The Staple: Stighlorgan and the Brilliant Backpack

Over the summer, I was doing a bit of 'brand consulting' and 'content strategy' for a few different places. You know, the kind of things you can't really describe without sounding like a total wanker. The kind of work that you do at 2pm on a smashed macbook while sipping a flat white in a trendy Hackney coffee shop. Before cycling home.

Yes, it was a cliche filler for sure, but it was also a bit of a confidence-booster. Working freelance isn't all that bad, in fact it can be great (when people 'remember' to pay their invoices). The place that I worked at consistently was Irish accessories brand Stighlorgan.

Run by Yvonne and Christian, the brand is all about taking traditional techniques and materials and giving them a unique spin. Not only that, but the way they put collections together is fascinating: they start with a few outline ideas for the season, then fire these over to one of their mates (a fantastically creative writer named Davin Gaffney), and then he sends back a short piece of writing that is then transmogrified into an entire range. It results in a line of products that are more than just bags and hats; they are the embodiment of the people that run the brand and the way they run it.

On to a bit of product. I've had this Driscoll bag for a good few years now, and in that time it gets more comments that pretty much anything else I own. It's a srsly simple design idea, but difficult to pull off without a sharp eye for detail and a strong knowledge of craft. Harking back to drawstring bags from the '90s (JJB Sports anyone?), it's a classic design, reworked in thick bridle leather with rope shoulder straps and some slick zip pocket details both inside and at the bottom, as well as subtle oversize embossed logo on the front. Over the time I've had it, the leather has softened and taken on a gorgeous patina, and since I started my new job, I've worn this every day. Basically, it's bloody awesome.

It's characteristic of the way Stighlorgan works. While these guys have an eye firmly on commerce, they're also very careful about the way they do things: reworking the entire range every season for example, isn't really necessary, but that's the way they want to do it. I find this approach very appealing, and the designs that Christian comes up with every season are SO on point. He's created the kind of brand that is consistently a few seasons ahead of everyone else. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but incredibly I've not seen anywhere else that's managed a copy of the Driscoll.

Anyway, I appeared at Stighlorgan at the start of the summer, and since then, these two have launched a new season, taken on new clients, moved studios and opened their own standalone retail store in Dalston, with all of the rollercoaster ride that this entails. They are some of the most lovely people I know, and not to sound sycophantic, properly inspiring. They also love a drink, which always helps matters, I find.

Anyway, I'm thrilled to say that the SLG Store is opening tomorrow (Thursday 30th) at 1 Stoke Newington High Street, in a space that's been bespoke-designed by Christian, and built with love over the last few months. Stocking a range of brands alongside their backpacks, it's a beautiful place and sure to become a bit of a destination for discerning shoppers, design lovers, and most importantly of all, prospective new friends, in coming months and years.

Proof, if it were needed, that good things come to great people. Now on with the booze!

A quick postscript: While I did love my old Sandqvist, two things. 1) they're now everywhere (ew), and 2) it broke. None of that with these guys...

(With apologies (um, again) for terrible photo, there are much better ones on the site)

In Training

< insert obligatory apology for not blogging for six months >

So. I'm not quite sure why, but I'm now more or less living in these trainers. I didn't even own any Nikes before Christmas, and I'm starting to wonder what I spent the last twenty-asdghfhg years with on my feet. Don't get me wrong, I've always had a few pairs of trainers knocking about, but for some reason these have become my 'I'm wearing those today and tomorrow, in fact every day' shoe. As usual, I picked them up in a sale, this time at Office in Topman, on the day before LCM, in a moment of 'I've got nothing new to wear so I'd better buy SOMETHING' panic. These Nike Air Vortex Vintage spoke to me and I saw, tried them on and bought them in about 3 minutes flat. They're both exceptionally comfy - kinda essential as I'm getting as old as the hills - but also still cool; the mix of colours means that they stand out, and the metallic sheen give them an extra dimension. I've got a few other pairs on the go (some New Balance 420s, Ellesse Italia Heritages and another pair of Nikes), but these are what it's all about for me. Perhaps I'm blinded, but is there anything that they wouldn't go with? I've got a worrying feeling that I'm probably going to become one of those sneaker obsessives who seeks out rare colourways and stores piles of never-worn kicks in a cupboard under the stairs. It's a worrying thought, but I could totally go that way. The whole retro trainer thing has been a big story in fashion for a while now, but it's only just filtering onto the catwalks - see the recent lust that those camo Valentino kicks created? Or how everyone from Raf Simons to Lanvin is showing trainers on the runway? The thing that makes the look is to pair trainers not with jeans and a sweater (though obvs I am guilty of that) but with tailored jackets or smart coats for a real mixed-up approach. It's what I'll be doing at LFW in a fortnight's time...
Other Staples of the week:
Nike Air Vortex Vintage
Alicia Drake's 'The Beautiful Fall'
Rhye's album, 'Woman'
Still baking cheese scones
Africa on the BBC
The latest issue of Man About Town magazine
Finally making it to Paris men's fashion week

