The "Best Of" From My Time On The Road

The things that kept me sane along the way

It’s been go go go for yours truly these past few months. But unlike last year where I was being sent to horrible fashion events to mingle with the skinniest and evilest people in the industry, this time I’ve been on the road - producing long form content for Youtube.

We went to Seattle and Alaska to learn about fur, Switzerland for watches, Montana to meet with the two best jeans-makers in America, and much more.

My friend Tres wrote a really great article for GQ about what to wear on vacation and very generously quoted me. I haven’t really had a chance to vacation in a while, so I thought I’d tell you about the clothes that kept me warm/sane as I spent weeks and weeks away from my home and loved ones.

Seattle/Alaska

In my Forest Green Mackinaw

Last year I went along on a Filson x Birkenstock brand trip to Santa Fe where I got to meet Alex Carleton: Filson’s Creative Director. Alex is an amazing dude, he even excused me from some of the influencer stuff to go vintage shopping with him and this guy knows his stuff. (You should listen to his Blamo! interview if you can.)

There have been rumbling among the menswear stalwarts about Filson moving more of their production overseas, but after meeting their whole team - my personal qualms were resolved. (The Italian-designed women’s collection is especially awesome - a really great gift for someone in your life.)

Similar Mackinaw-style jackets worn by the Civilian Conservation Corps

Filson offered to outfit me and my small crew at their Seattle flagship and I walked out with a few things - but the standout for me was the Mackinaw jacket. Still made in Seattle (on the first floor of their flagship store) and readily available on the vintage market - this jacket was my go-to for our Alaska trip. (Size down, they run big.)

Layered with a nice sweater and with the collar turned up, the jacket should keep you comfortable in all but the most severe weather. And the heritage-inspired CCC look of it is a plus. Tons of pockets and super beefy wool.

Switzerland

I went to Geneva primarily to attend Watches & Wonders with my new friends at Tudor. It feels like Tudor - in opposition to its stuffy older brother, Rolex - is opening up a bit to the creator world. Which was great for me, obviously.

I got to meet the man who designed the Black Bay 58, the watch that got me into watches (and my daily driver for all of my serious travel). And it was a Black Bay 58 (the new one) that really got my attention on this trip. Although I don’t own this newest reference, it feels like everything I like about the original, but kicked up a notch. The shape is more refined, the new five-link bracelet is lighter and more comfortable - and that burgundy is based on a 90s prototype pulled from their archives.

Montana

Aether Pacer Jacket and Tilden Barn Find Jeans

To prepare for another cold weather excursion, I turned to Aether, which had gifted me a down zip-up before I went to Alaska. Though I loved the practicality of the piece they gave me, it wasn’t totally my style. So on a break from a shoot in Soho, I walked into their store to grab another jacket.

I loved the way they styled their Pacer Jacket in a recent lookbook. I loved that vintage military liner look and how they use heavy-duty (but reclaimed) down. The only caveat here is that Aether’s jackets tend to run a little tight in the shoulders and arms. I wasn’t able to get as cropped a fit as the model, but I wound up being nice and warm regardless.

Tilden’s own worn-in example.

For this trip - to visit Tilden Yamamoto and Roy Slaper - the genius minds behind Tilden Jeans - I obviously wore my Tildens. The roomy but flattering cowboy-inspired cut made from some of the best available NOS American denim just gets better and better the more I wear ‘em.

France

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I wanted a durable pair of trousers that would serve me well on the road and could look dressed up with a nice shirt and loafers. Luckily for me Merz B Schwanen ended up providing the silver bullet to this dilemma.

Maybe because I lived in Paris for a time, but I had it in my head to have a good pair of black pants if I ever returned to France. For our trip to Lyon (and into the countryside to meet with the good people at Le Laboureur) I chose the the Chino 02 - their huge improvement on their last chino (which I thought was too tapered). Wide leg, high-waisted, and in a heavy pseudo-denim twill; these trousers are hard to beat for versatility. They look awesome with a tee and luckily work well when dressed up.

Home Once More

Now that I’m home, I’m hoping to dress a little more expressively, because when I travel, I try to keep things as simple as possible. Not sure what this will mean exactly, but stay tuned for more.