The RL Q&A: MATT HRANEK
Why is having your own style important to you?
I like dressing, always have. There’s something that just makes me feel good when I dress in a considerate way. It was important to my dad, a country squire in his own right. He wouldn’t be caught dead—even on a trout stream—without the perfect khaki shirt or olive cords, and afterward he’d throw on a Harris Tweed® jacket with a black turtleneck, with khakis, and desert boots. I think I took my style tips from him when I was growing up in Binghamton. He liked to look sharp and put-together even in his country pursuits, and I feel the same.
How would you describe your style?
I lead a city boy/country boy existence: an urban life in New York, a country life on our farm in upstate New York, and a little of both in Europe. In town, I definitely dress a certain way—more tailoring, jackets and suits, white denim, and flannel, leaning into cocktail-invite attire.
In the country, I lean into the more casual. This time of year, I stick to a lot of denim, corduroy, and twill, paired with knits, layered chambray, and wool under a variety of outerwear. In this case it’s normally a field coat, chore coat, or wax jacket, of which I own many!
What would you wear on a walk in the woods?
Just because I am at the farm doesn’t mean my style game goes out the window. I’d wear a tweed jacket or a heavy lambswool cardigan with some heavy twill trousers or worn-in denim—and lace-up boots.
What about when you’re grilling?
I’m not opposed to firing up the grill in a thrift-store-found tuxedo for an impromptu black-tie dinner with my wife Yolanda. In a vintage tux, I’m less precious about the sausage grease!
What do your neighbors think about the way you dress?
It’s definitely confused them a little at times. Sometimes when they drive up in their pick-ups for a visit and a beer, they look a little puzzled, if not quite fazed, as to why I would be wearing a full tweed suit from a walk with the dog. To me, it just seems normal.
What’s your favorite look in the city?
In the city I like white denim with navy long- or short-sleeve Polos in cotton or merino or chambray with a light navy merino or cotton crewneck, depending on the weather, paired with a khaki field jacket or lately a cashmere navy, unconstructed double-breasted jacket with gold buttons that feels more cardigan than blazer. I have an arsenal of turtlenecks in dark colors and weights, and I will even wear the DB blue blazer over gym clothes if I am in a hotel on my way for a workout. Look smart!
What caught your eye about this collection of Polo Originals?
I can wear it wherever I go, and it has all the elements that weave into my WM Brown style. Tweeds and chambray layered under a classic American-styled field coat to cast a rod in the trout pond—that’s me—or a heavy buffalo-check waistcoat for a coffee in the morning. . . . A piece like that’ll always be a welcomed addition to my upstate kit. But they also translate into my pack list for a trip into NYC or a flight to Rome.
What’s your favorite thing to drink in the country this time of year?
On colder days and nights, I make the shift from clear spirits to brown. That means more Manhattans than martinis. Here’s my favorite method:
2 parts rye whiskey
1 part sweet vermouth
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
I like mine shaken cold over ice in a cocktail shaker—as I first remember my uncles having theirs—but feel free to stir if you like. Strain and serve in a coupe. To garnish, I forfeit the electric red cherry for a peel of orange, so it’s not too sweet.