Brace(let) Yourselves

It's been six months: #obligatorybadbloggercomment. Times are busy with Notion, but I'm still all over menswear, just pon de Twitter rather than on blogger. Anyway, a few things left me to start up The Staple again; many of which stem from the fact that my Staples have been significantly added to since I last did any proper blogging, and that I reckon there's still a bit of mileage in the format of a blog analysing menswear from the angle of individual essential pieces. Which brings me nicely to one of my latest purchases. I've long been an admirer of LDN-based designer Maria Francesca Pepe's jewellery. It's bold and statement enough to warrant its own installations at LFW (including a memorable one a few seasons back in the crypt at the Freemason's Hall), yet still subtle enough to be worn everyday. So after last season, I was contacted about pre-ordering AW12's collection at a rather attractive discount. Press discount and pre-season private ordering are increasingly common with London designers - they know who their audience is - and it's a relatively inexpensive and pleasingly ahead-of-the-curve way to think about clothes. Anyway, my longtime lust has been the perfect wrist bangle. I bought a Margiela Love/Hate bracelet a few years ago, but it's broken after the catch becoming loose. In any case, it wasn't the brass nail that I really wanted. With Cartier's beautiful signature Juste un clou bangle well out of my price range, MFP's line sheet arrived at precisely the right time. I selected this one, fairly simple copper-plated brass set with two Swarovski black pearls back in March, and it arrived in the mail just the other week. It's barely left my wrist since. And now my wrist is free from the tyranny of the green cast, it's free to be adorned. The tones complement my watch, and it fits perfectly on my wrists. It's in fact from the women's collection but items like this are pretty unisex IMHO. What I really like about it is the subtle sparkle that it adds to my gloomy summer mornings: there's something really energising about the rosy hues and reflections that it makes on the bus, and it makes me smile when I see it. If that ain't a necessary Staple quality, then I don't know what is. Other Staples this week:
Maria Francesca Pepe black pearl copper-plated brass bracelet
Not having my arm in a cast! (though the green shade was rather fetching)
Frank Ocean's 'Channel Orange'
Brownies from Salvation Jane on City Rd
Pernod's Bastille Day garden party and a rediscovery of Chelsea
A full-size umbrella
A pair of comfy, retro trainers (New Balance/Ellesse)

(Hope you like the new visual motif btw - it may look like a pub table, but it's in fact a piece of wall art which was a gift from my very old schoolfriends...)

Backpack Pro

It's been awhile, what can I say? Editing PlanetNotion is stealing my days, and my evenings are filled with gigs. I'm not sat around like I was at my old job, surfing the web and reading menswear blogs incessantly. Also, Twitter for me seems to have rendered the blog a little superfluous. But look, it's been six months since I posted anything and I reckon I oughta get back into it. So here I am. There have, it's safe to say, been many Staples over the last six months, but Imma try and be forward-looking rather than retrospective. Best purchase has to go to my rucksack. It was, I'm afraid, a wantonly whimsical purchase from (where else?) Liberty, while on a casual shopping trip with my mate Mark. Rucksacks are obvs all over the shop nowadays, and you can buy a perfectly good one from ASOS. So why splurge? Well in a sea of lookalike Dalston trends, the details are uber-important. On first glance my Sandqvist number might not be the most obviously nice bag, but well, since when did first glance give you the whole picture? Take a closer look (past the dirt if you please); the tan leather straps have aged nicely in six months of near-continuous wear, though the heavyweight black canvas is still as tight as day one. The fastening, a combo of a thick drawstring and two of those rich tan straps tucked into neat tabs is practical if occasionally fiddly, and looks good without recourse to jangly metal hardware. It;s the kind of fastening that only works with precision finishing, which is just the kind of thing Sandqvist do, as Scandinavian connisseurs of design. I'm obvs very much used to it now, but my bag is both widely admired and not often seen on the street; is there a better combo for an item? I've become a big fan of the brand, and this example has accompanied me on trips all over the place; not to go too Tyler Brûlé on your asses, but it's great as airline carry-on too. Anyhoo, I'll not bore you with my ode to a canvas bag. The purpose of this is to highlight what for me makes an item a Staple; it stands out and it's - well, if not individual, every hipster cyclist and their miniature daschund has a rucksack now - of sufficient quality to make the design notable. Look, it's a nice bag, alright? I like nice things...other Staples this week:
Sandqvist canvas rucksack with leather trim
Azari & III's debut album
Home-made cheese scones
The Travel Almanac (magazine)
M&S triple-berry juice
Eley Kishimoto x Orlebar Brown Setter shorts
A nice bottle of rosé from Majestic in Shoreditch

