Quick On The Draw

Alright, who's going to be the first Sart Inc reader to snatch up this joint right out from under everyone's noses?  That's right, it's Hickey's (R.I.P.) awesome black watch duffel coat that you probably know from one of its many Gilt cameos.  It retailed for just under a thousand dollars back in the good ol' days, but some dude is hawking it for $348.88.  For all I know he probably snagged this one off of Gilt himself.  I figure someone around these parts is extremely interested so good luck.  Shout out to Paul for sending this my way.  And remember, eBay isn't a marathon or a sprint - it's a marathon you sprint all the way through.  What does that mean exactly? I have no idea.

-L.A.S

A Few F/W eBay Tips

I don't consider myself an eBay aficionado by any stretch of the imagination.  Some guys just posses a knack for auction wizardry and I am not one of them.  However, I have been buying gear on eBay for a long time so there are a few truths I hold to be self evident.  I'd like to share a few of those with you today.  I'm not going to waste your time talking about sniping services or how to properly low ball sellers.  Instead I'd like to quickly do my best to point you in the right direction of a few F/W staples that are always better on eBay.  What do I mean by better you ask?  In this case, better means cheaper.

Let's start with L.L. Bean boots as they are my favorite thing ever in the history of the world.  When I want a new pair I head straight to eBay.  For starters, there are more Bean boots than you can shake a stick at living on The Bay.  If you are unfamiliar with Bean boots let me tell you right off the bat that the sizing on these babies are very peculiar.  They can often run up to a size and a half too big (depending on your feet of course) and are very wide.  What does this mean for you?  Well, lots of people have bought Bean boots over the years that straight up do not fit.  They also don't take advantage of L.L. Bean's best in class customer service and instead of exchanging them put them up on eBay.  Their loss is your gain.  You can easily find a fresh new pair of Bean boots (in many different styles, both new and vintage) for less than half price.  And if you don't have a problem wearing someone else's used boots (I mean, you're gonna be wearing socks anyway, right?) you can easily grab a pair for like $30 or less.

Shipping costs aside, eBay UK is also a great resource, especially when looking for one of Barbour's many classic styles.  Barbour is practically a lifestyle across the pond, which means a lot of guys are constantly unloading their old jackets.  I know most of you guys probably want to break in your own jacket, but I also realize most of you don't have upwards of 400 bones to drop on a brand new joint.  For all I know your entire clothing budget for F/W is around that much.  I've seen used Barbour's sell in the $30-$180 range depending on the wear/tear and the popularity of the model (i.e. A Beaufort will run you more than a Border).  If you can find a Barbour being hawked by an independent seller (aka some random dude in Northampton), as oppose to a vintage "shop" on eBay, you can easily save around $300 plus dollars.  Buy some wax, put a little effort in on a Sunday afternoon and you've got a great classic jacket for fall.  Happy hunting.

-L.A.S

My F/W Novelty

I would surmise that those of us who read and/or write style blogs take ourselves fairly seriously to some extent or another.  We appreciate looking a certain way and how that makes us feel.  Whether for ourselves or others (or a combination of both), there seems to be a definite level of thought that goes into dressing.  Never is this more so the case than in F/W.  The weather is serious.  The colors are serious.  The layering is serious.  Hell, even the fabrics are serious.  And the results, while often very well put together and admirable, can often come off as a bit joyless.  I realize I don't speak for everyone, but I am sure some of you will agree.  And you know what?  Some people really dig that and that's totally fine.  At the end of the day you should always dress comfortably both in the literal and figurative sense.  But for those of you looking for a little levity don't believe for a second that you can only go that route when the weather dictates.  I'm not advocating wearing your next-level "go to hell" S/S wardrobe in the dead of winter by any means, but merely putting forth the idea that you can find an aesthetic middle ground.  Being deadly serious or seriously lighthearted are not mutually exclusive.  Maybe you start wearing a lapel flower on your tweed sportcoats.  Or maybe you grab some lively socks to go with those 2" flannel cuffs.  Or maybe you buy a L.L. Bean boot novelty tie on eBay for twelve dollars that a friend sent your way.  Just sayin'.

