Concept: “Unfinished Finishings”

Explained: While it’s getting dangerous in the street style streets due to the over-trying leading to overboard, can’t-wait-to-be-scene looks, there is still room for genuine personal style.  I’ve had this tuxedo jacket hanging on my clothing rack for quite some time.  I always planned on getting it altered so I’d have something for formal use.  A week or two ago, I needed something somewhat light, and didn’t feel like rocking a denim jacket again.  As I headed to the door for work, I just tossed this on.  I will admit, I’m not perfect and I’m not always confident.  My mind wrangled with worries of other people thinking I was poor (which I am) or I don’t know, other things.  The thoughts were just jitters about my first time rocking a formal jacket unfinished and in a non-formal setting.  I love this look now, and I’ll probably pull it out here and there when it gets chilly again.

One last comment, I love the single-pleating that Johan went for on this trouser.  It’s a nice touch.  And I’m always happy to have the slight drop in the crotch, it just feels more comfortable and I think less about the fit of the pant.  It’s more organic, there’s no tugging or that feeling of something not being perfectly fitted.

Clothing Credits: Unfinished tuxedo jacket by Andrew Buckler, Cotton cashmere v-neck sweater by Uniqlo, Black Torque Tee by Oak NYC, “Pant 5″ slight drop crotch trousers by BLK DNM, Drury boot by Dr. Martens, Watch by Michael Kors

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Concept: “Fashion Black”

Photo Credits: Liam Goslett

 Clothing Credits: Black Torque Tee by Oak NYC, Black denim jeans by Uniqlo, Beard by Justin Bridges

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Liam Goslett of LiamSawThis

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Chart from an article titled "The Banker's Lament" by Liz Kulze

Lately, I’ve been trying to put a lot of things in perspective.  I’ve tried to think introspectively and with more depth regarding everyday topics that could be easily summed up in an image or a 140-character tweet. We’re 5 months into 2012, and I just can not believe how fast the time has flown. In July 2010, I had wrapped up a short but sweet 2-year career on Wall St. during what seemed like the worst time to join the fraternity of bankers and traders that littered lower Manhattan, Midtown, and Connecticut.  Just a few months later, while unemployed, I started Tucked.  The story has been told about why I started Tucked Style in interviews and Q&A sessions with other bloggers and media, as well as on my own site.  Unfortunately, I’ve never really tackled the decision to walk away from money and inject myself into a completely different industry in long form.  Given there have been so many people the past two years that have expressed their need to eject from their current jobs and parachute into new lives, it feels appropriate that I try to explain my logic and some tidbits of advice if I haven’t used them all up at this point. Honestly, guaranteed happiness isn’t as easy to sprint towards as it may seem.

I quit finance.  I quit a culture.  I quit a lifestyle. I quit surefire wealth for guaranteed happiness.  I didn’t walk away from finance because I didn’t like the people I worked with or because I had some patriotic sense of morality that lead me to a less-harmful-for-society type of job.  Let’s get things incredibly clear: I think that a responsible Wall St, which many of America’s young talent currently belong to, has the potential to keep the world’s financial markets healthy and productive for the everyday person.  Greed is inevitable, it isn’t just the magical by-product of one particular industry.  People exhibit greed to different degrees and towards different ends.  My feet aren’t on top of a soapbox, it’s just that real recognizes real.  This world’s productivity practically runs on the fact that the value of the dollar has pimped us into thinking we need it to have a successful societal experience.  So let’s just agree to disagree on the evil squid notions towards my old employer and the recklessness accusations of an entire industry.  I dislike finger pointers.

