- “Take Ivy” is with no doubts one quintessential book to read/own perfect for that precise moment of time where you want to advance your sense of self and style mentally, physically and spiritually. As featured here in one of my most popular post to date, Diamond and I dig a step deeper into personal clothing representation…

- Originally published in 1965 by four Japanese style enthusiasts and published here in the U.S. just two years ago, “Take Ivy” remains one of our most memorable books ever read because of its constant primary source of inspiration as it continues to help refine our sartorial identities from yesteryear. Ivy League style and culture represents change, excellence, identity, power, movement and an appreciation of the arts that surpasses our drive to perform and create. Here’s two Ivy inspired looks and two thorough explanations on how/why collegiate style reflects our drive for success, our genuine character and our refusal for pessimism to define our unique journeys.

                                              Campus Representation

“I love such representation on something so simple as a sweatshirt; that was my first taste of college. It wasn’t until I got older to see what Ivy League and “WASP” culture truly was. I didn’t want to just wear Ralph Lauren but I wanted a piece of that lifestyle so badly, just to feel it and understand it beyond popular branding at the time. It wasn’t until I read books like  ”Take Ivy” and “True Prep” that forever changed my perspective on the old adage: “He, the man who wears the clothes own the clothes.”

- Comfort is important to keeping yourself confident when it comes to styling yourself and others. For Diamond, this is barely as casual as he can ever bear to be and that’s completely fine. The term “casual” is so loosely brandished in conversations as people tend to forget the different realms of casualty that exist in different people. What I can define as casualwear is definitely nowhere near Dime’s definition to it and I believe that’s a philosophy these Ivy Leaguers lived by throughout this entire book.

- Club Tie, Collegiate sweater, white Oxford, well-worn slightly distressed denim, patterned socks, pair of aged leather Chelsea boots and a thick canvas duffle bag. Sticking to some of the absolute classics with an authentic balance and clash between ivy inspirations, unique comfort zones and how he chooses to properly represent his well-earned education.

- Hoard those pieces that hold meaning to you. Family heirlooms, extremely vintage items and nostalgic garments deserve to be handed down the generations. These add pride and authenticity to any collection that’s important to everyone regardless of what it may be.

“When you have the personality, that’ll always remain primary while you’re styling will be secondary. Without the blazers, ties, chinos and oxfords, we still are who we are. Two young dudes from Brooklyn who abandoned an old lifestyle of graffiti and gangs to advancing ourselves into fashion bloggers and artists creating our own brand by inspiring others. This is the dream.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                Impact of Color 

- As an artist, color plays such an important role in most things I do. Color is life, color is feeling and knowing hue relationships within clothing is an important step to finding who you are as your own stylist. When I head to campus, I try to avoid trendy pieces or contemporary brands but look towards simple prep items that has transcended decades of trends. It’s more of a mental preparation to work and focus for my future instead of attempting to impress others. Think boat shoes, Cords, Varsity cardigans/Jackets, Ties/Bow Ties, Oxfords etc. that define the classic Americana image in menswear history and add your own twists to them.

- One thing we’ve always talked about was the perception of time, place and feeling when it comes to choosing how to authentically represent yourself. Education is for sure one environment worth thoughts of intricate and considerate styling before you’re on your way. It’s definitely a lifestyle choice worth trying. My advice I live for and that have learned from “Take Ivy”:

1. Dress the way you would want to meet yourself.
2. Impress your professors at all times.
3. Wear your feelings and moods.
4. Don’t let your clothes wear you. Live a little.

- Many underestimate the blessing it is to be apart of a university, college campus or extended education. Coming from the poverty of the Dominican Republic to the violent neighborhoods of Brooklyn, NYC, “Take Ivy” also reminded us of the contrast of who we are as men to these students (clothes aside). Most of these guys were born with silver spoons in their mouths whereas we were lucky enough to have had spoons fed and available to entertain us. There will always be inevitable down’s and low’s in life but maintaining your goals clear and involving yourself in positive productivity will continue to keep us sane and appreciative enough to acknowledge our true purposes here.

- Recommend: Read and analyze “Take Ivy” if you’re interested in learning the history and the influences of the future of menswear. 

Location: Brooklyn College campus.  

Photography by myself (top) and Nicholas Nichols (bottom). All “Take Ivy” images taken from Google. 

Thanks for reading and special thanks to Diamond for participating! Exciting news coming soon. 

Ariel Zorrilla 

- Excited for the future, excited on the projects I’m currently working on and I hope you guys enjoy the new site layout. Please feel free to leave your feedback. Great things coming soon!

