Wednesday 29 February 2012

Holy Grail(ish)...By Saul Wilks



You always hear chaps going on about their holy grail - usually some ultra rare Massimo Osti production or a pair of mint obscure city series Adidas rarities.

I've never really had a holy grail as such, I tend to be realistic when it comes to tracking down clothing although this past seasons Oliver Spencer Travel jacket in Sultan Green has been one garment I've been searching high and low for.

I couldn't get the £350 asking price together when it was at full RRP, so like many I waited for the sales only to watch in horror as everywhere sold out almost instantly. I did manage to source one from some unknown and unused horsey gents shop from down South somewhere but annoyingly, after carrying out the transaction I had a dear John email through a day later.

You can imagine then, after tracking the ends of the internet to try and find one of these gorgeous jackets I was thrilled to walk into the new Soho Oliver Spencer and find one laid out fresh that morning.

How and why it hadn't sold online i'm not sure as it certainly wasn't on there the 100 odd times I double checked - anyhow, some things are meant to be I guess?

Double Thanks to Tom and company for opening the doors up after they'd locked them so I could fulfill whats probably the closest thing to a grail I've had for time.


Two old Favourites...By Saul Wilks


Two of the most consistently ace labels around are also two of my favourites... Both Oliver Spencer and Our Legacy have held a steady presence in my wardrobe for a long while now with Oliver Spencer in particular probably being the most prominent.

While on Fridays expedition I tried to take my attention off outwear and stock up on some basics for the coming months and I landed two really top bits, the Our Legacy Great Sweat in red marl and the S/S multi stripe Oliver Spencer pocket tee.

I love the Great sweat from Our Legacy, it's a stone cold classic and probably the best affordable example of a sweat jersey I've found to date - a fact both Shaun and I agree on and for that reason I've always had a couple floating about for the days when comfort comes before necessity.

Dangerfield copped for this colour of Great Sweat a month of two back when it hit the shelves and to be honest I couldn't resist either - it's definitely the nicest colour way Our Legacy have released to date and the softness and pure gorgeousness of it is pretty stellar.


Moving onto the Oliver Spencer multi stripe tee and this was an absolute steal! I managed to snare this one for £33, which let us be frank is a bit of a touch.

Again the quality is there in the label, Oliver Spencer turns out some of the best clothing here in the UK and I can't get enough of it - that simple, elegant, unhurried coolness is testament to the ethos behind the brand and Oliver Spencer himself. It's British, and that's cool.

One for the Summer no doubt...



Under a Japanese Spell... By Saul Wilks.



I choose my purchases wisely these days, seldom having large quantities to have to flitter away on purchases that won't get the wear so while undertaking last Fridays aforementioned shopping trip I promised myself I'd have a good look around before choosing a new jacket to buy...

My self made promise lasted until around 9.30AM when I bowled into Son of Stag just off Brick Lane. Not realising it wasn't actually open yet I went about clawing through the racks of exotic and wonderfully rare labels that they stock there - Son of a Stag is really under rated in my book and doesn't get the credence it truly deserves. It carries a lot of Japanese and American Heritage / Work wear inspired clothing and with it probably the best selection of denim in the capital.

Now I'd be lying if I said that I'd ever been that interested in a lot of the Japanese gear that's about. A lot of the associated labels quite frankly bore the happy socks off my feet and are usually just a tad expensive more suited to city boys (if they have style) rather than your normal lad into his cloth, plus I find that whole look to be pretty battered now, however - Spell Bound is one that has always caught my eye from this cache.



It was no surprise then that I ended up copping for this quite stunning Apple Green hooded Summer effort from the ultra fine Japanese outfit. It was a pretty perfect choice and although not what I had envisaged (originally setting out to have a nose at the Batten Parkas) I was more than happy with my decision.

Apart from the fact that this was one of only three that was being carried in the UK, I can safely say that I wont be bumping into hundreds of chaps bursting around London in the same jacket as me, which for anyone who has bought the likes of Norse Projects, Penfield, Suit, Universal Works etc over the past few seasons will quite readily testify.

