In motion.

The living breathing Wood Wood show.

Wood Wood Autumn/Winter 2010 Collection

Wood Wood and I sort of came to age together. As I grew out of my streetwear training wheels and starting dressing more like a grown man the label was kind of doing the same thing. That’s not to say they have completely grown-up, but it has matured and broadened it’s scope over the last 4 years. But at the core there are always the staple elements you can expect -  structured shirting, drapey layers mixed with fitted pieces, some key graphic images, and always a bit whimsical.

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Deluxe 3/4 Sleeve Thermal

I’ve been all about the raglan 3/4 sleeve for a long time and Deluxe has another beautifully simple option available. It’s easy to do, just pick a neutral and where… a lot.

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He’s gangsta…but he’s chill.

I’m loving Bedwin’s “East LA gangsta on holiday” look with their Spring/Summer 2010 collection. The fact that their model looks like B-Real’s little brother drives that image home even further for me.

The looks featured here have a lot of the things I’m really feeling. Virtually every season Bedwin does a black crewneck sweater shirt with some sort of white print on it - classic in a badass motorcycle club kind of way. Perfect worn simply with denim or done, as seen above, with and oxford and patterned tie.

Other stand outs are the cropped chinos paired both with lightweight wallabees and a beefier soled chukka. And also, as I discussed yesterday, the Hawaiian printed shirt and short. Keep it a simple two-color option like these and you’ll be golden this Summer.

Images courtesy of SlamxHype.

Hawaiian Print BD Shirts

I will probably get some “oh, no he didn’t'’s from my next statement, but I’m just not feeling the madras and seersucker this Spring. It may be that I have too much of it in my closet already, but it just doesn’t seem bold enough for me right now. Which is where these two items come in. My gut tells me this could be something I will regret seeing myself in some day, but I really can’t help liking both these navy and white printed BD shirts from WWM and Epaulet.

And this is coming from a guy who doesn’t have one short sleeve button shirt in his closet. I just don’t see the sense in buying or wearing a shirt in a traditional print with short sleeves. I tend to just roll up my sleeves if I’m hot. But with a Hawaiian or tropical print that logic no longer stands. It’s the only way to make or wear one. And these are made that much better by adding buttondown collars. I think this is a perfect shirt for some weekend outdoor fun sipping cold drinks in the shade.

Wings & Horns Spring… nonnative-lite.

Wings & Horns. It’s like nonnative but Canadian? Not really, but maybe more like nonnative-lite. In a season when nonnative goes black with bright color pops for Spring, Wings & Horns went super washed-out with a soft color palette. Essentially what you would normally expect this time of year from nonnative.

Although I wasn’t overwhelmed the W&H’s Spring showing there are some very nice items sprinkled throughout the collection.

A polo can easily make a guy look like a complete tool if the fit isn’t just right. These appear nice and trim which should help, but color and nice detailing will go a long way. And these have both of those as well. Heather grey, heather blue, and white (no hot pink and green stripes) and a subtle gingham button-down collar will help separate you from the average Joe.

I’ve gotten a lot of crap, even here at ND from Ninski, because of my endorsement of The Sweat Pant. But I’m sticking to my guns on this one. Just to be clear, I have never endorsed wearing this out and about casually everyday, and definitely do not do this myself. But I think there are completely appropriate times for this look… while traveling on intercontinental flights like I have previously stated, while hanging around your house, while taking out the trash, playing ball at the park on a cold fall day, etc. There are plenty of occasions where they are useful and stylish. But I do not endorse a hoody with the pant, go with a button up or sweater and anything from sneakers to Bean boots depending on the weather work fine. And if you do not own a pair, why not go with W&H’s recycled fleece version (above left), they look great on the body and I love the pocket stitch detail.

Everyone is going crazy over the field pant right now but I think W&H’s ventile version (above right) is a perfect alternative to the flap pocket versions flooding the market. It keeps your profile slim without adding any unnecessary bulk to your silhouette.

And finally, their Chambray short (left) and Gingham Cargo short (right) are perfect for a hot summer day. I personally don’t have many opportunities to wear shorts outside of the weekend and while on holiday, so I don’t have a need for more than a few in my drawer. But if you live in Aruba or the like you can pick up both.

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You are a terrorist!

An impressive video created by a German design student named Alexander Lehmann. This same film could be created for any number of countries - including the UK and USA. The most depressing part is that this kind of thing is no longer shocking (enough).

nonnative Spring/Summer 2010

I’m finally getting a chance to double back on my thoughts on all the ‘breaking fashion news’ that everyone has been racing to share.

nonnative always gets a lot of attention here, and I must say that there probably isn’t any other label in the world I’m more enamored with season after season - at least from a wearability point of view. Sadly it’s the same old story - not easily available and extremely expensive. A full-proof strategy on their part.

