My Loins!
I spent the week playing Pokemon Unite, so I forgot to write my piece on Prada SS25. Instead, enjoy two rounds of picks, along with a short spotlight on an Australian label I love dearly.
We have reached week three of this cursed newsletter and you’re still here. For that, I thank you. I did not expect to receive such great reception from everyone, nor did I expect so many people to reach out for assistance with their wardrobe, finding pieces, etc. Your feedback and support will help this newsletter grow, so again, thank you.
As always, here’s the outfit of the day.
Anyway, how hard are your nips right now? If they’re rock-solid from the cold, then I’m happy you’ve come through because I’ve decided, for this week’s newsletter, we’re going to cover the essentials for fall/winter, and a few little things for those looking to hibernate with that special someone. For my single pals, well, you can still pick these up to impress yourself - or not. I just want you livin’ it up like Ja Rule in the song Livin’ It Up.
For myself, I’ll typically power down around this time and will try to curate my living space to be one that can keep me inspired and happy during those gloomy-ass days. Also, this is usually when I step into my Criterion phase, so expect a lot of movie recommendations over the next few weeks like Armageddon by Michael Bay aka the greatest film ever made. Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck drilling into a meteor? Come on now.
First up, I want to highlight a product that’s been added to my skincare routine and has left me smelling like a goddamn dewy meadow. It’s the Face Lotion by Le Labo ($67CAD). It’s as if you blended an entire garden, added a few oranges, and turned it into a face cream that smooths your face and lasts for hours. As you can see, I’ve got zero clue how face cream is actually made, but what I do know is that this will make a lovely addition to your skincare ritual.
Next is something I never thought I’d actually buy, but Emily and I saw them at Holt Renfrew and my curiosity got the best of me. It’s the 3-pack of the 5” Stretch Boxer Brief by Skims. Yes, you read that right. My loins have never felt cozier and they’re also kinda hot. Smooth, supportive and imported. Like me!
Finally, we have the Simple Chain by Bunney, and it is literally what I’ve been wanting for the last 4 years. The UK-based brand has become a new favourite of mine as their jewelry is beautifully designed, like their Identity Link Chain and Heavy Cushion Signet Ring, and its simplicity is much appreciated for someone like myself that’s always been a bit hesitant to wear anything too flashy - jewelry wise. This is the right amount of flare for me personally, though I would happily accept and wear any of Flava Flav’s clock necklaces if he were to give one up.
Those are my most recent purchases (along with a fig tree), but I’ve listed a few additional goodies below. If you have any questions, or needing a hand finding something, you can always give me a shout.
Tier One (Under $100):
$36 - $64CAD
$40CAD
$25CAD
Tekla Terry Cloth Towel Blue Stripe
$21 - 55CAD
Kantine Cup Black by Niko June
$92CAD
Tier Two (Over $100):
$126.95CAD
Miniature Scarf Black by Our Legacy
$140CAD
Fellas, pick up the Skims boxers. I’m telling you.
MAN-TLE
This will be brief, but I wanted to quickly touch on another favourite brand of mine that’s also taken over my wardrobe. Founded in 2015, the Australian-based brand has quickly become masters of their craft, by producing impeccably made clothing and working with high-quality, Japanese manufacturers and family-run factories.
Each piece I’ve picked up has already been worn a thousand times and then some. For example, their R17 Shirts develop more and more character as you wear it, as the fabric begins to take different shapes, textures, etc. It evolves with age, but in a positive way that allows it to remain in your rotation for years to come.
Similar to Comoli, the brand is one that can swiftly become an obsession, as I’ve yet to find any other shirts similar to what MAN-TLE produces. One of my latest, and greatest, pickups of the year is the R17 Shirt-8 Bark Weather. However, the one thing I really, really want is one of their nylon jackets, like the R17DE Pine Nylon that’s currently on their site or this one over at C’H’C’M.
If you’re looking for a great everyday piece that will age beautifully with wear, then I highly recommend visiting their site, or a stockist near you, and taking a peek at their collection.
