Our Legacy and Nike...By Saul Wilks

So here comes another 'what I got for Christmas' post, I swear there's only about another dozen more to come... Not really, although this years horde was beyond my wildest dreams and expectations, which was obviously quite nice to be the recipient of.

My love of Our Legacy Great Sweats and new found enthusiastic penchant for Nike training shoes has been pretty well documented over the past year. The Great sweat has probably been mentioned more times than I care to remember and slowly but surely my footwear quota is seeing an increase in Orange boxes - It's a marvellous sight to behold.

My immediate family, as in my parents and brother, always get it right at Christmas and this year was no different. I realise that statement might make me sound like an ungrateful bastard when receiving gifts that I don't particularly want, but seeing as that's never happened then I have no past form to base that on, and let's hope that continues.

So, the grey melange Great sweat and a pair of pre-Montreal racers in deep red were a rather lovely addition to the wardrobe and heralded another ten out of ten for my lovely family, for which I'm more grateful for than any piece of clothing or present, obviously...

And to believe at the tender age of 12 I kicked off because I found a Britain's toy fort just prior to Christmas that I was then told wasn't for me... Of course it was, but that still didn't cloak my adolescent range at my house being used as a storing unit for other kids cool toys.

Fast forward to present day and I'm just glad I've got a loving family and friends, which is of course all that really matters at Christmas...

and Nike trainers and Our Legacy sweaters, obviously.

William Fox & Sons.... by Shaun Dangerfield

You will probably see an extra surge the next few weeks as we post up all the good stuff from the festive period. I've had some lovely gear along with some really useful stuff that I won't bore you with.
What I really wanted was an invisible cloak so I wouldn't have to hide in women's toilets any more I could just sit there and wait but it never happened unfortunately.
What I did get though was some dapper headwear from my partners in crime, William Fox & Sons brown tweed tailored flat cap with beautiful red's, green's and blues running through.
Perfect in fit & style and fit's in with my current wear's a treat.

Along the same lines I also received a beautiful brown knitted tie for a smarter day out that will also double up as a gag when everything get's really fruity.... or material hand cuff's.
Actually thinking about I'll probably never wear it and I'll just whack straight into the naughty drawer.

Bag 'N' Noun...By Saul Wilks

I've needed something practical to ferry my belongings around in for quite a while now and seeing as I travel a lot and am constantly on the move, something other than the trusty APC weekend bag I use would be more efficient and handy.

You can imagine then, how made up I was on Christmas morning when my girlfriend surprised me with this, the large duck canvas Bag 'N' Noun rucksack, which is pretty much perfect for what I was after and indeed had caught my attention on more than one occasion while having a nose on Goodhood.

Fair play, she was bang on the money, from the style and details to the colour itself - a rather classic and pleasing to the eye mix of canvas brown and tan leather.

It's fair to point out that this is a rucksack or backpack if you prefer, and I'm concious of the fact that the back pack has become an essential fashion statement for middle class hipsters, but then this isn't your average Hershal Supply or Fjall Raven Kanken turn out, worn with a 5-Panel Supreme cap, this is certainly a more refined example of how this now bastardised form of carrying convenience should be played out.

There's something about the minimalist design to this bag and the mix of contemporary and rustic overtones that really appeals to me. I personally think it's a great bit of kit and it's obvious from the construction that it's built to last, which is handy when I'm lugging all manor of items around the country.

Being Japanese, Bag 'N' Noun make some exemplary baggage, utilising all manor of materials and creating functional products that have a fine attention to detail and high quality in abundance, which is an obviously essential element for a any prospective bag purchase.

To round things off, I'll be deep and quote Bang 'N' Noun's motto of Necessary or Unnecessary...

and if we're talking in terms of how much I need this fine piece of baggage in my life, well, I think the answer's pretty much a given.

The Little Things in Life...By Saul Wilks

When I was a kid at Christmas I always relished having a stocking as much as delving into all the wrapped stuff, and as time marches on I find that I'm no different than I was back then.

My good lady was good enough to do me a stocking this year, bringing back hearty memories of leaving football socks at the end of the bed and awakening to find prized Subbuteo goals, footballs and referee sets, chocolate coins and as I got a little older, Pure Silk G compilations, making the football sock come stocking of choice bulge, so it looked like a freshly fed anaconda. What a buzz!

You can image then my joy this past Christmas morning when I was the recipient of a rather stylish looking stocking packed with all manor of grown up goodies and treats.

Aside from the obvious wine gum selection (which has long been dispatched), I had some pretty cool little bits and pieces that were different from the norm and extremely heart warming.

Among the pick of the items was a gorgeous display box of Tiger matches (just in case I fancy a spot of light arson - see Submarine), the obligatory sock selections - see Burlington and Happy Socks, and by far the most ace item of the lot, the timeless flying glider (How many of these did I buy from various museums and shops when I was a nipper?) I must admit that seeing these again brought back some quality memories...

This particular version is the American Grumman F6F Hellcat by the way, so I guess all I need now is a hardy FW-189 Focke-Wulf and we're all ready for some quality old skool dog fight action...

Proper

Mistletoe and Wine - A Photographic Diary...By Saul Wilks

A very belated Merry Christmas to all readers, new and old. I've had an extremely busy festive period and it's safe to say I've been fed, watered and spoilt rotten by all and sundry.

How I managed to get so many presents God only knows, I must have been good this past year?

Anyway, I'll leave the text to a minimum and splash a few snaps about, as is usually the procedure this end of the laptop.

I hope you all had a cracking Christmas and wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!

Mixtapes.... by Shaun Dangerfield

Just a quick one but 2 mixes up for you, one from Casio Social Club and one from Boogie Cartel on the six axle blog with an interview with Tom, worth 5 minutes of your time (unless your the mad hatter).

six axle boogie cartel question and answer and mix

Next up I can host on here in the form of Casio Social Club.
I do love a bit of NuDisco if it's the right kind of NuDisco, groove filled with plenty of jams and this is one such mix from Justin Winks live in Bogota / Columbia a week back.
Enjoy peep's, 23minutes20sec in take off....

Ideas From Massimo Osti.... by Shaun Dangerfield

I've picked up a few coffee table book's of late but none as big or as good as this beast.
It was an easy selection for me this book, spending so much time of my growing up saving among other thing's to get whatever I craved week by week from labels that Massimo Osti had his magical hands involved in.
You talk about technical outerwear and innovation and most men who know their onions will pull his name out first, there are plenty of tech labels but none for me come close to what he created.
Dated ? maybe, and very debatable but if anything reading through this book has pegged me back a few years and that craving came back for a good few hours while gazing at each page with youthful memory.

I know it's just a passing phase as time move's on but the sight of a Mille Miglia with a hinged watchviewer still make's me do a double take, I've lost count of all the C.P Company and S.I that has revolved through my wardrobes over the years, and the endless amount of Left Hand and Boneville, Massimo Osti and all the various off shot labels that come with it so to open this up and see it all archived was great reading.
I've added a few photo's from the book and I think it's the perfect post to celebrate 150'000 views, enjoy....