Pinterest is what all the cool kids are doing these days. No, seriously. I’ve been using it for a few months now, and am very addicted.

The concept is pretty simple. You find a photo or video of something online that you find inspiring. You pin it. Done.

You can choose your “pinboards” (categories, basically) and you can follow other people’s pins and pinboards. It’s great for discovery and inspiration. In that sense, I’d compare it to Tumblr, which I’ve used for years. But it also works well for planning. Believe me – I’ve had to un-follow many a wedding-themed pinboard recently.

If you check it out, feel free to give me a follow. And of course, let me know what you think in the comments.

I’m very excited to be finally stopping by The Vintage Bazaar here in Chicago this weekend. I’ve wanted to go for a while, as I’ve heard nothing but good things.

Curated by the uber smart duo of Katherine Raz and Libby Alexander, this “modern pop-up flea” will have all kinds of vintage goodies. In their words, “It’s like a swap meet without the socks & overstock.”

See you there?

Very excited to stop by this event, for a few reasons, not the least of which is that they’re serving single malt Scotch, or the fact that attendees get 15% merchandise.

Anyone else going to join? Let me know below, or hit me up on Twitter the day of.

I’ve been a big fan of Moscot frames for a while now. But for those who are looking for Moscot-style frames at prices that are more affordable for, well, normal people, Spex Club offers a very nice alternative.

I love Spex Club’s simple business model: All prescription glasses are $88 and all frames, readers and sunglasses are $58. Pretty simple, eh? Why not go for one of my favorites, the Avery model (above), which comes in black or tortoise.

Another nice Spex Club feature: Spex Vision, where you can actually see what the frames will look like on you before you buy them. Not a bad feature for an online store. Still not satisfied? Spex Club offers a 30 day money back guarantee.

Bonus: Because I like you so much, here’s another $25 dollars off a purchase, as long as you sign up for their newsletter by March 1. Almost half off a pair of good sunglasses? Blasphemy!

… is just as cool as an old Johnny Cash. Just sayin’.

PS, Pitchfork has a great new, never-before-released “I Walk the Line” acoustic demo. Check it out.

Couldn’t get this out of my head today, so I had to get it down in imagery. That gives you a little glimpse into how my mind works.

So by Vidal’s logic, wouldn’t Steve Urkel be one of the most stylish fictional men ever created? Discuss.

That’s right. It’s getting colder, which means you need the right stuff to sustain you. Especially if you live in Chicago, like I do. Like this gray cashmere Howard Yount Flannel V-Neck. Elbow patches FTW.

It would look nice under this Levi’s + Pendleton collaboration jean jacket. The collaboration officially launches November 15, but this piece will be a nice addition. [via Selectism] (Disclosure: Levi’s is an Edelman client.)

Top it all off with these desert boots from Opening Ceremony, and you’ve got a nice rugged look going.

These last two, I’ll have to file in the “I wish” cateogory, because they’re both sadly unattainable – at least for me. The first is this macro camera phone lense from Photojojo. How awesome would it be to be able to add a nice macro lens to your camera’s phone, and get some great up close photos on the go? They even come with chains to hang as necklaces. Unfortunately, they don’t work well for iPhone 4, and since that’s what I have (recently upgraded and love it), I’ll have to pass.

And how ballsy are these shoes by Elsa for District’s 10th Anniversary (in Japan)? I love the splash of color that makes them so unique. Not many guys would have the guts to wear these in the US, but if someone wants to send me a pair from Japan, I’ll give it a go. [via Selectism]

So half of what I found this week is dedicated to the iPhone. If you’re not an iPhone user, I apologize. Since I am one, I tend to gravitate towards iPhone related stuff. Like these iPhone gloves by Dots. Being able to use my phone without having to take off my gloves is fantastic in Chicago winters. The above are actually from a collaboration by Dots for Opening Ceremony, if you feel like paying twice the price for basically the same thing.

To protect said iPhone, I’m loving these cases from Grove. Not only are they handmade from eco-friendly bamboo, they can be customized to just about any design you want. Check out these designs above, and then visit their site for more examples of how others have customized their cases.

Now take your phone and plug it into one of these speakers from X-Mini. Or so says Cool Hunting, who tried one of them out and says they pack a wallop for such a small package. And not too expensive with a range of $20-$80.

