Lapel Charm

Today, the editors at GiltManual wrote a brief piece called "DETAIL OF THE DAY: LAPEL SWAG." We absolutely love how they refer to lapel accessories as "swag." While the piece was brief, it gets us excited to see attention drawn to accessorizing the lapel.

One could argue that the lapel is the most crucial part of a jacket's personality. Whether notched, peak or shawl, that folded flap of cloth is the eye of your blazer. Much like captivating baby blues, a peak lapel draws immediate attention. Similarly, an oversized Tom Ford lapel speaks volumes.

As powerful as these folded edges are alone, we always love to see the way Europeans take accessorizing the lapel to the next level. Whether flipping up the collar or sticking a fresh flower into the button hole, they put the "swag" back into the lapel.

Simply put, this motivated us to reintroduce a timeless staple - the boutonniere, with modern-day style and function. Made of soft mercerized cotton fibers, the h+A lapel flower is secured through the buttonhole of the lapel with an elegant shell button. You can find it in a variety of colors this September at hookandalbert.com.

Details, Details, Details....

If you have not figured it out already, hook + ALBERT is all about the details. Since the "little" things excite us, we felt compelled to write about the above picture, courtesy of one of our favorite sites, STREETFSN.

While some may consider the above look to be "extreme," it is the perfect example of how the small things make a big difference. Starting with the green buttons on his shirt, this pop in color connects seamlessly with the green chinos. Furthermore, look closely at the small stitched buttonholes on the shirt - yup, they are red, connecting the pant logo (also red) back to the shirt. 

And now for the belt....he decided to go with a red and blue woven piece, drawing the red in from both the shirt and pants. The blue on the belt compliments the color on his blazer. 

Photographs like this inspire our design team every day. It is quite simple...let the little details tell your story. 

What was in the box?

"Whereas hosiery has long fulfilled its hygienic responsibility as a guardian of the ankle, it took some time before it could develop into its secondary role as a harmonizer of apparel. The sophisticated man of the 1930's was accustomed to coordinating his headgear with his footwear. With this precedent in place, why couldn't hosiery's varied colors and patterns also promote harmony between different sectors of an outfit? When neckwear motifs such as polka dots, stripes, and Spitalsfield neats began to appear in fine-gauge wool dress hosiery, men were further inspired to take full advantage of this accessory's increasing potential to enhance the entire ensemble." Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion - Alan Flusser

hook + ALBERT applied the best attributes of current sock construction and manufacturing techniques to our innovative new sock line. As many socks on the market have only one or two great qualities, our goal is to put all of those disparate qualities, along with our user-based improvements, into one package. The result is "man's most comfortable dress sock." Available to you this September.

Big things come in small packages.

What is cooler than holding your wildest dreams in your hands. Today, courtesy of DHL, we are able to do just that.

For 6 months and counting, we have been working hard to bring our idea for "man's most comfortable dress sock" to life. As I write this post, I am sitting amidst our FW '11 hook + ALBERT sock collection. From solids to stripes, fit to functionality, we have officially nailed it!

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be giving you a sneak peak at the collection. We would love to hear your favorites.

Simply leave a comment on the blog or write to us on facebook....facebook.com/hookandalbert

A More Suitable You - wsj.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303406104576443834099943902.html?mod=WSJEUROPE_hpp_editorsPicks_2

In today's wsj, Ray Smith wrote a phenomenal article titled "A More Suitable You." The article really speaks to the hook + ALBERT philosophy, that personalized style comes from the details. Ray says, "for the man who wants to stand out, but not stick out, there are ways both subtle and bold to inject personality into a suit-and-tie look without prompting gawks from the office peanut gallery."

Ray goes on to talk about "little flashes" of personalized style in the forms of bracelets, watches, customized belts, pocket squares, etc.  With our upcoming line launching this September, we are thrilled that accessories are getting the attention they deserve.

In our last blog post, we spoke about preparing for a wedding using hook + ALBERT colored shoelaces and lapel flowers to create personalization. It was the little details that truly got people talking, and the accessories were a huge hit last Saturday night. Whether it is hook + ALBERT's accessories or not, we encourage you to have fun with the details and be prepared for the uptick in compliments.

Read the full article and let us know your thoughts (link above)!

Wedding Night Out

What is your favorite part of attending a friends wedding? Is it the ceremony, the cocktail hour, the main meal, the flow of free alcohol throughout the evening? At hook + ALBERT, our favorite part is getting dressed!

Here is tonight's situation: it is a Saturday night affair, not formal. I am going to roll with a navy suit, black shoes, white shirt, solid gray knit tie (h+A prototype). To most, they would be set and ready to go. But not I...time for some fun details.

For tonight's occasion, I am throwing in a pair of blue hook + ALBERT shoelaces and matching it with a blue lapel flower. These subtle hints of detail is what we are about.

Have fun, and don't be afraid.

The Name: hook + ALBERT

While we hinted to our brand in the earlier post, here is a detailed look into the name: hook + ALBERT.

From it's inception in the 16th century, the pocket watch was a gentleman's most treasured and luxurious accessory. Because the watch itself was kept in the breast pocket and out of sight, the wearer was only able to bring it to life through use of the chain (known as an "Albert") and hook (attaching the Albert to the buttonhole).

Much like the hook and Albert brought the pocket watch to life in the 16th through 19th centuries, hook + ALBERT is all about bringing today's accessories to life.

The Story

A lot of people ask us how hook + ALBERT was formed. Here is our story....

The Scene...The red afterglow of a long summer night sets the backdrop for the black-tie wedding of two friends in Haringe Slott (Castle), Sweden.

The Players... 
One hundred family members and friends gather for a reception under the stars with red-carpet-ready outfits - the men in tailored tuxedos; the women vamping in floor-length formal gowns. And in the crowd, co-founders Adam Schoenberg + Cory Rosenberg.

The Look...
Standing out from the standard-issue duds on display are Adam's wildly striped socks and Cory's bold pink socks. They're the night's conversation pieces, and ultimately what reconnect these old friends.

The Discussion...
Adam + Cory vent their frustrations with the sock market and realize that it's over-saturated, yet underserved. Brands don't pay attention to what they want: fit, function and fashion.

The Realization...
Their private conversation becomes a group discussion. When it came down to it, the majority of guys there had problems when it came to not only that crucial ankle accessory, but all accessories. Furthermore, no one even knew what sock brands they purchased! And when asked what brand is their "go-to" brand for accessories in general, again crickets.

The Launch...
Realizing this opportunity to fill a hole in the market, Cory and Adam fly back to the States on a mission to launch an accessories line that finally puts a brand name behind fit, function and fashion. They name the company after the distinguishing details - the albert (chain) and hook - of vintage pocket watches, and vow to breathe life back into contemporary accessories, beginning with the same accessory that brought them together: the dress sock