The Douchiest Cars of All Time

People love theirs cars, but some love showing them off even more. Jamie Lincoln Kitman breaks down the loudest, glitziest, and most pointless rides to ever vulgarize the road
Cars can tell us a lot about the people who own and drive them, though in all fairness, it's not always clear what someone's car is saying. Few cars will mean the same thing to all who clap eyes on them. But some do, and in this select group are the ones that unmistakably, incontrovertibly cry douchebag.

Pardon our French, but the D-word is only the latest overused, off-color term to describe the phenomena of universal hate-ability that accompanies some people, and, as it happens, some cars. Not long ago, "asshole" was one such all-purpose term. The sad historical fact is that D-bags, assholes, jackasses, et al have always been loose amongst us, walking the planet since homo became erectus. For the last hundred years or so, they've been driving on it, too, often like jerks. Hence the phrase "douchebag car": It's a concept as old as motoring itself.

Mind you, not every douchebag drives a douchebag car. Time marches on, too. One era's douchebag car may be today's treasured classic. And, a la different strokes for different folks, there are different types of douchebag cars for different types of douchebags. But before going further, it is critical to draw the distinction between douchebag cars as a group and other unique categories of automotive derision, like clown cars, (AMC Pacer, Suzuki X90) loser-mobiles (Austin Marina, Yugo, Ford Tempo), and other such serial misadventures in ironic motoring as I've known in my life (too numerous to list.) Such cars and their owners are to be pitied, not hated.

The hate-able hallmarks of the classical D-bag ride may include excessive aggression, vulgarity in all its forms, over-the-top profligacy, and supercharged pretense. To make our list, a car needs these, plus, crucially, it must reflect its owners' oblivion to his or her own bad taste, and consequent celebration of it. The fact that he found this car, and that it found him and others like him, says it all.

Touché? No, sir, Douché!

The Pick-up Douche
Lincoln Blackwood

Sorry, folks, not the African-American porn star, but Lincoln's first truck: The Blackwood was a cynical attempt by the then-extra un-green Ford Motor Company to grow the oxymoronical (and highly profitable) luxury truck category to include not just SUVs, like its seminally vulgar Navigator, but large pickups, too. Replete with designer plastic, fake wood, and stainless steel real and imagined, the four-door Blackwood came one way, finished in black and ridiculous all over, with sales hobbled by a weensy, almost vestigial cargo bed. Largely useless by real truck standards, the Lincoln's eye-popping price tag was just a bonus. All of which explains why they pulled the plug on it in 2002, just one year after they started (trying) to sell it. Even today, it takes a special kind of...you know...to drive one.

GQ Selects: November

We pick. You shop. Editor selections from our November issue available through our online retailer, Nordstrom

Scott Sternberg has really created the ideal button-down for modern guys. It's a classic style, but he's played with the proportions, shrinking them to hug the body, and shortening the length so it looks good untucked.  This neutral brown-and-gray plaid is the perfect starter shirt for that guy who wants to get some pattern into his closet, but is apprehensive about jumping into the deep end.

Timex Easy Reader Leather Strap Watch

Gray is the watch color of the season, and what's great about the trend is that you can get one at any price, like this Timex. A rugged suede strap balances out the minimalist details, like the pared-down gunmetal-plated case and the tonal face, while the sleek profile gives it a contemporary look that's wearable seven days a week.

Gant Rugger Knit Cap

This knit hat from Gant Rugger takes inspiration from the watch caps worn by fisherman and dockworkers and renders it in the meanest color of the season: mustard. For guys who are wary of the bold hue, it's best to start with a single piece like this.

GQ Selects: December

We pick. You shop. Editor selections from our December issue available through our online retailer, Nordstrom

The North Face Denali Triclimate 3-in-1 Jacket
There's no reason performance outerwear can't also look great. The fire engine red shell gives this North Face jacket eye-catching style, especially when paired with the graphic black chest and elbow patches—the sleekness of a sports car, with the toughness of a Mack truck.

