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Milkmade ❘ SOUTHERN FIELD INDUSTRIES Waxed Haversack

The Waxed Haversack by Southern Field Industries is now sold exclusively at Milkmade in the US. Details: – Japanese #11 Waxed Canvas – Japanese #6 Waxed Canvas Lining (Khaki) – Japanese Vegetable Tanned Cow Leather – Japanese Solid Brass Hardwares – Japanese Vegetable Tanned Cow Leather（Painting Edge Finish） – Inner Partition Pocket – Inner Key Pocket – Two …

oneculture ❘ 13 Months In (1st Wash)

This is how my custom oneculture selvage denim jeans looked before (click here) and 13 months later (with only one wash), look how beautiful they look now! I’m very pleased to how they came out and they still fit amazing, despite the fact that they shrunk a couple of inches in length, which isn’t a deal breaker for me …

ArtOfficial Lifestyle™ presents: 5 Daily Essentials

The good people of ArtOfficial Lifestyle™ asked me to participate in their new project called #DailyEssentials. Since I kicked of the project I had to make sure that my presentation was right by putting together a visual of my #DailyEssentials- though there are a few things missing, I selected my top 5.5 items lol. You can view …

oneculture ❘ 13 Months In

It’s been 13 months since my “Initial Fit” post for these oneculture Pulsar’s (Slim-Tapered) and today they are getting wash, but first I wanted to share how beautifully the jeans have aged so far. For the first 6-8 months I wore them faithfully everyday, then I started to rotate between them and a pair of …

Essential Style Kit

It has been so long since this type of post has graced the pages of TEM. Thanks to Jake Davis for the inspiration. – The Essential Cap (Snapback Edition) ❘ The Essential Man™ – Western Yoke Parka ❘ Mt. Rainier Design – The “RIALTO” Eyeglasses ❘ Garrett Leight – 1940′s Chambray Shirt ❘ Our Legacy …

Essential Picks ❘ Steve Mono’s Small Leather Goods

Steve Mono is a men’s leather goods company based out of Spain operated soley by Gonzalo Fonseca. Working with a small local manufacturer, Gonzalo oversees the production through the whole process from vegetable tanning (the leather) to the packaging in order to ensure a great quality product to offer to his customers. Since discovering the …

Very proud to announce that the second edition of “The Essential Cap” is finally available for purchase! Only 24 pieces available. *Special thank you to Quimari Majette for the dope illustration.

Essential Picks ❘ Retail Edition: Milkmade F/W 11 (Accessories Pt.1)

Here’s the third installment of “Essential Picks ❘ Retail Edition“ with MILKMADE, but this time featuring some of the store’s awesome accessories. This is only a small fraction of all the great stuff they have in now; from BLK PINE WORKSHOP to MIANSAI. Check out some of the standout pieces (at least to me) below. *Disclaimer* This …

SOUTHERN FIELD INDUSTRIES ❘ Waxed Haversack

My buddy Manabu of SFI does it again- he just released this amazing looking bag called the “Waxed Haversack” in assortment of different colors. It’s ideal in size, and perfect for daily use. This one has to be my favorite bag of course after the “Waxed Rucksack“. Details: – Japanese #11 Waxed Canvas – Japanese …

Essentials Picks ❘ SFI Waxed Rucksack

About two months ago I received a beautiful package from Southern Field Industries, and inside was this “Waxed Rucksack”. If you know me personally then you would know that this bag is right up my alley. When I say I love everything about this bag, I mean EVERYTHING- from the British Millerain Waxed Cotton (used …

Q&A: Manabu Okada

A couple of weeks ago I had a special guest come and visit me for a few days here in Los Angeles all the way from Saitama, Japan. His name is Manabu Okada, and he is the founder of Southern Field Industries, a small Japanese company that specializes in canvas and leather goods. During his …

Update ❘ The Essential Cap (snapback edition)

They are complete and should be available 12.1.11 (the date is still subject to change though).

Essentials Picks ❘ MS & Co. Shoe Bag

The MS & Co. shoe bags has been featured on TEM a couple of times but not quite this particular bag. Phil (of MS & Co.) sent this 1 of 1 camo shoe bag my way a few weeks ago and I must say I really love it; the embossed leather logo is such a nice …

Essential Picks ❘ Retail Edition: Milkmade Fall 11 (pt. 2)

Here’s the second installment of “Essential Picks ❘ Retail Edition“ with MILKMADE. This is only a small fraction of all the great stuff they have in now; from Our Legacy to Momotaro Jeans- they are carrying the good this season. Check out some of the standout pieces (at least to me) below. *Disclaimer* This is not …

Update ❘ TEM Product

Just received the new & improved woven labels for the next set of TEM products. More results coming in the upcoming weeks.