Much Love,

Ariel Zorrilla 

“This is my Michael Bastian side. I just wanted to use the denim jacket as an alternative to a blazer. Also, with my post focusing on the purple shirt, I wanted to show how easy it was to incorporate. I love club ties, I feel they have lots of character and can spice up a bland look”.

- “Submit Your Style” is back and this time featuring freelance stylist and South Carolina’s own Desmond Kinlaw. 

- A fellow fashion blogger, father of two children and a happily married man, Desmond enjoys the simple adventures in life that keep him going everyday that effects how he chooses to spend his wise time like reading, drawing and attending polo matches. Desmond holds praise to his main fashion inspirations that range from Ralph Lauren, Michael Bastian, Sid Mashburn, Steve McQueen and a few others. It’s no wonder he was chosen and featured on “Charleston’s 10 Most Stylish” list for the Charleston Magazine this year with even greater plans ahead that include designing, building clientele and hopefully becoming a dominant  sartorial motivator to help others.

Best Pointers- (from top picture) 

• Yellow chinos; ONLY for those brave souls. Great example of what I call “feel good” clothes. Beautiful day? Extremely optimistic? Go bright.
• Club ties are an Ivy league staple. Either invest in a contemporary design, go vintage or ask an elder for older one.
• Know what looks good on your face and find your ideal pair of sunglasses for any occasion whether you’re into to them or not.

Summer Springin’ 

“Occasionally I like to throw on some cutoff chinos and desert boots whenever I’m in the mood. I’m not really sure what sparks the urge but I love to throw in a look like this every once in a while. I love desert boots because I really don’t have to think about where I’m walking. I know the more I beat them up, the better they will look”.

- Madras comes in all sorts of different patterns nowadays. Find which one suits you in a comfortable linen and bring ‘em out on those milder days. More Ivy league inspirations.

- Suede desert boots= Early/Late Spring and early Summer. Leather/Beeswax desert boots= Late Fall/All Winter.

- I hate seeing people throw away clothes so easily. Try mentally cutting and converting them into shorts first and see if it fits your taste in style. If not simply donate them. Please remember someone will always need them…

Location: Summerville, South Carolina.

- You can find more on Desmond’s style and craft only in his blog here.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for Desmond Kinlaw for participating! 

Ariel Zorrilla

- Style and art (in all aspects) truly go hand in hand. It’s one thing to invest your hard-earned on quality pieces that will last the test of time, but as a visual artist, I’m heavily inspired by the avant-garde. Every here and there, try to buy something you wouldn’t regularly wear…

- Vintage shopping with my brother Jav gives me an added opinion I can trust, as he’s usually armed with a stronger eye for those “weird” pieces I wouldn’t regularly pay any attention to. I honestly didn’t know what to call this one. After a few try on’s between us two, mentally eliminating the buttons that were once on it and spending a ton of time analyzing its place in our wardrobes, it was hard to believe we’ve almost missed out on this one! We accepted its oddity and embraced changes like this. Made of 100% acrylic, beautiful analogous colors, diamond patterns, intricate weaves, tiny lapel+collar and 3/4 sleeves. Here’s two ways we rocked our “tacky 90′s carpet cardigan/sweater/shacket”.

“Homemade Belted” Robe Chillin 

- Every once in a while I think it’s great to go for a challenge and buy that unflattering piece you’ve had mixed emotions about for the past 20 minutes of your over-analyzing.  The perfect shopping exercise that works on sharpening wardrobe creativity and forces you think outside your comfort zone into styling yourself as authentic and reflective of who you are as you possibly can with an item so unfamiliar with your tastes.

- Surrounding darker colors enhance unique designs brilliantly. Avoid solid black and try darker hues like midnight navy, shades of forest greens, burgundy and dark browns/oranges.

- Mimic colors within designs. Remember when your sneakers had to match your shirt and fitted cap? Yeah let’s leave that as memories and start repeating subtle colors throughout your “canvas”and start experimenting with colors that flatter your tastes. Much more interesting than monochromatic coordination.

- Tip: A chilly night out with the guys, calls for wearing whatever is appropriate and comfortable and avoid flamboyance. It’s funny when I see other groups of guys that look as if there’s secret competition with each other stylistically. Women do notice who’s trying too hard.

- This knit originally had buttons that we decided to take off and wear sans any way of fastening it for an added challenge. Want a closer fit with a slimmer silhouette, double-breasted effect and a womenswear inspired alternative? Keep it fastened with a solid, slim fabric belt. (In this case a leather belt off a badass vest of mine.)

