Style Share: December 2013

It's been awhile since I've done a Style Share, I admit. With the holidays right around the corner, I figure there isn't a better time to fire one up. If you haven't heard of this thing before, the gist is that I give away items of clothing and the only thing I ask is that the recipient of said free* item email me back a photo or two of them wearing it for a follow-up post on this site (I'll give you credit for the photo and even link your blog if you have one).

This month, I've got five different ties from five different makers, all in fairly distinct styles (some of them more suitable for winter than others). I'm sending out the first three items claimed, so let's do this!

Vintage Bass tie in a nice black watch plaid. 100% cotton and great for holiday parties or anything else.

Brooks Brothers burgundy / orange / blue striped tie. Winter with a wink towards spring.

Vintage Jos A. Bank regimental. JAB gets a back knock, but their vintage ties hold up against the venerable Brooks Brothers any day.

Lands' End Charter Collection in wool and silk. Really, really lovely and I'm close to keeping this one.

Liberty of London repp stripe with a slightly unique color combination.

As usual, claim your item in the comments, then email me through the address listed on the site. It's pretty darn easy and I'll get back to you fairly quickly.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but if you see something you like that doesn't get claimed and you want to trade/purchase it, just email me. I've actually traded for a few items in the past and frankly it's nearly just as fun for me.

*Seriously, it's free, and yours to keep forever. No strings attached. I won't share your name on the site or with anyone else unless you have a blog of your own that you want me to link. Please note that all clothing will be used (but certainly not stained, smelly, or damaged, as I do have standards), so please only agree to participate if this sort of thing doesn't gross you out. Thanks!

Style Share: March

I said I'd be back this month, and here I am. By doing Style Share a little less often, I think I'll be able to offer up even better items, and I think that holds true here. Haven't heard of this before? Well, basically I give away items of clothing and the only thing I ask is that the recipient of said free* item email me back a photo or two of them wearing it for a follow-up post on this site (I'll give you credit for the photo and even link your blog if you have one).

This month, I'm going to welcome in spring with open arms with four great ties and hold onto the cool weather with one great tweed hat. I'm sending out the first three items claimed, so let's do this!

I just missed St. Patrick's Day, but frankly this Brooks Brothers tie should sail clear through summer. Nice greens and blues without being too crazy.

Beautiful navy Brooks Brothers tie with a flower motif. Spring. Easter. Summer. Everything. Wear it with a dark suit and play things down a bit, it goes with anything.

Another Brooks Brothers tie, this one in a nice foulard print. At this point, you're probably wondering why I don't just sell these things on ebay. The answer is that I really like my readers. Again, this one can go with so much and leaves your pocket square options wide open and bright.

If the above weren't enough, how about a mega vintage Robert Talbott madras tie? Cream and faint pinks and blues. Linen suits, white bucks, the whole nine yards. Claim it before I keep it.

The wind was still whistling here today, and probably will be for a couple weeks yet. Size small. True measured circumference of 21.5". I have a hat like this I wear incessantly and it's great.

As usual, claim your item in the comments, then email me through the address listed on the site. It's really that simple.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but if you see something you like that doesn't get claimed and you want to trade/purchase it, just email me. I've actually traded for a few items in the past and frankly it's nearly just as fun for me.

*Seriously, it's free, and yours to keep forever. No strings attached. I won't share your name on the site or with anyone else unless you have a blog of your own that you want me to link. Please note that all clothing will be used (but certainly not stained, smelly, or damaged, as I do have standards), so please only agree to participate if this sort of thing doesn't gross you out. Thanks!

Style Share: December

Sheesh. What a year / month / week (pick one or all of the aforementioned). I sincerely hope that you and yours are well and that you're able to spend some quality time with the ones you love over the course of the next couple weeks. If nothing else, remind the people in your life that you love them every chance you get.

It's been awhile since I've done a Style Share, so even if you're a new follower to the blog, fortunately the rules are quite simple; I offer up some items of clothing and the only thing I ask is that the recipient of said free* item email me back a photo or two of them wearing it for a follow-up post on this site (I'll give you credit for the photo and even link your blog if you have one).

This month it's all about ties, and each one has sort of a winter / holiday theme. I'm sending out the first four claimed, so have at it.

Vintage Brooks Brothers Santa Claus emblematic tie. Not really much more to say other than that it's a classic.

Yellow ski jumpers emblematic tie on navy silk. Awesome as well.

Lands' End green candy cane / mistletoe colored tie.

