Trousers sandwiched by the seasons

My current favourite in-between look

Through a combination of the somewhat confused and unpredictable weather over the last few weeks and the influx of Spring/Summer 09 editorials and look books (with a few sale purchases thrown in to spice things up a little bit), there seems to be a confrontation between what I should wear and indeed what I want to wear (which at times becomes more than a mere scuffle in my mind and wardrobe)...The bedroom is often transformed in to a well fingered H&M display, much to the annoyance of Susie...

Today it was the turn of my Unconditional Wrap trousers to take the sartorial punches and accessorising hair pulling...

In the winter corner we have a pile of knits, including a bargain of a Uniqlo jumper, the recently acquired huge cowl by Yokoo, shiny Lanvin boots and black M&S leather gloves which were of course a Christmas present...


In the Spring corner we have white sheer shirt by Handmade in England, navy blue cardigan jacket from COS (a sale buy) and white Chukka Boots by Vans.

Am I suffering these somewhat schizophrenic attire choices alone or are you feeling as confused as I am?

Looking back with the help of Penthouse

First things first, we hope you all had a very Merry Festive Break! Secondly, as we prepare to bid farewell to 2008 our thoughts are often preoccupied by the promise of a New Year (I was reliably informed by Charlie Brooker that they will call this new year 2009...to be honest with you I'm a little disappointed, my fingers were crossed for it to be named Steve...the Year of Steve has a much better ring to it) but lets be different. We often look forward at this stage in the year but one of my Christmas presents has helped me challenge this usual festive occurrence and I've decided to swivel my neck owl like and look back...way back. The presents in question were two old issues of Penthouse - The Magazine for Men (from 1968 and 1969 respectively). and unfortunately, it is safe to say that they don't make them like that anymore. The content is wonderfully diverse, for example articles include; an interview with Steve Abrams who champions the campaign to legalise cannabis, The Promiscuity Myth which discusses how homosapiens have always 'gone in for' marriage, The Do-It-Yourself Capitalist, an interview with Otto Von Habsburg who was once heir to the Austro-Hungrarian empire and became a political author and lecturer. I would love to unearth a magazine which covered such an eclectic mix of issues today (with the odd shot of a natural breast or two thrown in as well) but for now I will just have to settle for Monocle but will write to Tyler Brûlé in the New Year requesting a few bare breasts. As well as great articles there are a couple of interesting editorials, not to mention a few classic advertisements which will provide inspiration for the coming year.

Apologies for the poor image quality (I really need to invest in a scanner)...

Skin Game is my favourite editorial and sees a wonderful combination of monochrome, smoky /soft focus shots with sheepskin jackets and a pigskin suede trench coat. Accompanying the imagery was the following blurb which seems hell bent on ensuring the readers knows where the materials came from...Button out the cold this winter in sheepskin and suede. Bulk has been sheared away with body-shaping and closer-fitting cut. There are many exciting new colours this season, too. After all, once the original owner has died there is no reason why its and coat shouldn't be dyed, too - makes it more individual for the next owner. As for wear and warmth, that remains built-in. Lasts a lifetime-and it did for the previous owners.

I've never seen this many buckles in one shot...

Something Afoot sees an organised pile of varied shoes used to breathe new life into the old adage that 'you can tell a gentlemen by his shoes' by suggesting that you can now (well since 1968) tell that the gentlemen is in fashion. I adore this double page spread but rather than inspire me to put my best foot forward, I have to agree with the title that there is something afoot and it seems to be the penchant of double buckles and too much tanned leather...

There were just sooo many poses to choose from but here are two of my favourite looks

Get in the picture with ICI Fibres depicts Seth Cohen's style icon in an album of leisurewear made from a combination of relatively new fandangled fabrics ranging from bri-nylon, bri-nova and crimplene...but I love the poses more than anything else and will certainly try a few in my upcoming style posts...

So, rather than let your thoughts get distracted by the promises of tomorrow why not take some time out and have a look back at the past. You don't have to look at old porn magazines but I would certainly recommend it!