- Similar to a trench coat approach, tie a sturdy knot, move slightly to the side and enjoy your transformed knit. An awesome technique I’ve seen all over the place on street style posts, magazines, runways and even old gents in Italy.

After School, Laid Back Casual

- Never leave those timeless pieces alone hanging even if your blending a loud item onto your wardrobe. Learning to mix styles with what you already have is one of the characteristics that build young teens into stylish dapper men.

- Too shy to boldly wear that one loud piece that you know will raise mixed comments? Start small and wear in minimal doses (like under most jackets and other knits) and gradually shed layers off until off until you’re ready to wear it on its own with strong poise. Wear your confidence.

- Price: $20. This was such a dope vintage find. There come times where I don’t care if certain items aren’t manufactured by a master retailer, visual interest and natural attraction to clothes play a stronger role on buying it, rather than whether or not I absolutely “need” it in my closet.

- Keep an open mind. Take your time trying on items while you ‘re shopping on all flattering and unflattering pieces you wouldn’t regularly try on but have interest in. Slim fit isn’t always the right fit.

- Recommend: Johnston & Murphy tassel loafers. I’m sporting a brand new pair ordered off Zappos while Jav is sporting these amazing vintage pair scooped up for $10. Classic silhouette, timeless design, quality calfskin leather sole/lining and completely comfortable once fully broken in. Definitely deserves a spot in every man’s rotation.

Thanks for reading, 

Ariel Zorrilla

Khaki Cotton Suit x Versace T. Stay tuned!

- Urban Aesthetics is now on Instagram! 

- I’ve been on Instagram for a few weeks now and I’m already in full support of this amazing photographic social media “app”. Not to mention how quickly this business became so international. Check me out at: ArielofUA.  I’ll feature original UA content on future posts that will/will not make the site, stuff that inspire me and day-to-day insights of my adventures here in NYC.

- Here’s a hint of my recent shots. Follow!

- Downtown, Brooklyn.

- Walking the Brooklyn Bridge.

Thanks for reading and tuning in!

Ariel Zorrilla 

Wool cardigan by Uniqlo, Green oxford shirt by Topman, Denim by H&M, Chukka sneakers/shoes by Nike, Glasses by Versace and Letterman jacket(in hand) by Urban Outfitters.

- Super excited to see that a “Submit Your Style” feature post is back on the blog! This time (about 3,700 miles away) featuring Sindre Viksand from Sandefjord, Norway. 

- Sindre Viksand is a college student currently attending the American College of Norway with studies in Human Rights, Philosophy and Business Communication. Sindre has his eye on moving back to NYC and continuing to pursue his passionate hobby of fashion photography.

Best Pointers

• Lose the tie and try buttoning your collar. It’s definitely a fresh and unexpected twist to wearing your shirts a bit differently. This technique looks best with soft collared shirts and is perfectly unisex for men and women.
• No belt? No problem. Leaving the belt at home can be a very beneficial look only if your jeans or trousers truly fit your waist snug enough not to look sloppy or ill-fitting.
• Check out these awesome navy suede “chukka sneakers” he’s wearing. I think it’s great to see more contemporary brands re-inventing their sneaker designs with classic menswear shoe inspirations. Great alternative if you’re the kind of guy that cannot resist sneaker comfort.

- “ I think I could describe my style as a mix between classic Scandinavian style and Soho-New York style. My grandmother is actually knitting me a classic Norwegian wool sweater right now, that is very similar to the wool sweaters they sell at stores like Topman or Urban Outfitters, but more authentic. The inspiration behind this particular look is simply the Greenwich Village look of the 60′s. I actually saw a similar look in a Bob Dylan documentary”.

Thanks for reading and special thanks to Sindre for participating!

Ariel Zorrilla 

- Winter is gone; Spring is finally here and I’m more than excited to have stepped into April in complete positivity. It’s a shame I wasn’t able to commit to more winter related posts due to the mild weather, but nonetheless here’s what I wore on our last 38°F afternoon for months to come…

- With sophmore year at Brooklyn College almost at its end and slowly pacing myself with the awesome growth of this site, it’s the perfect atmosphere to start a more consistently milder season on the right foot.

- While proper layers will always have an important effect of how you style yourself, here’s one example of how I layer up for winter temperatures with touches of spring-like influences.

- Toggle coats are of my favorites among all outerwear pieces. It has had this classic innovative design since the early twentieth century, always sophisticated and always versatile enough to wear it however you choose to.

