It takes a bit of work to get the nickname “Mr. Classic,” but when you have been at it as long as Jeremy Hackett has, you deserve some sort of accolades–it also doesn’t hurt to write a book by the same name. Ralph Lauren may have made British style cool in the U.S., but many credit Mr. Hackett for reviving the aesthetic on its own turf. Jeremy Hackett started his namesake brand in 1979 with partner Ashley Lloyd-Jennings and never looked back. Combining a brilliant eye for British classics and an updated silhouette, Hackett has become one of the premiere destinations for well-dressed men in Europe and the U.K.

Like most of our favorite designers, Mr. Hackett embodies his brand’s look perfectly. While he may not be the most experimental dresser, he’s one of those guys that you never see poorly dressed–which is one of the many reasons we find those Brits to be so appealing. He is always perfectly comfortable in a suit, but, of course, is no stranger to mixing and matching trousers and sport jackets.

He dresses the way that we hope to dress when we are older because he never fails to seem both masculine and charming. What we hope you take away from his style is that you don’t have to parade around in bold colors and patterns just to be stylish. Use texture and fit properly and you can transform a plain grey suit into something really special.

Preppy has certainly got the run-around over the last few years. We’ve seen seersucker and madras rise in their popularity tenfold as fashion has turned to the seemingly anti-fashion for its inspiration. While many may see the prep being an entirely Northeastern entity, a look under the hood will show some of the greatest interpreters of the style have come from the most unexpected places. Of course, we’re all aware of Japan’s huge influence on the resurgence of all things American, but many people may have overlooked the Scandinavian’s great eye for preppy style.

Case in point is the Stockholm-based brand Morris. If you’re up on the blogosphere, you may remember their Spring/Summer ’10 collection which showcased the appeal of prepdom in all of its glory. Well, they’re back at it again for fall, but this time they’ve really brought out the British roots of the prep–something that often is forgotten. Heavy tweeds and chunky knits are at the heart of this collection, which has gotten us more riled up for fall than we need to be. Unfortunately, it’s going to be near impossible to find Morris in the states so you’ll just have to settle for their inspiration–which happens to be free.

As we plunge into sweater season with full force, we’ve been gravitating more and more to the shawl collar. While most guys are wearing v-necks and crewnecks, wearing a shawl collar will help distinguish yourself from the pack in a way that is classic and refined. But instead of wearing a classic shawl collar sweater that you would pop over your head, opt for a button cardigan as it’s a great way to toe the line between casual and dress. If you button a couple of the middle buttons, your cardigan will take on a shape very similar to a sport coat, with the shawl taking the place of the more formal lapels.

Because of this, you can pair the shawl cardigan with a shirt and tie, if you want to dress it up, or a simple t-shirt if you’re looking to pair it down. It’s a great versatile piece that you can wear all year round, which makes it a definite must-have for any advanced sartorialist’s closet. You can find pieces from a multitude of brands in different price ranges, but we’re going to looking at J. Crew and Ralph Lauren first. J. Crew has a really cool alpaca shawl cardigan for only $98 and on the higher end of things, Ralph Lauren Black Label has just about perfected the piece in its most classic form for this fall.

J. Crew Alpaca Shawl Cardigan, $98 at J. Crew

Ralph Lauren Black Label Cashmere Shawl Cardigan, $895 at Ralph Lauren

We’re always on the hunt for the perfect bathing suit. And with many brands reluctant to enter the field and design their own trunks, we’re left with only a few proper fitting suits from brands that want to charge you an arm and a leg.

We’re often pretty keen on guys like Parke and Ronen. But what about that good old fashioned suit that just looks and feels right? The simple guy that flatters your form and makes you feel masculine and not overstated?

Potentially one of our favorite logos for any brand we've ever seen

Birdwell Beach Britches. Birdwell is a Cali based surfwear company, so you know they do waterwear right. We say go with their original 301 model; this thing is s a natural fitting mid-thigh short that comes in some fun summery bright colors, without stinging the eyes.

We admire the classic fit because it shows just the right amount of your upper leg — without entering into feminine territory. The risk of shorts that are long and loose through the leg is that your body is dwarfed and you look stocky. This can work for some of our favorite friends on MTV’s Jersey Shore, but for most guys, the safest bet is a classic pair of trunks that makes the body look long and lean. And that’s why we love Birdwell — especially when these “britches” are only $50. 

Snag the 301 model here.

Brooks Brothers Black Fleece, $175

J. Crew Linen Trousers, $128

Paul Stuart Newberry Shoes, $448

Style doesn’t always need to be complicated. Sometimes all a guy needs to do is keep it simple and make sure his clothing fits. It’s very easy to forget but clean lines are simple color can be very flattering to your form. There are a few ways to do this, but one of our favorites is the classy combination of dress trousers and a dress shirt. While simplifying your outfit down to only a few pieces may appear to make everything easier, it also means that you really have to make sure those few items looks perfect.

