Rules of Style - Patrick Robinson

1. The coolest guy out there is the one who knows what's going on and has all the information on fashion but then picks the one thing that works for him. That's all you need—and a brain in your head.

2. The five things every man should have in his wardrobe are a great pair of jeans, the right-fitting pair of khakis, a bunch of T-shirts, a brilliant watch, and a pair of camping boots.

3. This may sound sort of silly to most men, but a way to develop personal style is to admire someone you think looks cool who you kind of resemble. No one is going to look like Johnny Depp, so don't go there. But if you need some help, pick someone you dig and watch the way he dresses.

4. Everyone wants to be comfortable. They want jeans where the waist isn't tight and the legs are loose, but that ideal gets carried too far. I'm not a guy who thinks everybody should wear everything slim, but don't make your clothes so damn comfortable that you're not attractive to people.

5. When it comes to denim, find jeans that speak to who you are and then throw in a twist. If you're a Wall Street banker, wear low-rise in a classic dark rinse, which will look good with a blazer. If you're a hip-hop guy, wear deconstructed jeans so you don't look like everyone else.

6. You can take a measured risk in fashion with color. Not crazy color, but you can wear overdyed jeans in khaki or gray and no one is going to look at you sideways. Wearing something other than blue will add character and make you look younger.

7. There's nothing wrong with getting a manicure and pedicure before you show up at the beach. There's nothing wrong with getting your hair cut even if you want to look like you don't cut your hair. There's no shame in taking care of yourself.

8. Pursue a passion that takes you past the edge. Mine is ocean race sailing.

9. There's nothing cooler than American classics, like khakis, T-shirts, oxford shirts, and jean jackets. However, when casual becomes too predictable, it can get schlumpy. When you wear the khakis with the tucked-in pink button-down and the brown belt, you're not saying anything to anyone.

10. So many men blow it with outerwear. A guy can have his outfit completely together and then he puts on the dumbest coat. It's like women who wear white tennis shoes to work. The jacket is either too old and shabby or it has no character. You only need one great coat.

Big Man On Campus

When we say collegiate-inspired gear, we don’t mean a USC sweatshirt and a pair of Adidas slides. Think about the kind of East Coast classics that a Kennedy might have worn back in the day. And don’t overdo it. Often, one great piece—like a wool duffel coat—will do the trick. And you can never go wrong with a university scarf

Some looks from a recent GQ photoshoot to give you guys some inspiration.

Messenger Bags vs. Field Bags

J.Crew Artisan Leather Messenger Bag for $225 here

School is starting up fairly soon and let's talk about bags. I am a fan of the messenger bag, not a huge fan, but a fan nonetheless. This year I am opting for a Field Bag. I like the similarity it has to the messenger with just a little variation in shape.

J.Crew Bowery Messenger Bag for $98 here

A difference that I have noticed between Messenger Bags and Field Bags is the variation in styles and colors. Fields seem to have more than the traditional colors. I would suggest getting the messenger bag as a staple in Navy Blue, British Khaki, or one of the colors shown above and then check out a field bag similar to the one below from Filson as a stylish alternative.

Filson Wool Field Bag for $240 here

How to Become An Early Riser

It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.

I've said this before and I'll say it again, stevepavlina.com is a great website. It has tons of articles helping you better yourself in almost every area of your life. One of my favorite articles deals with something nearly everyone struggles with, waking up. This area has been a struggle for me for years and in my personal battle with early rising, I'd say I lose 78% of the time. Anyway, it is a very interesting and insightful article. I will only highlight the most helpful points, however feel free to read the article in its entirety here:

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/

There is a high correlation between success and rising early. You will notice that your productivity is almost always higher, not just in the morning but all throughout the day.

I have always had trouble gettting up early. Whenever my alarm went off, my first thought was always to stop that blasted noise and go back to sleep.

It’s hard to become an early riser using the wrong strategy. But with the right strategy, it’s relatively easy.

The most common wrong strategy is this: You assume that if you’re going to get up earlier, you’d better go to bed earlier. Sounds very reasonable, but it will usually fail.

