By Look or Crook...By Saul Wilks

Unless you've only just started following Sinister D or have stumbled upon this blog by mistake looking for cake recipes then you'll probably know how much I like dicking around with my camera. I won't lie, I love posing for photos - Some might say I'm an exhibitionist at heart, or others might just think I'm a tart. I'm probably a mix of both to be fair.

However, one thing I can't deny and the main point that I hope comes across when I plaster the blog with photos of me standing around pretending as if I'm not being photographed is my unabated passion for clothing, from the full get up right down to the fine details.

I recently maxed out my camera's flash card so I decided to take a trip through the reels of snaps I've taken over the past two years I've had it and have a good nose. Along the way I picked out a selection I thought would fit in nicely here, you know the one's - looking into the distance pondering my next purchase, or the obligatory and timeless shoe detail shot.

I always enjoy looking back to see what I was wearing and when; I recently unearthed a couple of old photographs taken when I was about 16 at the match, all Lacoste shirts, Stone Island jackets and Borg Elites. Great days.

Anyway, here's a little look back over the past two year's at some of the looks and hooks that were getting dropped...

Fill Your Boots...By Saul Wilks

The generous souls over at Leeds menswear institution, The Hip Store have hooked us up with a 15% discount code which is rather dope of them if we do say so ourselves.

There's some killer bits to snap up, so treat yourself this weekend and head over there to take gluttonous advantage - Just add SINISTER at check out to claim your discounted goodies.

Happy weekend

http://www.thehipstore.co.uk/

There She Goes Again...By Saul Wilks

Vintage Belstaff International...By Saul Wilks

Sitting in a pub down Broardway market on Saturday evening just, mumbling obscenities into my pint about my criminal lack of luck when it comes to football accumulators while my girlfriend and her mate tried to get me to put my phone away and involve me in their conversations, I was secretly following the final minutes of an eBay auction for something I've been meaning to get for a very long time.

It obviously doesn't take mastermind to work out that that something was in fact this beautiful Belstaff International that's plastered all over this post.

To add to my proud collection of one other, the other being a vintage Trialmaster, I bid and bid and bid again and finally landed this for a fair price, while all the while in the back ground I got a healthy bollocking off my missus for buying yet another jacket, so much so that I was forced to enter into a pact with her that I will not buy any more coats and jackets until after Christmas - which suits me fine actually because I can just stick them on her Christmas list instead.

Rarely seen on the younger generation and usually more suited to 40 something professionals who read The Times style pages through their Oliver People frames, I've always loved the suave and sophisticated aura that these jackets give off.

In my opinion, Belstaff's a label that's pretty much out on it's own for me in terms of the style of garment it's known for and the quality and longevity that it produces those garments in. A well loved and worn-in example always looks exquisite and there's no surprise that they can fetch large sums of money when they go under the hammer.

When I bought the other Belstaff that I own, I'm sure the following post on here mentioned how much I appreciated the fact that it had been completely worn it and obviously had a long history behind it.

I've often wondered where and when it had been worn and by whom because that's what I find so special  about these jackets; They have a lifetime of history attached to them and  numerous tales woven within the fading wax and worn in cuffs.

Take this one as a prime example, I found nuts and bolts in the pockets, roughed up edges on the hem and small wear marks in the sleeves. Some people might find this off putting, but then these are the flaws that give the jacket it's undeniable character and makes it what it is, in my opinion anyway.

As is the usual protocol whenever I buy something that I'm made up with, I went out for a walk earlier on today and took these snaps to share with you. I'd have to be honest and admit that although my trusty lens usually gets things pretty right, I don't think it really does this jacket the complete justice it deserves.

Let's make no mistake about things, this is a garment full of striking character and has been loved previously in time. I'm happy to give it a new home and a new lease of life and will no doubt add a few more chapters to it's story...

After all, true beauty never dies.

Eastland and Oliver Spencer...By Saul Wilks

With winter now firmly on the horizon, I thought it best to sort myself out with a decent pair of boots that'll come in handy when it doesn't snow... Joking aside, I learned a harsh lesson last winter when I tried to navigate the streets of London with a pair of Grenson on my feet. I might as well have been wearing blocks of ice, as they had about as much grip as a couple of banana skins.

If I said I'd ever been into the whole hiking boot thing I'd be lying as it's never really appealed to me and I'm of the opinion that you've got to go the full hit with that whole look other wise you'll look like bit of a numpty... Urban hiker I am not, so the likes of Diemme are strictly a no no for moi, however these rather ace Eastland's most definitely are and I'm glad I decided to have a pop at them.

I'm sure the pictures do the talking but just to summarise, these have got some fine robust leather action going down (which sounds extremely homosexual when read back) and have some pretty cool contrasting laces that compliment the lovely colour of the leather nicely. Yellow X oak brown, yeah, it's definitely an aesthetically pleasing combination in my book.

Waffle aside, the thing I like most about these is the fact I can wear them with slim denim without looking like an extra from Rompa Stompa, although Russell Crowe and his merry band of psychotic skinheads were decked out in Dr Martens, granted, but you can see where I'm coming from... I'm not really down with looking like I've just strolled out of Central Saint Martins.

Moving on from footwear into the realms of knitwear, getting kitted out for winter has obviously been high on my agenda as a gaggle of purchases lately have been massively geared towards the changing climes. This Oliver Spencer knit has been pick of the purchases for me over the past month... It's down right gorgeous.

I wont harp on about how much I love Oliver Spencer, those facts are well documented throughout the archives of Sinister Delicious, however I will say that when he's producing garments that are as good as this, there's no doubt why it's one of my favourite labels.

