Summer Vacation: Much Needed Sperry Upgrade

-I finally got around to replacing my old Top-Siders. Unlike a lot of Sperry aficionados, I don't really dig the white sole found on most models, so I sprung for the Sahara colorway with the darker sole. Over the years I've heard of people recommend wearing Top-Siders in the shower or the ocean initially, something I didn't do when I bought my first pair back in high school. After consulting a few experts, I decided to go the shower route, which helps soften the leather a bit and also helps to keep the laces from coming untied. I also cut a few inches off my laces because I don't really go for the bunny-ear look. This time around, I'm going to make a point to shoe-tree my Sperrys after long days of wear to keep them from disintegrating and stinking too terribly. more

School Supplies: Deck Boot Discussion

-We've seen a lot of these deck boots in the past few years, and given my love of boat shoes, they've appealed to me a great deal. The first pair I saw were from Rogues Gallery, though I think the original deck boot was made by Quoddy (below.) The above pair, from Ronnie Fieg for Sebago, have been floating around the blogosphere in the past week, and even though I'm completely out of money, they're tempting my wallet. As a diehard Sperry aficionado, I really shouldn't be pumping Sebago, but $140 for a limited edition (120 made of both brown and black models,) hand-sewn boot is hard to pass up. The Quoddy version is undoubtedly better made than the Sebago, but it's also $300, and I actually like the look of the leather on the Sebago better. Any of these boots though, even this slightly more expensive but equally dope blue Sebago x Vane pair below, will look great after they've been worn in a bit. The blue boots are icy, but as I'd probably only ever buy one pair of the same style of boot, I'd stick with something a little more workable.

-Depending on how long the supply of the brown model lasts, I may be getting my hands on a pair of these pretty soon. But my one major trepidation is my aforementioned focus on the relationship between leg opening and shoe-width. I'm wondering how a boot that would be so narrow when laced-up would play against the leg opening¹. I keep my denim pretty slim, and I probably wouldn't rock these with anything besides jeans, but still think they might  be a little to slim for a boot. My general rule when wearing boots is to roll my pants a bit and just let them fall how they may. Laced-up, these wouldn't really have any girth for the pant leg to snag on, and might look a bit contrived. The obvious solution would be to rock the boots a bit looser, a practice I support when one is cognizant of the fine line between rugged nonchalance and streetwear contrivance, but ultimately it would depend on how well the shoe fit below the laces. If they could be worn looser without flopping around, then there's really no issue, but I've obviously thought entirely too much about this. Anybody have experience with deck boots?

1- To recap, I'm all about break. Therefore, if you've got a narrow show, so narrow that your leg opening just hangs without break, you can look clowny. There are places where conflicting proportion can work effectively. I don't think the ankle is one of those places. 

-Update: Blackbird recently posted this image of the Quoddy Deck Boot (below) and it shows the details a bit better than the images from the official Quoddy site. The Seattle shop is selling the boots for a $280. I'm not really a fan of black boots, but I didn't previously notice that the tongue on these is deerskin, which I think adds a nice contrast in look/texture to the Chromexcel outer. If you're considering buying Quoddy deck-anythings, be sure to check Jeremy's analysis, which exposes a bit of trouble with the insoles.

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Dress Code: Rugby Newbury Chino Jacket

-I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I was contemplating buying this khaki blazer from Rugby. When RL was offering 25 percent off all items, I couldn't justify not picking it up for about $130. After messing around a bit it's become pretty clear that this jacket is going to be a favorite heading into summer, but it's also heavier than I'd expected and it should make the transition to fall pretty easily. For this first look I very blatantly referenced the May GQ cover, going with the Gap chambray work-shirt and a dark tie (tie and clip are vintage.) I'm a pocket square novice, but pairing my chambray pocket square from The Hill-Side with the shirt/jacket was a no-brainer. I'm going to try this look again with my Naked & Famous denim and see if it still translates. I might rock the white denim a few times this summer, but it's probably not something I'll go with regularly.
-Check out three more jacket-based looks I came up with after the jump.

-Click the images to enlarge.

-This second look is from yesterday's post about 511s, I think it shows the jacket in a more collegiate assemblage.

-Despite the inadvertently douchy poses, this is how I might rock this jacket in late September when the weather is starting to cool down. The shirt is Gitman Vintage, jeans are Naked & Famous.

