Tenderloin Jacket

Heard of Tenderloin? Non? Don’t worry, not many people have, but it won’t be long before you see every fashionista worth their trendy salt bearing something with the distinct "K-7" logo. Already a hit in their native Japan, the UK has yet to have been truly graced with the the delights of the Tenderloin, mainly because there are only a couple of stockists in Blighty. That’s why I have decided to feature this super-sweet baseball jacket (£300), and bring Tenderloin to the masses!

£300 is quite a bit for a jacket, but there are plenty of affordable tees, hats, shirts and badges, all with distinctly nutty Japanese stylings. Buy something, even if it’s just for the satisfaction of saying "I was there first" to your little mate who has only just caught on. That always feels good.

Topman Cardigan

With the preppy look now a staple in men’s fashion, you won’t go far wrong with with this geeky cardigan (£30) from Topman. I love the pale yellow shown, but it also comes in four other colours.

Best worn over a collar for that "Buddy Holly-Weezer" look, pair up with the straightest slacks you can find and a simple pair of tennis or deck shoes.

Then Brylcreem up that mop and give yourself the slickest side parting this side of Happy Days.

I Love What You’re Wearing: James and Matt

I managed to collar two young chaps at the Great Escape music festival in Brighton who turned out to work in Resident, a local independent record shop and made me realise the limitations of my musical knowledge, shucks! First up is James, wearing a cool stadium jacket in a wonderful grey and burgundy colour combo. Teamed with black drainpipes and a Wolf Eyes t-shirt (apparently a really good band). James told me he collects stadium jackets and has a collection at home, mostly picked up from estate sales in the US. Jealous? Damn right.

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LRG Thousand hand slap boardies

These shorts (£39.95) probably belong more in an opium den than on the beach and maybe they say "sleaze" more than "surf", but as long as you do stick to wearing them in the sea rather than under your silk smoking jacket, you should be fine.

If you fancy something a little less brave, LRG also do the Mr Lava Lava boardies, which are just as original but less likely to have people telling their kids not to go near you.

Asteroids Tee

For fans of all things retro and gaming, you’re going to wet yourself over this cracking Asteroids tee from Airsideshop.

Designed by Chris Rain for Airside, it’s all in the detail. Vector graphics just like the original arcade machine and a spaceship hidden as the letter "A". But that’s not all, there’s a backprint too with more rocks and a hall of fame – with the top names making up the word "Airside". 100% cotton and available for £24.99.

[via RetroToGo]

Crazy New Terratag Tee

With a range of designs that includes giant, laser-wielding mechanoids, Japanese schoolgirls and Afrika Bambaataa’s Zulu Nation slogan printed on their clothing, I really shouldn’t be surprised by Terratag’s new range of t-shirts, but I am.

And on reflection, it isn’t just surprise I’m feeling. It’s fear. Fear because I want this shirt so badly in all its phosphorescent glory, but scared that I’d end up looking like the crazy old man in a club who thinks he’s "with it".

To hell with it, I’m sure I’ve worn worse, and at £25 it wouldn’t be a total waste of money. Especially seeing as each of the Terratag logos that make up the design have been hand printed onto the tee, ensuring that no two are alike. So if I do end up looking like an idiot, at least I’ll be a unique idiot.

French Connection Stanton Jacket

Gaudy, slogan infested tee-shirts and tatty shorts that reveal your skinny, pasty legs are fine for those steaming Summer days, but what about for the breezy evenings relaxing in your favourite beer garden or dining Al Fresco without a convenient patio heater nearby?

Well my sweaty, little friend, the answer lies in this slick, lightweight jacket from French Connection. Its allure lies in its simplicity and versatility, looking great with a pair of navy jeans and a crisp tee down the pub, or being handed over to the waiter at a decent restaurant.

