Bravado Living

Most men love to drive. They love breaking the speed limit, taking insane turns, and generally being a danger on the road. They also love to buy the gear for the cars, all the shiny chrome and little gizmos under the hood. You might as well get gloves to match. Driving gloves give a man more grip on the steering wheel, which is important during high-speed chases when one’s hands get real sweaty, and they also make him look suave and professional. Especially these fingerless driving gloves from Aspinal of London.

These puppies are hand-stitched out of the finest and softest black deerskin leather. The deerskin leather makes them incredibly soft and also gives them a great grip on the steering wheel. These are a beautiful pair of gloves and while they’d be great for my heavy lifting workouts, I wouldn’t be able to stand eventually ruining them with my sweat. I would wear them on an everyday basis just to pull off the whole “rebel without a cause” look.

BUY IT Fingerless Driving Gloves in Black Deerskin by Aspinal of London $129.50

I think every man should have a couple hats lying around for different occasions. Hats are great for casual everyday wear and can usually be paired up with a long list of different accessories, which really helps stretch out your wardrobe. I really enjoy this Duckbill Driver’s Cap by the Goorin Brothers. It’s an olive brown plaid that is demure, but still playful. The hat is a pieced-fabric hat and is made out of a comfortable and durable polyester/rayon blend. It also has an internal elastic band, which gives it a comfortably snug fit.This is the type of hat that lends itself well to a variety of places and situations. This is a great hat for wearing to outdoor excursions like a game of golf, out on the boat, or at the dog track. The neutral colors of the plaid design will help you mesh the hat well with different colors and designs. The short bill of the cap gives it a smart look, like a cockney chimney sweep who studied 18th century literature.

BUY IT Goorin Brothers Duckbill Driver’s Cap $30.00

There are three things I demand when searching a watch suited for formal affairs.

1.) It must be black and silver.

2.) It must have a leather band (leave the Rolex at home).

3.) It must be subtle.

I saw this beautiful Audemars Piguet Millenary Piano Forte, I was willing to break the third rule. This watch is anything but subtle. Like other Millenary Watches, the Piano Forte has an offset watch face adorned with a mother of pearl piano embellishment. This automatic masterpiece features an oval case modeled after the ancient Roman Colosseum, and a case size (40x45mm) that is much more modern.

Audemars Piguet Millenary Piano Forte

Unforunately, this white gold masterpiece was only released once in 2007, and limited to 500 models. Fortunately, one is going up for auction here. They come with a matching burl wood model piano case to help show off this work of art.

Piano Forte and Case

But after seeing how good this watch looks on the wrist, and how perfect it works for Black Tie affairs, I’m almost considering pulling the trigger and getting one.

The Perfect Dress Watch

Almost. [Hat Tip]

BUY IT Audemars Piguet Millenary Paino Forte $3,000-$5,000 Estimated

A couple of years ago, you couldn’t have paid us enough to wear a velvet blazer. Today, we’re skipping meals to save up for this one. For an added level of flair to your blazer and jeans combo’s there is no better jacket then the velvet blazer. Worn with a CRISP white shirt, and a pair of dark jeans you can’t go wrong. Stick with dark purple or black without any tuxedo satin accents, rhinestones, designs, or anything else that would come out of an Ed Hardy factory. Keep it nice, clean, and simple- the velvet alone is a bit eccentric. We personally like this blazer from Ben Sherman. The rich purple lends itself as a jacket meant for nights at the club, or cigars with the boys. It’s also lined by an iridescent orange liner for a little extra when you decide to take this bad boy off.

BUY IT Ben Sherman Velvet Blazer $400

Take a look at these shiny little wrist adornments, clean and classy. I know I’ve already talked about cuff links, and yes those mentioned were also made by Ralph Lauren, but these are just such an eye-catching pair, I felt I had to share. I would personally pair these up with a slim-cut navy suit, a white shirt, and striped red power tie, and you will command any room. The Deauville Crest lends to the mystere, a  real gentleman’s piece. These cuff links are “exquisitely crafted” from sterling silver and are polished until they shine with a grade-A sheen. This is the type of piece that easily becomes an heirloom, something you pass down to the offspring (hell you can even pretend the crest is your family’s- even if it was probably mass produced in China). These are great  for weddings gifts, and leaving on someone special’s night stand you devil.

Relax. We’re pumped for wedding season too.

BUY IT Deauville Crest Cuff Links By Ralph Lauren $195.00