There is a new ‘Holiday Tartans‘ section on RalphLauren.com for all things plaid, and it also includes these made in the USA moccasin boots and loafers that I haven’t noticed before:
The ‘Holiday Dressing‘ section has some great looking jackets as well.
Now in stock at the Nepenthes NYC store. They note that it’s made in Haverhill, Massachusetts, so I would assume these are being made in the new Southwick factory that is located there. Some of these pieces have showed up in previous seasons, but the retail distribution was very limited.
If you’re looking for a heavyweight roll neck this season, check out the grey donegal sweater from Universal Works. It looks great layered under heavy jackets, and like many of their other pieces it is made in England. I found mine on my-wardrobe.com (great customer service by the way), but it’s also being carried by Diverse and Cloth if you need smaller sizes.
After World War 1 ended, there was a renewed interest in conquering Mount Everest, particularly among the British adventuring set that had lost out on reaching the North and South Poles first. In order to help finance and organize summit attempts, the Royal Geographical Society and Alpine Club created the Mount Everest Committee which consisted of ranking members of both groups.
As maps and general information about Mount Everest were lacking at the time, the first expedition was setup in 1921 for the purpose of surveying possible routes up to the peak. The group consisted of nine men, George Mallory among them, and a journal recounting their explorations was published not long after their return to England. It can be read online thanks to Google Books.
Members of the expedition, clockwise from the top left: Wollaston, Howard-Bury, Heron, Raeburn, Mallory, Wheeler, Bullock, and Morshead. Not pictured – the ninth man, Dr. Kellas, passed away while en route to the mountain.
Some parts of the introduction by Sir Francis Younghusband are quite good:
It stands to reason that men with any zest for mountaineering could not possibly allow Mount Everest to remain untouched. The time, the opportunity, the money, the ability to make the necessary preliminary preparation might be lacking, but the wish and the will to stand on the summit of the world’s highest mountain must have been in the heart of many a mountaineer since the Alps have been so firmly trampled under foot. The higher climbers climb, the higher they want to climb. It is certain that they will never rest content till the proudest peaks of the Himalaya are as subdued and tamed as the once dreaded summits of the Alps now are.
In the second half of the book, Mallory describes his explorations of the Northern Approach and climbing up to the North Col, which would later become a standard route for mountaineers to take. In one section he also describes his first view of Mount Everest:
It was a prodigious white fang excrescent from the jaw of the world. We saw Mount Everest not quite sharply defined on account of a slight haze in that direction; this circumstance added a touch of mystery and grandeur; we were satisfied that the highest of mountains would not disappoint us. And we learned one fact of great importance: the lower parts of the mountain were hidden by the range of nearer mountains clearly shown in the map running North from the Nila La and now called the Gyanka Range, but it was possible to distinguish all that showed near Everest beyond them by a difference in tone, and we were certain that one great rocky peak appearing a little way to the left of Everest must belong to its near vicinity.
It’s only unfortunate that the maps that Mallory and Bullock produced weren’t included in the scan of this particular book. Continue reading more.
Available at J.Crew in an ‘exclusive’ leather for a small upcharge. If you’re not picky about the color, you can save fifty bucks by just buying the regular versions in dark brown or black directly from Danner.
Patagonia has just published a new book showing a collection of the photography that has appeared in its catalogs from over the years:
Since 1980, Patagonia has invited customers and wilderness photographers to submit their best, most unexpected shots of life outdoors – of alpine climbing, bouldering in the desert, skiing untracked bowls, surfing secret spots, ocean crossings, first kayak descents and travel in unfamiliar places. The photos have poured in ever since (current rate: 60,000 per year), some from the famous (John Russell, Galen Rowell), others from respected photographers (Corey Rich) who had their first work published in these pages.
Unlike much of the perfect looking stock pictures that other outdoor companies use, the pictures in Patagonia’s catalogs are personal and often capture the spirit of the moment. I hope to pick up a copy this weekend if my local store has them in. Related post from last year: A Bivouac That I Never Want to Try
Some of the pictures were also reprinted in the current holiday catalog:
New arrivals from J.Crew today, in mostly knitwear and smaller gift type stuff. Other highlights are Mackintosh jackets made with fabric from Fox Brothers, a CPO shirt jacket, a black watch sportcoat, and wool throws from Drake’s.
Two absurdities: expensive cashmere socks and the high markup on copies of My Rugged 211 (see my previous review).
Weekend update! There are two interesting items shown in the current catalog that are not available online (yet). The first is the Regent peacoat made with wool from Fox Brothers. The item number is 31725F and the cost is $595.
Update 2: It’s now online.
The second is a zip cardigan from Inverallan. Item number is 34128F and the cost is $395.
Update 3: This is now online too, only a size 38 left.
Selling the rugged lifestyle long before Free & Easy and RRL, all made in the USA too.
Barbour has a new range of slim fit shirts this season under their Heritage collection, and some with interesting details that seem to be inspired by old riding gear and Mod clothing. With the help of my local stockist, I was able to special order one the Portugal made “Marylebone” shirts in a black/grey gingham fabric which features a slanted chest pocket.
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