Posted in Accessories, Men's Style, Objects of Affection, tagged bags, barena, canvas, made in italy, tartan, tres bien, twill on April 1, 2011 | 3 Comments »
This bag—from Italian company Barena—is absolutely killer.
Perfectly simple, made in Italy from heavy canvas, lined in tartan twill, and complete with brass hardware and a removable shoulder strap.
No muss. No fuss. Just a great everyday carryall.
It’s $150 at Très Bien Shop (minus 20% for non-EU customers). With shipping to the States, it works out to $144 total.
Not bad at all.
—Jonathan
(Images courtesy of Très Bien Shop)
Posted in Men's Style, Objects of Affection, Shirts, tagged blackbird, ombre, pendleton, tartan, wool on November 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Today was the first time this Fall that I can remember noticing, accutely and immediately, the chill in the air as I made my way out of the homestead to start the day. A great time, then, to have these couple of shirts from Pendleton hit my radar thanks to Blackbird.
The Solo Shirt is a classic dress shirt done in a slim silhouette (or “Vintage Fit” in the label’s own parlence), and made of soft, machine-washable virgin wool from Pendleton’s mill in Oregon. Details are simple: a single chest pocket, single button cuffs, scooped hemline, and a seven-button front placket. Nothing fancy, but I’m thankful for it because it lets the fabric shine through.
And with a beautifully muted brown/burgundy/navy ombre as well as a more vibrant green Buchanan tartan on offer, the fabric really does deserve its place as the star of the show. Not a shocker in the least, considering wool is what Pendleton is all about, but well appreciated all the same.
One thing that is a little surprising? The price. Clocking in at $98 a pop, these shirts are pretty damn affordable for what they are. That pricetag is achieved through a bit of outsourcing, though. While sourced from US components, they’re put together in Mexico. I know that’s a dealbreaker for some, a total non-issue for others, and somewhere in between for the rest. Take it is you see fit.
Both options are available online, and they’re sure to move fast. If you’re looking to score one for yourself, be it brown or Buchanan, get on it quick.
—Jonathan
(Images courtesy of Blackbird)
Posted in Men's Style, Objects of Affection, tagged epaulet, gingham, plaid, shirts, style forum, tartan on April 23, 2010 | 1 Comment »
I’m loving the newest iteration of Epaulet’s ongoing collaborative effort with Styleforum members. Here’s how it works: Epaulet goes to the folks on Styleforum and presents them with a number of options for fabric, style, etc. The members vote. Once voting ends, the winning style(s) get produced in NY in similar fashion to Epaulet’s mainstay “small batch” shirting options.
This time around, the whole process generated two styles: a Club Collar Oxford (link goes to the blue version) and a Double-Faced Japanese Shirt (link goes to the black version). Though the oxford is a damn fine specimen in its own right, the Double-Faced Japanese Shirt just blows me away. Call it a weakness for plaid.
The Double-Faced Japanese shirt is so named because it’s made of Japanese cotton, and because the fabric is two sided. As you can see in the picture above, the outside sports a multicolor tartan while the inside has a micro-gingham that’s visible when the sleeves are rolled and the collar is open, and the gingham actually peeks through the tartan in bright sunlight, which is pretty cool.
A slim cut with box pleating at the upper back for movement and darts at the lower back to keep the silhouette tight, a single button closure pocket at the left chest, and a button down collar complete the package.
More looks at both the black and the cream versions:
Click on over to Epaulet to pick yours up for $130. Just gotta make the call: Black, or Cream (or both)?
—Jonathan
(Images courtesy of Epaulet)
Posted in Men's Style, Non-Leather Jackets, Objects of Affection, tagged epaulet, tartan, triton, vanson leathers, waxed cotton on April 2, 2010 | 2 Comments »
I’ve been anxiously awaiting this one all week, and it certainly does not disappoint: The Vanson x Epaulet Waxed Triton Jacket. Take a look.
Yep. That is one goddamn handsome jacket.
Made of heavyweight waxed cotton canvas, this piece is very water resistant, which is handy considering the whole “April showers” deal we’re all likely to be subjected to over the course of the Spring. And since that attractive Royal Stewart tartan lining is 100% cotton, the jacket will breathe, which means you won’t overheat. Again, handy. (Mike from Epaulet, who modeled the jacket in the current warm weather for the fit photos, confirmed that he was actually pretty comfortable while doing the shoot.)
More details: 4 snap-closure patch pockets (top left is slanted, or a “map pocket”); black hardware on the exterior, with a heavy gauge brass zipper underneath the storm flap; two interior button-closure pockets; heavy leather neck liner (Vanson is, after all, a leather company); buckle and strap tab closure on the collar; slightly cropped length; zero logos or branding on the exterior.
The strap and buckle closure, and that heavy leather liner
The view from the front
There’s that lining again
The back of the jacket. Simple = good
And a fit pic to round things out
It’s $425 from Epaulet exclusively. For what you’re getting, that price is an absolute steal.
Move quick. There are only 14 units available total. (Talk about putting some truth to the whole “limited edition” idea.)
—Jonathan
(All images courtesy of Epaulet)
