Feels like Fall: 5 Picks to Start the Season!

One year ago this very month, I started a little project I thought I'd call "the Dappled Waistcoat." After traveling around to different horse shows and trade fairs, and meeting people from around the country who oftentimes had given up more lucrative careers to pursue their passion for craftsmanship and product curation, I decided it was time to take to the web and give them their due. Truthfully, I didn't think that I would stick with blogging for that long. I assumed that I'd find myself uninspired and discouraged by the daunting "blogosphere," and that my voice would go unheard amidst the cacophony of other more established writers. It pleases me to say that this hasn't been the case. Through this blog, Twitter, and Instagram, I've met some amazing people, and there is no shortage of new and inspiring brands with stories to be told. So yes, Happy One Year Anniversary to the Dappled Waistcoat! 

Let me tell you, I've been delaying writing any kind of autumn-related post because I refuse to let go of summer. This is an annual problem, but I've lived in the Northeast my entire life... so I probably should have learned to cope with it by now. My signal that it's time to start writing about flannel and boots? The first morning that I have to put socks on to walk around my house. Strange as it may be, wearing socks while drinking coffee and reading the Times is what alerted me to the necessity of Fall blogging. 

It's hard to focus your attentions on what you really "need" every time a new season rolls around, and now after NY Fashion Week I like to hone in on just a few pieces that can serve as the home base for my Fall vibe. In this case, there are five of them. 

1. General Knot & Co.  Woodsman Plaid and Buffalo Check Corner-block Bandana, $45. The folks at GK really know their way around vintage fabric, and I really know my way around a bandana. Wear this with.... everything, it doesn't matter. Look at it! Are you kidding? If you don't feel like wearing a tie but you want to keep your neck looking fresh, this is the answer.

2. JCrew Excursion Quilted Vest in Camo, $138. I saw this while I quickly popped into JCrew to find a cardigan to wear to a wedding (I hate that I just said that) and my jaw fell to the floor. I don't think I'm alone in feeling that camo is the new neutral. Like denim, camo can be worn with just about anything and adds a bit of edge to more conservative fall colors and textures. When I go back to the store again this week to visit my dream vest, I'm sure they'll all be gone.

3. Greats Brand  Royale sneaker in Chocolate/White, $99. When I was in high school my mother would yell at me for wearing Vans and Converse in the fall/winter. She called them "summer shoes" because they were canvas. If I'd had these, she would have been stunned into silence. The Royales are Made in the USA with deerskin leather uppers and waxed cotton laces sitting atop a vachetta calfskin liner and imported Italian Margam rubber cup soles. It's a mouthful, but it's worth it. 

4. Penfield Idlewood daypack in Moon Tweed, $125. Made in USA from authentic Abraham Moon Tweed and leather trim. I like using the term "daypack" because it makes me feel less guilty about the fact that I'm not a student and I don't necessarily plan on just carrying this on my back. Like camo, this tweed will be one of the most versatile pieces in your wardrobe while still managing to really stand out. Rugged and functional, but classic and beautiful.
5. HELM Boots Marion in Olive, $395. Designed in Texas, crafted in Maine. The Marions are made of olive green Horween Chromexcel, which means they have a matte, slightly waxy feel and they'll break in to look like they were made just for you. The soles are leather with a stitched, injected rubber mini-tap lug and signature white midsole. Helm make boots that work hard for people that work hard. It just so happens that they're also absolutely amazing to look at.

Next week I'll be heading down to Texas to work for Dubarry at the American Eventing Championships, so I'll get one last taste of blazing heat before Fall really sets in. Keep up with me on Instagram and Twitter for updates on my first Texan adventure, and as always, I welcome any suggestions or photos of your favorite Fall pieces!

Shopping Small and Smart for Femmes

I very often see other people going to stores like Forever 21 and buying three shirts and two pairs of pants for what I'd normally spend on one top and one bottom elsewhere, and I just can't bring myself to join in. Mass consumerism is a tricky thing, because we've been conditioned to focus more on the "bang for your buck" factor while completely overlooking the quality component of our purchases. If researchers did a study on people that shop primarily at stores like Forever 21 versus people who buy less but focus more on quality, I am CERTAIN that they would find that the bargain shoppers are ultimately spending just as much, if not more, because the clothes they buy do not last and need to regularly be replaced. This, my friends, is how marketing works. Oh wow, you got 3 shirts for $20?! That's awesome! Then they go through the wash once or twice and the fabric is threadbare and falling apart, and the stitching is coming out. Big mass-production companies like this would like us to think they're doing us a huge favor and giving us deals, but really they're just scamming you into spending more over time. I am not too proud to admit that stores like this do have their utility. If I get a last-minute invitation to a party or social function that I don't particularly care about and I need a quick outfit, I'll go to one of those stores and grab a dress for $30. Guilty as charged, but that's fine, since convenience is definitely a relevant factor to the way we spend our money.

My attitude towards my wardrobe is obviously similar to my shopping philosophy. The wardrobe to me is a living, changing organism: it evolves constantly, but essentially remains the same organism. I don't pay too much attention to trends, particularly ones that stray too far from the overarching color palette/vibe of my style. By doing this, I eliminate the need to shop en masse for new clothes each season and discard/donate the unwanted tattered wears of last season. I instead shop each season for a few new pieces that can enhance, update, and coordinate with things I already have. The pieces I have last for years because they are well-made and cost a bit more, but it evens out. A "must-have" in my book isn't something super lavish and on-point with the trend of the moment, it's something fresh and new but still versatile and timeless. 

My lecturing is through for the moment. To further argue my case, however, are great pieces that are made in USA and will stand the test of time and the seasons. You can start taking notes.

