Thursday Tips: How to Pick the Right Fabric for Your Suit

We love a man in a good suit. Living in San Francisco, workwear trends more zipped-up (a la hoodies and jeans) than buttoned-up. We still encourage all of our male clients to own at least one well-tailored suit. 

Today we thought we'd give a shout out to all of the men still sporting a suit and tie with a quick guide on how to choose the right suit fabric for your lifestyle.

If you're a businessman:
Opt for a suit that's made from wool. The most common suit fabric, wool suits are great for job interviews, the office and important meetings. In the summer, try a lightweight wool that will breathe.

If you're rocking a hipster vibe:
Corduroy has your name all over it. Go for a slim cut since corduroy can add bulk. We love it because it's ultra comfortable, lasts forever and is great in poor weather. Go for gold by adding a cardigan.

If you're a statement-maker:
We have one word for you: PLAID! You can find it in a range of fabrics from cotton to flannel. Choose the style that resonates most with you, whether it's a big, bold plaid or a small houndstooth. And don't worry, plaid will never go out of style.

If you're a preppy gentleman:
Seersucker is the name of your game. Seersucker is the perfect summer weight suit. And it's evolved over the years so you can find it in a variety of styles including navy on navy.

If you're a tech guy:
Chances are you won't be needing a suit outside of wedding season, which spans late-spring through summer. Go for a great lightweight cotton chino in khaki and make it your own by pairing with a graphic t-shirt and flip flops.

That's A Wrap: 7 Ways to Style Fall Scarves

Happy Tuesday! Fall is all about accessorizing with scarves and we love this video by Chico's (yes, we said Chico's!) showing 7 ways to style scarves. Our favs - the Ascot and the Jetsetter.

The Scent of a Man: Four Colognes We Love This Season

Every season we get requests from our male clients for recommendations on a few good colognes.  

This fall Megan and I decided to team up and narrow down our top seasonal picks to share with you.  There are a lot of options out there, trust us we were dealing with olfactory overload after the first round. 

Granted fragrance is not for everyone, but if you choose wisely and apply lightly, you do carry a little extra allure with you. Don't be afraid to mix it up based on season too. Megan and I naturally gravitated to spicy wood and citrus scents that pair well with the fall/winter climate.

1.) Replica At the Barber by Maison Martin Margiela, $125. 

Good for the guy who is a classic minimalist looking for a clean, light scent with a little warm herbal flair. 

• Notes
• Top: bigarade essence, basil accord, black pepper.
• Middle: geranium essence, lavender, rosemary essence.
• Base: tonka bean, evernyl, white musks.

2.) Hermes Paris Voyage d' Hermes, $97.

We love this unisex fragrance and the way it plays with paradox. It is warm, sweetly delicate and at the same time crisp, woodsy an fresh. Definitely the type of scent a metropolitan man can appreciate.

• Notes
• Top: lemon, cardamom and spices
• Middle: cedar wood, florals
• Base: sandal wood, white musk

3.) John Varvatos Vintage, $66.

Perfect for the rugged yet sophisticated guy this fragrance is unapologetically masculine. It can also be worn by a mix of ages.

• Notes
• Top: Wormwood, basil, rhubarb, quince, fennel and pepper
• Middle: juniper berries, lavender, cinnamon, jasmine, orris root and green leaves
• Base: tonka bean, tobacco, suede, patchouli, oakmoss, balsam fir and woody

4.) Tom Ford Grey Vetiver Eau De Toilette, $78.

Our dark horse contender, this fragrance knocked another Hermes Cologne out of the running. We just couldn't get enough of this lighter Eau De Toilette version. Fresh, bold and bright the base notes of vetiver, oak and moss come through strong without overpowering the clean citrus top notes. A good match for a classic guy with elegant taste. 

• Notes
• Top: citrus notes of winter lemon, grapefruit, bergamot and orange blossom
• Middle: Thai basil together with orris root
• Base: vetiver, amber wood, oak moss and musk

Finding your signature scent starts with finding the base notes you like and building from there. Don't be afraid to ask for a sample to test how you like the scent over the course of a few days. Your natural ph will alter how it wears on you. 

Here are out top four pics. Admittedly there was a dark (grey) horse that threw the judges in the last hour. Let's just say Tom Ford knows how to blend a good masculine scent and we changed our initial lineup. 

Ooh La La!

Stay Stylish,

K&M

Jigsaw Spotlight: Canvas Styling

We are excited to be featured on the blog Jigsaw Says, as part of their Style Spot Light on SF Fashion Duos They Love!!

