Trembling Bells & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy – The Marble Downs
I’ve not stopped listening to this since coming back from New York. A purchase from Bleecker Street Records along with this Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy E.P. and Dr. John’s new album Locked Down (produced by Dan Auerbach). Anglo American Folk with a large slice of Chamber music thrown in there for good measure. Try this pagan madness as a starter for ten.
Leffot Lined Natural Horween Cordovan Watchstrap.
Just for a change I thought I’d treat you to another post about (you guessed it!) Cordovan. During my recent trip to New York one of the major shopping events on the to do list was a trip to Leffot on the aptly named Christopher Street. And it certainly was right up this Christopher’s street. Their strap line is ‘The feast of shoes’ and it describes perfectly what you’ll find there. The store features an array of left field Churchs, classic and MTO Alden’s, Leffot’s own beautifully crafted Ivy loafers in a range of Cordovan shades, rugged Wolverines, and then right through to the dressiest of shoes in the form of Gaziano & Girling and Edward Green’s.
I went to the store with the intention of ordering a pair of Alden’s I’ve had my eye for a while, but while I was there I found an exceptional collection of watch straps on offer. They had three styles available; their lined version, unlined version, and a Nato style strap, and all in Genuine Horween Shell Cordovan. All these are offered in a generous range of colours and sizes.
Genuine Horween Shell Cordovan. Cordovan is a perfect material for watch straps as it moulds to the wrist much better than calfskin and it is of course much more durable.
I chose the lined version Leffot carry in Natural Cordovan as the colour and the thickness suited the weight and style of the watch. Natural Cordovan is special as it has no colour or dye whatsoever so there’s no cover up of the leather’s imperfections. It’s also a very rare shade to come across so I was not only very happy to find a strap in this material, but also one that fitted my Datejust and more specifically it’s awkward buckle size. Steven at Leffot was on hand to offer good advice and insight in to Cordovan and also took the time to fit the strap for me. I’m looking forward to many years of service out of this strap and absolutely cannot wait until Autumn for those Tanker boots I ordered! If you’re in Greenwich NYC make sure to check Leffot – the feast of shoes.
Fine burnished edges finish this strap off beautifully and look great against the Natural shade.
The contrast stitching on this particular model was also a selling point as it works so nicely with the cream face of the watch.
Perfectly detailed with burnished edges to the strap loops aswell.
Friends in high places. A view from the Highline.
Last weekend a group of friends and myself headed to N.Y.C to celebrate a 30th Birthday shared between my good buddy S.M.Whelan (the future of #womenswear), K.C.Dunst (Jungle based board game enthusiast) and myself, C.D.Moorby (Barnsley Swimming Club 200m Butterfly Bronze medalist). A grand time was had by all at the wake of our twenties and there was nowhere finer to celebrate the passing than the big apple. Sadly the Dunster couldn’t actually make it (too busy upside down smooching elsewhere in NY I expect), but she left us a note. Bless ‘er. Here’s a selection of snaps from five days of exploring, meandering, eating, drinking, shopping, and hanging out.
An early birthday present from the wife before we departed.
One of our first shopping stops as it was only a few blocks away from the apartment we stayed at on W 3rd St. It was good to finally see the Moscot shop. I have a couple of pairs myself and I'm a big fan of the brand. It's a great store and the staff were super friendly and helpful. Emma (my wife) bought a new pair of spectacles in the Bummi style. They took her prescription from her current pair and turned a new pair around for her that day. Great service.
Mandatory port of call in Soho.
Stocking up on the first night. Many styles of Brooklyn beers were sampled on this trip including Brooklyn Weisse, Pilsner, Blast, Summer Ale, IPA, Brown Ale, and the classic lager.
"Beer has dispelled the illness which was in me"
The awesome signage of Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg. This will almost certainly be the abode of choice next time we're out there.
Tarface. Williamsburg.
A visit to The Future Perfect in Williamsburg. Some awesome wares in this place.
Hanno the Gorilla designed by David Weeks. No shopping expedition is complete for my buddy 'Bron' without some sort of posable action figure to show for it.
A long time coming for this visit to Mast Brothers. Decided to try a few flavours I've not seen available in London, but I should have gone with my initial instincts…
…and plumped for the Chef's Tablet in my favourite flavour 'Brooklyn Blend'. As big as a sheet of A4 and an inch thick, this would have kept me sweet for months. Next time.
