Sol Thompson's 2024 Holiday Brand + Gift Guide
The ultimate 'if you know you know' brand and gift guide, sourced from the wonderful community of Pair of Kings podcast and from the coolest people in New York.
Hi, friend!
Welcome to One Size Fits All, a new weekly fashion publication written by your favorite hyper-intellectual New York Jewish man. It’ll continue to be free for the foreseeable future: if you’d like to support what I do, all I ask is that you share this with a friend, engage with the stories I post to gather information, and message me with your thoughts. I am only as good as my research allows me to be. Everything underlined is a link, by the way!
Before launching into the only holiday list that you should read and the only one free of corporate and brand-fueled influencing, I’ll give a few caveats beforehand:
I received no payment for any of these suggestions. This is not a GQ-style, oh-hey-this-brand-threw-me-$3,000-and-a-suede-jacket-so-you-should-buy-it-retail-for-$1,200 fluff piece.
I do not own all of these items. I will credit the person who suggested the item if I’m working off of their endorsement — seek them out and file grievances if you buy something and it turns out to be terrible.
I have nothing to gain by offering these recommendations.
If I say something’s my favorite, it will be the only thing on this list that’s my favorite. Some bums on twitter (to be left nameless) love throwing that word around. I do not.
I will not feed you a story to sell you on an item. As a quick aside, I HATE brands that use quality-by-association or quality-by-proximity to justify their products’ pricing. I will tell you exactly what I like and why I want something rather than relying on selling it to you as a substitution for another, better thing.
That’s about it. My DMs are open should you have complaints and/or want me dead and/or want to chat.
Let’s start with some of my personal recommendations: things I bought and really enjoy!
Generation 2 iPod Nano ($15): I have a problem with being on my phone too much, especially when it comes to music. I think Spotify is a wonderful thing (to the tune of 70,000 listening minutes last year) but I find myself scrolling instagram more often than I want. My wonderful friend Charlie re-introduced me to the wonderful world of physical media at a Christmas party, lending me their walkman so I could listen to Daft Punk’s Discovery. I love finding old albums on SoulSeek and changing the contents of my iPod weekly. I’m serious: this is one of the best things I’ve bought myself in a long time.
Wenjue Lu’s Nimbiis Keychain ($40, at a pop-up): My little guy is named Ambrose. He comes with me everywhere. He’s sweet and looks cute and I also love supporting Michael and Lulu. They work hard, can articulate their intentions behind their clothing, and are kind, passionate people. Is this a $49 keychain? Yes. I’ve spent money in worse ways. This is a good time to mention that their new necklaces are on my “I want to buy this” list: they look like something a main character in an anime would use to trigger some sort of superhero transformation. I think that’s rad. They’re also .925 sterling silver!
Orto Parisi’s Metamare (9ml for $50): Want to smell like a warm, salty wharf? I certainly do. “But Sol!” I hear you exclaim, “Isn’t smelling fishy a deterrent to men, women, and non-binary individuals alike?” Absolutely not: this is the scent I get the most compliments on.
Black Pill by Elle Reeve ($30, hardcover): This was suggested to me by fellow Yalie Liam Curtis (who you may recognize as one of the only people I let contribute to memes on the podcast account!). It’s a horrifying but gripping dive into the history of 8Chan, the alt-right, and why January 6th happened. Beautifully written with a strong narrative. I finished it in 3 days.
The Ouze’s Raw Blue & White Sapphire Square Necklace ($339): I’ll take a minute to address my disdain for the “chunky/raw/rough” jewelry trend: I do not like it, and think the majority of it is 1. Bad 2. Overpriced and 3. An excuse for a lack of refined skill. Now, I’ll immediately contradict myself. This necklace rocks, and it’s a raw/rough pendant with some asymmetric stones. I do not know if this is an overpay: this was my family’s birthday gift to me.
As the arbiter of good taste and all things cool, here’s a rapid fire list of things I’ve spotted and want to buy, but aren’t remarkable enough to do a full write-up.
Raf Simons AW00-01 Poster ($213)
Milbon Conditioner ($49): this stuff is absolutely incredible. It is worth the price.
