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.

Last call on Ralph’s Winter items.

It’s a really great time to pick up items for some late season use, especially for those of us still stuck well under the freezing mark. It’s important when you are buying things this late in the season it’s not just for the great prices. You won’t have a lot of time to wear them so you have to make sure it’s something you will wear next winter as well. Ralph Lauren is always a great source for timeless items that you can get a lot of wear out of and they have a lot of really nice items on sale right now. Two of my favorites are pictured above.

The wool and apalca blend mockneck sweater is really nice. I normally would never endorse a mock but this one has more of the feel of a shawl collar sweater when left completely unbuttoned, otherwise you might as well get your dad’s zipper mockneck.

I also like their Preston cotton pant in navy. It has a great brushed cotton texture that gives it a refined comfortable feel that takes it beyond your typical chino. Also, it thankfully has no prewashed finishes keeping for a clean look.

Fair Isle Birdseye Sock

Speaking of winter socks… these Fair Isle Polo socks have to be some of the best options I have seen yet this season. Many of the Fair Isle socks released this year have been more rustic multi-colored versions. I love the purity of the two color options - black or brick red. These would look great as worn in the Ranger Boot images or with a thick soled brogue with denim or slacks.

Polo Ralph Lauren Ranger Boot

This is as much about the styling as it is about the boot. I think everyone is familiar with Polo’s Ranger Boot but what I like best is how they’re styling it in these images. If you didn’t pick up some heavy wool socks last winter now is the time to do it. I will typically roll my pants to about mid-height when I wear a boot like this, and I know this is nothing new, but I like this look a lot. It gives you another opportunity to pop a color and texture into you Fall look.

Buffalo Plaid and Hombre

How much is too much? No really, I need to know because I have a few pieces of each already yet I still want to by everything else in sight.

Particularly Woolrich Woolen Mills’ Hombre Moutain Vest, which I would have such a hard time taking off I might end up wearing it to bed.

I’m not sure I’d wear these Ralph Lauren Nansen Buffalo Plaid Boots, but I still love them all the same. From a style and investment perspective the oilcloth canvas shaft version is a much safer bet.

And if Woolrich gets any hotter it will burn out soon, because it is everywhere (more on that in a future post). The official Converse x Woolrich Chuck Taylor collabo is likely one of the shoe’s coolest iterations ever, particularly in the red.

I could keep going, but I think you get the point. Go ahead and buy that buffalo plaid, just make sure it’s special because when your little sis buys that buffalo plaid printed shirt with the skull graphic from Delia’s your going to want to make sure you don’t look foolish standing next to her.

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Ralph Lauren Horace Canvas Loafer

I’ve long been a fan of turning the classics on their head which is why although I have a huge appreciation for classic footwear, as a designer, I love fusing elements and reappropriating details to create something fresh. This is why I’ve always been a huge admirer of Visvim and love some of the new things coming from BePositive. The fusion of dress and casual lifestyle is something that is very real and is not going away.

So not to say that the Ralph Lauren Horace Canvas Loafer is groundbreaking, because it’s not, but very few have done it this well, tasteful, and affordable. The classic penny loafer updated with a canvas vulcanized construction is just so wearable and so now. I first spotted it when I stopped in the Soho Polo store last week where it was $95 and 40% off until today. And although they only have the white and navy colorways online they had a nice washed out red in-store.

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On my feet | Ralph Lauren Carmack Boat Shoe

There has been a lot of buzz about the Visvim Fabro Loafer (pictured below) over the last few weeks, but I still think Ralph Lauren did it best. The Ralph Lauren Carmack Boat Shoe (pictured above) is an item that I picked up last summer and have begun wearing heavily again. It separates itself from any other option out there by using heavy patent for a much stiffer feel, which is a nice change from the softer (ie. cheaper) options from Sperry. And we unfortunately don’t see the combo of penny on a boat shoe bottom often enough. Surprisingly RL is not releasing these again this year so you’ll have to find yours on EBay.