THE CONTENDER EDIT — The Contender

The idea of The Contender wasn’t to just be a buying tool. If you’re like me you possess enough already—unless we’re talking about knit ties, naturally. But from time to time I want to draw attention to what I’m paying attention to, who I think is doing good work, what I’m reading, and all the rest of it. So let’s get down to it.

MARTHA GELLHORN Travels with Myself and Another

Martha Gellhorn was an intense traveler, war correspondent and an impressive and willful figure. For better or worse (mostly worse) she happened to be Ernest Hemingway’s third wife. He was still at the height of his fame and the marriage was short and difficult. This collection of far-flung dispatches, from China to Russia to Kenya, often in extremely spartan conditions and closer to war zones than would be advisable, is both darkly funny (she feels no self pity) and downright inspiring.

DRAKE’S Linen Games Blazer

This jacket hits all the things I’m looking for in a summer jacket—it’s unlined, unstructured, has interesting lapels and is a curious shade of brown. It makes me dream of lunch in the Italian countryside or fishing at a proper lodge. Since those are two of my favorite things to think about I couldn’t be more excited about it!

SPERRY CLOUD Deck Sneaker

This boat shoe is a classic design but that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved upon. I bought a pair a few years back and wore them around my neighborhood. In less than an hour my heel was bleeding (West Village sartorial crime!) from some very aggressively stitched canvas on the heel. That’s no longer the case. The canvas on the Cloud Collection is softer and is already broken in. The whole shoe is lighter weight and the colors are all terrific. That’s how you refine a classic.

RAY BAN Polarized Wayfarers

Those of us who need polarized glasses when fishing are often left with a series of unattractive options. These Ray Bans have a classic frame and terrific lenses. They’re a bit on the heavy side if you’re going to wear them all day, but that’s a small price to pay. Tortoise for the win.

TIFFANY Diamond Point Old Fashioned Glass

If you’re going to drink good whisky why not drink it out of a proper glass? It’s already an indulgence (even if it is a necessity), so get a heavy glass that gives you pleasure when you hold it even when it’s empty.

In Rotation / Reading List / Recently Viewed / Regularly Visited / Etc.

LIFE ISN’T EVERYTHING Mike Nichols is remembered by 150 of his closest friends

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE Showing widely

THE METROGRAPH Commissary