1001 rules for my unborn son

Can't even remember where I got this blog from, but for me this is a frequent source of instant amusement. The rules are well-chosen and also apply to yourself. Some are typically American and might be a bit harder to relate to if you are from Europe. The rules are accompanied by interesting quotes and old pictures. There is also print version called "Rules for my unborn son". A must read if you ask me. Follow this blog via 1001 rules for my unborn son.

A small selection of the rules I will share with my unborn son:

468. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.

464. Stay up late to watch old movies.

460. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

451. You only get one chance to notice her new haircut.

Dark Charcoal Abilene Oxford

New in our collection is the spring-summer release of the Work Oxford by Red Wing Shoes. We had a great unpacking moment last week when this came in. A great variety of the moc-toe, which can be seen often in 6" or 8" versions like the 875 or 877. A Work Oxford is nice with straight or tapered jeans/pants folded up, showing a woolen or a Burlington sock. Made from Dark Charcoal Abilene suede, it should be worn with perfectly matched or contrasting colors. Desert colors are also a good suggestion.

The model itself is an expression of Japanese style. Take a look at the Red Wing Shoes special of 2nd Magazine, and you will find a lot of inspiration. The Charcoal and the Black Oxfords - which is coming soon - cost € 249.90 euro.

From the Heartland - Berlin

As you might have heard we are going to host an event to show you the "From the Heartland" photo exhibition. The exhibition was introduced in Berlin during the Bread and Butter, showing the true craftsmen behind our beloved Red Wing Shoes.

The first event was a succes. Therefore I would like to share some shots of the atmosphere on location. Great to see familiar people, worn in boots and rigid denim. More info will follow shortly!

 

Denim Fatique Shirt

The Curator is specialized in making "new vintage" clothing. All inspired by moto, velo and military from the vintage era. The club sweaters look good - made in Italy - but my favorite is the USN Denim Fatique shirt. 

It is based on a 1940's US Merchant Marine fatigues smock. A smock is a loose overgarment to protect your clothing. According to the website it is not an exact replica, but that is not always important. Ideal to have for the spring-summer season. It is something you can wear as a thin extra layer, plus you can easily put it on or take it off. I would wear this with a wool flannel or a thick chambray shirt underneath.

Schott NYC Factory Tour

Schott NYC is a brand that's rich in experience. With nearly one hundred years of company history, there aren't a lot of younger brands that can meet the same standard. Famous people like James Dean, Marlon Brando and the Sex Pistols have been known to wear jackets by Schott NYC. You might remember I wrote about their Pea Coat last year.

As an addict to good products I always want to see how stuff is made and by whom. I have had the luck to be able to visit both the factory and tannery of Red Wing Shoes and of course Duluth Pack. Once you have experienced a tour like that, you want to learn as much as you can.

Black and Tanned has visited the Schott factory. This is a manufacturing plant I would love to see in action. Below is a complete overview of the pictures that were made. Too bad the tour took place on a saturday, when it was not in action. But hey, you can not have it all!

Stanley Vacuum Bottle

My parents' house is completely turquoise/green. My mom could not be helped with her addiction so my dad decided to let her get the house painted. This to complement her collection of green tins, cans, spray bottles and other cool stuff which I could never appreciate when I was young.

I found this great vacuum bottle by Stanley. It was posted in a list for outdoor accoutrements - pardon their French - by Blackbird Blog. I am going to buy this for my moms birthday. I love the color and classic styling. You would go on a picnic just to bring this. Check also the other items on the great BB list.

Jermyn Street Shaving Set

Shaving is one of the things that separate men from the boys. The tradition of shaving is one I keep close to my heart. My dad always uses a good brush, old school shaving soap and a vintage Gilette safety razor. For me shaving is something I do for special occasions, but the ritual of classic shaving is something I admire and cherish.

Good equipment is essential. One of our readers pointed out the shop "Tailor of Old Bond Street". They have a good collection of male grooming products. A safety razor or a straight razor takes some practice if you want to emerge smooth and unharmed from the bathroom. The functional design of a contemporary razor with a proper looking handle might be a good suggestion. A small kit like the Jermyn Street Shaving Set will get you there. It includes shaving cream, a badger shaving brush and handle designed to use the Mach 3 razors. Comfort and style for about 80 euro. Thanks Olivier for sharing!

Old Red Wing Commercial

A good way to enjoy the weekend is looking into some old tv-series and "vintage" commercials. Wytse from Red Wing Shoes Europe was kind enough to share this one with us. It is short, does not contain a lot of product information but I like the atmosphere of raw labor. Enjoy.

Low Country Travelers

The Low Country Travelers are an African-American Car Club in Charleston County, South Carolina. The club was the subject of a photo essay by Nancy Marshall and John McWilliams as part of a documentary about specific regions and places in the south. The LCT is not a social club, but has a historical mission through preservation of the cars. I love it.

The photographs are very simple with little styling. The owners look surprisingly ordinary next to their supercars. This contrast is what I find most interesting. Click here for more information on the cars and their owners. (via Selectism - Around the web)

Red Wing Collections

It is attractive to have more then one pair of you favorite shoes.The moment I have broken in a pair, is when it starts to itch. In my mind I already have a list of new pairs I want to have. It can be a boot with traction, a dressed boot or just another colorway of what I like best. This is the start of a collection of shoes.

I am not the only one who loves his shoes and starts building a collection. Browse on Flickr and you will find dozens of people who not only have multiple pairs, but also portrait them. They immortalize their shoes as a part of their existence. The way they look is an integrated part of how they feel or how they want to express themselves. Pim van Ingen sent me pictures of his collection of Red Wing Shoes. He wanted to share this with us and I do understand why. Not only a beautiful setting, but also a fine collection. Thanks for sharing!

