Esemplare SS13 (2 Jackets For A British Summer)

Not long now till the British festival season begins and the Isle of Wight in early June signals the start of a summer schedule of music till the end of September unrivaled anywhere in the world.

Of course the one thing you can count on is our weather and it's predictable unpredictability. For the temperature drop in the evenings a utility jacket with plenty of pockets is perfect for keeping all your shit safe. For the inevitable opening of the heavens a waterproof parka should be enough to stop you getting drenched.

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail homes!

Source: Men's Reverie

Jigsaw Menswear AW13 Preview (The Wooster Effect)

Back in January this year, in the midst of all the Tumblr coverage of Pitti Uomo something drew my attention and had me coming back for another look every day. The culprit, this incredible patchwork suit.

Source: Backstagefashionreports.com (via Grazia IT)

As a man of, what appears a similar shape and stature to myself (forgive me Nick for any crass assessment, fairly short and stocky) Nick Wooster is a constant source of inspiration for my own personal style. This suit is testament to the eclectic nature of the man himself, as a quick google search will show you, this gent has a tremendously varied wardrobe.

Since seeing this image I have been tirelessly trawling the web for something a kin to this awesome piece of tailoring.

Enter Jigsaw Menswear. Whether or not this image has directly influenced the designers at Jigsaw I can only assume but among their AW13 preview I spotted this.

That's not all. The rest of the collection is fantastic and I can see nod's to other elements of Nick's style too. Well done Jigsaw, and looking forward to seeing the collection up close.

The Autumn/Winter collection will be available in Jigsaw stores everywhere and online here.

Bucks & Co SS13

If you think that tailoring or tailored clothes feel too formal or dressy for the everyday purpose I would always err on the side of caution, the key to looking or feeling good in what you wear is comfort.

If you're looking for inspiration for a more relaxed aesthetic and less conformity look no further than the Japanese. Their consideration of fit and form is impeccable and as an avid fan of the United Arrows blog it's easy to see how they've garnered such a reputation.

Japan has long been recognised for it's denim and high street stores like Uniqlo have introduced a modern oriental stylistic to the UK & America.

These values are now finding favour among new and emerging brands. I recently received some very interesting shots of Bucks & Co.'s SS13 collection and it looks pretty special. I can see tons of Japanese influence and I'm a fan, big thumbs up!

What do you reckon?

UNIQLO x Michael Bastian

American menswear is experiencing somewhat of a revival in interest of late. A host of new designers are finding follow among the old guard and making a name for themselves with the discerning dresser. Michael Bastian, Mark McNairy and Todd Snyder are staking a claim to a market which appears to be on the up and we're all the better for it.

The latter collaborated with Gap at the end of last year to produce an individual capsule collection for Fall/Winter, as did McNairy who has a continued partnership with British shoemakers Sanders producing his New Amsterdam line.

The former is a collaborative partner of Gant for 3 years and their lines are an anticipated feature each season. Bastian seems to have cemented his place among the new creative fraternity and has now teamed up with Uniqlo (where would we be without this lot) to produce a range of polo's for the summer month's.

The yanks have long been famed for their 'Ivy League' and 'Preparatory' styles and the polo shirt has formed the base of one of the most iconic brands of our time, Ralph Lauren, since it first appeared in 1972.

This is what they do best and Bastian's fresh take on the form of the shirt, preferring a more fitting style, plus the addition of some interesting details make this a well received co-operation.

You can get your hands on the collection here, but get a move on because it's shifting out the door.

They're also now less one plain navy polo.

Native Youth SS13

Native Youth is a new Scandinavian streetwear brand with Japanese heritage. SS13 is their debut collection and I've picked out some of my personal favourites.

This is your holiday wardrobe right here lounging by the pool, Old Fashioned in hand. Before you know it you'll be burnt to buggery and dosed up with sun stroke, classic, wouldn't have it any other way.

The Hawaiian shirts are just the right amount of 2 & A Half Men.

Salvatore Piccolo SS13

More lessons in summer tailoring from the Italians.

Tweed in the mediterranean heat! Yes, unlined and unstructured the fabric will breathe and keep cool. Printed linen shirts and squares also feature heavily.

Source: Men's Reverie

Street Style: Spring Casual, Brook Street

Unstructured jacket, white shirt, tailored jeans and classic pair of brogues.

Simple, uncomplicated.

Brand Watch: Shackleton

You might remember a short while back I snapped a photo of Jonathan and his epic aviator jacket... Well it turns out that Jonathan is a designer and makes some pretty killer bags.

As luck would have it we stumbled across each other on Twitter and he was kind enough to send me over some details. You can see more here and keep an eye out for a collaboration with Hunter Gather coming soon.

Henry Cottons SS13

Dah fuq?

We do not get the same quality summer tailoring as the rest of the continent. Nobody does it better than the Italians.

Lightweight cottons, pastel tones and not a single pairs of socks in sight!

'Here comes the Sun'

Source: Henry Cottons