School Supplies: Heritage Research for Oi Polloi Varsity Jacket

-I've blogged about Heritage Resarch a few times now, and I have to reiterate that I think the British brand is making some of the finest (and expensive,) minimalist garments around right now. I've also blogged a few times about my affinity for toned-down varsity jackets. Given Heritage Research's other pieces, a varsity jacket seems like kind of a curveball, but like their other jackets, this one looks like it was executed brilliantly. You can't go wrong with heavyweight grey wool and cream leather. This jacket is made in America and hits the till at $530 via Oi Polloi. more

School Supplies: Nom De Guerre SS10 Desert Corps

-I usually try not to get too hyped up about Nom De Guerre, mostly because their pieces are rarely in my range. But these two coats from their SS10 collection — the Desert Corps Jacket, and the Desert Corps Trench — are two of the freshest looking items I've seen from anybody this season. It's pretty well established that I'm a sucker for military influence, and this collection is packed with service subtleties. At nearly the $500, the trench isn't too outrageous compared to similar coats, but it's still out of my budget. There's nothing wrong with wishing though, so that's my current stance. Nomad has the these and more from the collection, and as is their custom, the Toronto-based shop has the best product shots around. Though, I'd still like to see these on a model to get a sense of the fit. more

School Supplies: Some Spring Rugby

-I'm seriously considering snagging this Rugby Newbury Chino jacket. Ryan had a chance to try it on recently and has assured me that the fit is on point (Rugby fit has been great to me on other items.) I was thinking about getting the J. Crew khaki Ludlow suit, but I don't think I'm ready to make a move on a full suit just yet. This jacket is a little more casual than the Ludlow, and I like the little Rugby details on the collar and cuff.

-I don't know why I've never checked to see if Rugby had a club-collar oxford, since I've been looking for one for awhile. I think it's pretty safe to say this version ($69.50,) and this madras bow ($29.50,) are the most affordable models of each to be found (especially if you can take advantage of the 15% student discount Rugby offers.) As always, Rugby is a mixed bag, but if you stick to the classics, the label can provide some good snags for those of us on a college budget. more

School Supplies: Navy Authentics

-I'm gonna keep this post simple. I picked up some navy Authentics at a Vans outlet for $30. You probably already know that Authentics are the perfect SS sneaker. I love the nautical feel of the navy/white model. They're high enough not to fret if there's still a bit of rain on the ground, and skatable enough to hop on a board if you need to jet somewhere quick. Let them get a little worn and pair them with some rolled up chinos; If they're too clean and thrown with some stock raw denim, you're bound to look like every other streetwear kid. If you're going with a ubiquitous sneaker, make sure the rest of the fit has an individual flair.

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Professors: Marcy Playground

-Every time a Marcy Playground song comes up on my shuffle I remind myself to do this post. You probably remember the band for their hit Sex and Candy, but you may not know that  the album from which the hit came is one of the best  and most complete rock albums of the nineties.
-I wouldn't place Marcy Playground within my top-ten bands, but I would put their 1997 self-titled album in my top-ten all-time albums. I consider an album great when I enjoy every single song, there aren't any that I'm inclined to skip. Aside from Nirvana's discs, which heavily influenced Marcy's sound, this is one of the few nineties albums that I can enjoy all the way through. The band's sound is slightly softer than Nirvana's, but the songs that rock a little more heavily don't seem contrived. Littered with memorable lines and bits of PNW reference (derived from lead singer John Wozniak's time at Washington's famous fake university, Evergreen,) this is a quintessential nineties album for anybody's collection. Sadly, the band's two subsequent releases failed to achieve what the self-titled album did, both commercially and musically, but the first disc is one that will always have a place in my rotation.

A Cloak Of Elvenkind - Marcy P...

