For every tool they lend us...

linenforsummertweedforwinter asked: Enjoy your Tumblr, nice to see another sartorially inclined Melbourne based site. Notice you have a pair of C&J Chukka boots. I am lookinfg to get this model too & am wondering how you have found the sizing? I am usually a 9.5 usually in C&J but these are narrow & am I wondering if I should size up? I want to order from Peter Johnson too (I am an Edinburgh boy) but they only seem to have a 9.5 & have not responded to my email yet. Most places to have a fair wait for a 10. Thank you for your help

I have a narrow long foot and I find them to be a bit narrow (at the time when I ordered them I believe they came in two widths, d & e). So yes, compared to my other C&J shoes, if I could, I would go up the extra half size. Definitely worth the wait and Peter Johnson was very good with service etc

I’ve found the shoes have one peculiar aspect to them, they have a lined cap in the toe and the rest of the boot is unlined, I find that they seem that if I wear them for a few hours the shoe seems to show that mark…possibly to do with heat or perspiration maybe.

But great shoe and I wore them around Europe on a holiday and suede is easier to look after than leather despite the myth.

Hope that helps!

The pick up

Picked up the 1968 Heuer Bundeswehr from the watchmaker last week, he’s done a great job restoring it. This is my ‘weekend watch’ at the moment.

Great movement, has a ‘flyback’ function. The register on the left is the regular seconds when not in stopwatch mode and then the main ‘second’ hand is used for the stopwatch function. The nylon G-10 band is comfortable, casual and gives a nod to this military background of this chronograph.

Great for running, gym and mountain biking.

Rolex Explorer One ‘Blackout’

Produced only in 1991 the Rolex Explorer 1 (14270 E series) with black numeral markers.

Rare, subtle, classic.

Ian Fleming wore an Explorer 1016 and the references to ‘the big luminous numerals’ in ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ (published in 1963) makes it fairly clear that Fleming wished that bond wear an Explorer, the concept being that a spy would never be so obvious as to wear a divers watch (which back then the submariner was considered a professional divers watch and not the ubiquitous all purpose it is today) which would be an obvious tell tale sign of naval originations.

A decade after Fleming wrote the novels the British naval services issued modified Rolex submariners (5513) to their forces.

Satorial aims for 2012

I used to have a ‘wish list’ each year whilst building my wardrobe (to be fair it also included music, films, interior design  appliances) and found that the list building was quite successful. It both gave me a target and forced me to think about planning.

We all like to think ‘what-if’ we didn’t have any monetary constraints, but you’d end up with everything and no where to put it! The list helps focus my goals and be selective:

Cashmere Blazer: navy single breasted, possibly peaked lapels, something that doesn’t wrinkle and can be worn anywhere (the current super 140 blazer isn’t very good for travel)

tweed herringbone jacket, un-constructed, patch pockets

electric purple silk knots

silver silk knots

silver knit tie

another vintage watch; Omega speedmaster (321 calibre), Rolex air king (blue face), 1991 explorer (black-out) or 1680 red-sub

purple tipped pocket square from Simonnot-Godard

Be a well dressed (new) father without ending up in ‘dad jeans’ and stained t-shirts with 15kg of excess fat on me - keep exercising!

a possible replacement of the blue gingham shirt that is too short in the sleeves, could be my only shirt for 2012….a second Charvet? This could be a good year to start working on the theory that I should be replacing anything old with the best I can afford as I have a very functional wardrobe at present

oops, I was meant to be wearing casual

Tried the new spread collar shirt today. I missed the email that said we should be wearing shorts and t-shirts and dressing like we are going on school camp! Tomorrow I’ll wear nothing but boxer shorts and if anyone asks I’ll say that averaged out over the two day period I achieved a good level of informality.

inspiration:

learning from failure

after I ordered the striped oxford I came across some great shots and stored them to try it myself. It failed, I might try the darked satin tie….or just do the pale blue shirt instead. You gotta fall before you can walk

Prince of wales suit; bespoke

Oxford shirt; bespoke by Hamilton

Blue tie, Stefanini of Lucca

Pocket square; principe

inspiration:

and…

Horn Buttons

Went to my long time acquaintance at the button store tonight and she is now on the mission to find the perfect horn button to go with the fabric swatch

plaid, stripe, dot

End of day shot, I liked it but I think a pin-dot on a plain satin will be next week’s option. The shirt is a very comfortable oxford from Hamilton, after the third was (shrinkage) it is fitting extremely well.

Pocket square is a bit extended, and the brush finish on the titanium isn’t showing well!

The delivery

1965 Breitling AOPA 806 Navitimer. A lovely watch that is off to be professionally restored. Like all mechanical devices there is the initial cost and then the cost of maintenance and whilst I am new to vintage watches, I have come to understand that for each new purchase anything from $200 - $1200 will need to be spent to ensure that they run as good as they look. The sub-registers look very flat in this picture, more an opal or pearl effect in the flesh.

I feel sick just looking at you!

The triple pattern caused some great comments today such as ‘I can’t look at you, you’re making me dizzy’ and the unforgettable ‘I feel sick just looking at you’. I on the quite hand was quite happy with it!