Tuesday 29 April 2014

Style God Magnum P.I. Summer casual goodness



When I was growing up Darren gravelle and I used to collect matchbox toy cars. We used to act out car chases and the like in our bedrooms as boys are want to do.




Jonathan Higgins 

Now most precious of the collection of cars was the magnum Ferrari aka the Ferrari 308gts. Mainly because in the days before the internet and netflicks all we had to entertain is on those cold winter evenings was the vhs box set of magnum pi. [It's like a Avi file but real!]



Magnum and the Ferrari 308 GTS

Magnum pi was set on Hawaii and starred Tom selleck. As an ex Vietnam veteran come private investigator who lived by his wits and often came a cropped to the fatherly Higgins' strict rules. If you get a chance go and check it out. It's a little dated now but shares a lot with modern day police procedurals.

Magnum is employed on the Hawaiian estate of a wealthy owner; Successful writer Robin Masters. The estate is run by Jonathan Higgins who mostly tolerates Magnum's presence as head of security on the estate.

Ive always loved how he looked and I have taken todays sun as a sign to go for the look today as it's a bit retro. I love wearing Hawaiian shirts though as they are a bit peacocky and always get you noticed.







Hawaiian Shirt from Rokit Clothing




Bowling shoes - Misappropriated from a Bowling alley!










Have a good week folks!

Friday 25 April 2014

Girls Don't like boys girls like Beards and Pies!! aka Beard of the week #1

Firstly I apologise for the lack of posts this week but I have been a very busy boy making pork pies! [i kid you not]

The proof is in the pudding!


So the first inaugural beard of the week honour goes to Theo - co owner and operator of the Hawkhurst vault and lovely new tea room on brick lane just next to the Tatty Devine shop!! He sells a great selection of hand picked teas at reasonable prices and has a dab hand at making coffee too!


Theo looking rather dashing in his leather apron and suspenders


He's been growing his epic mutha of a beard for about eight months give or take a month and I.think it's looking pretty God damn awesome.

Go to the shop and you can stare at Theo in all his beardie glory! Or you can drink tea and ask if you can stroke it ! He really doesn't mind. In fact he encourages it!


Go check them out!!


 

The Hawkhurst Vault on Brick Lane, London.


https://www.facebook.com/hawkhurstvault

Friday 18 April 2014

I wore a tie - A mutha frakking tie!


I've been trying to raise my game a little when it comes to situations that require me to be a little smarter.

I've never been one for going all out smart but here goes.

My new jaxon hat that I posted about yesterday got it's first real world try out and It's really growing on me the overall size of the hat bothered me at first but I am getting used to it. Once i'd done a number on the Peak [i normally roll them up and stick them in my back pocket for a couple of hours so that they stay rounded.]

The tie I have had for Quite a few years - It is a silk tie from the 1960s it has no makers tags or anything on it but it's one of my favourites.

I always try to stay classic with my sunnies and these match my regular Optical Ray ban Clubmaster glasses so are a perfect match for the summer. 






Cap From Jaxon Hats

Shirt Vintage - from a Deal Charity shop

Tie Silk 1960s Vintage










So did I succeed at doing smart casual?

Lemme know!

Wednesday 16 April 2014

Springtime cap hour with Jaxon caps



This morning I got a new Jaxon cap in the Post!

It's a lighter weight version of the 8 Panel baker boy hat that I wear almost religiously come rain or shine. But It's just too warm a hat to wear out now that spring is coming.

While this one is still wool - it's been mixed with polyester and has a lighter weave than my regular baker boy cap.

I am normally a 59 hat size and the medium fits pretty well. The general size of the hat, and by that i mean the girth and size rather than fit, is a bit on the small size compared to what I'm used too. I like my baker boy hats oversized and pretty big on my head but this one is a little on the small size.

as you can see from the photos.

It is, however, nice and light and will suit me very well in the on coming spring warmth.

and I look forward to not having my head boiled to a crisp!







A nice simple weave pattern





My usual Baker boy cap [note the difference in overall hat size]


Do you wear a hat? what kind of hat do you wear in the summer? Let me know!!





Monday 14 April 2014

Shorts and tattoos and king joffrey

Just a quick little post today as I've been a bit busy with stuff like brunch and short work meetings today

The shorts are officially out today as springtime has some what arrived in old London town and with it my almost snow white legs. Ever the public servant I aimed to bring a little reflected light from my legs into Londoners lives.

After a long winter cooped up in heavy weight denim and woolen plaid shirts it's quite nice to just wear a t shirt and shorts. 



I had my 39THIRTY Braves cap on before I left the house but as i'd slicked my hair back with a mixture of sweet Georgia Brown Blue and Red I decided to take my hat off as it was so sunny.

The Rob Zombie T is one of my favourite T shirts - everyone comments on it when i wear it out and always in a good way!