De-Fendi of the Earth

This last week I've been on the hunt for a new bag. Back in November I had my backpack stolen in a pub in Soho (annoyingly one of my favourite Sam Smiths; the Glasshouse Stores on Brewer Street). It wasn't expensive - in fact it was only £17 from an agricultural supplier - but the stuff inside was priceless to me. Ancient Moleskines, my diary, my Comme wallet, my iPod, a Westwood scarf that was a gift from an old friend and trinkets from holidays past - I was not a happy bunny when that happened. It did however prompt me to reconsider what I carry around: I might love my old notebooks, but it's not worth carrying around ten years of notes and mementoes on a daily basis if it's going to be stolen. Your memories are worth more than that. Aaaanyway. I'm kind of into rucksacks at the moment, but I'm avoiding anything too 'Hackney heritage farmer'. Unfortunately, that rules out just about everything apart from Givenchy's fantastic studded leather backpack from a couple of seasons ago. Luckily, back in September I chanced across this oldskool backpack in a slightly ridiculous geometric pattern. It's pretty striking (to say the least) and is also, apparently vintage Fendi. I've got a hunch that it's actually a children's rucksack, but it just about fits an A4 folder in, and that makes it practical in my book, so I've started using it for work. The size also means that I've also been carrying it like a clutch bag, which feels surprisingly comfortable; like a big, jazzy document wallet, rather than a rucksack. Alright, so it's pretty Hackney, but at least I don't look like I'm going on a ten mile hike in 1922, when I'm actually going to the office (far from it: I look like an 8-year old Italian exchange student). What I want is a kind of simple, unstructured leather knapsack (unfortunately missed out on the recent Gaspard Yurkievich collab), in a nice tan colour, but it's been pretty fruitless so far. The Fendi will do me for now (it's a hard life, innit?), and while it might not be a Staple, it's definitely MY Staple of the moment. If you happen to come across any rucksacks that are anything like, then do let me know. Here's a few more Staples from this week:
Wolf & Lamb vs. Soul Clap's DJ Kicks compilation
A chilled bottle of Corona
Finally having the right prescription in my black Prada glasses frames
Bargain homewares from Argos & Matalan (I know!)
Leon chocolate brownies (yep, again)
Rearranging the living room
THINGSORGANIZEDNEATLY

Tootylicious

I am a man of many scarves. I always have at least 2 upon my person at any one time. Over the years I've amassed a large collection of them; cheap, designer, charity shop, vintage, new, skinny, silk, wool, tasselled and chunky, I've no shortage of accessories for my neck. Yet, for some reason, they're the item I always end up buying when I'm not really trying to shop. On a recent Sunday cycle down to Greenwich, we happened upon a small vintage market, with lots of stalls laid out in a small square. I was having a good old rummage, didn't really find anything except this (and a few other) vintage Tootal scarves. I was about to leave and be good, but then realised that at £12, this scarf was too good to leave behind. I'm so glad I did - it's got such a lovely intricate print; almost geometric, but with an artsy, almost Liberty-esque slant. This print could have been too much, but the way that the stripes have been integrated into the design, and the winning combo of colours (red, white, a few shades of blue and a silvery-grey) make it into a subtler piece. Also, it avoids the hackneyed paisley-print Tootal scarf (although Liberty paisley is perfectly acceptable); Tootal btw: an old-school brand, mod favourite, resurrected recently etc etc. Anyway, I wore it today on the Tube (bike had ANOTHER flat tyre, grrr) and noticed several admiring glances scarfwards, which is always nice. Best thing about it though is that behind that silky (read: polyester) printed side is a 100% wool backing, which makes it warm, practical and stylish. A classic Staple. Other Staples this week:
Vintage Tootal scarves
A day trip to Paris to see Fortune perform
Fiery Jamaica ginger ale
The Juan MacLean's DJ Kicks mix CD
Finally moving to London Fields (fingers crossed)
Cadbury's Creme Eggs
Working in an office with music

Don't Shoot the Messenger; Steal His Bag!

