Style

Dress like you meant it. Fit first, then fabric, then everything else.

The Toe That Woke You at 2 A.M. Isn't Done With You

A gout attack ends in a week or so. The problem behind it doesn't. What sets one off, what to do that day, and how to keep the next one away.

StoryWoodworkingWes DunbarOct 10, 20265 min

Nobody has improved on the hand plane

Roman carpenters had one. Your grandfather did too. Why a good used hand plane still beats most of what's sold as an upgrade.

Ask BRO

What should I wear to this?

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StoryTools & OrganizingDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

Nobody has improved the claw hammer, and plenty have tried

It drives nails and pulls them with one lump of steel and a stick. Inducting the claw hammer into the Garage Hall of Fame.

Shirts.com — Design it with AI. Wear it this week.

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Health5 min read

Nobody's going to remind you to check your bones

Women get a reminder for the bone scan. Men usually get a broken hip first. Ask for the scan before that happens.

Poll

When did you last ask for a raise?

GuideGearDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

Buy him the better version of what he's nursing along

Gifts for him in three budgets, plus one to save for and one that's free. Every one of them gets used.

GuideTools & OrganizingDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

Housewarming Gifts a New Homeowner Will Use the First Week

Skip the candle. Gifts by budget that get used before the boxes are unpacked, and a few that last long after the mortgage is paid.

GermProof.com — An invisible germ barrier on your skin for hours

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GuideGadgetsDean ShawOct 9, 20266 min

Skip the smart home gadgets that rent you your own house

A camera that goes blind when you stop paying isn't a purchase. It's a lease on your own front porch. Here's what to skip, and what to buy.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

Five questions, honestly answered, and a plan for the next two weeks.

GuideGearDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

Gifts for Dad he'll still be using in twenty years

Four budgets, one test: will he reach for it on an ordinary Tuesday? Gifts that last, get used, and bring the family around the same table.

GuideTools & OrganizingDean ShawOct 9, 20266 min

The 200-piece tool set is a number, not a toolbox

Most of that count is bits and keys you'll never touch. Skip the big box and build a kit around the tools that actually do the work.

Ask BRO

What should I wear to this?

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GuideGadgetsDean ShawOct 9, 20265 min

Gold-plated cables and the other things you can leave on the shelf

The pitch comes right after you've spent real money, when a small add-on feels like nothing. Six to pass on, what to do instead, and the one case where each is fair.

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GuideGearDean ShawOct 9, 20265 min

You work in an office. Nothing you own needs to be tactical.

Combat pens and MOLLE backpacks do nothing for a man with a cubicle. Plain gear does more, and some of it is worth real money.

Poll

Where does your best time with your kids happen?

GuideCarsDean ShawOct 9, 20267 min

Seven car upsells to turn down before you sign

The finance office and the service lane run on extras you didn't ask for. Here's what each one promises, what to do instead, and the rare case it pays.