Love this video from the Wall Street Journal (of all places) about how to do a straight razor shave yourself at home (if you’re brave enough).

[via Definitive Touch]

If you don’t have yourself a barber, get one. I’m pretty loyal to mine. That’s one reason I love this video.

The other is that it reminds me of people I grew up with. Plus it got nominated for an Emmy. Score.

[via Devour]

As requested, here are my ‘Wants’ for this Christmas season. These are all items that have caught my eye in recent months that I have not previously mentioned here.

Let’s start with the new line of shirts at Hamilton, America’s oldest family-owned shirt maker. Hamilton’s been making high quality custom made shirts in Houston for over a century, and this year they introduced the 1883 line of ready-to-wear shirts. The one you see above is the Oxford, which would be my choice.

Moving down my wishlist, my next item would be these Slim Taper Jeans from Portland-based Nau. I had a chance to chat with some of the guys from Nau on a recent trip to their New York pop up, Here/Nau/NYC.

They’re one of the most socially savvy clothing companies I’ve ever heard about. Not only do they consider issues of sustainability on the front end making their clothes, but they donate 2% of each sale to one of their Partners for Change.

Now that’s just a happy Christmas all around.

Accentuating my work wardrobe would be a tie from Motto & Crest. Inspired by classic British club and college uniforms, ties like this Hintock tie are the perfect addition to any Winter outfit.

For my feet, I’m going to have to go with this bucks collaboration between Mark McNairy and Inventory. I like my shoes to be ballsy, and it’s hard to be ballsier than a red brick sole combined with navy blue suede. Love it.

Considering I’ve traversed the US and suggested two items from the UK, it’s only natural that I take you shopping in Canada, right? This Leather Macbook Sleeve from Palmer & Sons out of Vancouver is worth it.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m an Apple fan through and through, and if I’m paying premium price for my laptop, why wouldn’t I want to carry it around it something that makes it look nice?

Your special lady will thank you for the last item on my list. This bodywash by Molton Brown is steeped in Madagascan black peppercorn oil. That’s not a scent you smell everyday, but that’s a good thing.

Bodywash not your thing? Try their bodyscrub bar.

So there you have it. These are the things I’m looking for this holiday season. What’s on your list?

Avid 30 Rock fans will realize that the title of this post is a direct quote from none other than Jack Donaghy. And the man has a point.

Too many times I’ve seen a man impeccably dressed, only to have his hair ruin the entire ensemble. You can’t look like a well-put together gentleman with the hair of a 12-year-old. So here are a few tips to get you started down the road of adulthood hair, Jack Donaghy-style:

Find a Barber

Unfortunately, the barbershop has faded into irrelevance as the men in our culture have begun to seek out cheaper, unisex salons. The problem with these places (as I’m sure we’ve all experienced) is that they have a rotating staff — meaning your hair comes out looking differently every time even if you ask for the same thing.

A good barber will get to know you, and more importantly, he’ll get to know your hair. And he’ll know exactly how you want it each time you walk in the door.

For information on how to choose a barber, check out these guides by GQ and The Art of Manliness. I also found TAofM’s Barbershop Locator to be quite helpful.

Choose a Style

This step is a little more difficult, because what style looks good on you won’t look good on the next guy. So don’t just assume because you see a guy on TV with a haircut you like your barber will be able to make you look the same. A good barber should be able to recommend a hairstyle that looks good on you.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t tell him what you like and what you don’t like. For instance, if you’re a big fan of the show Mad Men (who isn’t?) and want to pull off an old-school style like that, your barber should be able to work with you. In the meantime, this guide should get you started.

And once again, GQ also has an excellent guide to different hairstyles and how to pull them off.

Choose a Product

Different men will swear by different hair products, and rightly so. They don’t come in one-size-fits-all models. It depends on what you’d like your hair to do (see above).

So I’m not going to say to go out and buy any specific type of hair product. But I will say that I’ve been a fan of John Allan’s hair products for years, especially the pomades Blu and Matte.

Spend Some Time

I’m not saying you have to take as long as your significant other doing your hair, but don’t just wake up and go either. Treat the top of your head like it should be treated: as a detail that makes or breaks your look.

Just heard that Jack Black is going to be in Chicago this weekend giving complimentary Facial Sessions and Hand Massages. They’ll be at Nordstrom on Saturday and Bloomingdale’s on Sunday. And if you’re thinking it’s not manly to get a facial, think again. Your skin will be grateful, and so will the people who have to look at you.

As a bonus, you can meet Emily Dalton, co-creator and founder of Jack Black.

You have to call and reserve your spot. Space is limited.

Saturday
Nordstrom Michigan Avenue
55 E. Grand Ave.
10am – 6pm
Call 312.464.1515 x1660

Sunday
Bloomingdale’s
900 N. Michigan Ave.
11am – 6pm
Call 312.440.4460 x4528

And if you’re going to be there on Sunday, let me know, or drop me a line at my Twitter account on the day of so we can connect.

Even though Fall technically started last Tuesday, today is the first day here in Chicago where a jacket is a necessity. Which means that the time to begin protecting yourself from the cold weather is upon us.

Three areas should be of concern: your hands, your face, and your lips. For the lips, Material Interest suggests Smith’s Rosebud Salve, made of all natural ingredients right here in the US (available at your local Sephora or Urban Outfitters). Rosebud will run you $8, which is a bit hefty for lip balm. So I tend to stick with Burt’s Bees, which has never let me down.

For skin care, I guarantee that Jack Black’s Double Duty Face Moisturizer will be one of the best things your face has ever felt. Every Man Jack also has a decent face lotion, but make sure you at least get the kind with SPF to protect your skin from the sun (it doesn’t go away just because it’s cold).

Your hands are a sensitive issue. You don’t want them to be softer than your significant other’s (and neither does she) but you also need to be able to shake hands at a business meeting without causing permanent damage to your potential client’s palm. Once again Jack Black provides an excellent option with their Industrial Strength Hand Healer, but for those looking for a more manly scent, try Portland General Store’s WOOD Super Thick Body Creme. With essential oils of cedar, hiba, patchouli, vetiver and vanilla, there will be no mistaking her hand lotion for yours.

This is a very basic list – any product out there that you can’t live without when the weather turns colder?

Having a scent that defines you is important. This used to require trips to aisles of colognes, and the repetition of smelling different (yet similar) scents over and over again – an abuse about which your nose was none too forgiving. Here to save the day: Basenotes.

An online directory of fragrances, Basenotes allows you to shop for a scent based on brand name, reviews, or fragrance notes. There’s even a community forum where fragrance connoisseurs can debate to their noses’ delight.

It’s not perfect by any measure (I’d like to see a tag-based search system for the notes as well as the brand names), but it’s a step in the right direction for those whose noses may not be able to take the barrage of cologne samples at your local Bloomingdale’s.

Although I usually shy away from places describing themselves as “hip”, HALO [FOR MEN] does offer Chicago men a place to get groomed without being surrounded by floral patterns or celebrity gossip (unless you’re into that sort of thing). Now they’ve combined forces with Thrillist to offer a $50 gift certificate giveaway, where you can a hot lather shave, The Man (their signature haircut), or a “grooming of your hands and feet”–which sounds disturbingly like a mani-pedi.