-L.A.S

eBay Dreamin'

Still looking for that perfect sweater? Well, it just showed up on eBay.  This vintage (and supposedly rare) Brooks Brothers cable knit cricket/tennis sweater in wool has a starting bid of $99 and I can only imagine that number is going to go up quite a bit in the next 24 hours.  This is an incredible sweater and even though it's made in Hong Kong, they really don't make 'em like this anymore - utterly perfect.  A trad's dream? I'd like to think so.  My apologies to anyone who was watching this with bated breath, but it was too good to pass up.

-L.A.S

A Time To Bid

My buddy Nick just threw up some of of his insane collection of rad stuff on eBay and if you head over you can check out the vintage treasure trove for yourself.  Get some perfectly worn in boots for F/W or maybe one of his killer watch gems - shit, maybe even both.  Nick's watch game is pretty much unrivaled and I never thought I would see the day where he unloaded a few of his babies.  I have no doubt that he's probably going to regret some of these sales, but his loss can be your gain or your wrist's gain for that matter.  I'd head over soon too because knowing Nick's taste everything will be gone sooner rather than later.

-L.A.S

Watch Men

[Pictured: American Field Watches circa World Wars I & II.]

Originating in the 1880's, the field watch gained steam as the prevalent time piece during the first World War due to soldier's demands for reliable and portable time devices.   These accurate, shock resistant watches, much like army fatigues, grew to represent American no frills, utilitarian design.  The technological advancements of WWII also extended to the watches.  With solid forged steel cases and thick, strong straps, the watches were more battle ready than ever.

The field watch saw a resurgence in the 1970's as the populatity of outdoors sports increased.  Suddenly there was once again a demand for a less expensive, rugged watch that, above all else, was readable and reliable.  By the 1980's the field watch was so popular that it had earned the reputation as the "blue-jeans" of timepieces.*

The field watch has recently been experiencing a similar resurgance to that of the 1970's/80's as it finds itself very much at the center of the menswear heritage/workwear movement.  Guys who would typically pass over such a watch in favor of something more intricate and expensive are drawn to the field watch's simple aesthetics and rich history.  Outdoors companies like L.L. Bean and Orvis are offering the same field watches they have for years, while brands like Timex (in a "collaboration" with J. Crew) are re-releasing models from their past. 

If you're in the market for a cool, new watch and don't want to spend north of a king's ransom look into a field watch.  I recommend going the vintage route by picking up one of the hundreds available on eBay.  You can find plenty of working watches (sans band if you like) at a bargain of the new asking price.  Thanks to a tip from Nick, I am currently trying to secure a vintage L.L. Bean field watch as we speak (you're crazy if you think I'm going to link it up here, though hopefully I can post on it when I win the auction).  If you're worried a vintage option is too much of a risk, try any one of the new varieties posted below. 

I'm really into black face (wow, this can definitely be taken out of context) watches in general, so that's what I would recommend as far as faces are concerned.  Otherwise, there's not much else going on outside of the band you choose.  The field watch is a complete "less is more" piece and that's the way a watch should be.  No matter if it's a field watch or a Cartier tank watch, the simpler the better.  On the matter of bands, most of these allow you to switch in and out the band of your choosing.  Grosgrain seems to be what's trending right now so either head down that route, or go in the opposite direction.  For someone looking to break new ground, try a simple cotton (waxed even) band or some type of nylon (braided possibly) to keep with the understated theme of the watch's face.  Or you could just say "screw it" and throw on a vintage leather band.  I can't imagine anything cooler right now than a "blacked-out" field watch.  Who watches the watch men? I do, that's who...

L.L. Bean Classic Field Watch...$89

Orvis Briar Haven Field Watch...$69

Timex Expedition Retro Metal Field Watch...$39.59

J. Crew x Timex Military Watch...$150.00

Hamilton Men's Khaki Field Watch...$116.99

 

-L.A.S

*Field watch lead in pictures and history paraphrased and sourced from here.

