Lately, whenever I get a new product or place to try out. My immediate thought is: what would Don Draper do? Would he drink this/wear this/go here? It just happens, I can not help myself. Thus, all my product reviews include Don’s opinion.

Bisha – Hotel & Residences

Suddenly, I am a secret spy – please call me: agent J. I received a black envelope with a black velvet pouch containing a USB key. It was a little dramatic to say the least, yet hard not to get wrapped up in this magical world. The video is enough to leave me wondering if this older version of computerized Jacob exists. In any case, I failed to get many details of this new hotel & residence opening up in Toronto since I was too mesmerized by all the amazing pictures and of course the video.

Would Don Draper stay here? Hmmm, perhaps in his fur selling days, but he probably wouldn’t be able to afford it. The older Don is more of a Ritz kind of guy, this might be too fabulous for him.

BANG by Marc Jacobs

Straight from the lab and right to my nose. My initial impression was live on twitter:

rec’d sample of BANG by Marc Jacobs -wow smells like an over marinated steak bbqed in the wilderness -sure id want my man to smell like that

When they said straight from the lab, they meant it. After a few days of airing it out and letting it sit – it now smells a lot different from the bottle and on the skin.

If a man could be a flower than it would smell like BANG. But, this is not for any weak boy - this is a mature smell; strong and has lots of undertones of licorice, pepper and earth. It can be quite subjective as different people smell different things and skin complicates the smell further. Needless to say, 1 male opinion voted it off the island.

Would Don Draper wear this? Yes, I do believe he would, although I am not sure Betty would approve; perhaps Sally would!

Proof Whiskey

I was invited to a whiskey tasting of this new alcohol called “Proof”. I thought the bottle was ingenious – at 500 ml, its not a tacky mickey and at 20 bucks, its affordable. Here was my live twitter first impression:

The bottle is like one of those lab bottles from biology class – yummy though

It definitely has a biology-retro spin to it – perfect for all demographics. The bartenders mixed up four fantastic drinks with ample alcohol included. I liked the fact that the drink was smooth and there was no burning or bitterness.

Would Don Draper drink this? A thousand times yes!!!  

I suppose I can’t necessarily call this a men’s accessory, but let’s face it – men worked first – so historically, they had business cards first. But yes, this post is for everyone!

Business cards are a reflection of your brand, whether it be personal or the company you represent. In any case, it should have a professional looking “home” to keep them crisp and ready to hand out. Keep your cards in a gold, silver or leather slim case. The use of money clips or vintage cigarette cases make for great business card holders and also conversation peices. You can also get brand name cases with impressive silver opening brackets or even magnets. I believe its definitely a must in your accessory armour, for both men and women.

 Where do you keep your business cards? Do you have a designated business card holder?

If you have read my Intermediate Guide to Men’s Accessories then you may have noticed my spiel on the mathematics of tie widths. Although, I was strict in my decision that large chested men can not wear skinny ties, I must say that now I am okay with it. What changed my mind? Well, Don Draper did. (Need I say more?)

Ties are interesting decorative peices that are symbols of authority or atleast of white collar cubicle drudgery. I am unsure as to how my male counterparts are able to wear such a restricting peice of clothing on a daily basis. All I can say is that I am happy that the female death trap  of 4 inch heels is optional (and not really work appropriate – phew!)

It really does pull together a crisp shirt and sleek suit though – what a predicament!

When tie shopping, don’t be discouraged if on first inspection, said tie appears to be coming undone from the back. This is actually a good thing! Ties are made to bend and knot without falling apart or having permanent creases; the machine stiches are not made too tightly. Furthermore, the spongey interlining is what allows this flexibility.

Ties come in all shapes, sizes, fabrics and colours. There is no right or wrong way to go – just keep it toned down at work. When in doubt, blue stripes is key.

Currently, there is a bit of a 60’s vibe in ties – skinny, earthy coloured and/or checkered. Check out your grandfather’s ties or vintage stores to get a more authentic look. You may also find bowties all the rage – I would suggest getting one that clips in the back (no one will know!)

I know what you’re thinking: where can I buy these glasses? Perhaps from your grandfather hidden in his tweed blazer.