The first, and most important, part of this look is the trousers. A bad pair of pants will completely sink this one because it will make the whole outfit seem sloppy. This summer we have been wearing our trousers nice and slim in the leg through to the calf with a single cuff right before the top of our shoe. As we’re still in the heat of the summer, we think you should look into a nice pair of navy linen trousers. They’ll be light enough to wear when the temperature rises, but still look nice and professional.

Next, you’ll have to figure our your shirting. A baggy shirt will ruin the lean look that your pants helped to start, so make sure you’re spot on with the proportions. We’re not saying you should wear something skin-tight, but you should wear something that will be trim in the body and arms. Brooks Brothers Black Fleece is always a great play for a slim, but not tight, fitting dress shirt. Don’t overthink the style of the shirt, either, because a classic spread collar white dress shirt is all you need.

Finally, the footwear. This is the icing on the cake. You could wear a lot of different shoes with this outfit because of how simple it is. Of course you could do a formal penny loafer or a wingtip, but for those who want to go above and beyond the call of duty we suggest a nice double monk strap shoe. It will up the Italian quotient of the style, which we don’t see being a bad thing at at. Go with a simple design like the pair made by Paul Stuart and you ought to be good to go.

Brooks Brothers Black Fleece Dress Shirt, $175 at Brooks Brothers

J. Crew Ludlow Irish Linen Trousers, $128 at J. Crew

Paul Stuart Double Monk-Strap Shoe, $448 at Paul Stuart

Shimon and Ariel Ovadia

While you may not be able to enjoy Ovadia & Sons clothing until the Spring/Summer ’11 season, we think it’s important that you start committing the name to memory sooner rather than later. The twins, Ariel and Shimon Ovadia, have put together one of the most impressive new collections we have seen in quite some time. The 27-year-old designers are entering a market saturated with luxury brands, but their highly wearable and abundantly elegant line hardly seems like it can be called just another label–especially not when you realize that many of their fabrics are from the same places as brands like Ralph Lauren Purple Label and their neckwear is made by none other than Michael Drake.

Ranging from classic suiting to rakish dress shirting to seasonal slippers and espadrilles, one would hardly expect the founders of Ovadia & Sons to be so young, but Ariel and Shimon have been in fashion for as long as they can remember. As teenagers, the two were trading vintage Ralph Lauren pieces and have been honing their eye ever since. The collection draws inspiration from classic American, British, and Italian style and places it on a slim silhouette that is ideal for the young gentleman. Prices for the line will range from $2,000-$3,000 for suiting, $300-$400 for shirting, $250-$400 for trousers which puts them in the same price bracket as other rising stars like Phineas Cole and Simon Spurr.

Brooks Brothers has been one of the biggest names in American menswear, well, since there has been such a thing as American menswear. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line the faithful company lost its sartorial direction and made clothes that appeased the throngs of shoppers that had forgotten how their clothing was supposed to fit. Back in the fall of ’07, the company took its first step in returning to its roots by teaming up with Thom Browne on their Black Fleece line. Unfortunately, we’ve found that the Black Fleece line can be as unwearable as the rest of their clothing, at times, because of how shrunken it is.

This fall Brooks Brothers has gotten it right. Their new collection of collegiate-inspired clothing is spot on in fit and styling. We made sure to try everything on as there had been a lot of buzz about the new stuff and we’re happy to report that we weren’t disappointed one bit. Our favorite piece in the collection is their chambray shirt which seriously undercuts the competition in price, but not in fit of fabric. Check the new gear out for yourself in stores as we’re pretty confident that you’ll be as happy with it as we are.

Brooks Brothers Extra-Slim Fit Chambray Shirt, $69.50 at Brooks Brothers

A special weekend update for all of you shoppers lucky enough to live in or around New York City. The intensely hyped collaboration between the Bergdorf alumnus Michael Bastian and the American sportswear juggernaut has finally found its way to the public. While the line has yet to hit the shelves of all the department stores carrying it, you can check everything out at the GANT store on 645 5th Avenue. The entire line has the great slim silhouette you associate with Bastian’s line at prices not too far above what you’ll find in Gant Rugger.

We really love all of the pants in the line, but feel that it’s important to get your hands on them to understand what were talking about. As great as the styling of the line is, it’s the fabric that really makes it what it is. Sure, it’s a lacrosse-themed collection, but it’s very easy to tell that Mr. Bastian was very careful in choosing fabrics that are very kind to the touch. We won’t ruin the surprise by giving away all the details, but we do suggest taking a bit of time out of your schedule this weekend to check it out.