I'm a total sucker for U.S. Playing Card Co. cards. I picked this 'eco' pack up at Brookfarm General Store (Brooklyn's answer to Labour & Wait).
Finished the day in Williamsburg at Brooklyn Bowl. We worked through a few flavours of Brooklyn Beers here and finished with three pints of Brooklyn Blast. Got the night swinging.
New Museum updated. Rose II.
A view from inside the changing rooms at Nepenthes with curtains made from one of the season's iconic fabrics. Being an Engineered Garments obsessive one of the things I was looking forward to most about the trip was finally getting to visit Nepenthes in person. I had massive expectations for this store and it didn't disappoint. As well as being the mecca for Engineered Garments they had an amazing array of footwear – a collection as obscure and interesting as you could ever wish to find. From left field Tricker's to crazy soled Russell Mocassins I didn't know where to look first. I managed to resist the footwear (I was also was saving myself for Leffot), but despite leaving empty footed I did not leave empty handed…
…Workaday 19th Century shirts in NNY exclusive fabrics. Easy choice.
Nepenthes. Love the embossing on the business cards.
"…is worth two in the bush". BBQ Beer. Can't resist a beer that shares it's name with a necktie knot and is covered in playing cards AND is also an I.P.A. Great beer.
A birthday card from friends who truly understand me. Thanks for the mammaries.
An awesome present in the form of a handmade pocket square from Whelan and McFarline Clothiers.
When you say goodbye to your 20s you get spoiled it seems. More excellent birthday gifting in the form of a chopping board made by Brooklyn based furniture company Gowanus. Built to last. The stripes you can see in the top corner of the image represent morse code for 'B'. Head to Brooklyn Flea to check them out.
The birthday plan was to head to Coney Island for the day, but we found out a little too late that it closes Monday to Friday so we made do with the amazing Highline instead. Not a bad compromise. It's been hugely extended since I last went and the new sections are great. The rhythm and pace of the landscaping is perfect and never becomes dull even over an almost 2km stretch. New Yorkers are lucky to have such a unique and interesting space like this available to them. It amazed me to find out that it's all privately funded too – it takes great vision and belief to invest in such a project and it's paid off. It's given the areas it crosses a great attraction that offers a unique view of the city. Definitely one of my favourite things to do in N.Y.C.
A new addition of the Highline to me was the Sundeck Preserve – an understated, but beautiful approach to a water feature in a stretch that offers uninterupted views of the Hudson River.
A Hipster 'Stool'.
It was a special day for New York my birthday as the new World Trade Center reclaimed it's predecessor's title of tallest building in New York. As it cleared it's 100th floor it finally surpassed the Empire State Building which has abstractly held that position twice in the city.
Ground Zero. Speechless.
A quick lunchtime Mojito at Oficina Latina on Prince Street before we had to head back to the UK.
The only celebrity spot in New York this time was appropriately Seinfeld related and fittingly obscure. The guy in the brown hoodie is Bob Balaban aka Hard-to-impress NBC President Russell Dalrymple. An NBC president walking side by side with a real life NBC (Neil Bron Chatwood). Day: Made.
One last birthday surprise was waiting when we got back. Bless 'er cotton socks – the Dunster never forgets! Thanks Emma x
Here’s a list of things that we visited during our stay that I would certainly recommend doing if you’re heading to N.Y.C. Ordered vaguely by area.
Manhattan
Brooklyn
Yuketen Semi Chukkas worn with Beams Plus Japanese Marl Socks.
Back once again with the Yuketen Sandals. The Semi Chukkas to be precise. Walking a fine line somewhere between Maximus Meridius, The Dude, and Forest Gump, these good time sandals are my choice for summertime meandering. This pair were purchased from the very helpful folks at Denmark’s Støy Munkholm who are the only European retailer carrying these Yuketen models (the rest having all gone to the Asian market). They have both styles available on their online store. You should also check this beautifully presented video giving a tour of Støy Munkholm’s store in Aarhus. I’m going to be sure to check it out if I ever find myself in that part of the world.