If it’s taking you more than five minutes to fall asleep each night, you aren’t sleepy enough. You’re wasting time lying in bed awake and not being asleep. Your sleep needs vary from day to day.

The optimal situation is to go to bed when I’m sleepy (and only when I’m sleepy) and get up with an alarm clock at a fixed time (7 days per week). So I always get up at the same time (in my case 5am), but I go to bed at different times every night.

My sleepiness test is that if I couldn’t read a book for more than a page or two without drifting off, I’m ready for bed. Most of the time I go to bed between 10-11pm. Reading is an excellent activity to do during this time, since it becomes obvious when I’m too sleepy to read.

When my alarm goes off every morning, I turn it off, stretch for a couple seconds, and sit up. I don’t think about it. I’ve learned that the longer it takes me to get up, the more likely I am to try to sleep in. So I don’t allow myself to have conversations in my head about the benefits of sleeping in once the alarm goes off. Even if I want to sleep in, I always get up right away.

If you aren’t sleepy and find yourself unable to fall asleep quickly, get up and stay awake for a while. Resist sleep until your body begins to release the hormones that rob you of consciousness. If you simply go to bed when you’re sleepy and then get up at a fixed time, you’ll cure your insomnia. The first night you’ll stay up late, but you’ll fall asleep right away. You may be tired that first day from getting up too early and getting only a few hours of sleep the whole night, but you’ll slog through the day and will want to go to bed earlier that second night. After a few days, you’ll settle into a pattern of going to bed at roughly the same time and falling asleep right away.

Go to bed only when you’re too sleepy to stay up, and get up at a fixed time every morning.

Another great site is http://www.howtowakeupearly.com/ . It has a lot of hints and tips on how to wake up. I'll tell you one things for sure no more polyphasic sleeping for me.

In Memoriam: Josias Sterling

This is extremely difficult for me to articulate. I will simply say, I love you like the brother I never had and though the fact that you knew this lessens the blow only slightly, I am still shaken to the core. You've changed my life and countless others and even though I am deeply saddened and forever changed, I know you are chilling out with the big guy upstairs in your infamous socks and slides enjoying endless episodes of Heroes and Family Guy with countless apple pies and all I can do is smile.

Profile: Street Etiquette

Josh and Trav are the brains behind one of my favorite men's fashion sites, Street Etiquette. To put it simply, these guys know how to dress. Every time I get an email notifying me of a new post I get a little excited. What makes them stand out from other blogs and sites is that their style, like mine, is a fushion of traditional and urban.

Always informative, insightful, and inspirational. They lead by example. I've got to say, I think I have a man crush. Good job guys, keep up the good work. Check it out here.

Rules of Style - Jenna Lyons

1. There's nothing sexier than a blazer, a tie, and jeans. And yet most men can't put it together; they either end up with a suit and tie or jeans and T-shirt. Try taking half from one look and half from the other. Chances are you'll get something a little bit cooler.

2. Men don't shop enough. Being current has everything to do with finding the place you want to shop, whether it's J. Crew or Tom Ford. You have to get off your duff and get out there, because styles evolve. Certain things are classics and they do stay, but men need to keep updating their wardrobe, because change is subtle. For example, denim is getting slimmer. If you're wearing jeans from two years ago, they probably don't look current. Get a new pair of jeans.

3. Overplucked, overdone men are frightening to me. Women want a man who looks like he takes care of himself but doesn't look like he thinks about it more than she does.

4. A pressed shirt signals work mode. But a washed-cotton shirt automatically makes you feel more touchable, more approachable. It's effortless. However, if everything is washed—that's not interesting. When washed is paired with a blazer and a tie, it looks amazing.

5. Most men don't have a clue about tailoring. They hate to ask for directions and they hate to ask if something looks good on them. Learn to ask the salesperson. Ask a woman. Great tailoring always makes guys look better.

6. Get dressed, then change one element. With a suit, wear a pair of Converse, or take off your dress shirt and put on a chambray button-down instead. You can also do the reverse. Try khakis rolled up with wingtips. Tweaking one thing is an easy way for guys to modernize an outfit, even if they don't know what the hell they're doing.