Advent - Day Twenty Five

We loved the above so much we just had to make it our Christmas Card to you. Merry Christmas and enjoy the Holidays. We hope Santa brings you everything on your list and more whilst you enjoy some quality time with all of your family! We will post before the New Year and have lots of interesting pieces up our sleeves for 2009!

Advent - Day Twenty Four

I have only recently fallen head over heels with the Visvim brand but the more I see the deeper my love gets...the Virgil boot and FBT Shaman in this brown kangaroo leather are the best yet. If I had any Christmas shopping to do either of these would be my footwear of choice...I would just have to go out and buy them first...Happy Christmas Eve to one and all.

Advent - Day Twenty Three

As always the last few days before the big day move along at a headache inducing speed, my to-do list today is just too long as I pack my bag and head back to the seaside for Christmas. Being at home at Christmas guarantees the following: enough food to feed an army and enough drink to inebriate one as well, the odd argument and that the whole thing will be documented by a room full of photographers... I doubt very much that anyone will have a bag as beautiful as this one.

Image courtesy of Kix-Files and sourced from Selectism

Canon invited the famous Japanese fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro to design a classic yet stylish (and most importantly practical camera) case for the newly launched PowerShot G10 (which is available in limited quantities in Hong Kong)....Father Christmas if it's not too late I would like both of these please...I've been a good boy (on the most part) this year.

Advent - Day Twenty Two

Now that Susie has gone to work I can undertake secret present wrapping and what better way to set the Christmas mood than this version of Little Drummer Boy performed by David Bowie and Bing Crosby (which of course was requested by Ian Brown...the acting quality might be a little questionable but the voices are wonderful.

Advent - Day Twenty One

Just a quick one for you today to remind you of when Christmas is best- when you're still only little. You're never too little to be dapper, however, as this cheeky chappy shows. Hope you're not in Christmas wrapping hell at the moment... unlike me!

Advent - Day Twenty

Apologies for the late unveiling of box number twenty but I had last minute Christmas shopping to do (which almost killed me) and EJ is at a wedding. To celebrate the fact that my Christmas shopping is now complete, I just had to share one of my favourite Christmas song and video with you all...

Wham's Last Christmas was released in the same year as my birth so I have a special bond with it, unfortunately the song never quite made it to the Christmas number one spot all because of Bob Geldof's project Band Aid. The video and styling is so 80s, I am always mesmerised by George Michael's bouncing mullet. A large part of me wants to re-enact this ski lodge scene with my own friends...maybe next year.

A seasonal fairytale

Unlike EJ, who only has a few bits to get, I still have a lot of my Christmas shopping to do over the next few days and I'm sure to encounter nightmarish scenes (my fault for not being organised enough!) but when did Christmas become so real, so much responsibility and stress? Christmas should always be a time of wonder not just one of mass consumption (both presents and food). I used to love this time of year, not just because of the unwrapping of presents which were brought to you by family members you only see once a year combined with the constant influx of food coming from the kitchen but because it was the only time of year when we all came together to create something special. It used to be a time like no other in the calender, when whole streets were transformed and excitement filled the air. The decorated tree just although lovely just doesn't fill the same anymore.

I've never been one who enjoy doing anything on a stage but I used to love dressing up as a shepherd for my annual nativity play. Now that I'm older, Christmas just isn't the same because all of the kids in my family have grown up...so it is a time when the grown up family get together not one of wonder and make believe. Don't get me wrong it is still an enjoyable time but it has lost what makes it unique. In the Christmas and New Year Issue of Fashion156, the editorial depicts a winter fairy tale and the picture book scenes just remind me of how I used to see this time of year.

As always with Fashion156 the editorial mixes new designers with some of my favourites. This jumper comes from a newly launched knitwear label called Sibling and is teamed up with YMC black trousers.

