University Striped Wool Scarf by Ryder & Amies

University Striped Wool Scarf by Ryder & Amies

College Striped Wool Scarf by Ryder & Amies - I know that here in Germany at least, August hardly seems the right time to order a wool scarf, but it turns out (not surprisingly) that this is the slow season for ordering these from heritage university outfitter Ryder & Amies of Cambridge England and so inspired by some Ralph Lauren ads that I had recently seen, I found myself planning ahead for once and designing my new favorite University striped scarf on the super Ryder & Amies website.  

The Design Process:

The design and order process is really so much fun to do and I have to say that in August at least, their turnaround time is astonishing - from the time of order to its arrival in my mailbox in less than a week!  With 6 stripe patterns and 24 colors to choose from, the number of possible combinations is massive, so it's very unlikely that unless one orders one of their pre-designed university school patterns, you are unlikely to NOT have a one-of-a-kind item.  Best of all, as you can see below, their prices are beyond reasonable for a custom item!

Choose a Scarf Pattern

 A £42

 B £42

 C £42

 D £42

 E £45

 F £45

The Inspiration:

My inspiration thanks to Ralph Lauren (I love the Cricket jumper too, but this will be the subject of another blog post):

The Results:

This is the second self-designed scarf that I have ordered from Ryder & Amies and as with the first (which you can see here), I couldn't be more happy with the results.  There are still a few companies out there that truly understand great value and customer service.  Ryder & Amies are top-shelf in this regard.

Love the Ryder & Amies heritage patch as well!

OK, I'm no Ralph Lauren model, but overall I think the results are satisfactory:

Hurricane II by Joseph Cheaney & Sons

 

Hurricane II by Joseph Cheaney & Sons

Hurricane II by Joseph Cheaney & Sons - I picked up these lovely boots from Joseph Cheaney & Sons back in 2021 and they quickly became my Fall winter boots of choice.  Made from a beautifully finish pebble-grained leather with their exclusive bronze rubb-off finish, they just look stellar right out of the box.  built on their military boot last, these feature plenty of room in the toe box to allow for heavier winter socks and great overall comfort.  

While these exact boots are not in current stock, I can testify to the overall quality of these boots, so much so that I've been very tempted to buy the same model boots in brown Kudu leather, which I have seen in person at the Joseph Cheany store in Covent Garden, London last month and only past on because I didn't have room in my carry-on to bring them home with my:-(

Anyway, perhaps I'm only making this post now because I'm slightly obsessing over getting the above boots.  

Anyway, back to my boots in Bronze Rub Off Grain Leather, which I love and which also take a really great mirror shine and generally look and wear amazingly great.  I am so looking forward to unpacking these with my tweeds and fall/winter wardrobe and taking them for a spin!

Here are some unboxing shots:

New Tyrolean Style Shoes in natural leather by Billy's & Co. x Anglan

(Please click on any photo to enlarge)

New Tyrolian Style Shoes in natural leather by Billy's & Co. 

New Tyrolean Style Shoes in natural leather by Billy's & Co. - When one thinks of Tyrolean Style shoes one thinks of Paraboots, Huschung (both from France), or even Wallabies by Clarks UK.  One place your mind wanders would not generally be South Korea.  However, I had been looking for a good pair of Tyrolean style shoes and happened on an article on Heddles blog as was intrigued and not a little impressed with both the quality of these shoes by Billy's & Co. and also the very reasonable pricing.  Sold through the Anglan website (also Korean).

Last month I received these Tyrolean-style shoes made by Billy's & Company and wore them almost exclusively on a brief trip to Lago di Garda, Italy a couple of weeks ago.  I must say that am very impressed with their build quality.  They are very heavily built with leather soles and stacked heals and with Vibran Eton studded outsoles.  Based on my experience with these so far, I fully expect them to last for many years.

Ednam Estate Check Flat Cap from Lochcarrin Scotland

Ednam Estate Check Flat Cap from Lochcarrin Scotland - It has certainly been a while since I posted on this old blog, but I've got a few items that I recently acquired that I would like to share. First up is my newly arrived cap from Lochcarron of Scotland in a beautifully woven Ednam Estate Check that I just love. I had purchased several ties in various Tartans and Estate Checks a couple of years ago and I my favorite was in the Ednam Estate Check, so when I realized that they also offered the same pattern in a great-looking flat cap, I couldn't resist.  This is my first cap from Lochcarron, but given the overall quality, it certainly won't be my last..

About Lochcarron:

With a heritage dating back to 1892, Lochcarron of Scotland is the world’s leading manufacturer of tartan. Proudly Made in Scotland by skilled craftsmen and women who design, dye, warp, weave, mend and tailor our Scottish tartans and textiles. A truly global brand with timeless appeal, Lochcarron of Scotland offers a unique authenticity and showcases the very best of Scottish textiles.

CHEANEY Garforth EF Chukka Boot in Dark Sage (Khaki) Calf Suede

 

These lovely boots from Joseph Cheaney & Sons are I have owned for 2-3 months now and have had them increasingly be my 'go-to' casual boot in my fall rotation.  I couldn't be more pleased with my purchase, doubly so since I got them from the 'Outlet' section of their website at a price that for the quality of Cheaney shoes/boots is, if not a steal, certainly a very handsome bargain.. a 'Schnäppchen' as we say in Germany (this section is really worth checking out for great Cheaney shoes and great deals).  I am happy to report that in due course, I purchase 2 other pairs of here as well, which I hope to feature soon.

In the meantime, these beautiful CHEANEY Garforth EF Chukka Boot in Dark Sage (Khaki) Calf Suede are just killer with suede leather uppers from famous British tannery CF Stead - super comfortable with a buttery soft calfskin lining leather (seriously, you won't believe how soft the linings are - I can feel the luxury even while wearing thick wool socks - I'm not even kidding).  They arrived with lovely soles stained a rich dark brown with the Cheaney logo stamped into them.  I wore them for a few days, but after a day walking in rough pathways in the local city park, determined that caution was the better part of valor and had them capped with some slip-proof sole protectors by my local cobbler.  Now I can were them on all surfaces and in just about all weathers without fear (this is very handy in our climate).  

The Unboxing:

From a fine shoe maker, the unboxing is always a momentous occasion and this is certainly so with Joseph Cheaney & Sons: 

Any way lovely boots, just lovely and I'm looking forward to getting decades of great wear from them.