I'd also like to say a big thank you to Linda from SOAS for sorting me out with a more than generous price, especially as this was fresh in that morning and hadn't been labelled up yet!




Hand made for the feet...By Saul Wilks


After a substantial (late) Christmas bonus, I took to the streets of London Friday just to seek out some new purchases, something I haven't had the means to do for a long time indeed.

Hitting up the usual spots such as Number 6, Son of a Stag, Goodhood, Oliver Spencer etc, I came away with a couple of bags of some of the finest clothing and footwear around and my bank account was a few quid lighter by the end, make no mistake.

While at Goodhood (possibly the best shop in London - just putting that out there) I copped for a shoe that has been on my radar for quite some time now - the Cognac Suede Blucher... And what a fine shoe it is.

I managed to cop these at sale price, which was still pretty handsome, but boy are they worth it. Some serious Summer vibes going on with these - Over to my trusty EOS 400D to explain more !






Tuesday 28 February 2012

Some Goodness... by Shaun Dangerfield

Over the last few year's I've gone from buying nice clothing that get's moved around or shifted on within 6 month's to picking up piece's that I think will stand the test of time and wear hard yet age beautifully.
I still buy the odd bit's and piece's that I fancy on a whim and as ever I move them on, so buying individual single pieces to fit and keep in the wardrobe is what I'm about, they can only go out of fashion if you consider the item's fashion which is why I have added these bit's from Tender Co. and Post Overalls.

My love affair with Post'O'All's over the years seem's to grow and why shouldn't it when they churn out gear like they do.
First up are the Post Overalls Northwestern cinch back pant in a rich brown colour.
Heavy duty bottom's that I intend to wear until they drop off my backside threadbare.



Next up are a couple of bit's from Tender Co. a British label founded by William Kroll that started it's first collection in the winter of 2010 using quality denim, leather, cotton's and dyeing processes to give a hard wearing great looking item that will wear hard and last for an age.
There was a thread on the Superfuture forum that he posted up himself and showed the various cutting and sewing procedures and also some showing his dyeing processes, an amazing journey for him and a label that will no doubt become a huge hit with certain folk.
Everything is made in England by traditional artisans.

"Tender has its roots in antique workwear and machinery, especially from the Great British Steam Age. On a steam train the tender was the truck which carried the coal and water to power the locomotive, and was coupled between the engine and the carriages. they were built incredibly solidly, most from riveted cast iron, and had to hold enough fuel to take a train weighing many tons across the length and breadth of Britain. The other important face of Tender is the nurture which is put into the clothes: in their research, design, manufacture, and wear. Just as a gardener tends to a rose bed, or a shepard is the tender to a flock of sheep, so we hope that Tender's owners will live with their clothes, wearing them hard, but respecting their provenance and the stories they have to tell."


This is the type 510 long wallet made from a flexible greased bridle leather tanned in England with Wattle & Chestnut.
The leather will shape and darken with use.



Next up is Tender Co Woad dyed calico tail shirt which is made from a fine cotton unbleached calico cloth and woven in England.
Rubber button's, 2 large front pockets, deep shaped tail's and pleated back with gathered false cuff's.
Unbelievable quality and something that will get a lot of wear.






Some photo's of his dyeing process, the last photo is a pair of Tender Co denim 12 month's wear and tear.








Old School.... by Shaun Dangerfield



As I'm pretty sure it's well known by now the Casual scene is something close to home for us on here, we love how it started, where it went and being part of it, the scene the clothes the trainers the shoes the jackets the away day's and everything that roll's into it.
Something which in my humble opinion has been lost in recent year's are the style's and clothing and that whole point of moving onto something else, moving forward and the general continuous change has long since disappeared unfortunately leaving what to me feel's like quite a stale standard 442 look in general.
But that's another story for another time, along with the lost youth movement's and the lack of subculture's.
I won't harp on about it, but instead leave you with some amazing image's from a lost age.