Snowflakes=Fair Isles

Well, the North East has been blasted by another Big Storm. After 20 + inches of heavy snow flakes we are digging ourselves out so today's post is dedicated to to the erruption of the Fair Isle pattern which has been strong in Europe & Asia this past Autumn/Winter, but has been slow to take off here in the States. Be prepared though for next Autumn as this will be the heavy trend which will slowly start to knock heads w/ the very popular argyle we all see these days. Argyles will still remain strong, but plan to see alot of nordic type patterns & fair isles. Here's some pics of the trend which was very strong past Autumn/Winter.

MACKINTOSH

Scotland based rainwear company MACKINTOSH is a lot to be talked about these days, actually 200 plus years they have been talked about. Charles Macintosh developed the first formal waterproof fabric by spreading rubber onto cotton fabric. They have one of the best raincoats to be found.

Handmade and fully waterproof in rubberized cotton, the coat features detachable woolen plaid lining, as well as underarm vents, a corduroy collar, and two buttoned vents in the back–along with the tradition and quality of a Mackintosh product.

www.mackintoshrainwear.com

Now lets go dance in the Rain!!!

Panama Jack

Panama Jack.....boy was he cool!

The legendary Panama hat gained its iconic status when President Theodore Roosevelt wore one on his visit to the Panama Canal. Since then, these hats have graced the heads of style greats ranging from Ernest

Hemingway, Paul Newman & Sean Connerry to the likes of todays musicians such as Wyclef Jean & Will I Am of the Black Eye Peas . Straw woven entirely by hand w/ Interior cotton sweatband.

http://www.jjhatcenter.com/index.php?searchstring=panama&x=0&y=0

http://www.jcrew.com

TRIBUTE: RIP.........Mr. McQueen

On the morning of Thursday February, 11th Designer Alexander McQueen was found dead in his central London home apparently by suicide which is believed he had hung himself . The news shocked fashion all over the world especially New York as fashion week was just starting and just before London fashion week was beginning.

Mr. McQueen was very creative & intelligent. He always thought the fashion industry needed to be pushed and risks taken. He could be very rude w/ a dark side, but elegant at the same time. He was very skilled w/ his designs and known to be one of the best Women's tailors in the world. His expertise was exquisite and understood how clothing was made being either practical or over the top avant-garde.

His designs were provocative and were sometimes shown on models who appeared to have been physically abused and drugged up. He always said "I'm not interested in being liked.....Nicey nice doesn't do it for me".

Alexander McQueen was known throughout his career as a fashion maverick, fusing creative spark with skilled craftsmanship. He is known for introducing such trends as the skinny jean and low rise pants. He put on masterful shows and was a pioneer for putting Britain on the fashion Map. He will be missed!

Alexander McQueen was 40.

1969-2010

www.alexandermcqueen.com

Snow Day = Red Wing Boots

Red Wing Shoes has come back on the scene not only as a work boot, but a fashion must have.

As their saying goes "Built to Fit. Built to Last" these sure will last for years.

Not only can these boots be worn in the snow on a Winter's snowy day they can be worn w/ a great pair of jeans or your favorite khaki's. So throw on your Red Wings and go!!!

Skinned with either Red Wing's exclusive Briar Oil Slick leather or with a rough copper leather, the boots offer niceties like antiqued brass-colored eyelets, Goodyear welt construction, and triple-stitched construction with black and white waxed threads.

www.redwingshoes.com

Red Wing has also teamed up exclusively w/ J. CREW for a Red Wing rugged classic boot.

www.jcrew.com

Super Bowl.....Super Wool Blankets!

$139.00

www.woolrich.com

www.toast.co.uk

www.swansislandblankets.com

$198 - $338

www.pendleton-usa.com

Well, today is Super Bowl Sunday and w/ some of us in the Northeast under 2-3 feet of snow I think of "Super Wool Blankets".
Warm wooly blankets such as Pendleton, Swans Island , Toast & Woolrich.

Enjoy the Super Bowl!

B.D. Baggies Reinvented!

