There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
This time, we’re talking to Men’s Style Buyer Ian Anderson. First, we’ll let you read a little about his background and passions. Then, we’ll turn the mic over for a community Q&A. Submit your questions in the comment section, and stay tuned for the answers in a follow-up post.
When did you start getting into the men’s style community? What got you interested—a forum, a product, a friend, a family member, a magazine? In a vague sense, my interest in menswear began when I was a kid. I grew up in a small town with no real access to good clothing and no strong sense of style (these were the pre-Internet days, after all). Back then, I didn’t know the first thing about clothing at all but I loved the idea of dressing well—I was fascinated by the sense of power and authority a person could exude by just wearing a well-fitting suit. Lots of people in my hippie Oregon town had a “stick it to the man” attitude, but I wanted to be the man, you know?
It wasn't until much later, when I was a grad student at Stanford, that my interest in clothing began to solidify. For the first time in my life, I was around people who knew how to dress well and had access to nice clothing. Unlike them, I didn’t have a suit-wearing father who could teach me how to tie a four-in-hand, but I was determined to figure out what they knew that I didn’t. Since I knew that I’d be starting my professional career after graduation, I began burying myself in Styleforum posts and blogs, and began eBay-hunting and sale-shopping so that I could slowly build up a nice professional wardrobe with my meager grad school budget.
In terms of what sort of pieces I rely on, I wear a lot of clothing in that gray area between formal and casual—Oxford and chambray shirts, cotton chinos, wingtip bluchers, suede chukkas, soft sportcoats, and the like. Pieces like that are highly versatile and keep my wardrobe flexible. Throw a pair of jeans, a field jacket, and a nice pair of shades into the mix and that’s pretty much how I dress most of the time.
What’s a small addition that can make a big difference to your closet? A great wallet. A wallet is something that you use every day, for years or even decades. It's absolutely worth spending a bit of money to get something that you'll love using - the dollars-per-use ratio is super low. Find something made out of great leather from a tannery with a good reputation, and look for a design that works for your lifestyle and signs of handwork like saddle stitching and edge burnishing. My favorite wallets come from my good friend Bellanie at Chester Mox—worth every penny, and then some. Every time I pull it out of a pocket, I can’t help but smile.
What’s your favorite thing about working here? To me, Massdrop is all about my relationships with people—my coworkers, the vendors I get to collaborate with, and all the users on the site who I chat with all day. Massdrop is built on people who are passionate about their hobbies, and I think that mentality extends to the employees at the company and brands we work with as well. We all love the products we surround ourselves with, and that’s what ties us all together.
Moreover, lots of wonderful manufacturers from around the world that had no global distribution can now be seen and purchased online. It’s never been easier to find great stuff from all corners of the world, which is really exciting to me. Whether it’s cut-out-the-middleman brands like Warby Parker and Suitsupply, or local manufacturers turned Internet darlings like Vass and Ring Jacket, the menswear world is ripe with great products right now.
If you could only wear one brand, what would it be? Ralph Lauren. In my mind there’s no brand that can do the breadth that they do, from the rugged and casual RRL line to the exquisite lavishness of Purple Label.
What is your favorite piece in your wardrobe? I’m terrible at picking favorites, but here are a couple: my grandfather’s Omega, my Crockett & Jones penny loafers, an old pair of APC jeans, and my hopsack navy blazer.