Archive for April, 2012

Patagonia: Update

Well I finally got my Patagonia jacket back! It took a while, but that is 99% my fault (sorry readers!). I wrote the original post (Patagonia: Repair Process) on January 15th, but did not actually send the jacket out until March 14th. I had a few questions in mind when I wrote the original post, such as would I be charged for the repair, if so how much, If it needed to replaced how much would they credit my old jacket, and how long will this process take? I now have a few answers to share.

I sent the jacket out for repair on March 14th using USPS. Using the tracking and confirmation option offered by USPS I it was received by Patagonia on the 17th. On their site they state that they will try to have your items back to you in 20 days, but that they may get backlogged. They did a good job in this area in my opinion as I had the jacket back in my hands in 37 days. The only thing that could have really improved this part of the process was an email letting me know that they had received my jacket and whether or not they would be able to fix it.

To their credit they were able to fix my jacket. They also did not charge me a dime. I was excited because I get easily attached to clothing items and wanted to have this jacket around for a while. It is always better to have a jacket that you can count on than ordering a new one that you hope will be half as good.

Patagonia close-upThe tear.

discolored PatchIt is a little hard to notice in this picture, but it is the second panel down from the top right.

Close-upThe middle panel is new.

There are a few issues with the repair. As you can see the from the picture above it was a pretty nasty rip. After talking with some older Patagonia enthusiast they told me that it was not likely that they would repair it since so much of the tear is not along a seam. They were wrong. Instead of mending the tear they replaced the whole patch which is great. Well it is a great idea…we will see how long it lasts. The fabric colors are not the same, which most people might not like. I actually do like it because it gives the a garment an aged look. Others who saw the jacket did not seem to think this was an adequate repair and would have much preferred a new jacket or at least one that was one solid color.

Overall, I am more than happy with Patagonia. They serviced my jacket quickly and never raised an issue about who was at fault or who should foot the bill. There are a few areas where I think that they could improve this process. It would have been great to get an email stating that they received my jacket and were able to work on it. Also, if they knew that they would be unable to match the exact color or pattern of the jacket it would have been nice to have been at least notified and even better to have been offered an alternative. Even if that alternative required additional funds. Although this experience was not perfect, Patagonia has kept and satisfied another customer.

Wittenberg University 1964

Wittenberberg University was founded in 1845. It started as a clergy school but overtime became a private four year liberal university. It is located in Springfield, Ohio. It is also a place where trad, ivy and preppy still have a place to call home. However, you will see students dressed in all styles of clothing as at any college today, but there remains a large trad/preppy element. As I was flipping through all an old year book from 1964 there were too may images to keep to myself. This will be the  first of many installments that feature images from Wittenberg University. I hope that you enjoy them.

Witt Seniors

Witt Juniors3/2 Jacket

3/2

WoodrowWilson

Cool Suits

Emblems

 

underthetree

 

Lots of emlems

Madras

Checking out the grls

 

Monument

One thing that I always remember from my walks around campus.

Casual Shoes: Update

I did a post on my need for some casual shoes two weeks ago. The shoe I was looking for needed to be work appropriate, able to handle bad weather, and denim friendly. I also wanted to be able to wear them with shorts in the summer, so they needed to look good sans socks.  At the time I was set on getting a pair of blucher camp mocs, but things don’t always turn out as I plan, no matter how much I plan.

I started my hunt by traveling to the nearest outlet mall. I began here, mainly because they have a Sebago store, but also because there are other shoe outlets there as well. I was hoping to find a pair of Campsides, but no luck. However, I ventured into the Bass store (as I always do) and found a pair of  blucher camp moc hybrids with a lugged sole (sorry; no box, no name) on the clearance wall for $25. This shoe had almost everything that I was looking for as they can be worn to work, worn on the weekend, and worn in bad weather. What they are not is well suited for is being to worn to work on days when the weather is nice and wearing with shorts.

Camp Moc HybridI have now worn them twice and so far they have been great. For their first wear, I took them out for a stroll to the coffee shop on a misty morning. They were comfortable right from the beginning and did not look out of place among the other weekend shoes at the coffee shop. I have also worn them to work on a rainy day. They served their purpose and then some. Meaning that I did not slip, because they have rubber soles and I picked-up a compliment. However, I am still struggling to find out what socks work and what socks don’t work with the. So far it appears that thicker cotton and wool socks look good, but that thinner cotton patterned sock such as argyles don’t quite work. I think that patterned socks look too fancy when set against the back drop of the worn and rugged leather. I will continue to experiment with different socks and report back any interesting finds.

