HERE AND NOW

[Clouseau]

Recent finds : A1 style Bomber (not a Valstarino, but really a small Fraction of the price, and real suede), and nubuck/suede brogues with Vibram soles. Sorry for the poor mirror selfie.

The Raincoat Challenge is still running, and some great entries by @Gerry Nelson and @xeoniq. I will postpone the deadline a few days for late entries.

 

[Clouseau]

My lad likes Flight Jacket, he had a MA-1 knock-off, and I just bought him an Alpha VF59. I am a bit jealous. ?

 

[covskin]

My lad likes Flight Jacket, he had a MA-1 knock-off, and I just bought him an Alpha VF59

Interesting to have seen the course of something like this becoming a classic, the cycles of adoption and rejection, the empty years, the re-emergence free from previous association. What next?

 

[Clouseau]

Interesting to have seen the course of something like this becoming a classic, the cycles of adoption and rejection, the empty years, the re-emergence free from previous association. What next?

Couldn’t say better Cov.
To the MA-1 amateurs a small comparison between a contemporary Alpha and the Uniqlo U from a couple of years ago. (@xeoniq had one too)

i find the material of the UU better quality. Now the slim fitting and the zipper of the Alpha VF59 are best IMO. Cuffs, waistband, and collar are like on the old style ones on the UU (a recent discussion I had with @cerneabbas). Of course the quality of both can’t compare with @Botolph ‘s McCoy, or @Coldsnap ‘s and @Gerry Nelson ‘s Buzz Rickson.
On a side note, just saying but a specific MA-1/L-2 Friday Challenge could be an idea…

i will put later today the poll of the Raincoat Friday Challenge up.

EDIT : Go vote !

FRIDAY CHALLENGE RAINCOATS POLL THREAD

Thanks to all the participants. Some great entries. Each member gets 3 votes to cast. Poll will last 3 days. As usual, the winner will have the privilege to run the next Friday Challenge. Bonne chance ! ENTRIES (Picture size may vary. They are all in their original size) @Gerry Nelson...

www.styleforum.net

 

[covskin]

On a side note, just saying but a specific MA-1/L-2 Friday Challenge could be an idea

I'm a CWU man these days, todays clothes in a Styleforum pose...

Mil-Tec/Armor Lux/stf 501

 

[Clouseau]

To keep you updated, @xeoniq runs the new Friday Challenge.

FRIDAY CHALLENGE [Til NOV 12th, 2021]: Monochrome Menswear

Thanks for all the votes last challenge. I have not been a active regular on CM, but I do browse time to time and I wear casual menswear quite a bit. I had a look back through all the challenges put forward this year and felt that monochrome might be something fun to explore for regular...

www.styleforum.net

 

[Byrone]

To keep you updated, @xeoniq runs the new Friday Challenge.

FRIDAY CHALLENGE [Til NOV 12th, 2021]: Monochrome Menswear

Thanks for all the votes last challenge. I have not been a active regular on CM, but I do browse time to time and I wear casual menswear quite a bit. I had a look back through all the challenges put forward this year and felt that monochrome might be something fun to explore for regular...

www.styleforum.net

Bit boring so far…

 

[Clouseau]

I think that it is an interesting topic. But I noticed for a while that the Friday Challenges are not as popular as they used to be. The last ones didn’t have many participants (the last I organized had 10 participants while usually I have 20 at least). I don’t think the problem comes from the topics, rather that it seems that there are less posters in forums, people are more on IG. I much prefer the interaction on forums, but that is just personal preferences.
Now there are also late entries and I would not be too surprised if there were more this week.
I would like to participate, but I am not home this week so it will be most probably too short…

Now it’s getting colder here so…

What do you wear Guys?

 

[Swampster]

The Astorflex Greenflex i wear on this picture size rather big actually.
I've also got Clarks DB, the Astorflex are wider. They exist in a vast array of colors, and you can usually find them at a good price on the Net. Made in Italy, natural rubber sole, very comfy.

View attachment 1410541
(Here worn with Wrangler selvedge)

I remembered this from many months back. I found a local shop which sells Astorflex and tried some on today. They are quite wide but I needed to go up half a size. Unfortunately, they don't do half sizes
A full size up was just a bit too long.