7. Three subjects are off-limits to my husband: my mother, my ass, and my age. The worst thing you can do to a woman is to make her feel like she's not beautiful anymore. The best thing is to pay her a compliment.

8. What women notice are the shoes and the watch. Go for understated elegance, whether it's a vintage Rolex or a classic Timex or a watch that was your grandfather's. It's the same with shoes. I love a pair that look like they've been resoled 10 times.

9. A giant shirt is not cute. If it feels overly comfortable, it probably doesn't look so good. A simple fit test is to check your shoulder seam. It's designed to be on your shoulder line—not somewhere near it.

10. We don't need you to be perfect. What we do need is for you to look a little bit more pulled-together. And no pleats, please, not ever, ever, in your life. Ever.

Retro Reeboks

A picture says a thousand words, so here's 6 pictures of different styles of the Retro Reebok. Some of these are insane. My personal favorites are the first shown, the patent leather red and the black and white striped.

The only draw back is that some of these were designed for women, but hey, sometimes you blurr the line when dressing well, just don't do it too often. I don't care how many people jump on board, you will never see me in male leggings.

Anyway, they are recession friendly running between $50 and $150. I'd hurry though, some of these are limited edition and are pretty much gone. But check out these sites and you should find some quality kicks.

http://www.drjays.com/shop/G2-V3174-R396-N1/reebok.html

http://www.drjays.com/shop/G1-V4402-R319/reebok.html

Top Five Summer Scents: #1 Yves Saint Laurent L'Homme

L'Homme, $72 at Nordstrom

The long awaited #1 Summer Scent is L'Homme by YSL. This is my personal favorite cologne. I'd say that I wear this about 4 days a week, intermittently. "L'Homme Yves Saint Laurent is the force of attraction of a man with style and sensuality. He has the inner ability to attract and inspire people thanks to his charisma. His universe is the city, where he can express his creative energy and live by his own rules."

This cologne is the perfect summer scent. YSL mixes floral and spicy notes for an overall regal smell. The only drawback is that you become accustomed to the scent rather quickly, however, it is still very strong to others. I advocate this fragrance completely. Also, nearly every female employee of Sephora, Nordstrom, and Macy's all agree with me. Numbers don't lie.

Enjoy these five scents that I personally use, or any light, floral fragrance you yourself enjoy. Whatever the cologne, make sure it works well for you and please avoid AXE, as I said before, we're not 12 anymore.

Dorm Room Decor - Part One

As Fall Semester quickly approaches, I am starting to give a little thought to how I want my room to look, or at least my half anyway. Here are the most likely candidates:

1. Vin Nicolas, Adolphe Mouron Cassandre

2. Roster Sand, Katharina Noack

3. The Son of Man, 1964, Rene Magritte

4. Blowin Blues, Steven Johnson

5. Absinthe Bourgeois, Mourgue Brothers

6. Hit or Miss, Hullis Mavruk

7. Fresh Peaches, David Carter Brown

8. Soft Watch at the Moment of First Explosion, Salvador Dali

9. Amateur Philosophers, Jack Vettriano

10. Kenya, Lazlo Emmerich

11. Eiffel Tower Through Gates, Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel

12. Cigar Bar, Brent Lynch

13. Grand Central Station, New York City

14. Holiday by Rail, Johanna Kriesel

15. Mediterranean Gold, Michael O'toole

16. Hot Buttered Popcorn, Louise Max

17. Black Thunder, Josephine Baker, Paul Colin

18. Big Brother is Watching You

19. Royal Flush Takes All, Grace Pullen

Go ahead and comment. Let me know what you guys think.

J.Crew Fall 2009 Collection

Here are a few preview items from J.Crew's Fall 2009 Collection. I must say, I am very impressed with how J.Crew stays true to itself, casual American style. No, there aren't any avant-garde pieces here, but they are consistent with their collaborations and collection. There are some great investment items that I will be wearing for years to come. Great job Todd!