First Preview ❘ M.S.S. Denim

Yesterday I had the opportunity to preview the first installment of Milkmade‘s private label, M.S.S. (Milkmade Select Shop). So far their collection consists of raw denim which is available in two fits: Standard and Slim. Below are some product shots I took of Brandon (store manager) wearing the slim-fit style. From what I saw it seems like the beginning …

Re-Stock ❘ The Essential Notebook

Just re-stocked on The Essential Notebook‘s. However the navy colorway is still out of stock for the time being. Grab yours here.

Sneak Peak ❘ The Essential Cap (snapback edition)

That was quick huh? Today I picked up the first sample for the Essential Man snapback and I was very pleased with the results. It is only one simple correction away from being perfect. Can’t wait to reveal finishing product. Stay tuned.

The Drawing Board

For those of you who follow me on twitter or facebook, you know I have been going back and forth on the idea of producing a snapback cap- well, now I am pleased to say that I have finally made up my mind…there will be an Essential Man snapback. More results coming soon.

Essential Picks ❘ Retail Edition: Milkmade Fall 11 (pt. 1)

The other day while on Abbot Kinney I stopped by Milkmade to check out their fall inventory, and I must say they have some amazing stuff coming in. Since I had my camera with me, I asked Brandon (store manager) if we could take some impromptu shots of some of the standout pieces (at least …

Introducing: Q&A

A couple of weeks ago while I was hanging with Teron at the Black Scale Store/Office, I had the opportunity to conduct a short-interview to learn (and share) more about him as a creative. Since today is his birthday I figured it was the perfect time to introduce the new Q&A section. Some of the …

Sneak Peak ❘ TEM Button Pack

Available this Fall.

Essence of Style

Man…its been a minute since I’ve done this type of post but since I’m up doing everything but sleeping I figure I’d share my inspiration with you guys. Since i’ve been working on some new design projects here lately I find myself up late (I have a SERIOUS case of insomnia) in the wee hours …

Essential Picks ❘ OUTLIER 4Season OG Pant

A couple of years ago I was exposed to the “tailored performance” brand OUTLIER by an old colleague of mine who was an avid cyclist. At the time I couldn’t quite relate to his enthusiasm of the brand because I wasn’t a cyclist myself (and I’m still not for this matter) but after educating myself …

The Essential Men Project ❘ Sean Knibb

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to spend some time with Sean Knibb of Knibb Design at his house and design studio in Venice, California. It was a few months ago when I first met him, we were both getting food from a truck on Abbot Kinney, and I complimented him on his style …

The Essential Men Project ❘ Teron Stevenson

Yesterday was a good day- I had the opportunity to visit the Black Scale Store/Office here in Los Angeles (which is pretty amazing, and their upcoming projects is going to change “the game”) to meet up with with my good friend Teron Stevenson (you should be familiar with the name already here) for lunch. He’s honestly …

Essential Picks ❘ Lightning Bolt Pelican Boardshorts

In celebration of me having this past weekend off from work (for those of you who work retail, you know how hard it is to have the WHOLE weekend off), my girlfriend and I decided to take a spontaneous trip to Laguna Beach. With the sun shining bright and beaming extremely hard, there was no …

Update: MS & Co. Shoe Bags

So apparently MS & Co. was not satisfied with the first 8 shoe bags they introduced a couple of weeks ago..recently adding 4 more styles to the inventory. I don’t know which one I prefer the most now- it’s still between the Camo Canvas Duck Cloth Shoe Bag and now Red and Blue Gingham Shoe Bag. Which …

Recap: Nudie Jeans Los Angeles House Opening Event

A few nights ago I attended a “private look” at the new flagship Nudie Jeans House here in Los Angeles. It was a small gathering of what appeared to be close family and friends of the Nudie team, all coming together to experience “the naked truth about denim“. It was an honor to be present …

In Rotation ❘ Ronnie Fieg by Sebago- Abenaki Docksides

Tradionally when it comes to boat shoes, I am a Sperry Top-Sider kinda guy, but it wasn’t until last year (July 2010) during my trip to New York when I was first exposed to Ronnie Fieg (footwear aficionado) and his collaborations with Sebago. Since then I’ve been following him and Sebago, and now that I have a …

MS & Co. Shoe Bags

I’m sure most of you are familiar with MS & Co. by now (the brand behind the selvage denim sleeves) so there’s no need for a long intro. Long-story short, they just recently added some new products to their repertoire- but this time around surprisingly, introducing shoe bags (definitely was not expecting that). And I must …

Recap: The General Store Pop-Up

Last night was pretty exciting. I attended The General Store Pop-Up here in Downtown Los Angeles which was a “showcase of local goods and handcrafted wares.” It was also the official launch event for my buddy Teron’s online site The Forecast (I’m sure you’ve seen their videos on hypebeast or selectism). This time …