The jumper above is by Katie Eary (who is a recent RCA Grad and has been featured as part of DazedDigital's Fashion's New Optimisim) and is paired with nylon trousers by Carola Euler, boots by bstore and the fantastical look is finished with a furry mask by Soren Bach.

For some reason the above look reminds me of the Shepherd I used to play between the ages of five and ten but obviously it is how I'd love to dress the part now as opposed to how I looked back then. The look contains the best pieces from the Raf Simons AW 08 collection (the shirt and coat combo) and is worn with grey trousers by Carola Euler and hi tops by Balenciaga.

This tartan jumper comes from Balenciaga and is my favourite piece (if anyone is wealthy and would like to get me a present...). I expect a few surprises to come out from this Fashion House and look forward to see what Nicolas Ghesquière's team come up with in the New Year.

As you can see, the styling steps away from the season 'must haves' or a guide to the best party outfits which we see in the vast majority of publication and instead concentrates on original pieces that will allow you to stand out from the crowd and celebrate style at it's most fantastical. Who cares if they're not perfectly suitable for everyday wear? Hopefully, these images will at the very least transport you to the Christmas' of old before you have to return to the stress and panic which the festive season now brings.

Advent - Day Nineteen

Daniel Jenkins is one of the many friends that we have made this year through writing this blog. His passion for menswear and his vision for his own boutique in deepest, darkest Wales is both contagious and inspiring. Box number nineteen on our advent calender reveals Daniel Jenkins' store Christmas Card...

Seasons greetings from Daniel Jenkins (Welsh Translation - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year)

As well as seasonal greetings in Welsh the scene features his three dogs (Inigo and Vesper the Cocker Spaniel puppies and Hector the whippet) doing a rather able job of accessorising his Stansfield, Siv Stodal, April77 and Satyenkumar get up.

Best DIY Project Ever!?!

I was fortunate enough to watch Daft Punk play the 02 festival two summers ago in Hyde Park and was blown away by their performance and of course I left the park wanting my own robot leathers outfit complete with LED Helmet. During my daily visit to Kanye's blog where I gaze over the plethora of links which he has managed to amass that particular day, I came across the best piece of DIY I have ever seen. If Casey Pugh entered this video into The Sunday Best's contest he would surely have a chance of walking away with the prize...

My Daft Punk helmet from Casey Pugh on Vimeo.

This makes me lose heart in the quality of my own entry to the contest but inspires to spend some of my Christmas holiday with a screwdriver and many, many LEDs. If I don't return from my Christmas break you will know why...

Inspired by Jonathan+Olivia

Jonathan+Olivia is a forward minded fashion boutique based in Vancouver which features international clothing for both men and women (including the likes of Acne, Hyden Yoo, Rag&Bone, Robert Geller, Stansfield...). The boutique was named after the owner's (Jackie O'Brien) niece and nephew which I find unbelievably cute as I have visions of stylish little toddlers (as per the Parisian Toddler featured last month) but I guess the name will be less cute when they get older...

Within issue eight of h(y)r collective (which has become one of my favourite online reads) the store has presented it's Autumn/Winter 08 lookbook as part of the the issues editorial feature and the relaxed but somewhat romantic Autumn scenes depicted make me realise that I just didn't play in the leaves enough this year.

The style of the editorial has made me want to do something similar on the blog. A somewhat candid but (attempted) stylish look in to what we'll be wearing in the coming season. The Spring/Summer 09 look books are fast being shown here and within the rest of the blogosphere but expect a Style Salvage attempt sometime in the New Year. I am envisioning a roadtrip to the seaside, I want donkeys and sandy beaches...In all seriousness this lookbook has inspired me to take more personal style shots and I've added this to my ever growing New Year's Resolution lists which is now more like the original transcript of Kerouac's 'On the Road' than your average list...

Advent - Day Eighteen

Ladies and gentlemen, my sore head and heavy cold reliably informs me that we have well and truly in the midst of festive party season. The simple but cute styling of the Lanvin x Acne collaboration is a lesson to us all on what to take to a party...nothing makes a party like flowers for the hostess and a balloon, well for everyone, a party just isn't a party without balloons.