Just as rucksacks become hot property in menswear, I've decided that I'm all about the courier bag. It stems (as with many of my purchases recently) from the bicycle. Much as I love a rucksack, you can't swing it around your body to get your phone/keys etc on a regular basis, and if it's warm, your back will get all sweaty. Plus, I just can't get a rucky to look good with my trenchcoat (in fact I've not even worn a cross-body bay with the trench - it crumples it and spoils the lines...or something). Anyway, since late last summer I've been reusing what was my old school bag from 6th Form - A red Manhattan Portage number that my Dad bought me back from NYC. I must've had this for a good 12 years, and aside from a slightly mashed buckle, it's still in perfect order. It's probably about the simplest bag you can buy, one zip pocket and a main pouch, thick black strap and that's it, but that's why it's lasted so long. It looks fine whatever it's stuffed with and is moderately waterproof as well, which helps. A quick glance through my wardrobe shows it's actually the oldest thing in there (vintage stuff that I've bought more recently excluded), which is a testament both to the durability of Manhattan Portage and the vast turnaround of clothes one can have in a decade. From the oldest item to the newest, and it's another courier bag. This time, it's one from the recent(ish) Raf Simons for Eastpak SS09 range which I picked up from Le 66 on the Champs-Elysées in Paris on a recent 2-day trip for my birthday. It might look like a dodgy shopping centre from the outside, but inside it's packed with discounted clothes and shoes for boys and girls - I'm talking Acne, Marc Jacobs, Paul & Joe, Castelbajac, Helmut Lang - good quality streetwear in other words. This beauty was tucked away and 50% off, making it a perfect indulgent-but-not-mad Paris purchase. It's longer than a conventional courier bag (oblong rather than rectangular) and zips up with some lovely little silver leather zip-pulls. It's also got a reflective silver leather base; perfect for cycling at night! Sale+Simons+Cycling=Too good to miss. I've been using it for a couple of weeks now, and all's working out nicely. It more than copes with the crap I haul about all day, and like the Portage is pretty waterproof. This might all change if I find a rucksack I like the look of, but for now, I'm firmly in/a Camp Courier. Other Staples this week:
Raf Simons for Eastpak & Manhattan Portage courier bags
Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie icecream
Music from Ibiza 1999 (and DJing it at a house party)
Tom Ford's film, A Single Man
Finishing work, and embarking on a freelancing career
Paul Auster's new novel, Invisible
A pack of new socks from M&S

In the Shades

It's been a good few weeks since I last blogged; I've been pretty busy, but also hampered by a lack of internet access, and diverted by Twitter. Anyway, #shoesday rolls on, and I realised just a few days ago that I've never posted about that Summer Staple, sunglasses. A few years ago, the idea of wearing sunglasses wasn't so much for style, rather for practicality. But as the unstoppable rise in accessories continued, it was only a matter of time before Aviators became a trend (swiftly followed by another all-American classic, the now utterly ubiquitous Ray-Ban Wayfarer). I bought these silver Dior aviator-style frames in the Leeds Harvey Nichols sale, it must have been at least 4 years ago. I wore them for awhile over my glasses which freaked some people out a little, but eventually, I took the plunge and got them with some proper prescription lenses. This isn't a possibility with all sunglasses models; frames have to be strong enough to support a proper lens, and also actually allow the optician to fit the new lenses (making single mould plastic-framed ones an impossibility). And I've been wearing them ever since. The best thing was that I've never seen anyone else in them; until a few weeks ago, when I stumbled across a picture of none other than Mr. Karl Lagerfeld rocking them. Aside from that, they're pretty handy, especially when cycling to work as they keep general road stuff out of my eyes. I'm not sure how I would cope in summer now if I didn't have these, and that is the true definition of a Staple. Other Staples this (and the last 2 weeks):
A daytrip to Whitstable; oysters, charity shops, icecream and fish and chips
The new Whitney track, Million Dollar Bill
Field Day (despite the rain)
Spending a disporportionate amount of time in Icco's on Charlotte Street
Cycling along the Regent's Canal
Topman purple canvas shoes
Perrier water

Squid Vicious

I'm not really a bag person; APC aside, I lust over Mulberry, Prada and Hermes as much as the next blogger, but I just can't bring myself to pay that much for a bag. So it was lucky when I was on holiday and spotted this gem, as it was only 10 Euros. It's a simple raw canvas duffle bag; a style I've not really seen much, but somehow seems quite appropriate for summer. With an opening at the top rather than along the side, you can fit more stuff in, and the canvas is more waterproff than it might look. Also, the strap is quite short, so it sits really high on my back, which is great when cycling and doesn't drape in the way of the light. Finally, the ridiculous octopus print is pretty unusual; it reminds me of all the seafood I was eating when I was away and I've nicknamed him Squid Vicious, merely because I thought it was quite an amusing pun...Anyway, awful jokes aside, I'm really loving carrying something a little different from the norm that also has a bit of practicality. Especially as it was so dirt cheap that I don't worry when I put it down, get it dirty or leave it on the floor of a pub - totally washable. It's that weird blend of slightly ridiculous yet oddly practical which makes a Staple, and this bag is definietly going to be glued to my back for the next few weeks...Other Staples:
Canvas octopus-print duffle bag
Dalston Superstore on a Sunday Night
Discovering that my Macbook has (brilliant) internet radio
The Bottle Apostle in Victoria Park with the expert knowledge of one Mr. S. Holian
Imperial College Union
Correctly-pumped bicycle tyres
Friends escaping serious injury on the roads

