Talk about a man who wears many hats (cowboy hats that is), Max Wastler is TheManual.com come to life. He preaches the gospel of Made in America while keeping his bourbon close at hand. Today Mr. Wastler pauses for just a moment to tell us a bit more about himself and his personal style.
I am from Saint Louis, Missouri. I graduated from DePauw University in 2003 with a degree in Creative Writing and from 2004 to 2006, I spent two intense years studying acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. After that I worked in and around clothes for a good while. I’ve done everything from testing swimwear to making and selling custom clothing for the top men’s clothing stores in the Midwest. I also write. Currently, I’m the Cultural Bloodhound for Basil Hayden’s bourbon whiskey, I’m the co-host of a program called Made Right Here, I’m the co-owner of an online shop called Buckshot Sonny’s, and I’m on the creative team for a new publication called The Collective Quarterly.
Jeans: I wear the Bartons from Imogene + Willie all winter and in the summer months, an early version of Baldwin’s Reeds that were made with incredibly lightweight denim.
Shirts: Custom Gitman Bros.
Pants: Dana Lee.
Suits: A custom navy Oxxford Clothes suit from the 1220 line.
Shoes: Alden shoes and boots. A vintage pair of Tony Lama cowboy boots. Lately, I’ve been enjoying a pair of New Balance my mother gave me for Christmas, the 496 – the same pair Willie Nelson wears I travel with a pair of super-packable New Balance Minimus Trail shoes.
Accessories: Lately, I’ve been wearing a cowboy hat fairly regularly. Something about the work I’ve been doing for the bourbon company makes it feel just right. I wear a shantung Stetson Open Road, a pecan-colored beaver pelt from Texas Hatters, an official MLB Cardinals New Era cap, and anything from King Ropes. One of my best friends gave me an Omega Seamaster De Ville which never leaves my wrist, and I have worn this silver band since high school. It’s imbued with a lot of personal significance, and again, never leaves my left middle finger.
Outerwear: My favorite jacket is Patagonia’s Down Sweater. I have a jacket and a vest from their first season, which is slightly shinier than the current model. I also wear this unlined cruiser which I found in a dollar bin of a factory outlet store. And if I get questions about anything, it’s this trademark of mine, a vintage cowichan from a non-existent mail order company. I dated a clothing designer for a long time, and she had a great eye for finding the pieces that have come to define my style. That sweater was one of them.
Your favorite App: Stitcher. I just checked, and since downloading it in 2011, I’ve listened to 1,200 hours of podcasts, my favorites being Slate’s Culture Gabfest, ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption, Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, and KCRW’s The Business. I refer to them in conversation on a daily basis.
Favorite piece of technology: Now that I’ve put some skin in the game: the printing press.
Next tech purchase: I need some new Pilot V5 pens.
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