Weekly Round Up #2

Clockwise - Jack Purcell via atoo, J.Crew Shirt, Jacket + Socks c/o TK Maxx, ASOS wooly hat, British J.Crew 
Catalogue, Station to Station by David Bowie.

The Weekly Round Up #2 - Here's some good stuff from the past week. The chill has hit so it's all about the layers game.

TK Maxx Tiger Print Jacket - Anyone that knows me will know I'm partial to a rummage in TK Maxx, it takes a certain kind of person and I guess I'm that guy. This tiger print jacket has not left my back all week, the style is hard to describe but I'd have a go at saying it's a cross between a 90s skate jacket and old man steez.  Love it. Along with a set for my mate I decided to treat myself to an early Christmas present, I found these polka-dot socks in their gifts section. A 3-pack of socks for £6.99 ain't a bad deal at all.

J.Crew - The American retailer opened its doors on Regent Street last Friday and I for one, along with lot of others can't wait to check it out. I just hope the customer service is as good as it is stateside though. Hands down, this J.Crew blue chambray shirt is my favourite shirt, it's probably my most worn too. Their new catalogue also landed on the mat this week, certainly some tasting looking suits, with wedding potential.

Converse Jack Purcell - In my opinion white leather JP are the perfect AW sneaker. They stand up well in the rain and are as comfy as they come (in terms of simple trainers) and look great with everything.

What's been on your radar over the last week? I'm heading down to London tomorrow morning, so I've scheduled some posts in for the next couple of days. You'll be able find me on Twitter and Instagram as usual.

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Jan Erik Waider's Abstract Seascapes + Weekend Links

Another busy week is followed by the same, I'm off to London on Tuesday for a few days. I have a few press things on my to-do list but I'll mostly be hitting a few galleries catch up with friends and maybe some Christmas shopping. Today's inspiration comes from Jan Erik Waider's Abstract Seascapes, imagine waking up somewhere different everyday?

Enjoy your weekend my friends, any plans? Try to take some time to spend with your loved ones!

Weekend Bucket List 

Prime location for fake moon landings.

The craziest boots I ever did see.

I'm not sure if my circulation could handle it but these IceBreaker Cruises trip look immense.

Fancying a pie from this place.

Ron Burgundy could sell water to a well.

Something to make the housework more colourful.
Never considered visiting Cyprus but these photos have changed my thoughts.

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John Lewis Blogger Secret Santa

Print by Classicology

Along with a few other blogger's I've been chosen to take part in John Lewis's Blogger Secret Santa challenge. Sounds a little bit girl right? Sure, but if you were to receive a swanky new digital camera or some top notch kitchenwear then I think you would forego that. It will make a nice change from doing one at work and receiving a pair of sports socks or deodorant. 

John Lewis have hatched a plan to pair bloggers up from several genres, who will then buy presents for each other, using a list of gifts from the John Lewis website. There's loads of different types of bloggers involved; fashion, lifestyle, photography, beauty, tech ect. Each of us will be assigned a blogger to buy for and have a couple of days to research into their personal tastes, likes and hobbies, which will help us decide which gift is best suitable for them.

It's not only a cool way of spreading some Christmas Cheer but it's also a great way to discover new blogs and meet new people. I can't wait to see who I'll be buying for! Remember, if you're involved....shhushhh don't tell, it's a secret!

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Davidoff Cool Water - The Cool Guy Survey

                      

Are you a "Cool Guy" or do you know one? Fill out this short interactive survey and you might just win a bottle of Davidoff Cool Water.

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Inventory AW13 Looks

Another set of cracking looks by Inventory Magazine, this time for their AW13 catalogue. Each look uses layers to combat the cold with a mixture of Margaret Howell, Engineered Garments, orSlow, John Smedley, Arc'teryx Veilance and footwear from Red Wing and Tricker's. The magazine have also created their own range of Ebbets Field Flannels caps. Also see Inventory SS13 looks.

Have you entered the latest giveaway to win your choice of trainers at size?

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Say Hello To Yasumi + Luckies Scratch Maps

I'm very pleased to share with you all that Buckets & Spades has a new contributer, say hello to Yasumi of Stranger London and her first post!

I am prone to flights of fanciful wish list making; it doesn't matter what season it is either. I often flit from one website to another seeking out interesting things. So when Mat asked me to usher today’s list towards Buckets & Spades, I was both delighted and humbled that my curious nature had got approval.

Now, I am not much of a gambler, more of an occasional “if I feel lucky” kind of dabbler, though I must admit to having a thing for scratching off the top foil on scratch cards. It feels so satisfying somehow. I also love world maps and was that weird kid who would memorise capital cities and which country shares a border with which. So when I spotted Luckies Scratch Maps on the Journal Shop’s website, I did a happy jig in my head (trust me it is safer that way).

They are basically massive scratch cards and a fun way to log your globetrotting adventures by (satisfyingly) scratching off the top foil of the place you have visited to reveal a colourful map beneath. I really want one, I fancy the Deluxe Edition that I saw on Luckies website. It is black and gold and oh-so-scratch-ably lovely. Luckies are a UK company that seem to spin out some really unique novelty items aside from these brilliant maps so it is well worth visiting their website for some great gift ideas.

Luckies Scratch Maps available here.

Thank you Mat for allowing me to hijack your blog today! You can find Yasumi on Twitter here.