"What's In My Closet" - Vintage Levis Trucker Jacket

[Pictured: Sartorially Inclined's newest denim jacket, vintage Levis]

Charlotte doesn't have too many cool vintage shops, so when I heard all the good things being said about Hong Kong Vintage and Recycled I made it a point to stop in at some point over the weekend.  Unlike a Salvation Army, Goodwill or Value Village (pretty much all we got down by me) the wonderful ladies that run Hong Kong actually go on buying trips and don't let just anyone walk in and sell some old stuff.  They have specific decades they look for and when I popped in this weekend they had a great selection of sweatshirts and cowboy boots.  I had been meaning to pick up a denim jacket for a while, and since I already own two I wanted to make sure my latest purchase wasn't completely unnecessary.

My two previous jean jackets are both Levis as well (would you really buy from anyone else).  One is a fleece lined winter number (amazingly warm) that is unfaded and is the most "workwear" of the bunch, while the other is a standard trucker that I purchased off of eBay for around $13.  While both are great, I was looking for a new one for fall that was a tad more fitted than the one I got off of eBay (sz. 40).  Luckily for me the one at Hong Kong was not only extremely fitted (somewhere between a sz. 36-38) but also had some great details due to its vintage status.  The jacket fits snugly over a button down, has tight sleeves and the bottom of the jacket hits right at my waist. As you can see the collar is really torn up which creates a great accent/detail when the collar of the jacket is flipped or messed up (usually how i wear the collar).  Along with general fraying due to the jacket's age, the wash is great...there is unique fading on the elbows and on the body of the jacket.  I typically hate buying pre-destroyed clothing, but with vintage you know that the damage was not from a machine or done on purpose, but instead from a love of the clothes that called for everyday wear.

I've talked about denim jackets before and, as of right now, the denim jacket is my go to outerwear for fall.  I plan on wearing it over a preppy getup...i.e. oxfords, knit ties, flat front chinos and throwing in my Palladium Boots to create a great refined, yet rugged look I have already talked a great deal about.

For more general info about denim jackets, there is a great guide by Dan over at the Men's Style Blog and you know his stuff is good (though, I'm not sure about the whole pocket sqaure thing) because Esquire's Best Dressed Real Man of '09 can't be wrong...right?

-L.A.S

Bidding War: L.L. Bean Norwegian Sweater

Background: In a segment dubbed "Bidding War" I am going to be highlighting pieces purchased off of eBay. It will give me a chance to talk about unique and vintage items of clothing that might otherwise get overlooked. My goal is that this segment will help aid in the often arduous process that is eBay browsing.


[Pictured: Vintage L.L. Bean catalouge. Courtesy of hyrcollective.com/daily-blog]

I'm going all in with sweaters this fall. I've got the v-neck, I've got the McQueen inspired crewneck, I've got the cardigan, I've even got the fair isle...all that I am missing is the coolest sweater of all-time. Well, I was missing it until I found it on eBay. L.L. Bean's Norwegian sweater is an American Prep staple with its very own shout out in The Official Preppy Handbook. This fisherman's favorite is wool and poly blended, actually knit in Norway and owns one of the coolest patterns I have ever seen. While the blue version is the iconic staple most people are familiar with, I decided to go with the much rarer red and gray color-way. The Norwegian can be worn all by its lonesome or thrown over a pinpoint oxford for that much sought after layered look I keep plugging. My hope is that the sweater will make any average prep/trad outfit really stand out and take it to the next level. For the easy price of $54 (including shipping) it probably has the best value of anything i have bought in the past year. For those of you worried that you wont be able to find your own, don't fret because L.L. Bean is apparently digging into their archives for a
re-release. The overwhelming response for the Norwegian Sweater and traditional American style, in general, got the attention of those at corporate and come November you can grab your own at the not so eBay friendly price of $129. I'll be sure to update this post, or create a new one entirely, once I receive my sweater in the mail. Happy prepping, happy trading, happy bidding...

-L.A.S


[Pictured: Same model as the one I purchased, paired with a great down vest. This is a look I plan on replicating very frequently. Courtesy of Heavy Tweed Jacket]


[Pictured: The Norwegian layered with a polo and down vest featured in The Preppy Handbook]