Oh, and their colour choices are fantastic, and that’s coming from someone who doesn’t wear too much colour. If I had to pick three brands to fill my closet with, I’d have to pick MAN-TLE, Comoli and Lemaire.
SHOES
![WDYWT] these them shoes SpongeBob wore on Halloween : r/streetwear](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!753_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6f50f790-d7b9-41fa-b068-8d6022b42094_640x538.jpeg "WDYWT] these them shoes SpongeBob wore on Halloween : r/streetwear")
If you know me, or have seen me walking around Vancouver, you will know that I’ve been wearing the Flat Piped Slippers by Lemaire since I got them. At one points, these things had cursed third-eye looking ass holes on the soles. I did get them resoled by a guy next door that really loves our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
I’ll often get asked about my shoes, where they’re from, or if there are any good alternatives. Well, my everyday friends, I’ve pulled a few and listed them below for this week’s entry (though future posts like this will only be available to paid subscribers on Wednesdays - it takes time searching and all, you know!).
Loafers, Oxfords and Mules
Black Leather Loafers by Dries Van Noten
They did not fuck around when making this, which is why they didn’t give it a fancy, special name. Or maybe they did and SSENSE didn’t list it, but either way - you asked for a black loafer. Well, here is your black loafer.
(Use SHOP24 to take an extra 25% off)Oxford Shoes by Martine Rose x Clarks
This one’s fun, it gives inflatable muscle-man vibes. It’s actually frightening how many Spongebob references I can make, but you know that scene where he gets these inflatable arms and goes to muscle beach to workout with Larry the Lobster. This is the same thing, but for your feet.
Loafers by Prada
Loafers, what more do you want. These are actually gorgeous and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them in person. Personally, I don’t really like anything that clearly has the Prada logo on it, but I would absolutely wear these. It’s gonna cost you a preeeeetttyyy pennnnnyyyyy.Belgee Loafer and Michel Mocassin by Vinny’s
Both gorgeous, both at good price-points. I feel like it’s fair to say that Vinny’s remains highly underrated and I’ve only encountered a handful of people wearing anything by the brand. It’s a shame considering how many other brands are the go-to for loafers when they’re actually kinda mid. I won’t name names .. for now.
Slip On Moccassino by Dusan (Women’s)
Very sleek and simple, you can easily add this to your day-to-day rotation without hesitation.
(Currently on sale at Neighbour).
Black Rubber Sole Loafers by Lemaire
I actually really want these as they would be a great substitution for my Flat Piped Slippers, along with the Black Soft pair by Lemaire. The latter is only available in a 40EU unfortunately.
Black Square Toe Mule by Martine Rose
Picture this. You’re outside of a nightclub in Europe, they’re playing the kind of techno that could make your grandmother start screaming “the end is nigh” type of shit. You flick your cigarette down and you’re putting it out with these. This the type of shoe a Blade villain would wear.
Spider Black Guidi Calf by Rolling Dub Trio
These ones are a dub, they’re very friggin’ nice. I’m not too familiar with the brand, so please excuse my ignorance, but these are actually fantastic.
Black Leather Slipper by Stoffa
I’ve never actually seen Stoffa in person before, but after just looking at the images, I can already tell that this could be one of the most comfortable shoes you could ever own.
If there are any here that you like, but want to find a second-hand option, or if you’d like to know if they’re on sale somewhere - let me know and I can do some digging for you.
Well, that’s it for this week. As mentioned in the description, I was originally going to cover Prada’s SS25 show. Seeing this + watching Mad Men has made me want to discuss it a bit, since the link isn’t too far off in certain ways, so I’d like to shoot my thoughts into the void and see where they land.
Next Week:
Wednesday - Big pant, bigger heart. I’ll be sharing a lengthy list of my favourite trousers that could fit at least four people into one leg.
Friday - Prada SS25 + weekly picks (second-hand only).
As for what I’ve been up to aside from this, well, I’ve been taking up running again and have started watching Mad Men on Netflix. As for music, I’ve been listening to my playlist “Slowness.”
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🤝
Love it ♥️