The Material Review

Issue 070: The Black Tuxedo, A Store That Gets How People Dress Now, Organs in the Wild, The Perfect Precision Ladle, and Spotlight On: The Pitt.

Stories worth reading. Stop indexing the internet.

Bring Back the Black Tuxedo

“On the Oscars red carpet, has fashionable black tie gone too far?” [GQ]

A Store That Gets How People Dress Now

“The Archivist Store in Paris has become a destination for those who want a mix of vintage high fashion, faded streetwear and functional outdoorsy gear.” [NYT]

A Fan’s Notes on the Spectacle of Super Bowl Week

“There’s the game itself, and then there are the parties and promotions, a glad-handing orgy for the sports-entertainment complex.” [The New Yorker]

Let the Organ Revitalize You

“No, not that kind of organ.” [NYT Mag]

The perfect precision ladle

“Appreciate your cooking tools.” [One Thing]

A shortlist of things we’ve got our eye on.

Remi Relief Wide Military Shirt

Helinox Chair One (re)

Margaret Howell MHL Sport Short

Hamilton Khaki Field Quartz 38mm

Blluemade Bucket Hat in Koala Linen

The Outdoor Archive

The Pitt

Just when you start saying stuff like “they don’t make TV like they used to,” a show comes along that proves you wrong. The Pitt does the rare thing and walks the line between the great shows of the past while also feeling completely modern. The medical drama is a refreshingly simple format with great writing, excellent casting, and storylines that are based in reality. The Pitt is being called the “most accurate medical show of all time” and has an unwavering commitment to the ultra-realistic realities of a working emergency room. To me, this attention to detail helps to instantly elevate the show and the overall story. In fact, an E.R. doctor friend was the one who turned me on to the series in the first place. (That's saying something.) I found the show on Max—I actually have an active subscription—and in a few days I worked my way through the available episodes.

Speaking of ER, our friend Noah Wyle leads the cast in The Pitt as Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch, and he’s likeable, interesting, and just generally excellent. His presence might be a reminder of ER, but The Pitt feels more substantial in so many ways. I hesitate to recommend a show to anyone, but this one is worth your time.

A few style notes. There’s not much here because much of this is happening in the span of one day, and most people are wearing scrubs. I did catch a few things though. In between various rounds of fresh sets of scrubs, we see 4th year Whitaker wear these shoes, which I think are perfect, and I now want a pair. Dr. Robby skips the scub pants and instead opts for these Carhartt cargo work pants. That feels deliberate and cool—like when special forces guys can choose any gear they want.

The Pitt is now streaming on Max. It’s worth your time.