A Cool Dad Ride

To be really cool you can ride one of these from Hammerhead Industries.

EZ's Demo Ride - Jack Pine from Hammarhead Industries on Vimeo.

Photography Books to Add to Your Coffee Table

1. Gentlemen of Bacongo (Trolley)

An inside look at the exclusive club of the Sapeurs. These men of the Congo are some of the most stylish ever photographed — Cool, colorful and elegant. Plus there's a preface by design icon Paul Smith.

2. LeRoy Grannis, Surf Photography (Taschen)

Grannis captures images in technicolor and black and white of the birth of Southern California surf culture in the 60's. These are some of the most iconic images on and off the waves.

3. William Claxton, Jazz Life, The Collector's Edition (Taschen)

A beautifully packaged collection of photos by the legendary jazz photographer William Claxton. There are only 1,000 of these signed copies  available. It includes four signed prints and comes packaged in a clothed covered box.

4. Take Ivy, (Powerhouse) 

Fashion bloggers have been buzzing about this book for the last couple of years and at last this reissue is finally available to the public. First published in 1965, Japanese photographer Teruyoshi Hayashida documents Ivy League Style on the campuses of America's elite universities.

5. It's a Boy, It's a Girl, ( Taschen)

Here's a photography book for all you expectant fathers. This is a new take on the quest to find the perfect name for your soon to be son or daughter. Kirsten Dietz has taken over 300 hundred photos of names used on store fronts in America, Asia and Europe to help you decide what names sound and look the best.

So now that we've talked about fall suits let's go ahead and look at some accessories. In my book nothing is more important in a man's wardrobe than his shoes. And I must admit, I'm pretty obsessive when it comes to this subject. But before we delve into shoes, another accessory that men seem to always neglect is the BREIFCASE. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a guy in a great suit carrying around a messenger bag that he picked up for free at some tech convention. It's all about the details gentlemen and the briefcase is a big one. Here are three that caught my eye:

Century Black Leather Portfolio
from J.W. Hulme Co.
$380
www.jwhulmeco.com

Red, White & Navy Stripe Briefcase
from Brooks Brothers' Black Fleece Collection
$600
www.brooksbrothers.com

President Classeur Briefcase
From Louis Vuitton
$7,550
www.louisvuitton.com

A Cool Dad Catch

Ahhh, can you smell it? Fall, my favorite time of the year is almost here; football, back to school, the turning of leaves and time to get back to work. And that of course means SUITS! 

I've searched through all the fall runway shows and have come up with a list of my favorites looks. I'll preface this by saying, the suits that I've selected are suits that will fit into the real world. Something that you can wear to the office, attend a parent teacher conference and transition into a night out. I appreciate the avant guard but as a father of three and with a real job, it just doesn't fit into my world any longer.

So let's start with one of my favorite shows this season.

Dunhill 

The look is "English Gentleman" and the cut is slim but not too extreme. Pairing it with the boots is also a great touch but you might not want to tuck them in (leave that to the professionals). Also the subtle mixing of patterns is what makes this look elegant and fresh.

Hermes

If you didn't know it already, the double breasted suit is back. The look is so traditional but the cut is relaxed and modern. Pairing it with the dark shirt and tie gives it an unexpected twist. Long hair optional.

Jil Sander

It doesn't get any cooler than this. No big surprises here, it's all about the fit.

Ralph Lauren

Ok, you know what to expect from a Ralph show. All American, traditional classic tailoring. It's all good, but the biggest problem with most men is how they wear their suits. I see it everyday on my commute: the suits are two sizes too big for them. That's how you instantly go from Cool Dad to Sloppy, not so Cool Dad. This look from the show is an example of how to do it right. A beautiful three piece suit that looks young and masculine. The modern touch is the monochromatic color scheme. 

Testing