Recap: Apolis Local+Global Marketplace Gathering

So last night was simply amazing. As you may already know I attended the Apolis Local+Global Marketplace Gathering at MILKMADE (Venice, CA) which was in conjunction with the Abbot Kinney’s famous “First Friday” gathering (a way better artwalk). I admit that I must have been under a rock for not knowing how awesome “First Friday’s” …

Apolis Local+Global Marketplace Gathering

Tomorrow I will be here covering for The Essential Man. Stop by if you are in the area. Event details: To inaugurate the release of the Venice Market Bag (see below), MILKMADE and Apolis have collaborated on Apolis’ first ever Local+Global Marketplace. For the entire month of August, MILKMADE will be hosting a curated shop-in-shop showcasing Apolis’ global advocacy …

The Fashionary Book

Man I’ve been meaning to post this for a few weeks now. If you have at least one ounce of interest in fashion (especially design) then this is the book for you. I was first exposed to the FASHIONARY about a month or so ago through a friend (Brandon Brown), and I since I’ve received …

First Preview ❘ NSF Denim

A couple of months ago I received an unexpected email from Think PR basically telling me that I’ve been selected to wear (test, review, ect.) NSF Clothing‘s new denim that they are launching this Fall. To be perfectly honest with you, as much as I love NSF I wasn’t too thrilled about their denim launch initially- …

First Preview ❘ CXXVI “Tougher Than Nails” Tote (FW11)

A couple of months ago I stopped by the 722 Figueroa Showroom to check out some new merchandise, and one of their stand out brands (in my humble opinion) was CXXVI (pronounced just as written C-X-X-V-I). After previewing their Spring/Summer ’11 collection, I came across some of their items geared to launch this Fall/Winter and …

Essential Picks ❘ NSF Striped Embroidered Shorts

They come in black/red, green/teal, light blue/brown and navy/green
They are 100% cotton

This past weekend while eating in Downtown Culver City I spotted a familiar bag pass my dinner table; since my camera was handy I decided to track the person down in hopes of adding to my ongoing photo exhibit I call…What Men Carry. This second installment features Anthony Bob (cool name), and he is carrying a Jack …

INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS™

Last week I had the opportunity to spend sometime at the IOAN™ office, and if I had to use one word to describe my time there- it would be INSPIRING. I haven’t been around such positive energy (in a working environment) in a long while; it felt good seeing a small team (5 0r 6 …

The Essential Men Project ❘ Juan Diego Gerscovich

Last week while at the INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS™ office/showroom, Juan Diego Gerscovich (one of the three founders) filled me in on what’s “essential” to him. Check out that what he had to say below. Disclaimer: please excuse the noise in the background, there was some construction going on outside lol.

Essential Picks ❘ Dockers SF Tapered Khaki

Happy 4th!!! A couple of weekends ago I was off (from my day job) so I figured it was the perfect time to do another installment of “Essential Picks”. The weather was in transition mode, preparing for the season’s change, and so was I; instead of wearing my traditional raw denim, I used this opportunity to debut …

The Essential Men Project ❘ Garrett Leight

Yesterday while on Abbot Kinney I met up with Garrett Leight of Garrett Leight California Optical and A.Kinney Court, and he filled me in on his “essential piece”. Check out that what he had to say below.

The eau de toilette Department (revisted)

A while ago I did a post sharing my three favorite fragrances (at the time)- well, this is an extension of that. Since then I’ve added a few more scents to my collection- however, today’s focus is rum tonic by Malin+Goetz. A couple of years ago this fragrance was given to me, and after a …

Essential Picks ❘ Unis “Gio” Chinos

I only know one person who shares the same love and admiration as I do for the American brand, UNIS, and that’s my buddy/business partner, Quimari Majette- so I felt it was only right to enlist him for this installment of “Essential Picks” featuring the UNIS Gio chinos. Read his “tailored observation” below. Quimari’s Words Since …

The Essential Men Project ❘ Brandon Brown

Last week while on Abbot Kinney I met up with my good friend Brandon Brown of Milkmade, and he filled me in on his “essential piece”. Check out that what he had to say below.

No intro needed. Simply just watch the video, check the site, and then draw your own conclusion. I’m sure we will be on the same page.