A.P.C. New Cure Straight-Leg Jeans
This is the slimmest jean in Jean Touitou's arsenal of prime raw-denim cuts. The New Cure tapers closely from the knee to the ankle, resulting in a silhouette that works as well with a casual Friday sports jacket as it does a in your weekend wardrobe. And these will mold to the wearer over time, making each pair truly unique.

Gant Rugger Tartan Plaid Blazer
As Frank Ocean proves in our December issue, a sport coat is essential to every guy's wardrobe, young or old. This one from Gant Rugger reimagines the stodgy tartan plaid with a tailored blazer that looks stellar over a hoodie (as shown on Ocean), or just about any combo in your closet that isn't a shirt and tie.

The GQ Gift Guide 2012: Editors' Picks

What our staff wants to give and get (but mostly get) this holiday season

Bell Jar Lamp
"Lamps are hard to shop for, mostly because of the shade. No matter how vintage or antique or modern or postmodern or whatever the stem is, chances are the shade makes it look about fifty percent too much of whatever you were going for. Go unshaded, and you look like a college student. It's basically lose/lose. I spent my bachelor pad years stuck in this deadlock, totally unwilling to commit to table-based lightning solutions or a particular aesthetic (or anything, for that matter). Which is why I fervently endorse the Bell Jar lamp, God's gift to apartment dwelling men everywhere. It's wood, glass, and a light. You put it on your table. Done."—Mark Byrne, GQ editorial assistant

8 Knots Pestemals
"WTF is a pestemal? Officially, a traditional Turkish bathhouse towel, but I use these seersucker versions as a beach blanket, a rug, whatever. They dry lightning-fast, and get softer and softer with each wash."—Andrew Richdale, GQ associate editor

Blackbird Argonaut Coasters
"When you're lucky enough to be sharing the same living space as your lady, every purchase becomes a mutual agreement. These coasters bridge the gap between masculine and feminine in that they are cut from leather hide into sharp geometric shapes, and look good during the holidays with their gold surface."—Benjamin Bours, GQ designer

Rihanna: Obsession of the Year

In 2012, men straight lost their minds over this woman—Chris Brown's crazy neck tattoo, Brown and Drake's nightclub riot. She drove the rest of us wild, too. And that was all before Rihanna dropped the sexiest, most outrageous album of the year

 

At nine fifteen, Rihanna's black Escalade pulls up in front of Emilio's Ballato, Andy Warhol's Nolita Italian restaurant of choice, a circus in tow. Her army of bodyguards surveys the scene. Then one of Rihanna's long legs hits the pavement and it's madness. There are paparazzi everywhere, all at once, perching on bicycles and European motorbikes, firing out of Mercedes-Benz windows and SUV sunroofs, pushing in on every square foot of sidewalk. The cameras strobe around her like a Ferris wheel.

Rihanna glides through the melee and into the foyer, where her signed photograph hangs. She's sporting skintight black jeans, black shades, a black cutoff designer sweatshirt with oversize gold letters. (ORIGINAL, it says.) With her dahlia-shade lips, big anime eyes, and slow-motion strut, she looks like some neo-noir femme fatale en route to her next hit.

The Week in Style: 11.16.12

Two great cardigans, one epic mustache, and a bunch of Twilight guys whose names we often forget

Adrien Brody and Lara Lieto in Rome
We know this is besides the point, and that we're not the Cut and we shouldn't try to be, but look, Bro(dy): When your date shows up in a dress made out of crumpled-up toilet paper, you've gotta put your foot down. But carefully, or you'll be walking around with toilet paper stuck to your shoe.

Chris Brown in Los Angeles
What is this, irony? Get a job, clown.

Ashton Kutcher in Beverly Hills, California
We're posting a rare vote of confidence for utter sartorial discord just because we dig Ashton's slouchy, color-blocky cardigan. Sure, it's paired with all sorts of random shit, but we'll take it anyway. Somebody put this under the Week In Style Christmas tree.