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Dress Code: Cloudy Day Shopping

-Yesterday the weather kept alternating between sunbreak and light sprinkles, but Grace and I headed to Portland to do some shopping before we head back to school. I'm posting this just to propose the idea of chambray (or any casual BD) over a light sweater as an early-spring (or early-fall) option. As far as a concept goes with this, I guess the main idea is protecting the refined shirt/tie/sweater with a more rugged piece. You might ask "Protecting from what?" and I might reply "a hobo's shiv." But really there's no concept, I just think it looks kind of cool, and I liked the three depths of blue in the complete look. I've done this before over a grey crewneck sweatshirt, but this was the first time I threw the chambray on as a shirt-jacket over a tie-combo. A bit unconventional, but I think this is something I'll try again when I'm in need of one more light layer.
-Chambray, Gap $40
-Sweater, J. Crew $40
-Gnar face, No sleep, priceless. more

School Supplies: Yuketen Backpack

-I thought I'd stop blogging about backpacks now that I've got my Inventory x Duluth Pack joint, but I'm still incredibly drawn to the rucksack aesthetic. I know a lot of people favor messengers/bookbags, but I don't really like having a strap dissect my chest, especially when I'm wearing a tie.
-I'm a bit less-fond of Yuketen's footwear styles then most people, but this pack is one of the best bags I've seen. If I had the dough I'd be making up excuses for owning two backpacks, though I might remove that round leather patch. 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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Film Studies: Revenge of the Nerds

-I wasn't alive in 1984, but I'm told Orwell's predictions didn't hold true. The year was, however, the year that the greatest college movie ever made, Revenge of the Nerds, debuted. I hadn't watched the movie for about 7 years before I decided to rent it this week and discovered the classic film contains some badass styling. Check out some screen caps of some of the movie's sartorial gems and a bit more insight into the movie's legacy after the jump.



-I'm really digging the color combo on this station wagon. But check out James Cromwell's (the dad) fit right here, looks like something we might see pulled off unironically in the current style climate.


-I'm feeling a bit conflicted about pocket protectors right now. Straight up, I think they look pretty dope. They could add a bit of flair to a look (especially if you actually need all those pens and pencils.) But alas, I have an odd feeling that the pocket protector may come back soon as a hipster trend accessory. Oh well, it might be a cool idea to throw into an editorial shoot. I might scope eBay for some cool pocket protectors. Lewis' glasses are fresh too.

-Booger's "Gimme Head Till I'm Dead" shirt. Best slogan tee in a movie. Ever.

-I promise you this: In my eventual collection of menswear, there will be a sleeveless varsity jacket. No joke. Maybe it will have zip-off sleeves. Ogre is played by Donald Gibb, who you might recognize from Blood Sport, the greatest Van Damme movie of all time.

-Booger rocking leather and joints. Wormser rocking the bow. Ballin.

-Jefferson from Married with Children as stock frat-douche Stan Gable. Great casting and styling.

-High-five to whoever can track down one these Lambda Lambda Lambda cardigans.

-I'm more into this for the Roland gear than the clothes.

-This character's name is U.N. Jefferson. Is that not the most badass name ever? U.N.

-Here's the slightly racist part of the movie: If you don't remember, a bunch of big black tri-lambs show up and the Alpha Betas are too scared to fight them. But given that earlier in the movie the nerds break into Pi's house, sexually assault them and steal their underwear, I don't think political correctness was a major consideration during the production of this movie. We'll let it slide though, because the movie is the quintessential college comedy, underdog story and now a major inspiration for some future designs.
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School Supplies: The Early Spring Virtual Shopper

-I was browsing End's Web site and found myself wishing I had quite a few of the items to help me navigate the daily weather variations of Northwest springtime. I don't do a lot of assembled looks because I think that actual fit on the body is the most important thing you can share if you're blogging about looks, but all of these items are things I'd snag without question if I had the dough. I blogged about Heritage Research parkas before, and of all the incredible high-end parkas out there, I think their versions are my favorite. I really love pairing denim or chambray shirts with bright red and that Edwin crewneck is about as good as a sweatshirt can get. I'm still on the hunt for some slim khakis, and though I probably wouldn't ever spend more than $200 on a pair, these ones look great. The loafers tie back in the navy from the parka, and I added the bag just for good measure. 