-It's rare that you'll see me wearing a shirt without a BD collar, but I've been meaning to give this J.Crew purple gingham more play this summer. A grey tie always works with purple. The jeans are my raw 511s.
- When I previewed this post on Twitter, Jeremy and Lawrence clowned on my shoe-game a bit, and I must admit that their admonishments were warranted. Shoes, like the dudes from PutThisOn say in their new video, are an investment. For that reason, upgrading your footwear is a challenge for those on a college budget. I'm always on the eBay prowl for Alden steals, but until I've got a spare $500 to drop on some quality kicks, I'm happy with my beat-to-shit Sperrys and my $68 DKNY wingtips (among others.)
-Anyway, this jacket fits great (mine is a small) and it was a steal, I wholeheartedly recommend it. more

School Supplies: Sperry Wear

-I've probably worn this pair of Top-Siders 86% of the days since I purchased them in the spring of 2006. One of the few Glenn O'Brien style rules I break is wearing Sperrys through every season. This pair has been with me through trips to the beach, hikes in the wood, tramping through campus in the snow and once when I got caught in a torrential deluge and they got completely reshaped. The bottom has worn all the way through to the insole, so I can't wear them when it's wet anymore, but they're still my go-to shoes when it's dry out. Check out after the jump for a some more shots of the damage.















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Dress Code: The Early Spring Field Guide

-I'm the first to admit that spring isn't my strongest season. I've always been more inspired stylistically by the layering possibilities of fall and winter.  But right now the magazines and blogs are all buzzing at the arrival of spring collections. I've got no money for any big time spring acquisitions. So I've put together a couple early-spring (meaning NW early-spring, aka still cold) looks with the hopes of discovering some new takes on a few of the items already in my closet. This was mainly just for me to not feel bad about not getting anything new for spring, but hopefully it can inspire some of you to think about how you can effectively ride the seasonal transition. I'll be posting the rest of what I came up with in the coming days.

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School Supplies: The Sperry Upgrade

-First off, check out these new drops from Sperry (above.) They've added some height to the chukka and deemed it the 'chukka mid'. I think it looks good. I also like the grey (what do they call that, crushed leather?) Icy. Okay, that's out of the way.
-My go-to Top-Siders, which I've worn probably 86% of the time since I bought them in 2006, have finally worn a whole in the bottom. Now I can't wear them unless the ground is completely devoid of moisture. So today I began looking for a replacement pair, which was a little harder than I expected. I can't seem to find the exact, dark brown (non-glossy) leather that mine originally were. Perusing the site I found a couple almost suitable alternatives (clockwise from top-left below). The 75th anniversary model has great color and a simple silhouette and I was almost set on them. But then I realized how big the heel is. Look at that thing! It's like twice as high as a regular Top-Sider heel. I don't get down like that. I also like the darker soled Top-Siders better than their white-soled brothers. Next is this buffalo-plaid infused model which was, predictably, on sale. This one is kitschy and trend-biting, which is why I like it, but not enough to buy it. The grey with the dope redbrick sole is icy, but I need a Top-Sider that's toned down enough for near daily use. I also like my go-to shoe to match my go-to belt, so I'm sticking with brown. I think this last one, the authentic original boat shoe in sahara, may be the most suitable replacement to my old favorites. The color is a bit lighter, but I think I can dig that.

-However, the disconcerting thing about this search wasn't that I couldn't find an exact match, it was how much the price of Top-Siders has inflated since they've grown in popularity. My first pair was $40 at Nordstrom, and my second pair (these icy white ones, also 2006) were $60 (which seemed a little nuts at the time.) For awhile I encouraged people to check out boating stores for better, less hipster-raided deals on Top-Siders. I can't seem to find any good looking models for less than $60 anymore, which is kind of a shame for a great everyman shoe.
-Check out these odd Sperry white bucks, these are icy too. I might snag them for spring, depending on how much money I make next quarter. more

Fall Quarter: First Cold-ish Day

-Today was the first day since school started that the temp dropped below 60.

-$5 Urban glasses

-J.Crew linen oxford

-J.Crew repp tie

-French Connection sweater vest

-Naked & Famous jeans

-Top-Siders

-Wilson Leather laptop bag

-And even though I just spent more than anyone should have to on Polaroid film on eBay, I took Foster's advice and snagged the Camerabag app for iPhone so now I can take semi-douchey faux-Polaroids whenever I please.

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Design Major: Band of Outsiders NY Spring 2010

-Band of Outsiders gets a lot of love here on Class Act so it's probably no surprise that I loved the new collection. I really love the dip-dyed shirts and tie. I've been vocal in my dislike of pea coats but I like them here thrown casually with shorts and Top-Siders. We've seen a couple of the pieces in earlier sneak peeks: The tailored sweats, and the new Band x Sperry collection (appropriately used in every look) but it's nice to see them worked in with complete looks. I also like the hint of Life Aquatic with the beanie x nautical vibe. more

School Supplies: Winter Sperrys

-Most of us here on CA have referenced Sperry Top Siders on numerous occassions for their great versatility and classic American style. Despite their versatility, Top Siders should only be worn during spring and summer, leaving most to rebel against sartorial standards and also sport them in the fall and winter. With Clark's coming back out with the Desert Boot as an anniversary collection, those who worry about breaking those sartorial standards need not. I spotted these at my work a few weeks ago and thought they would make the perfect fall/winter shoe especially with coming in 7 different colors.