The Walking Dead's David Morrissey on His Role as the Governor, Repopulating the World, and Losing His Zombie-Killing Virginity

You've probably noticed that characters on The Walking Dead are dying left and right. On the one hand, that's great—a show about zombies ostensibly has to incorporate zombiefication into the lives of the survivors in a very real way. On the other hand, if we keep losing survivors, we might just end up watching a bunch of undead people walk around saying "UHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" for an hour each Sunday night. Thus, in Season 3, we've seen a handful of new characters arise, most notably the mysterious warrior/zombie dragger Michonne (Danai Gurira) and the Governor, the leader of a refugee camp of sorts called Woodbury.

The Governor is played by British actor David Morrissey. So far, Morrissey's portrayal is already a complex mesh of a man: On one hand, he seems like he really wants to protect his people from zombies. Yet, Michonne is highly suspicious of him, he ruthlessly kills some National Guard soldiers and makes suggestive eyes at Andrea. Is he The Walking Dead's next villain? Or just a misunderstood man, trying to keep sane in a brain-eating world?

···

GQ: Did you audition for the Governor role?
David Morrissey: I was a big fan of the show. I've known Andrew Lincoln [who plays Rick Grimes] for a long time and I thought the pilot was like a movie. I was halfway through the second season and I was in L.A. and my manager said "the casting department from The Walking Dead would like to see you." I was like "wow."

I didn't know the comic book; I'm not a comic book fan, really. As we talked about the role, it was very much this complex person who seemed wonderful to me. You never really knew where you were with him and I liked that idea. Then I read the comic and I was surprised how brutal the Governor was.

GQ: How much are you deviating from the comic character?
David Morrissey: [Creator] Robert Kirkman wrote a book called The Rise of the Governor. The character in that book is a wonderful, complex person. The character that we meet in the comic books is fully formed—his psychotic profile is very much set. The TV version explores the space in between those two stories. That's a very fertile ground for my character, I think.

GQ: After watching the first two episodes you appear in, I'm trying to figure out what makes him villainous. Is he underhanded or just pure evil?
David Morrissey: He's a man who will do whatever it takes to protect his town. He'll do everything to protect his position. He's suddenly in this crazy world and security is everything. When he sees those National Guard guys, there's no way he's going to let soldiers that are combat trained into his place. That's just not going to help his position as a leader at all. He has to maintain his status. That was not a strange decision for me.

What he's done is created a space where mothers and fathers can leave their doors open and their children can run out into the street. That security comes with a price. You see this in our own society: when people are very, very secure, they get complacent. So every now and then, they have to be reminded about what's out there and the danger that's out there.

GQ: I guess he's like Rick in a lot of ways, but with different back stories and histories, so he brings different perspective.
David Morrissey: The real difference between him and Rick is that the Governor has bought himself time. Rick is on his toes—if you can get through the night, you can live tomorrow. With The Governor, he has time to plan, to think about the future. They're starting anew, these people. I don't think he had a position of great power before this event happened to the world; and now he's in this position of power and we all know that can corrupt people sometimes.

GQ: In watching the first episode ("Walk with Me") where you're introduced, there's a lot of mystery around the character. I got this vibe that it could be this cultish society. But it doesn't sound like it is at all.
David Morrissey: Cults suggest people have a choice. There's no choice in the situation the characters are in on the show: you can't choose a cult or go to McDonalds and have a burger. That's not going to happen. There's only two options: Woodbury or out there. That's not a cult. That's an oasis to me. A sanctuary. That's what he's offering.

GQ: I like the idea that science is going on in Woodbury. The Governor seemed very intrigued about how one could control zombies.
David Morrissey: That's nature. That's what man has always done. How can I use this? How can bring this under my power? If you see men working in an environment where there are wild animals, that doesn't stop them from working in there. They develop skills. If they didn't, there would be no change in this world.

