Forest of Bowland | Salomon

Salomon XA-01 | andWander Jacket | Cartocon Sports Shorts | Uniqlo Socks

This is what I'd call my 2021 version of going "out out". My regular "out" means a walk around the park, down the beach or to our local coffee shop, so "out out" now means me going anywhere that isn't in my hometown. 

The Forest of Bowland is approx 55 minute door-to-door from ours, but it feels like a million miles away. Nestled in between the Lake District and the boarders of Lancashire, is a part of the country that I'd venture up to a few times a years when I was growing up, but it's taken me a lot longer to rediscover the place. Quite frankly, it's beautiful; views of snowy peaks, tree canopy as far as the eye can see, flowing freshwater rivers and winding hillside walks which don't require checking Google Maps every 5 mins. You may need to use your imagination here, but some parts of Bowland's forest floor reminds of Yosemite National Park.

It felt good to breathe in some fresh air - if only for a morning, everything felt good again.

- photography by Jake Millers

Outfit | All-Conditions Outerwear, Parka London

 Jacket + Tote Bag c/o Parka London | Jumper c/o NN07 | Chinos by Whistles Men | Socks by CHUP | Sneakers by Common Projects | Hat by Penfield

Knitwear by NN07

It’s been about a year since I started working together with Manchester-based photographer Jake Millers, and as the projects move on I can definitely our work improving each time. We’ve started to get comfortable with each other, and I think that's starting to show through.

So when I was approached by Parka London – a brand I first came across at Jacket Required – I instantly had Jake in mind. They were really open with the brief, and I was confident we could create something that not only fitted nicely with the brand's timeless values, but also feels true to my own personal style.

We took the Maron Jacket + Samson Tote Bag to some new locations on the outskirts of Manchester City Centre. The jacket is inspired by the original U.S Navy Deck jacket of the 1940s – featuring a traditional boxy and slightly cropped fit, with reinforced stress-points, detachable faux-fur collar, four large front utility pockets; all being constructed from a durable, water-resistant poly-cotton navy fabric. 

Same for the Tote, which has quickly become my most-used bag; with loads of space inside, enough to pack for a couple of overnights, again being made from a lightweight, water resistant material. I kept the rest of my outfit pretty muted, with the classic fit chinos by Whistles and wool knit by Swedish brand NN07. 

Location-wise I think it's spot on, we both though the limited colour pallet worked perfect with Parka's collection. What do you think?

Shop the range and find out more about Parka London here.

This post is in collaboration with Parka London. Thank you for taking the time to support the brands + businesses that make this blog happen.

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Outfit | The Grey + Blue Autumn Uniform

ASOS Overcoat | Paul Smith Jumper c/o House of Fraser | COS Shirt | Reiss Chinos | Form&Thread Socks | 
Sneakers c/o Superga | Penfield Hat | Scarf c/o Edition Scotland

Swing by Foundation Coffee in you're heading to Manchester. Glasses by Bailey Nelson.

ASOS Overcoat (similar here) | Paul Smith Jumper c/o House of Fraser | COS Shirt | Reiss Chinos | Form&Thread Socks | Sneakers c/o Superga | Penfield Hat | Scarf c/o Edition Scotland

More days like these spent in Manchester. Actually, more days like these that aren't freezing and ridden with gale force winds, but you get the idea...My latest trip to the city was to help our man Jordan Bunker out with a few photos, for a feature he's working on (which should be on his December); but as we had the whole day to ourselves we had time to flip photographer roles – in between caffeine breaks at Foundation Coffee.

See, this is why I see such a big importance of meeting up with the people who you hit it off with online; forming relationships "in real life" generally leads to positive things. Sometimes it's good to have someone to bounce ideas off, chat about work life, or simply just grab a coffee and chew the fat.

I can't remember when I discovered Jordan's blog, but it was an instant weekly visit for me. Our tastes are quite similar, but our styles differ a fair bit – which I actually think is a great mix.

