At a recent designer's after party, I was chatting with a group of guys and realized that I had on the same watch as A Continuous Lean's Michael Williams and Nylon Guys' Jared Flint—Timex's special edition military watch for J.Crew. The next day, I spotted it on an editor from a Japanese magazine and then at Tim Hamilton's presentation that evening, on the wrist of a dapper guy waiting at the bar. Of course, that time it made sense—the man was J.Crew's VP of design, Frank Muytjens. You see, contrary to the wild colors and trends you see on the runways, most men in fashion favor simple, traditional pieces. Classics that looked current four decades ago and will likely still be in fashion for decades to come. Here are the tried-and-true pieces we keep seeing on the fellas in the stands.

Moleskine pocket
notebook, $11 at Moleskine