Their Spring/Summer 2010 collection brings us more of what we expect from them with their usual adjustments in color palette. They have a much stronger black story running through the line than you would typically expect in a Spring collection but it pairs perfectly with the intense royal and orange color pops within the collection. That bold trio of colors mix in very well with the softer side of the collection  made up of washed and worn blues, heather grey, and natural earth tones. This season they mix up the collaborations a bit with boots by Tricker’s, eyewear with Kaneko Optical, and Birkenstock thongs.

Some of the true stand out items from the looks above are the black over-dyed oxford  and courrier coat (top left) and the orange student blouson (top right). I will be breaking down the collection item by item in the coming days.

The man.

I didn’t realize this brand was still around… but they have caught my attention with their latest ad campaign, “This is man“. It has the feel and spirit of Diesel’s early naughties campaigns. I’m not about to rush into a French Connection store anytime soon, but I appreciate the label taking another stab at gaining the customer’s attention - and the styling is not half bad in the collateral.

Deluxe Baccara

I’m thinking it’s time to start putting away your wool bandana and start bringing out the lightweight colored ones like these.

Polo Kalahari Oilcloth Vest

As you can tell by now, I did a lot of shopping while in LA. It’s sort of my job sometimes. It’s terrible. I tried on the Polo Kalahari Oilcloth Vest at their Robertson store. I don’t think I need to go into detail of why this thing is so cool. I mean, it’s made with heavy British waxed oilcloth and it comes with it’s own tin of oilcloth dressing. Enough said.

Josh Rosen | 5×7 by Backyard Bill for GQ

Everybody has been giving Glenn O’Brien so much duly deserved love this week based on his GQ 5×7 looks during NYFW. But are any of us really surprised the Style Guy is so put together - no, not really. But I have to be honest with you, my favorite from the group of looks was Josh Rosen’s.

All his looks are decidedly casual, which is expected from a guy who owns a surf shop, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t any less put together. I’m probably more denim heavy than he is but essentially this is just how I have been feeling lately. Which is new for me because I typically get more casual in the summer just due to the sweltering oven NY becomes after June and I am typically more buttoned up and less casual as the temperature drops. But with all the sloppy weather here I’ve been getting all geared up.

I think as far as casual style goes, Josh Rosen is perfect. It’s all very natural and real world - not walking a look book.

Rain, rain, go away.

This is what NYC looks like today and this is pretty much the forecast for the rest of the week. I’d rather have snow.

It’s a good thing I picked these up as an alternative to my 10″ shearling Bean Boots last week. A perfect and light-weight version of my usual footwear for when the weather is nasty.

UPDATE: Wore these for the second time today and the canvas split at the seam were it meets the leather back tab. Not cool at all. I best be getting contacted by someone from L.L.Bean soon before they get the call from me.

Martin+Osa Boating Anorak

After what has been (and still is) a very long and harsh winter in New York City I need a little color in my life. I’m ready to put away the pea-coat and start layering up some light jackets. I’ve already pulled out a crazy black engineer jacket from defunct brand Uppercut I’ve had forever and my worn-in denim jacket, but that doesn’t get me the color I’m looking for. While shopping in LA I came across a b&m Martin+Osa in Orange County. It was unexpected because I hadn’t realized they even had any b&m’s. I was interested to see what the store was all about despite who their parent company is - American Eagle (I know, ugh!).

I have to admit I was very impressed with the overall presentation. The space was tasteful and the product had a very clear vision. It was much more focused than J.Crew, Gap, or any other of it’s competitors have ever been. The store was stock full of their versions of classic American staples. But most impressive was the clothes have very modern cuts and great colors. Not what you’d expect from a company that has mastered the art of frat-boy douchery.

But probably my favorite piece of all was their bright orange anorak. I was drawn to it the second I stepped in the door and immediately tried in it on. The fit was trim but still allowed room for some layering, perhaps my afformentioned denim jacket, and the color was a great pop for the season. Definitely a good way to spice up your palette as you transition to summer without breaking the bank. I ended up not buying it that day but I ordered it last week so should be in the mailbox soon.

Now I know I have heaped the praise on Martin+Osa over the course of this post and I want to make sure I clarify myself and not over do it. It is a really nice start but I think the biggest positive is that men have another good option amongst the chains (J.Crew, Rugby, Club Monaco) that are bringing tasteful styling and well tailored clothing to the marketplace at accessible price points.

