LowBang

Reviewed: Vintage Fatigue J.Crew Cord Jeans in straight fit

Round Two in my attempt to find the right pair of cords for me. Even though the first order of corduroy jeans from jcrew did not fit me well (have to admit to myself with the way my legs are built I can't comfortably slip into 'slim fit') I liked the "thinness" of the cords and the lightness of the material in general. So even though they did not have my first preferred colour (grey) I was willing to give it another try this time in a 'straight fit' cut. I was hoping this time round the fit, style and colour were right for me.

First Impressions

I felt I had a pretty good idea of what is was getting into (literally) as I had previously ordered and returned a pair of grey slim-fit cords that, even though were my usual size, I could not get into at all, not even with losing my extra holiday weight. By ordering straight fit at my usual size I figured I'd be right on and at first glance they looked the right size. What I wasn't so sure about was the colour. Described on the jcrew website as "vintage fatigue" it looked like it fell somewhere between a dusty grey/green/brown colour. My first glimpse of it under indoor light and this looked like a chocolate brown. Not some tentative forest, fawny brown but straight down-the-middle brown. Which ticked me off a little as why didn't they describe it as just brown on their website rather than the non-committal "vintage fatigue"? However in various lighting and shade I can see what they avoided calling it brown. Just take a look at the photo below compared to the one above. Up top it looks like a definite chocolate brown but below it appears to be more of a dusty brown. Once I got over my initial annoyance thinking I had bought a brown pair of cords what I realised I had was a pair of very versatile trousers.

Size and Fit

Here was the decider. After not fitting into a pair of slim-fit cut cords, straight-cut would have to be the cut for me (at least in cords) and if it did not fit it would be a serious disappointment (and give my ego a serious beating).

Thankfully the cords fitted quite comfortably (without any hint of sarcasm). For me; taught at the waist, a little roomy in the thigh and plenty of room in the calf. So the complete opposite of the slim-fit pair I had.

After a few wears of this pair I'm happy adding this to my ever expanding wardrobe. I like the different choice of texture it offers, adding something different to the denim and flat chinos I typically wear. I can't wear it everywhere I go (due to the tropical environment I live) but if I'm spending the whole day in an air-conditioned office, it makes sense. Similar to my Rag & Bone Herringbone Cotton Blazer brown cords can easily turn into something your grandpa would wear so you have to be careful what you match with. Please, no brown shoes or brown jackets. Avoid desert boots as the texture is too similar. Also, because corduroy is so textured you want to pair it with more flat, plain, block-coloured pieces. Recently I've matched it with my Jack Purcells, a black v-neck t-shirt, a plain cotton navy blazer.

NB. Recently I added a 'stone' coloured pair of corduroy jeans that I've matched with a navy long-sleeved henley and olive unstructured military-style jacket. 

Wrap Up

Overall, JCrew's version of brown cords are a welcome return to my wardrobe. For certain occasions it may not be the the most appropriate or comfortable material to wear (outside in the tropical climate of Southeast Asia, for instance) but otherwise it adds some variety to the monotony of denim and cotton chino. It's been a long absence but a welcome return that might not ever leave.

Reviewed: J.Crew Vintage Cord in Straight Fit Cut

Colour: Vintage Fatigue

Size: 32/30

Match with:

• black/ dark v-neck t-shirt
• dark Henley
• flat cotton unstructured jackets
• low-top sneakers
• leather wingtips

 

Reviewed: Rag & Bone Herringbone Cotton Blazer

I've been wearing this jacket pretty regularly since I got it almost a month ago. I'll just get this out the way; I've been so happy with this jacket that friends, family and co-workers are probably sick of me wearing it. Well, too bad, as I'm going to keep on wearing it. Be careful though, something this brown and 'old-school' patterned has the potential to come off quite nerdy or Dad-like so it's important to give some thought to how your wear it and what you match it with. But for me, it is definitely worth the effort.

A week with J.Crew Slim Secret Wash button-down shirts

These bad boys arrived from J.Crew a week before Christmas which was perfect timing as they wre a great 'festive' shirt to wear to the various office parties and other related outings. I've never really owned this quite bold shirts before so I was curious how well these shirts would fit into the rest of my wardrobe. 

