Spring essentials: Outerwear..

For as long as i can remember i have always been interested in the great outdoors, from the early days of being in the scouts to the duke of edinburgh expeditions at school. My favourite piece of clothing was probably the jackets. especially the mountain parkas and raincoats.

These are two nice pieces i own and are looking quite popular in my wardrobe for SS10..

LL Bean Baxter Parka...

Jordache Raincoat...

a forgotten classic...

The monkey boot..

 

Whilst on a Sunday stroll down brick lane with friends, the man who sells those dodgy £5 plimsolls had a re stocking of the classic Grafter monkey boots for £25. I remember reading a book about punks a while back and wondering i could get myself a pair of the boots they were wearing as they were a bit more casual than the doc martens. Now i own a pair in the classic burgundy colour. great for the summer, if we ever get one!

Heritage: Motorcycling..

Motorcycling is filled with icons, and many of them are what draws people to the sport.  If there was a Motorcycle Clothing (and Accessories) Hall of Fame (not a bad idea, that...) there are two jackets that would be on display at the front door...


The belstaff trialmaster...

The famous trialmaster has been worn by generations of motorcycle enthusiasts, such as Che Guevara during his journey across America. The quality of the Belstaff jackets is very high, as once regarded not to be as well constructed as the Barbour jackets. The Jackets produced in the 50s and 60s are very sought after pieces for the guys who like timeless fashions which are also practical.

To complete the look you might want to invest in an equally manly bag, the Belstaff shoulder bag is once again practical and fashionable..

The Barbour International Jacket...

The Barbour international has been in production since 1936, which was worn "by virtually every British international motorcycle team until 1977. The Barbour is also instantly recognizable by its classic signature tartan interior cotton lining, which is also very comfortable.  And best of all is the "Made in England" label, along with its gaggle of Royal seals, attesting to Barbour's official appointments to various Kings and Queens.

I am a huge fan of jackets with a large amount of pockets, which i enjoy putting random things in, like laces, paper, pens etc... and these two jackets do not disappoint, but overall i think i would personally choose the Belstaff trialmaster, as i feel it has a slight edge in the fit, but both fantastic jackets and generally a must have for any wardrobe!

both jackets can be found at British motorcycle gear. 

don't let them get away....

I went into Albam today to see what they had in, and they have come up with another great collaboration with Grenson shoes.

The Gibson weekend shoe...

 

This simple design is a great addition to any outfit, with the single leather sole, giving it a much lower profile than that of the Grenson Archie brogue, which is perfect for the spring/summer season.

these shoes can be found here

songs i work to...

this is a classic boogie tune i dug out today whilst looking for a book about mountaineering which i will share with you in due course..

Savanna, i cant turn away, 1981

Layering: the tweed jacket...

Max from the vintage showroom...

Max works at the vintage showroom, which is possibly my favourite mens store at the moment, providing a great variety of vintage clothing ranging from many different years and many different countries. They are probably the pinnacle of the term "heritage" at the moment as they are providing us with certain key pieces for our wardrobes.

check out the vintage showroom here ...

The great outdoors: Holubar

Holubar Mountaineering, established in 1946, designed and sold modern, innovative mountaineering equipment. The company pioneered the use of lightweight down sleeping bags with the use of nylon fabric, which became popular in the 1960s. Holubar manufactured many of its own products and offered high quality climbing and camping equipment and supplies for retail sale. Starting in Boulder, Colorado the company grew to ten stores in Denver and other Colorado cities and a few out of state locations. The company was purchased by Johnson Wax circa 1975 then declined. The brand was sold to The north face in 1980. 

THE HOLUBARS: Immediately after World War II, Colorado was a ripe market for a business targeted to mountaineers and skiers. In Boulder, Colorado, Alice and Roy Holubar officially opened for business in 1947 by purchasing a business license.... Roy was also known as LeRoy Holubar. He and Alice had met as Juniors in High School, and were fellow students at Colorado University (CU). LeRoy graduated in 1936 in engineering and taught there until the demands of Holubar Mountaineering became too great in the later 1960s.

Read more about Holubar here