Digit Dressing

Leather gloves are everywhere. They're not a particularly taxing option.

Brown or black? Black or brown?
Lining?
Bound seams, or not?

If you can't answer those yourself you're probably not safe to leave the house alone.

Anyway, leather can look all a bit too serious so don't over look wool, it's a wonder yarn.

Here's a duo that are worth a squint...

Filson's homage to Albert Steptoe covers Autumn:



Into Winter the traditional Dachstein boiled wool mitt has been used by generations of Austrian walkers and mountaineers - so I'm guessing it'll handle even the barren wastes of Centre Point base camp.



They're initially made up oversized and then carefully shrunk to fit - craft, not crud.

Boiled wool doesn't seem to get the use it deserves, it has a hard wearing felt finish that's soft to wear, is windproof and continues to keep you warm even when wet. More please.

Action whilst the sun shines...

It's pretty sunny.

And it's supposed to stay that way, for a couple of weeks ( no bets being placed on that however).

More importantly though Autumn* is almost here.

It seems like the ideal time, and last chance to get my umbrella serviced.

James Smith (see below) of course and, I must say, I like that place more and more.

Having dropped my umbrella off for servicing they took my address (physical for the techo-assumptive out there) and will post me an estimate prior to commencing the work.

Just like hand written receipts this sort of (tiny) thing makes me look forward to the chance of my next visit.

During hard retailing times it's worth a note. The cost is next to nothing but the experience is in a different league.




* Fall for our more literal readers, x.

Present Again

Brown HQ has moved and with it I've been on pen & paper mode (well, with a bit of 3g phone access but quite frankly that makes the 38 at Holborn look fast)...

Anyway, present again and with that I'm please to report Present is too.

I'm not going to bang on about it here; no need, not even the Nigel Cabourn stuff, Present x Trickers brogue boots (with Vibram sole) and Hartford Madras jacket...

It all exceeds the highest of expectations.

Get yourself along, they haven't opened a bricks & mortar store for nowt.

140 Shoreditch High Street, E1.

A Neighbourhood Butcher Of Distinction

There are loads of online stores out there.

Great.

If you can't walk.

Are afraid of people.

Or live in the sticks.

I swang by A Butcher of Distinction earlier.

Sale? Yep.

Better still though they've pulled out all sorts of goodies that have gone un-noticed including forgotten gems from Dominic's old Rushmoor label. Looking at them now is testament to how good that stuff was/is.

Retail is hard right now. But if we don't support our independents we'll be left with faceless crud churning out identikit nothings.

Your choice.

They don't survive on thin air .

11 Dray Walk, Old Truman Brewery
London, E1
020 7770 6111

Pitter Patter

Left the Reynolds frame at home this morning and got the 8 spoke out.

Samuel Fox's frame was a major Victorian break-through; prior to his revolutionary frame umbrella's were huge, whale bone made bulky affairs.

The Fox frame was slender enough for men to use as both a cane and umbrella. A far more dignified proposition than constantly swapping hands as you went about your everyday business.

If you're dodging the rain, or worse still cowering under a shabby folding effort* a detour to Bloomsbury needs to be taken. James Smith come complete with Umbrella Service Centre in the basement too (don't cha'know).

* If this is your only option, you have no option; enjoy the rain.

The Fat Lady Aint Sung

Sorry about all this Autumn chat...

More of this eh?



And...

*

(*Many thanks G. Rizzi Trust (Gigi, Carlo & Friend with Riva, Cote d'Azur 1962))

Made in Maine.

Autumn and good winter days, it's gonna be all about Kevin and Kirsten's black bluchers.




In business, with one family since 1909 and an LL Bean maker when that was worth something too.

There is so much more I could say but, most importantly when the Metro and the other seat rubbish are onto their next churned-out-imitation-thing, they'll still be in Perry focusing on the essentials - quality and craftmanship.

Say Hello, Say Goodbye.

AW09 is arriving in the shops in London already.

Just as summer seems to be settling in too.

Anyway, eyes forward; track down the Paraboot moccasins in all black, they're nice.

Checks/plaid all over the place again too. RL in Liberty looking good, see a previous post for new stuff from Stansfield. It's all about boiled wool for me...

Look Book #1:




Love this weather now though, it feels like it's just got warm so much of this will need to wait...