Every religion has its good book, and when it comes to the religion of style there are many. Some of the good books of style require intense spiritual guidance while others require simple belief. But, no matter your stylistic gospel, here are the good books we think are best.

FANTASTIC MAN:

How could you not want to peruse the pages of “The Gentleman’s Style Journal”? Sure, for some, fantastic might not be exactly the way you would want to be referred to publicly. But once you learn the business, celebrity, style and fantastic ways of the likes of hotelier Andre Balasz, footballer David Beckham, and musician Michael Stipe, you will want to let your fantastic flag fly.

The gospel of Fantastic Man is that style is more about what and how you do things than what you wear. Sure, there is some stellar sartorial visuals in these pages, but given everything is shot in black and white, Fantastic Man focuses on journaling the lives of gents we should all look to for life ands style advice.

T:
The Style editors at the New York Times consistently put out some of the best books anywhere. T covers everything from design, travel, food, culture, women’s and men’s fashion. T’s men’s book covers all aspects of style from the latest running shoe to a sneak peek at… the latest issue of Fantastic Man.

Sure, you’ll meet some interesting gents in these pages, but they are here to showcase one of our favorite assortment of catwalk to street collections, clothes and accessories you can get your eyes on. This book is definitely a great manual.

VINTAGE MAGAZINES:
Get thee to eBay, the thrift store or google for a real journey of the stylistic soul! If you want to be your own style guru, take cues from the pages of old Esquire, GQ, Life, Vogue Homme and beyond.

Hidden in and among images of high-waisted bell-bottom pants or extra wide lapels, you’ll find inspiration for shaping, defining or even finding your unique style. Take a close look at the ads, color combos and, yes, the width of the pant and lapel. Every designer out there looks to these books of old what will be new, so why not get a jump on them!?

Just returned from a trip to NYC where, in spite of efforts otherwise, the time spent revolved almost entirely around the meatpacking district. That’s not to say we didn’t have a good time, nor do we dare go down the road of ‘I remember when’ and ‘it used to be cool’. Nope. Just wanted to pass along that upon exiting a cab this tune popped into our head. And then we remembered that April 11 is the release of the next Kills Album

If you were looking for reverb this morning, look no further

Loathe as I am to invoke La Zoe, ‘tis the season for “sunnies.”

You can only make a sunglass choice by trying them on and making sure they look good on your face and convey the attitude your aiming to put out in the world. However, we are here to serve up some sources for groovy shades that you might not have considered otherwise.

Classic:

We’ve praised these before, but you can never go wrong with a Ray Ban Aviator. However, we recently discovered the magic of rayban.com where there are many more styles than we’ve typically found at Sunglass Hut. Might we recommend the Outdoorsman 11 in orange.

Hipster:

If you are bit more on the hipster tip, check out Garrett Leight California Optical. We are big fans of GLCO as the company is California-based and takes Venice Beach as its inspiration. Owner and designer Garrett is the soon of the Oliver People’s founder, so he knows how to put a modern spin on a classic frame. We are big fans of the Hamptons frames, which are available at GLCO in Vennice or online at Opening Ceremony and Barney’s.

Fashionista:

We are big fans of Dita as this company delivers rock star and film legend styling in spades. Or should we say shades?! Each of their looks harkens back to an iconic look from Steve McQueen to Elvis (in the stylish days). Wear these to keep the sun out or the camera flash away. Check out the Selector in black at ditalegends.com.

Original:

Now, if you really want to stake your place in the sun, we suggest you go vintage. And, by that we mean, shop the flea markets, antique shops and old-school glasses shops. At all you can find truly unique frames that you can update with new lenses. Check out Hotel de Ville Vintage Eyewear in Hollywood.. .

Let us be clear about one thing: no matter the style or attitude you’re going for, do not skimp and opt for cheap lenses. Not only do they make a major statement but more importantly, they are your armor against the sun and the flashbulbs. Make sure they work their hardest to keep your peepers protected.

As we head into the warmer months, now is the ideal time to talk about stocking up on cashmere sweaters.

While numerous brands of cashmere are expensive and exclusive, there are many others that are affordable and accessible, without sacrificing quality.

As department stores clear off the shelves for Spring and Summer, now is when to score cashmere staples: black, heather gray, navy and camel crew or v-neck. We recommend spending a little more on these colors as they are perennial. And, if you find on trend looks you like, buy now and save for when it gets chilly again. You can eek outa trend over a year, for sure.

Look for brands that are solely dedicated to cashmere, for example Loro Piana and Malo.

We recommend going for two-ply so that you can wear these as much of the year as possible: layered in the winter and over a polo shirt or tied around your waist in the Spring.

Now, what do we mean by ply? This is the number of strands of fiber twisted together to make up the yarn. A two-ply yarn makes for a lighter sweater, four-ply is heavier, eight-ply is thick. Said differently, go lower ply in the warmer months, higher in the colder.

Thanks to brands like J. Crew and L.L Bean (!) who have made great quality cashmere reasonable, it is easier to stock up on seasonal colors, patterns and weights. Little known fact is that J. Crew sources its yarns from Loro Piana!

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Given that hyper-bright colors are the “fashion-call-to-arms” this Spring and Summer, we recommend you going “color-hog-wild” with at least two sweaters. Pick the colors that will work with most of your wardrobe.

And, If you are up for the indulgence, go for a “specialty” look such as a striped, nautical pull-over or an argyle cardigan as both are on trend for the Spring.

With your closet filled with all these cashmiracles, you won’t have to go far for church.

Jeans. No wardrobe is complete without them. But, it has never been harder to buy an item that is celebrated for being so “easy.”

A trip to the denim store requires a PhD in rises and rinses, selvage and stitching, cuts and costs, when, ultimately, a jean should just be a jean.

The argument will be made that a jean being just a jean is dependent on a long list of variables that make the jean particularly yours. But, we are here with a list of do’s and don’ts when buying your next pair.

DON’T worry about washes, distressing, stitching, whiskering or appliqués. And, don’t be chasing high, three-figure price tags. Your legs should not be a admitting to fake wear and tear, serving as a billboard for extreme branding, or requiring a loan.

The biggest culprits of denim don’ts are Ed Hardy, Evisu, Cavalli, and the like.

DO worry about fit and color. No matter the trend, jeans that fit are always in style. Take the time with an expert to help you pick the cut that suits you best.

One key factor in the “do-these-make-my ass-look-big” metric: notice where the pockets sit on your backside. If they are set too far apart, your load will come across wide. If they are closer, you will look Slim Jim.

When it comes to color: go dark. Buy one that you keep dark by washing infrequently or, dare we say, even dry cleaning. Buy one that you let fade and distress thanks to your adventures, not the techniques of a cheese grater in the hands of a piece worker in downtown Los Angeles.

The biggest supporters of denim do’s Levis, Gap, J. Brand, J. Crew and other clothiers that have denim in their blood.

Denim is a staple. Everything else you choose to put on should be how you make your statement.