Semi-wide Pendleton tartan tie in the colors of the season.

Wool / silk knit with another skier motif. I think it's going to snow here soon, and I hope it does in your area as well (once you reach your intended location).

No-label made in Italy beauty with small black dots on juicy red. No problem going year-round with this.

As usual, claim your item in the comments, then email me through the address listed on the site. It's really that simple.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but if you see something you like that doesn't get claimed and you want to trade/purchase it, just email me. I've actually traded for a few items in the past and frankly it's nearly just as fun for me.

*Seriously, it's free, and yours to keep forever. No strings attached. I won't share your name on the site or with anyone else unless you have a blog of your own that you want me to link. Please note that all clothing will be used (but certainly not stained, smelly, or damaged, as I do have standards), so please only agree to participate if this sort of thing doesn't gross you out. Thanks!

Style Share June

Hey there.

It's been awhile, but I plan to post more regularly in the future, and I figured what better way to make a return than with a new episode of Style Share. If you're new to the site, please read some older entries in this series, but if you're a regular you know the routine. This is the part of the show where I offer up some items of clothing and the only thing I ask is that the recipient of said free* item email me back a photo or two of them wearing it for a follow-up post on this site (I'll give you credit for the photo and even link your blog if you have one). First two items claimed will be sent out. This month, it's all about the vintage cufflinks.

Crests, crowns, and dots. Not sure if there's significance in the motif here, but there are some neat links.

Simple, yet nice deco style with a matching tie clip. Bonus!

Square frame links with rhinestone-tinged triangles. For when you're feeling the bling.

Gold tone horse with bridle. Awesome.

Thick silver tone two-tone brushed and matte deco style.

Best of the bunch? Brass hunting dog heads over mother-of-pearl inlay? I might quiz you on your hunting safety guidelines if you choose these, just to make sure you're worthy. :)

As usual, claim your item in the comments, then email me through the address listed on the site. It's really that simple.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but if you see something you like that doesn't get claimed and you want to trade/purchase it, just email me. I've actually traded for a few items in the past and frankly it's nearly just as fun for me.

*Seriously, it's free, and yours to keep forever. No strings attached. I won't share your name on the site or with anyone else unless you have a blog of your own that you want me to link. Please note that all clothing will be used (but certainly not stained, smelly, or damaged, as I do have standards), so please only agree to participate if this sort of thing doesn't gross you out. Thanks!

Style Share February

If you're new to the site, please read some older entries in this series, but if you're a regular you know the routine. This is the part of the show where I offer up some items of clothing and the only thing I ask is that the recipient of said free* item email me back a photo or two of them wearing it for a follow-up post on this site (I'll give you credit for the photo and even link your blog if you have one). As with the past couple entries, there are a couple hold-overs and a few fresh items. First two items claimed will be sent out.

Super solid staple Lands' End tie in silver/brown, navy and red.

Not sure of the maker on this, but it's a very pretty red silk tie with black dots. Made in Italy, it has sharp colors and a light drape.

Really lovely Brooks Brothers repp stripe in white, black, and purple(!) Everyone needs more purple, right?

Altea woven silk tie in absolutely gorgeous colors. Might work better in spring, but this will give you a jump start.

As usual, claim your item in the comments, then email me through the address listed on the site. Yes, it's that simple.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but if you see something you like that doesn't get claimed and you want to trade/purchase it, just email me. I've actually traded for a few items in the past and that works for me too.

*Seriously, it's free, and yours to keep forever. No strings attached. I won't share your name on the site or with anyone else unless you have a blog of your own that you want me to link. Please note that all clothing will be used (but certainly not stained, smelly, or damaged, as I do have standards), so please only agree to participate if this sort of thing doesn't gross you out. Thanks!

Style Share: January

If you've been following this blog for any amount of time, you know the routine with Style Share. I offer up some items of clothing and the only thing I ask is that the recipient of said free* item email me back a photo or two of them wearing it for a follow-up post on this site (I'll give you credit for the photo and even link your blog if you have one). There are a few hold-overs and a few newly-offered items. First two items claimed will be sent out.

Really classic-looking Lands' End tie in silver/brown, navy and red.

Pendleton newsboy tweed hat in size large. If this fit me, I would be keeping it for sure. I'm guessing this would best fit a size 6 3/4" to size 7 1/4" or so noggin.

Vintage 50% wool / 50% cotton tartan tie made for Brandeis in the UK. Really lovely in an eye-popping tartan and a fabric mix that gives it a nice heft for fall or winter.

