...the very pants I was about to return

  I had to return the Rugby corduroy mallard critter pants.  What a shame!  They were almost perfect.  Corduroy, Critters, the waist and length were good; but they fit like tights.  Corduroy leggings they were.  Am I getting too old for these brands aimed at young people?  Maybe, maybe not.  But I have been shopping at Lands' End and L.L. Bean more often.
  The bright side is now I have the money back from the pants.  And the money was from my mammy to buy X-mas gifts for myself.  I can't let her down now can I?  And I need another pair off shoes like a hole in the head.
  But, I do need a new pair of boat shoes.  They're my 3 season go to shoe.  I wear socks with my boat shoes when it's cold outside.  I especially think that rag wool socks look great with boat shoes.  And I know that Sperry makes winter boat shoes and high top boat shoes; so maybe you can buy them for me.
  Hey Sperry, can you make a boat shoe with a red brick sole but a regular leather upper (not suede)?  Thanks.  I'm afraid of ruining the suede.
  So I'm going with the Authentic Original Boat Shoe, again, but in the classic brown color this time.  The Sahara color has served me well, but it's always good to switch things up.

I've also ordered the Bass Brockton in white nubuck from Piperlime.  I've been debating getting white bucks because it takes a lot confidence and style to pull them off.  They were on sale so I bit, and if there's anyone I know who can pull it off, it's me.
 

 
I always think of this Seinfeld clip when I return pants.
 

What I got myself for Christmas

  Every year my mother gives me money at Thanksgiving to buy myself Christmas gifts.  I then buy the gifts for myself and then have her open the gifts on Christmas Day so at least someone is surprised.  This is what happens when you're extremely particular about exactly what you want for Christmas.  You couldn't just get me any Lego set or Nintendo game.  It had to be the exact thing that I wanted.  As I got older and started buying clothes, I would have been cruel to have my parents got out hunting for a jacket in the right brand, size, and color if I knew all along where to get it and didn't mind going to get it myself.
  Well, here we are at Christmas 2010 and I've never been so sartorial in all my life.  It seems that all I want for Christmas are clothes and clothing accessories.  I've bought other stuff over the past year, like an iPhone and a new laptop so I'm all set with electronic toys for a while.
  Here are the things I bought myself for Christmas.


Florsheim Cedar Shoe Trees

I've never owned shoe trees, but I recently bought a pair of Bostonian burgundy longwings at The Barn and they're nice enough to warrant some shoe trees.

Corduroy Mallard Pant from Rugby

I've been jonesin' for some corduroy critter pants for a couple years now, but they can be a bit pricey.  I've been kickin' myself since last winter for not getting the flannel lined lodge chino from Rugby.  But I think these are better and more of what I'm looking for anyhow.

Leather Man Ltd. custom D-ring ribbon belt


This isn't color I got, but you get the idea.  I went a little crazy and got the red roman stripe.

J. Press British wool hunting cap

I've got a guy at J. Press in Cambridge, who will remain nameless, who hooks me up (or at least I like to think that he does).

I've been on a mission to find a new flay/ivy/scally cap.  I've searched online, but a hat is really something that you have to try on before you buy it.  It's all about how it feels and looks when you put it on your noggin.

I'd like to add that I got all of these things on sale and with free shipping.  Cyber Monday and promo codes are beautiful things of great beauty.
Merry Christmas.

Horween Shell Cordovan

Video from Horween Leather Co. in Chicago, IL.

Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan from Horween Leather on Vimeo.

Alden Design Contest

With all due respect to A Cordial Churchman and the recent bow tie contest, Leather Soul's Alden Design Contest is a contest that you can really sink your teeth into.  To enter, come up with your own Alden shoe or boot design within the given guidelines and you have a chance to win the shoes or boots that YOU designed.

The best part is somebody is going to win and that somebody might as well be this body.  Good luck...you'll need it because I have conjured up the ultimate Alden shoe.  It's hype!  You might as well just shoot for the boot category because I have the shoe category all wrapped up.  After the contest is over I'll post what my design is (hopefully) or would have been (most likely).

Here is some Alden shoe porn for inspiration.

J Who?

I'm going to be a cranky old man for a minute.
  Does J. Crew make anything themselves anymore?  They're turning into a department store.  It looks like they've gotten their hands on some copies of Take Ivy and plan on making it their own, sort of.  "J.Crew has printed 300 limited-edition copies in a special slide case (and 700 copies of the standard copies of the book)."  is the news comes from an email I get from Thompson Hotels.  And I do think it's weird that a hotel chain is blogging about fashion trends like aviator glasses and Ivy style.
  J. Crew is current selling nearly thirty other brands other than their own on their website.  From jeans to bags to sneakers...the list goes on.  And it's not like you can't get these things from the companies that make them.  You can buy a Baracuta jacket from Baracuta.

Here's an example.  Let's look at the Tretorn T-56 sneaker.

Here is Tretorn from Tretorn, and here is Tretorn from J. Crew.  The Tretorn from Tretorn is five dollars less than what J. Crew is selling it for.  There are more examples, but I digress.

Take Ivy can be bought from Powerhouse, the company that is publishing it.

Leather Soul

Leather Soul is a Hawiian shoe store that specializes in Alden shoes.  The have a blog and update it frequently when the get new models in.  Check out these boots which are THE BOMB.  Also check out the comments, the salesman gets right back to peoples questions.