- I picked up this beautiful camel Brooks Brothers toggle coat in perfect condition at one of my favorite vintage stores last November. The homie Dan Trepanier beat me to it in an amazing post, styling his strikingly similar toggle coat in five ways you can read here. Great minds really do think alike.

- Toggle coat, knit cardigan, navy short sleeve button-up shirt and cut up shirt I transformed into a tank. Two Fall/Winter pieces combined with two Spring/Summer pieces. It’s a balance technique I use for those odd days of fluctuating weather that can be solved simply be subtracting or adding two layers you already have on.

- I love beanies. Here at home in the projects these “coofies” have been in popular demand since the 2000′s mainlybecause there sold so inexpensively in an abundance of colors. It’s refreshing to see the emergence of “designer” beanies, but a brandless $5-$7 one off of a street vender on St. Marks will forever get my vote.

Stay tuned and thanks for reading,

Ariel Zorrilla

- Critical morning wardrobe decisions should be a balance between what you want to wear and what you need to wear. Which one are you?…

- While temperatures here will only continue to fluctuate, it’s undeniable that weather directly affects how we choose to style ourselves each morning whether it’s the night before or a clutch 20 minute pick.

- Spring and Fall are transition seasons where we experience a balance between whatever “good” and “bad” weather is to you, hence why these are our most popular seasons. People forget that tolerance levels for hot and cold temperatures vary from individual to individual. Wear what you feel is comfortable/weather appropriate and move on without past judgement.

1. Clutch Mornings: Keeping Things Simple

- Half of you readers are on my boat most of the time. Damn near all-nighters usually due to my work put in homework, posts, readings and artwork. In cases like myself where I dream of what to wear to save time in the morning, styling yourself to simply comply with getting through the day is really what’s most important. Throw on your “must-have” pieces.

- Dark denim, solid black long sleeve v-neck T, loose cotton vest, ivy cap and bluchers.  Simple, easy, versatile and weather appropriate. Rolling my sleeves up and going sockless are my main ways to stay cool during our random bursts of mild weather. Perfect way to introduce spring influences into rotation once the option of bare ankles are opened.

- Two vintage finds here: Loose cotton burgundy vest (by Banana Republic) and these beautiful blucher moccs (by L.L. Bean). Total: $35.

2. Night Before: Loud Statements 

- Jav loves wearing loud, statement pieces that are clearly well thought out outfits which are sometimes organized days in advance. Not to say my outfit wasn’t well thought, but the other half of you readers enjoy taking your time problem solving with your wardrobe the night before.

- This debate doesn’t always depend on how well you do styling yourself quickly on the clock or not, but also by how well you adapt everyday.  Those of you who chose “clutch mornings” usually don’t mind daily morning burdens while those who follow the “night before” rule generally have a harder time accepting their alarm keeps ringing.

- The option of the “night before” gives you the time to put together louder statement pieces that may not be the most versatile clothes ever, but are clearly more visually appealing, expressive and decorative than what you would have come up with if you stuck with the classics.

- Three vintage finds here: Lauren by Ralph Lauren safari print button up + denim vest (Lee) + paisley ascot (used as a pocket square). Total: $45.

- Which one do you tend to do?

Thanks for reading, 

Ariel Zorrilla

- $5 XXL duck hunting jacket bought vintage in Downtown, Brooklyn a few weeks ago. Too large for me to ever wear yet too interesting of a pattern to leave on the hanger knowing I can turn this into a simply entertaining project with great benefits…

- Pocket square projects are of my favorites since it helps me sharpen my beginner hand sewing skills and satisfies me with a wearable product that was authentically cut, sewn and worn. My trick is to occasionally shop around for pieces with interesting, “in your face” prints that I can picture on any one of my chest pockets.

- This particular fabric is of a beautifully aged, medium weight canvas. Being that it was a XXL, I have a ton of fabric to work with and even made room to make more than one.

Quick Guide:

1. Start by cutting off all major areas apart (In this case my jacket).

2. Lay your largest slab(s) on your work space and choose wisely where on the fabric you’ll choose to draw your square on.

3. Cut out your square as polished and proportional as possible. Personally, I always use 13″x13″ dimensions.

4. Press the fabric.

5. Start sewing in your hand rolled edges using your color thread of choice.

- Tip:  I’ve done this exact technique on jackets( as seen above), button up shirts, T’s, hoodies and even brand new pairs of inexpensive socks and boxers. As long as their of a (clean) interesting pattern and fabric, anything goes. Definitely a must-try project for you readers.

