Goods by Goodhood

Serious cool 6-piece collection which marks the second series of Goods by Goodhood. The second drop features multi-print coach jackets, reversible bucket hats, screen printed button down pyramid shirts and soft cotton logo tees. Their online store features on my search history so much so that it probably should be my homepage and the second installment for me this feels like a natural progression from the first collection. And to seal the deal it's all Made in UK.

Weekend Bucket List

Purpose and Form - A new Design and Architecture blog.
The nicest looking hostel you're ever likely to see.
Colourful Irish Sporting Flags by Caman and co.
Currently saving for these Red Wing Chukkas, £7 and counting...
A look around Weavers Door of Liverpool.

This week has been a bit slow one and I'm increasingly worrying about how the bills are going to get paid. These things happen when you're working freelance so if you're in a similar position and struggling with self doubt check out this article on Creative Boom. Enjoy your weekend folks, what's on the cards?

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Store Visit...Weavers Door, Liverpool

 Weavers Door, Liverpool.

Northern Goods Co. sitting alongside Universal Works, Mr. Natty, Uniform Wares and Mamnick!

Located down the twists and turns of Cavern Walks in Liverpool is a small menswear store, with a big presence, heaps of personality and a dedicated following.  In fact, the location of Weavers Door is perfect, it's far enough off the busy highstreet to be considered a hidden gem but close enough to one of Liverpool's most historical and culturally relevant areas.

Last week I took the opportunity to catch an early train down to Liverpool, to shoot the shop for a Store Visit...feature. Liverpool is one of my favourite places to visit so I'll take any excuse for a day out there. It's one of the first places myself and Hollie took a day trip too, I've lost count of how many exhibitions and gigs we've attended over the years. 

Since opening in 2010 Weavers Door has been providing the city with something that is was missing; a menswear store that not only stocks established, quality brands but also carefully chosen independents and exciting up-and-coming labels. This little space of Liverpool boasts a brand list that could rival any; Barbour, Edwin, Folk, Norse Projects, Oliver Spencer, Our Legacy, Red Wing, Sunspel and Universal Works to name a few. They've also been keen to work with independents such as Sheffield's Mamnick and now our label, Northern Goods Co.!

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I caught up with Weavers Door store manager, Lee Fleming over cup of coffee from Duke Street Espresso Bar. We chatted brands, music, Liverpool and future collaborations;

Buckets + Spades - You mentioned you've been going since 2010, how do you think the menswear market has progressed since then and how do you stay ahead of the game?

Lee Fleming - I suppose I only have a limited viewpoint with regards the change of the menswear market but with regards to where Weavers Door is positioned; I definitely find men of all ages are  more concerned about their appearance and clothing choices. Quality is always at the forefront for us, everyone is a lot more 'clued up' and therefore are careful and their decisions are well considered. 

B+S - Just being a stone's throw away from the busy high street, Weaver Door really does stand out from the crowd in terms of menswear competition. What has been the reaction from the public and do you see a lot of repeat custom? 

LF - Weavers Door is tucked away on Harrington Street, it's not too far away from the main trading streets but we have definitely found we're become a destination store. Our customers enjoy the notion that our brand mix is unique to Weavers Door, every garment hanging on a rail is well considered. Our regulars are key to our business, we know everyone personally and appreciate their ongoing support since we opened. I believe they enjoy Weavers Door for more than the clothing, we work very hard as a small team to create a experience for our customers, from our customer service, product knowledge and in store events.

B+S - Liverpool city itself has a real sense of community and there's definitely been a rise in independents, have you been working with any other local business or projects?

LF - Liverpool is definitely seeing a change in the city, where independents are realising they are unique, but by connecting with each other the independent way of living becomes more visible. We are fortunate to have close relationships with other independents such as Bold Street Coffee, Camp & Furnace, Santa Chupitos and Berry & Rye. The Weavers Door Journal has a direct influence to these formed relationships with the local community. We are always looking to collaborate to highlight the best Liverpool has to offer.

B+S - What's in store for Weavers Door this coming AW? Have you bought any new brands in, which are you excited about?

LF - We are really excited for Autumn/Winter 13 and what it has in store for Weavers Door. We had increased our offering for our current brand mix alongside introducing technical outdooring from Patagonia, knitwear specialists John Smedley, Italian Bootmakers Fracap, Sneaker supremos Nike and Converse.

Swing by if you're ever in the area. Weavers Door, 1 Caven Walk, Harrington Street, Liverpool, L2. 

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A Colourful Winter by Florent Tanet

A Colourful Winter is a project by young Parisian designer and photographer Florent Tanet. I really enjoy still life work based around using everyday objects as the subjects, so along with this, his latest project entitled Fishing is another one I recommend checking out. Shape and form is a brilliant thing.

The bonus of A Colourful Winter is that when the project is over it can all be bended up to make one giant smoothie. Back of the net!

Check out more of Florent Tanet's work here.

The winner of the Hertz Supercar Giveaway is...Issy Goode! Thank you to everyone who entered. I've got  a couple more giveaways planned in for next month.

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The Re-Issue - Nike Pegasus 83

Year by year by room is increasingly looking like a well stocked trainer shop, but as a collection is never really finished I took the opportunity to pick up these Nike Pegasus 83 c/o Mainline Menswear. Much more casual than my usual sporty choice, the Nike Pegasus have been re-issued to mark the model's 30th anniversary. As I'm too young to have caught them the first time around I thought I'd see why all the trainer heads were so excited. There was a lot of hype around the whole Pegasus Collection launch around a month or so ago.

My initial reaction to the Pegasus 83 when I pulled them out of the newly re-designed Nike box was that they're a lot chunkier than I was expecting. It's partly due to me only ever really wearing sneakers like Converse or more sportier style in a Nike Free Run. The Pegasus was originally designed as a running trainer but has been given the old premium streetwear treatment, in this really nice deep read suede colourway.

I've been wearing these on-and-off for a couple of weeks now and so far so good, in terms of comfort they're not a Free Run, but that's to be expected. Cushioning around the ankle gives a great amount of support, which is especially good if you're on your feet all day. A peeve would be that they're not incredibly breathable. But to end on a plus the Waffle Sole makes for great grip if the tarmac is wet.

As I said I've been wearing them frequantly for around two weeks, my overall thoughts are positive towards them. Bearing that in mind here's a quick summery:

Pros - Lightweight, perfect for every day // Good traction on the sole // Versatile colourway

Cons - Slightly chunkier style // Could be more breathable // Suede's a no-go in the rain

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A History Lesson On Men’s Ties

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This post is brought to you by yd.

Ties, they come in all shapes, colours and sizes. They range from the luxury silk bow-tie to the inferior clip-ons, the skinny ties of modern times to the neckerchiefs of old. Teachers often wear garish ones and learning to tie a Windsor knot is a rite of passage for many young men. And, in spite of the casual anti-tie approach of the 90s and 00s, the modern, more sartorial man still regards a good tie as a staple wardrobe item. In the spirit of all things tie, we’re giving you a brief history lesson on this most refined of accessories.

221 BBC – The first emperor of a unified China, the great Qin Shi Huang, had a “Terracotta Army” built to protect him in the afterlife and the statues of soldiers wear a form of necktie.

1818 – Neckclothitania or Tietania is published with illustrations on the 14 different ways to tie a cravat. Before the days of online fashion, this was the go-to guide.

1840 – The term “tie” enters into common parlance, replacing the necktie.

1936 – The Windsor knot is invented by none other than the Duke of Windsor.

1950s – The skinny tie becomes a trend, popularized by The Beatles among others, and remains popular over the coming decades (see the iconic cover of Blondie’s Parallel Lines from 1978). You can find a remarkably similar example on the yd clothing store online of this classic tie.

1971 – The iconic bolo or bootlace tie was made the official neckwear of Arizona. Commonly associated with Western wear, it’s an accessory as common as the Stetson and cowboy boots.

Today – The skinny tie is still popular but the styles have greatly expanded, giving the tie-wearer an impressive array of choice. 

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Mobi & Wally Bath Accessories

Wonky bathroom accessories by Mobi & Wally. Toilet brush holders mostly suck, well these fellas are coming at the design from a totally different angle; it's all about the fun! I'm not saying I'm looking for sometime to cheer me up when I'm in the bathroom but these certainly wouldn't put me in a bad mood.

To see more about the project click here.

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Bucks & Co x Jeans for Genes - Blogger's Fundraiser

My customised Bucks & co. denim for Jeans For Genes Day! 

Today I'm extremely excited to share with you a project I've been working on for the past couple of weeks. Recently I was approached by denim brand Bucks & co. to work on a project with them for the charity, Jeans For Genes Day. The charity works to help change the lives of children and families affected by genetic disorders. Anyone who attended a school in the UK may remember wearing jeans for a day to help the cause! The brief was to take one pair of Bucks & co. jeans and customise them however we wanted. Along with a handful of other male bloggers, our designs would then go for sale on the Bucks & co.'s website, with all proceeds being donated to Jeans For Genes!

Now, repairs I can do, but I'm not really one for customising these days. Maybe back in my teens (white drainpipes with bright pink stitching come to mind), so when I first heard I had free reign I drew a blank. Nevertheless I was up for the challenge. My first thought was to experiment with patchwork a-la Junya Watanabe but with limited sewing skills I had second thoughts. I decided to take influence from one of my previous successful DIY projects from a couple of years ago (feels like yesterday), the Painter's Trousers, inspired by Alexander Mcqueen's Spring 2010 collection.

I pretty much used to same technique as last time, going mad with the acrylics but not overboard, as hopefully someone will buy them to wear! The jeans themselves are Bucks & co.'s premium Red Selvedge Denim Game fit, which is a classic 5-pocket style with a slim leg and mid rise. Made from Japanese denim in size 32 x 32.

Jeans for Genes Day is on Friday 20th September and as I said earlier, the next step is for them to go on sale on Bucks & co's website, which I'm seriously excited about! 1 in 25 children in the UK has a genetic disorder, Jeans For Genes' aim is to build awareness and raise money, which will help to aid all who are effected. Any money we raise will make a difference, so please feel free to share this post. If we raise £50 this will pay for a parent to attend a support day, where they can get advice and guidance on how to care for their child. Visit Bucks & co's Just Giving page to see how else you can donate to the cause.

So come on guys, help me raise some money for charity! Please feel free to share this post or any tweets on your social networks, it all helps build awareness of Jeans For Genes Day. My customised jeans will be on sale here on 20th September.

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Waterstones Blogger Murder Mystery

The Evidence - mat_buckets is brown bread!

In celebration of the Agatha Christie Festival this week, Waterstones is holding the first ever Blogger Murder Mystery event.

Waterstones needs your help, dear reader. There's been a crime most horrid committed against Matthew Pike. We need your help to find the culprit and be in with a chance of receiving a £100 reward of Waterstones vouchers. Detective Michael Scott is on the case, so be sure to follow him on twitter @DCIMikeScott where he will be revealing clues throughout the week until Friday 20th September. You can question any of the bloggers using their twitter handle and the hashtag #BloggerMystery to find holes in their alibis. 

The list of suspects are:

Naomi @Bewitchery_ - Bewitchery

Jane @ITYDarling - Is That You Darling

Lucinda @ljbarton - Bakes Books and My Boys

Katrina @carouseldiary - Carousel Diary

Sophie @sophiepatricia6 - I Left My Heart In Miami

Kel @kellovesclothes - Kel Loves

Eleanor @ebsnare - Three Word Outfit 

Here's the story as we know it;

From DCI Michael Scott 

"Waterstones invited six prestigious fashion and beauty bloggers - Elly, Kel, Sophie, Naomi, Katrina Louise and Mat - to its very first Fabulous Fashionista of the Year Award, held amid a lavish cupcake dinner at Cryptic Hall. However, events have taken a dark turn and Mat, the winner of the award, has been found dead in the bathroom. Foul play is most certainly suspected. 

Details of the night are still sketchy, but we know all six fashionistas were known to each other at the time of the killing and enjoyed a friendly rivalry in the world of fashion blogging. Also in Cryptic Hall at the time were Jan, the owner of the manor, and a chef, Lucinda, who was hired to put on a delicious spread of cupcakes for the guests. 

According to my interviews, the guests arrived at Cryptic Hall at around 6pm or just before. They sat down to enjoy Lucinda's cupcakes and discuss their blogging with one another. There was a short break for coffee at around 6.40pm, during which time many of the guests seem to have left the table for various reasons. At 6.55 or thereabouts, we received a phone call from the suspect who found the body, claiming there had been a murder at Cryptic Hall. 

Unfortunately, many of the suspects seem unwilling to cooperate, for reasons that are still being established. If you think you can tease more information out of them, ask them about their activities on that night via Twitter - and when you think you ascertained the culprit, the motive and the method, please relay your suspicions to me, DCI Michael Scott. Together, we can get to the root of this tale of intrigue, jealousy, high fashion and sweet, sweet cupcakes."

Once you think you know who the culprit is send a tweet to the detective giving the name of the killer, the motive and the method by Friday 20th September at Midnight. The winner will be selected on Monday 23rd September. 

Good luck, sleuths. 

Note - This competition is only open to UK residents.

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