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School Supplies: My Favorites

-I know I've been doing a lot of personal posts lately, but I haven't had much time to be trolling the blogs. I've decided, after getting a good response to my military coat post, to post on a couple more of favorite items in the coming weeks.

-I've worn these Sperry Top-Siders (above) more than any other shoe in my life. I've had them since 2006 and I've worn them in the rain, snow, sand and ocean. I've skated in them, hiked in them and worn them to school probably 90% of the time throughout my college career. The wear on the leather reads like an unfinished canvas, layers exposed, the process clearly evident. My Top-Siders are a map showing where I've been and hinting at where I'm heading. I've got too much rambling to do, so the rest, along with more photos, is after the jump.

-I remember a long time ago, probably three or four years, reading a Glenn O'brien style guy response about the appropriateness of Top-Siders. It was one of the only times in my life when I've completely disagreed with Glenn's opinion, which was that Top-Siders ought never be worn anyplace other than the deck of a seagoing vessel. To me, the Top-Sider is the ultimate everyman shoe. It's got a class shape, but it's easy to slip on and go. It's low cut makes it ideal for the break of a narrower jean or trouser.

-I shot this with my Nikon, b-t-dubs. And a 50mm f/1.8 Nikkor lens. Be sure to click the photos and check them out in greater detail 

-A reminder: All of these photos, as well as a bunch of our photos that never made it on to the blog, can be found on our Flickr.

-I've got a pair of creamy white Top-Siders, the BoO Sperry boots, and two pairs of Sperry slip-ons (one pair being the Modern Amusement collab, which are pretty rare,) but these are still my favorite. They've held up pretty nicely, especially considering the abuse I've subjected to them, but the sole on one of them is starting to come off a bit. I'm looking into Mighty Mendit.

-That's all. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts in the comments. Unless your thoughts are anti-Top-Sider, I don't want to hear none of that shit. more

Dress Code: Topped Siders

-It has been awhile since I've espoused my love of the Sperry Top-Sider. So as a refresher, the Top-Sider is the ultimate shoe and I wear mine almost everyday. And now Sperry has solved my winter shoe conundrum. I've been looking into various chukka and desert boots lately (like these, or these, or these,) and haven't really found an affordable boot that I love. Then I saw these Sperry chukka boots, which are basically just a hightened and lined boat Top-Sider. I must acquire them (they're available here) hopefully they'll still be in stock when I get some dough. Also, their reminiscent of these ridiculously badass boat shoe boots from Rogues Gallery (a Class Act favorite clothier.)
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Dress Code: Sperry Break

-I'm posting this photo separate from the other party pics I'm about to post because it illustrates what makes people who have learned from me great. Messe knows that rocking a top-sider is all about the very crucial breakof your pant. Many attempt and fall short with either a too-narrow, or much worse, a pant leg too wide. The little bit of cuff he rocks makes sure his 514s fall perfectly above the Sperry's low side.

-This shot also made me think of the Alex Goodrich quote "Smoking can either look classy or white trash, there's no in-between." more

School Supplies: Class Act Endorsements

-This post comes from a few different things floating around in my head this morning. Firstly, its been raining, secondly: Hypebeast had a blurb about the Band of Outsiders x Sperry collaboration, albeit they're a little late with the news, given that GQ and even Teen Vogue had pieces from the collab months ago. We are, of course, true Sperry fans, and I've been a B.O.O. fan ever since I saw their take on classic ties. But I've always had a problem with overpriced simplicity. To me, Band of Outsiders didn't do much different to the classic Sperry form, but the price of the collab shoes are between $200-300, instead of $50-100 like most Sperrys. Marc Jacobs did Vans slip-ons and they were priced at a reasonable $85. The point of all this is that, like the overpriced B.O.O. Sperrys, their ties are also overpriced, for what they are (muted tonal striped ties, mostly).

-That brings me to this: Although my co-editor dissed Urban Outfitters in the last post, I think that if you approach U.O. with the right perspective, you can pick out the gems (like Fred Perry or Modern Amusement^1).

-I was recently at urban and they had a line of ties (pictured) I was previously unaware of. The brand on the ties was Hi-Brow, but I couldn't find a company Web site, so I'm unsure of the origin. Nonetheless, there was an assortment of interestingly patterned, perfectly narrow (6cm at the widest point) ties. For about $28, not $128. However, there were about 30 different ties in the store and I could find only two from this particular line at the urban online shop, so make the trip to the nearest retail location. 

-Now I know that the counter point, as it usually is when arguing in favor of designer goods, is that the pricier goods are quality made, probably by hand, probably not by kids in Indonesia, probably with better materials. But when you're young and on a budget let your conscience and wallet take a break and score some fresh ties. 

1-Interestingly, a Modern Amusement logo patterned tie that was, to me, overpriced, was featured in both GQ and Details in recent months, it's whatevs.

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