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Mr. Natty Moustache Twizzle Wax + Video Materclass

For all the fellas that are embarking on growing a 'stache for Movember I recommend Mr Natty's Moustashe Twizzle Wax. If you're in need to some tips on looking after your face furniture then check out this cool video masterclass below by River Island, featuring the man himself.

  

Mr. Natty Moustache Twizzle Wax available at Weavers Door.

Have you entered the latest giveaway to win your choice of trainers at size?

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Review - Staying Dry With Marmot + Nike

Wearing - Marmot PreClip Jacket c/o Blacks, Vintage Levi's Jacket, Brooks Brothers T-Shirt, Carhartt Trousers, Nike Free Run Shield c/o Nike, Uniqlo Socks, ASOS Hat.

One thing that I count as a necessity (in terms of clothing) is a waterproof jacket, but they're not as easy to find as you might think. The highstreet is awash with "protects from light drizzle" this and"showerproof" that, from experience these claims mean very little. When you're actually out in the open and getting hit by a horizontal downpour, most jackets stand little chance of keeping you dry.

Readers of my blog may know that I spend quite a lot of time outdoors (not the best with a circulation condition but hey, what you gonna do?). Cycling, walking, commuting and the occasional morning jog. I haven't quite managed the art of keeping my feet dry but finding a fully waterproof jacket was something of a priority this Autumn. I'm still saving for those Red Wing boots.

Marmot PreClip Jacket

It's not easy to find an affordable technical jacket that doesn't scream "geography teacher" but outdoors brand Marmot have definitely managed it. Marmot claim their PreCip Jacket to be 100% waterproof, which is a very bold statement, but up to now it's lived up to its guarantee. I've been using the PreCip Jacket pretty solid for the past month and it's doing a damn fine job a protecting me from the elements. Here's a breakdown of the jacket's key feature:

                        - 100% waterproof coated/Pre Cip outer + Dry Touch breathable inner
                        - Taped up seams for extra protection
                        - Double storm flats, zip fastening + snap on front, 2 waist mesh-lined pockets
                        - Adjustable hood, enabling 2 sizes, can be rolled and stored under the collar
                        - Chin guard protector with drawstring pulls around collar (and waist)
                        - Underarm zips to promote ventilation and comfort

The PreCip Jacket costs £85, and after doing some research it turns out it's quite rare to find such a high performance jacket for under £100. Considering the jacket's features and the fact it's not let a drop of water in, the price point is a very justifiable. Check out the photo above, the water just runs right off. As this is a thin jacket I would say that it would struggle for warmth in the Winter months but if you sized up it could easily fit over another jacket. I went for my regular size in medium, it's roomy but suits me fine as I'm likely to layer it over knitwear ect. Highly recommended.

Nike Free 5.0+ Shield

Part of Nike's Flash Pack, the Free 5.0+ Shield were designed for running in low visibly and wet conditions. What makes these different from the regular Free Run is their reflective weather protection tech, which means you can be seen at night and stay dry with their water repellent shell. The added bonus of the fleece lining was a nice surprise too. Honestly I'd say the Free 5.0+ Shield great in a light shower but not "waterproof", so you need to tread carefully in bigger puddles, I'm saying this from experience!

So there you have it folks, there's two ways of staying dry this Autumn,  I reckon it's boots headgear next! How do you avoid wet feet and soggy pockets? 

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Geoff McFetridge's Illustrations + Weekend Links

Well it's that time of the week again. It's been another busy one for me, with work, the blog and a couple of other projects. It's left me feeling a bit drained actually, I think a day off is in order. I managed to avoid anything Trick or Treat related, the old "pretending you're not at home" job really worked! We did however buy a pumpkin, but flipping forgot to carve the thing. How did you guy get on?

This week I'm enjoying Geoff McFetridge's illustrations from his 2012 exhibition, Around Us, Between Us. See more here. I mentioned last week that I'm heading down to London in a couple of weeks, finding a place to stay is proving tricky. Can anyone recommend any affordable hotels in a central location? I'll be catching up on blogs this weekend so feel free to send me your links on here or Twitter.

Enjoy your weekend guys, try and get some downtime!

Weekend Bucket List

The best Alan Partridge t-shirt going.
A bizarre bit of trivia about London's Necropolis Railway.
A look around New York's oldest whiskey distillery.
More reasons why I would love to visit Yellowstone National Park.
The first beer review on the blog.
Perfect little Christmas gifts, created by myself + Hollie.
Harriet's new place is really taking shape.

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GIVEAWAY - Win Trainers Of Your Choice With size?

I've probably been hyping this one up in my head but I'm really excited about this giveaway. We're giving away a pair of trainers of your choice from size?, up to the value of £100!

size? stock a ridiculous amount of brands and styles, so if you do win it might take you a bit to decide. Their current brand list boosts; Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Clarks, Converse, Sperry, Saucony, Sprint Court, Vans....and so on. There's plenty of style to choose from and the the winner can take their pick from any Men's, Women's and Kid's trainers or shoes. Sweet deal. Above are a few of my favourites from their new season stock, including the New Balance 996 and the women's Nike Free Run 2.

How to Enter

To win a pair of trainers or shoes of your choice from size? you must be a subscriber of Buckets & Spades Blog. There are several ways you can do this, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter. The more ways you follow, the more chances of winning. Remember, if you follow you can come back and enter this giveaway daily! This giveaway is open worldwide, back of the net. If you have any questions or would like to know further rules of the contest please email/tweet me.

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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