MONITALY & YUKETEN LOOKBOOK SS 2012

pics via Monitaly

Classic made in U.S.A. footwear and luggage are exceptional as traditional artifacts of the rugged and refined American past. Since 1985, designer Yuki Matsuda has paid homage to the American crafts and traditions by treasure hunting for outstanding examples of footwear and luggage in remote locales spread out across the rolling Appalachians to the high Sierras.

QUEENSDAY 2012

Today, it's Queensday in Holland and we all wear a splash of Orange.

(pic via Romeyn Tailors)

"THIS IS SO LAST SEASON"

Maybe for guys like Nick Wooster this is all so last season, but certainly not for us earthlings. Look how he combines patterns in a very stylish way. Camouflage, seersuckers, madras, paisley prints it all looks very naturally. Isee, Itry and Idopt. 

SPERRY A PASSION FOR THE SEA

Inventor Paul Sperry

How it all begun

Advertisements from the past 

JFK and Paul Newman made boatshoes popular

The Authentic Original aka A/O

It's all about details

Collaborations with Band of Outsiders, Penfield and Jeffrey's

It all started when Paul Sperry bought himself a Nova Scotia Schooner back in the 30s. He learned that a wet deck was very hazardous with ordinary sneakers even with crepe soles which were fine on a dry deck but felt like roller skating when wet. On a winter's day in Connecticut he let his cocker spaniel dog Prince out for a morning exercise, he seemed to have no trouble running all over the snow-covered backyard. Mr. Sperry looked at the paws of his dog and saw little cracks or cuts going in all directions. An idea was born. He took a piece of rubber, cut it with a penknife, and cemented it under an ordinary pair of sneakers. These wave-like grooves became the inspiration for Mr. Sperry's latest patent, called Razor-Siping and maximized the traction. The Authentic Original Sperry Top-Sider was first introduced in 1935, sold for $ 4,50 a pair from a rented office space in New Haven, CT. Every pair was sold via direct mail, upon a certain moment that Abercrombie & Fitch placed an order, and Mr. Perry gave them the exclusive rights in New York. The popularity of Sperry as a casual shoe grew after WWII. During the 1950s when the restrictions on the use of rubber were lifted and the fact that pictures of John F. Kennedy and Paul Newman in boatshoes where spread around the world, made people want to look like their idol. Today, more then 75 years later, the brand has some great collaborations going on with Band of Outsiders, Penfield and Jeffrey's just to name a few. "Sperry a passion for the sea"

CHAD IS BORN TO BE WILD

Last year I visited the Harley Davidson Museum, which opened it's doors on July 12, 2008. The story about the Harley-Davidson Museum is a true story that started in a family's backyard shed in 1903. The place of the shed and the museum is Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's a story told through steel and brick, leather and chrome, and hands of skillful craftspeople. The museum houses a Harley-Davidson from every year of build as from 1903 till now. The first one called Serial Number One is beautiful displayed in a glass case. Further you can find lots of posters, magazines, clothes, trophies all telling you the story of an American Icon. Part of the tour through the museum is a stop at the restoration area, where the founded gems are carefully restored.

GET YOUR MOTOR RUNNING

HEAD OUT ON THE HIGHWAY

LOOKING FOR ADVENTURE

AND WHAT EVER COMES OUR WAY

                                              

FIELD NOTES - HARVEST TO THE WORLD

"I'm not writing it down to remember it later, I'm writing it down to remember it now." 

Field Notes Brand notebooks are simple cahier style notebooks, a quiet nod to the memo books of days gone by. 

Field Notes co-founder Aaron Draplin started collecting these give-away's from feed and seed brands to save them from the landfill. In the old days these books were a lifeline for the guy on a combine at a cornfield, in this memo book he could find all the knowledge about the machine and the crops.

This Spring Field Notes comes with their own National Crops Edition, a box of 6 memo books celebrating American farmers and the 6 leading crops they grow.

Watch the movie on Field Notes here.

CHAMULA HORSEHAIR BRACELETS

USA based Megcompany, provider of the fine footwear of Yuketen and Monitaly, also delivers awesome wrist fashion from their brand Chamula. Made from horsehair and it comes in a variety of models and colors. While it's the best to keep your wrist game at a minimum, choose one of the options from Woodlands selection. These bracelets add just the right touch of personality without detracting from your Grandfather's watch. (pics via Nubian)