Paul Newman: An American Original

Paul's timeless style

When it comes to dressing well, Paul Newman is definitely one of my greatest influences.

_Nelson

In My Younger Days...

Quincy Jones - Summer in the City

This song came on in the iTunes shuffle while Nelson and I were at the shop on Tuesday. You might recognize the intro as the sample from The Pharcyde's '92 single, Passin Me By. I have to say, 1992 was a great year for hip hop.

_Daniel

Shopping Activism

Apolis Global Citizen - Indigo Wool Chore Jacket

The holiday season is a time when our values are put into practice. The activities that we most cherish during these winter months are more or less a direct reflection of our values. For some, the highlight of this season is spending time with loved ones, for others, it's shopping for friends and families and yet for some, its winter sports. These three activities may seem different on the surface, but they are similar on a deeper level because these activities involve some form of bonding and community building which could result in more empathy, understanding and compassion for our fellow man.

Why is this seasonal zeitgeist of compassion for humanity so short lived? How can we hold on to this special form of compassion indefinitely? It's shame that this feeling of kindness happens only once a year. Temporary compassion can't result in any positive far-reaching global changes because there isn't enough time to nurture it. We have to be compassionate and empathetic year round and we must understand it and hone it into something tangible and constructive so that it effects the community globally not just locally.

It is clear that our fundamental values are for building a better community worldwide and for the making the world a better place for future generations, but more often or not, our values are either squandered, misdirected or not fully realized. I don't have an answer to combat our apathy towards our values and our apathy towards our fellow man. I do believe that I have a few good tips that we can all put into practice starting this holiday season.

You can start by supporting your local businesses if you must shop and do research on the origin of your purchases. I am not going to demonize foreign made goods and praise American made products because it is more complicated than that. For example, companies such as Tom's Shoes and Apolis Global Citizen use foreign supply chains and manufacturing but are actually philanthropic in nature. Other companies that pride themselves as being made domestically such as the automakers of Detroit have their priorities in profit. I will not squander my time in talking about the pros and cons of for profit companies at this time.

Shopping smart this holiday season just the start. Active thinking about your purchases will eventually lead to the purging of passive activism.

_Nelson

Penfield Fall/Winter 2010 Collection

Penfield Fall/Winter 2010 from Shot by JFK on Vimeo.

Department Seventeen will be carrying Penfield this coming Spring. While cruising the Internet, I found this video of their Fall/Winter 2010 collection, which got me pretty excited for their 2011 line. We love our outerwear over here and Penfield's got the ish.

_Daniel

Opening Night

Photo courtesy of Derrick Jang, DerrickJang.com

Thank you everyone for showing up to Department Seventeen's opening party. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and gotten enough beer and sparkling wine. We would like to acknowledge those who helped us through this long and unfamiliar process of starting a business from scratch, you know who you are, Calvin, Mike, Henry, Derrick, Arthur and much more people. Much love for all the support from friends, family and the community alike. Department Seventeen would not be possible without your love. Continue to support us and other local businesses, and we will commit to support the community.

Thank you from Department Seventeen.

Adrian, Nelson, Daniel

Burning Midnight Oil

Last Minute Preparations in Department Seventeen

Almost there

Here is a sneak peak of the progress thus far.

_Nelson

Department Seventeen Pocket Tee

Perfect for shades and pens

Department Seventeen Pocket Tee, available this Fall in heather and white.

_Nelson

The Best a Man Can Get?

Merkur Hefty Classic straight razor and blades

There is an arms race between Gillette and Schick to see who can come up with the most amount of blades per razor. I think they will peak at 20 blades in the next 2 years if Moore's law is the guiding principle of the razor industry. Besides the exponential addition of blades, they also offer other "cutting edge" innovations such as razor handles with LED lights for those times when you absolutely have to shave in the dark and vibrating handles for reasons undisclosed. They have also taken design cues from the movie, "Tron". The sheer amount of features on a modern day razor blade is sure to satisfy any modern go-getting-multitaking-caffinated-uber-male, or is it? The problem with multi-blade-pivot head razors is that every dollar is being spent on high tech doodads, slick marketing, gaudy futurist designs and none of it is spent on improving the the quality of the actual blade itself which is what shaving is all about.

These razor blade companies have modeled themselves after the Inkjet printer companies; charge almost nothing for the main component and charge a ransom for short life refills. Both industries have also adopted the philosophy of "multi-fuction for the multi-tasker", what is wrong with single-function products? When will we see the next Epson printer with a built in toaster and deep fryer? This racket has dire impacts on your bank account as well as the environment. Once again, America has found another way to perverse a simple product into a monstrosity all while lowering it's quality in the guise of innovation while creating needless waste in the name of increased profit margins.

Five blades does not equal a quality shave, the blades are design to fail after a few uses. They dull easily causing you to go over the same patch several times. This practice can actually damage your skin because of the force and the amount of strokes you apply to your face just to make up for it's flaws.

My solution to this is to spend your money on a classic safety or straight razor. Sure, the initial cost of a good German handle can run you up to around $50, but the benefits outweigh the cost. This is something you buy to keep for life. Replacement blades are only a few bucks and they are much sharper and can outlast any multi-razor system. It might be a challenge for most new users to master, but it's well worth it. Learning how to shave this way should be a right of passage for any man. Once mastered, you will notice a few things, your shave will be cleaner, your skin will be in better condition, your wallet will thank you and so will mother nature. These blades are 100% recyclable.

Injecting the American ethos of "more is better" to simple timeless products is not always a good thing. The integrity of a good product is based on simplicity, quality and functionality and not slick marketing. The next time you run out of Mach 10 razors, or run out of ink on your printer, just keep in mind of the friendlier alternatives.

_Nelson

Distress and Destroy

My favorite pair of jeans.

A good pair of jeans is almost like a bottle of nice wine, vintage is almost always preferred over new, whether you are into selvaged Japanese denim or a nicely destroyed pair of jeans from your local thrift store, there is no other form of trousers as desireable. I am attracted to the idea that there is history and a story behind my clothing.

Most companies such as Levi's offer faux vintage jeans, but this trend is starting to wind down. People are starting to realize that the best way to age denim is to wear it out yourself. There is something fundamentally wrong about robots contriving history into new things. In our current climate of ecological turmoil, I think it is important for us to buy goods that don't require extra chemical processes and eating up of additional resources. Distress can destroy your wallet and most importantly the planet. Plus, naturally aged jeans look so much better.

_Nelson

Mod Men

Chambray work shirt and George Nelson clock

Have any one noticed? Post WWII modernity is in vogue again. Whether it is a slick Brooks Brothers gray flannel suit from Madison Avenue or denim Dungaree's worn by Detroit steel workers. Most younger Americans such as myself are discovering the styles of this era for the first time and the mainstream media and consumer industries are taking note. Maybe it is a direct reaction to the Boomers and their "casual culture" or maybe it is the optimism of post WWII America that we long for in these times of economic uncertainty. Try watching an episode of Mad Men and you will certainly see adverts from Jeep touting about our heritage as craftsmen who used to make stuff or adverts from Levi's telling young proletariats to buy their work wear and to "go forth". Have you also noticed the neckties of certain television hosts going on a diet and slimming down to an inch?

What happens when all this neo-modernity becomes a tiresome fad? Will we move further back? I hope the Victorian era will make a come back soon.

_Nelson

Renovation Time

Its been about a month since we began renovation. Despite various hiccups here and there, I think we are just about done. I've posted a time lapse video of our attempt at flooring for everyone to enjoy.

_Nelson