Spot on doesn't quite cut it...

12" delight.... by Shaun Dangerfield

Now I'm pretty stuck in my ways and against the Hot Creations label, not so much the label or music but just what it become and what it is now so it was going to take a filthy little number like this to entice me to buy from them.
Miguel Campbell..... I've probably played his 2 man creations a hell of a lot more than his own productions.
With Matt Hughes in the form of M.A.M I know we've played at least one of their records at each party we've played in the past 18 months. But this little number is a different gravy and luckily the b side is the M.A.M remix so I get the best of both worlds.
"Not that kind of girl" on the HOT CREATIONS label.... Put ya' feet up, have a listen, blow ya' socks off and cut some rug up.

Next up on the Gutterfunk label is this absolute gem that tore Horatia apart in August when we played there and can be heard in my Captain Turtle Boogie Cartel mini mix further down the page.
I had the digital unreleased version and I had to get it on vinyl just to keep.
An odd setting this one, an original Boogie lick made from scratch from the Bristol peeps Christophe (Futureboogie) DJ Die (known for his DnB) Bristol drummer Desi Rogers, Joker on keys (known for his Dubstep) & Chloe Lang on vocals.
Just simply devastating on a dance floor.
Put your back in it son.....

And lastly is this funky little number on the Vanguard label.... Twilight 22 "Mysterious" which I found with some other records on last weekends trip to Manchester, just pure 80's beef.... see the beauty in it x

It's all in the swoosh...By Saul Wilks

I knew I should have probably stopped myself when I opted to buy the Nike Tennis Vintage a month or so back, having previously kicked my once rampant addiction to training shoes. In days past the three stripe calling card of Adidas boxes cluttered up every available space in my hallway, having amassed a greedy selection during my football going days.

The times they change and with it usually comes different surroundings and the styles that you adhered to start losing their appeal, so as football terraces gave way to dance floors and weekends meant a more varied social scene away from bowling around towns and cities looking for mischief in the name of my team, so did my hearty collection of Adidas rarities.

I loved that cross over period, where that football look was still relevant but no longer controlled the labels and clothing I was getting into and morphed from one look to the other... This is about the time I started mixing and matching, wearing things because I loved them for the right reasons and not because they held connotation to a scene I was involved in.

Since those heady days and now being a little older and wiser, training shoes and sports footwear have never really interested me much apart from the odd pairs of New Balance and the tennis trainers of Superga. Aside from these my casual footwear selection has always contained the likes of Gordini, Clarks Og and pointer to name a few, but I've always been fond of some of the models Nike has put out in the past.

During match going days, It was a heinous thing to contemplate favouring the Nike swoosh over the three stripes of Adidas, obviously in juvenile ignorance to the fact that Nike were favoured alongside Adidas by the original match going lads, so with my initial purchase of the tennis classic's came a fresh interest in training shoes and obviously triggered off that old addiction that once firmly had hold of me in days gone by.

One pair that always tickled my fancy was that of the challenger waffle in the yellow and royal blue colourway, a most beautiful combination of colours and perfect for the style of trainer that it adorned. Inspired by my recent sortie into uncharted Nike territory, I couldn't resist in stumping up for a pair that were on eBay and so I took the plunge and nabbed them for a paltry 40 quid, which I was genuinely made up with.

Secondly, after a weekend spent in Manchester and paying a visit to that old favourite Oi Polloi, while in there I was instantly drawn to these pre montreal racer's in this fine colour scheme of orange ember and white. These are really lightweight and look proper ace when on - I'm looking forward to throwing them in the mixer soon when the rain decides to do one and the ground is a little less sodden as I can't see them keeping my trotters dry in the current weather.

To summarise, I'm going to try and leave trainer purchases to a bi-monthly treat but alas I feel as though I've most definitely fallen back into old habits... Although this time I think I'm in control enough not to be up scrolling on line auctions until sunrise, and that can only be a good thing.

We'll just say trainers will be a guilty pleasure and we'll most definitely be keeping it that way for now- still, it's nice to have some colour amongst all the tan suede's and leathers I've got going on in the footwear department!

Cottonopolis... by Shaun Dangerfield

Here at Sinister HQ we decided to get together and discuss important information (in the boozer and over records).
Saturday morning we headed over to Manchester for a civilised day......
Which means we placed our bets early doors, went on the clobber hunt and picked up some records before nestling ourselves in the pub to watch the results come in.
Garbage. no bet's come in but we did manage to score with some ace wear & tear.
Saul had a decent little haul but I was restrained and left it at this scarf from the home turf label of Oi Polloi.... "Cottonopolis".

Some Wear & Tear from yesterday and this afternoon.
Saturday was Mackintosh Clisham / Paul Smith scarf / Albam tee / Albam Japanese denim chinos / Trickers x Present green brogue boots
Sunday was Undefeated x Ebbets Field cap / Nigel Cabourn aircraft / Folk tee / Our Legacy great sweat / Garbstore red line / Andersons belt / Pointer

Anerkjendt.... by Shaun Dangerfield

ANERKJENDT..... Laid back and earthy opening 2012 a/w collection.
It would be rude to not pick up some cord for the winter and I was going through the options of what I really wanted and then this little beauty cropped up in aged baby cord.
The Atos overhead shirt.

Anerkjendt's prices are competitive to say the least and I'm always dubious of that as I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for but it exceeded my expectation's and really suprised me quality wise.
Wooden buttons, stitched tags on the cuff and the cut is great.

An Aesthetically pleasing collection which takes its inspiration from the Danish landscapes.... Scandinavia hits the spot again and on first looks come's over similar to Our Legacy (which can only be a good thing).