ITEMS OF INTEREST

WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE

EPPERSON MOUNTAINEERING

ENGINEERED GARMENTS

ALEXANDER LEE CHANGE

SOPHNET

VISVIM

I need more patterns in my life.

More here.

All photos by Jody Rogac

Sunday

Today it was actually sunny in San Francisco after about 2 weeks of nonstop rain. Its nice to get dresses up a bit after hiding under hats and rain jackets for weeks. I had to keep with the high waters though because there are still puddles everywhere and the cuffed pants make the boat shoes look that much better. This backpack is another street find. Around the time that I found this backpack I was doing a lot of design work for Banana Republic and I never knew who actually bought their stuff. I liked everything that I was designing for them but it wasn't really my style. This backpack however is so classic that if can't fail. I also really love khaki, especially on accessories and jackets. If you notice in the picture part of the strap is missing. The very day that I found this bag my dog decided that she wanted a new chew toy and she just loved the 1" cotton webbing so she decided to eat about half of it.

Top to Bottom:

Glasses - LA Eye Works

Flannel - Steven Alan

Button Up - J Crew Oxford

Pants - Dr. Denim Chino

Shoes - Boat Shoe

Backpack - Banana Republic

CLASS 5

Class 5 was an outdoors/hiking apparel and accessory company from the 70's. I can't find that much information on them anywhere. It seems that they were very popular for a short period of time and were then bought out by a larger company. I have been searching the world for more stuff by them to add to my collection but I have had no luck. The jacket that I own was purchased at Goodwill in San Francisco about 5 years ago for less than $10.00, such a great find. I didn't think much of it until I realized that it was reversible and also made in the USA (which I love). After doing more research it looks like everything they ever made was tagged with the name of the sewer who made the item. Pretty cool. I have been searching around and these were the only real photos of more Class 5 stuff that I could find to show you, but I didn't really have any luck. I really wish I had the Rust/Khaki version of this jacket with the matching backpack. Until then the search continues...

Top to Bottom:

Cap - Military Surplus

Glasses - LA Eye Works

Jacket (outer) - Class 5

Jacket (inner) - Military Surplus

Button Up - J Crew Oxford

Pants - Dr. Denim Chino

Shoes - Boat Shoe

TODAY #3

BEING LLC

Being LLC is the design company that my friend Nick Neubeck runs. He is that guy that got me started in the design world and I owe a lot to him. He is an amazing designer and the best friend a guy could ask for. He recently started extending his artistic reign into art direction and video. Here is his newest project. Nick also runs Seems (where I used to work). Nick is always my go to guy when I need inspiration, I will always be chasing his coat tales.Be sure to check out all of the great stuff that he has going on. 

DAD STYLE

I always call this look J Crew dad, even thought none of it is from J Crew. Im not talking dad dad, Im talking about all the cool guys that push strollers into the coffee shop are wearing. I always see them and I'm like, you are either a graphic designer or an out of work actor or maybe you used to be a pro skater. Either way they are way cooler than me and the fact that they are pushing a stroller into the coffee shop at 10:30pm means they don't have to deal with real world problems like alarm clocks or deadlines. That is the life that I aspire to, so instead of knocking someone up I just stole their steez and ran with it.

Also this is a bit late but if you happen to be anywhere near Japan you can pick up the February issue of Free & Easy and learn all about "Dad Style."

Top to Bottom:

Glasses - LA Eye Works

Jacket - Military Surplus

Button Up - Ralph Lauren

Sweater - Vintage - gift from my housemate

Shoes - Vintage mens oxfords

Jeans - APC New Cure

TODAY #2

HERE & HERE

TODAY #1

JOSHU+VELA

My friend Noah started Joshu+Vela a while back and his line is growing a lot this year. I love supporting companies that still make everything by hand in America and that fact that they are able to do all of this in San Francisco is even better. I have had the privilege of working with him both in the studio and in front of the camera. He is an amazing guy and I look forward to collaborating with him more in the future.

Here is a little about info that I snagged of their site:

"Joshu+Vela designs and hand-makes totes, backpacks and wallets using USA grown and woven organic canvas, leathers, and natural dyes. We exist to highlight the beauty of function by creating simple and well made goods that are built to grow more beautiful with age and wear. All of our bags are made entirely in our studio in San Francisco. Every part of the make process occurs within our doors from cutting, sewing, and finishing leather to hammering rivets."

See the full line here.

The Weekender

I just got home from a short east coast trip and I didn't have time to post this before I left. This is my "weekender" travel look. Everything is pretty casual, I like to be comfortable for the plane ride and it's nice to wear stuff that doesn't need to stay super pressed. A few wrinkles in this look wont kill you. I also thought that this outfit was a little boring so I threw the cardigan around my shoulders for a little extra detail. The duffle bag is something that I found on the street on the way to the coffee shop one morning. Little treasures like this are exactly why I love living in San Francisco, one mans trash is another mans treasure. Normally picking stuff up off the street in SF is pretty sketchy but I love bags and I noticed that it had a "Made in Japan" tag and I couldn't pass it up. This outfit is also interesting because almost everything that I am wearing is something that I bought while on a trip. The button up was purchased when I was in Montpellier, France and the chinos were purchased when I was in Melbourne, Australia. These two items could have been purchased anywhere but it is fun when your clothes come with a story and a memory.

Top to Bottom:

Glasses - LA Eye Works

Cardigan - Forever 21 (I blame this on Madeline)

Button Up - Ralph Lauren

Pants - Dr. Denim Chino

Shoes - Vintage Mens Oxfords

Bag - Vintage Japanese Duffle

Where to start…

To me, fashion had always been something that was just outside of my reach. It wasn't that I didn't understand it and it wasn't that I couldn't afford to dress well, it was more so that the lifestyle that I was living didn't lend it self to even having the option of being fashionable. For as long as I can remember I had been a blue collar worker. From mechanic to print press operator, I was always covered in grease and different inks. In art school where I studied print making I always opted to wear all black as to hide as many stains and blemishes as possible. I know that that Jackson Polluck splattered aesthetic might make you look sophisticated and artistic but it can also just ruin a really nice button up. I guess the mentality that I had was that everything fashionable was too delicate to risk covering with grease, but one day I just said fuck it. I was tired of wearing the same self appointed uniform of black on black. I didn't want to let my job or anyone else dictate what I could and couldn't wear, so I quit my job and I started pursuing the life that I wanted. I now work from home doing freelance design work; I'm poor as hell but I am at least my own boss and I get to finally dress like an adult.

So I guess this is what an adult male dresses like: Now that I look at it, this is pretty much what any normal blue collar worker all throughout the last century might wear. I guess I had to take the long way to get here.

Top to Bottom:

Cap - Military Surplus (Military Surplus stuff is great because it is always made in the USA)

Glasses - LA Eye Works

Flannel - Pendleton Vintage Made in the USA

Sweater - Phillip Lim

Button Up - Freeman's Sporting Club Made in the USA

Jeans - APC New Cure

Shoes - Vintage Mens Oxfords