Capsule: Autumn Winter 2012

In a sea of hi water-turned up denim, Red Wing work boots, black beards and more watch caps than there are in the U.S. Navy -- beneath all the pretentious bullshit -- there's... money to be made.



This is a trade show. No different than the Metal Fabricators in Chicago or General Aviation in Orlando. While a 200 page book lists exhibitors; it also tells another story. That of a small and hip sounding haberdasher with sales and PR contacts at Nike.


The ersatz hip are avoided easily enough. This year a number of vintage dealers, many known only to the design community (and the Japanese), threw open their doors to everyone. You didn't need admission to check out what Capsule called, "Added Awesomeness." Use of over enthusiastic PR talk aside, the "Donut Shop" concept worked nicely and details of the best vintage vendors will follow tomorrow.


Santa Maria increased the sophistication factor ten-fold. Not sure the throngs of Jethro Bodine impersonators understood what it was for.



Santa Maria burning papers emit a scent not unlike what you would have smelled in the 13th Century. Makes sense. They're made exactly as they were in the 13th Century.

Tretorn's line for Spring and Summer is filled with color. I couldn't help but notice a combination that'll be hard to secure in Gainesville.



Wood chips and the 2nd floor represented, "Above Tree Line - focused firmly on performance outdoor apparel."



I never did understand this.



But I understand this - Lots of business cards. Many from Ted (the fuck stick) Harrington at Terrapin. Ted and I both share this affectionate nickname from our fathers. I'm guessing if you're under 40 your father didn't call you fuck stick. Turning you into an entitled and spoiled shit... Ted's working on the cards.



Tom Beatty of Wm J. Mills & Co, purveyors of awe-canvas-someness, has lots of serious waxed cotton this year. Rugged looking but with an elegant aesthetic.



John Gluckow of Strongarm C&S, a vintage dealer in the Donut Shop section, had more vintage T&A than I've seen in a long time. More from John tomorrow.



Andy Freidman of Abington by Timberland, probably the kindest human being in NYC, brings back the waffle-stomper craze of the '70s that I lived through in Colorado Springs. It looks authentic but the boot is light and much more comfortable than my concrete Vasque boots of 36 yrs ago.


Arrived early in hopes of missing late riser designers. Still, Bloody Marys were offered up in a bar/lounge that looked more like a VIP club in 1970's Romania.



Paul Mole (Full Transparency- My barber) provided straight razor shaves but I guess I was too early or they were too hung over. Which worked for me. Not sure if a free straight razor shave from a hung over barber is worth it.



George Tart, another vintage dealer, cranks open a 1920's tractor umbrella. More on George and our conversation tomorrow.


And you never know where the Saigon Electric Works patch will show up.

Timberland - 25 Years Later

Ellis Island- April 1985

Timberland, NYC- October 2010

Trad Sex, Dinty Moore and Timberlands

The Free & Easy cover for October 2008 (which features the Abercrombie & Fitch coat below) reminded me of something. But what? After dropping $14.50 for the magazine at Kinokuniya, a beautiful Japanese book store in NYC, I walked across the street to Bryant Park and consumed the images in about 10 minutes. Not much to read and even less if you can't read Japanese.

Heading up to midtown it hit me. My boot shot from Ellis Island. Yes, it would appear I've been taking pictures of my shoes for many years. The shot of my Timberland work boot was taken circa 1985 from a window high above the Main Registry building on Ellis looking at the Statue of Liberty. This image could also be titled, "Free & Easy."

As a National Park Ranger assigned to the Statue and Ellis, I made $12,500 a year in 1985. While the work wasn't "Free" - - it was "Easy" as the above pic testifies. The best and lowest paying job I ever had. I was able to stretch out a one and half pound can of Dinty Moore beefstew over a week thanks to a 10 pound bag of Basmati rice. I drank lots of tap water. I ate a can of tuna fish for lunch...every day. I was 150 pounds, a 30" waist and in the best shape of my life. Better than the Army. But I was poor. And NYC is no place to be poor. "Rich girls don't date poor boys, J. Gatsby." No shit.

I remember the occasional complaint to other Rangers about how hard it was to date (ie:get laid) in NYC as a poor park ranger. I am now told by an old Ranger Buddy my complaints were hourly. He's still with the Park Service and mentioned to me the upcoming Park Service documentary by Ken Burns. I suggested a major film star, Martin Sheen, could read my letters as voice over, describing my lonlieness and desire for female companionship (ie: get laid) while assigned to the Statue and Ellis. My Ranger buddy replied, "Don't you mean, Charlie Sheen?"

When the Statue was closed to the public, I was transferred to Ellis Island and worked as a Museum Technician on the artifact removal. That is, everything on Ellis was packed up and moved to a warehouse somewhere in Manhattan. This allowed me to purchase a pair of steel toed boots courtesy of the federal government. God forbid, I drop something on my foot and file a disability claim for that whopping $12,500 job.

I went to a number of shoe stores and was overwhelmed with just how ugly work boots were. Not that they've changed much. It was in one store I saw the Timberland boot. I fell in love with it. But it wasn't steel toed. So, I bought 'em anyway, submitted the receipt to the Park Service and was reimbursed. I suspect I could've bought a pair of wingtips without any questions.

I still have the same Timberlands 23 years later. They've survived 19 Chicago winters as the only boot I ever wore with a suit. Toasty warm with decent traction on the ice sidewalk in front of the Hancock. Great looking with jeans but something of a statement untied with shorts and a untucked button down somewhere on the North Shore. A wonderful boot with soul - - I can't wear them without a strange desire for some Dinty Moore.