This disease, this terrible thing, came from nowhere. In 14th century Europe, when the black plague happened, they built walls around the village to keep people out who they didn't know, because everybody could be carrying the plague. They survived because they locked down their communities. That is what Woodbury is about. I think the Governor is planning on what happens when this thing starts. Who's going to repopulate the world? Tough times needs tough people to make tough decisions and he thinks he's that person.

GQ: Does the Governor get to kill zombies?
David Morrissey: When the helicopter crash happened, you saw those guys turning. And he killed them. That's very important. I consider that my first zombie kill. You never forget your first.  Probably if you're doing Mad Men, you feel like you've arrived with the classic cast when you've lit your first cigarette. And for me, it's when you kill your first zombie.

GQ: How does cleaning off the blood go? Do they provide you with towels?
David Morrissey: I think that's one of the trade secrets that I'm not really aloud to pass on, really. There's a bunch of mutual cleaning that we go through that I would not like to pull out as common knowledge. It's very secretive.

GQ: So you're telling me I cannot apply for a job called "Zombie Blood Cleaner."
David Morrissey: Well, you know it's a bit like a fluffer. You sort of have to have years of experience.

Cloudy with a Chance of Stinging-Nettle Flan and Tomato Coulis

How did Portland, a soggy city on the West Coast, come to be the scrappiest, most original gastronomic destination in America, a town where you can eat everything from food-truck feasts to four-star spreads that rival fancier (and way more expensive) places? Alan Richman explores the food world's new promised land—and explains why you should go now, while the good times last

"I came here in the early '60s," recalls Roger Porter, food critic and professor of English. "I asked someone what Portland was like, and he said, 'It's the kind of town where if you ask for a bottle of wine by name, they think you're a homo.' "

Back then, nearly every American city had shaped an enduring identity. New York was about restaurants and Los Angeles about film, but nobody had any idea what to make of Portland, Oregon. I traveled there regularly in the early '70s as an NBA beat writer for a Philadelphia newspaper, covering the 76ers against the Trail Blazers, and only vague memories remain, none of them relating to a remarkable meal. Other cities in the league, including the second-rate ones, had some food attraction, even if it was an oddity such as the revolving restaurant above the Holiday Inn in Baltimore or Mushy Wexler's Theatrical in Cleveland.

I remember walking through the industrial grayness of Portland forty years ago, passing the occasional pancake house, putting up with the relentless drizzle. James Beard, a founding father of American cuisine, was born there but had long since fled to New York. Neither Blazermania (a few years away) nor the food carts (a few decades away) had appeared.

How did it happen? How did Portland, at best second-tier and certainly worse where food was concerned, ascend to its status as the most fascinating gastronomic city in America, the all-around champion in the category of food and drink? Bragging a bit, I can say that I pretty much predicted it would happen, foresaw that the American Northwest had the potential for culinary preeminence. I anticipated the vineyards, the farmers' markets, the abundant produce and seafood, the leisurely lifestyle, and above all the entrepreneurial spirit.

Perhaps you are wondering why I am not now heralded as the prophet of Portland. I can answer that. It's because I always said such a cultural and culinary makeover would occur in Seattle. But Seattle, it turned out, was just like every other city, and Portland was something else. Explains Karen Brooks, the Portland Monthly restaurant editor and critic, "Portland had the don't-give-a-fuck attitude."

Every Man's Second Car Should Be a Beater Truck

Oh, you dream of owning a Ferrari one day? So does every pimply teenage boy and hedge-fund junior exec. As Peter Behrens argues, the more discerning man lusts after something a little more humble but with just as much personality: the dusty, worn-in pickup

Something about well-used American pickups grabs most guys right where they drive. Old trucks are stoic, cheap, empowering; own a truck and you discover all sorts of things to do with a truck. Furniture is moved, lumber is bought. And finding the right one is like bringing home a great mutt from the pound. You won't win points at the show, but you'll end up best friends.

I learned to drive in a 1960 Chevy pickup with a suicide knob on the steering wheel, and I fell in love on the bench seat of a Dodge Power Wagon a decade older than me. My first car wasn't a car but an early-'60s Apache with a permanent crust of prairie gumbo (caked black soil) on a $299 paint job.

