Manchester Goods...By Saul Wilks

This was the scene at Newport station at approximately 5.30am Saturday morning, as I eagerly awaiting the first train to Manchester. This used to be a regular occurrence, as I made Manchester a once a month pilgrimage to search out records and clothes once I'd received my months pay. Suffice to say I was usually skint on the train home.

I've been travelling to old Mancunia for a number of years now, never forgetting that initial buzz I had when I first visited Oi Polloi, all those new and exotic labels, so many ace record shops, vintage gems galore. I hold those days in fond memories, it was always an adventure and Manchester truly was a Mecca for unknown clothing and records. I'd be lying if I said I still rate Manc the same as it was back then but then I more than likely held it in the romantic light of youth, as we all do.

Saturday heralded some great buy's again, both on the record and clothing front. This post is designated purely for the threads and treads I picked up though - a nice mix of vintage and new.

How many pair's of suede shoe's from my rotation have fallen victim to a minging dance floor or a heavy downpour? Too many, that's about right. Mindful of this fact I've been looking for a moderately priced pair of shoes that will serve me well through winter, nothing too costly or extravagant and obviously something that will fit in with what I'm digging at present.

When I first looked at the Clarks Originals Seam Trek I wasn't feeling them at all. First looks are sometimes deceiving. Whether it was the fact that it was chucking it down in Manc at the time, or the fact I had a tasty night planned later that night in Bristol that was surely going to involve another pair of suede's going west, I scampered back to Oi Polloi after having previously already been in there and snapped up their last pair.

How happy I was that I did as well, because they've grown on me that much that I haven't had them off.

Along with the Clarks Og's I stumped up for the indigo dyed Beams Plus needle cord shirt, which after a heavy all night disco party and subsequent sweat inducing dance floor manoeuvres made me look as though I'd had my torso painted in blue dye like my Celtic warrior brothers of old.

To round off a decent day's purchases I also bagged this killer vintage USA made heavy cotton madras. It's well fruity, or a 'proper jazzy number' as the young lad in Bionic 7 pointed out... Yes sir, Jazzy indeed. Sure to brighten up a few cold days this A/W that's for sure and for 30 sheets who can complain?

Manchester may not hold quite the same aura as it once did, but it's still worthy of a 3 hour train journey any day of the week.