MJ Approved: Style^[1]

Fetch Eyewear

If you're going to see a man about a dog^[3], it might pay to shop at Fetch^[4] first. The new eyewear company sells hip designer shades, prescription glasses, and stylish readers then gives 100 percent of its profits to support animal rescue and adoption. Founder Ann Sacks started Fetch in order to marry her love of all things canine and feline with her passion for design, and the odd combination works – especially for the dogs and cats that are rescued from overcrowded shelters, given veterinary care, and then matched with new owners.

Fetch offers a wide spectrum of frames, from small and sleek to sturdy and sporty. Squinters can pretty much craft the exact glasses they need by choosing between a host of frame colors, shapes, sizes, and lens types. Fetch also has a "Try at Home" program that allows potential buyers to road-test six pairs for a week in order to see which pair works best for them. If that all sounds reminiscent of Warby Parker^[5], that is probably because it is. Fetch – founded in 2004 as Amy Sacks Eyewear – was likely an inspiration for the rapidly growing eyewear powerhouse, which donates a significant share of its returns to charities that supply glasses to developing countries. Given how similar their frames are, the retailers represent a choice between helping afflicted animals or disadvantaged people – a myopic altruist's dilemma.

Our favorite frames are the Jacks, which look good with both clear and dark lenses. They're simple and square, but the olive-green bows give them a bit of an alpha male edge. The aggressively geometrical Leo shades are also worth a look if you don't mind exuding a Doberman pinscher's intensity.

The prices are fair – about $85 to $125 per pair – and all Fetch specs are backed by a lifetime warranty. So, theoretically, one purchase will last you forever, but since Fetch rolls out new styles regularly, you'll probably want to shake up your look and go for a second, or third, pair. That shelter dog still waiting to meet his boy sure hopes you do. [$85, fetcheyewear.com^[6]]

References

1. ^{^} MJ Approved: Style (www.mensjournal.com)
2. ^{^} Close (www.mensjournal.com)
3. ^{^} see a man about a dog (www.mensjournal.com)
4. ^{^} Fetch (www.fetcheyewear.com)
5. ^{^} Warby Parker (www.mensjournal.com)
6. ^{^} fetcheyewear.com (www.fetcheyewear.com)

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MJ Approved: Style^[1]

Chrome Industries Welded Postbag

For anyone who bikes to work with their laptop, soft bags with weak straps are the stuff of nightmares. The idea of having to pick pieces of a hard drive out of the gutter might actually be more cold-sweat-inducing than the fear of broken arms or legs. The only remedy for these dark fantasies is a ridiculously strong and secure computer carrier like Chrome Industries' Welded Postbag^[3].

The aggressively priced $80 satchel can hold 100 pounds without its wearer worrying about the strap breaking. The "welded" part means that everywhere a stitch is put into the fabric, a patch is welded from the inside for strength (and to keep water out). Of course, the woven fabric is waterproof and all but tear-proof as well.

Even if it never makes a two-wheeled commute, the bag is perfect for trips to the beach or to the park. It is unexpectedly voluminous and flexible. Take out the padded laptop sleeve, and you can stuff an entire weekend's worth of clothes and supplies. The bag's style lies in its efficiency. Thanks to its incredibly clean lines, the postbag has an all-business aspect that makes it a totally viable boardroom staple.

If you prefer a backpack style, Chrome offers the same design with two straps instead of one in its $110 Welded Rucksack. [$80, chromeindustries.com^[4]]

References

1. ^{^} MJ Approved: Style (www.mensjournal.com)
2. ^{^} Close (www.mensjournal.com)
3. ^{^} Chrome Industries' Welded Postbag (www.chromeindustries.com)
4. ^{^} chromeindustries.com (www.chromeindustries.com)

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MJ Approved: Style^[1]

Seize sur Vingt Cotton Oxford Suits

Here's a simple, brilliant idea: stylish summer suiting that's machine washable. After all, sun season is also stain season, thanks to cookouts and outdoor weddings, which makes Seize sur Vingt^[3]'s new lightweight suits an ideal insurance policy against grass smears and Riesling^[4] spills.

The concept would be little more than a great notion if the New York-based label, a 15-year veteran of the custom tailoring game, hadn't executed it with such aplomb. The new suits come off the rack with the essentials nailed: fitted shoulders, a slim profile, and the ease and lightness of an unconstructed body. Yes, the suit can take a tumble without losing its structure.

Then there are the colors: The 100 percent cotton oxford suits come in a seasonally appropriate light blue, a bold but wearable pink, and a more traditional navy that reads as off-gray. Because these Portugal-made separates are so light, they feel no more oppressive than your go-to button-down and look a lot crisper, making them ideal for when a rehearsal dinner devolves into an impromptu Wiffle Ball tournament. [$960, 16sur20.com^[6]]^[5]

References

1. ^{^} MJ Approved: Style (www.mensjournal.com)
2. ^{^} Close (www.mensjournal.com)
3. ^{^} Seize sur Vingt (www.16sur20.com)
4. ^{^} Riesling (www.mensjournal.com)
5. ^{^} go-to button-down (www.mensjournal.com)
6. ^{^} 16sur20.com (www.16sur20.com)

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Greenwich Vintage Resoling

The more men like their shoes, the worse they treat them. The same soles are scuffed again and again along the asphalt game trails salesmen, architects, and lawyers stalk daily until there ain't much left. Unfortunately, when these tired boots are finally carried into the cobbler, their bottoms are replaced with unimaginative treads that make great brogues look like knockoffs of themselves. This is the problem that Greenwich Vintage^[1], a small Minnesota outfit, has solved with its new resoling service. Rather than offering a lackluster replication of shoes' original soles, GVco updates aged support with colorful, hiking boot-style soles that transform fatigued into funky.

Greenwich Vintage hasn't invented a clever method for resoling, nor has it discovered a groundbreaker polymer. It is best at what it does for the simple reason that its cobblers takes tremendous care as they work on your shoes. Each pair you send to the service is deconstructed by hand, fitted with a mid-sole that adds a bit of give, then attached to a molded plastic sole that is subsequently shaved down to complement shoes' existing silhouettes. GVco's soles are studded and high, which means the process won't transform beaten brogues into Mark McNairy knockoffs. Instead, the effect is chunkier and slightly more aggressive-looking than most colorful soles – and the results are singular, so clients can rest assured no one else is rocking the same look.

The diversity of soles on offer is impressive. There are two silhouettes, the more boot-appropriate Bricklayer, a thick solid sole, and the more brogue-appropriate Commando, which offers better traction and more of an arch. The colorways are myriad: navy blue, baby blue, kelly green, dark green, electric green, pale yellow, burgundy, pink, purple, orange, black, white, cream, and red. The brighter colors are particularly striking, but the burgundy is a winner as well.

And it all weighs less than your current sole. The pair we sent in came back lighter and better constructed after spending time with GVco's master cobbler. The shoes, which had worn so that they sloped uncomfortably outward, came back refashioned into comfortable urban hikers. Compliments ensued immediately and we felt pretty cool saying "custom" to co-workers asking about our new kicks.

They say there are no second acts in American life. Not so for shoes. [$225, greenwichvintage.us^[2]]

References

1. ^{^} Greenwich Vintage (greenwichvintage.us)
2. ^{^} greenwichvintage.us (greenwichvintage.us)

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