Hermes Birkin ($44,000)
Shamen “Move Any Mountain” Tee ($19)
Vintage DKNY Jeans Sweater ($38)
Here’s the main event.
things you all said you were going to buy/I am going to buy with holiday money.
Perfume Making Company X Story MFG “Book of Weird Poems” ($195 for 100ml): Affordable? Yes. Supposed to be weird but wonderful? Yes. Made by not one, but TWO of the world’s most wonderful people? Yes. A dear friend of mine is the creative genius behind the perfume, and I firmly stand behind anything he makes, even if I do not yet own this myself. Honorable mentions also go to Study of Nature’s Maths (also $195 for 100ml), Earth Tone Research (again, $195 for 100ml), and Never Ending Meadow ($75 for 15ml, a curveball!). Here’s some added oomph from the incredibly talented Bailey Goldberg.
I.Moser’s Lilyveil Candle ($60): Let’s stay in the perfume/scent realm for a little bit, shall we? Isabelle Moser is wonderfully talented (and a really really kind person to boot!). Michael Smith (nerd) and Fiona Luo (mother) own the candle, and it smells absolutely wonderful, but I do not own this myself. I believe our wonderful friends at Komune still have some in stock. Let’s all put the Le Labo down and slowly back away from the Byredo, ok? We should do better. We CAN do better.
Quick aside for the Komune-inclined friends out there: their SF1OG pants fit me absolutely perfectly. I try them on more than I should, and I feel bad that I do not have the money to support the brand and to stop annoying my wonderful friends by asking them to grab my size from downstairs.
Let’s go to the closet for some clothing-focused picks.
Lac Demure ‘Cyrus’ Leather Jacket ($376) and ‘Molard’ Wool Jeans ($168): It is not every day that I see gifted clothing and think to myself “oh, I’d like to own that.” Michael Smith is on Lac Demure’s flow team, and when I see him trying things on or unboxing stuff, I legitimately feel envious. It is well made (as far as I can tell), stylish (the cuts are really really good), and affordable (sub-$400 for a nice leather jacket is a pretty good deal in my book). To Bror, who runs the brand: great job.
Bryan Jimenèz Distressed Station Trousers ($580): This comes from our wonderful friend Cody Parks, a prolific hater. If he says he’s a fan of something, I listen. Here’s the pitch from the mouth of 1GwenStefani himself:
“In a fashion landscape that’s consistently flooded with regurgitated narratives, routinely watered down and reproduced under new labels, it’s rare to find something new. Enter Bryan Jimenez: a Dominican-native whose clothing reveres American-military heritage without being beholden to its point of reference. I love everything about Bryan’s clothing. The designs speak directly to my upbringing, the open-minded curiosity of browsing hole-in-the-wall Army-Navy surplus stores in my hometown, and endless attempts to recontextualize the clothing into something that felt less like a uniform and more like my uniform. When you’re relegated to the tactical effects of an era-specific vintage piece, there’s always something slightly… off, in terms of both fit and form.
BRYAN JIMENEZ, as a label, retroactively resolves all my childhood qualms. With future-minded takes on WWII USAAF oxygen mask bags, Vietnam-era helmet liners, service-issue gymwear and more, Bryan’s clothing brings the distinctly slim early-aughts cut of the best archival Helmut Lang into the present-day. The fits are loose and baggy, the textiles weathered to perfection and the brand’s chosen styling direction is, at best, war-ready. In true form, most if not all items are manufactured domestically in Bryan’s Harlem studio, nodding to a bygone era of circular American consumption. For fans of tattered vintage Armani, overpriced aftermarket Polo, and (recently) uninspired Balenciaga, BRYAN JIMENEZ answers the question “Does the best of everything already exist?” with a durable, hard-wearing and substantial “Not yet”.”