Bagging a Bargain

I think it's fair to say that my APC bag of a few years ago has worn well. But it's in need of a bit of mending at the shoulderstrap ends now, and as I've carried it every day (more or less) for the last 2 years could maybe do with a dryclean. Also, it's not the summeriest of bags. So having looked around at several more lightweight ones, I more or less settled on another one from APC, in practically the same design. but, I ummed and ahhed over it (EUR150 seems like so much more now the exchange rate is fucked), so I had a look at more crunch de crédit-friendly sites. Topman threw this into the mix, and after a quick in-and-out to Oxford Circus, it was mine, for the much more friendly sum of £18. And it's good. Much complimented, it's bigger than the APC, and what it lacks in stiffness of material, it makes up for in size, and usefully, waterproof-ish interior. I even managed to use it as a weekend bag for a quick trip out of town last weekend. All was perfect, in fact, until I was given massive bag envy when chatting to a mate online who'd just bought a gorgeous new Mulberry bag. I checked the site, and immediately fell for both this and this, the second of which I believe is the one on the ad campaign. So whilst glad I'd saved £130, I now want to spend more than double that on a satchel. It's like when you're out and you see someone wearing just slightly better versions of what you've got on - slightly better-shaped shoes, a subtly better-cut shirt, a better-patterned scarf. I simultaneously love and hate the 'Version 2.0' man; Inspiring and something to aspire to, but alas will probably break the bank. One day I shall have Mulberry on top of my cake, but today, Topman will have to do. Other Staples of the week:
A new summer bag from Topman
Lovely short weekend spent in Cheltenham; Thanks Olly!
Finally getting a haircut
Glass Candy playing Koko in June
The Counting House pub on Cornhill (but ONLY during the day)
Mon Mome winning the Grand National (= me winning the office sweepstake)
Summer footwear contemplation

Why Have Cotton...?

Seeing Steve's post over on StyleSalvage has got me thinking. I'm going to come back to it later this week (hopefully), as the last few times I've been shopping, there has been a guilt element associated. Even my All Saints shop, where everything I got was 70% off seemed a little unnecessary at the time. But it provided my most recent Staple; a beautiful 100% silk scarf. It's enormous, silver, and practically the size of a single bedsheet, with a screen-printed billowing Union Jack, in muted silvery tones. I love the way the entire scarf waves in even the lightest breeze, and that despite being so thin, it's fabulously warm. It's also so large that I have already used it as a sheet for a quick powernap at home; when we were in Berlin, it made a handy protective headscarf against the 9am harshness, and more than once we have run down the street waving it like a huge pennant. Items like this - accessories, and scarves particularly (a well-documented obsession for me!) - add a whole new layer to an existing outfit, and for the princely sum of £17.50, they're well worth it. It reminds me of a Tamara de Lempicka painting with a woman driving a Bentley or some sort of roaring 30s classic, with a huge swath of silk flowing from her (I think it's also how the woman died; wish I could remember the specific picture); but also, the scarf creates new shapes with my velvet blazer, recalling a recent Carolyn Massey jacket. Following all the coverage of MAN, that's definitely an association I'd like to make. Now, for a cape...The rest of this week's Staples:
Huge silver silk scarf from All Saints
Matthew Herbert's albums
Fantastic parties this weekend courtesy of Rhea and Wayne
The comfort of PJ bottoms
Pancakes with maple-flavoured Golden Syrup
Being properly paid for DJing at ClubRees
Spending too much time on Twitter (id: sebulous)

Scarf Ace

So the cold is most definitely here. And, as with previous winters, I have been combatting the freezing mornings by wrapping myself in scarves. I’ve got many, but the ones I go back to in this sort of weather are, unsurprisingly, weighty, woolly and warm. This one is a current favourite. The electric blue stripes inject a little colour into what is otherwise a monochromatic piece. Also, it's very long and very thick, which means you can really bury your chin into it on a cold day and it wraps around the neck twice. I'm wearing my scarves more loosely this year, just wrapped once and billowing in the bitter wind, rather than tied into a half-knot. While it does get a little warm on the tube, the resulting fug keeps you warm owhen you get out. The lambswool itself has also gone quite bobbly now, but I've since decided that this is a nice antidote to a smart coat, and makes the texture more noticeable and a little worn. The weight of this scarf also means I can wear lighter coats, or as with today, a velvet blazer and still get feel toasty. Despite the Guardian's rejection of scarves in last week's Measure, they're still an absolute Staple for me; a reminder of Paris and the best way to keep warm this - and every - Winter. Other Staples this week:
Woolly scarves
The King's Head pub on Upper Street and it's brilliant funk night on Wednesday
M&S Extremely chocolatey Mini Rings
Matter at the O2
Shane Meadows' film This Is England
Vans slip-ons
The Cribs album 'Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever'

EXTRA! EXTRA!

