Brooks Brothers Black Fleece

It's moments like these that I wish I was a guy. But I think, for me, it would get very expensive very quickly, because I would dress full-on dandy one hundred percent of the time. Slim-fitting suits, pocket squares, bamboo-handled umbrellas, bow ties, stripes, straw boater hats, seersucker, wingtips, ascots, I could go on. Tom Wolfe would be an utter slob by comparison.

I recently learned that Brooks Brothers, known for its conservative suits and preppy weekend wear, has an offshoot called Black Fleece, and I heard a rumor that a Black Fleece store is about to open in my neighborhood. I took a peek at what Black Fleece was all about, and I now have much adoration for many looks for the gents. It's still fairly preppy, but definitely has more personality, color, and humorous flair than regular old plain jane Brooks Brothers.

The offerings for the ladies totally made me yawn. It feels more like an afterthought, like they took the fabric from menswear and just mooshed into something that would fit a woman's body. The proportions, the patterns, the entire look just doesn't seem that flattering at all. But the menswear: huge thumbs up from me. Give me some Don Draper mixed with Chuck Bass and I'll follow you anywhere.