Nowadays, its cool to wear glasses regardless of if you have a visual impediment. These glasses claim to have UV protection in liu of nearsight or farsight enhancement. Anyone can wear them. Try on a pair; suddenly you have a ClarkKent/Nerd/MadMen persona. Who doesn’t want to be that?

Glasses – Le Chateau – Men

3 Peice suit and shirt – Savillian

Tie – Hugo Boss

Pocket Square – Harry Rosen

For our advertising in Kismet Magazine, we decided to do a Mad Men theme. What really made the theme work were the accessories and props. Stay tuned for the complete ad coming out in September.

The Savillian team (Jessie and I) are not really into brands, yet our two favourite accessories are brand names!

Jessie – Burberry Cufflinks and Tie Clip

“Anytime I have a chance to wear it, I will wear it; and it comes in a cool box.”

Jas – vintage Christian Dior Silk Tie

“I love vintage, they don’t make it like they used to.”

What is your favourite male accessory? Do you have an awesome collection? Let me know, I would love to feature you on my blog!

Like most accessories, I share my sunglasses collection with my brother. Thankfully, he rarely sports a pair. Don’t be fooled or limit yourself with marketing tactics of “masculine” or “feminine” glasses, its not underwear. Try on all styles and see which one suits you best; always get a second opinion.

Wayfarer – straight top with round frame – the ones in the picture don’t portray the exact shape as they are longer in the frame, but are based on the wayfarer foundation. Good for a round face.

Sunglasses Hut – Versace – grey tint, doesn’t really block much sun – worn mostly for fashion and overcast days.

Aviator – scientifically based on your eye shape as they were made for the US military. Good for a triangular face.

H&M – grey tint. These are my current go-to glasses – worn with everything and anywhere.

Wraparounds – like the name suggests: the glasses wrap around your face, covering most of your eyebrows and side burns. Good for an oval face.

Sunglasses Hut – Prada – brown tint. Currently worn only when I am unable to locate the aviators or while playing sports.

Ah jewelry – in the past few  years, we have seen a revolution with male endornments -meaning men have blatantly broken all the rules surrounding the amount of jewelry that is “appropriate” to be seen wearing.

Traditionally, men’s jewelry has stopped at a watch and a plain wedding band. “Keep it simple” and understated are the mantras of most literature… how unfortunate!

Male jewelry is the epitome of what all jewelry should resemble – chunky, intricate, industrial, meaningful, and strong. Why not wear a few bracelets, rings, and chains? All you need is confidence.

Of course, in a professional environment it is not appropriate to over-accessorize or go too overboard for both men and women for obvious reasons.

Jewelry is directly related to how you express yourself atleast in your free time!

Do you have a cool peice of jewelry that you wear?

Stay tuned for places to buy cool jewelry and interviews with cool jewelry guys.

Given the fact that every Toronto blogger was present at the Courvoisier tasting last night, I thought it best to just take pictures of the stylish individuals in attendance on the 18th floor rooftop of the Park Hyatt Hotel. Also, I thought to  leave it to the expert bloggers to talk about the borderline silly yet eventful time we all had.

My one take away from the event was that Courvoiser (cognac) is to brandy as champagne is to sparkling wine – yes, folks this is the good stuff. It still has a distinct brandy taste, but can certainly be sweetened up with triple sec or spiced up with chilly flakes. It’s definitely a modern day Mad Men drink for anyone to enjoy.

Thanks for the invite Matchstick and Courvoisier Canada!

@frshlyedumen – SharadM -  always rockin it – how could I miss him wearing a brightly striped pink shirt – chambray or linen/cotton mix? Great for summer!

David – wine consultant – I liked his mix of greys and whites – definitely caught my eye

@teaemporium – Owner – Loved the free flowing linen white shirt with colourful heels and a bright red clutch (she chose to hide behind her back).

@crystalgibson – AUXTV community manager – loved the juxtaposition of soft chiffon and feathers with leather, straps and studs

Every Monday – Jessie will be taking over the blog to discuss his personal wedding planning struggles and successes from a male prospective.

I wrote about picking a photographer, and engagement outfits – here are the results – (these two are our favourites). Photos taken at the Distillery District and the Guild Inn by Adam Andrews Photography.