Music,What we're listening to

What we’re listening to | White Denim

What we’re listening to | White Denim

Not content with releasing one acclaimed album this year — D, which came out in June — unhinged Texas rockers White Denim are releasing another, unseasonably titled Last Day of Summer, just as winter sets in. More confusingly still, it’s actually their third record, while D was their fourth, but such was the hoo-ha that they’re giving the people a little more of what they want, which is a charmingly ragtag collection of live favourites and messed around oddities.

Last Day of Summer by White Denim is out now (Downtown)

Style

The Look | Unleash your inner rambler

The Look | Unleash your inner rambler

You may have got away with a quick post-binge amble round the block at Christmas, but this year it’s time to ramp things up. Hiking - aside from being an effective way to shed the consequences of those extra turkey sandwiches – offers a prime opportunity to rock the season’s outdoorsy trend. With designers such as Oliver Spencer, Henri Lloyd, Paul Smith and J Crew producing outdoor wear, that can be worn as easily in the pub as it can on the trail, now is the time to pull on your boots, zip up your windbreaker, fill your face with mint cake and head for the hills.  [Read more...]

Style

The Style Column | Jeremy Langmead

The Style Column | Jeremy Langmead

What do you mean you don’t “outfit”? You will now, and it’ll change the way you travel forever.  [Read more...]

Style

Want list | J.Crew Suit

Want list | J.Crew Suit

It’s suit-buying season and it pays to have an idea in your head before you hit the sales. After a long wait, eased only by a few fleeting shopping trips to the US, but J Crew finally made it over to the UK this autumn. It’s one of the few brands to successfully straddle the precarious high-street/high-fashion divide. And with slim-cut jeans from around £70 and cashmere between £100–200, you won’t break the bank. This blue two-button Italian-wool suit is beautifully tailored and comes with a narrow leg, which works well on leaner frames. (£365, jcrew.com)

Music,What we're listening to

The Esquire Playlist | Best of 2011 (part 2)

Click to playThe Esquire Playlist | Best of 2011 (part 2)

Here’s the top 5 of our Playlist for 2011, starting with the georgous Lana Del Rey at number 5 with the now overplayed but still brilliant Video Games. [Read more...]

Design & Technology,Smart Buys

Want list | Fisher Space Pen

Want list | Fisher Space Pen

Ever wanted a pen that would work in Space? Don’t answer that. Of course you have. This Fisher pen is one that was used by US astronauts (until they stopped, presumably because they had more important things to do than take notes). Aside from having the design chops to be inducted into the MOMA, it can also write in extreme temperatures – anything from minus 30 degrees to 250 degrees – and will even work upside down. And all this means one thing: it’ll be great for showing off at the pub. (£19.50, Oi Polloi)

Food & Drink

Restaurant of the week | 34

Restaurant of the week | 34

London’s latest high-end steakhouse, 34, on Grosvenor Square, serves up slabs of Scottish dry-aged wagyu and US prime beef in the plush-yet-intimate surroundings you’d expect of a Caprice Holdings establishment. We tracked down head chef Paul Brown and asked him to show us how to cook up the ultimate steak. Happily, he obliged.  [Read more...]

Music,What we're listening to

The Esquire Playlist | Best of 2011 (Part 1)

Click to playThe Esquire Playlist | Best of 2011 (Part 1)

As it’s the season when ‘Best of 2011′ lists start to come out in force, we thought we’d pick the 10 tracks that got the most airtime on the Esquire Office Stereo. Here are the first five, starting with French Electro DJ Yuksek’s Always On The Run at Number 10. We’ll post the second half tomorrow.

[Read more...]