Found NYC

If you don't know, you weren't there...

United Colours

My weakness when it comes to gear has always been a quality shirting. Or two or three more quality shirtings. Anyway this smart effort by Benetton fits the bill. Easy going lightweight summer design with no visible branding. Not a button down as is my usual preference for shirts but you can't have everything. But for everything else there's Benetton.

Going to The Match

I love the art of LS Lowry. The complexity within the simplicity of his work. The wife presented me with a print of his classic 'Going to The Match' and it's just taken pride of place in the lounge. Love the hoardes of individuals coming together at Burden Park as one. Going to the ground first with your dad, then mates and then with a son of your own, the match going ritual is no different today than it was when Lowry sketched Bolton's loyal faithful here. We march expectant with anticipation of an afternoon's entertainment, then either bounce or trudge home at teatime result depending. This example of Lowry depicts the soul of football for me - the fans. They're the most important thing, hence his focus on them. If they're the soul, then the ground is the cathedral and that comes second (hence only half of Burden in view). And then it's the players. Where are they in this pic? No where. They should remember that.

Holy Grail

What's yours? CP Company 1500 Mille Miglia? Stone Island snowflake? Berghaus Ice cap? Mine is not as highly rated, and certainly not in the same circles, as these (although in my opinion it's still a decent bit of retro kit - literally)... Hartlepool United's home shirt from 1995-1997.

I'll explain. Yes I despise the replica shirt wearing masses, paying 40 odd quid to corporates, in order to wander round wearing their clubs colours, complete another corporate's logo on the front. Stupidity. However this shirt is special to me. My first ever match at Pools saw us take to the pitch in this classy affair. Wigan Athletic, complete with their 'Three Amigos' Spanish contingent (Martinez, Seba and one other?), were the opposition back in 1996 and heading on to better things.

Truth be told I don't remember much about the match. I was a timid and frightened youth in awe of what was happing around me on the terrace. Loud mouthed skinheads in Crombie jackets smoking their roll ups, cloth capped granddad's showing disgust and derision at any Pools move good or bad, intoxicated and inebriated burly lads singing their love about the club who's town couldn't even offer them a decent upbringing, schooling or employment. And plenty of young lads like myself shatting their pants at the above.

It was a draw. Wigan scored on the 89th to lead, Pools equalised 90th to send me bumping back and forth, ebbing and flowing with the Town End tide of joy. Mark Cooper smashed a long range drive onto the bar as the ref was blowing for full time. Oooh. I'd seen enough and knew I wanted the shirt...

It's taken some sourcing via CFS.com but I finally got my grail. To be honest it's never going to get worn, but as I approach thirty with my second born due any day soon, and as I become nostalgic for my childhood years (1990NiceOne) it was a purchase just as necessary as yet another bit of vintage Osti or Ralph shirting.

Peter O`Toole Illustrations

Love this guys stuff. First became aware of his work (like many in my circle) through Casual Connoisseur, with Huddersfield based pensmith arting up their tees and sweats - I thought that Bill Murray one was fantastic. Anyway just been killing time floating on the web and brushed over (see what I did there?) his website and thought I'd share a couple of his prints. Many more high class bits and pieces at www.peter-otoole.co.uk

ACM A Casual Man

A man who enjoys the finer things in life - clothes, ale, photography and film. He's been blogging for a year less than Good Northern but is doing it with more class and style than me unfortunately. Can't begrudge though because it's a fine site. Visit www.acasualman.blogspot.co.uk

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.