And if its warm enough for you, I can guarantee that your date won’t mind this over her shoulders once she gets out into the "cold". They love that chivalrous stuff, unless of course you happen to be wearing your trampy, sorry, comfy old parka from secondary school…

£90 via [French Connection]

Scalectrix T-Shirt

Are you like me, and fondly think of your youth sat crossed legged watching cars hurtle around a Scalectrix track? Did you ever stick a penny in your mates track to impede his progress? Well, for fans of what our American cousins call ‘Slot Car Racing’, you’ll be thrilled at this cracking T-Shirt from Nerdy Shirts.

Elvis had a room dedicated to Scalectrix and his track was 155 feet long… well, the track on this shirt is 30 inches… and is retailing at $20. The shirt is described as being ‘gold’ and the track image comes in the classic ‘figure 8′ Scalectrix starter kit formation. An essential purchase for the discerning gent.

Abercrombie Gill Brook Polo

Polo shirts these days seem to be the preserve of everyone, and I mean everyone. From the (fake) Hackett clad Chavs, to the trendy, little emo boys, to the toffee-nosed, Richmond-Rugby set, most blokes favour this "smarter" alternative to its collarless cousin at one time or the other.

But for all its ubiquity in the fashion world, its only Penguin Polos that really do it for me these days. There are some classic Fred Perrys out their too, but again, there’s something about that laurel leaf motif that has me thinking "hooligan".

God Bless Abercrombie and Fitch. The purveyors of prep are often guilty of churning out a load of New England-stylee blandness, or overusing the distressed look that is so unfathomably favourable in men’s fashion today (just wear your jeans for seven years dammit, don’t fake it). So I was pleasantly surprised by the sight of this stripy saviour on their website, all clean and crisp like some newly resurrected cotton-based messiah… sorry, I really do like it that much.

Hyperbole aside, the Gill Brook is a great polo. Despite Abercrombie’s failings, their clothes are hard wearing – My eight year old "Betty Page" tee is testament to that. With that in mind, the £50 price tag doesn’t seem so bad.

Martin Margiela sun flare top

This cool sunset print top as Browns like to call it is known as a lens flare in Photoshop amongst graphic designers, and as I know what a typeface is or as I like to call them typefont, I like to think I’m an honorary graphic designer. Martin Margiela are responsible for this cool top, which despite it’s slightly dodgy sleeveless status has definitely captured my heart. The price however has captured my heart and crushed it to smithereens, as it stands at a whopping £115. Blimes!

Spoiler T-Shirt

Are you the kind of person who likes to spoil people’s fun? Good, you’re in the right place then. Why? Well, if you look closely at this brilliant T-Shirt from Threadless, you’ll see that it pretty much gives away the twists and story-ends to ever great film ever made!

This great Tee will cost you $14.99 from Threadless and is guaranteed to be a great talking point among your pals… especially the ones who don’t know the ending to The Usual Suspects.

Funky New Spunky Season

Traditionally "urban wear" has simply been a byword for dressing like a giant toddler with colour-blind parents, but Spunky have been redefining street fashion for the last nine years, combining classic grafitti style with some seriously sureal imagery.

Working with hundreds of different "designers", Spunky considers  submissions from the public, which in the past has resulted in a fantastically diverse range of tees, footwear and accessories.

The new season is no different. I’ve picked a couple of t-shirts for the upcoming months that would look great lounging about on the beach or rocking out in a club.

The Kuyichi Harvey (pictured) is by far my favourite and will soon be a part of my wardrobe, just as soon as I get paid again – the £40 price tag is a little hefty. Cheaper at £26.99 but just as rad is the SP:UK Dollar Head tee. Just make sure you go for the Marle and not the Peacock blue.

Fine and dandy

The Sunday Times interviewed three young men about their love for the dandy style. Guy Hills who runs Dashing Tweeds said: "I dress to amuse both myself and others. I like it when people smile at me in
the street, when what I wear provokes a reaction from passers-by. People have
no problem approaching me, and I like that." Phil Cazal of The Cazals said: It’s about
being attention-grabbing – you have to be noticed to be noticed. It’s a
way of setting myself apart. I think every person gains a certain power from
that.

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