A.P.C. Cashmere Sweater
I don’t know if you’ve heard of this brand, A.P.C., from France, they’re pretty good. Another pretty good piece from their fall collection is this button shoulder crew neck in a soft cashmere. I actually have never bee too excited by the buttons on the shoulder of a knit, more often than not I find it takes away from the subtleness of what a crew neck means to mean. However I have seen a couple versions that are doing it from me, SNS Herning, Nom de Guerre and A.P.C. are the ones. This cashmere sweater is probably my favorite. I saw one like this at Eugene Choo although for some reason I think the lines were more faint, which I liked more. This is obviously an easy wear and likely something you could end up wearing too much. While the price of around $400 isn’t crazy for cashmere, it still isn’t pocket change. I think if you are specifically hunting for a cashmere crew neck or a button shoulder crew, then you might have to pull the trigger.
A.P.C. Cotton Belts
I am definitely liking D ring belts right now, however finding the perfect one is still seemingly like a hard task. These cotton belts by A.P.C. are a nice looking option and for only 40 Euros they are pretty reasonable on the bank. They would definitely be easy to wear with the majority of the outfits I put together daily. Since there isn’t a lot of variation going on. Either wool pants, washed out denim or chinos, I could get away with the brown or black colors in with most pants and shirts. A.P.C. definitely continues to be one of my favorite brands from the bottom to the top. They have great footwear, classic denim, outerwear, shirts and accessories. It’s hard to find anybody else doing it so well throughout the entire collection.
Want: A.P.C. Derbies
These are actually from last spring. I am sad I didn’t get them. I never even saw them on feet until the other day and I feel in shoe love. I’m a sucker for black suede, wood soles and overall great shoes. These A.P.C. derbies are exactly what I want right now, other than Allen Edmonds and W+H Dayton boots. Since these A.P.C.’s are long gone from any retailer I would be very appreciative on any link up on a size 42. I don’t mind them used within reason, but I would be very excited if I were to come across a pair. That being said, my A.P.C. boots aren’t really working out and will be on sale if anybody is interested. You can see them in the fall essentials piece from issue 5. Anyways…A.P.C. Derby in low top, from last spring, please help, size 42.
Engineered Garments Fishing Hat
This one is for those of you who like matching your hat and the jacket, even if it ain’t the lumberjack. The grey wool Engineered Garments fishing hat is definitely a cozy, warm good option for fall. Coming in at $80 it’s a pretty reasonable deal as well. It’s available at Hejfina which actually has some really great stuff from APC, Nom de Guerre, Band of Outsiders, EG and more for seemingly low prices. Everything is a little bit less than everywhere else. I’m not sure how they do it, but they are and it looks great. This hat would be great with a button down and the wool Rogues Gallery vest I found the other day.
Our Spot Birthday Sale
It’s getting warm down under so we need to rescue some of those extra warm Nom de Guerre pieces. If you live in New Zealand, it might be a great chance to snag a piece you’ve been eyeing also. Our Spot is having their 6th birthday and celebrating with their customers by taking 20% of selected items by Common Projects, Nom de Guerre, APC, CDG and Rittenhouse, all great stuff. Sales are pretty great and there hasn’t been much of a lack of them in the past year which is also great. There is nothing like feeling like you got a good deal and really good value. From this photo it looks like the NDG high neck regulation as well as the Common Projects low top court shoes might be apart of the sale, two of my favorite items I own. Check out the web-store here.