When I got married, I shoved my obsession deep into the closet. We moved to Maine, had a son, and drove a matched pair of aging Volvos. Then we started spending winters out in Far West Texas. That first year, we drove a long-term-rental car with the soul of a washing machine and a nav system that kept ordering us to Houston. I felt like an astronaut being scolded by mission control.

The Texas desert is a nature preserve for old trucks, and temptation was all around: battered, dusty, and handsome as hell. I suggested to my wife that we really could use one, but old trucks make women anxious. They like reliable. With beater trucks, reliable is not a selling point. Driving one is like sailing—you're never quite certain you'll get where you're headed. And if the road is long enough, something always breaks or leaks or sounds funny. It's adventure travel.

I've found that no matter what, you'll end up spending about $5,000 on a worthy truck. If you find one cheaper, you'll use the difference to get it running and street-legal. A clean old truck with a seized engine or balky transmission is still a smarter buy than a machine with excellent mechanicals and a rotted body or frame. You can fix anything except rust. If you live somewhere that roads are heavily salted, get online and look for a pickup in a drier part of the country. Shipping a beater cross-country can be cheaper than driving it there, though truth be told, the road trip is part of the fun.

When my wife flew north to work on a photo shoot, I sensed my moment. Within an hour, my son and I found our truck in Bee Pierce's used-car lot in Marfa, Texas: a '76 GMC Sierra Grande 15 with stalwart lines, a sturdy frame, and a decent asking price. And it had that old-truck aroma that comes as standard equipment: a heady compound of engine oil, dust, orange peels, vinyl, and the Swisher Sweets the original owner smoked back in 1981.

A couple of grand and a handshake later, we were proud owners. My wife returned and, after a little thunder and lightning, graciously learned to live with the truck. We shipped it to Maine and bought another last year, a 1986 Chevy Custom Deluxe we'll keep in Texas. Now I've got my eye on a sunburnt, well-weathered 1977 Ford F-150 that needs only two new tires and a tune-up. So many mutts out there, looking for a home.

Save Face: A Forehead-to-Chin Guide

It's the most important part of your body, and it requires routine maintenance—and yes, a few products. Here we present the tools and tips that will get you a clean, blemishless, age-defying mug day after day (even after a long night of drinking)

Basic Training for Your Face

1. Wash

There are grooming products we think you need to invest some cash in. Face wash isn't one of them. Just wash mornings and nights with Cetaphil (available at most drugstores). It's not fancy, and it doesn't need to be.

Cetaphil cleanser, $12

2. Exfoliate

Think of using face scrub like taking out the trash—do it a few times a week to dispose of the dead skin on your face. We like Alba's, which has tiny buffing beads and smells like the beach, all for twelve bucks.

Alba Botanica Sea Algae Enzyme Scrub, $12

3. Moisturize

A moisturizer is your first line of defense against wrinkles like Ronnie Wood's. (Well, that and staying off heroin.) We dig this one because it absorbs quickly. Plus, the pouch packaging means it travels easily and rolls up so you get every last drop.

Ernest Supplies Matte Moisturizer, $25

Ski Champ Bode Miller on How to Face the Brutal Cold
"Your body dehydrates when it struggles to stay warm, so drink lots of water. To stave off raccoon eyes, I use an SPF of 30 or more; brand doesn't matter. My final secret is face-saving vitamin E. When I skip it, I notice a difference in the quality of my skin the next few days."

Reshaping your brows

• "If you use a razor, it will always look weird. Instead, stick with a pair of simple tweezers." (At GQ, we like these from PockeTweez.)

• "To keep things looking masculine, pluck only from the bottom. If you're unibrowed, don't tweeze farther than your inner eye."