Back to the sandals and I went for the Semi Chukka in the end as they looked a little more robust than the Braided style. Interestingly Yuketen are very clear to point out that these styles are made by artisans in Mexico. I know they produce a few styles in Mexico including their very premium Cordovan Longwings Brogues (Goodyear welted leather sole with stunning allover brogue patterning) and it resonates with me as a customer that they are so proud and transparent about their places of production despite a consumer stigma aimed toward various countries. They would not produce anything there unless it absolutely met their exacting standards. Yet another reason I really believe in Yuketen as a brand. All I need now is for Summer to turn up so I can finally break them out proper.
Yuketen – Made by leather artisans in Mexico.
Milroy's of Soho Single Cask Dutch Whisky
I popped in to Milroy’s of Soho during the week looking for a bottle of Sazerac Rye (the stuff seems really scarce these days for some reason), but instead walked out with something I found far more pleasing – Milroy’s Single Rye. A swift taster at the counter is all it took to sell me. It’s salted caramel flavour is what hooked me – a nice smooth salty taste to begin with, quickly replaced by an almost black treacle like flavour. I actually bought it to make Old Fashioneds, but there’s no way I’m chucking anything else in a glass with this stuff – it fully deserves to be enjoyed on its own. Special mention to the excellent staff at the Soho branch of Milroy’s too. Fantastic service.
Milroy's simple, but striking label is a drinks cabinet winner. Mandarin and Imperial Blue. Winner.
Milroy's of Soho
Dennis Wilson circa 'Pacific Ocean Blue'.
I’m trying to keep the Golden Garb choices varied and vaguely seasonal. So with desert based oil drilling and Christmas crime fighting behind us we move on to summertime beach loitering and the first ‘real’ Golden Garb entry; Mr Dennis Wilson.
As it’s well documented, Dennis was the only ‘real’ Beach Boy from the Beach Boys. While the rest of Brian’s troupe waxed lyrical about their boards and surfin’ safaris, Dennis was the only member putting the art of Surfing in to practise. Wave chasing aside he was also the only member to genuinely adopt the free wheeling beach lifestyle that defined much of The Beach Boys music.
Another 'Pacific Ocean Blue' promotional shot. High waisted is the way forward for Den.
The darker sides of Dennis – from his tragic involvement with the Manson Family, the heavy drinking and pot smoking (which damaged his voice to gravelly perfection – see/hear Pacific Ocean Blues), to the alcohol abuse that would lead to his premature death from drowning – all contribute to form a complex and intriguing super dude that is often overshadowed by the legacy and immense talent of his brother, Brian.
Dennis promoting 'Pacific Ocean Blue' circa 1977.
Dennis in the classic Hawaiian shirt.
But rather than this being a mini-biopic of the man I’d of course like to focus on his inimitable relaxed style. There aren’t many gents that can get away with such high waisted pants and still look 110% cooled out with the situation. And not many people have donned Hawaiian shirts with the same degree of sincere causality before or since his Pacific Ocean reign. Team all that up with a Grizzly-Adams-Mountain-Man beard and you’ve got a winning combo on your hands that can even chill a tuxedo the-fuck-out.
Formal Dennis / Casual Dennis. Unkempt beard and penguin suit is always a winning combo for me.
So with many brands ‘reviving’ the Hawaiian shirt this season and some fine examples out there already, I thought it would be good to take a leaf from Dennis’ book to show how to wear ‘em loud whilst playing it cool. Here’s a variety of Dennis vs The Hawaiian Shirt images with some recently available latter day options from Stitched & Stitched favourites; Engineered Garments, Levi’s Vintage Clothing, Monitaly, Our Legacy, and Woolrich Woolen Mills.
Engineered Garments Hawaiian Print Chauncey Shirt from Oi Polloi.
Levi's Vintage Clothing Hawaiian Red Print Shirt from Tres Bien Shop.
Monitaly Vacation Shirt in Geometric Blue and Geometric Teal available from Mohawk General Store.
Our Legacy 1950s Button Down Shirt Indigo Potplant from End Clothing.
OK, so not strictly a Hawaiian, but you get the gist… Woolrich Woolen Mills Half Sleeve African Print Shirt from Sarah Coggles.
Imagery from the Quit Mad Stop SS11 lookbook.
These images are from Quit Mad Stop’s (x!.) SS11 and FW11 collections and although they’ve been knocking around a while I’ve not seen them do the rounds too much so I thought they were still worth a post. With a few surf specific themed brands emerging in the last few years (Saturdays, Batten Sportwear) it seems Quit Mad Stop seem to have the most mature approach of the crop.