- Find out what works and what doesn’t work for you. Incorporating trends into my own personal style, in such a small dose like a pocket square, is the easiest technique to use to experiment new elements into your wardrobe without getting too out of character.

- I’m giving away a  few prototypes of this very camo pocket square in a very limited amount coming soon. Please stay tuned for more details!

Thanks for reading, 

Ariel Zorrilla 

- The recent luck me, my brother and a cousin of mines have scored these past two weeks vintage shopping: HUGE. Times don’t have to be going tough for any of us (or any of you readers) to head out and invest. Although we consider ourselves experienced thrifters, you truly don’t need much experience to find authentic and stylish pieces you can incorporate into your wardrobe. 

- Willingness to experiment with new styles, an open mind into broadening your sartorial horizons and a strong desire to save money while earning big is all it really takes. This is basically part one of an upcoming sequel of “vintage finds” posts that will show a more in-depth look of all the other items we’ve picked up to begin this year’s fast paced Spring transition. This is also just the beginning of more frequent duet posts with my brother simply due to the fact that, if you read his first featured post here, Javier is just as style forward as I am.

* Burgundy Varsity Jacket

- Vintage stores are fantastic places to find inexpensive varsity jackets. Made of 80% recycled wool, rich wine color, soft ribbed knit striped collar, snap plackets, angled welt front pockets, smooth texture and two branded names. All the basic principles that make this such a beautiful outerwear item to own.

- Also known as “letterman” or “baseball” jackets, it’s one of those items I’ve always wanted to own since I was a kid. Channeling my passionate baseball days and my increased interest in sportswear. Proper fit is extremely important here. Avoid stiff, boxy sleeves or ill fits that are loose enough to negatively alter body proportions.

- My brother has had a major influence on my eye for burgundy colored clothing as it’s his favorite. Since then, we’ve stocked up on more vibrant colored pieces that were usually out of our comfort zone until recently.

- The smooth wool is sturdy enough to host any pins/brooches to further accessorize any outfits. Although there isn’t much variations you can do to a jacket with no chest pockets, but accessorizing all comes up to whatever patches you may choose to stitch on it.

- Although this jacket is branded with the names “Matt” on the front and “Curtis” on the back, I don’t think this takes anything away from its design at all. This can go either way depending on the amount of details embedded on the varsity. Some might think its weird or inauthentic but I think it’s fresh and minimalistic.

- Price: $30. Easy.

* Camo Fatigue Jacket

- Aside from the small army supply stores you can find here in NYC, online stores and certain eBay accounts, vintage thrift stores are the absolute best places to cop yourself an inexpensive and authentic fatigue jacket with some history behind them.

- Literally racks and racks of camo jackets can be found in a variety of sizes, thickness of fabrics, and different amounts of earned patches/badge’s branded on chest pockets and shoulders as well.

- Proper fit is, again, very important when it comes to vintage shopping. This “rule” doesn’t always apply of course, but sizing yourself down one is usually the wise route to take. As always, make sure to read any sizing and content/care labels that may still be attached to the garment.

- These fatigue jackets run large and even wearing this Small-Short, it still makes this a roomy jacket and it’s exactly the kind of fit we were looking to score for in the first place. Just enough room to dominate any outerwear collection when it comes to comfort, a strong rugged/aged look and feel, and most important (in functional terms) a lightweight go-to jacket for those milder days.

- Awesome combination of symbolism with the American flag knit sweater and the camo print jacket. Great example of a handy layering piece that’s unique in many ways. Although Jav didn’t intentionally style himself for any specific purposes, it is certainly not his intention to offend anyone. We wear anything we personally enjoy visually on ourselves regardless of any contemporary trends, what’s supposedly popular on Tumblr or if it may portray current “hypebeast” influences. Who the f*ck cares. Wear what you like and wear it your own way for successful styling. That’s always the point.

- Perfectly acceptable jacket to easily transition into workwear with a quick change of clothes and attitude into getting a little dirty.

- Just because our styles lean more towards extreme casualwear and major urban influences, this does not nearly define our horizons/knowledge of menswear classics and its importance of incorporating it  into our daily wardrobe. There’s a time and place for everything, especially with what you choose to wear and where you’re headed. A relaxed weekend filled with vintage shopping and photo sessions? No where near as serious as an interview with a major retailer. Get to know how to juggle lifestyles.

- Braces over belts? Probably 20% of the time for me and worn roughly 70% of the time for Jav.

- Price: $7. Way too easy.

- Pin Love.

- More exciting posts in the works!

Thanks for reading, 

Ariel Zorrilla