One quick thing; on this week's notes of smart/casual, I've notice far too many men in the City pairing their normally pretty suave navy suits with ugly and cheap black shoes; Navy suits should be worn with brown shoes. No exceptions; I know there's a recession on, but go and invest, please. See this man (from the Sartorialist, where else?) for clarification. See George Bush for how not to do it.

AW08 Thoughts #3

So this week I have been mostly putting on jumpers; where did that cold snap come from? Anyway, it has pushed me further into the recesses of the winter wardrobe and last year's jumpers. Luckily, I have quite a few; but unlike seemingly 95% of people on the tube, I am not wearing only greys and blacks. Yes, yes, winter is the time for hibernation, but that doesn't mean we all have to retreat into monochrome (though it can look pretty good). As many of my fellow bloggers have noted, the BBC2 series British Style Genius is currently rocking the TV schedules, and at its heart are the underlying tenets of British Style; individualism, subversion and classic with a twist. I have always felt that we Brits are pretty good at this in the Summer; the fleeting glimpses of sun seem to bring out the most inventive outfits, but once the ice appears, out come the grey hoodies and ugly trainers. This week, my Staple shoe has been some green Lacoste trainers which I bought at the end of summer in the Matches sale. They are bright, but that's what you need when you're getting up at silly o'clock to get into the office. On that note, I have stopped wearing smart clothes on the Tube, and am now changing at the office. This allows a comfortable commute, and then a smart change once I arrive. Perhaps not the most practical choice, but it's worked well over the summer, and I reckon Winter will bring out a creative side...Although I have been a little 'thoughts' rather than full-on Staples of late, this will be recitified next week as the challenge goes ahead. Step 1; set foot in the vicinity of shops this weekend and attempt restraint; the utility bills that arrived this week will be a solemn reminder...
This week's Staples:
Dressing colourfully in Winter
British Style Genius (Tuesday, 9pm, BBC2)
A black and white checkerboard scarf
Nokia MP3 phone - my iPod is now a distant memory
Plotting some Winter trips; Kendal, Berlin, Manchester...
Hot water bottles
Anthony & the Johnsons with the LSO concert last night

AW08 Thoughts #1

Credit crunch, credit crunch blah blah. No-one has any money, and as you'll have read countless times, this means everyone is buying less. Fashionwise, it's classic rather than crazy time. New accessories rather than entire outfits. With that in mind, I've been pondering the following purchases in order to update the wardrobe without any major investment (not that I actually need any clothes, in fact I'm due a clearout so if anyone knows of the best way to dispose of clothes (ideally with some financial recompense) then please do let me know.
First, I've been very tempted by several black patent leather belts - I know patent is not exactly a fresh idea, but I think it might give an interesting edge to old jeans, and replace the metallic ones I've been rocking seemingly forever. Dior has some nice ones (credit crunch alert!) but I reckon somewhere a little flash/nasty (like Massimo Dutti or Zara) may be a little my budget.
Second, paisley seems to be appropriate somehow - it's been all over catwalks, and the unusual retro-print is a pretty rare sight these days. Especially with "summer" now ending, I think a new scarf may be in order. My flatmate returned from Thailand with a gorgeous IKB-coloured scarf for me, and i reckon my dear mum might have some paisley material tucked away that could be ripe for conversion.
Third, some new trainers are also needed - I'm pretty much over my coloured plimsolls, but had no idea where to head next, until I saw a spread in the latest 10+ Men for patent hi-tops. I've got some gorgeous Marc Jacobs for Vans lo-tops from a few years ago, but I think something in a black or grey/silver might be the ticket. Perhaps these from Topman?
Finally, a good, structured jacket. This I think may be a sale purchase come Winter, and as with the belt, a hankering after designer (think Bottega Veneta, or McQueen) may have to be replaced with highstreet - Topman again has some good ones, but for £100. We shall see. Biding time will be key, as will be trying to avoid those impulse buys..