The Lanvin x Acne collaboration has already made me drool all over my laptop once this year following the early glimpses of the denim hi tops. We have had to wait since July to see additional pieces of the collection but thankfully the waiting is over. It seems that alot of people were somewhat desperate for the release because a number of the pieces have already sold out. My favourite piece of the collection is the relaxed fitted double breasted jacket but with the pound so weak against the Euro, this collaboration is a little out of my reach (the prices are certainly more Lanvin than Acne) but if you have not spend all of your money on Christmas the collection is available here.

Tom Ford's Rule Number Seven

"Just like girls need to learn to be comfortable in heels before they go out in them for the first time, a man should try wearing a suit throughout a normal day. I do most things in a suit - and sometimes even in a tuxedo - and so I'm really comfortable in one."

Tom Ford's 'Rules of Style' were recently featured on Men.Style and have been making the rounds on the blogosphere ever since. From I've read a number of guys are somewhat bemused by some of his rules (as am I) but surely we can all agree on the above rule. When wearing a suit or tuxedo the Texan born designer looks as though he has never worn anything else. He is so at ease in one of his sartorial ensembles that the material becomes a second skin. One of my New Year's Resolutions (I seem to have knocked up quite a few) is to wear more suits and become as comfortable in one as a pair of worn in APC jeans and a white Martin Margiela t shirt. Currently I love wearing suits (I still get that little buzz of 'power' when wearing one) but I do fidget in one whilst out and love nothing more than returning home and becoming a slob-like again.

The timing of Ford's rules coincide with the look book images for his Spring/Summer 09 collection and there are plenty of suits on show which I'd be happy to wear as my second skin. Ordinarily, I might have dismissed this collection as exaggerated Italian Dandy but I have to admit that I have simply fallen in love with the use of colour, the styling, the hair, the everything. For me, this look would be completed by watching the world go by with espresso on a piazza, an Ateliers helmet (I know these are French but they are beautiful) on the table and a Vespa parked close by. I am dreaming up an Italian summer city break already...

Advent - Day Seventeen

Whilst in Paris, I had lunch inside Printemp where I tucked in Steak Tartare underneath a 1923 circa Art Nouveau cupola. The beauty was somewhat ruined by Susie nudging me under the table and gesturing me to look at the chap sitting at the table next to me. I had a quick glance over him and nothing was unusual about his appearance and I certainly didn't know him...then I looked down at his feet and saw him wearing a pair of Ugg boots. We have already written about our dislike for these glorified slippers but rather than continue down that line, I have stumbled across a stylish alternative whilst shopping on Farfetch...

These suede sherling boots come courtesy of the hi-top and all round shoe designer champion himself Pierre Hardy. If you like cosy footwear there really is no excuse to forget about style...

Gareth Pugh To Showcase Menswear in Paris

This afternoon Vogue.co.uk (closely followed by Brandish) posted some news that made me choke on the leftover garlic naan bread I was nibbling on for my lunch (which was probably a good thing because stale naan is never good!). Known for his imaginatively dramatic designs, Gareth Pugh's first menswear collection will be showcased as part of the upcoming Paris menswear shows in January and is scheduled to take place on Sunday 25 at the Palais de Tokyo (which is one of my favourite places in Paris and where the designer presented his Parisian debut collection back in September and can be seen here). On the release of the news Gareth remarked..."It just feels like an organic progression and yes, I am going to be very busy working over Christmas!"

