Kit: Mercedes-Benz 280 SL “Pagoda”

Applatch Men’s Shawl Collar Sweater

Don’t get distracted with a stylish but itchy sweater while you’re driving your vintage German pride down your town’s autobahn. Applatch’s gorgeous shawl collar sweater is made with supremely soft 100 percent merino wool that keeps you warm during cool-weather driving and still resists odors when you start picking up the pace. Just please don’t throw this sweater over your shoulders. It’s for driving, not for nibbling on cucumber finger sandwiches.

Proper Cloth’s take on chambray is both refined and old-school, which is just right for driving the classic Merc two-door. You’re stylish, but not a fashion hound. You’re about driving, not being driven to distraction. A hint of stretch means you can put on the moves behind the wheel, while the densely woven cotton fabric, button down collar and square button cuffs keep you looking crisp.

No penny loafers for you, my friend. Your German grand tourer calls for something pedal focused and manly. To Boot New York’s Terrence driving loafer is made with soft but durable brown Italian calfskin and automotive-friendly with rubber nubs on the sole so you can mash the gas to your heart’s content.

Taylor Stitch’s chore pant has a not-too-roomy, not-too-skinny fit for comfortable driving along with a strong pre-shrunk cotton reinforced knee. They’re still all business without the business look; that you’ve ditched your pleated front slacks for something more modern means you don’t consider everything old to be classic.

Your world can’t possibly involve a man purse, no matter how Euro-cool your collectible Merc is. For this German steed, grab a Felix bag for your day’s stowable gear. The thick waxed cotton can take punishment, as can the good-in-hand vegetable tanned leather handles and detachable leather shoulder strap. Plenty of pockets means you can stop the day’s drive before it’s over in order to grab some wine and charcuterie. After all, you can’t eat up the miles without filling up. Plus, you’re gonna need a place to hide your speeding tickets from the wife.

The 280 SL in no way boasts even close to the amenities of even a modern subcompact, but that doesn’t mean you don’t love it for what it does best…driving smoothly and look ridiculously good while doing it. The X Vario is built in the same vein. It has a fixed 28-70mm 3.5-6.4 lens and can only max out at five frames per second, but who cares when you have a Leica that looks this damn good? Do it up in a custom color, and you just might spend more time looking at it than using it, just like you do with your Pagoda.

Your vintage camera doesn’t need a nylon camo strap. Hard Graft has something better in mind and way more in line with your palette. The Re-Process Strap is made with vegetable-tanned Italian leather that’s hand-stained and complimented by their signature gray wool. Fully adjustable and convertible into a camera hand strap, it’s so handsome, it might just steal attention from your car, if only for a moment.

Like adding spinning dubs to your Merc, buying an ornate watch for your sense of simple style is a no-no. Oris’s Big Crown ProPilot Day Date does up horology in a crisp aviation style that’s both sporty and traditional. The ProPilot has a 45mm case, legible numerals and markers, and an automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve.

Oliver Peoples takes their classic Sir O’Malley and pops in photochromic glass lenses for a pair of stunning driving sunglasses. The iconic shape is complemented by your choice of vintage colorways, custom engraved filigree at the temples and the ability to look as smart as a man should be who chooses the 280 SL as his weekend driver.