In terms of the outfit, the colour palette pretty much sums up my mood lately; grey, navy and black, which is definitely a slight remove from the colourful gear I usually choose. This Paul Smith Lambswool jumper c/o House of Fraser has been a solid favourite since I received it a few weeks back. Layering knitwear with this simple chambray shirt by COS and age-old ASOS overcoat – not forgetting a thermal top! – has definitely become my go-to Autumn uniform at the moment.

Have you had much experience with meeting up with you've connected with on social media? What's your Autumn uniform this year?

Photos by Jordan Bunker.

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Outfit | Blues, Greys + Thoughts on Instagram vs. Blogs

 Wearing - Sunspel Sweatshirt | J.Crew Chinos | Vans Old Skool | CHUP Socks | Fairends Cap | Watch c/o Timex | Campbell Cole Key Wrap

Feels like ages since the last time I shared an everyday outfit on here. It used to be a weekly thing, but, I dunno, I guess we all seem to be sharing more + more on Instagram, and certain types of blog posts have taken a back seat. I still really do see the value in running a blog - there's lots of advantages, and I'll touch on that subject soon - but the speed of sharing on Instagram is hard to match.

While we might be spending more and more time on Instagram, and less reading blogs (I still visit plenty every week but admittedly I do comment a little less these days) I still like to think there's a good bunch of you who enjoy seeing a full outfit in a traditional blog format.

So here we are. Nothing groundbreaking, nothing too eye-catching, nothing out of the ordinary; just a straight-up everyday outfit that makes me feel good. Blues + greys is all I need at the moment. Oh, and because we took these shots at the weekend we squeezed in a Cloudwater beer for good measure.

Do you still enjoy seeing everyday outfits on blogs or are they more accessible on Instagram?

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New Balance EPIC-TR Football Collection

New Balance team up with four European footwear stores to create a limited edition collection of their EPIC-TR sneaker. Hanon, 24 Kilates, sneakersnstuff and Firmament all got to give their own spin on the brand's football boot-inspired silhouette. 

To celebrate the sporting heritage of New Balance, those football-crazy lads at Mundial Mag visited all four retailer to shoot the new collection on familar ground; using each respective store's staff as the subjects. Along with the sneakers, Mundial has also produced a limited run magazine to accompany the release, which profiles the Made in England construction, each individual colourway and original design process. 

The collection is released 11th June. More info here.

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Getting To Know Us A Little Better | First Up, Mat

When Starbucks approached us to tell us about the 20 hour process behind their new Cold Brew coffee, we thought it would be a great opportunity for us to slow the pace down a little, and share some things about us you may not know. We've been sharing on Buckets & Spades for eight years this March! That's pretty crazy to think about – be that with creative ideas, interesting design notes, style features, city guides or more personal subjects. But how well do you guys actually know the people behind the blog? First up, me!

Each batch of Starbucks' Cold Brew is made freshly in-store, daily. The bold and subtly sweet flavours is the result of a unique cold-brewing method. Over the course of the 20 hour steeping process, the flavours are extracted and released, leaving a naturally sweet batch of coffee. They only brew one batch per day, so once it's gone, it's gone.

In light of this slower process, and with the aim to get to know us better, myself + Hollie graded a cup of freshly brewed coffee and discussed what makes me tick.

Hollie - What's your family background like? It's clear from knowing you for 10 years that you look back at memories with your grandparents very fondly.

Mat - I grew up in a single-parent family, so I never had that direct father figure. I didn't do me any harm, but I guess it wasn't ideal. We lived in our grandparents' house in Blackpool, and me + my Grandad were inseparable. We'd go on day trips, play football at the park, watch Saturday sport together, hang out at cafes, and generally just muck about. I have really fond memories of us organising his his stamp collection into leather-bound files. One of my earliest memories is of my Grandad pushing me along the promenade in my pram, for what seemed like hours.

I loved that guy; he was a true gent, with a fun-loving, kind nature. A proper family man. I truly believe that those early years spent with him – he was an East London lad, of Russian parents – shaped the person I have turned into today. His wife, my Grandma, was a Yorkshire-born professional hair model in her earlier years, before devoting her life to raising a family.