The same shop sells some Japanese jeans. Someone had recommended Edwin to me recently, so I tried them on but didn't much like the fit. The assistant suggested I tried Orslow which have a higher rise but I really didn't like the styling. Just as well as they were more expensive than I would have wanted.
Both pairs seem to be cut with a flaring on the inside leg, giving a sort of low groin effect. The Edwin style guide shows this on most of their jeans - looks like the ED55 is the one that doesn't.

Nothing I wanted elsewhere either - not even at TK Maxx. Overall, an unsuccessful shopping expedition.

On the winter coat front, I wore my duffle coat. Far too warm to go schlepping around town in, especially as the weather got warmer through the day.


p.s. I wish blog writers etc. wouldn't use infamous as in "Japanese Denim from the infamous Nihon Mempu Mill that all denim purists have come to love".

 

[Clouseau]

I remembered this from many months back. I found a local shop which sells Astorflex and tried some on today. They are quite wide but I needed to go up half a size. Unfortunately, they don't do half sizes
A full size up was just a bit too long.

The same shop sells some Japanese jeans. Someone had recommended Edwin to me recently, so I tried them on but didn't much like the fit. The assistant suggested I tried Orslow which have a higher rise but I really didn't like the styling. Just as well as they were more expensive than I would have wanted.
Both pairs seem to be cut with a flaring on the inside leg, giving a sort of low groin effect. The Edwin style guide shows this on most of their jeans - looks like the ED55 is the one that doesn't.

Nothing I wanted elsewhere either - not even at TK Maxx. Overall, an unsuccessful shopping expedition.

On the winter coat front, I wore my duffle coat. Far too warm to go schlepping around town in, especially as the weather got warmer through the day.


p.s. I wish blog writers etc. wouldn't use infamous as in "Japanese Denim from the infamous Nihon Mempu Mill that all denim purists have come to love".

Yes I don’t like the fit of the Edwin jeans either. It is an old Japanese jeans company though, and IIRC they make the Lee Archives Japan jeans (only good things to say about them, but already done!).
Orslow are very popular here (SF SW&D) and I find the price quite ridiculous. I never tried any, I think they are more or less based on vintage 501s (but what year?).

According to the late fall/winter temperatures I wear (from cold to colder) MA-1, Crombie style coat, Loden coat, Down jacket (TNF), squall parka (old Lands End one, contemporary ones suck).

 

[Swampster]

Orslow are very popular here (SF SW&D) and I find the price quite ridiculous. I never tried any, I think they are more or less based on vintage 501s (but what year?).

The label reminded me so much of Levis that I thought they were until he handed them to me.

 

[covskin]

I remembered this from many months back. I found a local shop which sells Astorflex and tried some on today. They are quite wide but I needed to go up half a size. Unfortunately, they don't do half sizes

Funnily enough I bought a pair of Astorflex Mokaflex loafers (yes loafers! my first ever pair of loafers!) a week ago to wear inside the house. Suede and simple, material congruent with form, the best loafer I've ever seen, and well suited as a carpet slipper, the volume over mid-foot is simply excessive.

According to the late fall/winter temperatures I wear (from cold to colder) MA-1, Crombie style coat, Loden coat, Down jacket (TNF), squall parka (old Lands End one, contemporary ones suck).

Raincoat
Covert coat
CWU
adjust for temperature, precipitation, formality

 

[Byrone]

N-3B parka

 

[Byrone]

N-3B parka

BTW Clouseau, just seen they do a VF59 slim fit version of the N-3B now.

 

[Mr Knightley]

Time I made a contribution to the winter coats discussion. Climate change means that coat season is getting shorter. In the past I would have been well into top coats by the time the clocks went back. Today it’s 13c…

On days like this I might wear the reviled Barbour Liddesdale. Top coats proper include two raincoats - vintage Driway in beige and vintage Grenfell in navy. And two overcoats - a black SB from a local mens outfitter a few years ago and a vintage grey Horne Bros. cashmere blend crombie-style that I found last year: