London Mans Wear

For the record, I’ve never gone fishing.

Taking this seriously...

Back in my early teens I spent my Wednesday evenings as a sea cadet. We all gathered on an old decrepit light ship on the river Colne in Essex, surrounded my derelict buildings and car garages. This was essentially a youth club, a way to keep the kids in the area out of trouble (and maybe persuade them into a life in the military?). We didn't see it that way however, we saw it as a way of getting closer to girls and to wear cool militarised clobber. Berets, Dr Martens and field jackets. All supplied to us by Roy the local army surplus shop owner. One piece of the outfit that really stuck with me was the NATO jumper. The long ribbed crew with waxed cotton shoulder pads transformed my awkward teenage body into something resembling a mans torso. It felt official, like I could enforce authority. I imagine it was similar to the first time a boy tries on a suit (I didn't wear a suit until my mid twenties...) In my later teens, with the sea cadets behind me, I inevitably grew distrustful of authority... But I never forgot the Nato jumper.

It's hard wearing Filson in the British summer time. I'm not a fan of sweating. Luckily, I picked up two of these overshirts last summer. Beige took a trip to Gothenburg with me early in the year. Very reliable, shame about the incredible shallow hem!

This WTAPS pullover is VERY nice.

My Timex Waterbury will have to do me for now...

I miss my Fuji x100. Thank you so much burglars..

Where did all the string vests go? String vests keep you warm because they trap a layer of air between your skin and your shirt. A bit like double glazing.. In the tropics they are certainly more comfortable than having a damp shirt sticking to your back. String vests can be fashionable but only worn on top of other clothing which negates their warming/cooling effects. I think I may invest.

Hello. Welcome to my new blog. I've decided to start this blog to fill the time between work and play, a productive time suck. I appreciate clothes and have chosen this as a theme however I wouldn't say this is a fashion blog (or at least I'm not envisioning it that way). I'd like to focus on well made clothes (new and old) with a bit of history... Especially heavy-duty clothes for physical or manual work. I like to wear some of these clothes while sitting at my desk. For people who care less about colour matching/pairing and care more about being appropriately dressed for the apocalypse. So come with me and this journey of self discovery and procrastination.