mountain & sackett

Ask the MB: What is the Ex-Toolbag in the Header Wearing?

August 22, 2011

Q: Oh oracle of basterdom, could you give us a rundown on what the ex-toolbag in the header is wearing?
— T

A: The toolbag has transformed from camo cargo shorts, a waffle-knit Florida State long-sleeve T, a royal blue windbreaker, and running shoes (see a picture of the poor guy) into:

Shirt: Levis. $100.
Tie: Mountain and Sackett. $59.
Jacket: Belstaff 'The Racer'. $450.
Pants: J. Crew vintage slim (wheat). $98.
Shoes: Allen-Edmonds McAllister. $325.
Watch: Timex Vintage Field Army. $150.
Belt: Stylist's own

Which reminds us, the header promotion sponsored by LKc Style — three hours of personalized online style consulting, including a free shirt from Read's Clothing Project for $150 — ends when we turn Miss August into recycling and say hello to Miss September.

Read just received a new shipment of nice-looking shirts (we've already ordered the Jake Madras), and at a $98 retail you're getting the style consulting for 52 bucks. If we didn't already strongly resemble the "After" shot — yes, we raided our own wardrobe for the shoot — we'd seriously consider this deal.

Mountain & Sackett Ties: 25 Percent Off with Code MB25

April 14, 2011

If you've been reading Magnificent Bastard for a while, then you know we don't like skinny ties. Mostly, this is for aesthetic reasons — we always think guys in skinny ties look like unsuccessful suicides who just decided to go on with their day — but there's an economic factor at play too. Skinny ties are skinnier than good-looking, fully nourished ties, and yet they don't cost any less. This sort of thing happens in grocery aisles all the time. One day your favorite cheap Jamaican lager comes in 12 ounce bottles, the next it's down to 11.2 ounces, but the price doesn't change.

In the grocery store world, marketers typically try to keep such penny-pinching under wraps. In the apparel world, it's presented as fashion! We think this charade has gone on too long. We think that you, the tie-buyers of the world, deserve some redress. So we've persuaded one of our favorite tie-makers, Mountain & Sackett, to offer a special 16-day promotion. Now until April 30, you can get any tie it offers* for 25 percent off — including the ones that are already on sale — with discount code MB25. For S/S they've got a nice assortment of silk knits (just $44.62 after discount), and for F/W — it will be here soon — we own the Cedar wool herringbone and the Walker silk/wool in black. Handmade in NYC from fine English fabrics, and a healthy 3-plus inches wide, they're both only $55.50 with the MB25 discount. Why spend twice as much on a tie half as wide? Get them while they last!

* "Autism Speaks" ties not included.

Ask the MB: Shirt / Tie Combination

November 15, 2010

Q: What color tie would I wear with a cherry red shirt, specifically the Alexander West cherry discreet? Color matching is not my forte, and I imagine that a badly chosen tie would ruin the shirt. Thanks.
--Andrew

A: Andrew, that shirt is talking pretty loudly, so everything else should be quiet, including the tie. Since it's F/W we'd like to see this matched with something brown or gray and nubby, which is where Mountain and Sackett comes in. While tiemaker Alexander Olch gets all the publicity (rightfully so) in GQ, DETAILS, and even in the December issue of women's mag Lucky, less-well-known brothers Bill and John Mountain make equivalent ties at about half the price. If you still prefer them a little narrower, try the 2 3/4" brown flannel Stanton ($59.50) or gray flannel Kenmare ($74.00). Our pick with that shirt is the 3 1/4" Cedar Herringbone ($74.00).

Ed. note: If you're looking for a holiday tie, M&S's 3 1/2" Kerr Tartan goes with nearly everything and draws loads of compliments.

MB Endorses: Mountain and Sackett Cashmere Ties

December 4, 2008

About a year ago we unearthed Mountain and Sackett ties and have been enjoying a couple of their wool units ever since. This season, owner Bill Mountain has upped the ante with his cashmere ties. They're handmade in New York since 1957 and feel great, to both sexes.

Pictured: Cashmere plaid tie in box brown.

Hidden Gem: Mountain and Sackett Ties

December 18, 2007

Mountain and Sackett Wool Tie via Mountain and Sackett, $74.00 — Mountain and Sackett Wool Tie via Mountain and Sackett. $74.00.

It took several hours of Google searches, but we've unearthed a domestic neckwear manufacturer with a great story and even better ties. Handmade in Manhattan since 1957, Mountain and Sackett is currently making the best wool ties we've seen, and they're just $74. Plus, now that "skinny" (jeans, ties, lapels, wallets) is as dead as a damn doornail, their bold 3 3/4" width adds additional style points.