The Urbane Urbanite

Only the sweet Lord up above knows how much I'm over this winter weather.  Over. It. The snow, the ice, the subzero temperatures, the blustery winds, the wintry mixes, the sleet and did I mention the snow?  Hate it.  And I swear fo' gawd that groundhog had better not be pulling my leg with this early spring stuff he predicting. While there are countless things I abhor about this depressing weather, I do enjoy dressing for it.  I previously wrote about my love of a good trench coat and layering .  But my favorite thing about suiting up for the winter is wearing a scarf.   I've got over 20 scarves in my closet.  Some long, some short.  Some thick, others thin.  Some are dark, while others are really bright.  But the alpha scarf, the scarf of all scarves in my wardrobe is, ironically, the cheapest one in my closet. I bought this scarf for 60 cents while thrifting in Queens.  It's thick, warm, handmade - and makes bracing t...

A while back, I let you all into my horrendous walk-in closet. In case you missed it, you can check out the post here . But after months of procrastinating (and not being able to find things), I finally rolled up my sleeves and got my beloved wardrobe room into tip top shape. So. Without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy The Big Reveal!

I'm a blessed man. I've got my health. My sanity (sometimes). A job. Bills that get paid on time. Goals. Talents that I nurture. A loving family. And loyal friends. But wanna know what trumps all of that?

Ahhh. The trench coat. Every man should own at least one.  It's the best way to gussy up a casual look or compliment a business casual vibe all while keeping out the cold and rain. I've got several, including a long, brown, patterned trench by Joseph Abboud and a classic, black, three quarter length wool trench by Calvin Klein. But before I talk to you about the newest member of my coat family, allow me to tell you about the trench I really want.

I love to pair the casual (jeans and sneakers) with the dressy (ties and blazers). And for me, fall is the best season to rock these transitional pieces. With the weather a bit on the nippier side as of late, I dug out my favorite blazer and pair of jeans to bring together one of my favorite autumn looks a couple of weeks early.  

With Oprah on her way out, it's only right that I step in and start my very own favorite things list. It's the same set up: I list my favorite clothing, food, games, books and snacks that I couldn't do without this summer. The only difference is that my list isn't as nice as Oprah's. Or expensive. Or exclusive. And I ain't giving away any of this stuff for free.  But aside from all that, it's just Oprah's. Yes, summer is almost over but I assure you that everything on this list can be used all year long. Enjoy!

When it's hot out and I can't rock shorts and a tee shirt, I turn to my sheer, lightweight cotton shirts and light, khaki-colored slacks to beat the summer heat - and maintain a quasi business casual look. Add to that my favorite fedora (I've decided that I want to be buried in that thing) and my suede chucks - and I'm good to go!