Rugby Snorkel Cotton Fatigue Pant

I can’t jump on this frat-boy baggy cargo trend but I’m always down for a trim pant with a nice taper which is why I really like Rugby’s Cotton Fatigue Pant. They’re a bit trimmer than your average cargo pant which is harder to find than you would expect. One of my pet peeves is faux distressing and brands like Rugby just can’t seem to leave a good pant alone, but I I think I could live with it on a pant that fits this good.

ts(s) Blue Sole Wingtip

Spring was a tangible idea to me for the week I spent in LA, but the weather has been brutal in NY since I returned home and it was like a slap in the face. So it’s been difficult for me to wrap my had around Spring being around the corner. But I’ll get to the Spring lookbooks soon enough, and I will get to my thoughts on NYFW soon after as well.

Before we go there I think there is still plenty of great product to be featured from the season we’re still living in. An item I think would be worth picking up if you’re the right size (sizes are limited) is ts(s)’s Blue Sole Wingtip. This whole trad thing everybody is on right now is great, anything to get American men to dress better, but there is a fine line that can be crossed transforming a young man into old-man territory. Young guys should be keeping things youthful and a shoe like this is a perfect remedy. There is a lot of product that we feature here I would make little tweaks to but I have to say that this is simply perfect. The shoe has a great classic shape and the clean black suede, natural leather welt, and royal blue popped outsole is great combo not only for the rest of this season but for a good part of Spring as well. Wear these with a contrasting bright sock and pop the blue someplace else as a jacket or accessory mixed in with a neutral palette and you’ll be golden.

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The unseen side of big oil

I need to see this film. Actually people in general need to see this film. This sort of awful behaviour by corporations, and the fact that they largely get away with it, is in part why there is a growing resentment against the US. Things like this shouldn’t be happening, especially by a country that prides itself on espousing good values.

KZO Knits

On my last trip to Los Angeles a label I saw a lot was KZO. I remember when I viewed the premier collection a few years ago it was a very Japanese “streetwear” inspired line called Kazuo. But how things have changed.  The label has grown out of it’s Barracuda roots and is now sitting next to Ann Demeulemeester in sparse high-end boutiques all over the LA area. Oki-ni has a nice selection of items from KZO’s Spring collection. There is almost too little variation between some of their styles but two of my favorites are pictured above.

The knit jacket is like a soft not-so-durable engineer jacket - a play on the knit blazers seen from Band of Outsiders and Obedient Sons over the years. It really is just a perfect light grey marl and it’s topped off with metal buttons which is a nice variation from your typical nut buttons.

And I’m just loving the cropped sweat pant. This is another personal style thing for me that has come out of my frequent travels. I picked up a pair of the Crew’s sweatpants last year to wear on long flights. I would have picked up Save Khaki’s version but I couldn’t commit $100 for an item I wasn’t sure I would adopt into my lifestyle so easily. I have since begun wearing them to my early morning flights or changing into them at the airport or on the plane on flights that are later in the day. I’ll typically wear a deconstructed sport jacket and oxford tucked into the front and Italian sneakers of some sort. It’s a nice pairing in it’s own right, but it also makes it easy to keep a pair of pants or denim in your carry-on you look ready for a day of work or a night out the second you step off the plane.

London Undercover Commuter Umbrella

London Undercover brings an interesting brolly to the market called the Commuter Umbrella because of the inspiration it pulls from a London tube commute. I love a good theme and this certainly has it. Made in conjunction with London Transport, the Commuter pairs a navy pinstripe suiting with the 1970’s District Line & Circle Line Tube and Bus seat pattern. And just about every piece of it is either recycled or biodegradable - recycled canvas fabric, metal shafts, frames, packaging and tags, and recycled and biodegradable handles. And if you don’t want your brolly to be so theme-driven they make plenty more straight-forward looks with all the same eco-sensitivity.

Seamate vs. Bahama

The impetus of this post actually came from something I read on Sartorially Inclined (a site you should check out). The post was called Debate: Sperry Seamate vs. Bahama so I kind of got excited to read it but was disappointed that there was no actual comparison or even a debate. Most of the comments focused on the measly $25 difference in price between the two shoes. I would have commented on their site but I found the Blogspot comments login to be completely annoying so I’ll just set things straight here.

This is what I wanted to say:

There are huge differences between the two shoes. What makes a shoe is more than just color and material. The last shape on the Seamate is just so much more sophisticated than the Bahama. It has more swing and toe spring than the much straighter flat-bottomed Bahama. Also the outsole of the Seamate is exactly as the shoe was produced 75 yrs ago. Just a clean un-branded slab of skived rubber. As where the Bahama has been updated to seem “new and improved” over the decades and is now overly branded and techinical. Also the upper pattern on the Seamate is much nicer with its cord moc and more pronounced curves rather than the butt seam and straighter lines of the Bahama. All in all worth the extra $25 and then some. But that is just my opinion.

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