The Sunday Best

Thug Life

Tue, 08 May 2012 15:28:27 -0700

These mugshots from the 1920’s remind us that a well-dressed man is half the part. All about the grift. (via Kottke)

That last shot, especially, seems taken directly from the pages of GQ.

Small Trades

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:32:16 -0700

Irving Penn’s Small Trades makes me wonder what kind of uniform I could wear to indicate I’m a writer without, you know, looking utterly gaff.

Recently these were recreated using people from in and around Spitalfields Market. I believe whilst in London I’ll be getting my hair cut by this gentleman.

Hey guy cutting your toenails at the gym

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:30:43 -0700

Hey there,

Man, life sure gets busy, doesn’t it? What with work and hobbies and keeping in shape, things just back up on you. Take me, for example. This morning I left the house and I totally forgot to eat. Just plum forgot. And you, well you clearly forgot to cut your toenails.

I’m going to guess this is something you normally do in the morning, because if it was something you meant to do last night I assume you’d have taken care of it by now. Or, you were all set to cut them, realized the lateness of the hour and that 8:00 surgery you were expected at, and rushed out of the house clippers still clenched firmly in your hand.

What you didn’t do, what I refuse to believe you did, was come to the gym intending to cut your toenails. Intending to cut your toenails while sitting on the one bench in this washroom/changeroom that has literally 12 square feet to stand in. I know you didn’t do that, because then I’d have to move to a hut in the mountains.

You do realize you’re cutting them onto the floor, right? The floor where, unless we want to stand in the showers or balance on our shoes, one of us is later going to put our bare feet?

But I suppose it could be worse. You could be blowdrying your balls.

Yours,

Thom Wong

And the zipper was born

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:21:18 -0700

While I’ll always be more of a button man, I can appreciate the qualities behind a well-made zipper (see: Filson bags). Today, if the Google Doodle is to be believed, marks the anniversary of the birth of the zipper’s creator, Gideon Sundback.

Here’s to you, crazy zipper man!

Pencil Sharpening, Fish, and Liking Things

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:50:00 -0700

Because this is David Rees, and because it is about $15 pencil sharpening, it’s impossible to watch this video and not think “This is a giant ironic something and I should view it ironically”. But it’s much better to watch it and think, this guy really loves pencils.

It reminds me in some strange way of Robin Sloan’s app essay, “Fish”, where he persuasively argues that the internet has hit us with so much awesome that it just flows right over us.

What rules? New York senator Eric Adams. A hooded sweatshirt...

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:30:00 -0700

What rules? New York senator Eric Adams.

A hooded sweatshirt can make an innocent teen look like a criminal. Just like a suit and glasses can make Geraldo Rivera look like a journalist!

- Stephen Colbert

Slow Club - Two Cousins. Swagger in suits. Thanks Charlie.

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 10:29:36 -0700

Slow Club - Two Cousins. Swagger in suits.

Thanks Charlie.

International Women's Day

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:22:00 -0800

March 8 is International Women’s Day. Some people would have you believe that there are no more issues surrounding the equality of women, but they tend to be male and, well, very stupid.

I’m not here to tell you which of those many issues deserves your attention. I’ll leave that to my dear personal friend, Patrick Stewart.

The Division of Gravity

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:59:20 -0800

Rob Chiu is a commercial director and photographer, working out of London, who also directs short films based on his own stories. That description, as you’ll find out from the video below, doesn’t begin to do his work justice.

The Division of Gravity tells the, yes, well-worn tale of a couple falling apart, but does so with so much visual panache and honesty that it feels fresh. As a Vimeo staff member says in the comments, it’s some “of the most raw, realistic fighting i’ve seen on film”.

Say what you want about Rocketman - he has an innate sense of...

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:39:13 -0800

Say what you want about Rocketman - he has an innate sense of style.

Orvis wool/cashmere blend sweater

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 09:16:17 -0800

I’ve been seeing sweaters with this chest pocket detail popping up. Seeing, and approving. (But, alas, not buying.)

On sale now at Orvis.

Incredible. Also - someone make these again,...

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:56:34 -0800

Incredible. Also - someone make these again, immediately.

therealbsmile:

Babe & Al In: The Best Sweaters Ever!
ca.1921-22

laphamsquarterly: We are loving this short 1948 silent film by...

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:44:03 -0800

laphamsquarterly:

We are loving this short 1948 silent film by Helen Levitt and James Agee about Harlem street life, shot using 18mm hidden cameras.

Fantastic.

Now you wear mine

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:18:00 -0800

(via Kottke)

Photographer Hana Pesut had couples change clothes for a photoshoot. To paraphrase Blackadder, “You have a woman’s body m’Lord!”

Reminded me of when we did this:

Peter Parker by Annie Wu

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:00:01 -0800

via Flickr

Not the 1s have a few things to say about your style...

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:16:00 -0800

Not the 1s have a few things to say about your style choices.

You obviously loved it because you bought it
But you wasn’t thinking what to wear it with
Now you’re walking around town and it looks embarrassing
This ain’t a debate about whose clothes are better
It’s about wearing two things that go together
You rocking Polo pants and rock a Polo sweater
It’s a shame I got to tell you you don’t know no better

What do clean shoes mean?

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:24:59 -0800

What do clean shoes mean?:

Ethiopia has a thriving shoe-cleaning culture – sit at a cafe for more than 5 minutes and someone will offer to clean your shoes – offering something to rest your feet on whilst you wait. Cleaning crews sit around big bowls of sudsy water scrubbing shoes back to perfect whiteness. Clean shoes as a signifier of status.

In honour of Valentine’s Day, here’s a timely...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:38:21 -0800

In honour of Valentine’s Day, here’s a timely message from The Bees on the proper etiquette for listening to your loved ones.

Be safe out there.

Made Better in Japan

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:27:01 -0800

Made Better in Japan:

Ever wonder why the best denim or “American” sweatshirts were coming out of Japan? Well, now we know. (via Kottke)

None of this would be particularly surprising—blue jeans, college sweatshirts and other American fashions were then popular the world over—if not for the fact that Tsujimoto and others like him would go on to design and construct versions of iconic American wardrobe staples that are far better than anything now, and probably ever, made in the U.S. These designers didn’t open their businesses to beat Americans; Tsujimoto started the label because he wanted to sell the best vintage clothing in the world, but the good old stuff was running out. His solution was to make his own flight jackets, chambray work shirts, loop-wheeled cotton sweatshirts and selvage blue jeans.

A Wes Anderson super cut of scenes shot from above. Compiled by...

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:48:53 -0800

A Wes Anderson super cut of scenes shot from above. Compiled by kogonada. As seen on Devour.