INTERMISSION

I did a post like this a little while ago with a video a friend of mine had put together for a J.Dilla track. I like the idea of presenting something different from time to time and this seems a fairly unobtrusive way of doing that. It keeps things personal, but also adds an element of variety to break things up a bit. The video's an official one this time. It's incredibly simple, but right from the Neil Young-esque titles at the start (think Tonight's the Night and Rust Never Sleeps), it's perfectly suited to the track. The song itself is the forth on the latest Bobby Birdman record New Moods. It's got a bit of everything and there's obvious comparisons with Damon Albarn on the vocal side. I've been playing it non-stop for a couple of months now and can't seem to stop. I hope you find it equally addictive.

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Margaret Howell Typhoon Hat

Margaret Howell's spring collection is another one of the strongest of the season in my opinion. Simon recently outlined the collection with some well-styled looks and focus on the casual silhouettes that Margaret has perfected over the years. One of the items that stood out in my memory from viewing the collection in Paris last summer was the Typhoon hat. It's a very simple item and I believe it's made from a light weight linen-cotton feeling blend. It sits really naturally and looks great. I find that sun hats and buckets are very tough to find and when you do they still don't work more often than not. This definitely seemed to conquer both issues and when I saw it last week I was pleasantly reminded how nice it looked. —

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Woolrich Woolen Mills Cardiff Parka

The Woolen Mills spring collection continues to be one of the most anticipated for me as I am in love with the colour palette Daiki has laid out. Owen just posted the perfectly colour blocked shorts and now I am really into the Cardiff parka which definitely feels within the same vein. The micro corduroy material isn't something I would normal hunt for in a light spring jacket, but it does work here with the nice shades of blue and light khaki. The jacket's simple design and great colours allow for a very casual spring feel that would work just as well with shorts as a nice pair of trousers. This is one of a few items I am on the fence with purchasing this spring, although the pull-over anorak just might beat it out. —

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Look | Running Around

It feels like we've been doing a lot of running around these days. Whether it's to the post office, furniture stores, showrooms or wherever else, comfort is key for the long days. It starts with footwear for me because when my feet are happy, I'm usually happy (and not in pain). The shoes also set the tone for the rest of your ensemble a lot of the time. There's nothing ground breaking in this outfit, but I've been sporting variations of the same thing all week long. Any number of chambrays, colours of corduroy or olive coloured jackets seems to work just fine.

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In Stock: Wm. J. Mills Ice Bags

Wm. J. Mills is without doubt one of my favorite bag makers as I've been using my Ice Bag almost every single day since I purchased it. The company has been around since 1880 in Greenport, New York making sails for the eastern seaboard island hoppers. Now they are making some of the toughest, most simple and best looking canvas bags out there. We're very happy to be working with a company with such an honest and rich history. So much so, we've recently dispatched our lead lensmen, Ken Tisuthiwongse to photograph the small factory and Mills family members for our upcoming spring issue of Inventory magazine. The Ice Bags are my favorite from Wm J Mills and we now have a couple of the best colours available. — Available at the Inventory Stockroom, $135

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Woolrich Woolen Mills Essex Short

Spring still hasn't even sprung and I know I'm not going to want or need to wear shorts any time soon but this pair has me pining harder than ever for the sun. When summer hits I'm in short pants every day, and I if could only have one pair these Woolrich ones would be them. I'm a big fan of colour blocking in the warmer months but it's usually either terribly executed or in the form of shirts or swimwear. Here on the Essex wedge shorts though it works perfectly. The deep navy block over the tan is a perfect combination and offers a much different and unique look even with something as simple as a white tee and canoe mocs. The front flap pocket is a great bit of extra detail as well.

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Margaret Howell Spring–Summer '10

You can always find a variety of images surrounding a new Margaret Howell collection, but I particularly like the ones from the show. The styling is perfect and that extra sense of movement works really well too. For those who have embraced the brand and understand the depth in its simplicity, this is a collection that offers a lot. This season the focus was on creating garments with a relaxed feeling and an effortless appearance. As always, this was achieved through a considered approach to fabric, but also emphasized with a series of wider silhouettes. This is complimented by the styling in these pictures which was inspired by film director and visual artist Derek Jarman. These kind of collections may require you to look a little deeper than usual, but therein lies the charm and appeal of Margaret Howell's entire aesthetic. We'll have more on the brand in the forthcoming issue of INVENTORY - I interviewed Margaret a little while ago, and James will be shooting some portraits and an editorial in the next couple of weeks. Until then, enjoy the new collection in its entirety. —

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Duluth Pack for Inventory Items Spring Utility Bag

This spring we have continued our on-going relationship with Minnesota's own, Duluth Pack. The canvas specialists have perfected their craft in the last century of making bags of all shapes and we've used a modified silhouette of the original 51 pack again this spring. We loved our fall version so much that we didn't need to make many changes for the spring. We've added a locker loop to easily hang or carry your bag, as well as updated to a little bit lighter tone of the khaki canvas. The bag has been narrowed in width from Duluth's 51 pack, as well we still have our shorter third middle strap, zip pocket on the inside and our Inventory Items patch underneath the flap of the bag. We are really happy with how the bags turned out again and can't say enough about how nice the folks at Duluth Pack are to work with. The bags come with Duluth's lifetime guarantee, the signature of the person who made them on the inside and will only be available at the Inventory Stockroom and Dover Street Market. — Inventory Stockroom, $185

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