Editor's Essentials

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—01. Red Wing Chukka.

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Every season, or year, there are a few pieces that I tend to wear all of the time. These three items are pretty standard for me to be wearing 5 days a week lately. The Red Wing chukkas were tough to figure out my sizing originally, but now that they are broken in, they've quickly become one of my favorite pairs of shoes. The color is great, the weight and silhouette is nice and they go with pretty much everything. Everything, meaning oxford BD shirts and 12 oz sweatshirts. I consider the Engineered Garments Workaday oxfords and Real McCoy's sweatshirts both best in class, so I have a hard time wearing anything else.

—Sweatshirt available at Inventory Stockroom
—Boots available at Oi Polloi
—Shirt available at The Bureau

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Red Wing Sage Moc Toe

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—01. Sage suede upper.
—02. Made in USA.

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The moc toe boot from Red Wing is one of their most famous models. Last spring we saw the chukka done in this subtle sage suede, but this fall the better known work boot gets the treatment. Again, I like it and although I'll probably stick with my more traditional option, it definitely gives this classic a fresh feel.

—Available at The Norse

Feature: Red Wing Factory Visit

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—01. Steel die cuts.

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The Red Wing Shoe Company is one of the biggest brands to benefit from the current trend in menswear. Some have begun to shy away from their products because of the recent rise in popularity, but the majority remain steadfast in their support of one of America's finest brands. It's a company that makes a good product, and always will. I have become a loyal fan over the last few years, not because of their marketing, their presence at Capsule or their push for new colorways, but because their boots are well made, look great and work as well in the city as they do in the field. Last summer we were fortunate to be given access to the Red Wing tannery and shoe factory in Minnesota and these photographs, taken by Randy Douglas, provide a unique look behind the scenes.

&mdashInventory Feature: Red Wing Shoe Company Factory Visit

2nd Magazine: Red Wing Issue

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—01. 2nd Magazine, Red Wing Book cover.
—02. Inside spread.

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2nd magazine have been putting out some great issues lately and showing a little more editorial depth in their features and photography than the more popular Free & Easy. While both magazines have their place, 2nd has been particularly grabbing my attention lately. This special edition issue focuses soley on one of the best boot companies of our time: Red Wing. 'The Red Wing Book' looks at the company, its rise in popularity and some of Japan's biggest collectors. The brand is one of my personal favorites so this book will be a must have for the shelf.

&mdashAvailable at Superdenim

Fall Look 01

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—01. CPO shirt, 19th Century shirt and pocket square by Engineered Garments, pants by Sassafras, knit cap and t-shirt by The Real McCoy's, socks by J.Press, boots by Red Wing.

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Normally I don't get too excited about fall in July, but with the knowledge of the items on their way to Vancouver I can't help it. There are a couple of things I miss in the summer - my Red Wings and knit caps in particular - but there are also a couple of other items I am looking forward to picking up this fall, especially the brushed flannel CPO shirt by Engineered Garments. As you can see here, it's one of those simple pieces that works well with everything. The tones in this outfit are easy and I think this is one of those blog posts where I will catch myself looking exactly like it when the weather cools down enough.

&mdashKnit cap and t-shirt available at the Inventory Stockroom now; CPO shirt coming soon.

LOOK | Outdoor Summer Nights

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Red Wing Sage Chukka Boot

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—01. Heel view.
—02. Side view.
—03. Front view.

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In Vancouver we are still getting some borderline weather so boots aren't totally off the radar. That said, the chukka boot from Red Wing is nice and light weight, both in its upper and sole, which make it a more ideal choice for the spring or summer. This season they've introduced a new sage color which I am definitely a fan of. While I still might choose the suede sand first, this is a great option that adds a nice subtle touch of color.

—Available at Norse Store

Red Wing Oiled Canvas Engineer Boots

While the Red Wing Lifestyle collection has taken great strides to bring some of the best casual wearing models back to North American and Europe, there still seems to be a number of great looking boots that we just can't get here. The engineer boot is a little bit tougher to adopt to your everyday look for most westerners, while in Japan it seemed to be the boot of choice from a number of brands and styles when we visited this fall. This version by Red Wing comes in a nicely treated leather but the upper is made from an oiled canvas. The colour of the boot really looks great with the white traction tread sole and white stitching. I've definitely been tempted to pick up a pair of engineer boots myself, but I think something like this might be a little bit easier to get into than all leather. —

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