• "You're yanking these guys out from the root. There will be irritation. Rub in some aftershave to avoid little bumps."—Ramon Padilla of N.Y.C.'s guy-friendly Browhaus salon

PockeTweez, $28

Nose and Ear Hairs

• Never pluck these; you'll get a nasty infection. This trimmer whacks hair quickly and painlessly.

Philips Norelco, $15

Face Your Next Crisis

Start Fracking Your Forehead
Instant Fix does exactly what it claims to do: turn shiny skin matte in reflective regions like your forehead and nose. Keep it in your desk drawer. When you catch your forehead—or even your bald head—glinting in the mirror, reach for it.

Anthony Instant Fix Oil Control, $28

Break Through Those Breakouts
"An occasional zit can be caused by genes, sweat, even dairy and sugar. When you break out, try an oil-free 2 percent salicylic-acid spot treatment by Neutrogena. It works overnight. If the zit is really deep, head to your dermatologist for a prescription or a quick-fix shot of cortisone."—N.Y.C. dermatologist Sapna Westley

Neutrogena Rapid Clear Spot Gel, $8

Take Out a 401(k) on Your Face
Dropping a C-note on serum? Damn right. Start using it in your twenties or thirties for Dorian Gray–like effects down the road. This stuff helps prevent wrinkles and clears up dark patches, and it made us look like we got five more hours of sleep than we actually did.

Colbert M.D. Stimulate: The Serum, $140

Sober Up Your Hangover Eyes
Here's what you do: You get a minuscule dollop of this stuff on each ring finger, and then you gently pat around your eyes. Doing this feels dainty, weird, kind of girlie. But when you're done, you can literally feel your skin tightening up. The bags under your eyes deflate. You look younger instantly—and will look younger later, too, without deeper bags and crow's-feet.

Sircuit Cosmeceuticals I. Cee U.+ Gel, $120

Don't Laugh at the Man in the Mask
Every Sunday night, I indulge in three things: Homeland, Thai takeout, and a face mask. Actually, a lava-mud face masque from Kyoku, which sounds even more ridiculous as I type it out. Still, it's the most relaxing part of my week. It's bizarre the first time, when you look in the mirror and Heath Ledger's Joker is staring back. But after a minute or so, the thick mud dives deep and your skin starts buzzing—a sensation I can only assume is dirt being sucked out of my pores. Ever since I've started using it, blackheads have been less frequent, my blotchiness has chilled out, and bumps have been nonexistent. The only stressful part of the night is remembering to hose down my face before the delivery guy rings.—Andrew Richdale

GQ Endorses: The Coatless Winter

The drabbest part of dressing for winter? Wearing the same damn coat every day. So put it off as long as possible with these colorful, patterny touches

Leave the Winter Coat at Home
Dressing well in winter can be tricky. The conundrum: How do you fight the big chill without getting deathly sick of your giant winter coat? Short answer: Leave the coat in the back of the closet as long as possible by learning to layer up. The field vest, once thought of as a blue-collar staple for postal workers and Wichita linemen, is now offce-ready, thanks to high-fashion designers like Belstaff and lower-cost hubs like Club Monaco. The vest's lightweight quilting adds warmth without bulking up your flannel suit or that new tweed sports jacket you just snapped up. Click through to see rap's hottest rookie, Big Sean, wear it three more ways. Plus: A full range of layering tips and tools that will help stave off the boring-winter-coat blues.

Vest, $170 by Club Monaco. Suit by Michael Kors. Shirt by J.Lindeberg. Tie by Nobis. Pocket square from KSI NYC

Three More Vests (So Give Your Down Coat a Rest)

Tuck Your Scarf
Never wonder what to do with the floppy scarf tail again. Tuck it into your field vest and you're fully bundled.

Vest, $275 by AllSaints. Scarf by Smart Turnout. Blazer by Burberry London. Sweater by A.P.C. Jeans by Saturdays NYC.

Cop Some Copper
Navy is a safe bet, but copper and olive are unimpeachable fall classics. Bonus: A vest doesn't bulk up the slim sleeves of your jacket.

