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A lot of founders’ success stories begin with a breakdown before a breakthrough, and that’s how it started forKristen Pumphrey, founder and co-owner, with her husband, Thomas Neuberger, ofP.F. Candle CO. Kristen was let go from her job in publishing during the recession and started making candles and selling them on Etsy in 2008. Fast-forward to now, and the company is almost 20 years old, with three brick-and-mortar shops in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

I know, I know… how are we talking about fall footwear when it feels like you’ve Swanton-bombed into a cast-iron skillet over an open fire? But it’s September, and we feel obligated to at least help you bookmark some weather-appropriate footwear before you adjust your thermostat. We’ve put together some of our favorite shoes to carry you from now through that stretch when the leaves start crunching beneath your outsoles.

The older you get, the more you realize that your parents were right: socks may just be the greatest gift one can receive. There are few products that make me happy the way a fresh, new pair of socks do. It’s like smelling the pages of a brand-new book; pure bliss. With that in mind, here’s a mini-guide to our favorite brands to buy from right now. And if you would like to be put on to that list, keep reading. Note: These shopping guides are paywalled.

We’re always sifting through shit upon shit upon shit. Instead of letting the good stuff rot away on our personal wish lists or disappear into the endless stream of shoot-from-the-hip menswear recommendations clogging the group chat, we figured it deserved a proper home. So, for August, here’s what we’re excited about and what we’ve got sitting in our carts.

Ecru, natural, eggshell, oat, cream—whatever you wanna call it, these are all shades that work wayyyyy better than the mundane white. In pant form, they’re not see-through, and up top, there’s more texture that comes through. Whether it’s flecked hemp fibers or the way the sun hits them, they give your fit a little more visual interest, especially when worn with navy, olive, or khaki.

It’s more than safe to say that we’re all overdosed on content and brands and products right now. There is simply too much sh*t out there, and I expect over the coming months and years we’ll see a consolidation of all 3, and/or an acknowledgment that you (as the brand) don’t need to reach everyone to find success. And as a patron, you don’t need to consume everything, either. I’m on the fence about what we’re living through creatively.

QUICK NOTE: This email is super long and might be clipped in your inbox, so if that’s the case you can view the published version on our website here. There’s about a month of summer left, so make sure you’re getting every last wear out of your nylon shorts and perfecting that sandal tan. We couldn’t let the season pass without a women’s-only edition of What the Homies Are Wearing, especially since thespring edition did numbers.

I remember my parents putting me in a denim shirt for picture day in preschool, and feeling like Waldo from The Little Rascals. I wanted to be in “kids’” clothes. Now I look back at that photo and can’t get enough of denim or any other kind of hardy shirts. Chambray, pointed flap pockets, sawtooth pockets, back yokes—you name it, I’m paying attention. Western Americana shirts will always take up a sizable chunk of my closet because of their utility and versatility.

Earlier this year, during a company press conference for Goldwin, President and CEO Takao Watanabe was asked about the brand’s biggest challenge in 2026. His response was simple: “Never follow the crowd.” For a brand that is 76 years old, I think that mindset continues to drive its innovation and keep it at the forefront of the intersection between lifestyle and performance.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Shop Talk, a series where we sit down with independent multi-brand retailers to talk about their stores, the brands they’re excited about, and what they’re seeing on the retail floor. With this monthly series, we hope to recreate that feeling of discovery, whether you’re wandering into a neighborhood shop for the first time or falling down the rabbit hole of a really good online store.