Shelter Half is a Los Angeles collective of made in America brands that started up about a year ago. They share my ideals of "conscious commerce" and mindful encouragement of manufacturing and design talents within the USA. The site has an extensive variety of goods, including apparel, housewear, furniture, and accessories. While I adamantly support their cause, I will say that I find the pricing on a lot of their goods to be rather prohibitive for the average starving artist (myself). For example, their eyewear averages from $340 to $595 for a pair of "Retrospecs" frames, with little to no description of the glasses themselves to justify the pricing. Anyone that desperate to look like a character from Mad Men could easily just go to Warby Parker and get a pair for less than a hundred bucks. My pricing criticisms aside, I did find a dress that I felt was worth the price.

Clothilde "Biarritz" Dress from Shelter Half, $185

Behold, the Biarritz dress. This kimono-style dress from Shelter Half is a color that I ordinarily wouldn't go for, but the simplicity of the dress allows for accessorizing to suit multiple seasons. The $185 for such a minimalist design finds its value in (I'm assuming) the craftsmanship of the piece and its versatility. This dress would be super comfortable for warmer weather with a floppy hat and a pair of espadrilles, and for fall/winter, i.e. now, I'd pair this with textured knit tights and short boots like Blundstone 500's or even L.L. Bean boots. Up top, throw on a cozy scarf with complementing colors like the 10,000 Lakes Scarf from Mrs. P.Hicks (below).

Mrs. P. Hicks 10,000 Lakes Scarf in Gray (top) and Blue, $62

These scarves are proudly made in USA at one of our oldest knitting mills. I'd probably opt for the gray with the Biarritz dress just because I'd want to neutralize the orange, but the dress is simple enough that you could more or less go crazy with chunky knitted accessories to spruce it up.

My point here is that you could spent $185 on a dress, which with the right accessories you could basically wear year-round, or you could spend $185 on several dresses, poorly constructed with low-quality fabrics that will look like garbage after a few heavy rounds of use. If your sense of self-worth is not dependent upon the sheer quantity of garments hanging in your closet, my less-is-more-is-less philosophy should appeal to you. If up until this point you've been driven solely by bargain hunting, I hope that this crash course in quality-economics has been a least a little enlightening. 

Shelter Half

Mrs. P.Hicks

Fall Picks for Fellas

My favorite time of year for menswear, no question, is fall. I'd take flannel and boots over seersucker and deck shoes any day. Regardless of whether or not there's a man in my life, once the leaves start turning I find myself exploring the men's section of my favorite stores, feeling up the rich tweeds and corduroys and flannels. What follows is a sampling of apparel and accessories that strive towards a woodsy sort of masculinity mixed with an urban sensibility. Please also note that when I label such things as "men's" and "menswear," I'm not implying that these items are exclusively for guys. I've more than once purchased shirts and outerwear from the "men's" department. Regardless of how you gender-identify, you'll appreciate these goods that make the fading away of summer a little less painful. 

Fjallraven Byron Hat, $40

Levi's for Filson Trucker Jacket, $228

Penfield Wayland Navy, $95

Steven Alan Button Shoulder Crewneck Sweater, $265

Woolrich Rescue Jacket, $299

Far too often I see men in the fall wearing gigantic oversized sweatshirts with jeans or sweatpants and sneakers. This makes me cringe, it's such a waste. If summer is the women's season to maximize their wardrobe potential with dresses and shorts and flaunt their figures, fall is when men should rule. Find an excuse to grow a little bit of a beard, throw together some plaids and prints and whatever else that don't quite match. Wear a hat that doesn't have a professional sports team logo on it and preferably one that wasn't chosen specifically because it's the same color as your shoes. The beauty of fall is that you can buy one nice expensive coat or jacket (see above) and wear it over all of your less expensive basics. This is rookie stuff, folks. Hell, get an old leather jacket from a thrift store and buy an eye catching wool scarf from Pendleton or Woolrich to make you look like you're a dude who knows things and thinks about stuff. There's just really no excuse to look sloppy once the weather gets a bit colder. I will now descend from my soap box.

Fjallraven

Filson

Penfield

Steven Alan

Woolrich

Feel free to also follow the Dappled Waistcoat on Twitter, where I will not infrequently rant about sloppily dressed people and lament the lack of mountains in my life! @dappldwaistcoat

Wishlist: Dubarry Edition

I had the pleasure of working at the Hampton Classic Horse Show for my friends at Dubarry of Ireland this past Labor Day weekend, and I was able to try out some of their newest designs. Here are some favorites/must-haves, including the tweed waistcoat that inspired this very blog:

"Daisy" in Connemara Smoke

"Iris" shirt in White

"Swift" Gore-tex lined jacket in Olive

The Daisy vest is cut exquisitely... really top notch tailoring. It's easy enough to dress up or down as well, so it's definitely a piece that could get a lot of mileage in the fall/winter seasons. The Iris shirt really caught my attention because of the subtle, tuxedo-like panels in the front. Unlike a lot of other shirts striving towards the same vibe, the Iris has the detail without adding any bulk. The comfortable,  two-way stretch cotton fabric is form-fitting without having any bunching, giving the shirt a stunning silhouette. In the outerwear department, I've been searching for a proper weatherproof jacket that still has some kind of tailored shape for a very long time, to no avail. Dubarry's older "Skerrit" and "Sutton" jackets have the same idea, but the "Swift" seals the deal with the belt and more prominent hourglass shape. 

The unquestionable practicality and quality of all these items make it really hard for me to not blow up my credit card. Regardless of what's on the runways this fall, I feel the most comfortable and stylish in classic and versatile pieces. Also, the fact that I currently own no waterproof outerwear aside from a hat and a couple pairs of boots leaves the other 90% of my body sorely neglected. Christmas is coming though, I guess I should probably start behaving... probably. WINTER IS COMING.

Dubarry.us