The Real McCoys White Hat Tee

Sometimes finding a great t-shirt can be just as satisfying as a great oxford or chambray. This is more often the case if you find a vintage Champion fleece or something loop wheeled in Japan. There is a certain feeling and toughness about the Japanese made fleece that isn't the same here, and The Real McCoys is one of the best examples of this. Lately I've been more into illustration on t-shirts as well and I've got a ton of wear out of the Warehouse shirt I picked up at the Rugged Museum. 'The White Hat Club' looks like something I wouldn't mind joining either as I really like the white on navy. It's simple, tasteful and could easily be worn on it's own or to layer under a shirt in this cold weather. An extra layer of soft, sturdy fleece is always good to have near by.

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Albam Shawl Collar Cardigan

Albam's knitwear has quickly become one of the strong points in the collection. Observing their online shop and hearing reports from London, the items seem to be flying off the shelves - almost as fast as Inventory issue Number 01 at Albam. The latest item that I really like is this classic shawl neck cardigan. Almost every brand is taking their stab at the essential fall item, but it appears Albam have pulled out one of the best versions of the season. They are made in England from a very soft high twist wool. The updated fit and fabrics from last fall are all coming together nicely as you can see. Only 30 have been made of each colour. The Navy cardigan is almost sold out, but there still seems to be a full size run in charcoal, for now.

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Nigel Cabourn Sherpa Knit

Nigel Cabourn's knitwear seems to lose a little bit of the spotlight due to his outstanding outerwear. While it deserves the attention, the knitwear this fall comes in a more affordable price and still offers a great product, top notch fabrics and are made in the UK. This Sherpa V neck knit is made in Scotland from 8 gauge natural wool and is an ideal layering piece about this time of the year. I can't get too excited about merino V neck sweaters, so I feel you might as well step it up to a little more substantial piece and it will look much nicer. The light shade of the sweater would go well with a variety of shirts underneath and likely best with a navy sport coat on top. It was another one of the pieces I wish I could bring home from Japan but it's fortunately still available at Coggles.

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Sophnet Homespun 2 Button Jacket

Sophnet continues to develop their collections with an interesting take on classic items, new fabrics and an evolving aesthetic. While I might not usually look to Soph for a casual sport coat, this fall that have put together one of the nicest versions I've seen. The 2 button jacket has a set of great looking hunting style pockets and complimentary elbow patches - which I'm usually a fan of. The colour of the homespun fabric looks really nice in the photos at The Glade, and if this piece is half as nice in person it would be worth considering. As one of the only stockists outside of Japan, The Glade's pricing comes in at a "tough to swallow" level, but for the consumer who knows what they want, this jacket will find a welcome home this fall. —

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Filson Rugged Twill Shopper

It seems to make some sense that Filson has a made in Italy range that can only be found in Japan, but it doesn't quite make sense as to why these shopper totes aren't available around here. They are made in the USA as far as I can tell and look great. I like both Filson's canvas totes and wool bags, so this is a nice marriage of the two fabrics. The rugged twill shopper is a bit more ideal for trips to the grocery or an afternoon excursion around town. The size is easy to pack up into another bag but can pack enough to be useful. I quite like both colour options and would happily add one to my arsenal of tote bags. —

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Clarks Chestnut Desert Boots

The Desert Boot needs no introduction. For me, it's one of the best pieces of footwear ever made and hands down the best model of Clarks (sorry Ghostface). The simple two-piece upper and crepe sole is wearable year-round with any outfit and they're readily available. That is they're available in most colours nowadays except in my favourite option from Clarks: Chestnut. The grain of the suede is slightly thicker than the other colours which gives the medium shade of brown a nice bit of irregularity. The colourway gets completed nicely with a tan stitch and dark tan crepe but the best part of the chestnut though, is the super soft smooth inside. The suede's reverse acts kind of like a leather lining while keeping that loose shape of the ankle.  The travesty though is that Chestnut is now an endangered species in the Desert Boot world. I picked up a pair a few years ago and have since only be able to find them on eBay every once and a while, but never in my size. Maybe you'll have more luck.

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Sugar Cane for Beams Work shirt

Another collaboration and another chambray shirt and another good product available only in Japan - sound familiar? I thought the collaboration between Sugar Cane and Beams was a little surprising to come across as I had seen no sign of this product in Tokyo, or any sign of Sugar Cane in any of the Beams shops. The other interesting fact is that while it's a Beams only product, it's made in the USA and still retails for only about $110. It is a fairly stripped down basic shirt however. The chambray doesn't look particularly thick or special, but the simplicity of the classic pockets, white stitching and buttons make it the ideal piece. I also do like the little cluster of woven labels and stamps on the inside of the collar. Sure, you can't see that when it's on, but its the details like those that I often get excited for and will make me feel better in the shirt knowing they are there. —

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WANT: Nike LunarWood TZ

The Nike Lunar has been in the corner of my mind over the last few months. I know I like the shoe, the shape and feel, the way they look on foot. I often like the idea of mixing a technical trainer into an outfit that might not usually have that aesthetic mixed in. Wether its a Footscape or the Moire+, they can look great with some fatigue pants, a chambray and a down vest - for example. I think when it comes to this sort of look, the latest collaboration by Wood Wood really hits the nail on the head. The LunarWood TZ was done with Nike's progressive Sportswear collection and took the Lunar up a notch by adding some tough technical aspects and the ACG stamp. I think the colors and look of this shoe came out really well, and while I might not love the "WW" on the left heel, there is too much good going on here to let it bother me. I'm probably going to try to get a pair of these trainers over the coming months. I'm not sure what retail will be like, but I'm hoping not too bad. — Besides the great product itself, BeingHunted have put together a nice feature on the project and it includes a short Q&A with the folks from Wood Wood. It's worth a read and definitely worth a look at the images - both product shots and look book.

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