In Simon’s Bag
Although I’ve been directing the bags to info@hyrcollective.com I’m still not totally used to checking it everyday. Today I was happy to find a handful of new bags awaiting my inspection. There are some really dope pieces, but this is one of my favorites so far. I love the polaroid shot, red MM knit and Porter key holder. I used to be worried I blogged about Porter too much and people might not be into it, from the amount of Porter in people’s bags, real and fictional, I’m no longer concerned. Now onto Simon’s stuff…
Black Visvim Cordu 22 backpack. Dolfin dark chocolate with Earl Grey tea… Sounds terrible but it’s actually. pretty good. Macbook charger. Nokia phone charger. Smythson notebook. Polaroid film. Brown leather Comme des Garcons wallet. Black Arc’teryx gloves. Polished rootbeer Oakley Frogskins. Macbook. Neighborhood x Porter key holder and keys. Bootcamp Volume 5… Really nice Japanese photography mag, check it out at www.bootcampmagazine.com. Shadows by Ray Carney… A book about John Cassavetes’ 1959 film of the same name. Beige/Cream APC college scarf. Faber-Castell retractable HB pencil. Red Martin Margiela knitted hat. Polaroid camera… Added to bag after taking this picture.
A.P.C. Parka
I actually hadn’t seen this A.P.C. coat prior to today, then it popped up in both the Buyers Buyable and Mens.Style’s latest jacket guide, so it must be as good as it looks. The olive color, wool lining and split back makes it unique enough and quite classic at the same time. Very nice pockets and buttons make it wearable and diverse, although I’m not huge on hooded jackets, on some it just makes sense. I’m definitely liking this piece, it would make for a great piece to throw in the mix this fall, so if you have your pea coat, M65, leather, trench and bomber, the A.P.C. Parka might be next on the purchase list.
Jean Touitou
The founder and owner of APC, Jean Touitou has done a more than respectable job creating one of the best fashion labels in my world. Everything is made well, fits well, looks good and is good. If I was a bit slimmer and richer I would like the brand even more. Mr. Touitou recently blogged a picture of himself on his blog from 1977 at Berkly, California. This is a really cool photo. I don’t have that much else to say about it. I wish I had a picture of myself shredding the pavement in the late 70’s. Fortunately I wasn’t alive then but there is something really great about having parts and eras of your life documented by photos.
In The Bag
Here’s a new series I’m going to try to keep up since I seemed to run out of the ‘Things I Like’ posts. It’s called ‘In the Bag.’ Basically I’ll pick a bag I like and fill it up with more stuff I like. After just doing this first installment I can already tell it’s going to be a love/hate piece. Finding all of this stuff makes me want it more. Something with beautifully photographed products on a white background just looks so nice. I suppose you might get that idea from the aesthetic of the website and magazine. Anyways, for the first round I found an amazing Porter Ruc Sack to fill up. I put in a (Malin+Goetz) candle in case you find yourself in a stinky situation, because of the fall weather I went with a knit ball cap from Jill Sander and a nice scarf by A.P.C. For a little reading, or more looking I needed to pick up the last issue of Honeyee Mag and of course to make sure you look like your reading that Japanese you’ll need some Robert Geller glasses. I didn’t feel like scouring for a glasses case so if you need to you can wrap them in the scarf.
Also if readers feel liking emailing in their ‘bag’ it would be cool to post a reader’s bag each week, since I know you guys have good taste too, or you wouldn’t be reading h(y)r. Send them to info@hyrcollective
Want: A.P.C. Removable Collar Shirt
I actually tried on this shirt when it first came out at the A.P.C. shop in New York, I really liked the feel and the fit. The cotton is a little heavier than most of their button downs but still quite soft. The subtle red checks also look pretty nice with any denim or chino pants. At the time I was not feeling the removable collar idea very much and even though it only retails for $150, I ended up passing on the shirt. I’ve since seen it pop up online at a couple and even more recently at Eugene Choo in Vancouver. Also since I first saw it, I’ve started to really like the collar less button down. You don’t see a lot of people wearing them and if the shirt is casual enough and doesn’t have puffy sleeves so you don’t look like a pirate, it can end up looking pretty nice. Now that the shirt is available in Vancouver, I have been seriously considering picking it up. We’ll see if there is room in the budget.