His solid, architectural aesthetic melds progressively with the Gothic, the futuristic, the treacherous, and the peculiar, all of which are things men's fashion has been crying out for! Whatever you think about his designs (I for one dream of wearing the Elizabethan Stormtrooper look he presented in Paris last time round and I was a little surprised to read that Marilyn Manson is also a fan), Pugh never fails to put on a great show whilst creating much discussion and this is just what menswear needs right now because it has to be said that not many menswear designers have managed to charter new territory in recent presentations...in fact I can only think of Thom Browne as the only menswear designer who brings a little theatre to the runway. Following two seasons of mediocre fashion weeks with little to talk about it is about time something came along and mixed things up a little bit. As Gareth Pugh has a busy Christmas (as I will no doubt put on a few pounds eating an excessive amount of roast potatoes...I guess you could call that busy) I just can't wait for Fashion Week...which is something I didn't think that I would type given the yawn inducing previous two seasons.

I will certainly return to this piece of news in a future post but I just have to digest the information and that naan bread a little more, plus I wanted to spread the news. What do you make of the news that the Dark Prince is venturing into menswear?

Advent - Day 16

As we are in the final stages of twilight in 2008 it makes sense to look forward to the coming year. A recent feature in Wallpaper gives us reason to be hopeful in the form of the wind of change sweeping through a number of fashion houses with the influx of new creative directors who are sure to bring a welcome infusion of energy and invention. My favourite appointment has been Kim Jones who has taken the creative reigns at Dunhill which is why he is under box number sixteen on the Style Salvage Advent Calender.

OK, so Kim Jones has been at the helm of this British luxury goods label since March so is this not old news? No. His first offering was a range of leather accessories for Spring/Summer 09 but we have to wait until January until we see his first full menswear collection. The piece in Wallpaper teases me with a brief interview, my favourite Q&A being...

How difficult is it to balance the rich heritage of the brand with bringing it into the 21st century?
If you really look at the Dunhill heritage you will see that there is nothing ‘old’ about it, in fact it is wonderfully modern. Alfred Dunhill himself was obsessed with innovation and new technology, which means that there are pieces in the archive that are just as relevant today as anything I design.

I'm excited to see where Kim Jones who has such a cult following for his refined, casual clothing will take this luxury goods company.

Visions of President Obama

Even though US President-elect Barack Obama will be donning a Hart Schaffner Marx single-button, notch-lapel tuxedo for the evening festivities on Inauguration Day, WWD have asked a number of leading menswear designers to create a day and evening look for this historic day and the pick of their designs can be seen here...

Obama has a lean, toned 6 ft 2 inches tall physique and Rag & Bones's vision for Obama is one which extenuates his sleek silhouette with a well cut suit for day and full on tuxedo with tails to wow his admirers in the evening.

My own personal favourite day/evening look for the US President Elect comes from GQ's Designer of the Year Thom Browne. From these wonderful sketches I envision Obama as being as dancing Fred Astaire like all the way through his swearing in ceremony.

After appearing on the covers of GQ, Esquire, Men's Vogue and Men's Health there can be little doubt that Obama will become a style icon for many. Despite his guaranteed style icon status it is extremely unlikely that I'll ever see a President wearing a sequined jacket as per Richard James' vision for Obama...I can't decide whether this is a good or bad thing...

What would you wear as President of this struggling Superpower?

Advent - Day Fifteen

I'm back in good ol' Blighty after having a lovely (but oh sooo cold) long weekend in Paris and it is nice to be sitting opposite my Christmas Tree once again...if Paris wasn't so expensive (damn the strong Euro!) the tree would be accompanied with a few more presents. Whilst away, EJ sent me a link to a beautiful pair of bauble like Hi-top trainers by Alejandro Ingelmo that would like look great on or under my tree....

Alejandro Ingelmo has very few stockists (which is why I've not come across his work before, even though he has been designing men's accessories since 2006) but fortunately he is stocked at Oki-Ni and these futuristic beauties can be purchased here. If I owned these shoes I would certainly think twice about hurling them towards the deservedly downtrodden soon-to-be ex-President of the United States...they would more than likely shatter into a thousand pieces and they are just too pretty for such a fate.

The early morning Eurostar has made me sleepy so I think I'll switch on the Christmas lights and curl up on the sofa watching trashy TV...normal blogging service will resume shortly.

