Jaime is a reader primarily based in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s a pastor there, and works notably on social justice tasks and inter-faith relations. Church has all the time been an excuse for him to decorate up, but in addition an excuse to speak to younger males within the congregation about how they will costume higher.
He has different strings to his bow too. He and his spouse run a podcast about marriage (above) – “your mentors for the messy center” – and he’s attempting to deliver native menswear occasions to Atlanta alongside along with his buddy Wesley Knight, one other reader and menswear man.
It was attention-grabbing speaking to Jaime concerning the tradition of church and likewise of Brooklyn, the place he grew up – particularly its angle to Ralph Lauren again within the day.
Outfit 1:
- Swimsuit: Orazio Luciano
- Coat: Coherence
- Shirt: Everlasting Type
- Tie: Petronius
- Hat: Drake’s
- Scarf: Drake’s
- Sneakers: Alden
- Glasses: Rigards
Jaime, let’s begin along with your first experiences of menswear. When did it start?
Nicely, after I was rising up I needed to be a stockbroker, I needed to work on Wall Road – partly as a result of I needed to put on fits on a regular basis! My Dad all the time wore a go well with and he would educate me about supplies and kinds.
I believe it was round 12 or 13 that I began moving into menswear closely, I used to be studying GQ each month, attempting to place all of the appears collectively. Then I moved onto Males’s Ex, after which blogs after they occurred – Die Workwear, Everlasting Type – and now social media is blowing all of it up.
This was within the nineties and I used to be rising up in Brooklyn. Again then, Ralph Lauren was the model to put on. It was an actual streetwear model.
That’s attention-grabbing as a result of I really feel that was extra of a New York factor, it didn’t occur a lot in London.
Yeah it was huge in Brooklyn, the Lo Lifes they referred to as themselves. Head-to-toe Ralph Lauren, on a regular basis, even all the way down to the socks and underwear. The factor about Ralph Lauren is, he is aware of the right way to promote a life-style, and it was what youngsters in Brooklyn needed to be, to emulate. It wasn’t even a remodeling of the model, placing their very own spin on it. It was simply pure Ralph, worn as road type.
That motion grew into ‘Lo Heads’ extra usually, the tremendous followers, and there’s nonetheless an annual meet-up in Instances Sq. – they offer out awards for one of the best gear.
I’ve a bunch of classic items and I’m normally carrying one thing – I keep in mind once we met in New York final yr I used to be carrying these bright-red wire trousers from Ralph, with a Rubato yellow sweater.
Yeah that was fairly the look. You dressed a bit extra conservatively for this shoot.
True, and it was actually chilly on that day too, so there have been fewer choices. We tied it right into a go to I used to be doing to a church to talk, and it was 8am and freezing.
The place’s the brown go well with from, that’s an amazing color.
It’s Orazio Luciano, though truly I obtained it off a buddy – I try this lots, swapping pre-owned issues with folks. This one buddy is about the identical measurement as me and he was eliminating it.
In case you don’t thoughts me asking, do you suppose along with your pores and skin color you may put on stronger colors extra usually?
That’s positive, and sure I believe I can, though truly darkish brown is the one color I normally keep away from, as a result of it’s too near my pores and skin tone. I discover I have to put on it with one thing that has various distinction – like this pale shirt and the patterned tie – or it should drown me.
I don’t truly put on numerous actually sturdy color, however it’s a private type selection as nicely proper? These crimson pants are one of many brightest issues I personal, and I hadn’t worn them for years. Although I do have one different actually sturdy pair, bright-yellow Purple Label linens. Really it’s usually simpler to put on that type of color on the underside half, I discover.
I hadn’t considered that, however yeah it makes numerous sense. I believe this shade of brown appears very nice with that blue of the raincoat as nicely. And in reality the Colour 8 cordovan is sweet too – they’re each good examples of what works nicely with mid-brown.
Thanks, sure I do know what you imply. These loafers are nice – I put on loafers a lot, and in reality hardly put on different leather-based footwear. I believe I’ve one pair of lace-ups. They work for me as I’ve flat ft, and so they’re so versatile. It’s numerous Aldens, however I even have Spigola, Crockett & Jones.
Outfit 2:
- Swimsuit: Ovadia & Sons
- Shirt: Everlasting Type
- Sweater: Membership Monaco
- Sneakers: Alden
- Tie: Drake’s
- Watch: Timex
Inform me about church, Jaime. Do folks costume up?
Yeah, completely. Within the African-American custom church is absolutely the place you make an effort, it’s nearly like a style present. It’s like each week is Easter Sunday.
You see that fairly a bit the place I stay too, across the evangelical church buildings in Peckham – the intense colors, everybody singing, a way of actual celebration each Sunday, it’s great.
A variety of the pastors right here put on robes, however I prefer to put on my fits, I believe it appears good and it’s a pleasant excuse. In actual fact, I usually get youthful guys coming as much as me saying they need to costume this manner, asking for recommendation.
Oh that’s cool – so what sort of factor are they carrying?
