SIGNALS

• One of coolest of all time is back on the internets. Bookmark this now! | [Mister Mort]
• The ladies of Edward Hopper’s Chop Suey and other assorted works at the Seattle Art Museum | [Details]
• The Best of Life Magazine conveniently on Tumblr. Watch your back Impossible Cool! | [The Best of Life] [Pictured]
• Let’s talk gloves for a second. If you are cool you wear these. If you are a not cool you wear this kind. End of discussion, now back to our regular programming.
• The Selby has landed | [The New York Times]

The Best $5 (Canadian) I Ever Spent

Since I have the Canadians distracted with American made goods, I thought it would be a good time to talk about one of my favorite Canadian companies, Mountain Equipment Co-op. The Vancouver based “Canadian Consumers’ Cooperative” was established in 1971 to sell outdoor gear and services to people that want affordable and ethical goods. Five dollars Canadian gets you a share of the company and the right to make purchases as a lifetime member of the co-op. Being a New Yorker, or even as an American, I love to buy MEC for two reasons. First, you won’t see it on every guy on the street and because MEC cares about people, the earth and not just about money. Not to mention that Canadian bad ass and survivalist Les Stroud used to rock MEC full-time on Survivorman.

Flickr Find | Faroe Islands

Flickr Find is a weekly column of interesting things found on the amazing and inspiring photo sharing website Flickr.

The Faroe Islands are a group of picturesque islands in Northern Europe, between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. The small collection of Nordic lands could be the most beautiful place on earth. Add this to my list of places to visit.

SIGNALS

• They are not asking…Smith & Butler is taking the retail scene by force | [Kempt]
• Everything you ever wanted to know about dry cleaning | [Valet]
• A glimpse behind the scenes at Filson’s Seattle workshop | [Selectism] [Pictured]
• Proof that there is a God and he loves us. Images from the Victoria Secret fashion show | [Men.Style.com]
• Working for Brooks — a trip down pinstriped memory lane | [The Trad]

The American List

If you haven’t noticed already, there is a new addition to the header called The American List. The idea of making a collective listing of American made products came to me as I was searching the internets for previously undiscovered brands that produce goods domestically. I found that the Made in the USA lists that are out there are generally pretty crappy and inevitably unstylish. So there you have it, a list of American-made yet fashionable things is born.

The American List

$1,424.99

That’s how much the copy of Take Ivy sold for on eBay. At this point, Take Ivy is said to be more valuable than most U.S. investment banks. To quote Carl Fox (Martin Sheen’s character in Wall Street), “The whole world is off its rocker!”

Gift Guidance

The lovely Joanna Goddard from Glamour’s Smitten blog asked me to put together a guy-orientated gift guide for her readers (for the ladies). You can see the full feature here.

Mother and I at the Roc Center Christmas tree.

First Look | J. Crew Spring Mens 2009

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to swing by the J. Crew offices to check out the spring 2009 mens collection. The new range is consistent with what the brand has been doing as of late — putting together a top notch offering — while out-tacking every other brand in the category. A few of the choice looks are after the jump. (Additional photos courtesy of Mordechai Rubinstein)

SIGNALS

• A photo essay of classic instruction manuals | [Wired] [Pictured]
• GQ makes the case for the “power donut” hairstyle | [GQ]
• Vans has released a shoe specifically designed for track bike riders | [Urban Outfitters via Uncrate]
• This guy has a good eye. Indeed a blog worth checking out | [Detour]
• The awesomeness that is found notes of passive-aggressiveness | [Passive-Aggressive Notes]

Bonus Edition: Yo Hemphead!

Obsession | Tiny Houses

As a resident of New York City I have been planning my escape from the urban jungle since about day two. Most of my day dreaming has centered on moving upstate or to Maine, at least somewhere rural. Enter the California based Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, which is a maker of, you guessed it, miniature homes. On the Tumbleweed website, founder Jay Shafer explains the idea of taking residence in a tiny home. “My decision to inhabit just 89 square feet arose from some concerns I had about the impact a larger house would have on the environment, and because I do not want to maintain a lot of unused or unusable space. My houses have met all of my domestic needs without demanding much in return. The simple, slower lifestyle my homes have afforded is a luxury for which I am continually grateful.” Sign me up. The little houses may be pricey as built by Tumbleweed, but you can always buy the plans and have your house built by the contractor of your choice.

Band of Outsiders S/S 09 Video

If you weren’t lucky enough to score an invite to the Band of Outsiders spring / summer 2009 presentation, don’t fret, the video presentation has surfaced just in time for you to yearn for warmer climates. The surreal video, which was presented on a rainy September Saturday this past New York Fashion Week, is exactly the kind of casual cool one comes to expect from Band. Plus, as an added bonus, I have also included a little (she is literally tiny in the clip) Kirsten Dunst for Boy by Band of Outsiders video. Enjoy!

Vodpod videos no longer available.

SIGNALS

• William Eggleston’s Democratic Camera 1961 – 2008 is at the Whitney through January 25th | [Whitney] [Pictured]
• Bill’s Khakis: Just like the original WWII chinos and they are made in America. Hooah! | [Chris Bray on Selectism]
• Field Notes: The thinking man’s gift | [Field Notes]
• Behind the scenes at the Rogues Gallery S/S 09 look book shoot | [PTLD ME]
• These Japanese pork buns could be the most delicious thing in the world | [ACL on Selectism]