School Supplies: Sierra Designs

-Fall is here, and you are most likely cold and/or wet so here is some real talk. With all of the new hype surrounding outerwear brands like Penfield and Patagonia, I thought it necessary to recognize the underdog. While they aren't about collabos, fleece epidemics or fake flannel, Sierra Designs makes inexpensive, durable, and sustainable outerwear fit for the NW's notorious weather.
-SD's clothing proves that simplicity doesn't preclude style. Their products come in vibrant solid colors and can be made obscenely small for the purpose of packing. The down coat and Microlight rain jacket pictured below are both packable and can be purchased together for less than $200.
-I got a Sierra Designs sleeping bag as a graduation present, and it has served me well, whether in the mountains or on friends' floors. While sleeping bags aren't our main area of expertise, I thought it necessary to note that SD's Verde 20 sleeping bag was given an Outside Magazine Gear of the Year award. The bag is made with 95% recycled material and is part of the Green Effect program, which pledges that the company will run on 100% wind power.
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Dress Code: The PNW Resurgence

-Back in 2003, a Gawker blurb predicted a massive hipster migration from Brooklyn to Seattle: "It won't be long until kids in post-Williamsburg Brooklyn will be glomming up all the Patagonia pullovers they can get their pale white mitts on." According to Selectism, that prophecy will be eerily fulfilled by a new Patagonia for Urban Outfitters collection, featuring both full-zip and pullover fleeces in a variety of colors.

-The streetwear market has been flooded with classic Northwest gear lately, to the point where the Louis Vuitton Don is dressing more like Paul Rudd circa 1994. Companies like 10 Deep and Stussy are pumping out overpriced flannel, and for all we know it won't be long before Andre 3000 changes Benjamin Bixby to Eddie Vedder. Those of us who grew up in the Upper Left know that one must look no further than Value Village or dad's closet to find any of this stuff. Still, we don't mind the attention.

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School Supplies: Fleeced

-Most of the complaints we hear about collegiate style tend to center around the prevalence of the North Face fleece jacket. Its an easy target: an overpriced, seemingly contrived product that has become overwhelmingly popular on Greek Row. While buying multiple colors for the sake of matching is ludicrous (and surprisingly common), so is the outcry against such a practical garment. We live in an area famous for shitty weather, and a light fleece jacket can be a huge asset. Believe it or not, you can stay warm this fall while retaining some semblance of originality.

-There was a time when The North Face was simply known as one of the best outdoor companies around. They recently commemorated the 1990 Trans-Antarctica Expedition with some throwback colors and minor design changes. Calling these colors loud would be an understatement, but they are anything but unoriginal and they make the jacket pretty hard to lose at a kegger.

-Patagonia is a pretty solid company, as they don't force you to sacrifice style for the sake of your ecological footprint (as evidenced by one of our first PowerPoints). Anyone who has ever worn a North Face fleece can tell you that even the slightest amount of wind renders them obsolete. Patagonia's Retro-X is windproof, thus making it a lot warmer than the alternative. After all, before pink fleeces and Uggs got popular, warmth was the reason people wore jackets and boots to begin with. The times they are a changin'....at least according to the guy on that Lucky shirt. more