original wayfarer - Classic Collection.

Ray-ban has released a new colorway for the original wayfarer and it's gorgeous. The classic Italian, hand-made frame that remains virtually unchanged since 1952 has finally gotten a modern upgrade.

This run comes as part of what they're calling the "Classic Collection", which includes a few different color options (most of which are standard or lame). But this combo is killer. At first glance, they just look like a lighter shade of tortoise, and then boom...

Tortoise up front, black in back. If mullets were cool and could be applied to sunglasses, it would be these babies.

The frame isn't the only change here either. You'll see gold coloring instead of the classic silver on the side logos, as well as the front detailing. Pair that with the classic G-15 lens, and for $163, you'll be the coolest dude on the block. 

This line is only available online, so I'd recommend trying them on in a local shop to test the fit on your face shape, and then visiting their site to pick them up.

- james

Chelsea fall.

Fall is upon us. Time for you to get some chelsea boots. 

You can dress them up or down. They're versatile, comfortable, and timeless.

Leather soles, Rubber Soles, or Crepe Soles, find a pair that fits your style, and commit to the classics.

- james

reebok is slightly less terrible now.

It's no secret that the only reason Reebok still exists is because they latched onto the crossfit bandwagon before it exploded, and promptly became the sole sponsor of the UFC. They're finally managing to breathe some new life into the brand. 

I'm not saying you should go out any buy stock in the brand, nor am i recommending that you gear up with ufc reebok training gear or any of that noise. 

But these throwback reebok gum sole shoes are dope, so that's something slightly less terrible than the previous 10 years of reebok.

You can grab them at Champs or, like, any major reebok dealer probly.

- james

the white t.

you just can't beat the classics. If you haven't already done so, make sure you're stocked up with a few white tees. They come in all kinds of different styles these days, so just make sure you don't go v-neck, and you don't go too short in the torso. The rest is going to be all about preference and matching your own style.

If you're looking to stay on trend, I recommend going a longer in the torso than a normal tee, and making it a scoop neck. But remember--find your own personal style and make it work for you. 

- james

monday jamz III.

had a lonnnnnnng weekend (pictures to come) without enough sleep.

These righteous jamz are getting me through the day.

black pistol fire - trigger on my fire 

benjamin booker - benjamin booker

gary clark jr. - don't owe you a thang

temples - shelter song

st. paul and the broken bones

- james

simplyskinnyties

If you've been a Cult follower for awhile, you know a couple things about me already:

1. I dig menswear
2. I'm all about that bargain, 'bout that bargain, no ripoffs

So when our friends at Simply Skinny Ties offered to send us a couple of their pieces to try out, I was pumped. A relatively new company out of Utah, Simply Skinny aims "To provide each of [their] customers with a line of unique, high quality neckties for a simple price." Music to my ears.

There are currently about nine styles to choose from with more on the way. And at a price point of $25, you really can't go wrong. Unless you don't own $25 dollars, in which case you should maybe focus on getting a job before you start collecting ties. Priorities, man.

Each tie measures 2.5 inches at it's widest point, and the current styles are made of either 100% cotton or 100% wool. Generally, I would recommend a silk tie when pairing with a suit for more formal occasions, but you would exect to pay at least 3-4 times as much for a high-quality silk tie, which is not fun. That being said, These ties are manufactured well and they look good, and when coordinated correctly, can work in both casual and formal settings. 

I highly recommend stopping by the Simply Skinny Ties website and picking up a couple ties to add to your collection and really make your style stand out. For $25, it'll be the best tie-based decision you make.

The New rules of masculinity.

Menswear tends to oppose social changes. That’s to say that designers tend to work in contrast to the uniforms we’re meant to wear. Take tailoring, for example: at the start of the decade, as office dress codes relaxed in reaction to the world’s wealthiest and most powerful men sporting hoodies to multi-billion dollar IPOs, razor-sharp tailoring and double-monks suddenly became the style-conscious gent’s preferred attire. It wasn’t what was necessary, or expected. But then fashion always seeks out difference.

