Imperial Black

Style is not just in the clothes you wear. It’s who you are as a person. It is the sum of your experiences, your travels, your interests, and the passion with which you pursue them and all knowledge. In short, style is a manifestation of everything that makes you, you. I’ve teamed up with Imperial Black to share some of my thoughts about style, travel, and living well.

Travel how you will, but always arrive in style. I’ve written extensively about stylish travel and how style and comfort don’t need to be mutually exclusive. A little thought and planning when it comes to packing will go a long way no matter how you’re traveling.

The thrill of the plan. Whether traveling or in life, in general, I’m a firm believer that having a plan is essential. For me, the thrill doesn’t come so much from dreaming up or drafting that plan, but rather from its execution. That’s not to say that there can’t be variations or detours once the plan is in place—you never know what adventures you may have if you simply take a wrong turn and get a little lost (I had my fill of that in Venice)—but I think defining a starting point and destination is important. Even if that destination is years away.

The passionate pursuit of leisure time. We’ve all heard the saying, Work Hard and Play Hard (or Harder). Personally, I’ve never been one to be able to pursue something casually. And with most things I develop an interest in, I’m really an all or nothing kind of guy. Sometimes it can feel like a curse, but mostly I love when something sparks my interest and curiosity so much that I’m taken on an intense journey deep into someplace I’ve never been.

The anatomy of restlessness. What is the anatomy of restlessness? To me, it is a state of mind—and one that I’ve felt strongly my entire life. It’s the recognition that the journey is more important than the destination. And that if a destination is reached, that you haven’t reached the end, but rather arrived at the beginning of something new. It’s mentally being unable to sit still. To be compelled to explore and learn new things.

This Look: Blazer by Reiss – Shirt and pocket square c/o Imperial Black – Chinos by Reiss – Watch by Timex – Belt by J.Crew – Loafers by Bass Weejuns

Do any of the four statements resonate or have meaning to you? Tell me about them.

Thanks for reading.

Stylishly Yours,

Brian
He Spoke Style

Photography by Rob McIver Photo.
Location: Brown Center, Maryland Institute College of Art

Disclosure: Compensation for this post was provided by Imperial Black. The opinions expressed herein are mine alone and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Imperial Black.