Advent - Day Fourteen

If you're fed up of all the jingle bells and twinkly lights of Christmas, today's advent offering might be a little more appealing. I love the styling of this video, particularly the alternative Father Christmas. The song itself is great and I love the chance to big up a local band.

Advent - Day Thirteen

'ello Guvnor! Today is Dick Van Dyke day. Today is also the day when Style Salvage's partners share a birthday with this loveable but ultimately terrible cockney...Happy Birthday to Rob, Susie and Dick, we love you all!

Here is the man of the moment (back in 1965) on the cover of Showtime after they made him their man of the month following his awesome leading man performance in Mary Poppins.

You beat me to it! Very happy birthday wishes to one and all... and also to Steve Buscemi and Malta. What an auspicious day!

Advent - Day Twelve

Bonjour from Paris. Apologies for not unveiling box number twelve on the Style Salvage Advent Calender but I have been nursing the big daddy of hangovers in my hotel room and I just could not face typing on the worlds smallest keyboards. In the true spirit of Christmas (As a child I remember watching my parents trying to set up my Scaletrix set following a boozy Christmas Eve) I have worked through the pain and present this image from Oily Boy as shown by the Sartorialist and mentioned on Tyler Brule's recent FT.com column...

Advent - Day Eleven

Along with socks, ties are a regular fixture wrapped up under the tree, they are perceived to be the safe option or at least they used to be...

Who not ruffle some feathers (I am hilarious) with one from Lanvin's AW accessories range? Yes they're over the top (everything at Christmas is), yes they're somewhat ridiculous, and, yes, they are completely impractical (just how would you tie it without destroying those fine feathers?). I'm not sure what my Uncle would say after unwrapping one of these but I would love to find out. Ever since I fell in love with a black feathered belt by Blaak (seen at the Old Curiosity Shop), I just want to experiment by incorporating feathered accessories to add texture and a little extravagance to an outfit.

Bailey's Lost Matchstick Man?

The title of this post is somewhat optimistic but you have to aim high right? There is no doubt that the Burberry Prorsums AW 08 collection was one of the stand out collections way back at the beginning of the year and as this year draws to a close it is about time that I present to you my own interpretation...using the fruits of my DIY challenge and dlittlegarden's handywork!

To reach my Burberry knock off look, the DIY Cardigan is worn with grey shirt from bstore, vintage bow tie from Marks&Spencer, grey trousers from peoplesmarket, patent shoes by swear and winter warming accessories from dlittlegarden.

This little tribute look was a long time coming but I'm glad that I've finally done it. I can now move on from my little obsession...I wonder what the next one will be...

DIY - Cardigan Reborn

EJ certainly raised the bar with her wonderfully executed and amusing Tache Gloves (these would make a great, inexpensive Christmas Gift). For my DIY Project I wanted to create a double layered cardigan because I have been crazing one ever since I saw them strut down the LS Lowry inspired Burberry AW 08 runway but could not find a more affordable version anywhere. The colour palette that Bailey used in that show made me want to rush out and play in imaginery piles of crispy red and brown leaves...and I wanted to achieve something similar. Then I remembered about my well worn Reiss cardigan which was lying somewhat unloved at the bottom of one of my drawers. Susie actually featured this cardigan on her blog long before we started going out and it was the first time that I took notice of style and fashion blog...more importantly it was the first real opportunity for me to speak to her at work (for those of who don't know we used to work at the same office) and of course great things have later blossomed. Therefore, this Reiss cardigan deserved a much better life than the one it had found itself in. So under the guise of the Men Represent DIY Challenge, I just had to breathe fresh life into this special piece of knitwear.

What you will need...

- Two cardigans, preferably battered and old. I actually decided to treat myself to an extra fine Merino Wool Cardigan from Uniqlo in a complimentary shade because my deep aubergine Reiss Cardigan deserved a fine companion.
- Needle & thread
- Pins
- A steady hand and patience...neither of which I have!

What I did...

