Black Helmet Apparel

I’m not a fan of wallets in general. Mostly, I don’t trust banks, so I’m always heavy on cash and a money clip fits my lifestyle a little better. BUT, I’m not a style dictator, and I’ve been introduced to an actual wallet I can get behind.

Check out Black Helmet Apparel, or rather, check out their wallets. They come in a tri-fold or bi-fold option, and what’s really cool is that they’re made from decommissioned bunker gear. So the wallet I’m smelling right now as I type (don’t ask me why I’m smelling it, but it smells like leather if you were wondering) was actually used fighting fires. 

Made in the USA, the innards are composed of black leather, stitched together to create various pockets for your cards, IDs, and what-have-yous. There’s also the Black Helmet logo mean muggin’  you from the middle.  

Oops, sorry wrong picture.

There we go.

In the back, there’s divided storage for cash. For the most part, it’s your standard wallet, but what I really like, and what sets it apart, is the canvas exterior and safety stripe (is that what they’re called?) I mean, the thing looks and feels like it was used to fight fires. I had it in my pocket and I felt stronger, ballsier, like a fireman. Or at least I made jokes about hoses all night. 

And, because I can always get down behind charitable organizations, you can believe I was turned on by the fact that a portion of all Black Helmet sales are donated to The Fallen Firefighters Association, assisting the families of these departed heros. If you’re in the market for a wallet, check out the options at Black Helmet.

Good Fridays and hope you have a nice weekend,

MD

All pictures from Black Helmet Apparel, which sent me one of their tri-fold options for free. Can you belie dat?

Father's Day Gift Ideas

For most guys, their father is the person who shaped them into the man they are today. This Sunday is Father’s Day, and it gives us all a chance to give back to the big guy in our lives.

Now, you can go the traditional route and spring for something cool (tech wise), useful (something for the grill perhaps?), or funny (a pair of comically adorned boxers). But if you’re into menswear, or your dad dresses anything like mine does, you’re going to want to help him up his own style game. He taught you how to fish/catch a ball/chug beers. Why not make sure he’s looking fly at the office?

Side-note on my dad: I’m pretty sure my dad bought his work wardrobe sometime around ’86, and none of it has been replaced or updated. He’s got some sweaters that’d make Bill Cosby jealous, so I consider this a time to update his wardrobe, for his sake and mine.

Warby Parker has sunglasses for $95 (polarized, of course).

Park & Bond has a selection of ties, ranging from $98-150

Chester Mox has quality leather goods, like this $60 Horween wallet. Plus free personalization until June 14

More cool guy ties from Stalward Ltd. $64-72

J.Crew has 40% off mens shirts and ties. There's casual, sport shirts, and dress shirts to be had for as little as $30

Toss out his Sketchers Shape-Ups and upgrade to some real workout shoes here

Get rid of the baggy dad-shorts and get him some that actually fit through the leg and thigh

Try products from Jack Black that look and smell great, instead of Aqua Velva

Or, just get him this book, so he can learn like you did. From the best.

Hope this helps, and thanks for reading,

MD

Less Money, Less Problems

If your wallet makes it look like you’ve got three butt cheeks, you need to trade it in for something more slim. A bulky wallet, stuffed to the brim with receipts, business cards, and condoms is tacky, and it messes with your body outline (which you want to appear sleek, not lumpy). 

A crammed wallet is also unnecessary. You really only need some cash, an ID, and a card or two to survive. Take those business cards and receipts and put them somewhere where you’ll actually need them (say, your office). House your leftover necessities in a much cooler, slim wallet, like the Burberry one I own here:

Be sure to keep a condom. You know, just in case.

These wallets are great because they don’t cramp your ass if you’ve got them in your back pocket on a casual night, but it can also slide just as easily into an interior coat pocket. 

For your cash, go with a money clip. A money clip is a sexier and more socially acceptable version of the money-rolls drug dealers and low-level mafiosos tend to favor.

Money clips abound in stores and on the Internet. As always, stay classy with it. When you’re buying a girl a drink (which you should be doing), the cash will speak for itself. Keep the clip plain, neutral, and understated. Check out the vintage one my grandfather gave me:

Yes, I went to the bank to get a $100 bill specifically for this picture. What can I say, I want to look cool.

If you can and if you’re interested, now is a good time to look into the vintage market. I’ve never been one for vintage clothes shopping, because it weirds me out when I think about all the gross stuff someone might have done to that blazer/shirt/pair of socks. But it’s supposedly a great place to find good items on the cheap (if you have the patience and luck to sift through enough aisles to find something). If you’re wanting to shop vintage clothing, check out these articles with helpful tips: 

Put This On

Valet Mag

It’s pretty hard to screw up a money clip, and chances are you can find a cool one with character at your local vintage/thrift hotspot. Vintage pieces are often inspiring because of their history and uniqueness. A money clip on its own is rare, but I’m confident that no one will ever pull out one like mine. It’s a great conversation piece, and I’ll cherish it because of the familial memories tied to it. 

Here’s some tips on using a money clip I’ve discovered through my own trial-and-error process:

 Don’t overstuff it. A money clip can break, so decide how much money you’ll need before going out, then try your best to consolidate bills. A good starting formula is $100- one $50, one $20, two $10, one $5, five $1.

 Keep smaller bills towards the middle of the folded wad in your money clip, and larger bills towards the outside. This is not so you can look like you're "gettin' paper." Bills in the middle are easier to pull out, and you’ll likely use smaller bills more often (though you could just unclip the whole thing and sort through it, if that works best for you).

 I was once robbed in Vegas, and luckily had a $20 tucked neatly into my wallet that escaped being stolen (the guy was no Danny Ocean). Moral of the story- diversify your holdings. That same trick might save you someday.  

More news as it develops,

MD