Click here to read more along with a fun Q&A...including what our Spirit Animals are. Can you guess?

Meet: Canvas Styling

Megan and Kimberly of Canvas Styling discuss collection favorites, and conceptualize upcoming photoshoots.

Megan looks picture perfect in her favorite Jigsaw piece, the Ombre Coat.

STYLE SPOTLIGHT

Megan Zatko

Nickname: Meggie

Spirit animal: Butterfly

Favorite movie: Arthur (the original with Dudley Moore!)

Last song you listened to: “Breathe Me” – Sia

Describe your perfect work/creative space: In front of big, open windows with the sun shining. At a table- a desk feels too restricting. No clutter!

Who/what inspires your style? My Nana, watching people on the street, and seeing what people are doing with everyday pieces.

Wardrobe staple: Vintage gold bangles- I never take them off!

Go-to Autumn piece: Black riding pants, oversized men’s cashmere sweater.

Favorite AW15 Jigsaw piece: Ombre Coat!

Kimberly Gant

Nickname: Kimber

Spirit animal: Antelope

Favorite movie: Amelie

Last song you listened to: “Crystals” – Of Monsters and Men

Describe your perfect work/creative space: A blank white canvas: all white with flowers or something green with good natural light.

Who/what inspires your style? San Francisco’s focus on constantly innovating- no day is the same, why should fashion be? I love classics- designers that had a strong sense of self, but were not afraid to flirt with the unknown.

Wardrobe staple: A black cashmere scarf!

Go-to Autumn piece: My oxblood leather jacket.

Favorite AW15 Jigsaw piece: Satin Back Crepe Camisole

The Top 10 Workouts In SF: where to sweat best

Image from runlararun.com

As many of you know I love getting out and being active.  About a year ago I started using Classpass and quickly became...okay, I was instantly addicted... to this way of working out.  For those of you who have (somehow) missed my soapbox pitch on the joys of Classpass (I really should be on their payroll) it's an application that enables you to take classes around the city at a wide range of gyms for a flat monthly fee.  

There are similar companies out there such as fitmob, who ironically just joined forces with Classpass. The main benefit to me is instead of having a static gym membership, I've been able to mix up my routine and try some fun out of the box classes and meet new people.  Here are some of my favorite workout spots and classes in the city.

See you out there!

Kimberly

1.) Grace Cathedral Yoga on the Labyrinth (Nob Hill) - If you are new to yoga or a veteran, Grace is an amazing venue to cultivate your practice. I wouldn't recommend it for first timers (it's helpful to know the basic poses already) but the slow restorivite pace is perfect for a Tuesday night.  Just make sure you arrive by 5:45 to get a spot on the floor. 

2.) Libby's Hip Hop Yoga -last Friday of the Month (Marina) - The counter opposite of an experience at Grace, this class mixes up Vinysa Flow to a hip hop beat. Libby's playlists are always fun and published on her Facebook page.

3.) Moxie (Mission & Nob Hill) -Both Megan and I take classes at Moxie and enjoy the airy studio space and flow based instruction.

4.) Taylor Fit Studio (Marina)- I LOVE taking classes from Taylor at her namesake studio.  Her upbeat encouragement and carefully designed classes build endurance and core strength. She is a stickler for form, so you get the most out of a workout that blends circuit, resistance, yoga, Pilates, cardio and barre. 

5.) Wheel House Cycling with Carl (FIDI) - This cycle house offers a mix of classes, but my favorite is Smart Rhythm with Carl, the owner. The class integrates cycling intervals and weights.

6.) BodyRok Cycling with Caroline! (Marina) - Focused endurance cycling intervals that build core strength.

7.) ODC Hip Hop with Micaya (Mission) - Whether you sway to your own beat or can take the lead from another, Hip Hop class with Micaya is always fun.  The class focuses on choreographed movements to a set song of the week. If you are looking to experiment more, the ODC has an incredible mix of classes ranging from Bollywood to Classical Ballet. Not to mention, the studio space has a zen quality of its own.  Grab coffee and a treat after from a favorite bakery down the street.

8.) The Bar Method-(Marina) If you are interested in trying a Bar class, this is THE place to go. The instructors are supportive and focus on correct posture in poses. I've tried other bar studios and this is the best. 

9.) Presidio- If you are looking for a shorter run that is kinder on your knees, the Presidio offers beautiful views of the city and ocean under a canopy of Eucalyptus.