Well B.D. Baggies is finally back and reinvented. Remember the Bag you got w/ the shirt and the bag you carried your shoes in to travel? The new B.D. Baggies has been recreated and has no bag attached...I think a good thing.

Ba Ba Barbour!

The Classic Beaufort Barbour Jacket is the most famous of the Barbour family. This is a waterproof, wax-treated 100% cotton shell with a snap-close throat and storm flaps for additional protection against the elements. Has a corduroy collar studded for an optional hood. Two front bellows pockets and two moleskin-lined hand-warmer pockets. Snap-front storm flap conceals zip-up wallet pocket and a full-width rear game pocket with side zips. Underarm ventilation. Brass-finish two-way metal zipper. Interior cotton Tartan Plaid.

This is a MUST have for that "outdoorsy" type of guy or "city slicker" that just wants to look good, feel good & be warm through a long Winter's Season.

Plaids, Plaids, Plaids!!!

All-American Back from Japan

This was published in the New York Times on 06/17/09 about how the American style preppy has come back around and is sure to stay for awhile especially in these tough economic times we are experiencing. We are all going back to basics that have always worked, but w/ tweak updates.

What makes today’s prepidemic so fascinating is how it is, surprisingly enough, so Japanese. The look has its roots in the United States, to be sure. But the spirit & execution of today’s prep moment is as Japanese as Sony. One need only flip through the intriguing Japanese book “Take Ivy” which I posted yesterday a collection of photographs taken in 1965 by Teruyoshi Hayashida on IVY league campuses, to get the drift.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/fashion/18codes.html

Punxsutawney Phil Predicts 6 More Weeks of Winter

The groundhog has spoken. And it's bad news.

Just a side note from what my intention of this blog is to be, but I thought it would be nice/not so nice to post this and advise all of us in the North East we still have 6 more weeks of Winter, so not cool!

In any case enjoy the Grand Marshall with Punxsutawney Phil on Ground Hog Day! Cheers!

History of Ground Hog Day:
Punxsutawney (puhnk-suh-TAW'-nee) Phil has emerged to see his shadow before chilly revelers in Pennsylvania, meaning winter will last another six weeks.

German tradition holds that if a hibernating animal sees its shadow on Feb. 2 — the Christian holiday of Candlemas — winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, legend says spring will come early.

The Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club annually announces Phil's forecast at dawn on Gobbler's Knob, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Phil's announcement came before hundreds of onlookers who huddled as temperatures hovered in the teens.

The Groundhog Club says since 1887 Phil has predicted more winter weather by seeing his shadow nearly 100 times, but there are no records for nine years.

Take Ivy

My official copy of "Take Ivy" photo by T. Hayashida.

Hardcover with white title and black line illustrations of eight prep school insignias on frt board. First published in 1965, this is the limited 1973 edition. 132 glossy pages. Out of print and exceedingly hard to find. Japanese text throughout. Profusely illustrated with color and b/w photos. In the late sixties, a forward thinking Japanese photographer traveled throughout the northeastern United States stopping at each of the Ivy League schools to document the fashion style of the era. The resulting book, cryptically titled Take Ivy, is pure genius. The photo book was out of print until a few years ago when a small run was re-released, only to immediately sell out. Further proof that preppy / Ivy League style transcends time and trends. Teruyoshi Hayashida documents the calm before the storm in images whose energy and freshness are undiminished by 4 decades of transformations in both the U.S. and Japan, on and off-campus. Highly sought after in Japan, the limited-run title remained virtually unknown to the English-speaking audience until 2008, when it was discovered by influential bloggers.

Fashion, Preppy Clothing, Ivy League Schools, Dartmouth, Yale, Harvard, Cornell, Sixties fashion, Style

Price = 2000.00 USD

Pendleton Roll Wool Blanket

Love this!
Preppy is back and so is the Plaid....which leads us to Pendleton Virgin Wool products Made in USA.

The Pendleton Roll-up Wool Blanket is always ready for sporting events, beach parties, or impromptu roadside picnics. Over 140 years of textile expertise and heritage go into each of these lightweight, luxurious travel blankets. Stash one in the trunk of each car and you’ll be ready for anything.

www.pendleton-usa.com