Stan Smith / Trimm Trab

Can't remember the last time I bought any adidas. Kind of fell out of love with them when I felt quality was dipping, designs straying from the OG and because of those daft teds who camp outside size? three days before a questionable colourwayed city series is being released.

Another deciding factor was a Nike factory shop opened about half a mile from my home, so for the past half decade been getting knock down Wimbledon, Cortez, Airs and Tennis Court / Majestic instead. 

However got pulled back recently by an originals classic which Adolph Dassler doesn't tamper with - Stan Smith. Had numerous pairs over the years - they don't go out of style, go with everything and look cool as fuck. Particularly these bad lads with the pale pink trim. Direct from adidas site with plenty of disco.

Then got another pair of adi runners after being tipped off on a forum. I didn't realised Schuh had an imperfects site, where you can buy new but worn - they're the shop trying on pairs. Saw some Trabs in a, yes, admittedly, questionable colourway for 25 quid (and then a 20% off code). Fine for kicking around in the summer - if we're allowed out.

Finally some two pairs of grey gazelle, one each for the lads in the interest of fairness.

Summer Swag

With the summer fast approaching and with me dropping a fair bit of weight, I've had a massive clear out of big baggy XL numbers and replacing with slightly slimmer, almost trimmer larges.

First up a few Madras check shirts. A Barbour sample with double chest pockets and hidden button down collar, a staple Ralph Lauren short sleeve Yarmouth and a modern classic L/S by favourite British shirtsmiths tuktuk. All in a pleasing array of summeresque blues, reds and greens...

Summer wouldn't be summer without some cool as Connoisseur bits and pieces. The already iconic Mary Pigeon polo and Heron bucket hat. Also some pinbadges, for FREE, courtesy of Hess the Horse. Sharing some pinbadgelove indeed...

After a spell of weighing up whether to go Stan Smith or Reebok Classic for a cool white summer trainer, have opted for the Exofit Lo Clean. Boks won it being that theyre unlikely to be seen on instagram with the hashtag casuallyobsessed preluding it. #ThatsNotCasual...

Didn't really need another Jacket if I'm honest, but then do we ever need another one? An Oi Polloi issue Armor Lux parka for a criminally low £13 off eBay. In a lovely hue of Francais Bleu (French Blue) and also includes the Frenchies other favourite colour inside the hood and as the lining - white. Anyway 'Lux' like a decent parka anyway...

I'm away this week. In Scotland. And apparently it's going to start raining later today. And not stop until we come back next Saturday. So I've packed a mac...

And finally, with the Gascoigne film out in June (for one night only) a replica version of the 1990 England shirt, complete with his trademark number 19. Perfect for flinging a bit of garden furniture round when on tour in Scotland...

Jazz Club

Hello. And welcome to Jazz Club. Nice.

Saucony Jazz. Fast and Showy.

Groovy.

adidas Ardwick

With its sunkissed railway arches, blissfully unhappy inhabitants and laid back approach to everything, Ardwick is the new California . Limited to 500, available from Oi Polloi at the end of the month.

JW Fosters & Sons Classics

 Founded in Bolton in the late 1800s by the chap mentioned above, his boys renamed the running shoe company in 1958 using an Afrikaans term for a small Gazelle - rhebok. And thus the brand we know and love (or hate) was born.

The Reebok Classic, with its simple design and clean lines, was launched in 1987 to great success, but has become as ubiquitous as it has notorious. Its a trainer that crosses all divides but was seen on a great deal more questionable characters than most. It was the real first pub trainer and was used to good effect in a great number of cult films (again love them or hate them), including Goodbye Charlie Bright, the Football Factory and Nil by Mouth.

They come and go out of fashion with our culture fairly regularly, but are making a mark with me again. Perhaps it's because its the summer and therefore impossible to wear Clark's deserts. Or that adidas lost my vote with an increasingly number of poorly made, poorly conceived and poorly coloured reissues lapped up by the casuals by numbers on Instagram. Or perhaps because I'm in my thirties and I'm pining after my youth given these used to be the trainer of choice in my mid teens. Whatever it is I'm looking at Reebok Ex O Fit low, standard white classics and the Workout Plus with new reverence - one that was reserved, with some irony given the name rhebok, once only for the likes of Gazelles.

Just been reissued / relaunched for A/W at several places including Content

adidas Advent

My tweet/twit/twat (what's the correct term?) pal The Spezial One aka @ollyverTweet is making advent all adidassy. Every day in the run to Christmas he's treating us to a daily dose of dapper kicks with a festive theme. And why not? Here's a few choice snaps, hashtag adidasadvent for more fine footwear...

Californication

Not a fan of trainers these days. My apathy stems from the thousands of poorly knocked up adidas reissues exclusive to JD - Irn Bru coloured Trimms for fucks sakes.

But this pair of kicks made me sit up and take notice. Summer on your feet, blue skies and long warm evenings - Puma Calis in a rather spiffing and refreshing electric blue. They're a strange trainer mind, as they, along with their cousins G.Vilas, are cool as cucumbers when viewed from the out step but have a proper messy abortion of an instep. 

Still, they're cool as fuck for the summer months.

Something Spezial

As promised here's a post on something spezial. A pair of Handball Spezial's in a very fetching grey/orange colourway from a nameless forum. Once upon a time I was a right trainer head but these could well be the first pair of kicks I've bought in over two years. I'm just not fussed on them anymore - except for a certain special design from Adidas. Not sure what it is with Spezial's that appeal so much. Perhaps it's the Z in the name because I used to have a real affinity with Gazelle's too. More than likely it's because they're suede, sleek and special.