Introducing: Essential Picks

This is an introduction to something I would like to refer to as the “Essential Picks“. The concept is simple. Instead of always using the recycled images that circulates through the web, I wanted to present a fresh perspective on all things essential by creating my own original visuals of select items (the essentials). The first …

Icon: Bill Cunningham

If your job isn’t absolutely what you LOVE to do, then Bill Cunningham New York is the perfect film for you. Prior to seeing the film last night, I simply thought is was about the man who revolutionized the street photography we are all so familiar with today- which essentially it was, but I left with …

oneculture ❘ 4 Months In

It’s been a while since I’ve done this type of post, but with the new site up and running I have an incentive to get back on track. For those of you who have been with me through this whole journey, you probably remember my “Initial Fit” post a few months ago…well, here’s the 4 …

Visuals: The Essential Man

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of joining forces (once again) with the talented videographer, Sadie Strangio, to create an unique visual for the site. The whole concept behind the video was to capture the essence of what exactly The Essential Man is and represents: The Essential Man is about simplicity with attention to …

Introducing: What Men Carry

For the longest women have been synonymous with carrying a bag (excluding back packs and briefcases) on the daily basis, and I am not exactly sure why- but if I had to assume the reason, it would probably be because it was considered a more feminine thing to do. Well, times have changed due to …

Introducing: The Essential Men Project

Please excuse the delay in content- with me being the perfectionist I am, I am still working on getting everything right to present to you all. I really appreciate your patience. In the meantime, I wanted to introduce a project I am starting called “The Essential Men Project” where essentially I will be asking men …

A Dream Come True

*another DEEP BREATH* Wow- I can’t believe this day is finally here. I know from the outside looking in, it may appear that I just popped up out of nowhere, but the fact of the matter is that I have been preparing for this very moment for a long time. Only a few has witness …

Welcome & Welcome Back

*DEEP BREATH* The time has finally come. After three months “Under Construction” I am pleased to present to you the finished product. For those of you who are tuning in for the first time…welcome! And for those you who are returning…welcome back! This week I want to encourage you all to take the time and …

More…More Inspiration.

I know it’s been a while, but you shall soon see what I have been up to. Nonetheless, I hope everyone is starting off with a prosperous year. Earlier today I came across another inspirational video that I wanted to share with you.

More Inspiration.

Hopefully this inspires you as much as it did for me. Shout out to Ryan (You Have Broken the Internet and Denim Debate) for the find.

The Shape of Things to Come

Yesterday before heading out to work, the mail lady dropped off an unexpected treat…my Essential Man buttons. I’m very pleased with how they came out…this looks like the shape of things to come- just wait for what comes next!

Essential Shirting.

I love the subtle details in these shirts; the contrast color buttons changed the whole dynamic of the shirt (for the better) by taking something really simple and making it more exciting. J. Crew always does a great job in bringing the most out of a simplistic design. For more information on the shirts click …

Just wait to see what comes of this.

The Essential Man Tumblr.

I’ve been contemplating on getting a Tumblr for sometime now- what better time to start anything new than the first of the year. Follow the pursuit.

If you know me then you would know that sometimes I’m extremely hard on myself, and that I don’t always give myself the full credit I deserve. In fact, I’m constantly reminded that I am “only 22.” With that been said , yesterday (or a couple of hours ago) I took the time to reflect on …

The Essential Man x Denim Debate

I would be lying if I told you that I was always hip to the Denim Debate, in fact, to be perfectly honest with you it wasn’t until recently (a few months ago) that I discovered it for myself. After spending a few hours navigating through the site for the first time, by time I was …

Essence of Style

Goodmorning everyone…I hope you all had a pleasant Christmas- I know I did! So the other day I peeped (< excuse my poor choice of word) this picture of Thelonious Monk and Dizzy Gillespie on my boy, Ontario (Armstrong & Wilson), BBM icon pic and I immediately hit him up to ask him to email it …

At “The Happiest Place on Earth”

A couple of days ago my girlfriend and I went to Disneyland to celebrate her graduating from college, and after only getting two hours of sleep the night before…I made it through the day (well almost)! Now this is a good candid shot! #lovethyself

oneculture ❘ Initial Fit

Since my post regarding “my new denim jeans” everyone has been asking me about them…well this is the answer to all of your questions. A few months ago while looking at Denim Debate, I was exposed to an up and coming denim brand by the name of oneculture, and since I was unfamiliar with the brand …

Good morning everyone (or good afternoon for some). I want to share something with you that should put you in good spirits for the holidays! Last night I received a message from my buddy and fellow Essential Man, Ruben Hughes of Two Inch Cuffs informing me that the new “Holiday Edition has just been released.” …

I’m sure you all have had an ensemble (outfit) that you are really proud of…well this is one of my many lol! This outfit is a collective of some of my favorite purchases (come ups) of the year, especially the GANT Rugger denim jean jacket and the Shades of Grey multi-pocket pants (with red/white plaid lining). …

Man…it feels good to be back! (<) Which happens to be my exact sentiments towards me being a designer (surprise…surprise). It’s been so long since I actually sat down and sketched something, but these last few nights (early mornings) I have been controlled by creativity. Can’t wait to see the finished product from this. Stay …

Stationery+Gadgets

Two of my favorite things combined…stationery and gadgets! Man this Christmas is going to be good! Moleskine Tablet Cover & Volant Notebook (iPad) -LD-

