OffshOre AccOunTs

STYLE
L IF E
BODY
WOR K
PL AY
C U LT U R E
BOOT
FoRCE
Never mind hiking or combat, these
boots are made for working
Leather lace-up boots, $1,740, JOHN LOBB, johnlobb.com.
.com
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Self-winding
Royal Oak watch
with 18-karat rose
gold case on handstitched crocodile
strap, $33,800,
AUDEMARS PIGUET,
888-214-6858.
After all these years, Audemars Piguet’s
Royal Oak is still the king of casual
T
his year marks the 40th anniversary of Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak,
the iconic timepiece born when AP commissioned the late Gérald
Genta to create a sports watch that would look as great on the deck
of a yacht as it would on the disco floor. Legend has it that Genta came
up with the screwed-down, hexagonal-bezel design overnight, while inspired by a ­vision of a diving helmet
Fast-forward four decades, and the Royal Oak is again the status watch
for sporty men. It’s a resurgence led by another legend, Miami Heat star
LeBron James. The basketball player, as smartly appointed an athlete as
they come, has a horological influence that can be seen on the wrists of
sportsmen including Tom Brady, Sean Avery and Michael Schumacher.
James was introduced to the Royal Oak by his friend Jay-Z and bought
his first AP back in 2008. Modestly, James doesn’t take credit for leading the AP charge. “I was at the right place at the right time,” he says.
In 2012, AP is also celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Royal Oak
Offshore, its beloved oversize timepiece. The watch, which renders other
jewelry unnecessary, is James’ preferred wrist accessory. “I like simple
things,” he says, “with a great distinctive look.”
No matter if your style is in step with a 6-foot-8 basketball star’s,
these classic watches are a slam dunk on any guy. —RHONDA RICHE UNSAFE
SOCKS
Get a leg up with fall’s brightest new trend
Bare ankles were acceptable for summer, but
after Labor Day it’s time to cover up. Still,
think twice before you slip on those old argyle numbers; to impress critical eyes lingering south of your calves nowadays, it’s
necessary to sport something a lot more daring. “Right now, socks are a hot commodity,” says Eric Jennings, vice president and
fashion director for menswear at Saks Fifth
Avenue. “Colorful, bold socks are selling extremely well.”
Those are the same socks that made,
ahem, toes curl when designers like Thom
Browne and Dries Van Noten showed them
for fall. Jennings counts brands like Paul
Smith and Marcoliani Milano, which feature
eye-catching designs, among his favorites.
Before ­worry sets in that these rainbow-hued
dazzlers will be hidden beneath your slacks,
take heart. “Trousers are being worn shorter,” Jennings says. “And it’s an easy way for
a man to express himself without stepping
too far out on the fashion spectrum.”
And without the horror of breaking sartorial statutes—like how socks should match
pants—which Jennings says you can abandon with reckless glee. The idea is to throw
convention out the window in only the way
that paying $30 for a pair of socks can allow.
“It’s just a little detail but makes you feel
like you’ve put some care into your appearance,” Jennings says. And it’s one that has
staying power.
“Socks have been trending for a while,”
he says. “I can definitely see this continuing
for several seasons.”
clockwise from top left: courtesy of audemars piguet; courtesy of
john lobb; adam katz sinding.
Offshore Accounts
Front: Cotton and spandex striped socks, $28, BRESCIANI,
Bergdorf Goodman, 888-774-2424. Cowes classic monk
double-strap shoes, $618, CHURCH’S, 212-758-5200. Rear:
Tiago cotton socks, $28, FALKE, falke.com. Leather lace-up
shoes, $1,560, TOM FORD, 212-359-0300.
The dark truth about socks is that, at some point, it’s likely one piece of a pair will go missing—lost in the laundry, tossed behind a bureau, who knows.
That’s why on May 9, we celebrate National Lost Sock Memorial Day, an actual holiday honoring those socks no longer with us.
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8/11/12 12:21 AM