Found & Reviewed: Ray-Ban Caravan Sunglasses

I've been looking for a proper replacement for my freebie Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses since I had lost them in a restaurant in Denver six months ago. But I have come to the realisation that the traditional Aviator doesn't suit the shape of my face. The bottom of the Aviators typically touched the top of my cheeks so didn't feel that great and for me, the shorter and squarer the frames the better it would suit my round (and potentially rounder) face. I was hoping the Caravans would be a good proxy for Aviators but suit my face better. 

ASOS Crepe-Sole Leather Brown Brogue Shoes

On top of the Hudson shoe I ordered from ASOS I also ordered one of their inhouse branded shoes. While I wasn't quite expecting the roughness of the leather I love the dark colour (it can almost get away with being considered black) and its overall shape: modern & sleek. The only thing I have an issue with is and I'm generally starting to turn away from is the crepe sole. I have no problem with the contrast colour (in fact it's what I bought it for) but the main issue is its 'stickiness'. It seems to attract a lot of dirt and almost everything seems to stick to it; paper, leaves, you name it. I kinda like how it's colour is fading a little but the stickiness is an issue.

 

A week with UGG Australia Bristol Wingtips

For most of my adult life I've typically worn loafers or lace ups to work without much adornment, the plainer, the better. Wingtips or brogues seemed a little too old school for me. It's only lately with the recent trend of Indy shoes did they really start to interest me. Now I'm not talking about going all Mark McNairy fluroescent green or blue soles but I was convinced I could find something that could bridge the gap between the more traditional wingtip but was different and interesting enough to fit in to my wardrobe. 

It was a long search to find the right match; the brogue/wingtip category takes you to a lot of strange places; from 30s-era two-tone numbers to the mainstay traditional suede and leather variety. It was through the zappos site (awesome site and app btw) did I find the wingtips that could be the answer. Strangely enough it was from a most unlikely brand; UGGAustralia. The name is a bit of a misnomer as it's actually a California-based company (something I take personal offence as an Australian) but the UGG, while having a moment a few years back, is a brand and item of clothing more associated with winter, pajamas and trying to keep warm at night. Could they really make a dress/ casual that easily slip me through office, causal and family events? Read on to find out!

A week with J.Crew Henley tops

source: jcrew.com

Henley tops have been my recent casual top of choice to wear at work. As a long-sleeved option they seem a little more dressy than a normal t-shirt and look better than the t-shirt option with the jacket on or off. I recently added three more from J.Crew that I would hope add to my options throughout the week. Would these be the three that breaks the camel's back and puts me off Henleys forever? Find out dear reader!

A week with the J.Crew Selvedge cotton twill sportcoat in Ludlow fit

Source: JCrew.com

I've been on a bit of a spree in hunting for and buying unstructured (aka unlined) jackets recently and I thought I was done. Then I stumbled onto this jacket by J.Crew via the Valet iPad app (highly recommend that you download it) and to be honest I didn't have to think very long to know that I wanted this jacket. I knew deep down inside I was still searching for the perfect unstructured jacket that would work in the tropical climate I live. Would this be the jacket to answer all my prayers and dreams? Hit the link to find out!

A week with The Hill-Side Ties

I've plucked up the courage to wear ties every now and then at the office and while traveling. To put this into context no-one in my office wears tie unless they're meeting with ministers, CEOs or having a job interview.

So far I've typically favoured cotton knit ties, almost exclusively from Muji. The square-cut ties never seem as formal as the silk/cloth pointy-ended ties, look good under a sportcoat or sweater and they can almost feel like you are wearing a scarf. So do these Hill-Side square-cut ties add anything different to my tie collection? Are they just as versatile as my other ties? Read on to find out.

A week with the Timex Military Watch by J.Crew

I've been wearing both my versions of the Timex Military Watches by J.Crew pretty heavily for well over a week now. Coming from an experience of wearing more expensive watches I was keen to see whether these watches would blend easily into my overall wardrobe. Could people tell these are 'cheap' watches, or would they even care? Would I look and feel different wearing these watches around? Read on to see what I experienced.