They finally arrived — and I opened the box like a kid on Christmas morning who specifically asked for swagger. After much anticipation, this evening I received both new fragrances from the house of Elyon Dubai (Curly’s Fragrances), and even though I only planned a quick test, I ended up doing a full sniff-session like a sommelier with a grudge against subtlety. BLUF: I am thrilled with the blind buy — these two just earned a seat at the table next to my Tom Ford, Creed, and Xerjoff. Infinity smells like a luxury night drive in a leather interior — smooth woods, a soft touch of sweet fruit, and just enough rose to whisper, “Yes, this costs money.” It’s the fragrance equivalent of pulling up in a blacked-out car with ambient lighting, even if you’re really just going to Walgreens. Himeros (my favorite) is Infinity’s darker, mysterious cousin — the one with a motorcycle, excellent hair, and zero interest in returning phone calls. It’s smoky, leathery, sweet in the most dangerous way, and powerful enough that one spray feels like you’ve just entered a villain’s penthouse. Definitely not my usual “office-safe” choice, but tomorrow night it’s coming with me to the Cowboy Dance Hall. A cowboy with Middle Eastern flair? Boots, leather, oud energy? The fragrance is already doing more line-dancing than I am.

Yesterday I got a surprise package in the mail from @Antonio O. Centeno, a very nice tie and some travel sprayers. I have never had a knit tie before, but inside the box was a card that suggested possible pairings with the tie as well, which is good as I have been advocating for something like Garanimals for men, but they would be called Manimals. Anyway, the tie is perfect for this weekends activities where I will cheer on the Army as they defeat Navy in the annual Army Navy Game. Thanks Antonio! Go Army, Beat Navy!

Today I'm wearing my recently thrifted Irish sweater, Best Made Co selvedge denim jeans, Best Made Co wool coat, tweed newsboy cap, Thorogood boots, and my trusty Citizen eco drive duo chronograph.

"Men are like steel, when they lose thier temper they lose thier strength." Chuck Norris via Linkin Have a great day brothers. One thing you always have control over is your attitude and how you choose to react to any given situation.

So this is my travel uniform when I fly for business. Any advice on improving this uniform while still achieving the simplicity, space-saving, and visual objectives stated below? Ex. I’m thinking of adding dark brown shirts to the mix in fall/winter for a little warmth and variety. Thank you in advance, oh Brotherhood of Style. The jacket alternates between a navy blazer, this navy sport coat, and a light grey, cotton sport coat. In warmer weather, I substitute the medium blue or black button down with a navy or black polo. Always dark wash denim pants. Pocket square rotates based on the jacket and shirt. Boots in fall/winter, loafers in spring/summer. I gravitate toward a monochrome look because 1) I’m vertically compact, and 2) dark colors hold up better while traveling. I never check a bag so this uniform allows me to deal with temperature changes en route, have the jacket ready for business casual receptions, and pack only a suit for business dinners. When I get to my destination, I’ll usually replace the dark shirt and jeans with grey trousers, a light blue/white button down m, and a tie for business casual meetings. Having a travel uniform keeps decision making to a minimum, helps me pack quickly and not forget things, and maximizes use per article.