The Look goes on...

[Yorky]

Clumber Park and Sherwood Forest, on a day pass!!!

 

[Mr Knightley]

I finally made an entry in the Friday Challenge with an outfit that is very close to one I used to wear c.1966:




GTH jungle safari jacket from Silvermans in E London // Persol // Armani // Nudie jeans // Clarks

@Clouseau has done very well with some great, inspirational entries.

 

[Botolph]

Absolute class @Mr Knightley. Really dig the look and the safari jacket is
HAMMER+++. Many great looks by our contingent— the strongest and most wearable/non-cosplay looks in the contest.

Sadly I waited too long and now I’m on vacation with the family on Botolph Island. Any militaria is back at Botolph Towers, so unfortunately no entry by me.

 

[covskin]

Cordings are 'further reductions' today for anyone interested

 

[Clouseau]

Absolute class @Mr Knightley. Really dig the look and the safari jacket is
HAMMER+++. Many great looks by our contingent— the strongest and most wearable/non-cosplay looks in the contest.

Sadly I waited too long and now I’m on vacation with the family on Botolph Island. Any militaria is back at Botolph Towers, so unfortunately no entry by me.

Would have made 20 entries with yours, naughty Botolphian.
Still a success though !
And it is still running… i will put the poll up tomorrow around noon European time.

 

[Mr Knightley]

Absolute class @Mr Knightley. Really dig the look and the safari jacket is
HAMMER+++. Many great looks by our contingent— the strongest and most wearable/non-cosplay looks in the contest.

Sadly I waited too long and now I’m on vacation with the family on Botolph Island. Any militaria is back at Botolph Towers, so unfortunately no entry by me.

Thanks mate! Much appreciated.

I hope you and the other Botolphs have a good break.

 

[Clouseau]

Thanks to the Challenge, i discovered the Vastarino (by italian brand Valstar, worn by two contestants - suede, and linen versions) jacket, based on the US Navy A1 jacket, that featured horn buttons, as at the time it was created (in the 20s) the zipper wasn't invented yet. First in leather, the contemporary versions exist in a lot of different materials.

(for a good sum up of the A1 history have a look here : https://therake.com/stories/style/a1-jacket-best-bombers/
some great pictures of the original leather versions)

(And here for a complete guide of the American Flight jackets, with pictures of the original A1 : www.heddels.com/2017/11/american-flight-jackets-from-1927-to-1950-the-complete-guide-2/)

I really like the look of this bomber, and i see it as a kind of ultimate casual jacket (or rather blouson like we say here), especially because of its great look, flattering silhouette, and… less agreable expensive price.
Even if the classic Valstarino is the suede version, I quite like the 'cheaper' version in modern 'deperlant' cotton, rainproof, the material seems very similar to the one used by Baracuta for the contemporary G9. I suppose it is a tad thicker though, i can't say as i didn't see one of these jackets 'in the flesh' yet...

Suede Valstarino


Deperlant cotton Valstarino. This is the olive version, quite military style, very nice in Navy too, but you will see the detailing better on this picture. It exists in other colors too.

 

[Kingstonian]

I finally made an entry in the Friday Challenge with an outfit that is very close to one I used to wear c.1966:

View attachment 1201796

View attachment 1201797
GTH jungle safari jacket from Silvermans in E London // Persol // Armani // Nudie jeans // Clarks

@Clouseau has done very well with some great, inspirational entries.

You can’t go wrong with a safari jacket and desert boots. Just the right weather for it now as well.

 

[Mr Knightley]

Thank you @Kingstonian

I recall your critique the last time I put a picture up of the safari jacket, when I attempted to make it rather more formal. Ever since, when I have worn it, (very rarely) I have opted for this more casual look.

 

[Clouseau]

FC Military Inspired poll is up guys, go vote !

MILITARY INSPIRED FC VOTING THREAD

Entries in order of appearance : @Gerry Nelson @yungchomsky @DonkeyJacket1 @Clouseau @FrankCowperwood @macjedi @EFV @Thrift Vader @Thin White Duke @Rais @Yorky @Madrilene @pbmax @Inkss @flipstah @Dirt @JohnAAG @UrbanComposition @Mr Knightley...

www.styleforum.net

 

[Mr Knightley]

FC Military Inspired poll is up guys, go vote !