10.) Golden Gate Park - One of my favorite spots in the city to go for a run. The Panhandle to Ocean loop is great for distance or take a shorter sprint around Stowe Lake.

Image from popsugar

Our Hunt for the Best Tinted Moisturizer - What We Discovered

Tinted moisturizer is great. Tinted moisturizer with a high SPF is amazing. Tinted moisturized that has a high SPF and wears well is... hard to find. A while back I decided it was time to break-up with my Kiehl's BB cream (which has an SPF of 50) and try something new. What resulted was an overwhelming search for the perfect product. Kimberly recommended Tarte's Amazonian Clay. The beauty blogs said Nars Pure Radiant was the way to go. And RealBeauty.com rated Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer as the best on the market.

So what did I do? I went to Sephora and got samples of them all and spent a few weeks testing them out. Here are my results:

The best by far was in fact Tarte's Amazonian Clay. It goes on easily, quickly absorbs into my skin and provides good coverage without feeling heavy. The only negative is that it only has an SPF of 15.

Nars Broad Spectrum Tinted Moisturizer has a SPF of 30, is lightweight and does a decent job of covering red spots. The negative is that the color isn't a perfect match and my skin feels oily by mid-day.

While everyone raved about Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer, it was my least favorite. The SPF is only 20 and the coverage is minimal. The illuminating is too heavy for wearing in the warm weather and the regular doesn't feel like it's moisturizing enough.

Final verdict - I am sticking with Kiehl's Skin Tone & Beautifying BB Cream. It offers great coverage without being too heavy, absorbs easily and has an SPF 50. Plus it wears all day without getting oily on my skin

What's your go-to tinted moisturizer?

Stay Stylish,
Megan

Modern Laptop Bags that are Big on Style

Whether it's to protect your new Macbook or lug your work computer on your daily commute, backpacks are the most ergonomic way to carry your tech on-the-go. This season's best bags are the perfect mix of function and style. Check out our Pinterest Board of men's and women's laptop bags that are modern, minimal and built to last.

Stay Stylish,
K&M

Raise the Brow: How to Get Perfect Eyebrows

A few weeks ago a client mentioned that her salon now offered eyebrow extensions. Having never heard of such a thing, I did some research. It turns out that yes, people really are turning to eyebrow extensions to get the thick, beautiful brows that have become popular. 

If your not ready to book an appointment just yet, here are 5 simple steps to help you achieve perfect brows at home:

1. Brush Up - Start by combing your hairs up to see where they need to be filled in working your way from the front towards the tail of the brow.

2. Set Guidelines - Your brow should align with your inner tear duct and the arch should be about 11 o'clock from right where the sleep collects in your eye.

3. Fill in Gaps - Before you start with the tweezers, use a brow shadow to fill in any gaps and avoid over-plucking.

4. Add Detail - Using a brow pen, draw in hairs at the front towards the nose and also at the tail. This will add density and make your brows look thicker.

5. Get It - Finish by combing up with a clear brow gel to lock hairs in place.

Eyebrow products we love:
Clinique Superfine Liner for Brows, $15
M.A.C. Brow Set, $16
Benefit Brow Zings Brow Shaping Kit, $30

Trend Play: Our Favorite Flare Jeans and How to Wear Them

Madewell

One of the best things about playing with a trend is taking a look you like and making it your own. This fall 1970's fashion has been the darling of the design world and the flare jean has made a come back.  While these jeans look great with a bow neck blouse and tall boots, how do you keep from looking like a Charlie's Angel? Here are a few tips and some of our favorite jeans to keep you modern and relevant.

How to Pair the Flare:

• Use Modern Accessories as Your Differentiator: If you are wearing your flares with a slim black turtleneck add a pop with a modern chunky necklace
• Add a Little Height: Flares look best with a heel to help elongate the leg. Make sure to alter the hem to the correct length to start.
• Layer on Top: We love adding a little clean menswear look like the Madewell shot above. The contrasting shades are sleek and sophisticated and add tailored structure to the look.
• Keep It Simple: If you feel like layering you look is too complicated and you don't want to commit a vest or blazer, keep it understated. Flares look great with a simple half tucked tank or tee--that shows off the high waistline. If you are feeling a little overwhelmed with waistline focus add a long necklace too keep the eye moving.

Above all have fun with the silhouette and experiment with what works for you!

Stay Stylish,

K&M

1969 resolution vintage destructed skinny flare jeans, GAP, $79.95

BLANKNYC Dark Wash Flared Jeans, Bloomingdales, $88

Flea market flares: button-front edition, Madewell, $135