Gasoline Cowboys

Gasoline Cowboys is a project, or what you might call a sub-brand, of Dehen. This American company produces jackets, sweaters and raceware since 1920. GC honors its history and uses origininal Dehen designs from the 30's and 40's. The products are hand-made and known for their simplicity and authenticity.  The fit is slimmer then we are used to, but for me that is a plus. The models show some similarities with old school navy sweaters. Check out the MC Club Sweater and the Dehen Car Coat..

Woolrich Woolen Mills FW11

Slamxhype has posted a good preview of the first collection by Marc McNairy for Woolrich Woolen Mills. Shown is a good collection with a variety of styles. The colors are less thematic then the black/blue experiment from last winter so I'd consider this more commercial. Not bad, because if you have one of these items, you will want to wear it a lot.

My personal favorites are the patched duffel coats and the plaid shirts. Not sure about the pants yet, but that is something I want to hold in my hands first. A nice detail is the decoration on the beanies. Well camouflaged branding, if you ask me. From a distance it looks like a pattern, but it is one with a meaning. Click here to see all pictures.

Red Wing Oxblood

Here is a preview on the Fall Winter 2011 'Oxblood' series. I guess words are superfluous. Images by Fred at RW1905.

Tenue de Nîmes x Andersen & Andersen

Dutch denim store Tenue de Nîmes teamed up with Andersen and Andersen from the island of Moen in Denmark for the creation of their ultimate Danish fisher knit.
The heavy, navy blue sweater is made from 100% Pure New Wool and comes in a limited run of 24 hand-numbered pieces. The sweaters have the traditional turtle neck and are completely symmetric. They can be worn any which way, as it was made without a distinction between front and back. The Andersen & Andersen sweater is embellished with an embroidered Dutch flag on the cuff. The Danish sailor sweater with a small Dutch touch is exclusively available at the webshop by Tenue de Nîmes.

Red Wing Shoes - From the Heartland

Have a look at this preview on Red Wing Shoes’ photo-exhibition ‘From the Heartland’. It is a photographic documentary featuring Red Wing Shoe Company’s craftsmen and –women.

It captures the spirit that characterizes these people and the town of Red Wing, Minnesota. `From the Heartland’ will be exhibited in Berlin, Copenhagen and Amsterdam (at the Red Wing Shoes store) the coming weeks. The images will be available online from February onwards.

Red Wing factory visit

Last week we came across a video that provides a look behind the scenes of the Red Wing Shoe factory. While many things change, the video shows that Red Wing's are made in a 200 step process that all starts with the search for the perfect piece of leather and ends with a thorough search for defects. Have a look at the video here. Enjoy the show.

Buddy Lee

Always in search of additional vintage must haves for our collection we came across this heavily beaten up Buddy Lee doll. The seller simply mentioned this buddy needed a new home where it would get some extra love and care. This damaged doll supposedly dates back to the 1930's. The jeans the doll wears are incredible, especially because of the classic 'donut' rivets. The shirt fits nicely but is not a Buddy Lee original.

Vintage Pendleton Jacket

One of our great finds of last year was a vintage Pendleton jacket. Martijn scored this at a thrift store in Amsterdam for €31. The colorway of this jacket is one you may or may not like, but we do love the brown/grey fabric. What is great about this find is the state of the garment. Despite the wool quality, which becomes a bit fluffy over time, it is still in mint condition. The sleeves are long and that is much appreciated when you are tall.

Visual Life of The Sartorialist

Scott Schuman is probably the most famous street photographer/blogger. His blog The Sartorialist is watched by thousands of people across the globe. Intel has made a short documentary about his visual life. A good view it is.

Sky High Moc

RedWing1905 is the first to show an early preview of what is to come in the 2nd part of 2011. The collection looks promising and this 8" Moc is a prime example. It is put together with the same Blueberry Muleskinner as the Work Chukka my brother Menno calls his fourth love.

The Moc has already earned a nickname: Sky High. It refers to the title of the blogpost by RW1905, but this well chosen title is already flying around the blogosphere as the article name of the shoe itself.

We're barely halfway through the winter now, but we might as well prepare for the next one already! (pictures by RedWing1905)

Beneath A Steel Sky

Have you ever seen such a friendly face full of tattoos? Not me. Beneath A Steel Sky is the blog/Tumbler page of Ozkar Photography. Not much info on his main page, but the pictures speak for themselves. Raw, streetwise photography with a dark, slightly anarchistic feel. I really like this visual perception of reality.

Tanner Goods Eyeglass Case

The new year brings good intentions and a weather forecast that is going to warm me up. With the hours slowly increasing once more I am starting to wear my sunglasses again. Too bad they usually come in hard cases. Don't get me wrong, they do provide protection and that's a good thing. It fits in your pocket, but does make you feel like you are carrying a refrigerator around in your jacket.

A good solution is the eyeglass case by Tanner Goods. It is based on the 1960's US Military case. The difference is that this one is made from thick vegetable dyed bridle leather. Your aviators fit inside, and it hardly bulges when you carry it around. As all Tanner Goods, it's made in Portland Oregon. We carry these in Havana and Natural tanned leather.

The Merlin

We were talking in the shop about custom bikes and Martijn mentioned a bobber made by a Dutch builder. My curious nature led me to do some research. The Merlin from Dark Star Kustoms is even better than I expected. DSC is from the Hague - where I used to live - and is run by Philip van Geest. He managed to build is this bike in only five weeks.

The engine is a Harley Davidson '45 WL engine. The frame is custom-built with a springer fork and the accessories were brought in from various sources. For example a bicycle headlight and the steering wheel were taken from a Belgian moped. The bare-metal look is amazing. (pictures by Floris Velthuis)