Grey Work Shirt
Most of us are familiar with the popularity of grey this fall. It’s shown up as a very common hue used in some of my favorite lines, and that is not a problem with me. I’ve always like white, black, and grey. They are easy to wear, timeless, and go with a ton of other things. Combine the color trend with the often mentioned ‘work wear’ aesthetic and you have yourself a great selection of grey work/over shirts. I actually have two of these four pictured, but there are several others out there. Whether you line wools, cottons, epaulets, flap pockets, you can pretty much find find any variation right now. I’ve tried to tell myself not to buy more grey this fall, but I can already tell that is a lost cause. Some of the best I’ve come across are by A.P.C, Nom de Guerre , Engineered Garments, Stussy Deluxe and Rag & Bone. They are all pretty much the usual suspects on the blog, but it’s for a reason. I’d go so far to say the grey fall shirt is a must have this fall.
Nom de Guerre/Cross Promotion/Pick Up
Just in time for the new issue, I received a nice package this morning. The lambswool high neck knit is one of my favorite pieces this fall. The soft wool, color, buttons, and fit are all perfect. Thanks to NDG for the great service and being really nice to work with on the feature. Communication is an odd thing when it comes to emailing. Some people treat it seriously and some don’t seem to think it means that much. Fortunately I was able to meet with Isa from the label in New York, so putting a face to somebody always helps you relate and be more understanding. Anyways, I’m very happy about the sweater and belt. I’ve had a hard time finding pieces that fit me well, which is why I might talk about APC and Nom de Guerre more than other lines because they fit me well. Anyways get your lambswool on this fall and read more about Nom de Guerre in the new issue.
Our Spot Online Shop
Our friends down in Australia now have their online shop up and running on the website. Our Spot was featured in our last issue as one of the leading retailers down under and now with their online shop, they are ready to take on the world. Our Spot pretty much have my ideal stock list and kicked off the online store with three of my favorite brands, A.P.C., Nom de Guerre and Common Projects. They actually received a nice looking motorcycle style Nom de Guerre jacket which we haven’t seen arrive anywhere else this fall. Otherwise they received a couple of my favorite pieces of the season with the Regulation Shetland knit and the Common Projects Court shoe low in black and white. At first glance the prices might look a bit high but you have to take into the favorable Aussie dollar and the face that tax is included. Browse and buy here.
A.P.C. Saharienne D’Hiver Coat
This is a really dope jacket I think. There have been a lot of good ones this fall by Raf Simons, A.P.C., Our Legacy, Ralph Lauren, Engineered Garments, Nom de Guerre, all that I would gladly wear, but this A.P.C. coat might be my favorite I’ve come across. If you can’t tell from my obsession with Nom de Guerre, bags, and boots, I have a thing for military inspired garments. A big thing, that takes over my brain and I can’t think about anything other than clothes. It’s a bit scary sometimes, but it allows me to keep up the blog at least. Anyways, this coat is great. The pockets, color, buttons, collar, and then topped off with a really simple belt make this a stand out. One thing A.P.C. does so well is not take things too far. This is almost a big extreme for them even, and I definitely respect that about the line. A lot of designers would have tried to do too much but by using restraint and an obvious influence of urban fashion military ranks, the result is a jacket I might NEED to buy.
A.P.C. Military-Style Bag
I’d say this A.P.C. bag wins for the least creative and interesting name this fall. However I like it a lot. Tote bags are among my favorite forms of luggage, probably right behind duffel bags. I don’t know why I have such an adoring eye for bags. I think it’s something about the simplicity, functionality, and way the age, materials, and personally style can change the look/style of them so much. Anyways, these ‘military-style’ bags are pretty much perfect tote bags. Coming with a few pocking options, two great colors, good size, and well made of course coming from the A.P.C. camp. I also like how there is a zipper top on these which is a feature a lot of tote bags don’t have. I’ve experienced and untimely emptying of a tote and it’s contents so the zipper would have been nice on a couple occasions. 160 Euros isn’t much of a bargain however for these simple bags but it might be just what you’re looking for.