Five years on, and the contestants on The Apprentice – men whose unofficial role is to mark when a trend has joined bootcut jeans in sartorial purgatory – turned up in Lord Alan Sugar’s office sporting pocket squares (matched to their neck wear, naturally), tie bars (unattached to their shirt plackets) and ankle-bearing suits. Meaning? It’s probably time to stow yours in the back of wardrobe.

Your replacement though, is equally contradictory. With most men chained to desks, designers are harking back to a more masculine era, when clothes were about protecting you from sparks and grease. Enter functional fabrics and heavy duty jackets that look like you could weld in them.

These days, your inspiration isn’t a man who knows fifteen different neck tie knots, but one who can fix a gearbox. Here’s how to evict Beau Brummell from your wardrobe to make way for James Dean.

The key to making this look work is opting for classic designs. “A timeless piece is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.”

“Simplicity is what has made that iconic style and shape endure” – so don’t be tempted by avant-garde silhouettes or patterns. Stick to the classics and you’ll be able to wear that bank balance-bruising purchase a decade from now, rather than regretfully trying to recoup your outlay on eBay when trends inevitably change.

- fashionbeans

- james

oscar wear.

Some looks from the awards this weekend + my thoughts. A lot of revivals of classic looks in menswear. I'm a fan. 

Love this. Love the deep burgundy vest and tuxedo coat with black lapels coinciding with the slim black trousers. I like the barely showing white pocket square and the freshly polished cap-toe shoes. Clean haircut and a bowtie that is not overly large and obnoxious. Clean. Nailed it.

Classic white tuxedo looks great. classic black suit is clean. Pharrell's spring suit (yes that's a thing) would make sense if we were in spring, or if he had more athletic legs. The shoes are excellentand the low-button suit fits well, but the shorts don't necessarily match the occasion.

Killed it.

I love classic styles, and you really can't go wrong with a black tuxedo. However, something about the fit of this jacket looks a bit off. I understand that he has become an enormous man from the Captain America series, but the shoulders don't sit quite right. There's a bit of an upward slope at the end of the shoulders that puts me off. The pique lapels are also a bit large for my tastes. It should look more like this:

Suit on point. Hair on point. Watch....questionable. Feels a bit forced and out of place compared to the rest of the classic look. I would've picked something with a more classic feel. Maybe black leather or silver. 

stark white tuxedo with the hair and beard of a mountain man and a massive umbrella. I dig it. Just don't love the shoes. 

yup yup yup.

A black suit that's too tight (see the pucker in the chest) with a back tuxedo shirt and an ultra-hipster gold chain? Trying a little too hard to fit in with the younger crowd. This was not executed well. 

modern take on a classic. That black pocket lining is excellent. Yes. 

- james

beatle monday.

I just recently created my own beatles playlist of their greatest hits and it's amazing. Not that my playlist is amazing (although let's be honest, it really is), but the music is still so dang good. No band has stood the test of time as well as the beatles. Their hits are just as catchy, and just as popular as they ever were. 

They started an entire movement, invented their own hairstyle, and made women lose their friggin minds all at the same time. And they did it very well dressed... until the drugs. And even with the drugs they occasionally killed it.

Little known fact: beatles songs destroy mondays. It's science.

i've just seen a face 

a hard day's night

can't buy me love

here comes the sun

help

come together

jack is back.

jack purcell's are back in a big way, and I, for one, am pumped about it. 

The classic (yet somehow not that well known) line of Converse shoes is making a strong comeback. Naturally, Converse has adjusted for modern trends and come out with tons of new options in colors and materials to accompany the classics. I'll be honest, I'm partial to the classic options: white, blue, and black, but I also love the new greys, and the gum-sole options.

stop by the website to see more options and find the right pair for you.

- james