Papa's USMC pleat front 506xx HBT jacket.

I once read an article with Mr Freedom who stated that often he had imagined garments that 'could have been'. This struck a chord with me as Ive always thought this way too. My inspiration is always WWII. From the hundreds of movies Ive watched and books I've read, Ive been able to ascertain that your average GI was anything but General Issue. Sometimes its subtle, like John Wayne wearing Sperry's in Operation Pacific or more obvious like Henry Blake in MASH with his college sweater and flyvest. Sometimes its a Brooklyn ball cap on an Aviator or a pair of Bass Weejuns on a Naval Lieutenant that personalizes the whole look. I have also been facinated by the way WWII US uniforms drew much of their inspiration from the established outdoor and sporting equipment companies and workwear manufacturers of the era, the likes of Eddie Bauer and LL Bean, it all came down to functional and practical design.
With this in mind I took a logical step from USMC and US Army working utilities and had my tailor make up a pleated blouse based on the late 1930's Levi's 506xx jacket. The HBT came from an after production sale of the film 'the Great Raid', the USMC donut buttons were off eBay and the fantastic double pronged brass cinch buckle came from my good friend Adachi- San in the Levis quality control office in Tokyo.
The single front pocket design I pulled from the P44 USMC ulitily jacket. To me the whole garment makes sense and could quite easily have been Gyrine had the War Production Board contracted Levi Strauss to provide the Corp with a shorter length work jacket, part blouse, part utility, part Vandergrift jacket. For now however it's a Papa exclusive to be worn on early morning recons along the coast searching out the best beach breaks for next weekends surf mission.
(click on photos for enlarged image and detail)

eBay Arghhhhh!

Have my Buzz Rickson Style Eyes cardigan on eBay. Seller ID hollyrock47. 974 views, 19 watching but no bids! WTF?

Ray Barbee meets the Mattson 2.

My favourite album of the past few years has been the soundtrack to the surf movie Sprout. The individual tracks laid down here are a perfect mix of contemporary sounds well suited to Saturday afternoons on a balmy summers day. In a effort to find more of the same I traced the some of the liner notes and came up with Ray Barbee meets the Mattson 2. It can only really be described as an eclectic mix of garage surf and 60's jazz. If this is your gig then take the time to have a listen. I got my copy via the Thalia street surfshop on line. Enjoy.

Vintage engineer boots custom belt give away.

Follow this link to my friend John's blog spot, beside the obvious give away promo John's blog is an amazing passionate look into owning great boots. Check it out.
http://vintageengineerboots.blogspot.com/2011/05/giveaway-studded-and-jeweled-biker-belt.html

Papa's world of living colour.

My world can be insanely beautiful. Even if the surf is blown out, an hour or two walking along the beach can bring a world of enjoyment. Last Sunday the colour of the water and the light was truly amazing. Giggles captured these few snaps for me to share.

BUZZ RICKSON/ TOYO ENTERPRISES/ STYLE EYES VINTAGE SHOOTING CARDIGAN

Back in the 90's, Sato-san from Toyoshima denim walked into our Levis Ebisu offices wearing this cardigan. An hour later he walked out in my loggers boots after a successful trading arrangement.
This morning I say good bye to this beautiful garment. The reality is after 12 or 13 years I could probably count the times Ive worn it on a bunch of fingers.
To me it looks like the most perfect replica of an early Bob Allen garment most likely from the 40's. Wool is solid and heavy with a tight gauge. the leather is also top notch. As usual with garments from the Buzz Rickson crew this cardigan is a really beautiful piece and worthy of cooler climes than I can provide. It is virtually brand new and could be considered a minty. Size is a generous 38, but actuals are as follows:
Shoulders 17" chest 42" sleeve 26".
Im putting it out there for my blog friends first on sale at $150 plus postage of $38I'll give it a few days and if no one responds it'll end up on ebay for the masses to fight it out.

Surfing on Ebay with the Papa.

On behalf on my good friend Mr Big Fish, the Papa is selling a selection of surfboards on Ebay under the seller name Hollyrock47. Something here for all, be it beginner or pro, all shaped by the Big Fish himself, just check out this leviathan sized 10' Quadzilla the ultimate in point break cruisers.