My Christmas List

Every year I get myself a Christmas gift (lol I know I’m not the only one) and this year is no different; but this time around there isn’t that many things that I really want- especially since I managed to get the main things throughout the year. However the one thing (well two things) that …

Vanishing Elephant

Initially this post was intended for “The Underdog” section of my blog, but since I am a few weeks late with posting this (should have had this posted about a month ago) Vanishing Elephant is no longer the underdog because they just recently won the “Fashion Designer of the Year” award for GQ Magazine: Men of …

Another Night Out

Last night I had the pleasure to attend the Apartment 3 & Unique LA boutique fashion show which was held at H.D. Buttercup; my fellow Essential Man Quimari Majette (A Tailored Observation) was in attendance with me (informal introduction). *click on images to enlarge* Michael Warren (michaelTHOMAS1956) another fellow Essential Man was in attendance as well. Great things …

My New Denim Jeans

First and foremost, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I’m still making sandwiches from the leftover Turkey lol! This morning as I was getting ready for work, one of my favorite people (the mail lady) around this time of the year came and delivered me a long awaited package…which happened to be my new …

Selvedge Denim Field Notes Sleeve

Today I received an unexpected package in the mail, and to my surprise it was from MS&Co., and inside was a Selvage Denim Field Notes Sleeve from their new Selvage Sleeve collection. The product looks just in good in person as it does in picture and might I add, the craftsmanship is top notch; the sleeve is …

Test Shots: Persol Ratti

Just recently I acquired some vintage Persol Ratti eyeglasses (deadstock) and yesterday I decided to see how well they photographed (or how well I photographed lol). This pair of Persol’s are very special for more reasons than one, but one thing that stands out besides the circular frame is the fact that the signature arrow …

The Power of a Seam Ripper

If you are the type of individual who prefers to wear garments with minimal branding, then you may find this post helpful. It happens too often that I rule against buying certain items particularly because they are too branded or because the placement of the logo is horrible (just strong yet humble opinion). I wish more …

How I spent my off day!

Yesterday I was able enjoy my day off from work by vibing (< is that a real word?) out to new Kanye West album (Gorgeous and Blame Game are my personal favorites), which ultimately inspired me creatively as well…hopefully in the next few months I will have something tangible to show you guys. Kanye West …

Morning Inspiration

Here goes a lil’ morning inspiration from the G.O.A.T, Michael Jordan. I wish everyone a prosperous day. Thank you for your patience, this week we will be back to our regular scheduled programming. Peace and love! -LD-

True Clean Towel

I can honestly say that the worst thing about having an online platform is the spam mail that comes with it! Seriously, I receive SO much spam mail that often times it causes me to avoid checking my emails altogether. Just last week I received an interesting message with the subject line reading “Lorenzo: Know Where Your …

Decisions…Decisions…Made.

If you have been following The Essential Man for some time now then you probably remember my post when I was trying to decide on my next camera; I was between buying the Canon EOS Rebel T2i or the Canon Powershot G12. Well I am pleased to announce that for the time being I decided to go with …

The Man’s Guide To Love

I came across The Man’s Guide To Love site about two months ago, and since then I have been following it. I figure us men could all use a little advice when it comes to LOVE. Please take some time out and watch a few of the videos…it is very worth it! Enjoy your Sunday! …

Armstrong & Wilson

Goodmorning everyone…sorry I haven’t posted anything in these last few days, but I believe I am back now (as if I was really missed)! About a month ago I was exposed to the fresh and innovative pocket square brand Armstrong & Wilson (based in Phila) through a photo spread my fellow essential man Ruben of Two …

Dreams do come true.

This picture speak in volumes. I’ve always wondered where Dr. King would be if he lived to see our (USA) first black President and this picture provides the answer- right there with him! Whoever created this is NICE on photoshop. -LD-

Personally I rather watch videos documenting the process of products being made than watch TV; especially if it’s one of my favorite types of products (stationery). Below is a video of one of my daily essentials (Field Notes) being assembled from start to finish. I feel just knowing the journey and seeing the passion put into …

The Influencers

Here goes a little morning inspiration to help start off your day…peace and love! -LD-

Yes there’s more.

I’m pretty sure you remember my post from last week I did on the “Transit Issue Smartphone Wallet” by Apolis Activism, well this is an extension of that. This week they have introduced 3 more colors to include in the collection. My personal favorite is the “Natural” color one! Transit Issue Smartphone Wallet: (l-r: Black, …

Essence of Style…relived.