Vest, $150 by Woolrich Woolen Mills. Suit jacket by Ovadia & Sons. Shirt by J.Crew. Tie by Topman. Tie bar by The Tie Bar. Jeans by A.P.C. Hat by Aviator Nation.

Let the Collar Pop
This collar should spread its wings over your lapel for a flyer look. Oh, and download Big Sean's blockbuster debut, Finally Famous.

Vest, $395 by Belstaff. Suit by Club Monaco. Shirt by Gant Rugger. Tie by David Hart & Co. Tie bar by The Tie Bar. Hat by Grevi at Barneys New York. Watch (throughout) by Rolex.

How About a Little Sleight of Hand?
Instead of the same black gloves every Aeron jockey wears, juice up winter with colors and patterns that have a little more oomph.

Burkman Bros
$150

Oliver Spencer
$75

Gap
$25

Louis Vuitton
$285

Hiking Socks for the Office Trek
If you can judge a man's salary by his shoes, you can judge his style by his socks. These ragg socks are thinner than the ones at REI, so you can wear them with brogues or wingtip boots to the offce.

Anonymous Ism
$22

Dress Up from the Neck Up
Don't wait for the deepest chills to hit before you break out a scarf and hat. Start layering them on long before that hard-core coat comes out

1. Driver Cap + Knit Scarf
You shouldn't need a design degree to get dressed. All these duos match only in a loose way.

Hat, $210 by Lock & Co. at George G. Graham Galleries. Scarf, $385 by Piombo at Barneys New York.

2. Pom-Pom Hat + Nordic Scarf
Two icons of winter, to be worn by men who truly embrace the season.

Hat, $270 by Moncler. Scarf, $28 by Topman.

3. Nautical Hat + University Scarf
Mix colors, patterns, and references. French sailor with Oxford scholar? Sure!

Hat, $75 by S.N.S. Herning at Henrik Vibskov. Scarf, $98 by J.Press.

4.Wool Baseball Cap + Ragg Scarf
Wear cotton and you'll freeze. That's what tweed and wool are for.

Hat, $48, by Hickoree's. Scarf, $40 by Eddie Bauer.

5. Waxed Bucket Hat + Plaid Scarf
Think of them as tools—wax means you stay dry—that happen to look great.

Hat, $170 by Grevi at Barneys New York. Scarf, $148 by Coach Men's.

The GQ&A: Revenge's Emily VanCamp

Emily VanCamp has done the impossible: Her side-eyeing femme fatale on ABC's Revenge has us honest-to-God hooked on a nighttime soap. GQ talks to the actress about what Canadians do better, zombie attacks, and why she's totally into PDA

Talk to Emily VanCamp for ten minutes, and she'll try her hardest to persuade you she's just a nice, sweet girl from Ontario. You'd be a fool to believe her. Yes, she has the kind of sugary sweet disposition that only comes from growing up in a small town, but she's not just a nice, sweet girl. She regularly pulls off Bourne-grade maneuvers, lights people's houses on fire, and roundhouses killing machines with ease. And that's just as her femme fatale character on ABC's frothy camp hit Revenge. Here, she talks about her hockey skills, swimming with sharks, and her die-hard affections for brain-nomming zombie attacks. Sweet, and badass.

GQ: You were recently in the Hamptons for the first time. Did the real thing exceed your expectations?
VanCamp: I guess it's sort of what you expect: massive homes, so much money.

GQ: It seems like the exact opposite of Canada. Or do you guys have some sort of Canuck equivalent?
VanCamp: Probably the cottage scene in Muskoka. You don't have the same glitz and glamour as the Hamptons, but it's definitely on the higher end. And it gets rowdy—but in a Canadian way. They're drinking Moosehead instead of champagne, which is more my style anyways. I mean, I grew up playing hockey.

GQ: You pull off the salty-sweet thing on Revenge really well. Which comes easier?
VanCamp: Yeah, I always feel like I'm playing a character when I'm in a beautiful dress, with my hair coiffed. I like getting down and dirty. It's really fun. There's nothing better than setting an asshole's house on fire. It's those moments when I think "I love my job!"

