Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Word. Notebooks - An Endorsement


Word. Notebooks, an offshoot of Cool Material, sent us an e-mail this week to promote their newest batch of notebook cover designs (pictured above). I'm a huge fan of Cool Material, and have even put together a 'Wear This' post for them a few months back. Even more-so, I am a Word. Notebook addict. Seriously, I can't live without them. I forgot mine at home today, and I was undoubtedly an unproductive mess.

Anyway, since I love them so much, I wanted to take the opportunity to give an official, whole-hearted endorsement of the notebooks and their simple, but incredibly useful built in to-do list system. At first glance, it's just your standard small notebook, but the inclusion of a bullet system provides a perfect visual reference that let's you quickly assess everything you have on your plate. From their website:

"Simply fill in the bullet point when writing an item on that line. Trace the circle around it when it’s important and add a slash when you’ve started work on it. Once the task is complete, simply mark down an “X” and move on to the next item on your list."

The handy 'Use Guide' included inside each book.
I've discussed the importance of setting yourself a list of goals, but always in the long term. However, as you work towards those bigger aspirations, you still need to keep your daily grind...well...grinding. Quickly. Effectively. Efficiently. 

Word. Notebooks help you do just that - small enough to fit into a pocked or tuck into a pouch in you bag or briefcase, these little books can follow you everywhere, and become the perfect constant reminder of what you have on deck, and a reference point for keeping yourself productive. 

Personally, I keep an ongoing, long-running list that never really ends. An alternative is to build a new list for each day, and don't go to sleep until you see X's the whole way down the page. Whatever your method, if you put these to good use, you're sure to see both your productivity and reliability improve greatly, which can't be bad!

My current, well-worn notebook.
Pick up a 3-pack at the Cool Material Store or directly from the Word. Notebook website for just $10. They've also got a few other cool products, like the Standard Memorandum notebook (not currently available, but hopefully returning someday), and some classy leather notebook covers. All very cool...

On a quick, unrelated note, I'm traveling again this weekend! Hopefully I'll have time to get a 'Deals and Steals' post up before I leave, but if not, I'll be back behind the wheel early next week.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Summer Style Goals - The 'To Do List'

One of the more popular posts last year went over a ‘To-Do’ list that I had written and then promptly forgotten about. I won’t dig up too much of the old details, but the conclusion was that it can be really helpful to have a few well-defined goals, even if they are just lurking in the back of your head, to make sure that you keep yourself moving forward, always progressing, never going idle. I was going through the archives the other day and happened across that post again, and decided it was time to update a list, especially for the spring.



  • Wear chinos casually (instead of jeans) - Don’t get me wrong, I love jeans, but that might be the problem. I have maybe two pairs that I rotate through, and don’t see a need for a whole lot more. However, I end up wearing those two pairs of jeans almost every day that my office doesn’t require business-casual. It’s an easy move when you want to dress down, but I know there are other options. This summer I’d like to try to start wearing chinos and trousers casually. The challenge will be dressing down the rest of my outfit to keep from looking too stuffy in a casual environment, but I’m up to the task.

  • Wear a blazer more often, casually - Last year a big goal of mine was to wear a blazer as more than just a light jacket - i.e. something you wear during your commute or while you're outside and then take off for the rest of the day. I’ve really latched onto that one, and now wear a blazer all day long almost every day. This summer, I’d like to extend my blazer use to cover my casual wear a bit more. I already like to dress down the shirt and tie (rocking an OCBD, knit tie, jeans and a blazer is my go-to), but I’d like to go even further and start wearing blazers regularly with wholly casual items like T-shirts, polos and Henleys.
  • Incorporate more hot-weather formal wear - When it gets hot, my formal game tends to wilt a bit. I end up going out in shirt and tie but no jacket (sheesh, I know a lot of fellas say this is a big no-no, and while I’m not a stickler for the rule, I do try to avoid it), or wearing boat shoes any chance I can get. This year, I’d like to learn how to combat the heat with my clothes, rather than just by shedding them. A lightweight suit is definitely on the horizon, as well as some linen trousers and shirts to accompany the lighter blazers I already own.
  • Step up my summer footwear game - Last year I was a Sperry’s ADDICT - and all summer long it was either my dress shoes for work, or my Topsiders. Still absolutely love my boat shoes, but this year, I’d like to add a few options so I can have variety (spice of life, and all). I’m thinking a pair of white canvas shoes and a pair of lightweight suede loafers will round out the rotation quite well, but I’m thinking about something in black too for those days I’m not feeling quite so bright and cheery.
  • Pare down my wardrobe - My closet is stuffed to the gills right now, and it’s driving me (and more importantly, my girlfriend) crazy. Unfortunately, I’ve already gone through and gotten rid of the things I straight up don’t wear. Now, I’m left with my workhorse clothing that I need to keep, and then a large smattering of slightly misfitting items. Most of these I’ve held on to with the plan of getting in to a tailor to fix, but then could never decide if it was actually worth it. My (late) spring cleaning goal is to take all of those items out of my closet, and only return them if they’ve been tailored. Anything that hasn’t made it to the tailor by the end of the month is hitting eBay.

So, once again, I’m jotting this list down and tucking it away somewhere. In a big part, I’ll most likely let this slip my mind for the next few months, but just the fact that I did write it down will keep it semi-on-my-mind all the while, and hopefully by the time fall hits I’ll be able to look back at this and be satisfied with my progress.

What are your current style goals? What are your methods for long-term improvement?

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

The To-Do List: Setting Goals and Meeting Them

I was sorting through some old drafts and documents on my computer the other day and ran across an old list of sartorial goals. I was originally going to write a post based on this list when I first wrote it, pointing out that, while I'm here dispensing advice to you folks, I have a lot of improvements I want to make myself. The article never really came into fruition, and I honestly kind of forgot about the 'to-do' list that I had made. Stumbling upon it again now, it's actually really encouraging, because, for the most part, even without looking at it every day, I lived up to my goals and can cross most of these items off:


  • Tie a good tie with a strong dimple at the right length in less than 20 minutes. - Boom. I've got my tie-tying down to an art. I actually had one of my best friends come visit the other week, and we got all inebriated and had a tie-the-knot drinking game/contest (at 2 in the morning on a Tuesday, much to my girlfriend's dismay). I have some awesome and ridiculous pictures from the night, which I'll share someday.

  • Don't somehow, mysteriously, fuck up my shoes every time I wear them on things like, no joke, cracks in the sidewalk. - This one I honestly still struggle with, haha, but I'm not exactly sure how to work on it. I will say that, in general, as I've dressed better and better, I've really noticed myself moving with more care and purpose. I think I can safely say that I'm a generally less sloppy person, in large part because it's hard enough to afford to buy clothes (and shoes) once, let alone replace them because of my own damn clumsiness. So, I'm gonna call this one a win too.




  • Don't get stuck on one outfit that worked really great, and then wear it over and over. - Another one I think I pass with flying colors. In fact, I may have taken this into problem territory on the other end of the spectrum. Instead of struggling with wearing the same things, I struggle with a need to wear something new or different every day, whether it's a whole new piece or even just a new combination, and it's become a bit of an insecurity in it's own regard. Brian Sacawa  of He Spoke Style started his own blog with the idea of wearing a 'uniform' every day for a year, and I think that challenge takes a whole different level of confidence.  
  • Find a really good fitting jean. - I give myself a half-check on this goal. I've gotten a better fitting jean, but still don't have that one, high-quality, perfect-fitting piece of denim that denim-heads tend to gush over. I'm giving myself a pass though...I purposefully held off on this all summer just waiting for the weather to cool down a bit so I could justify buying some mid-weight denim that isn't really hot-as-sin-and-humid-as-all-getout compatible. Now that the temps are cooler, as soon as my bank account can handle it I'll be grabbing pair, probably from Gustin or Dyer and Jenkins.

  • Find a great tailor and build a relationship with him. - Alas, I can't really check this bad boy off the list, which is sad, because it's probably the most important item on here. Like I say all the time, fit is everything, and a tailor is the best way to get that perfect fit on every item of clothing you wear. Right now, I'm struggling with Chicago's selection of tailors...too many expensive options that get less-than-desirable reviews. Unfortunately, I don't have the spare funds (or clothing) to really dive into the trial-and-error fiasco that finding a solid tailor can be. The Peter Field seamstress gets my whole-hearted endorsement for alterations like taking in a shirt, and I have a last-ditch high end fella that I take more complicated work to if need be, but I still am looking for someone to fill that middle ground.



  • Wear a blazer/jacket on a daily basis (and not just for warmth). - When I first started taking my daily wear to the next level, I limited myself to shirts and ties, and really only threw a blazer on as an extra layer in colder months. I'm proud to say that I am now comfortable wearing a blazer on a day-to-day basis as a part of my basic outfit. I honestly think I've actually evolved sartorially past this step by recognizing that nothing should be an every-day-no-matter-what necessity, and instead dress on a day-to-day, by-the-occasion basis. Happily though, these days this involves a blazer more often than not.






  • Wear pocket squares (with confidence). - Man, I was so very timid when first stepping into the pocket-square game, and unnecessarily so. I now have a small but decent selection and try to wear one as often as I wear a blazer. I've even started experimenting with throwing them into less formal outfits, tossing one in the back pocket of my pants, or the breast pocket of a shirt or casual jacket. Instead of being an element that makes me nervous and hesitant, I now accessorize with confidence.



The whole point: not only is it great to have a list of goals to pursue, it's also great to recognize when you've achieved some of those goals and allow yourself a good pat on the back. Now it's time for me to create a new list, tuck it away somewhere for a few months, and see if I live up to my own aspirations and expectations. I'll keep you posted.