Just a few weeks ago I did a post on Miles Davis, then the following week I did a similar post on Marvin Gaye, and then a week after that my friend Anne comes across an illustration that she said reminded her of my post, which I happened to love so much that I had to find …

Over the years, I have had my share of viewing many campaign videos, and in my humble opinion this one by the cool guys of Five Four Clothing (circa 2007) still remains one of the best yet. They were truly ahead of their time with a lot of ideas and concepts… Check out the new collection …

Reading Material

Today I am beginning my journey in reading the coveted book “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. So far everyone that I have heard reference this book has had nothing but great things to say about, even deeming it as “life changing”. Look forward to me sharing a few things I learn along the way. The …

Don’t Sleep on Royal Elastics.

If you just so happen to follow my twitter then you probably remember a couple of weeks ago when I had the opportunity to visit the Royal Elastics showroom/office. I never really did share my time spent there, but to sum it all up, it was very inspiring learning their history from where they started …

My Things to-GET Lists: item #1

I almost can’t remember the last shoe release I was really excited about, but since May (when I was first exposed to the shoe) the Clarks Originals Desert Mali Boot has been on my mind (or calendar for this matter). And now that the time is finally approaching for them to be officially released in …

I think I may get an iPhone now.

Man…I really do love my Blackberry (bold 9700), but here lately the idea of getting an iPhone has been constantly on my mind. I know, I know…to all of my “Blackberry lovers” say what you want, but let’s be honest for just 2 seconds- you know this very same thought has appeared in your mind …

For those of you who just so happen to be following me on twitter or/and is a fan of the facebook page then you have seen the new banners I created for the site, for those of you who haven’t check them out below…and join my “social networks” as well! Camera Used: Canon Rebel T1i …

Yes… this is another one of those irrelevant post. You should expect at least two of these a week lol. Now that the *disclaimer* is out of the way…check out this really dope visual from Rob Roy. I’m glad he decided to make a visual for this song…it was by far my favorite song off …

Style Guide: Fall 2010 pt.2

The weather here in Los Angeles these past two weeks is all of the indication needed to know that fall is officially here, and that winter is closely approaching. Personally, I love the F/W season (except the cold temperature) because of all of the clothing options it offers within your wardrobe (although I am that …

The other night (Friday) I had the pleasure to attend the grand opening of the Apartment 3 & Unique LA boutique at H.D. Buttercup. Michael Warren was one of the guest designers debuting his collection. The event started at 8pm, I arrived a little bit before 9pm, and by time I was officially in the …

No intro needed. -LD-

An ode to Marvin

I can honestly say that on a day-to-day basis, people usually do not inspire what I wear…but for some reason yesterday my inspiration was Marvin Gaye; lol yeah I know that may be an odd reference to some people but it made sense to me. Do you remember the picture I posted of him a …

the underdog…MS&Co.

If you have been following The Essential Man. for some time now then you might remember when I first spoke of “the underdog“, well since then it has quickly developed from being a single post to me making it an actual section of the blog. Just to give you a little background information, the underdog is essentially MY …

“My Love is Old Fashioned”

As you embark on this journey with me, you will quickly learn that I am on the brink of being an insomniac (or crazy as my girlfriend would call it); there’s no reason I should still be WIDE AWAKE (again) at 3:45am with NO sign of going to bed anytime soon. I know you’re probably wondering …

Essence of Style

Do you remember my post I did on Miles Davis from the other day, well this old photograph of Marvin Gaye is an extension of that; this picture is by far also one of my “all time” favorite photographs, and whenever I get an office of my OWN this will also be one of the many pictures …

After being in a relationship for a little over a year and half , I am finally deciding to end it with my RRL Raw Slim-Fit jeans. *sighs* Man we shared some great times together…like most relationships, when we first became a couple we were inseparable; I literally saw (wore) her everyday for the first 9 …

An Informal Introduction

Today was a pretty productive day for me…first I was invited to visit the Royal Elastics showroom to preview their upcoming collections (which I will do a full post sometime next week), and then I got the chance to accompany my good friend and dope mens accessory designer, Michael Warren, (aka Mikey Bowtie) as he …

Essence of Style

This picture of Miles Davis is by far one of my favorite photographs of “all time”. Whoever the photographer was, they did a great job capturing his emotion because it is certainly contagious. I don’t know what it is but it is something about this pictures that brings me inspiration. Whenever I get an office of …

My Favorite Song…Relived

This is an extension of my last post. As you can see I am still up (4:32am) doing God knows what, but I’ve come across a lot of information since 2:05am, and one of those many things happens to be a cover of my favorite song performed by Sky Ferreira. This is MY first time …

My Favorite Song

*Disclaimer* This is another post that has absolutely NOTHING to do with clothing…I am simply sharing my interest with you. Right now it is 2:05am and WIDE AWAKE doing my normal routine of searching the web, looking for inspiration to present to you guys and look what I stumble on…my favorite song that I didn’t know …

100 Days of Ties Project: Day 24

*Disclaimer* This post is a few days overdue, and I’m sure by now you know why! Long before I started The Essential Man I was (and still am for that matter) an avid reader of a few other blogs, and The Momentum of Failure just happened to be one of them; I was always intrigued …

