"I'll get my dignity, Smedley..."

I completely understand that, in the midst of this wondrous heatwave we're experiencing right now, the last thing you're thinking you're thinking about is buying knitwear. Hell, even the thought of wearing a sweater is making me queasy.

However, John Smedley are currently having a sale on their A/W collection, and thus giving you a great reason to stock up for when the weather turns nasty again, and layering becomes a possibility.

Smedley are a British brand, out of the Derbyshire countryside, with over 200 years of experience of producing some of the highest quality knitwear you'll find.

Here's some of my favourites from the sale...

The rest can be found here.

Middle Of The Road - The Polo Shirt

Polo shirts are one of those items that split opinions of many stylish folk. Some think they have no place in a well put together wardrobe, whilst some believe them to be necessary. I, for one, think they're great; a stylish man's alternative to a t-shirt, if you will. You can't go wrong with a well fitting polo shirt.

Buck 'Em

An American prep classic, especially in white, but very rarely seen this side of the pond, a pair of suede bucks will always be a stylish, yet unexpected addition to your arsenal of footwear in warmer months. 

"Keep a steady flow, keep it real."

Spencer, the dude behind Proprpostur and photographer Antoine, have put together this very well done and inspiring piece of film, crammed with quotables, documenting some of Spencer's thoughts and feelings towards his reasons for doing what he does and how he goes about his blogging. Really great stuff.

"I try to capture everything as natural as possible. Living is the most beautiful thing"


"Life isn't scripted. It's not about the destination, it's about the journey and the experiences"

S.E.H. Kelly Collarless Overshirt

I can only applaud what S.E.H. Kelly has going on right now. It's very rare these days to find a brand that is based solely in Britain; That includes sourcing materials, production, the whole deal. Each one of their garments is born and bred completely within these glorious Isles. This overshirt they recently added to their line is no different, made from cotton-drill and 11-wale corduroy, both from a mill in my home county of Lancashire (RED ROSE, RED ROSE!). Very well made and so very hard-wearing, yet, the lack of collar and lining keep it fairly lightweight, great for layering. It actually gives off a more rugged, workwear inspired baseball jacket-type vibe, which is damn cool. I love this.

Pick yours up here.

New SS Shirting from Ben Sherman

My go-to brand for shirts (for no other reason than they fit me perfectly), Ben Sherman have added their new 'summer shirts' to their online store in the past couple of days. Here's a few of my favourites...

The rest can be found here.

Press: A Shop Called Wood

Wood began around 8 years a go in the heart of Manchester's Northern Quarter and has since spread its wings to here in Huddersfield and also online. Their mission has always been, and remains, about "championing original and directional clothing and accessories", with their stock always featuring high quality street/workwear. 

I was recently involved in putting together a lookbook for their latest stock, featuring gear from brands such as Penfield, Barbour and Universal Works. Hit the jump to see the video.

Loake Double Monks

By chance, I just came across a few new additions to the Loake Shoemakers line-up, and these the Cannon model, in particular caught my eye. I've taken quite a fancy to dub-monks recently, but, although the situation is improving, they're far from easy to find, unless you're ballin' with Crockett & Jones, Edward Green-type dollar. As many of us are not able to drop that kind of cash, these are a great choice. For less than £200, you get yourself English Calf leather, Goodyear welting, and what I feel is a damn good looking shoe. The Cannon shoe, which comes with toe cap stitching, is offered in both black and brown leather and will look smashing with everything from your raw denim to your trousers with that two inch cuff.