The History of Boast

“It was for the irreverent gentleman. The guy who knew how to break the rules and get away with it.”

I’m a big fan of Boast, and still a bigger fan of David Coggins, who penned “The History of Boast.”

BillyKirk

I had the good fortune to meet BillyKirk’s Chris and Kirk Bray shortly before they wrote an entry for my on-going series, The Things My Father Taught Me.

Since that time, I have made a point to stay in touch with them getting together on my trips to New York City where time and place allowed, and as I said upon first meeting, you’ll never meet two nicer guys. Earlier this year, I brought them a bottle of Basil Hayden’s, and we hung out in their Jersey City office space. Chris ran around like Willy Wonka in his chocolate factory, and Kirk spoke poetically about art and commerce, and we all raised a glass together. You can read all about our experience with Whiskey. Among Other Things…. on Basil Hayden’s blog.

And after you’ve done that, head over to Flickr for a behind-the-scenes look at their space.

Stock Mfg. Co.’s Kickstarter

Chicago’s Stock Mfg. Co. recently launched a fundraising campaign via the website, Kickstarter, a crowd-sourced funding site perfect for the small, local designer. With nine days and about $7,000 to go before hitting their goal of $20,000, I spoke with one of the partners, an old acquaintance of mine Areill Ives, about what he and the other Stock dudes hope to accomplish post-kick.
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Upstate

Astrid Chastka and Kalen Kaminski are the creators of Upstate, a line of clothing and accessories that feature Shibori, a Japanese method of dying using various techniques. Where I come from, we call it tie-dye. They make every piece themeselves, turning each one out in their new studio space in Brooklyn, which makes every piece one of a kind.

I’ve become a fan by watching my girlfriend wear the scarf my mother bought her for occasions of all stripes. I’ve also admired their collaborations with Archival Clothing and Fairends. Recently, they shared their fall lookbook with me, and I was compelled to interview them.

The result is below.
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Wood & Faulk’s Guitar Strap

I first picked up a guitar in college, and since then, I’ve searched and searched for the perfect strap, comfortable on the shoulder and yet low profile, as not to distract from all the thrashing.

Growing up in Saint Louis, this image of Chuck Berry was inescapable, and yet, his slim strap has eluded me until now.

In conjunction with Currie Person, owner of Spartan, Wood & Faulk’s Matt Pierce made these straps as a keepsake for those who headed to Austin for this year’s South by Southwest Music Festival, arguably the most influential of its kind. On his blog, he said he made them “partly to commemorate the music festival, but mostly because I love Austin and Spartan.”
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Remi Canarie

Recently, Liz Patelski and Lisa Panza, two designers I’m fortunate enough to call friends, launched the first collection for their line Remi Canarie. To say the two LPs have had an eventful year would be an understatement. Not even a full 365 days after graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, they have traded in their mortar boards for something a little more elegant, a well-thought-out, complete line of classics for today’s world-wise, modern young woman.
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Basil Hayden’s & Winter Session at Warby Parker’s Annex

Earlier this year, my good friends Roy Katz and Tanya Fleisher at Winter Session asked me to bring Basil Hayden’s to a party at Warby Parker’s Annex in New York’s Meatpacking District. The coolest dude, Fedora’s Fernando Trujillo tended bar.

For the complete rundown, head over to Whiskey. Among Other Things….

Birchbox Man: Natural Haircare

Shortly after I moved to Chicago, I asked Jessica Herman, then a co-worker and now my girlfriend, where I should go to get my haircut. She’d recently interviewed Ryan Babbitt, a graphic designer-turned-hair stylist and thought we’d hit it off. Fast friends, as so often becomes the case with barbers, I entrust Ryanwith more than my haircut. We discuss everything from design to dating (then-co-workers, in my case).

Since then, we’ve seen each other through a lot: break-ups and make-ups, and a few different job opportunities. And as meaningful as those have been, they pale in comparison to the results his natural haircare methods have had on my frizzy ‘do.

The dude makes all of his own hairstyling products.

Earlier this year, I spoke of my head regimen to my friend Martin Mulkeen at Birchbox Man, and he asked if I’d write about it for their blog. I happily obliged, and I’m pleased with the results.

Head over to Birchbox Man for the full story.

Oh, and if you live in Chicago and need someone to cut your hair, Ryan is awesome.

GAR.RTH

When we were kids, my brother Ben was an avid collector of the strangest things: rocks, cardboard tubes, socks, and carrot sticks (don’t ask). Thankfully, as he entered adulthood, his cotton for collecting diminished. Socks, particularly boldly colorful ones, were the only collectible that managed to maintain his interest. To this day, anytime I see a remarkable pair, I feel obligated to buy them for my brother. That’s why, when I saw Garrett Colton’s schizo stockings at his newly renamed shop on Beverly Boulevard in sunny Los Angeles, California, it was safe to say I’d grab a pair for Ben.

The collection, a motley crew of crew socks are Garrett’s first offering from his forthcoming full line of collaborations with Rene Holguin, the owner of RTH, a perfectly appointed store near Garrett’s on North La Cienega.

They combined their names and came up with GAR.RTH. I’ve been wearing GAR.RTH’s socks since leaving Los Angeles, and I’ll tell you, they have the most incredible cushion. I’ll also tell you with absolutely no shame that I cannot pull them on,  stretching the crew length leg without saying to myself, “Ribbed for her pleasure. Ew.” Wouldn’t it be cool if Dana Carvey was their spokesman? I’m not holding my breath, but someone please make that happen.

Until then, I can think of a couple brothers who will happily sport these socks whenever and wherever they can. Oh, and Ben, where’d you hide the carrots?

G. Colton’s grand opening is Saturday, March 30th in Los Angeles, California. Be there.

Sign Painters

When thinking about how to express what a shop dedicated to our fathers and grandfathers would look like, Joe Gannon and I turned to sign painters like Jeff Canham and one time sign painter, the artist — and one of my personal heroes — Ed Ruscha. Because as good a friend as she is, she’s an even better artist, we reached out to our buddy, Christine Mitchell, who put together a hand-drawn logo, which surpassed our expectations and, as a calling card goes, expresses what we never could with Buckshot Sonny’s.
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