Moment of Truth

This is the real reason I haven’t post in the last few days. I know I’m not the only guy who can relate to the excitement of having a new game (or games rather in my case)…but please do not worry, I will be back on track this week! -LD-

I just can’t say NO

I know we all have that one item(s) that we could never resist to NOT buy despite how many we may already have…well that one item for me is stationery goods. To be honest with you, I don’t even know what it is or why I am SO fascinated with stationery products (post-its, notepads, notebooks, …

The Windmill Club

If you have been following The Essential Man for some time now, then you have heard my emphases rants on things being aesthetically pleasing and that is probably the best way to describe the campaign video for The Windmill Club‘s A/W 2010 collection. In my humble opinion, if you didn’t wear neckwear before, after watching this video …

just a friendly REMINDER

*Disclaimer* This post has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with clothing, I am simply broadcasting this message as a friendly reminder to my girlfriend (I know she’s a fan of my blog and would be checking it anyways) just in case she forgot that NBA 2K11 comes out today! Last year she got me 2k10 and …

A couple of weeks ago I came across this video on Denim Debate, and I was left in awe; just seeing the process of my favorite clothing component be constructed from start to finish with so much passion was surreal to me and I couldn’t help but repost it! At the time was not familiar …

Final Four (continued)

A few days ago A Time To Get asked an appealing question(s): What are the 4 most practical and classic staples? If you could have one watch, one wallet, one pair of shoes and a pair of sunglasses for the rest of your days, what would it be? Below is my final four…what is yours? (feel …

Style Guide: Fall 2010 (Streetwear Edition)

In these last few days of scorching HOT heat, I have experienced a huge case of “writer’s block,” seeking inspiration (for a new post) from everywhere, and today…I finally found it; for some reason I had the biggest urge to go through some of my old Complex magazines (circa 2005-2007) which at the time was my …

Imogene + Willie

You just can’t get more aesthetically pleasing than this! John Moessner does an amazing job bringing the Imogene+Willie vision to life.

Everything about this Black Ivy movement is extremely refreshing and inspirational! The guys of Street Etiquette and Fred Egan of Unabashedly Prep did an exceptional job executing and captivating the essence of the original Black Ivy League . What I admired most about the visuals is that it was not forced and everything appeared very organic because of …

This post has nothing to do with clothing…I was simply inspired by it so I am sharing it with you guys. However the video is pretty long, so make yourself comfortable (grab some popcorn), it’s worth watching the whole thing though…by time you are done, I shall have another style guide for you! -LD-

the eau de toilette department

If I had to give my dad credit for anything in my life, it would definitely be for teaching me the importance of grooming at an early age. Although at the time (5 years old), I didn’t fully comprehend its significance but when the girls began to complement me for “smelling good” it all made …

Better Late than Never

Better late than never right? Well late last night I finally took the time and made a facebook “fan page” for The Essential Man. It’s a process yall! Click here to join. -LD-

Reading Material

If you are an avid online shopper like myself, then you know that there is no greater feeling then receiving your package in the mail. This past weekend I received two books that I purchased two weeks ago through Amazon. Today after taking time to glance through my new reading material, I was very impressed …

Men Essentials: The Henley

Every season my wardrobe is slightly modified, whether it be me adding something new or taking something away, the one item that you can always find in my closet is a henley (heathered grey). In my humble opinion, henley’s are one of the most underrated men essentials there is. I say that because whenever there …

Thank You Complex.

Apparently Complex online magazine and Ciroc Vodka presented a “Top 25 Smooth Fall Fashion Trends” list featuring what seems to be pictures of everyday stylish people who embody what they deemed as the fashion essentials for this fall…guess what, your boy (me) stumbled on the list! I’m assuming they found my picture on my LOOKBOOK …

*Disclaimer* This post has nothing to do with anything. I was simply going through some of my picture files to do another post (yes I know, I’m easily side tracked) and I came across these pictures that I had taken last summer (June) for whatever reason, I don’t know. Nonetheless, I thought they came out …

When I was in New York a couple months ago, the new Uptown J.Crew Mens Shop was not quite completed, therefore, I didn’t get to see the finished product. However I did get a chance to visit the SoHo location, and it was a great experience. The footage of ACL documenting the new store proves that it …

An Eco-friendly Footprint

I have been fan of Happy Socks for sometime now, and just when I thought it was nothing left for them to do with a sock, they decide to go green. Just recently they introduced their “Hemp & Recyled Yarn“ collection, which are “made of industrial hemp plants grown in Egypt, mixed with recycled yarn remains.” I …

A Moment of Reflection

It use to happen all too often that by me being a quiet slightly reserved person by nature that it was misinterpreted as something negative and furthest from the truth about me. And before I would get really effected by it, until I grew older and realized that it was ALL apart of life and …

