John Löfgren & Co - Beach Jacket

If you know a little about vintage clothing and particular vintage American clothing, you may know that the Brown's Beach Jacket is one of the most collectible items out there and it keeps fetching solid prices on eBay. If you know a little about buying from some of the most shops in the world, you may know that most of them are located in Japan and you may know, that it's often a hassle communicating with them and you will often have to resort to using an expensive proxy. However there is one exception and that exception is Speedway Shop (or their Rakuten shop), which is run by a very friendly American named John Lofgren (he is actually of Swedish descent).

John Lofgren is not only running a very good shop with a lot of other good brands, but he is also producing some very fine goods in his own name. Their all made in Japan of excellent materials and their all meticulously made with nice historical details.

One of the most recent pieces that has been added to the collection is John's interpretation of the iconic Beach Jacket. It's not a historical reproduction by any means, but it's a plausible remake with a nice updated fit. The fit is also something that makes Lofgren stand out, as they're much more suited for the Western consumer, as many of the Japanese makers tend to make their garbs very small and short.

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Ideas for Styling - Workers

Workers out of Japan is such a cool company. I'm addicted to their monthly news mails. One thing I particularly enjoy is their way of styling the models. So simple, so easy, so Japanese, so masculine and just inspiring.

Take this example from this month

* The moccasins are almost certainly made by Russell Moccasin.

Here are some older ones, that I were storing in a folder on my computer.

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Gung Ho

One thing I learned, when I started getting into menswear and clothing in general, as opposed to more fashion oriented clothing, is that quality doesn't always come with premium  price. Sometimes you do pay for that extra good fabric, some specific details or something being actualy handsewn, but it is possible to obtain well-made products at a surprisingly - or embarrassingly - low price.

This is the case with Earl's Apparel (which I'm pretty sure also covers the brands Gung Ho and Stan Ray), which is made in the US. Their workwear products have long been a mainstay in Japan (where I discovered them a long time ago), but now they are making an entrance in the US in more reputable shops like Hickoree's and Archival Clothing. 

The fit may no be for all, as it looks a bit roomy, however I think the price is something, that appeals to all and personally there is one detail, that I'm just crazy about; and that is the felled outseam. Having thighs like tree trunks myself, I find, that a lot of pants look like they're busting at the seams, especially when sitting down. However that felled outseam prevents just that. Again, a small detail that very few notices, but it makes a hell of a difference to me. You just don't see that many company making pants with that detail and if I could, I would.

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