Vive les Festivals

So here's what I've been up to in July. Basically, the festivals have taken over my life. I was planning on keeping this summer a little more low-key; last year I made it to eight festivals in all. This may seem entirely bonkers, and I suppose to some extent it is. But when your passions are live music, partying and dressing up in improbable combinations of clothes, there is no better place to combine all three. As July unfolded, I took the first Eurostar of the day to Brussels, where bemused business travellers sat amid huge rucksacks, cagoules and tents, the zzcchhvvip of fastenings sitting uncomfortably next to their pink shirt-and-tie combos. Rock Werchter is Belgium's answer to Glastonbury, and it showcased many of the same bands, but for much cheaper, and with the added bonus of a 24-can crate of beer costing just €13. Crowdsurfing to Justice, being awed by Radiohead for the second time in a week and rocking it up to everything from Kings of Leon and Beck to Duffy and Digitalism; the whole weekend melted into a blur of music, beer and good times, the photos marked only by the differing outfits. A favourite was using an old orange mountaineering cagoule over a tshirt and shorts, cuffing the sleeves and belting it in at the waist with a gold braided belt and accessorising with the gold visor and some purple canvas shoes. Sounds ridiculous, and it wasn't until I got back and spent the first half of the week marvelling at Facebook that I realised it was. The following week was party central, no time for recovery - Simian Mobile Disco, Jamie Lidell and Rockfeedback at the Cross Kings flashed past, all bleeps, sax and dancing on tables. Just a few short days of work (and some very civilised jazz in Stoke Newington) intervened into this party schedule as Latitude loomed into view. Another chance to see the majestic Sigur Ros, and experience the fabulous Joanna Newsom, as well as catch Interpol, Blondie, Midnight Juggernauts, Shortwave Set and Lykke Li. Unlike RW, Latitude was a tad more civilised, but that didnt stop the backstage forays, beer-filled breakfasts and ridiculous dressing; a highlight here was an outfit of 1980s CITV presenter pullover with burgundy jeans, blue shoes and a multi-coloured silk cummerbund patterned with New York theatre tickets; it looked as though a rainbow had been sick on me. Post-Latitude, a couple more gigs followed and a triumphant night of DJing at Club Rees @ the Fly rounded off the week. All that remained of the month of festivals was a quick day trip to Secret Garden Party (guttingly missing the inimitable spectacle of Grace Jones), and then a Leicester Square premiere (natch); here I managed to pull off gingham shorts on the red carpet, pairing them with grey bstore round-toe lace-ups, a black polo shirt, silvery scarf, belt and sunglasses. This sort of month barely leaves time for work, and I think, one month (or perhaps two if you feel like pushing it) of the year should be reserved for this sort of partying. With a veritable glut of festivals across the globe all summer, from April right through to September, it's important to be able to let go, follow the music and just go and have a damn good weekend (or 4) with your mates. Festivals are a Staple, but more important is your approach; push where you need to, rest where you need to - there is no place more suitable constructed for a week of hedonism. Bring on Field Day! Amongst this festival of a month, other Staples comprised:
Festivals (Rock Werchter, Latitude, Secret Garden Party)
Estelle's infectious single, 'American Boy'
Patterned cummerbunds
Warm cans of lager
The feel of grass constantly underfoot
The magic of Facebook's photo-tagging
Home-made lanyards and line-ups

The Surprise Formal Element

During the recent rather changeable weather, I have been carrying an umbrella with increasing frequency. And not a fold-up black one either; these ALWAYS break, unless you shell out £20 for a posho automatic opening one, which I am loath to do. A long umbrella - ideally not covered in golf or banking brands - is the mark of a gentleman. A curved handle is the masculine portion of a brolly, and makes it surprisingly practical when travelling by tube with your hands full. An umbrella should also have a steel tip for a reassuring clack when walking. This example, purchased from a supermarket in Brittany of all places, is perfect. A lovely chocolate colour with surprisingly smart cherry-coloured pinstripes and a soft-touch black handle. Agreed, it's no James Smith, but it's a pretty good start considering the likelihood of my losing umbrellas, and the distress that misplacing a £100+ brolly would provoke. For the princely sum of 8 euros, I have an umbrella that will smarten any outfit - I once read in the Sunday Times Style supplement that a full-size umbrella provides a "surprise formal element" and I have found this to be true - it not only dignifies even the scruffiest of jeans, but when walking with a baton this size, it forces you to walk properly and with a certain swing in your step. It's also very useful for batting small children, dogs and tourists out of the way on the tube. Some might say that there's certain Freudian element about the size of your umbrella, to whom I say if you had a steel-tipped pinstriped penis, you'd probably want to show it off as well. Anyway, give them a try, man or woman - full-size umbrellas are the only way to combat this vile global-warming induced weather...Other Staples this week:
Full-size umbrellas
Rubies' album 'Explode from the Center'
M&S Cheese scones
A day in Brighton with the parents
The Betjeman Arms in St. Pancras station
Andrew Rae's postcards
Neckscarves