Camp Moc Hybrid in actionAs I mentioned these shoes filled almost every need on my list. Where they fall short is in that they aren’t quite dressy enough to make an appearance in the office when the weather is nice and they are not quite sleek enough to work with shorts. I still think that a pair of traditional blucher camp mocs would have met all of my criteria, but for $25 I could not pass them up. Another upside to these shoes is that they will also make good winter shoes. With all that being said, I am now in the market for a pair of summer/work shoes. Maybe it is time for me to bite the bullet and purchase a pair of boat shoes. What will it be Sebago’s or Sperry’s?

Spring is Upon Us

Flowers are blooming,  trees are getting their leaves, the air around us is stirring with new life, but more importantly people are digging through their closets to get to their madras and seersucker shirts and jackets. While I am trying to hold out on wearing my madras shirts until Memorial day (I doubt that I will make it) spring is here and we have already experienced some gorgeous weather. This long weekend has been no exception and as a result I have been having too much fun enjoying the weather to focus on an in-depth blog post. However, there is no need to worry I have purchased a few items that I will be reviewing shortly. Until then, I leave you with a few pictures that I took last week and this weekend which include  pictures from thrifting, a walk through my neighborhood to a historic cemetery, some new decorations for my home and a few other random images. Have a  happy holiday everyone!

casualOut to do a little thrifting.

tiesA good day for ties!

cedarvilleA close-up of 1 of 2 Cedarville College ties that I found( Both are pictured above on the far right).

Dayton, Oh tieA locally made Dayton, Oh striped tie!

afterworkA quick change to hang out in the yard and go for a walk.sideyard

sideyard

flowers

flowers2

doorsMy neighbor’s very cool door.

homeandgardenLovely garden.

cemeteryA mid-to-late 19th century cemetery down the street. This tomb is a typical tombstone.

sheepThis is my favorite marker in the cemetery. I still don’t know if it is a lamb or a dog ? I love it regardless.

sheepordogA close-up.

fried dumplingsBack at home for some fried dumplings. I have been a bit obsessed with these lately.

embroidered pictureCharles Wysocki Embroidered picture made by my Mom.

embroidered picture close-upClose-up.

model sail boatModel sail boat.

Happy EasterHappy Easter!

 

Casual Shoe Search: Blucher Camp Mocs

Lately I have been on the hunt for a pair of casual shoes. These shoes need to serve multiple purposes. They need to be work appropriate, wearable during bad weather days (so they need a rubber sole), and I would like to be able to wear them on the weekend as well. Too add to this list, summer is coming and I would also like to be able to wear them with the occasional pair of shorts which means they have to be able to look good without socks. I know that this is a lot to ask, but what can I say, I have high expectations.

I did a quick search of the web to get some ideas, but I already had a good idea that blucher camp moccasins wold best suit my needs.  I really like the classic styling of the camp moc. Plus, they will  not look out of place at work with chinos, out on the weekend with friends, or even sock-less with shorts. I prefer camp mocs with a  blucher lacing style. Bluchers are shoes that have a tongue that is one piece and the quarters (where the eyelets are) come up on both sides. This  allows for the shoe to come up further on the top of your fit and this type of support is more comfortable to me. I came up with a few different pairs blucher camp mocs to look into after a little bit of searching.

LL Bean blucher mocL.L. Bean Blucher Camp Moc Saddle (Image from L.L. Bean)

LL. Bean Blucher Moc 2L.L. Bean Camp Moc Chocolate(Image from L.L. Bean)

LL Bean Blucher Moc 3LL. Bean Camp Moc Cactus(Image from L.L. Bean)

The first camp moc that came to mind was the L.L. Bean Blucher moccasin. This is one of L.L Beans’s most iconic shoes. Their Blucher Camp Moc is priced at $69.00 and comes in three colors with saddle being the hands-down favorite. However, I found a ton of negative reviews on the internet. Most of the complaints focused on the plastic-like leather and the general discomfort of the shoe. I also looked at the L.L. Bean signature version which is priced at $69.00 dollars as well, but I heard the same complaints about this version. So, I kept looking.

Eastland falmouth LE

Eastland-Limited Edition Falmouth Camp Moc (image from Eastland).

It also comes in navy, grey suede, acorn suede (grey and acorn are Urbanoutfitters exclusive)

Eastland falmouthEastland-Falmouth Camp Moc(Image from Eastland) Also available in a handsome Bomber Brown.

Sebagao-Campside -TanSebago-Campside Tan(Image from Sebago)

Sebago-Campside-BrownSebago-Campside Brown(Image from Sebago)

There are three other versions of the blucher camp moc that are still in the running. These are the Eastland Men’s Falmouth Limited Edition Camp Moc $120, the regular Men’s Falmouth Camp Moc   $90, and the Sebago Campsides $110. I have heard good things about the Sebago’s and I am asking for some feedback on the Eastlands. Hopefully,within the next month or two I will make a purchase and can write-up a review. However, at these prices I am starting to wonder if I can find two lower priced shoes two fulfill my needs. On second thought, I may have to give the L.L. Bean mocs a try, who knows!