Fits too, however they’re way more style pushed proper? So it’s very slim fits, very tapered pants, vibrant socks, muscular tissues like poking out of the sleeves. Slender lapels normally. Whereas the older guys on the church, they’re much less stylish – the fits may not look very present, however they’re basic. They’re higher made as nicely – not bespoke, however good, perhaps outdated Armani.
However the youthful guys get to really feel they don’t need to appear to be a child anymore. Perhaps they’ve had a child themselves, or they’re married, and so they need to look extra mature. They’re not in faculty anymore.
This can be a little bit of a random thought, however do you ever see zoot fits, or echoes of that type, in among the church buildings you go to?
Not so excessive, however sure in African-American church buildings you do see some kinds like that – very vast pants, saddle footwear, the chain popping out of the pocket. You don’t see jackets so long as that, however maybe there’s folks referencing one thing else they’ve seen. Fashions are all the time recycling themselves. It’s not my type, however I see it.
Is that this chalkstripe go well with additionally a pre-owned one?
No, however I obtained it fairly low-cost. It was from Ovadia & Sons, again after they have been doing tailoring. I believe it was made by Martin Greenfield, I noticed it at one of many pattern gross sales and it was simply siting there, I paid about $300 for it and it’s Fox Flannel material.
Good. And the place’s the watch from, I like the straightforward design.
It’s Timex, a collaboration with Todd Snyder. I like Timex as a result of I can bang them round. I’m not good with watches – I all the time appear to hit stuff with my wrist and I’m taking part in with my youngsters. If I break a Timex it’s like $150 to get a brand new one and that’s OK.
I need to get a Cartier Tank some day, however not but. Perhaps if it’s a dearer watch I’ll be extra cautious, however it’s laborious to take the chance.
Your glasses are uncommon, I keep in mind selecting up on that form across the bridge once we first met.
Thanks, yeah these are Rigards, r-i-g-a-r-d-s. It’s a Japanese model, they’re handmade and infrequently somewhat quirky within the design, although not an excessive amount of. They’re full titanium so actually mild and powerful. In addition they include like a inexperienced visor that you simply connect with magnets, to show them into sun shades.
Outfit 3:
- Coat: Drake’s
- Sweater: The Armoury
- Denims: Full Rely
- Shirt: Drake’s
- Sneakers: Alden
- Hat: Ralph Lauren
What’s the menswear like down in Atlanta? You haven’t been there lengthy proper?
No, simply over a yr. I used to be in Texas earlier than that, and New York earlier than that.
Texas was very western put on, a number of huge hats, huge boots. Atlanta is somewhat sparse, not lots happening. You’ve gotten Sid Mashburn however he’s very a lot in his area of interest. It really works for him, however he’s nonetheless obtained these slender lapels, there isn’t a lot that is progressive anymore. I believe that’s why I get complimented lots after I go round truly, folks all the time need to know the place issues are from.
I’m hoping to begin one thing down right here with my buddy I advised you about, Wesley Knight, perhaps only a pre-owned occasion or one thing to begin with. I used to be speaking to the Alfargo’s Market guys and getting recommendation from them. It’s loopy how huge they’re now in comparison with the place they began.
Yeah, I believe it’s nice. We went to at least one once we have been in New York and it had such a pleasant vibe – the combination of pre-owned, skilled classic sellers, model pattern gross sales after which different stuff like espresso or chainstitching. It felt identical to a spot you’d go to hang around.
Precisely, I’d love to try this right here. It could be like a spot for folks to all meet up.
You all the time appear to put on a shirt underneath your crewneck sweaters – is that one thing that comes from Ralph Lauren styling again within the day?
I don’t suppose so truly, it simply all the time appears to really feel proper. A crewneck and not using a shirt beneath simply all the time appears flawed. It’s not what everybody does although, perhaps it’s a little bit of a method signature.
Is there the rest like that?
I put on caps lots, and have lots! I used to be tempted to put on a baseball cap with each considered one of these outfits. My spouse retains on telling me to cease it with the baseball caps – sufficient is sufficient.
How do you retailer them – I do know guys who’ve these huge teetering piles of them on high of lamps.
Yeah I’ve that! I additionally put some nails within the wall so I can grasp all of them up. They’re what we name dad caps, the low profile, and so they look higher the extra worn in they’re. They get moulded over time and get this patina. I actually love a beat-up cap.
What would you say is your greatest lesson from being into garments all these years – what would you move onto a reader simply beginning out?
I’d say purchase higher high quality, I believe. I discuss to guys at church about this. The fits I’m carrying right here, they’re like 15 years outdated. It’s price spending 3 times as a lot on a go well with as it should final 3 times as lengthy – and for the entire of that point, your go well with will look a lot better than a budget one. So it’s worth for cash, the maths isn’t laborious.
Cheers Jaime, it was an actual pleasure speaking to you.
You too Simon, sustain the superior work.
Jaime is @danewnegro on Instagram, and you may see some very cool (and fewer tailor-made) outfits over there. Some we preferred are proven under. The podcast along with his spouse Carlen is @carleneplusjaime and that is cool for each of their outfits too. Their buddy Wesley is @cwesleyknight.