Personally, I like the Washed Flannel Shirts and the Chukka Boots collabo with Russell Moccasin Company. The Grey Denim jeans are a nice touch as well. However, I'm not too excited about the Red Wing Chukka Boots, to be honest the just look like the Irish Setter Boots with a shorter length. What do you guys think about these items, leave your comments below!

Rules of Style - Kenneth Cole

1. Clothing is maybe the single greatest form of self-expression. Whether you're fashion-impaired or fashion-inspired, I urge everyone to take a few extra minutes every day to contemplate the message you’re sending to the world.

2. If you wear a fragrance, make sure it doesn't arrive before you do and linger when you're gone.

3. Few people get dressed up today. Mix dressy with casual or rugged with refined. And one item should be more tailored. For example, if you're wearing a T-shirt, wear cleaner jeans. Wear a blazer with the jeans or a casual top with slacks.

4. Beyond any other accessory, shoes will have a very significant impact on how you look—they make the whole outfit come together. There's that old adage that before you judge somebody you should walk a mile in their shoes. Then if you don't like them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. What you wear below the ankles is critical.

5. Establish a uniform, then layer in something new to make it fresh each day. I always have my white shirt, my jeans, and my boots. Then I mix up the rest. Some days I wear a graphic tee with a white shirt and a vest. The next, I might wear a white shirt, a V-neck sweater, and a pin-striped blazer. But the must-haves for every wardrobe are a white shirt and a comfortable blazer.

6. When all else fails, wear black.

7. Vests are the accessory of the season. They look great as an element of sportswear or with a suit—as long as they're not matching. It's about breaking up the suit and then wearing the pieces as separates. The jacket, with or without the vest, can be worn with jeans. The pants can be worn with sneakers, T-shirts, and hooded sweaters.

8. Patterns, like stripes, need to be very subtle. The message overall should be that you're not wearing a matched wardrobe (or on parole). Contemplate wearing a jacket that doesn't match your pants and a shirt that matches neither. Your belt and shoes don't have to match either, but there needs to be a sense that everything works together.

9. You've done a good job if people see you and say, "You look great," as opposed to "Where did you buy your shoes, and how much did you pay for the jacket?" Your clothing choices should help present you.

10. No matter how long it takes you to get dressed, it shouldn't look like it took more than 10 minutes.

Le Retour

Salut! Je m'appelle Citadin Nautiques. Impressed? Alright, I know it's one of the first things you learn when taking French, but I'm excited, so bear with me. I have been using Rosetta Stone and I must say it is a great program. So, I realize that it has been a fortnight since our last meeting, but from that absence I have come up with some fresh ideas for Le Citadin Nautiques or The Nautical Urbanite.

I know this post may seem sporadic, but hey, the majority of the time, that is how my brain operates. So updates: I decided to start studying French now as opposed to waiting for the fall (as you can see), have been reading the Collected Essays of James Baldwin, which has been very liberating and quite eye opening, and in a week from today, I will be entering the last of my teenage years.

A bientôt!

Get Framed

GQ Rules

Pay attention to the eyeglasses of some of our favorite stylish men—from James Dean to Malcolm X to Johnny Depp—and you'll see that it's time to upgrade from your boring wire numbers to a pair of bold plastic frames. Today Kenny Moscot, president of legendary New York eyewear institution Moscot Eyewear and Eyecare, shows you how to find the right color, shape, and style for your face.

Top Five Summer Scents: #2 Diamonds for Men-Emporio Armani

Diamonds for Men, $65 at Nordstrom

This comes in a very close second for me. I was in King of Prussia the other day, attempting to get my iPod fixed and had to waste an hour before I could be seen at the Apple Store, apparently you need an appointment (what is that about). So I decided to do some research and I went to Sephora and got some free samples. This cologne is top notch. I didn't think I would like it because of the name "Diamonds for Men". But seriously, it is an amazing summer scent. As a friend put it, "Classiness exudes from the bottle."

Some key components of "Diamonds" are cedar, pepper, and cocoa. I'd give this cologne 4.98 out of 5 stars. I highly suggest this cologne, but don't wear it too often, I hate smelling like other people!