Alex Sumner and the Four Components of a Well Made Suit

Quick Summary: Today we talk with Alexander Sumner about the Difference between Style and Fashion, The Grateful Dead, Vintage Shops as well as the Four Components of a Well Made Suit

If you know me, you know I’m not the most stylish person in the world. I mean that in the sense of being suited up to the nines. I think my style is more sporty or efficient… if you will. Or better yet, ninja like or unassuming. When I’m out capturing the places I visit, I don’t really want to be seen. I don’t want any kind of attention from anyone, I just want to get my shots and get the hell out of there… A lot of what you’ll see me in is dark muted shirts, dark jeans, some Air Max 1s or some all black chucks.

That being said, if there ever comes a time that its necessary for me to get dressed up, its not a foreign concept because of today’s guest, Alexander Sumner.

I met Alex a few years ago when this little voice in my head was going on and on about getting a real suit. So I started cruising the net and social media for men’s style. Visiting tumbler as well as sites like JJJJound and Instagram hashtags like #MensStyle. One day I came across this picture of a red button hole on a suit jacket. For some odd reason I thought it the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. It was nice touch that you’re not going to find on the $100 dollar suits I was used to back then. I’m telling y’all the truth, so judge me all you want about rocking a baggy $100 suit, but it was more of check box than anything else.

Anyway, I commented on how much I liked the detail and I would like to see it in person. Alex’s response was pretty much come on by the studio. So I did and the rest is what the young people are calling, uhh history.

I met Alex in SoHo and we talked about the difference between style and fashion, The Grateful Dead, vintage shops as well as the four components of a well made suit and much much more.

Toward the end of the conversation Alex turned the tables and inquired about New York Said: Volume Three. I ranted a bit about it and if your were curious to know what’s up with the new book, that info is there.

I’m outta here, enjoy the talk.

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Links to the Stuff they Talked About

1. Andy’s Chee-Pee 
2. Trash and Vaudeville
3. Canal Jeans
4. Scabal Fabric
5. Mood Fabrics
6. Acustom Apparel 
7. Tyson Beckford
8. Q-Tip
9. Charlamagne Thagod
10. Rory Mcilroy
11. Phil Heath 
12. The Art of Dressing Up
13. Smithsonian
14. National Geographic
15. The New Yorker
16. Adidas Sandal 
17. Vintage Harley Davidson Jacket
18. Thelonious Monk
19. The Specials 
20. Madness
21. Grateful Dead
22. Deadhead
23. Miles Davis
24. John Coltrane 
25. Tumultuous
26. MLK
27. RFK
28. 1968 Democratic National Convention
29. Tet Offensive
30. Shawl Lapel
31. Jack Purcell
32. Chuck Taylor 
33. Baryshnikov
34. Longform Podcast
35. When Harry Met Sally

7 Wonders of Style Questions

1. In your wardrobe, what’s your favorite piece of clothing, favorite shoe and favorite accessory?
2. Who, both inside & outside of your circle, had the greatest influence on your style?
3. Which musical group (or solo artist) most defines your sense of style?
4. Which would be your decade of choice to spend your prime in, style-wise?
5. As for creative inspiration; when was a time when you spotted someone or something and said, “I am going to incorporate that myself (and did) and when was a time when you spotted someone and said, “I’ll never be caught dead doing that,” and you ended up doing so?
6. How have you seen style expressed in ways that have nothing to do with what a person wears?
7. What do you feel is the difference between style and fashion?

This episode is sponsored by Gorilla Coffee.