Daily Outfit

Camouflage – 3 rules in navigating the menswear jungle

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I love camouflage as a pattern for textiles. Call me a rube or a redneck if you will, but I think camouflage is fascinating, and I love the way that it looks when incorporated into everyday outfits. Now, obviously, there are limitations. No one in the wold needs camouflage crocs (or any kind of croc for that matter), and head-to-toe camouflage is going to make you look pretty sketchy in most instances.

But then again, wearing head-to-toe of most patterns makes you look a little insane.

As I come to accept myself and my personal style a lot more with age, I have allowed myself to accumulate a few pieces in camouflage. I started with accessories, and have now worked myself up to actual garments. I even have a few other pieces on my list of wardrobe acquisitions (yes, I have an acquisitions plan for my wardrobe – and clearly a lot of spare time now that I am single) that I have already decided I will buy for myself in the new year.

I think that it is OK to wear camouflage outside of the military, but as I mentioned, there are rules of thumb that should be applied to ensure that you don’t wind up looking like a crazy survivalist. I thought I’d share three of my personal rules with you today, so you can think about creating your own. Realistically, these are rules for patterns generally, but camouflage is a good example to lead with.

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Skinny Jeans and Being 30

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Earlier this year, I found a pair of Skinny Jeans on ASOS.

They were gorgeous. Perfect shade of blue, very light distressing, ideal length and a little bit of moto-detailing that gave them an edge. I didn’t own anything like them, but ever since I saw the first image of Kanye West wearing the Balmain biker jeans I have always wanted something like them (only without the $10 K price tag).

And so when I saw these jeans on ASOS, for only $60 and in a size 38 (which to be honest is borderline my size these days – I’m more likely a 40 after trying to eat myself into an early grave over the past 10 months); I didn’t even think about the fact that they were listed as Skinny Jeans and I clicked my mouse a couple of times until the sale had processed. It wasn’t until hours later, when the skinny little bastards were already on their way to me by courier (which is, quite frankly, a terrible feature of shopping with ASOS now) that I realised what I had actually just done.

I had at thirty-years of age, just purchased a pair of skinny jeans. (more…)

Military Coat – 90s Grunge or Japanese Cool?

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Spring always means rain here in Canberra, and I’m counting my lucky stars I’ve found the perfect jacket to see me through the wet weeks ahead. Today I’m wearing: khaki hooded canvas jacket – German army surplus | white cotton v-neck t-shirt – H&M | obsidian magnatama necklace – Narita, Japan | brown leather belt – Sportscraft | moto embroidered skinny jeans – Loyalty & Faith | tobacco brown suede boots – The Ball & Chain, Catch of the Day

 

While it might technically be Spring here in Canberra, we’re currently living through a last hurrah for the Winter season that was. The air is still freezing, and rains have set in for the time being, which is doing wonders for my whole “let’s get fit and healthy in time for summer (for the 900th time)” thing. Spring in Canberra always means rain, and two weekends ago while the skies opened up, my parents and I set about rearranging my garage and conducting a bit of Spring-cleaning around my place. The main goal was to neatly pack-up and store the remnant’s of my ex’s belongings wile he’s living abroad. In the process of this, I found a coat.

I had never seen the coat before, but I knew that it belonged to my ex. It’s a khaki or olive-drab military coat with a huge hood and a detachable faux-fur lining. The tags inside the jacket are in German, so I can only assume that this is a surplus German military piece that he collected from somewhere, and which has been sitting in the garage unloved for the past five years. Obviously, waiting for me to discover it and to fall in love with it. (more…)

Coils, Curls and Ringlets – OH MY!

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Today I am celebrating my new hair and wearing: new curls – Rhubarb & Me | goldtone aviators with cross bar – x7, ASOS | navy cableknit sweater – Oval Dice, Harajuku Japan | pale blue Oxford shirt – Polo Ralph Lauren, thrifted | brown leather belt – Sportscraft | slim-fit moto jeans – Loyalty & Faith, ASOS | tobacco suede Chelsea boots – The Ball and Chain |

 

Growing up, one of my favourite characters from classical Greek mythology was Medusa.

Now, this is not to say that I had some sort of deeply privileged upbringing where I was exposed to the classics from a young age, nor is it to say I was exceptionally gifted and reading canon literature from a young age. My first exposure to Medusa came in the form of the amazing 1981 masterpiece Clash of the Titans, a film my sister and I doubtlessly came across on daytime TV. I was obsessed with Medusa’s coiling, twisting snake hair, and I wanted snake hair of my very own.

Cut to present day, and I am starting to understand my Versace fixation (despite their line suffering terrible since Gianni’s murder) and also, with curly hair. (more…)

Highlight Colour For Accomplished Dressing

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A Highlight Colour will really tie together an outfit of just one colour, and make it something special Today I wore: Tortoiseshell and gold-tone sunglasses – ASOS | navy crepe hoodie – Backnumber, Kyoto | orange and white button-down shirt – Polo Ralph Lauren | orange kint necktie – Uniqlo | navy and orange cotton webbing belt with leather fastenings – Sportscraft | raw indigo denim ‘Riley’ Jeans – G-Star Raw | whiskey brown leather Chelsea Boots with blue gusset – Red Tape |

When you wear a wardrobe that is mostly the one colour, it is really important to know what your highlight colour is, and how to use it.

A highlight colour is a colour that offsets your outfit when you are wearing mostly the one colour. It is a colour, hue or shade that you tend to reach for to break-up the ocean of your main wardrobe’s colour when you’re feeling a little too matchy-matchy or if the colour you wear is getting a bit suffocating. (more…)

Liberty London for Uniqlo Floral Linen Shirt

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When you find a shirt this gorgeous, you need to base your entire outfit around it! Today I wore: Tortoiseshell and gold-tone sunglasses – ASOS | navy pinstriped wool blazer – thrifted | blue and white floral linen shirt – Liberty London for Uniqlo | white cotton pocket square with polka dots – Uniqlo | brown leather belt – Sportscraft | heavily distressed Arc 3D Jeans – G-Star Raw | whiskey brown leather loafers – ASOS |

 

Liberty London would have to be one of the most well known and well loved fabric houses still in operation today. Quintessentially British in history and in design sensibility, Liberty London are known for their fresh floral motifs and bright colours.

Quite opposite to Liberty London you have Japanese street and LifeWear brand Uniqlo. Known for their high-quality basics and simple designs, Uniqlo has rapidly expand its operations to fourteen countries globally and has an ever expanding market for its wears.

A collaboration between Liberty London and Uniqlo was always going to turn heads. (more…)

Denim Shirt – A Modern Menswear Staple

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Trying something new with a denim shirt worn to work. I like the look but the feel of the shirt was off. I’m wearing: Navy single-button blazer – ASOS | denim button-down shirt – Bershka, Shibuya | blue and white striped cotton pocket square – Uniqlo, Tokyo | brown leather belt – Sportscraft | burnt orange cotton chinos – FCUK | navy socks with polka-dots – Witchery Man | whiskey brown leather brogues – Trenery |

 

The humble denim shirt has always seemed like a terrible sartorial choice to me. I had the idea that double denim outfits were horrific drummed into me at a young age, and now whenever I consider pairing denim with more denim, I don’t get a mental image of the sexy ad campaigns of G-Star Raw; but more a flashback to that time Britney and Justin wore a matching double denim outfit to… something; and all of our eyes threw up in their sockets a little.

So, you’ll understand perhaps my apprehension at introducing any denim to my wardrobe that isn’t a pair of jeans. (more…)

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