Rouleur | 14

The Rapha movement seems to be increasing cadence lately and for all good reasons. Their products are looking great, their photo essays are really beautiful and Rouleur magazine continues to impress. It still isn't easy to track down the quarterly printed magazine around here, but if you can it's definitely worth picking up. The design is sharp, the photography is top notch and issue 14 features some known great memories in bike riding. From collectors to documentary directors, Rouleur captures the essence of the culture in a really positive light. Besides being actually educational to someone like myself the magazine is inspiring and makes me want to get out of the office and hit the mountains I can see out of my window, right now.

Click to read more ...

Glenmac for Band of Outsiders

You may have browsed through a selection of Band of Outsiders clothing at one time and come across a beautiful cardigan or vest and thought "damn, why is this $1,200?" Well, it might just have been a custom made plaid from the elderly Glenmac factory in Harwick. Band of Outsiders have enlisted the known tartan specialists on a few projects and have published some beautiful photos in classic Sternberg Polaroid style. The brand continues to move into the future with an seemingly easy task of making modern American sportswear. It doesn't take too much effort to see there might be something special involved from Scott himself to the folks he enlists to help. The Glenmac tartan factory has done some great work for Band and shots are worth having a look through.

Click to read more ...

Workaday Corduroy Pants by Engineered Garments

I had to delay this post slight as I didn't want to fall victim to the "blog effect" as Mr. Davis puts it. Engineered Garments created the basics collection titled "Workaday" with an extremely simple goal of making comfortable work wear for daily use that would last a long time. The items included are heavy weight fleece, one wash denim, heavy oxford BD shirts and these perfect corduroy pants. The khaki color in particular grabbed my attention this fall as my corduroy pant selection is next to none. The color seemed a little more interesting than the brown and a little easier to wear for then the burgundy. It fit perfectly into my closet and the fit appeared to be spot on for a corduroy pant. The Workaday collection is ironically very difficult to come by as it's supposed to only be awarded to long time EG stockists with great relationships. The Bureau now has an exclusive for Europe with the Workaday pieces, so I was fortunate enough to snag my size in the cords as they are sure to sell out quickly I would imagine. The black, burgundy, brown and khaki are all great options for this fall but the khaki was definitely the perfect injection of color for my pants.

Click to read more ...

National Anthem College Duffle

Vancouver's very own and unknown National Anthem have a great looking short duffle coat for fall. I haven't seen too many versions in the cropped length or in an olive color, but they both come together to make a coat I want to own. The dark green is the perfect shade to compliment chambrays, red plaids, navy blue and khaki tones which we'll all be sporting this season. The short length is great for layering something a little longer underneath, such as a longer cardigan or even a blazer. National Anthem still remains a bit of a mystery as it is produced right here where I live yet is exclusively sold in Japan. While our brief research has turned up some information, we have a little more to do before we can report back. In the meantime, I think it would be worth while picking up the coat from Japan in the perfect olive color for around $300.

Click to read more ...

Beams Fall Catalogue

Michael at ACL just scanned in some images from the fall Beams catalogue and I for one am thankful, and will probably try to get myself a copy. The photography is beautiful as usual and the styling is classic Beams work. White people in Japan dressed in American inspired digs being sold to Japanese, got it? This particular image jumped out at me as something I would love to be wearing this fall. Of course I would make slight changes like a flat end bow tie perhaps. Overall the Japan exclusive Engineered Garments safari jacket in khaki, tattersall shirt, Norwegian knit are complimented with nice styling touches of the rolled sleeves and nice watch/frame combination come off just right. Beams is without doubt one of the leading retailers on planet Earth and their own catalogue being far better than most, or any brands, look books is just another simple reason why.

Click to read more ...

Barbarian Stripe Henley

I love navy stripes on a white long sleeve. Visvim probably does it the best, along with Saint James, but sometimes you might not want that nautical look, so where does that leave you? Wearing the same brand I wore in PE class I suppose. In Japan Barbarian seems to have picked up a nice bit of steam within the casual, work wear garment market. Due to it's tough feel and durability as it's made for the rugby pitch, it should be able to hold up for Sunday coffee. The Henley version of the rugby shirt looks great here as an alternative to the latter brands. The neck is well cut and the lack of wrist or waist bands leave the sweater open for layering a BD underneath. This one's even available in size large and will only run you around $110, an easy fall addition to the wardrobe that could quickly become a key player.

Click to read more ...

White Mountaineering Faire Isle Cardigan

White Mountaineering seem to have their Faire Isle incorporation down this fall. We saw the lovely socks from Simon and now the cardigan with the same pattern has my attention. While I actually prefer the lighter colored version, the navy and red does work really well and would meld nicely with chambray or a heavy oxford shirt. Browsing the White Mountaineering website again I am continually impressed by each piece. It's really strong and while their choice of models is questionable, the clothing itself is strong enough to look past their men of choice. When it comes to Faire Isle patterns, I probably do like the best on a cardigan or vest. They are best layered within an outfit and when the top portion is blocked in a solid color, it is even nicer. The knit isn't available around here but if you are in Japan, tracking it down for the suggested retail price of $250 would likely be worth the effort.

Click to read more ...

Levi's Vintage Sportswear Cable Knit

When looking for nice fall knitwear, Levi's isn't usually the first brand to come to mind. However, with their sportswear collection inspired by pieces from the 1930's, they have managed to put together a handful of classic, clean looking items that I would gladly try on. The mossy green color plays a nice host to the braid and rope knit patterns running horizontally down the sweater. The great looking collar has two woven leather buttons to fasten it up nice and snug on a cool day while a handy yet subtle chest pocket hides over the heart area. I also like the extra thick cuffs and waist band once in awhile. I wouldn't want it on every sweater, but it's good for a little odd detail that doesn't detract from the simple design. Available at Oki-ni

Click to read more ...