1) It seemed that the bottom drawer had not been too kind on the Reiss Cardigan and a repair job was needed on a few rips, tears and loose buttons, so out came the needle and thread to make some fat fingered amends.


2) Following the repair job, I carefully cut along the seams of the sleeves to create a sweater vest out of the Uniqlo cardigan. To maximise my thrifty-ness I kept hold of the sleeves because these could quickly be turned into arm warmers.

3) I've really never seen the appeal of sweater vests so continued to cut until all I was left with were the two front panels.

4) Now came the fun part. The joining of the two. I overlapped each panel and played around with it until I was happy with the appearance of the overlap (two inches at the bottom, thinning out to the top) and pinned the garments in place. All that was left now was to sew where the two seams met and the cardigans were now entwined.

Apologies for the brightness in this shot. I will post styled pictures of the cardigans later today...

I'm ashamed to say that this was the first time that I've held a needle and thread since Primary School (we took basic textiles classes in Year Four) and my technique certainly improved as the morning developed. Now that I have awoken my crafty side, I have taken the needle and thread to add leather buttons to my Angels find. Over the course of a few hours, I had breathed fresh life into two garments and hopefully this inspires you to at least think about doing the same.

Advent - Day Ten

Christmas can be an emotional time. We all eat and drink too much whilst spending so much time with our loved ones that at times you just want to escape the clutches (and lips) of that over friendly grandma and find that perfect sanctuary...it is an emotional time where we all wear our hearts on your sleeves...so why not accessorise accordingly....

Twenty year old twins Dee and Ricky have been busy this year multi tasking their way into the Marc Jacobs show, making music, creating art and getting photographed by The Sartorialist. The highlight of all that work is of course the Lego heart brooch which you might have seen gracing the chest of Kanye West during the promotion of 808s and Heartbreaks. As well as red, the heart also comes in black or multi-coloured and at $65 (or £40) it is a bit pricey (as it is Lego after all) but it is Christmas and it is awesome so it makes a great gift for yourself...or if you are feeling generous you can always wrap it up for that special someone.

The package which saved winter

The package from Daphne has saved me from the cold!

Over the course of the last month or so I have wasted a great many hours wandering the desperate stores on the High Street (30% Off Sales Signs have become a regular feature) in the hope of finding an assortment of accessories which will keep me warm this winter. Last year Topman gave me my black ribbed arm warmers (I don't think I took them off between Christmas and the end of February) and a few other bits but this year this usually reliable source just didn't offer good quality, chunky knitted goods and neither did the others. My feet were tired and my eyes ached from the ridiculously brightly lit stores and just when I could not take any more punishment up stepped etsy seller, dlittlegarden to fill the gap in the market! Whilst I was bemoaning the lack of options on the High Street, the lovely Daphne (who as well as knits has a great blog) has been busy working on the men's knitted pieces for her etsy store and was kind enough to send a few of the items across for me to try out and model. The items she sent me were the...

"Brawl on Bowery" mitts - these are chunky knit fingerless gloves and exactly what I've been looking for over the last month. My fringers hands can now be nice and toasty!
"Christopher Street" Cowl - this is the first time that I've ever worn a cowl and I Love it. This chunky knit ribbed cowl scarf is dressed with brown leather buttons and is my favourite piece because it is so unexpected.
"Triangle Below Canal" Cap -I've recently described how I'd like more men to wear hats and in weather like this a chunky knit cable cap like this is the only answer.

My essentials to combat the cold - Knitted accessories by dlittlegarden worn with long sleeve Heatech tshirt by Uniqlo.

All of her hand knits are made out of a soft, squishy, pure wool/alpaca blend yarn that feels great against the skin and works perfectly to combat the cold. I have had great fun wearing these pieces over the course of the last week and below are my two favourite looks...

Don't be fooled by the bright sunshine. It was damn cold...not that I felt it!