-Heritage Research British millerain longline parka, $327

-Edwin corps sweatshirt, $117

-Levi's vintage sawtooth denim shirt, $187

-A.P.C. classic slim-fit chino, $246

-Surface 2 Air moccasin tassle loafer, $141

-Mismo weekend bag, $448

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School Supplies: Ballantyne SS/10 Sweaters

-Selectism posted looks from Ballantyne's SS/10 collection. I'd never heard of the Italian label before I saw the post, and the styling of the collection overall is a bit garish for my tastes, but I'm really digging the bright graphic sweaters. I'm wondering why graphic elements beyond pattern aren't used in sweaters more often? Sure there's the badass rustic wolf knitted kind, but why not throw a bit of simple illustration into a more refined garment? The label seems to only be available in Italy, so it's more likely that I'll find something like this in a thrift store, but I'll be on the lookout for a dope graphic sweater this spring. more

School Supplies: Penfield SS/10

-Continuing on my eternal parka quest, I find myself really liking some of the new jackets from Penfield. The Lockwood (left) is the perfect simple parka, and I trust Penfield's waterproofing skills more so than some of the parkas from higher-end labels. The Cambpell (center) is not quite as sweet as the Wings + Horns chambray parka, but at about $500 less, it's a nice substitute. The Penfield chambray isn't waterproof though, which is a bummer. The Vassan 2 tone (right) is on the verge of looking a little too snowboard-y, but the colors are soft enough that it could work as a go-to urban parka. The best of the deal though, is that all these jackets are under $200, which increases the likelihood that I'll be snagging one sometime this spring. more

School Supplies: Gitman Violet Chambray

-Everyone has been tripping over red chambray this year, but I prefer this violet version from Gitman Vintage. You probably know that I'm a button-down collar enthusiast, so that detail really drew me to this shirt versus many of the other quality chambray pieces out there. This shirt has been getting a lot of play in the blogosphere recently, and normally I wouldn't post about an item that others had already. But I'm posting this because I pulled the trigger and snagged this in small from Blackbird. I'll update with how it fits/feels/looks in person when it gets here.
-I know I've been posting stuff from Blackbird a lot lately, and if you're a long time reader, you know I've been critical of them in the past. For the record, I still think they have a lot of wack buying (Odyn Vovk, Julius, etc.) that sort of confuses me about who they imagine their customers to be. That being said, the Seattle shop is still, along with Winn Perry, one of the best stockists of dope brands on the West Coast. more

School Supplies: Madras Madness

-The madras tie is a spring must-have that I, somehow, don't have. I'll definitely be grabbing one soon, but the question is, which one? 3sixteen added these two madras pieces to their spring collection and I think the color mixtures are spot-on.  Width: 2.5, Cost: $77 at the 3sixteen online shop.

-I'm leaning heavily toward one of these new ties from Gitman Vintage. The enlarged madras pattern is a rarer sight, and it gives the ties a less-busy look. Width: Not listed, but they look agreeable narrow, Cost: $68 at Blackbird.

-Lastly, I couldn't post about madras ties if I didn't peruse the selection at J. Press. If you're gonna do classic prep styling, you might as well stick with a classic prep retailer. Width: Probably a little more classic (i.e. wider) than the others, Cost: $59.50 at J.Press online.
-I'm hoping the Gitman ties will still be in-stock in a month or so when my bank account has recouped a little. If so, you can expect to see me: White BD collar oxford, loose tie, seersucker ballin this spring. more

Dress Code: Same Day, Different Shit

-Just thought I'd throw these up to illustrate something that has been happening to me lately  (though I was reluctant to post these because the tripod height made me look wicked short.) Some days, like today, I have to walk to school pretty early. So I get dressed in my usual manner; 4 out-of 5 days a week I wear some sort of oxford/tie/sweater combo. Then I come home for lunch for about an hour before heading back to school, depending on the day. Lately, the change in temperature between the two times I head to school has been pretty significant, and I've felt like skating on my second trip to school. So I've been trying to figure out how to change into something skatable and not look like a douche bag who goes home and changes his outfit at lunch. These pictures show how I navigated that conundrum today (basically just ditching the tie and untucking so I could move fluidly.) more