Everyone needs a degree of happiness, but not everyone obtains it the same way.  I walked away from one career because true happiness couldn’t be found without creation.  I needed to imprint my creativity on this world and the next in order to feel whole…in order to feel like a fiber in the fabric, the cloth of our existence.  Moving around money and making fat ass checks wasn’t close enough to that reality of happiness.  When you complete a trade, or a series of trades throughout the course of a period of time, that’s it….I mean they print to a ticker tape, or they’re booked in a trade log and I mean that’s it.  Nobody outside the walls knows it was your.  It’s a league of investment banks trading in liquidity and illiquidty.  You don’t really exist.  Sure, You can be a big boss man, a partner in a firm, and people will know you on the Street…but who really cares.  The money is the motive.  All else, disregard.  When you take a photograph, or paint a scene on a canvas, design a collection of clothes, draw up the designs for a monumental landmark….that’s life, that’s happiness, that’s a creation.  That is the spark of more idea, more conversation; it is depth and multi-dimensional.  I left the money and the culture, in pursuit of an opportunity to have the maximum amount of opportunities in a lifetime to leave my stamp…my imprint on the permanent record of society.  Again, it isn’t something that necessarily gives everyone the same rush it gives me in the morning and on a job, but it’s what makes me tick.

If you’re at a point in your career…or if you’re lucky and in college deciding on a major, and you’re thinking about switching up, make sure you do it for the right reasons.  It took 23-24 years of experience on this planet to figure out what portions of my brain controlled work-induced euphoria.  It is a challenging self-dialog and self-investigation.  It takes experimentation and courage.  It requires an open-mind while narrowly escaping the desires and influences that surround you.  You’ll often decide too soon without even realizing it.  Like a close friend of mine (Brian Trunzo) said, “shit’s not all rainbows and glitter out there.”  Just because you clocked 6 figures your first or second year of out school means nothing to anyone else but you.  Sure, some will be jealous, but making mad money and managing to weasel a job in a high-paying career doesn’t necessarily make you equipped for the next road you’ll travel down.  It takes a lot to leave 6 figures for low 5 figures, and I do mean low 5 figures, and put in double the hours you did before.

Walking away means a hit to the self-esteem, an uppercut to the pockets, and a new social circle to adapt to.  Walking away means figuring out what skills you’re equipped versus what job you think you deserve.  Walking away means paying your dues all over again.  Walking away means you “got heart” if you do it for the right reasons.  Staying put for the right reasons also shows a great deal of heart and fortitude.  All these things being said, and my case being explained, make sure you are true to yourself.  It took me 22 years to get my first tattoo.  Well, I mean, I wanted my first tattoo at around 16 or 17, but it took me quite a few years to pick what I would be okay with permanently etched in my skin.  My point, take a thoughtful, patient approach to life change and career alterations.  These jobs aren’t going anywhere, but once you self-select your way out of a great job, getting back may be a bigger challenge then you can imagine.  Ultimately, many people talk about changing their lot in life because it sounds good.  I grew up with tons of bullshitters, and they’ll talk that talk their entire lives but never amount to a thing. Albeit, some of them probably didn’t know they were bullshitters, but they weren’t leaders or movers so alas they succumbed to the same reality of going nowhere fast.  Liking fashion or liking whatever it is you think you have passion for is one thing.  Loving something so much that you let it dictate your life is an entirely different thing.  Don’t hit the gas until you’re certain, because people can see through hollow aspirations.

Last thought….be prepared to pick up a smoking habit if you don’t have one already. I kid.

Anyway, if you actually read this entire piece and have questions for me or what not, then I’m always happy to chat.  I know it’s a tough decision, and if I can help someone make a more seamless transition than the one I made, I’m completely down to do it.  I invite you to comment, tweet me, etc – I want to hear your story!  Best of luck with your new career and searching for that guaranteed happiness!

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Here ‘a company, there ‘a company, err’ body got a shirt company.  However, as you’re learning about menswear and fashion, you realize it isn’t always about creating something totally new….I mean there is only so many inventions that can be worn on the body in the form of clothing. The goal is to exploit the voids, specialize in something, and carve out your niche.  Taylor Stitch is a company that sought to provide the anti-trend following, quality-crafted woven to their menswear customers.  It started with custom shirting and developed into an off-the-rack business that started incorporating other categories of the man’s wardrobe including accessories and denim.  Taylor Stitch is doing it handmade in California providing you with everything from wardrobe staples to more quirky fashion pieces to provide a little fun when you least expect it but definitely need it.

And you get all of this at an affordable and accessible price point.  Be sure to look them up if you’re on the West coast, and if not, you can also drop in to the Taylor Stitch online shop.

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