Style Guide: Fall 2010 pt.1

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! As for me, my weekend was spent casting brands (shopping) to star in my “Fall Essentials” and I am pleased to say that my starring cast (the items I will be wearing) is finally complete. I can definitely relate to the wise words of Dr. West when he says, “I’m …

Since I began this blog, people have been asking questions like “what made you start your blog” or “where did the idea of your blog come from” and I feel like I give a different answer every time *shrugs*, but in actuality it is only one answer; The Essential Man is simply an extension of …

Earlier today I was shopping around for some fall essentials, and in passing I couldn’t help but notice Banana Republic‘s refreshing new fall 2010 ad campaign, “Life at Work” starring everyday people wearing items from their new collection. These types of photo shoots are my personal favorite, seeing “ordinary” people owning an image and not selling …

Decisions…Decisions

If you happen to follow my twitter, you probably remember when I tweeted about breaking my camera screen, and if you are a blogger, you can relate to how devastated I was. Seriously, it has been a huge adjustment taking out my phone to capture moments instead of my camera. Now that the time is …

People assume ask me all the time if I’m a “stylist” and I always reply “No, but I DO have experience in creating looks for people!” Last weekend was just an example of that when I was blessed with the opportunity to style and create the concept for the photo shoot of my good friend …

I just realized that I fail to mention that I have an art collective company by the name of heardemsay™ which I happen to officially start November of last year. I will be the first to tell you that becoming a young entrepreneur has been nothing but a VERY beautiful struggle for ME; from financing everything on …

Trip Down Memory Lane

A few weeks ago while cleaning up to prepare for my recent move to Los Feliz, I had came across a ziploc baggy shoved at the bottom of a drawer filled to capacity with hang tags. It was during my days as a “collector“ hoarder that I began to keep my hang tags after purchases; I’m …

Fall Essentials #1

Every year I cast brands to star in my Fall Essentials, and this year I think it is safe to say that Nom de Guerre may be getting the leading role. If you know anything about me, you know that I am very subtle with my color selection. In my humble opinion, Nom de Guerre always …

the underdog…Nom De Guerre

I have a confession to make…I, Lorenzo Diggins, do not follow (study) high-end fashion labels (the Gucci’s, the Louie’s, the Prada’s, etc.). *Surprise…Surprise* The reason being is because I have always been the type of person to root for the underdog and that way of thinking simply transfered in my clothing interest. The underdogs in fashion …

a day in BROOKLYN

This post is well overdue, but as many would say “better late than never”! As some of you may know, a few weeks ago I traveled to New York for a 5 day vacation which happened to end extremely too soon; however, during my time there, I managed to explore the “concrete jungle” in the best …

WOW…yesterday was a great day, I could not have asked for a better 22nd birthday! My mother started of the day by treating me to the Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa, where I enjoyed a full day of rest and relaxation. The Essential Man: Corona, CA Headwear- Saint Alfred 5-panel Hat Shirt- GAP Chambray Shirt Pants- The Hundreds Shorts (Spring …

Hopefully this is the last time I have to say this (I know I said that the next few posts were going to be dedicated to my trip to New York but…) before I actually do a post on my trip to New York, but things really do keep occurring. For example, yesterday, I don’t know …

“The Collector”

I know I said that the next few posts were going to be dedicated to my trip to New York but this entry could not wait…I had to share with you all how productive my day was. Since I have been back from New York one of my immediate goals has been to eliminate all …

a VACATION cut short

Cheers everyone…I promise you I am still dedicated to this Essential Man site. The last time I checked in with you I was headed to New York for a 10 day vacation that ended extremely too soon. Since my return back home (Los Angeles) on Wednesday, I have been trying to mentally preserve every good …

Essential Packing

Wow…I have officially made it through the week and the trip that I have been anticipating for months is only a few hours away!!! Currently it is 3:15 in the morning and I just finished packing. At this point and time I am definitely regretting my decision of having a 16oz Monster Energy Drink (crack …

expensive clothing ≠ better clothing

During my years as a trend chaser, like many men with the help influence of the media, I allowed myself to believe that “expensive clothing” equated to being a well dressed man; therefore, as a result I ONLY purchased the “popular brands” at the time. I remember vividly how I used to rather spend two …

PROPER attire for New York Summers

The countdown begins now…EXACTLY one week from today my girlfriend and I will boarding a plane to New York for a much needed summer business vacation. By this being my first official time visiting the “concrete jungle where dreams are made of” (a couple years ago I went to NJ and ended up in NY …

welcome ME as I welcome YOU

My name is Lorenzo Diggins. Before we get started I want you to know that I am fairly new to the blogging world, so please bare with me. This site is not an attempt to reinvent the wheel, nor would I consider it innovative, this is simply MY take on life and how it is translated …