The Shorts I bought from a Stall at the hotrod hayride last year and they're really good and hard wearing with wear bands round the knees so they're good for skating in.

The Leather converse are THE best pair I have ever owned the soles are about to blow out but the upper is good for another year. Now if i could only get these buggers re-soled!










The Metalman Level Necklace

If you're on the lookout for men's [or women's] jewellery that's a little out of the ordinary then you'd better check out Metalman Jewellery The make most things from Hex nuts in their stall come workshop in Margate in Kent. and they're a couple of really awesome people. If you're down on the south coast go check them out at the Rough trade market in Margate's Old Town or hook up with them online here!



The Metalman Hex nut Bracelet



Close up of my Custom job on my vest [Unfinished] 


My Leg tattoos


It's Game Of Thrones night tonight So...time to giggle at the people who haven't read the books watching the show :D


Thursday 10 April 2014

GAME ON! - the Sports Jersey Shizzle

My love for sports jerseys goes back a long way. From searing my team colours out on a Saturday afternoon when I was young. 

To dreaming of owning some of the exotic jerseys I saw America's teams wear on tv and in films they have always had a quixotic effect on me.

Perhaps they conjure more than anything that Americanesque atmosphere that surrounded me in my youth. From the ads for sea monkeys and x-Ray specs in my copies of the marvel comics to the strange but kooky films and tv shows I loved . Such as "stand by me" or "eerie Indiana" to the quintessential teen movies of John Hughes or John Waters. They embody that American spirit and cultural freedom of the fifties and sixties when the rest of the world was just beginning to discover coke or the hamburger.


Me at the HHOF - in the replica Forum locker room!





Montreal Canadiens Carey Price centenary jersey - Reebok






Nicaraguan baseball Jersey - bought at value village - I think this is from the 1980s but if anyone has anymore info on this please let me know !!



I really began to know what sports collecting was about when I went to visit a couple of people who made me see it in a whole new light.

First of all was my visit to Marcel Dionne in Niagara. He has a restaurant (run by his daughter) and a treasure trove of NHL goodies that I spent an hour crawling through.
After speaking to the great man and having my photo taken in front of the wall of Stanley cups.  

Me, Dionne and ALL the Stanley Cups!


He gave me a signed player card! I left grinning like small boy on Christmas morning.  I will treasure it and the strong feelings that day had on me!


Marcel Dionne's Signed player Card




The Next was when I went to visit A friends Collection of Hockey sticks. and when i say hockey sticks I mean that the collection contains sticks from every one of Hockey's 500 club most of which are autographed!

The evening had a distinct effect on me. It cuddled up to my inner geek, my inner, stats fan, my inner... oh god it was just amazing.  


Holding Wayne Gretsky's Easton Aluminum Stick.


The First 10 of the 500 club

Maurice Richard
Gordie Howe
Bobby Hull
Jean Beliveau
Frank Mahovlich
Phil Esposito
Johnny Bucyk
Stan Mikita
Marcel Dionne
Guy Lafleur


Jean Beliveau


Maurice "the Rocket" Richard's Stick/signature


Mats Sundin's unfeasibly long stick! 

Someone give me loads of money to spend on all this stuff! :D

Postal orders accepted to the usual address! 


Sunday 6 April 2014

It's literally pissing from the sky!

Well the weather conspired against me today there I was about to step out in khaki Dickies and a Hawaiian shirt as the weather had been so nice. Until I looked out the door this morning, while having my morning cup of builders tea, to see that it was, apparently, monsoon season.
I constructed a sentence that included the words fuck, what and the. Then went back to the room for an emergency 30 second ootd re-think. 

Traditional rodder/rockabilly I thinks today.

So here I present to you 


T-shirt -- lucky 13 A really great Basic T with a great design on the back [see below]. I have so many lucky 13 and Felon T shirts now you're bound to come across another one on here soon enough!

Engineer boots -- Grinders my everyday engineer boots the soles last forever I've had the heels redone 4 times but only because i drag my feet!

Selvedge jeans --  The jeans are just super awesome Ben Sherman Japanese selvedge Just great! really heavy weight crisp the colour is great and they basically stand them selves up and if you iron in a cuff it stays put! no more droopy cuffs.  and at a pretty good price too! - Ben Sherman Rampton [I can't find these for sale anymore :(]

White studded belt -- lowlife. They do great belts! Period. I had one for a couple of years then went and bought 5 so i would never be without. forget standard studded belts these bad boys are leather and last really really well.


We have now started selling Camden Ales from the Camden Town Brewery in the pub now and they're going really well and they taste great too! So if you're in a London Pub any time soon check them out!



In my hair (mainly to weather proof it a bit) I put in some sweet Georgia Brown red.
I also wore my red flannel shirt from Sweden and my custom leather vest.



My Graveyard Johnnys Patch!

Hope you're all staying dry some where nice and eating cake and drinking copious amounts of beer and bloody Marys!