Kalo Soil Denim Cut No. 2 ($250): This comes from a listener of the podcast, @adrian_carachure. I did not speak to Adrian personally about why they’re after something from Kalo Soil, but after the eye test, it’s not a stretch to see why. I like the cuts of the pants: they’re modern in that bootcut/flare way that drag when you want (good!) and I like their maxi and circle skirts. The fabrics look to be high quality (I am personally a stretch denim hater, as a selvedge man), and I’m actually on the lookout to try some of their things on at some point to judge for myself. I’m curious to see how the back pockets would fit on me, as they’ve got a more relaxed cut in the seat, something I personally stay away from but to which I am not diametrically opposed. It’s nice to see a smaller brand making nice stuff (at least from the e-comm photos) and it’s one of the 180+ submissions to the instagram story that I came back to after the fact and saved a few things for future consideration.
Ives Barrera Miguel Side Zip Boots ($900) (suggested by 3-4 people): Ives, if you haven’t watched our designer spotlight, is an incredibly talented individual making some of the nicest boots I’ve seen over the past year. Michael got a pair of the Philip Hiking Boots and upon feeling them, I noticed a few things:
These boots are extremely heavy.
The leather feels incredible.
I want a pair of these boots very badly.
I know they’re expensive. If I possessed the means to buy a pair, I wouldn’t hesitate. Seriously.
Blackmerle Distressed Mohair Knit ($300) (suggested by @luciengavriel): This is a combination recommendation from both me and Lucien. Blackmerle, as a brand, exudes cool: I’ve spoken about them at length on the podcast. The Rick Owens influence is pretty clear on the brand, but his piece is particularly interesting as it really reminds me of Raf Simons’ AW98 spiderweb knit. For those wanting to build out a wardrobe with some fun, versatile, quality pieces that would be easy to integrate into what’s popular today, consider grabbing some Blackmerle! I’m wearing the mohair knit in this video (and some SF1OG pants)!
Hengdi Wan Jewelry (prices vary) (suggested by @jzs_04): I’ll level with you: I think it’s really sad that Hengdi Wang doesn’t sell the incredible pieces they show on the runway: I can’t confirm this, but I highly suspect they’re inspired by the incredible runway jewelry of Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen (check out Spring 97’s La Poupée, SS01’s Voss, or Spring 96’s The Hunger to see what I’m talking about. Listing all of the incredible work by Leane is going to take me all day). The closest you’ll get, unfortunately, is the Stillness Bag ($1,774). Maybe they’ll make me a super cool robot suit if I ask nicely.
Lyle McGraw jeans (prices vary) (suggested by @jack_warren27): Bailey Goldberg owns a custom pair of Lyle McGraw pants, and wore them on his episode of the podcast (if memory serves). They’re weathering and fading beautifully, so I’m inclined to include them on this list.
Lu’u Dan (suggested by @tommysmith.mp3): We love Hung La’s Lu’u Dan here at Sol Thompson’s One Size Fits All. I had the privilege of being dressed by the brand for New York Fashion Week, and was immensely disappointed to find that I wasn’t allowed to steal every single item of clothing I saw available in the Gia Kuan offices. It’s hard to pick just one thing to buy from the brand: I’d highly encourage you to look through their offerings on SSENSE (who supports the brand, if that’s a point in their favor for you) and see what suits your fancy.
Pearled Ivory Grain Blouson Jacket ($650) (suggested by @benphysics): Ben’s a huge fan of Pealed Ivory. I’ll let him explain [with some editing for brevity] why he’s excited to grab some more stuff from the boys at PI.
“PI embraces the simplicity of a uniform. In my opinion, their 1211 denim is the perfect fitting pair of everyday pants, though they also make a pair of leather flares if you need something a little freakier. Distressed Blouson is, by far, the best fitting leather jacket I own, and their new Smooth Leather Blouson is the next thing on my list. [If you’re worried about how things fit], you can even reach out for a one on one consultation and ask how certain pieces may fit your specific proportions. They’ve also got an in-house tailoring option. The owner, Alex, and everyone else who works for them are some of the kindest and most down to earth people you will meet, and they care about what they make. I still wear a lot of other brands but I’m usually wearing something (a tee, a bag, denim, a belt or a jacket) from PI just because it’s so easy to wear and goes with everything. I’ve had probably 20+ people randomly come up to me on the street and compliment whatever PI I’m wearing or ask what it is.”
I hope my friends talk about me like that.
If you’re looking for some organic discovery, here’s some stuff that wasn’t quite my cup of tea or was too pricey to consider but was still interesting to consider.
