We are big fans of the Farrell brand. In case you haven’t come across them yet they are an quirky English indie with ex-Burberry fella Ben Dickens at the helm and Robbie Williams, yes him, providing some of the inspiration.
They also have a blog that sometime can be laugh out loud funny.
And they have just unveiled their spring summer collection and we really like a lot of it. There’s a lot of navy and white, some very classy lightweight rain coats, striking knitwear and more. There’s a whiff of the 1950s about it, especially that bowling shirt.
Here are five of their items which caught our eye. You can view the whole collection on their website.
This looks really classy. It is a light cotton jacket in Navy which sports one button at the front. There are some neat touches too likes the fully functioning cuff buttons.
Ok, so it might still be freezing outside and summer wear probably isn’t that high on your mind, but spring and summer collections are already filtering their way through to the stores and one very impressive range is from Levi’s.
But it is the striped T shirts that have caught my eye. This £62 striped T shirt is available in four different incarnations including burnt orange, but I reckon it is this blue version that will be the big seller.
It has a great pattern and is made from super soft cotton. It is quite fitted too.
As you probably already know Primark doesn’t sell its range online. You have to go into the store to buy its clothes. It can also be a bit hit and miss with what it sells too. However the spring collection, which seems to be filtering its way into its stores now, looks like its strongest for a while.
We have already written about blue suede shoes (well navy ones, but that doesn’t have the cheesy pop culture link) already and Primark has a pair of blue Desert Boots for the give-away price of £15. Like the grey/brown trim and laces too.
Another £15 goodie that caught our eye are these waterproof hooded jackets. They are available in light (Man City esque) blue and brown and sport a white piping at the bottom. They remind me of a jacket that Lambretta sold a few years back. They look like perfect festival wear.
Still agonising over whether you need a bag to lug all your gear around? Well I’d get over it. How else are you going to transport your iPad, Kindle, various chargers – and maybe even the odd book or mag if you are old school?
One option that more and more blokes seem to be adopting are medium sized Barrel bags. These are the smaller versions of the the kit bags that you used to put your footy stuff in back in your fourth form days.
There’s now a good range that are suitably stylish, classically retro and big enough to accommodate a load of gadgets.
I love this Navy one from Fred Perry that has just gone on sale via The End. It not only has a striking Blue and Beige finish, but there’s a load of little details too like the Embossed Laurel Logo Stud and the small zip pocket at one end.
You can buy it now for £55. its is also available in grey and yellow and there are also a pair of Fred Perry shoulder bags that sell for £45.
Train travel was much more fun in the 80s. Then you had the wrong sort of leaves on the track, pissed footy fans on Inter City Specials, Jimmy Saville doing the TV adverts and timetables that were quite possibly penned but The Brothers Grimm. Yes those days sure were fun.
Actually the best bit about the, coughs, golden age of train travel, was the Inter City logo and it is great to see that it is making a bit of comeback on a T Shirt or two.
Leading the trend is Renaissance Man, and quite possibly serious train spotter, Damon Albarn who was seen wearing one in the summer when riding The Africa Express to Glasgow. They are available from the V&A but it seems that they are short of stock at the moment.
This is as close we could get to the Albarn shirt and guess what, it is out of stock. I can't imagine that the V & A won't be selling them again though.
V&A
One way to beat off the cold is to invest in a seriously heavyweight lambswool cardigan like this gem from Ben Sherman. The Plectrum Cardigan is Porcelain White with black flecks, is made from super warm lambswool – with a little nylon and is a regular fit.
It features a shawl collar and through zip front and is finished with contrasting patch pockets and ribbed cuffs and hem.
it has just landed in the Ben Sherman online store and sells for £175.
It is now getting cold- seriously cold. Not just an odd breeze ruffling your hair, but full on Arctic howlers accompanied by temperatures that are dipping well below freezing. And let’s be honest that flat cap that has served you well through the autumn – even if it does make you look like an extra from Billy Liar – won’t cut it anymore.
Its is time to go beanie – or even bobble.
The bobble has been making a bit of a comeback in the last few years and now are the hat of choice of many a hipster. As for beanies, well every man really ought to own at least one.
You probably don’t need me to tell you but you really need to avoid hats made from cheap scratchy wool. Not only are they massively itchy they just feel very uncomfortable. It might sound ridiculous but an investment in a Cashmere hat – provided you can keep the moths at bay – is well worth it and you’ll have a hat that will last several years.
Here are five to look at from cheapies through to £50 beanie handmade by artisans in the Himalayas – I kid you not.
This very classy beanie is made from Cashmere and Silk and is available in this guise and also in various shades of blue and white. It is apparently hand crafted in the foothills of the Himalaya by a skilled artisan.
Not On The High Street
Villain, an east London label which was founded seven years ago by John Vullo has a pretty interesting range of items on ASOS now.
Among the best is this pair of brown-ish checked trousers. In keeping with the company’s philosophy they have minimal branding but are made of high quality fibres – in this instance 51% Polyester and 49% Wool.
They are a straight fit have a concealed fly and are hand wash only. Yours for £110. The brand’s ASOS page also includes a striking pair of blue cords, some patterned shirts and a coat with an unusual collar called the Austin. They are all here.
We are big fans of the Farrell brand. In case you haven’t come across them yet they are an quirky English indie with ex-Burberry fella Ben Dickens at the helm and Robbie Williams, yes him, providing some of the inspiration.
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