rural france

Author Marie-France Boyer is the Paris Editor of World of Interiors magazine. Want to gaffle her book Really Rural next.

michael munro-dunn

Photo via EsquireUK
Text below from the Edinburgh Evening News:

As fashion models go, they don't come more unlikely than Michael Munro-Dunn. Yet the 64-year-old from Stockbridge has been unexpectedly plunged into the limelight after being spotted by a style scout while out walking in the city centre.

Mr Munro-Dunn has now, much to his surprise, been shortlisted as one of 12 finalists in Esquire magazine's search for Britain's Best Dressed Real Man.

He said: "One morning I was walking down Castle Street, minding my own business, going for a cup of coffee and a read of the paper, and this chap came running up behind me and said 'Excuse me, sir'. He was draped in cameras and said he was from Esquire magazine and they were travelling round the country looking for the best dressed men.

"I knew nothing about Esquire magazine at all and he said 'Would you mind if I took a few photographs?'.

He [Munro-Dunn] said: "Since I retired and came home from India I'm absolutely appalled at just how scruffy we've all become and I feel that I need to try and maintain standards.

"I come from an old Army family and I remember my father saying 'Standards, my dear boy, standards'."


HERE'S HOW IT's MUNRO-DUNN

1. Be yourself, don't follow the herd: "People should look to be individual and not follow the high street track. A lot of people follow the high street fashions thinking that's the way it is, and it's really not."

2. Don't be afraid to splash out on clothes and shoes that will last: "People's spending power today does vary tremendously and good stuff is not cheap, but all the latest fashions are designed to last for one season and then it gets thrown away. Good style never goes out of fashion."

3. And finally: "Blokes - for God's sake, put that bloody tie back on."

fridays are tie days -the old boy network

Well, you know how it is when you're in some public spot and a stranger comes in wearing the old school tie. You shove a hasty hand over your own and start to sidle out before the chap can spot it and grab you and start gassing.
-from Tried in the Furnace by P.G. Wodehouse

Sis found a treasure trove of ties at Ben Silver. British university, regimental and old boy (the term for high school alumni commonly used in Britain; usually referring to public i.e. private boarding schools -long parentheses) ties.

But come on, the London School of Economics (LSE) has some hideous school colours...
Paraphrasing from the Ben Silver website; the repp silk is woven in England and Italy, then made by hand and slip-stitched. Striped and crested straight ties are 3 3/8" wide and 57" long. They advertise their authentically striped and crested neckwear collection as the largest in the world. The stripes almost always descend from the heart, in the traditional English manner.

The striped repp tie is also appreciated by the well-dressed gentleman, because it adds strength and definition to the face.
-via Ben Silver

Not sure why but I'm not that wild on striped repp or regimental (long)ties. Striped bow ties I like, and the crested ties look fantastic. I went to LSE (dubbed "Let's See Europe" by the American students) but can't bring myself to wear their gold/purple/black. LSE is a constituent of the University of London though; and their (Ben Silver'd) ties are below. V v tasty. Around $75.

[sidenote, if you are in Charelstown SC this saturday, Ben Silver having a tent sale. Get there early I hear, then send me some pictures...]

universal works fw2010

It is overcast in Boston and cold in the office. Smashed my toe on the kid's bedpost so roomy workboots are on. The best when it starts to cool off and you can put boots back on... Some pics from British label Universal Works for this fall -makes you want to head doon the pub immediately haha. That blue sweatshirt is nails -sucker for elbow patches I guess.

in honor of sharkweek

[reposted from April 16, 2009]

When I was 6 or 7 I was sent from Vermont to live with my English grandparents for the summer. In business terms this would be an "opportunity". It wasn't punishment, though I did have to go to school for a few weeks once I arrived. Long/short, Grandpa had a copy of Peter Benchley's Jaws. Fanfreekintastic if you have never read it. The skinny-dipping scene at the beginning where the girl gets chomped... in the book she reaches down and feel the crumbly stump of her leg... ooooh shivers. 70's fashion had not really polluted the Vineyard yet (Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard stood in for the book's fictional town Amity), and Jaws the motion picture is styled with a great mix of nautical/preppy standards with a wash of working gear. Have been thinking of this post for a while.

Khakis, norwegian sweater, sockless... and we only see this guy for about 30 seconds.
Chief Brody has a Liberace-esque collection of Baracuta jackets.
Love the mayor's go-to-hell blazer. Chappi' ferry for the win.

Quint rolls with standard issue chambray shirt, wool jacket, tin cloth hat?
His first mate (check the outtakes) killing it with the woody plaid and blaze cap.

You can't bring your own fireworks to 4th of July weekend guy.. this ain't NH!

This is Craig Kingsbury, an islander who helped Spielberg and
Robert Shaw flesh out the Quint character.

Swear that is a Carhartt on the left. Glint on the buttons...
This scene is chock-a-block; matching twill behind,
watchman's cap and calling Russell Athletic on Dreyfuss.

Marled sweater, fishmonger's apron, home brew.
"Here's to swimmin with bowlegged women."

Dreyfuss looking cool for once.
Narragansett. The 'crumple the cup' scene.
The last 3 don't need captions... enjoy.




We lived and worked on the Vineyard one summer, so it is always a nostalgia trip to watch the in-town scenes. There is a great BBC documentary about the making of Jaws that was filmed 10 years ago (In the Teeth of Jaws, can't find a digital copy), it goes deep into the Quint character and Robert Shaw's portrayal. (Shaw reqested a house up-island, and would take a launch round to Edgartown or wherever each day... and summarily polish off a bottle of rum. Breakfast.)

burton -2011

The Burton 2011 offerings are voluminous as usual. How about 47 styles of gloves or mittens. For men. Another 33 choices for women...

My riding clothes don't fall far from the tree; denim, duck, plaid, camo and blaze and maybe some 802green -or stick to the throwback prints. Otherwise mix up colors w/ the goggles; though others may opt for KellyClark/JohnnyCash head-to-toe coffinblack. Like her style a ton btw.

Head over to the site and get lost; they even worked on a line called Heritage. 10e data mining below.



The old Sub Pop homage logo, key-lassic.
How about a bookmobile board?? Maybe next year.











Can't go wrong w/ a little Dead reference. Not into purple as a general rule but the series of bags Burton have done in this color scheme gets a nod since they took the extra time to trick out the nylon straps too. Black straps don't work except when the rest is black or blaze. Pet peeve. Thx for listening...