MILITARY INSPIRED FC VOTING THREAD

Entries in order of appearance : @Gerry Nelson @yungchomsky @DonkeyJacket1 @Clouseau @FrankCowperwood @macjedi @EFV @Thrift Vader @Thin White Duke @Rais @Yorky @Madrilene @pbmax @Inkss @flipstah @Dirt @JohnAAG @UrbanComposition @Mr Knightley...

www.styleforum.net

Great Challenge Inspector - and lots of our own little group to vote for!

 

[Mr Knightley]

It was a good Friday Challenge @Clouseau and most of our group finished middle-ranking in the chasing pack. Not a bad result considering the numbers and the big hitters in the mix.

I was wondering whether participating in these challenges - especially when they may be a little outside of our 'comfort zone' - whether they have any lasting influence on the way we view clothing and what we wear. I must say that this last one has opened my eyes to the wider possibilities of military inspired clothing.

 

[Clouseau]

It was a good Friday Challenge @Clouseau and most of our group finished middle-ranking in the chasing pack. Not a bad result considering the numbers and the big hitters in the mix.

I was wondering whether participating in these challenges - especially when they may be a little outside of our 'comfort zone' - whether they have any lasting influence on the way we view clothing and what we wear. I must say that this last one has opened my eyes to the wider possibilities of military inspired clothing.

I think that 'military' clothing is a big part of the mod and hard mod/skinhead looks : Fishtail Parkas, MA-1s, Army Boots, Desert Boots, Jungle greens, etc, were used as well for their functional as for their aesthetic contribution to the style.
It is probably true for the skinhead haircut too : "the most striking element of the look was the cropped haircut, taken from the American GI and deliberately used to shock, subvert, and frighten" (The Soul Stylists).
That's one of the reasons why i chose this topic, but it is also true for other subcultures.
In fact a lot of classic items, like coats and jackets, find their origin in military clothing (that can be old, like cavalry)...

I found the Challenge interesting in the way the posters incorporated and appropriated 'military' style in their own look.
I was of course impressed by the perfection of @Rais look, but also by the coolness of @FrankCowperwood and @Dirt who wore Army items in such a natural way.
Like you Mr K, it opened my eyes to the infinite possibilities of military inspired clothing.
I also discovered that one of my actual favorite item, The Uniqlo U fatigue jacket (that i wore for my entry) was in fact a perfect copy of the Vietnam Type 3 Jungle fatigue jacket.


Original Vietnam 'Jungle Jacket'

Uniqlo U 'fatigue jacket'

 

[Mr Knightley]

I think that 'military' clothing is a big part of the mod and hard mod/skinhead looks : Fishtail Parkas, MA-1s, Army Boots, Desert Boots, Jungle greens, etc, were used as well for their functional as for their aesthetic contribution to the style.
It is probably true for the skinhead haircut too : "the most striking element of the look was the cropped haircut, taken from the American GI and deliberately used to shock, subvert, and frighten" (The Soul Stylists).
That's one of the reasons why i chose this topic, but it is also true for other subcultures.
In fact a lot of classic items, like coats and jackets, find their origin in military clothing (that can be old, like cavalry)...

I found the Challenge interesting in the way the posters incorporated and appropriated 'military' style in their own look.
I was of course impressed by the perfection of @Rais look, but also by the coolness of @FrankCowperwood and @Dirt who wore Army items in such a natural way.
Like you Mr K, it opened my eyes to the infinite possibilities of military inspired clothing.
I also discovered that one of my actual favorite item, The Uniqlo U fatigue jacket (that i wore for my entry) was in fact a perfect copy of the Vietnam Type 3 Jungle fatigue jacket.

View attachment 1203816
Original Vietnam 'Jungle Jacket'

View attachment 1203819
Uniqlo U 'fatigue jacket'

I guess most of the items that we embraced within the Look were inspired by military, sportswear or workwear clothing.

As you say, opportunities to embrace military inspired items do seem to be almost endless and I hope that the next FC is also an ‘inspired by’ challenge as has already been suggested.

 

[Clouseau]

I guess most of the items that we embraced within the Look were inspired by military, sportswear or workwear clothing.

As you say, opportunities to embrace military inspired items do seem to be almost endless and I hope that the next FC is also an ‘inspired by’ challenge as has already been suggested.

Now of course, like reminded me recently @cerneabbas in a conversation about the 'military inspired' Challenge, we have to keep in mind the 'age appropriate' element, as of course we are not 18 anymore, so we can't get away with everything...
While i find easy to wear a Fatigue/Field jacket for example - as long as it s not in army green -, a MA-1 is more complicated at my age - even if i do wear one from time to time… Army style boots seem just impossible to wear now (apart desert Boots), but this is mainly for comfort reasons.