Saturday, April 20, 2013

Lofgren goes to War

While the Northern Hemisphere thaws with breaths of Spring, down here in the South, Autumn wanes to our impending Winter. And so what better way to face those early morning beach patrols than to ensconce one's head in the warm knitted wool of the Lofgren USN watch cap. A favourite for the past 100 years, sailors and seamen of every decade have protected themselves from the raging main with these wonderful caps. 
shopatspeedway@hotmail.com. Pure wool all Japan manufacture. The Papa recommends!



Lofgren working style.

Another great buy from John Lofgren company! The Papa couldn't help himself, he's on the Rakuten rampage!
Beautifully crafted denim 8 panel workers cap with adjustable hidden size strap and genuine leather sweatband. Perfect for customing with period badges, The Papa, is all set for the Shipyards, keeping them fit to fight!



Lofgren Japan

I'm just loving how the reproduction market is finding new ways to re-invent itself, case in point is this gorgeous Stiffel style print by John Lofgren. At a time when the mainstream is pondering tab collars, pioneers like John are reaching further and further back to the turn of last century to provide inspiration for new garments today. This Indigo dot shirt is one of my favourites, it features all the hallmarks of a quality manufacture including felled seam construction, side gussets, re-enforced shoulder panels and embroidered eyelets which enhance the off set period pocket detailing.
This is the perfect spring shirt that would look great with dungarees or chinos or perhaps take a page out of the Papa's book and give this one the 'ol South western makeover with Navajo silver and moccasins. Which ever way you decide I'm sure you'll love this piece as much as I do, so write and check your size shopatspeedway@hotmail.com and as always tell him the Papa sent you!





Thursday, April 4, 2013

Hemingway photo fest.

Ernest Hemingway is one of those characters in life that you either love or hate. For some its difficult to get beyond the hulking braggart for others there's an endless fascination with the charismatic author. I fall in the later camp. 
I was first drawn to Hemingway because of his great love of the outdoors and at that time I was much inspired by vintage American sportswear, especially clothes for the field and marsh. After reading his short story, 'Big Two-Hearted River', I found myself completely entranced and transfixed and I embarked on a wonderful literary journey that lasted many years reading everything I could possibly find about Ernest. On a trip to Tokyo in the early 1990's I stumbled onto a photographic exhibition held in one of Shibuya's premier department stores, the featured photographer was the famous Robert Capa and in his collection were several photographs of the big man himself, Papa Hemingway. Capa had accompanied Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn to Idaho to capture the Hemingway's at play. They were also in the company of Gary Cooper and his wife Veronica as well as I think Slim Keith. This exhibition led me to follow up on the rest of the photos from this session and the best spread I could find of this event was featured in the Italian magazine, Photo Hi Fi Italiana, October 1980. This prize discovery has kept me enthused for years and to this day I still get excited looking at the pics. Come winter I tend to revisit these photos looking for inspiration in Hemingway's unique style of dress. For certain he was no fashion peacock but he imbued his clothes with a masculine ruggedness that was every bit as individual as his writing style. So as the temperature cools my wardrobe is laid open and out comes the duck cloth and plaid, the tweed and corduroy, boots, vests and my old Indian blanket.
Featured below is just a small collection of photos of interest, many more can be perused on the net, you folks know the drill, go to it!
Semper Papa.