Clunk Click Every Trip

So today I'm getting a train from King's Cross to Leeds to surprise my Mum for her birthday. It is a wonder of the 21st Century, not only that this sort of journey is possible and in fact exceptionally easy for 24 hours; but that the train is equipped with wireless internet. Seriously, the modern world is pretty amazing sometimes when you stop and think about it. Anyway, this technological marvel allows me to a little time to ruminate on this week's Staple; the belt. For men, this is an often overlooked area, most men wear a simple, classic brown or black belt with a gold or silver buckle respectively. I own these; they are not only practical, but also compliment the smart look - a formal or work outfit is incomplete wthout a belt to fill those loops. With casual clothes though, the choice is much more varied and interesting. Patent, pattern or a more unusual buckle perhaps? A belt is an oft-underused opportunity to add an accent colour or texture to an outfit. Further, this accent can completely alter an outfit and make it infinitely better, or worse. For awhile now, I have been playing with metallic accessories and in this (my second gold braid belt) I've found an item of clothing that brightens up a casual pair of jeans, but it subtle enough to suggest a trend-receptive outlook. Lazy fashion I suppose, but one can't walk around dressed like Eugene Hutz all day (much as I might like to). The texture of the woven leather is a pleasing breaker from cotton, and although the colour is a little obvious perhaps, but as with metallic shoes, it's rare to see another bloke wearing it. And it's both this belt and what it represents which is the Staple here; an idea of dressing for oneself (a break for individuality) as well as being a little more daring in what you wear - as I write this I'm sat amogst businessmen on the commute, wearing patent boots, maroon jeans, a silver belt, an off-white Liberty-print shirt and a salmon pink cardigan). What is there to lose? other Staples this week:
A metallic belt
Pizza from Icco's on Charlotte Street
Free wifi internet on the train
The Southwark Tavern in London Bridge
Jluian Schnabel's beautiful film 'The Diving Bell & The Butterfly'
Bank Holiday weekend
Neon Neon's album, 'Stainless Style'

Wrists of Fury

They don't look much do they? But I've been meaning to blog properly about these little beauties for months now, as they're just about the only things that have been everywhere with me over the winter. I originally found them in the Brora catalogue - a favourite of my Mum's - way back in September, but it took me a while to actually get to the delightful shop on that centre of civility, London's Marylebone High St. As a man with oddly lengthy limbs (my friends call them the 'Long Arms of the Law'), these seemed the perfect thing for when coats, jumpers and shirts don't quite fit properly. This is virtually all of my long-sleeved items, but as I don't have the money to go bespoke, I have generally made do with rolling up my sleeves. From purchase day, I have worn them probably 90% of the times I've stepped out of the house, the other 10% being when they were in my bag. The mid-grey colour happily sits alongside any other colour (except perhaps light grey); the cashmere is soft yet durable and they are flexible enough for me to wear just around my wrists (which I'm certain I've seen at some fringe menswear show in AW07) or for me to retract my entire hands into. They also make convenient Oyster/entrycard holders. They are utterly functional: unlike gloves, I can do up my coat or use a mobile communications device when wearing these, and they can be rolled down away from my hands when they get a little too warm. I know winter's drawing to a close (I'm on the lookout for a transition coat; Topman's crimson double-breasted mac has my vote so far) but I can't recommend these wristwarmers highly enough; in fact I've been extolling their virtues to just about everyone I meet - so much so that many of my friends have invested, and my Mum now has a pair of rather fetching grape-coloured ones. Like Mum, like Son. So thanks Mum for, well, everything; but in this case for some sartorial inspiration and an absolute Staple. Other Staples this week:
Cashmere wristwarmers
The choral music of Mäntyjärvi, as performed by my friend Jen
Topman's double-breasted crimson mac
Jens Lekman's fantastic album 'Night Falles over Kortedala'
Having a weekend back in your home town
My Godfather's inaugural lecture at SOAS
Jumbo records in Leeds and their lovely staff

The Diamante Badge of Courage

In my mind, people fall into two categories; badge-wearers, or badge-deniers. I am resolutely in the first camp. But, as with everything that I wear, I am rather selective. And I have been through many different stages. On my jumpers I like simple, and plain badges; envelope-lining ones from the Design Museum, or map fragments from Tatty Devine. My most recent acquisition is one that my workmate James found attached to his dry cleaning; an old fashioned revolver pin-badge. I also like a bit of sparkle on a cardigan as well; a diamante mouse, or golden spider's web or a tacky golden leopard playing with a fake pearl. But it's on the lapels of my coats that I really go to town. On my velvet jacket I prefer vintage blue and gold enamel or silver latticework butterflies. On my khaki double-breasted coat have been my best and most creative selections. I began with large round anti-war and other left-wing badges from my parents, before moving onto a Sonia Rykiel multicoloured plastic 'Voila' which became my signature around Paris. I switched to a black perspex camera and having lost all or parts of the above, am now on this diamante spider, which both pleases and scares my mates in equal measure. It was an ubercheap purchase from H&M, but doesn't show its price. And also always provokes an interesting reaction. For me, badges should not only be a way of personalising your clothes and conveying something of yourself, but also to brighten up plainer and darker clothes, and in some cases contrast against the masculinity of an item such as a military-style coat. The contradiction of having a sparkly badge on such a coat pleases me, and, I feel, is something that more people should experiment with. Just make sure you pick the right badge. Other Staples this week:
An eclectic collection of badges
Dried Smyrna figs
The George & Dragon pub in East London
Fortuitous night buses (N63)
The LSO's performance of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 15
Tring, Hertfordshire (and surrounding countryside)
Kim Jones for Umbro tshirts