Fall Down Vests

One of the missing ingredients from my well rounded fall wardrobe is a good down vest. I've only had a couple in the past but I haven't been able to come across the right one in person lately. There are a number of great looking vests on the market this fall. Some are made in Canada or the USA, others are only found in Japan or the UK – with a fair number of variables, your ideal vest could come in wool, chambray, rip stop, have several pockets or no pockets, and of course come in a selection of weights. Here's a few of my favorites that I've seen this fall. My top choices are from Engineered Garments, Crescent Down Works and Rocky Mountain Featherbed. —

Engineered Garments *Note the particularly nice styling over a sport coat —

Wings+Horns —

Crescent Down Works —

Filson

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Head Porter Plus

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Rocky Mountain Featherbed

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Waste(Twice)

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LOOK | Another Fall Day

There isn't anything too special about this outfit, but it is perfect for fall. We have seen a definite temperature drop here in Vancouver so layers of wool are essential. I'm just as fond of the red and black lumberjack as anyone and still haven't acquired a Filson Mackinaw – but the hankering has been kicked up a notch lately. Engineered Garments tab collar broadcloth shirt and wool cardigan are a perfect match and the blue tones go really nicely with the Mountain Research scarf. The South 2 West 8 cords worked nicely with the flap pockets and good buttons, and of course the colours sit nicely with the Alden Indy's from Blackbird. Finished off with our own Duluth Pack collaboration bag and you're set for another fall day.

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Filson Down Vests

I've seen these vests mentioned on a couple blogs this fall and for good reason. The colors, details and functionality are all perfect. Filson claim that the vest has the best weight-to-warmth ratio as well, and I think we can trust them. The burgundy might be my favorite color on it's own but I think I would get the most wear from the otto green. I haven't owned a down vest for a few years now and whenever I consider making the purchase I can't find one I like. They can look great over top of a casual blazer or Baracuta. They don't need to only be worn with a plaid shirt and Red Wings, although there is nothing wrong with that either. I think the down vest could be used a little more creatively on a daily basis and Filson's fall offering allows you some room to play.

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Filson Outfitter Jacket

After Owen's post on Filson's new wool plaids the other day, I found myself browsing the web shop fairly thoroughly and finding plenty of good things as usual. The heavyweight Outfitter Jacket was a subtle stand out for me. The dark olive or charcoal coat is nicely lined with a sharp plaid and made from Filson's signature Mackinaw wool. The flap pockets and nice short collar give the jacket a bit of a unique look while at $220 USD, you know you're getting a heavy duty piece of wool that is going to last you a few winters to come. The piece would be great for layering under a trench and over an oxford. I'm not too sure on the fit, as a lot of Filson's soft goods still aren't very slimmed down in the cut. It's worth trying on if you can find one and could be a great alternative to a bomber or varsity this season.

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Filson Wool Duffle

Fall means plaids and they shouldn't just be limited to flannel shirts I don't think. Ryan offered a decent option yesterday but when it comes to bags I'm more of a shoulder carrier. We all know Filson makes one of the best duffles around and they've recently come out with some new wool options. I've always been a fan of the bags in wool as they've got a bit more character than the classic canvas and tin cloth versions. The grey multi colourway is a great blend of different grey shades accented nicely with the red, a colourway that would look great with a backdrop of a navy or black jacket/shirt. The new wood camo isn't all that bad either but probably not one I'd choose over the others. Either way though the small duffle is a perfect size for any sized trip too.

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hobo magazine No. 10

Hobo Magazine is most definitely the nicest printed piece coming out of Vancouver, and surely one of the tops around the world. I particularly enjoy the  general aesthetic and vast amounts of white space in the design. Although I wasn't directly looking at it a lot when I was first pulling together h(y)r collective, I have to say the direction over the last year has been influenced. The content in issue no. 10 is just as interesting and unexpected as past editions as well as they caught up with Nick Cave, Billy Bragg, Paz de la Huerta and more. There are also a short list of interesting contributors as per usual, along with some beautiful photography. One of my favorite parts is the opening conversation between the Creative Director, Shawn Dogimont, and Brian Hendricks about the direction of the magazine and print vs. online media.  Also worth mentioning is the nice feature on Wings+Horn's Service boots which are back again this spring. Also in the fashion section is a great spread of Filson's classic bags. Definitely look to pick up a copy if you can, try to support the printed art that exists.

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Filson Pullman Twill Whiffin Shorts

The EG shorts have been my favorite I've seen so far this spring, but they didn't feed my hankering for some pleats. A lot of people think the pleats don't belong on the modern mans pants, let alone shorts, but you can't deny them in a somewhat more manly short by Filson. The Pullman Twill Whiffin Shorts are supposed to be Filson's more comfortable material, the "micro sanded finish and is enzyme stonewashed for extra softness" sounds pretty good, and the adjustable waist band is a nice option as well. I think the colors available are pretty classic and these shorts would serve you pretty well whether hunting down a quail or eating a burger on the deck. I would probably put them together with an oxford shirt and some loafers and be set for a few days.

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Apolis Activism + Filson Briefcase

Surprisingly nobody has been able to put together any collaborative works with Seattle's renown hunting/lifestyle brand, until now. Filson make some of the most classic, iconic and attainable bags on the market. With strong canvas and nice saddle leather, there is no denying their appeal. Apolis Activism have managed to put together a bag with them for fall, utilizing some of the special factors of their business. Apolis Activism isn't just a catchy name, the seem to work hard to actively try to help people and their surrounding economy. For this project they contracted Invisible Children from Uganda to source and develop their native canvas for the bag. Apolis tries to "create opportunities for developing economies by connection them to the global market place." I had heard about the project a little while back but it's nice to see the result. I like the color choices, label placement and red cross, although it probably wouldn't have been my choice of bag to work with. Overall well done, thanks to Secret Forts for sharing the info.

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