Hamilton 1883 - The New Tastemakers

Stan D'Arde
Erik Dane and James Jung
Richard Haines
Hollister Hovey
Martin Marks
Mordechai Rubinstein
Corey Seymour
Jack Spencer
Paul Underwood
Max Wastler
Michael Williams
James Wilson

To showcase Hamilton’s line of new ready-to-wear shirts, we’ve recruited an unlikely cast of models: bloggers. How come, you might ask? Well, because these 12 men—and one woman—set the standard in style these days, and their commitment to their craft is not only admirable, it also makes for great reading.

One thing we have in common with our models: an aversion to chasing the new, and a dedication to celebrating the good—those things that are timeless and of a certain quality. But our knowledge, of course, is limited solely to making shirts while theirs seems boundless. Want to find a 1960s era plaid thermos? Talk to Michael Williams. Looking for a great place to eat in L.A.? Stan D’Arde is your man. Searching for the perfect cup of Joe? Martin Marks can tell you all about his high-tech brewer. In need of a good chuckle? Erik Dane and James Jung will have you in stitches.

And so, inspired by and in awe of this group of tastemakers, we extended them an invitation: come meet us and check out our new line. Tell us what you think. To our great joy, they accepted and these portraits are the result.

So now the invitation is extended to you: come meet our new friends, and take a look at their fantastic blogs. And, while you’re here, maybe have a gander at some shirts, too.

Without further ado, we present Hamilton 1883.

As the elusive blogger behind the Standard Hotel brand, Stan D’Arde is a man on a mission: to chronicle the chic things happening in New York, Miami, and L.A that would interest guests of the Standard. He writes about everything from racing bikes to racy restaurants, employing the royal “we” and exclamatory French as he goes. To wit, of his look during the Hamilton shoot he says, “It was a game of cowboys and Indians, and we saved the day…as usual, bien sur!” As for what he likes about the company? “We like Hamilton for its history,” he replies. “With over a hundred years of attention to detail, you don’t find a shirt better fitting.”

At The Foggy Monocle, Erik Dane and James Jung write dignified introductions to often crass—but always hilarious—user-submitted IM and text conversations recounting depraved nights out. “We pride ourselves on knowing a good bar story,” says Dane, who could also pride himself on knowing a good shirt when he sees it. “Hamilton shirts are classy without looking too crisp and stiff,” he says—precisely the sort of summation you’d expect from a man who elevates morning-after tales for a living.

What I Saw Today is the somewhat self-explanatory blog of designer-illustrator Richard Haines, though this is no ordinary diary. Rather, according to the man himself, it’s “a visual record of cool stuff guys wear…and other things that inspire me.” His daily sketches take various forms, everything from renderings of the men who frequent New York book fairs to doodlings of the women who frequent the front rows at New York’s fashion week (including, notably, Vogue editor Anna Wintour). And he’s available for private commissions too, should you want to capture yourself wearing a certain new spiffy shirt.

The lone female in our pack of blogger-models, Hovey illustrates an important point: you may need to buy yourself multiple shirts from the 1883 line, especially if you have a chic girlfriend with an eye for your favorite button down. On her blog, Hollister casts her gaze on the world of men quite often—posting on a pair of Pearl & Co. boots she scored at a menswear sale here, promoting an English barber there. As she once told the New York Times (yes, she’s that fancy), her blog’s purpose is to “help the classics have a place in this cyber-filled world”—a lofty ambition, and one that jibes quite well with Hamilton’s 1883 initiative.

Martin Marks is a man who knows what he likes. On his blog—Great Books, Half Read—he mentions a fondness for such things as Egyptology, Garbage Pail Kids, and the word arabesque. Over at papermag.com, where he pens a blog called Gentleman of Leisure, he continues to expound on things he favors— everything from New Balance sneakers to his “Tassimo-tron Java-bot” (“That’d be my cappuccino machine, in normal speak,” he explains). So does Hamilton win his approval? Seems so: “I picked up my first Hamilton – a blue button down with a well proportioned collar, and buttons that seemed like they were in it for the long haul [several years ago],” he recalls. “Though I’ve formally retired the phrase ‘sartorial excellence’ from my working fashion vocabulary, Hamilton certainly does fit the bill.”

