Oh and follow up to the parka issue i bought this one from topman

http://us.topman.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=32052&storeId=13051&categoryId=137955&parent_category_rn=137945&productId=1385434&langId=-1

Cant get the image so the link will have to do.

I dont like the photo with the sleeves rolled up but i was very impressed with it, nice and autumnal a little to late i fear but it may do me another jacket through the bitter winter in london.

ive been off here for so very long now. Had great plans to force myself to blog at least once a day but i can't seem to get around to tweet once a day let alone write anything of any substance.

Anywho, was at the UCL Christmas carol concert tonight and through all the festivities couldn't help but notice two things;

1 how inappropriately dressed i was, their was nothing festive about me

2 how damn cold i was.

And so to kill two birds with one stone i must go buy myself a Christmas jumper soon very soon.

On other news im slightly infatuated with this photo at the moment

Im not sure why but the proportions just seem right, the long crotch and those three buttons on the trousers the high boots just do it for me. A cheaper and botched together copy may be coming my way very soon. Maybe paired with that newly purchased festive jumper. Well we'll wait and see.

Satyenkumar

Satyenkumar has been one of my favourite designers for a long time now ever since some of the spectacular aw08 collection which had some beautiful pieces such as an amaizing panel sweat which was just sublime. I dont know how i've missed his aw09 collection until now but i absolutely love the whole look of the collection. There are clear trends running through it, the relatively high waisted trousers which i believe need to make a come back big time soon. The clear matching colours with not too much contrast goes with a lot of the monochrome stuff i'm wearing at the moment. I gave up trying to be bold with colour and am now trying to be bold with texture, it is very interesting the subtleties you can create with similar shades and unusual materials, maybe even some subtle patterns.

Anyway Daniel Jenkins has some stand out pieces from this latest collections plus a few bits and pieces from older collections i believe so go check them out.

The Mountan Parka

After finding this sketch of a mountain parka in my internet trawling the urge to buy became ever so strong. I love parka's in general but i always think that a full length one squashes my already short legs down into odd little stumpy things that are completely unflattering. However this mountain cropped style is, for a man with shorter than desired legs a preferable option. I love the four large external pockets and the rugged military feel to the whole thing, and as i said earlier i want to make my wardrobe more masculine so why not veer away for harington jackets and towards a more outdoorsey look.

As of purchasing i got stuck between two different pieces.

http://www.fusshop.co.uk/garbstore_mountain_providence_parka_used_black.html

This one is from Garbstore and despite it not having the two large chest pockets that i loved in the first picture I am quite partial to little bits of leather detailing. The toggles and the strip in the middle are simply sublime and I love that dark olive colour with the orange lining so very much.

The other is this Woolrich Woolen Mills Parka which i have pretty much fallen head over heals in love with.

.

http://www.thebureaubelfast.com/shop/product/402/woolrich-woolen-mills-olive-mountain-parka/

The detailing on this is indescribable. As with all Woolrich Woolen Mills products it it assured to be made to the very highest quality with a 100% cotton outer and 100% wool lining. With 3 large bellow pockets and one vertical zip pocket it almost ticks all boxes there and again it has some of those little details that really make it. The leather toggles , the raglan sleeve and the rear poachers pocket add those little bits that push this jacket into the lead.

Sewing machines ready?

I stumbled upon this http://sidewalkchalks.blogspot.com/ today. Which is a blog of a design student at LCF. I love finding these sort of guys out, young and ambitious designers who could quite easily populate and create the next generation of menswear.

I was particularly keen on this shear jumper and the side fastening shirt. The shirt is still so simple, so clean and basic, but by pulling the buttons round to the side the slight twist and change of proportions is really quite attractive. That teamed with the jumper which adds so much depth to the white increasing the contrast in it and giving it so much more than what the plain white shirt without it could give.

Its worth looking out for these kind of guys , you never know what you might discover?

Opening Ceremony

When i spoke earlier about wanting to push myself colour wise i think i may have found a piece that will do just that this summer.

I've already been looking for a Breton top for a while now, all be it a slightly more traditionally styled one but its still in basic a breton at heart. The dropped shoulders and wide neck still being there but the red and white are a more suitable colour for me right now. As i said, i have far too much navy blue and blues n general clogging up my rails and even though in the middle of summer i can kind of get away with it i fear that during the up coming grey months the blues will be turned to a murky stodge by the muffled light.

So i need something to brighten up my winter, something which will still sit alongside most of my other clothes but stand out for the solidness of colour. This Opening Ceremony Breton is so perfect, i love the bright red stripes which sit so well on the creamy backing. The elbow patches bring another layer of colour whilst hopefully matching up with all of that blue i already have. i've also wanted an excuse to by some sky blue loafers in the last couple of days and this might just be the item that allows me to do that. I'm also head over heals about that little tan button which looks so precariously hung on the chest pocket and the white stitching that fringes the elbows.I know its not that out there or crazy but i really struggle with colour, its something i need to ,lets say, work on.

I've also taken quite a fancy to this Carolyn Massey

cape. I found something similar in a vintage shop about a month ago but didn't have the funds to buy it at the time and have been meaning to make a trip but east to have a look if it is still there but i severely doubt it will be and i don't think i can afford the real thing.

Oh well i'll keep my eyes open and maybe something will fall into my arms.

whys this fucking thing cutting off the right half of the pictures. fuck it i'll deal with it later.