GQ: Would you consider yourself more of a tomboy, then?
VanCamp: Definitely. I did ballet, which taught me how to be poised and graceful, but still, to this day I'd rather be fishing than going to some glamorous party. It's so therapeutic.

GQ: What's the biggest thing you've caught?
VanCamp: I think a barracuda—quite a big one—in the Caribbean.

GQ: What?! That's so badass.
VanCamp: It wasn't! It was on one of those industrial lines.

GQ: Where else have you vacationed recently?
VanCamp: Well, I went to Bora Bora and swam with sharks. Just reef sharks and lemon sharks.

GQ: That's the most Canadian thing, to qualify the sharks you swam with. An American would have made that story so much more salacious. Do you consider yourself a good liar?
VanCamp: [Laughs] I think anyone who says they don't tell little white lies at all is a liar. We all have that occasional event or engagement that we don't really want to go to. I don't think I'm a good liar at all, though. The people who know me best will tell you that. I think you'll see a little more honesty out of my character on Revenge this season though.

GQ: Does it surprise you how many guys are into the show, given the fact it's a nighttime soap that takes place in one of the bougiest zip codes in America?
VanCamp: At first I thought the show was going to be so female-oriented. I think it's one of those shows that the girlfriend turns on and the guy ends up liking more though. I've had so many lovely encounters with guy fans. Then you have the crazy ones, too—the ones that come up to you on the street and don't realize you aren't your character.

GQ: Speaking of the streets, you constantly get photographed by paparazzi. And, I gotta say, I seriously commend you because you are not afraid in the slightest of a little PDA. There is a literal motherload of photos where you are sucking face with your co-star boyfriend, Josh Bowman.
VanCamp: [Laughs] I don't really ever talk about that part of my life, but I'm also not going to stop living my life. I want to live happily. And if I love a person, I'm not going to be ashamed and hide it.

GQ: It must get frustrating being followed by cameras constantly.
VanCamp: The thing is, I never know when paparazzi are taking pictures! They hide in weird places and make it look like you can see them but you can't. It's just so odd. I don't have any respect for them. Sometimes I just want to go for a walk in my sweats, you know?

GQ: Does it make you miss Canada?
VanCamp: Yeah, I miss it a lot. It's so quaint, and there's never some weird person hiding in the bushes in my hometown. I could see myself moving back. It's just so mellow.

GQ: Have you been star-struck, coming from small-town Ontario to Hollywood?
VanCamp: Once. I met Meryl Streep at an Oscar party. She was just so graceful, beautiful, and kind. I couldn't not say hello. But I was so anxious.

GQ: Do you get anxious a lot?
VanCamp: Um, I actually get anxious a lot. I can be really socially awkward. You never want to be the weird, introverted girl in the corner shaking. I feel like that though. I can be a bit standoffish when I'm meeting new people. I like to take a second and figure out who I'm dealing with.

GQ: What do you do when you have downtime?
VanCamp: I have a really weird thing for zombie movies. An ex-boyfriend actually got me into them because I would always watch 28 Days Later. We went through a three-month binge where I saw, I think, every zombie movie ever made.

GQ: Important question: slow- or fast-ambulating zombies?
VanCamp: I think the stakes are higher with the fast ones, but I have to say there's something more eerie about the slow ones. They're creepier.

GQ: Can I assume you're a Walking Dead fan?
VanCamp: OMG, obsessed! But then I also love watching The Bachelor, too. Don't ask me why! I guess I believe in "The One" to an extent, but I think you have several "Ones" out there. It just depends on who you find. I hate to say it, but I more watch it for the train wreck of it all.

GQ: Spoken like a true tomboy.

Ben Ferrari's Street Style

With New York going through a schizophrenic season of hot and cold, it's best to stay versatile. Ben Ferrari documents a menagerie of fall looks, from short-sleeved tees to full-on coats