Mordechai Rubinstein’s blog is dedicated to “following the well heeled man”—though women do make occasional appearances. Consisting of street photos and snapshots of things he sees on his many travels, MISTER MORT is more pictures than text, a sort of flipbook of style. He’s drawn often to vintage pieces, as well as to re-imagined oldies (one post focused on classic duck boots reborn in candy colors). And he’s always on the lookout for new subjects, so don’t be surprised if he approaches you when you’re wearing your Hamilton best.

In 1992, Corey Seymour—then an editorial assistant at Rolling Stone—was assigned to assist writer Hunter S. Thompson. Some crazy times resulted, but also some good stories—many of which are captured in Gonzo: An Oral Biography of Hunter S. Thompson (Back Bay Books), which he penned along with Jann S. Wenner. Now a writer and editor for the GQ Eye, a new blog at GQ.com, Corey concerns himself less with intoxicated genius than he does with intoxicating style. One thing that concerns him is the issue of fit, something Seymour says is no problem with the 1883 line. “Having such workmanship and detailing and fabric selection on a shirt that’s cut for my silhouette, which leans more in the direction of beanstalk than beefcake, is a good time,” he says.

Jack Spencer concerns himself with those things that lie beneath, specifically the construction graffiti—those transitory doodlings and musings of construction workers often painted or plastered over in the finished project—for which his site is named. That’s not to say that he doesn’t find outward appearances compelling, too. “I like to keep the sartorial level of the construction industry high,” he says, referring to his polished throwback look, which at times might even include a suit with braces. How does Hamilton—and specifically the new 1883 line—fit into his aesthetic? According to him, quite well: “When I went to the website and saw all the gingham, I knew I was at the right place!”

According to Paul Underwood, UrbanDaddy is for readers who want to know “what’s next after next.” But just because this blogger is living in the future, don’t think he can’t appreciate a company with a past. “The key word with Hamilton is authenticity,” he says. “I like that the clothes aren’t just made in America, they’re made in Texas.” What’s more, Paul adds, the 1883 line of shirts lend the modern man a certain degree of flexibility. “They’re just versatile—you can wear one with a bolo tie, a repp tie, or no tie at all,” he says. “It just depends on whether you do business in a cubicle farm or an actual farm.”

Max Wastler is a self-described “28-year-old jack-of-all-trades, master of none” interested in “old things made right, new things which owe a lot to those old things, and things with a good story.” Thus, his blog—All Plaidout—extols the virtues of everything from Big Foot 4x4s to natty fedoras, emphasizing quality construction along the way. What’s he like about Hamilton? Plenty: “I like that Hamilton is steeped in tradition but not afraid of the new. I point to the 1883 line as my example. It’s a modern, ready-to-wear shirting line which nods to Hamilton’s history as a world-renowned shirt maker, but appreciates an updated fit and lighter fabric construction.”

Over at A Continuous Lean, blogger Michael Williams is in constant search of things American and manly. It’s a quest that brings him to all corners of the internet (“I’m currently seeking therapy for my Ebay addiction,” he jokes)—as well as to all corners of the country, including a recent jaunt to Maine to watch a cobbler hand stitch together a pair of ruggedly handsome shoes. This is a man who knows good American craftsmanship when he sees it, and his appreciation for detail is keener than most. Of Hamilton’s 1883 line, he says “I like that it’s made in America, of course,” before adding this eagle-eyed appraisal: “The bottom of the shirts are shaped really well, so if you want to wear it un-tucked, it looks good.”

“I’ve never tried to post the latest, greatest thing,” Secret Forts’ James Wilson says of his site’s ethos. “I’m more interested in finding the thing that has been around the block once or twice and still holds up.” As such, Wilson posts on everything from finding the perfect vintage Woolrich tailgater to mixing the perfect Bloody Mary—and is pretty much a ready-made fan of Hamilton. “I think people want well-made, durable goods,” he continues. “Hamilton offers that and has for over a century.”