The Angels Sale find was given a new lease of life by teaming it up with dlittlegarden's accesories and a HeatTech t shrit by Uniqlo. I am really enjoying mixing different shades of grey at the moment and think that it works perfectly for a winter warming look. The outfit was finished off with a Tokyo print pocket square by Muji and a Tote bought from Hurwendeki.

My second favourite look involves the current favourite items in my possession. A large purple checked pea coat from Uniqlo (I managed to find the only small in all of London!) and dlittlegarden's "Christopher Street" Cowl. If I could wear these items all day everyday I would be a happy man indeed.

The winter saving package arrived last week and it certainly made my day...in fact it made my week because I'm not sure that I could have coped with the recent cold London weather if it wasn't for her beautiful, knitted creations. From my experience, there is definitely a gap in the market for good quality, well priced knitted accessories and even though the High Street has proved fruitless for me this season, there is rich pickings on etsy thanks to crafty folk like dlittlegarden.

Advent - Day Nine

Happy Christmas spelt out in socks by Happy Socks

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without at least one new pair of socks... at least, it isn't for me. My family have been fully informed of this fact after one terrible year where I didn't get a single pair. Oh god, the memories are coming back! Nooo!

So yes, here's my selection of socks for this Noel...

This classic sock gift set from Tabio covers a few bases.

Yes these are sort of novelty socks, but the aviator shades just merge to create a more abstract pattern from a distance.

You may remember that we wrote about Happy Socks back at the end of October. So where would this list be without a couple of pairs from them? I'm aware that these bad boys are extremely pink, but it's flashes of colour that just might help keep your spirits bright while playing yet another game of charades... and I like this pair as they have a slightly seventies feel.

I love this pair from Paul Smith because for some reason they remind me of Tron in a very good way.

But please, Santa, can I have Joker socks? Please?

UPDATE: The folks at Happy Socks want to make it a Happy Christmas for one of you! They have offered to reward one lucky reader with their preferred choice of four pairs of socks. All you have to do is drop us a comment with your email address and we will enter your name into the Style Salvage prize draw.

EDIT: thanks for all your entries! The competition is now closed!

DIY tash

When I saw the Jack Spade for Gap for Colette x Gap moustache gloves my first thought was 'dude, those are so sweet' (yes, I turn into an American teenager when excited). My second thought was 'I could do that'. So, for my DIY/men represent project, I did.

What you will need:
- Gloves
- Felt
- Needle & thread
- Tailors chalk
- Scissors
- Pen & paper

...and it helps to have a mirror.

(I think you know what a mirror looks like)

To start with, I drew roughly the shape of the desired tash onto my felt using tailor's chalk. I had decided to use black felt with grey gloves. The tailor's chalk didn't work brilliantly but it was enough to get the general idea. I then cut out the shape.

As you can see, it turned out a little wonky.

Wonkers!

Take two. I figured folding the felt in half, then cutting out half a moustache shape would produce something a little more even. This worked, but was a bit too small.

Small and sweet.

Take three. I had drawn out a half mustache shape on paper and used it as a guide to ensure that the tash was big enough.

Please excuse my freaky fingers.

This time the porridge was just right... um, I mean, this worked. Finally a shape and size that I was happy with!

From top to bottom: wonkers, mini and just right.

Then I put on the glove and put the moustache into position. Because it was felt on wool the tash stuck enough by itself for me to be able to let go and get a real idea of how it looked before fastening it on properly. (this is where a mirror comes in handy. I stupidly kept running into the bathroom to look until I remembered my portable mirror).

Once you're happy with the positioning, it's time to start sewing. I suppose you could use a small amount of glue to stick it on, but I wasn't convinced that this would hold. I just used a few small cross stitches in the middle of the tash- a maximum of 5 minutes sewing (I'm really cack handed and had to keep checking that it was on straight) and then I was done!

Cue idiotic picture:

This time you'll have to excuse both my freaky fingers AND my freaky face. I'm not used to taking photos of myself for the blog. And I was trying to hide my excitement about moustache gloves! Focus on the GLOVES people!