Nice wool trenker (or Tyrolean hat, as Guiseppe, who can show you how to pull this off, refers to it) hat in dark gray wool with a dark green band. I've tried to wear this out of the house about 10 times, but I've been thwarted every time. Someone please take this off my hands and rock it.

Lastly, a very pretty red silk tie with black dots. Made in Italy, this one doesn't feature any other distinguishing tags, but it's very sharp and pops nice in these cold months.

As usual, claim your item in the comments, then email me through the address listed on the site. It's really that simple.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but if you see something you like that doesn't get claimed and you want to trade/purchase it, just email me. I've actually traded for a few items in the past and frankly it's nearly just as fun for me.

*Seriously, it's free, and yours to keep forever. No strings attached. I won't share your name on the site or with anyone else unless you have a blog of your own that you want me to link. Please note that all clothing will be used (but certainly not stained, smelly, or damaged, as I do have standards), so please only agree to participate if this sort of thing doesn't gross you out. Thanks!

Style Share: An Assessment

It was just over a year ago that I came up with the idea for Style Share on a whim after going to an estate sale and finding an abundance of treasures, many of which I didn't end up purchasing (and somewhat regretted later). I had lots of different reasons for starting the project, some of which I'll discuss below, as I reflect a bit on the past year of giving stuff away.

My first reason for starting the project was a philanthropic one; I wanted to spread the joy a bit. At the time I came up with the idea, it seemed like I was stumbling upon trove after trove of great stuff, and while there have been months where I've had a hard time coming up with items to give away, most of the time I've found enough great stuff to both add to my own collection and hopefully add interesting items to the collections of others at the same time.

The numbers break down as such:

• Number of Style Shares: 11
• Number of items given away: 34 (30 ties, 2 shirts, and 2 hats)
• Number of returns: 19

Despite an initial desire to open a shop with some of my extra items, I eventually settled on the free idea for a couple reasons. One is simply because nobody else was doing it. A good portion of style blogs on the internet have associated shops (which is nothing against them, as I still may do one), but I wanted to see what the act of giving something away would prompt.

At the same time, for somewhat selfish reasons, I knew that it would be a lot harder for me to generate content on a regular basis with having a child come into my life this past year. In that regard, Style Share was my way of bringing in some crowd-sourced original content for the site when I didn't have my own time to keep it updated regularly. I figured it was sort of a win-win situation. I got content (and in the case of a couple gents who run their own style blogs, so did they), and the recipient got something small out of the deal.

So, what have I learned from it all?

When I first started, I figured that the return percentage (which is at roughly 56% right now) would be a little bit higher, but I guess I can't argue too much with over 50%. People get busy and I know as well as anyone that sometimes it's just kind of hard to stop for a moment to get a decent picture. Frankly, it's not much out of my pocket, and I'm not going to sweat it. All told, the 11 giveaways have probably cost me a couple hundred dollars or so, which . Then again, I've found things like this couch for probably 1/20th (or less) their actual value, so I can't really get too mad.

As always, thanks to everyone who has played along so far. Look for another entry to hit the streets in the next couple days or so...

Style Share: December

I'm trying something slightly different this month with Style Share, and I've arrived at this idea after reading comments from some regulars on the site. For the first week after posting (up until Dec. 28th), the items in this months entry will only be available to those who have commented on this site under posts other than Style Share. So, if you've commented on different entries in the past (I'm thinking of folks like Mr. Readerston, JH078, JKG, YankeeWhiskeyPapa, MarcoBerlin, and others) but haven't been quite quick enough on the draw, this one goes out to you...

As with other entries, the only thing I ask is that the recipient of said item of free* clothing email me back a photo or two of them wearing it for a follow-up post on this site. First three items claimed will be sent out.

Unclaimed from last month, this lovely tartan tie features some great colors. Goes with just about anything.

Lands' End tie in silver/brown, navy and red. Wintry mix.

Liberty of London paisley in amazing colors. Might be madder. Either way, it's gorgeous.

Pendleton newsboy tweed hat in size large. If this fit me, I would be keeping it for sure.

One of the coolest hats I've seen in the past year. Vintage two-tone driving cap in gray-flecked tweed and black cotton velveteen. Insane.

Best for last? If this chocolate corduroy Dunn & Co jacket fits you, you should be able to slay the town. Side-vented. I think it's a 42l, but check following measurements to make sure it fits you. Shoulders (seam to seam across back): 18"; Sleeves (outseam): 25.5"; Chest (armpit to armpit across front): 20.5"; Length (base of collar to bottom): 31"

As usual, claim your item in the comments, then email me through the address listed on the site.

*Seriously, it's free, and yours to keep forever. No strings attached. I won't share your name on the site or with anyone else unless you have a blog of your own that you want me to link. Please note that all clothing will be used (but certainly not stained, smelly, or damaged, as I do have standards), so please only agree to participate if this sort of thing doesn't gross you out. Thanks!

Style Share: November

A huge, special shout out to my good friend Ryan, who donated the rad tartan ties below to Style Share for this month. He had a surplus and decided to spread the love. How's that for getting into the spirit?

As always, the only thing I ask is that the recipient of said item of free* clothing email me back a photo or two of them wearing it for a follow-up post on this site. First three ties claimed will be sent out.

Brooks Brothers tie a nice navy / baby blue / cream pattern. Play it up, play it down.

Polo tie in emerald and off-white. Kind of a slubby, rough silk and perfect for fall. Goes just as well with a suit, a loden coat, or a Barbour. Versatile.

Lovely tartan in red, blue, and dark green with a hint of gold. Straight-up lovely and perfect for the holiday seasons.

Another tartan tie in somewhat similar colors, maybe just a little more understated. Goes with just about anything.

Tie Rack Tie for Leonardo Strelli in a lovely, repeating inverted flower motif. Kinda deco, classy, and playful all in one.

As usual, claim your item in the comments, then email me through the address listed on the site. Happy hunting.

*Seriously, it's free, and yours to keep forever. No strings attached. I won't share your name on the site or with anyone else unless you have a blog of your own that you want me to link. Please note that all clothing will be used (but certainly not stained, smelly, or damaged, as I do have standards), so please only agree to participate if this sort of thing doesn't gross you out. Thanks!

Style Share - October

Hey, it's everyone's favorite time of the month! Although you may have thought I'd discontinued it, Style Share is here and not going anywhere (for now at least). As always, the only thing I ask is that the recipient of said item of free* clothing email me back a photo or two of them wearing it for a follow-up post on this site. First three ties claimed will be sent out.

Vintage Brooks Brothers with a great, softened geometric print, amazingly unclaimed from last month. Cream, teal and purple coloring to jut at a right angle from too conservative.

Yet another Brooks Brothers unclaimed from last month, this one is in perfect fall colors. Burgundy, gold, and green; what could be better?

Vintage Robert Talbott tie in burgundy with an embroidered duck motif. I know that duck hunting season started last month in a lot of states in our fair country, but it's not too late to own this one.

Pendleton tie in super thick wool in deep, dark fall colors. Pair it with a tweed, pair it with a dark suit or wear it with jeans, it will work with just about anything.

As always, claim your item in the comments, then shoot me an email to let me know your address so I can get you your tie.

*Seriously, it's free, and yours to keep forever. No strings attached. I won't share your name on the site or with anyone else unless you have a blog of your own that you want me to link. Please note that all clothing will be used (but certainly not stained, smelly, or damaged, as I do have standards), so please only agree to participate if this sort of thing doesn't gross you out. Thanks!

Style Share - September

If you've been following this blog for more than a month, you know the routine. If not, please peruse some previous entries to get an idea what this is about. As always, the only thing I ask is that the recipient of said item of free* clothing email me back a photo or two of them wearing it for a follow-up post on this site. First three ties claimed will be sent out.

Enough of my blabbing, onward to the goods!

Dark brown Brooks Brothers with white diagonal grid. Simple and solid. Somehow unclaimed from last month. Offering it up one more time.

Birds and berries motif on a beautiful Bernard Weatherill House of Windsor tie.

Vintage Brooks Brothers with a great, softened geometric print. Cream, teal and purple coloring to jut at a right angle from too conservative.

Classic Polo Ralph Lauren horsey motif tie. This one has more than a hint of purple in it (the picture probably doesn't properly show this), and it's great.

Another Brooks Brothers, this on in a seriously classic color scheme that's perfect for fall colors. Burgundy, gold, and green; what could be better?

As always, claim your item in the comments, then shoot me an email to let me know your address so I can get you your tie.

*Seriously, it's free, and yours to keep forever. No strings attached. I won't share your name on the site or with anyone else unless you have a blog of your own that you want me to link. Please note that all clothing will be used (but certainly not stained, smelly, or damaged, as I do have standards), so please only agree to participate if this sort of thing doesn't gross you out. Thanks!