Use those speakers to listen to this guy: Canadian rapper Shad. I’ve been listening to his new album, TSOL, and so far am loving it. Thanks for the reco, Dave.

And just to show you that I’m not all iPhone focused today, check out these coats from +J (a collaboration by Jil Sander for Uniqlo). All reasonably priced, and all among the most stylish thing you can wear this winter. Now you’ll just have to find a Uniqlo, since the only one in the US resides in NYC. (Sad trombone.)

Speaking of things you can’t get in the US (at least not in person), how awesome are these Aston Martin Racing bags from Hackett? Enough said. [via Definite Touch]

To go out on a techy note, Hello Rewind, and the awesome laptop, iPad or netbook  sleeves they can make out of your old t-shirts. That’s right… your old Frankie Say Relax t-shirt from the 80s can now be atop your favorite piece of tech equipment in 2010. What a wonderful world. PS, Hello Rewind also supports sex trafficking survivors. So major bonus.

What cool stuff have you found lately?

This week’s Material Monday starts off with watches from WeWood, an Italian company that decided they wanted to move to LA and start planting trees (probably a good idea). Their TOMS-esque motto: you buy a watch, we’ll plant a tree. Not a bad deal.

These Enforcers from Mosley Tribes deserve a shout out just for being badass. Steve McQueen, anyone?

And for the geek in all of us, I love these prints that combine the famous Woody Gutherie quote with famous geek icons. This one, from Mario Brothers, was my favorite.

(PS, Only I can go from badass to geek that quickly.)

These iPad cases by Austrian fine goods makers Hard Graft are exquisite. Now someone just has to buy me an iPad, and I’ll be set.

But if the iPhone or iPod touch is more of your thing (as is buying American), then Corter can handle it. Based in New England, Corter consists of one man, hand making every item. How many guys out there carry around a handmade leather iPhone case?

And last but not least, Esquire’s Big Black Book is an amazing resource for fall trends and the latest in men’s fashion. Michael Williams gives a pretty good explanation for why it’s essential reading over on ACL. Planning on perusing one myself soon, so if you beat me to it, let me know how it goes.

That’s all for this week, folks.

]]> http://theexceptionalman.com/2010/10/04/material-mondays-of-leather-wood/feed/ 0 http://theexceptionalman.com/2010/09/27/material-mondays-scotch-woogies/ http://theexceptionalman.com/2010/09/27/material-mondays-scotch-woogies/#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:00:18 +0000 Caleb http://theexceptionalman.com/?p=1607

I used to spend a lot more time on this blog talking about things. It was fun, but I found myself spending 90% of my time doing it, since I was constantly finding cool stuff. And I wanted to make this blog about something more substantive than just products.

But I’m still finding a lot of cool stuff that I’d like to share, so I wanted to find a way to do so somewhat regularly. Enter Material Mondays, where I share a list of the cool stuff I’ve found that week. Simple as that.

This week’s list starts with the chinos you see above from Scotch & Soda. The ribbed cuff on those help them stand out from the crowd.

Speaking of scotch, I’m dying to try Glenmorangie’s new Finealta, with added peat to give it a more smokey flavor than most Glenmorangies. But it’s currently only available in international travel retail. Anyone going out of the country soon want to pick me up a bottle?

For Miles, I’m giving consideration to the Woogie, a protective case and interactive toy for the iPhone. He’s obsessed with playing with our phones, but throws them when he gets upset. Not so good. So something like this might help keep them protected a little more.

Speaking of things Miles likes to play with, check out the new line of neckties from Berg & Berg. I’m leaning towards a new wool or knit one. Perfect for fall, just like the Authentic Original 7-Eye Boots from Sperry Topsider below.

If you’re a boat shoe fan like me during the summer, these are a nice, seasonally appropriate alternative.

I am absolutely loving these bicycle bags from Linus. Versatile and sturdy, throw them over your shoulder or over your bike, and you’re good to go. This is a nice addition to Linus’s already impressive (and wallet-friendly) line of bikes.

Speaking of names of Peanut characters, Moleskine notebook fans will love these limited edition Peanut inspired notebooks to write about “good grief.”

And last but not least, from DaddyTypes I heard about this perpetually convertible loft bed structure from Pop Space. It would be an amazing way to make a room feel new again. Sadly it’s the one thing on this list that we’ll definitely not be buying any time soon, due to the price tag of over $5,000. (Sad trombone.)

What about you? Seen anything cool lately that I missed?