP SIMILAR: The Suit   The Shirt   The Tie

Outfit 3: The Custom David Augustin Suit

As Seen in: Iron Man 2

Our final pick is from the movie Iron Man 2 – specifically the bar scene in Monaco right before the Monaco Grand Prix.  The actual suit being worn in this scene is a custom-order David Augustin suit, that was actually sold at auction following the filming of the movie.  

Iron Man 2 movie imageThe suit itself is a gray pinstripe design with metallic blue lining inside. The blazer is accented with a narrow lapel, alongside a rear double vent and a two-button closure. The trousers are standard fare, featuring a straight-legged design.  RDJ ties the look together with a blue spread-collar dress shirt and an ornate blue and white silk tie adorned with a floral print.

The result is a formal yet unstuffy look – it demands respect but is still very approachable, and almost playful.  We can also speculate that the lighter blue hue of the suit reflects Tony Stark’s state of mind in the early scenes of the film.

BUY SAME: Custom Order from David Augustin

SHOP SIMILAR: The Suit   The Shirt

Untitled-1

 

Top 5 Instagrams for all things Wet Shaving

Although many may consider wet shaving to be particularly niche, social media platforms have helped grow appreciation for the art. Instagram, YouTube, and even blogs such as this one allow wet shaving enthusiasts to gather, learn, and most of all, discover the latest and greatest in the world of wet shaving.

Here we have picked our top 5 wet shaving Instagram accounts, from YouTube reviewers and wet shave instructors to world-renowned barbershops and men’s grooming companies. Hopefully this will help you in picking out your next shaving creme, finding a beautiful custom brush, or even just finding like-minded shaving aficionados.

Nick Shaves (@nickshaves)

1516998_949418145152989_197031850_n

@nickshaves

Nick Shaves is a true shaving aficionado and self-described wet shaving instructor, not to mention a YouTube reviewer of all things shaving related. His instructional videos are some of the best we’ve seen, and a great starting point for those looking to get into the complex art of shaving.

Nick also runs one of the best wet shaving Instagram accounts around, with great pictures of all the latest and greatest pucks, cremes, brushes, and razors. Not to mention that all of his pictures include his own in-depth insights into the products being used. We believe his Instagram is a great resource for anyone who is interested in the world of wet shaving.

Brushcraft (@brushcraft)

12976565_469886779869911_2095159633_n

@brushcraft

A relatively small Instagram handle, but nonetheless one of our personal favorites. Chris Trimble creates his own absolutely beautiful brushes and safety razors, regularly showcasing them on his Instagram page. That isn’t all he does, though. Chris also regularly posts reviews on wet shaving items that catch his interest and will even answer questions relating to them in the comments. Chris’ Instagram page is another place we would recommend to anyone who shaves using a brush and puck.

Tony Shaves (@tonyshaves)

12960019_509491215907045_643143740_n

@tonyshaves

Another relatively small but great Instagram page for those into a good shave. Tony regularly posts great compositions of what he’s been shaving with, along with generally in-depth reviews containing his personal insights into the products. Tony runs this alongside his wet shaving review site bartonio.com, but his Instagram posts tend to give a quicker, bite-sized overview of the products he’s reviewing.

Bullfrog Barbershop (@bullfrog_barbershop)

12905287_564752697035481_1650683672_n

@bullfrog_barbershop

Founded by Romana Brida, Bullfrog is a traditional style barber shop located in both Milan and Zurich. Brida’s Instagram isn’t strictly shaving related, but more of an overall look into the world of men’s grooming. That being said, a lot of his pictures have to do with wet shaving. His photos are great and offer insight into the latest trends in both men’s fashion and men’s grooming – two things that should definitely go hand in hand.

Brooklyn Grooming (@brooklyngrooming)

12918011_153846748348432_2049142242_n

@brooklyngrooming

Based out of New York and founded by Mckenzie and Alfredo, this Instagram is one of the best in men’s grooming and wet shaving. The page features a wide array of beautiful photos, all pertaining to men’s grooming and sometimes men’s fashion, with the occasional post on architecture around the city of New York. This Instagram also has many great pictures of the latest in the world of shaving. Brooklyn Grooming is a handle we would recommend to anyone who is into men’s grooming or fashion.

Untitled-1

%d bloggers like this: