Brett's Spring Essentials
Having great style is not only about wearing the right clothes and looking great, it’s about traveling to amazing destinations, listening to the latest music and entertaining with the best food and wine. Style is about living a complete lifestyle.
This spring, it’s important to infuse new items into your life that invigorate; from comfortable clothing in lighter colors to a subtler, refreshing cologne. You don’t have to invest a fortune in a new wardrobe—instead energize your look by focusing on a few key items. Here are my favorite spring essentials from clothing to home to tech:
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The V-Neck Sweater—Theory—$165 at Neiman Marcus.
A lightweight v-neck sweater is ideal for the sometimes chilly, sometimes warm months of spring. This cotton and linen style from Theory with banded waist and cuffs is chic and comfortable. Wear a white t-shirt underneath for a more casual look or go more formal with a crisp white dress shirt and tie.
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The Jean—Prada—$225 at Neiman Marcus.
Go for a dark denim jean that can be worn just as easily in the office or out for a night on the town. Prada’s laser cut logo on the back pocket makes these stand out from the pack.
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The Vintage Sneaker—Chuck Taylor Premiere All Star—$49.
A classic, white, vintage sneaker is a must-have item this spring and summer. Goes well with almost anything—jeans, khakis or even your light colored spring suit.
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The Trench—Club Monaco—$279.
Leave your heavy full-length overcoat in your closet and opt for a lighter fabric, lighter color and thinner silhouette trench coat. I love this version from Club Monaco because it won’t break the bank and the three-quarter length looks just right.
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The Shades—Tom Ford—$290 at Neiman Marcus.
With the styles aptly named after celebrities, the Tom Ford eyewear collection will make you feel like one too. My favorite shape: a modern aviator in a luxe shade of brown. The gradient lenses and Amber Havana frames will take your style up a notch. A subtle bit of silver on the temples and tonal “Tom Ford” on the left lens give these shades a distinctive look. Made in Italy.
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The Belt—Prada—$240 at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Your belt collection is chock-full of black belts, but it’s time you found the perfect brown one. Slim and ideal for work or play, this tobacco colored belt in textured Saffiano leather with a classic logo buckle, has stitched edge detailing for the perfect finished touch.
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The Weekend Bag—Brics—$270 at Barneys.
Traveling in style means ditching your old gym bag. The weekend bag has earned a new status as the must-have carry all. Grab a sturdy, chocolate brown bag and pack for your last-minute getaway.
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The Watch—Panerai—$4,900 at Tourneau.
Time for a new ticker? The ultimate versatile watch, the Paneral Luminor GMT has a stainless steel case on a brown alligator strap and features a sapphire crystal, automatic movement and water resistance up to 300 meters. Everyday luxury never looked so good.
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The Zip Cardigan—Hugo Boss—$115 at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Finally—a refined sweater that still maintains casual appeal. Just zip it in a comfortable soft terry half-zip sweater. Perfect for work-casual, paired with khakis and lace ups or the weekend with jeans and sneakers.
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The Light Trouser—Theory—$165 at Neiman Marcus.
Its time to take a break from your usual denim routine and move toward the all-around put-together pant—the lightweight spring trouser. A fitted silhouette with a flat front and natural coloring, these Theory lightweight trousers are soon to become a favorite item in your wardrobe.
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The Lace Up—Prada—$495 at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Lace up for spring in these chic classics from Prada—the quintessential dress shoe for days when you can’t get away with wearing your Converse and need to look your absolute best.
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The Book—“Slim Aarons—Once Upon A Time”- $47.25 at Amazon.com.
“Slim Aarons perfected the environmental portrait while photographing the international elite in their exclusive playgrounds during the jet-set decades of the '50s, '60s and '70s, carrying out his self-described mission: to document "attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places." A few flips through the pages of this beautiful book will make you grab for your new weekend bag and head to the beach.
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The Briefcase—Salvatore Ferragamo—$990 at Neiman Marcus.
Why clumsily carry things in your hand when you can conceal them in a sleekly designed briefcase? With a nod to tradition, the Cambridge single gusset leather briefcase from Salvatore Ferragamo shows not only your serious, professional side, but your stylish one as well. Definitely worth the upgrade from your canvas tote.
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The Shampoo—Bumble & Bumble—$24 for 8 oz. Coco de Crème.
Extra mild, moisture rich ingredients including coconut and murumuru butter help restore moisture, shine and softness to dry or dull hair. Coconut oil adds moisture and gives you that comforting “just spent the day at the beach” smell.
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The Scent—Kiton—$75 for 4.2 oz.
Italian elegance at it’s best. A subtle, refreshing scent that smells expensive. Make sure your significant other likes your choice of cologne as much as you do.
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The Tee—American Apparel—$16.
A comfortable, ringer tee is a great way to start any look. I wear them with just about anything, under a cardigan or lightweight v-neck sweater or alone with my favorite pair of jeans and white sneakers on a warm day. The fit is crucial—not too long in the arm sleeves and close to the body on the sides.
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The Swim Suit—Burberry—$100 at Saks Fifth Avenue.
The perfect update of an old-school classic. Paired with broken-in flip-flops, these swim trunks with contrast taping are made for relaxing by the pool.
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The Sandal—Lacoste—$54 at Saks Fifth Avenue.
There’s nothing that welcomes warm weather better than a great pair of sandals. The perfect accompaniment to your new chinos—the leather uppers add an upscale detail to a non-traditional take on the flip-flop. Just remember to prep your feet.
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The Cargo Short—Mason’s—$150 at Barney’s CO-OP.
Mason’s—famous for their shorts and pants—have created the perfect streamlined cotton poplin cargos for hot and lazy weekends in the city, or adventure hikes in the country.
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The Designer Sneaker—Prada—$380 at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Step it up a notch with Prada’s high-end take on a classic sneaker. The Linea Rossa double stripe sneaker has a throwback feel, with white leather and suede uppers and an embossed gold logo.
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The Utility Bag—Ermenegildo Zegna—$995 at Bergdorf Goodman.
Throw your gym clothes and laptop in this striking bag and go from home to the office and out at night. A first class, chic bag for travel, work or play. Italian leather, top handle, silver tone hardware, brown leather.
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The Automobile—Audi 2007 A6 Avant—starts at $48,000.
Unfortunately the S6 sport version, made famous in Layer Cake, starring Daniel Craig is not available in the U.S. The 3.2 liter A6 still packs a punch however and it’s spacious, well designed interior make transporting your precious cargo convenient and practical.
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The Sound—Apple Hi-Fi—$349.
My wife and I received the iPod Hi-Fi as a wedding gift and it quickly became a favorite. The sound is amazingly deep and fluid and the design is eye catching and modern. Opt for a vintage, old school look by taking off the removable front black cover to reveal the three speakers underneath. An included remote helps navigate playlists from across the room with ease. It’s the perfect addition to any room.
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Kitchen Chic—Dansk Kobenstyle Cookware—1968.
Sometimes the best items for the home are hard to find, vintage classics discovered on eBay. About a year ago I bought a red ‘Dansk Kobenstyle’ dutch oven at a antique shop in Brooklyn and after searching on eBay, realized there is a strong market for this beautifully designed, highly functional cookware. I’ve since collected the full set of nine and enjoy the convenience of taking them from the range directly to the table.
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The Cookbook—The Silver Spoon—$39.95.
Entertain your guests in style this spring by preparing a few recipes from the bible on authentic Italian cooking. Packed with over 2000 recipes, it’s no surprise that The Silver Spoon has been the best selling cookbook in Italy for the past 50 years. Try the seafood risotto, it takes patience but is well worth the wait.
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The Motorcycle—Ducati—$14,000—Paul Smart 1000 LE.
The ultimate upgrade. Inspired by the line of Fabio Taglioni-designed Ducati sport bikes of the 1970’s, this timeless motorcycle is ideal for navigating city streets or spending an afternoon exploring the country. Italian owned Ducati has a rich history of matching high performance with beautiful design, making it the Ferrari of motorcycles. I ride a 1982 BMW in New York City and enjoy the flexibility of parking anywhere while spending $6 on a tank of gas. You’ll find a sea of mopeds and motorcycles in European cities, but whether the modern U.S. commuter will someday follow suit is anyone’s guess.
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Getaway—Casa Colonial—from $300/night.
After traveling recently for the first time to the Dominican Republic I was drawn to it’s easy going, low maintenance style. The people are laid back, incredibly friendly and the best part: flights are just a short 2-hour flight from Miami. We stayed at Casa Colonial, a beautiful boutique hotel that sits on the northern coast in Playa Dorado. Spend your afternoons relaxing on the pristine beach, getting a massage treatment in their first class spa or wading in the infinity pool on the roof of the hotel, piña colada(s) in hand.
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The Couch—Petrie Sofa—$1,499—Crate& Barrel.
Inspired by one of the most popular styles in the 1960’s, the Petrie sofa is deep and comfortable but sophisticated with buttons and hardwood tapered legs in an espresso finish. This beautiful, timeless piece looks amazing in just about any room. Don’t be afraid to opt for the matching ottoman.
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