The brand was started by Eric Scott and May Redding as a response to a lack of high end quality in the leisure clothing sector. They went to town creating super basic, beautifully crafted pieces all hand sewn in NYC’s garment district. Produced in small runs on a seemingly as and when basis, the brand doesn’t seem too seasonally focused – which I really like. A great board short is a great board short all year round I guess.
Above all, the thing I’ve enjoyed most about this brand is its excellent look book imagery – fantastic styling with a great model, and eccentric and humorous set ups without being too hipster.
Yellow Sailor's Hat.
The stand out pieces for me are the retro feeling board shorts with the tie up front adding a nice twist. The tailoring on these looks spot on. The bags also catch the eye and both the leather and duck canvas versions look as tough as old boots. There’s not a lot of stockists around, but Park and Bond carry a few pieces.
Leather Bag.
Leather Bag – "Made of a heavy, untreated raw shoe-leather, our leather beach bag is designed to weather the elements with seasoned grit. Guaranteed to scar, stain and age beautifully."
The Beach Suit – Windbreaker and #2 Trunks. From the FW11 collection.
The Windbreaker – "As the sun dips and the temperature drops, the chill can bite. That's why we created a water resistant windbreaker made from fabric by Limonta, an Italian mill specializing in advanced technical and aesthetic solutions. It's got a zipper front, a drawstring hood and dual front pockets."
#2 Trunks.
#2 Trunks – "These lace-up shorts are made from fabric by Limonta, an Italian mill specializing in advanced technical and aesthetic solutions, and sport ten stainless steel grommets with a cotton woven draw string. Smart and simple."
The Fisherman's Hat. About the only summer hat I'd consider wearing.
Oh, and the name; it’s from the last three lines of Jack Kerouac’s Bowery Blues apparently reflecting how both Eric and May felt at the point of the brand’s creation.
The Tarp Tent 'Moment' in Mt Rainier National Park, WA. Photo Henry Shires.
Camping season is nearly upon us and it’s time for me to think about a new tent. My current tent is a genorously sized two man North Face Fortress 23, and although I can pick little fault with it, it has proved a little excessive for my last couple of trips. And so to find something smaller and lighter. I’m not really a Bivouac kind of guy – I prefer a few more creature comforts – but I’m prepared to reduce my shelter down to a single walled ultra-lightweight one man tent. After much investigation my research lead me to a very interesting manufacturer called Tarp Tent.
The Moment, with side door open.
Started by Henry Shires in 1999, Tarp Tent make a handful of models for lightweight hiking and camping. Single walled, easy to assemble and simply designed, Henry’s innovative and unique creations have lead to much acclaim and love among outdoor enthusiasts and reviewers. One of the finest examples of this innovative thinking is present in one of Tarp Tent’s lightest models – the Moment.
The Moment uses only two stakes to pitch it thanks to two collapsible ‘Pitchloc’ corner pieces. The Pitchloc is a triangular strut that the stakes anchor down and pull the shelter taut across one single arch pole. The whole thing sets up in under a minute and weighs in at less than 900gsm. Check out the setup video here. At $215 it is also considerably cheaper than many of the bigger brand alternatives. It’s also good to know you’re supporting an independent retailer with an enthusiastic and passionate approach to putting out simple, beautifully designed, functional gear. I’m looking forward to ordering mine very soon. Bring on the Spring.
The foldable Pitchloc corner which is secured by one peg. Two of these pieces provide the structure and stability for the whole tent.
Moment in Norway. Photo Thomas Gauperaa.
Yuketen Braided Sandals.
Found the sandals! Peace, love and tiger fighting is how I’m rolling this summer. Cool out man… cooooool ooouuuut.
Yuketen Semi-Chukka.
Tribal Tribute Bandana in Dune.
A selection of beautiful pocket squares, bandanas, and scarves from Grei, available at Unionmade. I like the quiet eccentricity of some of these pieces. All made in New York City.
Tribal Tribute Bandana in Lagoon
Indigo Waters Bandana in Oyster
Indigo Waters Bandana in Drift.
Intersect Pocket Square in Dune.
Transparent Boundaries Pocket Square in Silt.
Indigo Waters Scarf in Drift (left) and Oyster (right).