It may not resonate with me, but I’m all for sharing information! Maybe you’ll find your new favorite brand.
Mason Ryder Denim Jacket ($585) (suggested by @schizo_ny): I’m of the mind that you should bust up a denim jacket by yourself, but I think this might appeal to some readers. This was one of the jackets that’s too expensive for me to justify putting in the section above.
Wanda LePhoto Polo Poncho Dress (~$158) (suggested by @cormsyooth): South African-based brand making fun (and affordable!) garments that look distinct and playful.
Oiko Denim “The Lan” ($107) (suggested, emphatically(!) by @exummm): No idea what the denim quality is like on these. I reached out to ask them a few questions but they didn’t get back to me. I genuinely believe that buying denim online without trying them on first is akin to jumping out of a plane with the idea of a parachute in your head. It might work out fine, but most of the time you’re not going to stick the landing.
Arket (more of a place, and not an item) (suggested by @4stri0): I study sustainability as a career (to this point) and am EXTREMELY skeptical of any place touting themselves as a “sustainable” fashion store. I reached out to their head of sustainability but didn’t hear back.
Basketcase Gallery (suggested by 4-5 people!): Friends of the pod. I love what they do. Shoutout to Zack.
Binaurale Scents (pricing varies) (suggested by @asianwonderboy): “Got a sampler and would genuinely buy a full bottle of each if I had $$$.” I won’t suggest a scent I haven’t personally tried, but if it’s good enough for Asian Wonder Boy, it’s probably good enough for you!
Gothmos Jewelry (pricing varies) (suggested by @noitavaimo): I could see Michael wearing the little yarn scissor necklace! Not my cup of tea per se but it’s reasonably priced and comes by way of a longtime pod listener, so I trust their taste.
Brahim Hafza Waxed Denim Cargos ($110, on sale) (suggested by @theimranndonn): Honestly, these seem too good to be true. I have no idea what denim was used, how the construction is, or how durable they are. They look cool, though: if you own a pair, let me know what you think!
Hannes Roether (@francescafferrara): I debated about picking something in particular from this brand. It reminds me a lot of Hed Mayner in its presentation, color choice, and material use, but the price points aren’t terrible.
A few final thoughts about the landscape of smaller brands and what people are looking to buy.
I’m always interested in what people are saving up to cop; many responses (34 in total, I counted) mentioned brands whose only offerings were t-shirts and sweatpants. I skewed this article towards unique, distinct offerings that stayed compelling past first inspection or first use.
Commenting on the role of t-shirts in the larger context of fashion is on my list for a longer article, but it’s important to mention here: I firmly believe that the t-shirt is the single most impactful item of clothing on the current men’s fashion landscape. I don’t believe it will ever be supplanted. There are a few reasons for this:
You can wear them (almost) anywhere and at any time. Changing social standards through the 80’s and 90’s now mean that t-shirts are socially acceptable within almost any sphere.
Wearing them signals participation in the ‘in-crowd’. Youth culture, particularly men’s youth culture, forms around the purchase of commodities. Signaling participation and inclusion comes in the form of purchasing and wearing clothing; to wear is to know. According to Clarke et al., this dynamic is a flywheel where youth groups feed off and appropriate things provided by the market, and, in turn, the market expropriate and incorporate things produced by the sub-cultures. More on this in a future post.
They’re cheap. Of the five main designations of clothing sold at fast fashion stores (fuck them, but they have data), t-shirts are the sold at the lowest average price point.
Some of these small brands sell shirts that exceed an $80 price point. I think it’s ridiculous, yes, but I’m not immune to the temptation. I spent money on shirts from brands like Pythia that, unfortunately, fell apart after a few wears. All I’m saying here is that I think it’s extremely interesting to see the maintained, or increased, desire for shirts, nearly irrespective of price. I’d love to get your thoughts on the t-shirt market: message me!
Until next week, and lots of love!
Sol
woah blackmerle goated
Wow, great post. Loved how much detail you went with this. LAC Demure is coming out with some awesome pieces. The blurb at the end about T-shirts really puts into perspective what's going on in the mens fashion landscape right now!