Clothing stores

Accessories stores

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A bit of history

Chinos’ history date back to the 1840s. harry Burnett Lumsden, a British army officer based in India, looks for a way to get rid of the showy red and white uniform his troops are wearing. Then he dyes his cotton pyjamas with a local plant extract so the fabric could take a similar color of the fields’ one. The Hindi or Ourdou word for “dust” was “khaki”, this word became used for this new uniform then. Later then, as khaki trousers were getting more popular, people stated to name them chinos as most of them were manufactured in China.

The Elegant

Elegant chinos are close to suit trousers thanks to their features, the only difference is they don’t have pleats. They are fitted, made of a satiny material and can be worn with all casual shoes. Their color does not really matter, as it is all about matching them properly. Most of all, focusing on the material (finer than classic chinos), render and details will make the difference here. So, no buttons on the back pockets, hook fastener (at least a concealed buttoning) or fine trimming will give chinos a more elegant look. Ideally, wear them with a pair of derbies, a shirt, a blazer or like Tony who mixed different styles with a striped t-shirt. To go to work of even to dress for wedding parties, elegant chinos can be a good alternative to all classic trousers.

Where to find some?

From Filippa K, BWGH, Cuisse de Grenouille, ASOS or from APC

The casual

The most common chinos, the ones you can find everywhere! What comfortable trousers to walk a whole day, jump, play, dance (whatever you want actually)! Usually, they are straigh-fitted, but chinos’ recent succes have made brands offer a slimmer cut. It is made of a thick cotton (as it was first created for the millitary). It can be worn with everything, for most occasions as they aren’t too formal, and in all colors. Faded chinos will have to be avoided – like jeans – which are tasteless, really. Actually, chinos are The ultimate hybrid trousers.

Where to find some?

Or favorire fits can be found from Knowledge Cotton Apparel, Ben Sherman, Scotch & Soda or Homecore. Smaller budgets would look from Dr Denim and Selected whose chinos are ok.

The heritage

They mostly come from denim brands, they are much more rigid as made in a thicker fabric, usually in a cotton twill. Most of the time, they have tapered legs (loss from the tighs and gets slimmer from the ankles), as the others are cutted following a “straight line”. They also have details we can usually find from jeans: selvedge fabric, coin pocket and many belt loops. To wear them, better focus on “workwear” or “streetwear” pieces: denim shirts, chambray shirts, checked shirts, flannel shirts, graphic t-shirts, a pair of boots, sneakers… the antipodes of formal, so please leave daddy’s polo in your closet

Where to find some?

We really like Carhartt, Denim & Supply, Dickies or Dockers chinos.

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- Ideal conditions
- Choosing between 3 options
- Preparing the hair
- 2 times
- Electric shaver
- After shave

Ideal Conditions

Try to avoid shaving staightly when waking up: you hair is rough and you muscles lack tonicity. And you’re even not totally awoken and may hurt yourself. However, the morning remains the best moment of the day to shave as the skin is rested. Ideally, shave on the morning after a shower. Warm water will soften and extend the hair, which will make it easier to shave (this will even make your blades last longer). Other optimal condition: shave on an empty stomach, because mastication allows blood flowing in the face which encourages facial flushing.

3 options

A choice between 3 options, from the oldest to the most recent:

- Folding razors
- Safety razors
- Electric razors

Folding razors

Symbolizes the traditional way to shave. Most of us discovered this item through movies (famous Western movies). Choosing this method is a above all a choice for tradition and aestheticism. You relation to this item is more personal compared to any other razor. The “cut-throat” shaves closer but be aware that it requires specific skills! For a long time, shaving advices with folding razors were given from father to son. Today if you want to use it, the best is to go at a barber’s first.

Thiers-Issard is one of the lastest French razor manufacturer, here is the Evide model

Safety razors

The first “safety” razor dates back to the 18th century, it has known a continual evolution since then, even more the last years with the invention of the double, triple then quadruple blades! They are called Bic, Gilette or Wilkinson and differs only from their design. Choosing one or the other is only a matter of habit. Note that apart from the razors you find in supermarkets, higher-end razors exists made of horn or chrome.

The razor we all know.
Here is a model from Edwin Jagger

Electric shavers

I think I may have owned my first electric shaver around 18. Quite a basic model which I soon dropped actually. If you really want to use an electric razor, my advice is to target the top of the range on the first time! This is the only guarantee for quick and good results (see our electric shavers tests). In spite of this, even if your shaver offers great performances, you may need the good old safety razor for the finishing touches. Most of all, electric shavers can allow shaving very quickly.

The rough-haired geeks razor : the Braun Pulsonic 5

Preparing the hair

It appears essential to hydrate the hair to easy its cut for any razor you will choose. One of the most traditional way to do it (and most effective) is to use a shaving soap applied thanks to a brush so the hair gets softer and deeply hydrated.

Foams or gels are more widely used today. Colored, perfumed or not is only a matter of taste. If you don’t have any particular skin problem, consumer goods will suit you well (Gilette, Williams…). But sensitive skins, more subject to irritations, may better use specific skincares like over-the-counter drugs and personal hygiene products, or cosmetics sold in perfumeries.

To prepare for electric shave, you can apply on your beard a damp alum rock which will tighten the skin pores and ruffle the hair. Dry with a towel and use some talc to dry more and easy the razor glide. From here, conditions will be optimal for a good shaving session!

Other option: using a shaving oil. Espcially for those whose hair is rough! It must be used in addition to a foam or gel, starting by the oil in first.

2 times

For a close shave, it is essential to glide in two directions: the first according to the hair growth, then a second from the opposite direction after reapplying the foam of gel. Picture-perfect, small slaps on the cheeks and let’s go!

The electric shaver

If you let your beard grow few days, use the electric shaver before any hand razor, the task will become easier then. The electric shave/clipper can also help keeping a “3-days beard” look.

After-shave

Shaving automatically irritates the skin. Here we’re talking about soothing the razor burn and rehydrating the skin. After shaving, some of you may have different levels of irritation. Red blotches on the skin, even spots: my advice is to use a good-old Eau Précieuse to sooth it all very quickly. For less irritated skins, you can use a thermal water like Avène or Uriage. Sprayed into a fine mist, thermal water will bring a sensation of cool freshness and its soothing and skin-softening properties will restore the skin balance.

In case of a cut. Don’t panic! Before calling an ambulance, try to use a cauterizing stick and you will be agreably surprised. It is simple and really effective! The alum rock, multi-purpose item, is as well.

In any case, use an after-shave to rehydrate, keep your skin healty and young. I’ll leave the choice of it up to your taste and your skin type. The best remains to test many of them to find which suits you the most. Your after shave balm should procures you comfort, freshness and pleasure.

I’d like to finish with a quto from Alain, a famous Maitre Babier from Paris (btw I’m thanking him for helping to write this article): “Shaving is like love, it has to be done slowly to get good results.”

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On this short stroll, I have put my bet on comfortable chinos which color suits the lichen present on some rocks. A orange color you can sometimge see at the sunset, when the sun is low and is about to dissapear behind the ocean. For the top, a light blue coton veil shirt, ideal for this beautiful season, and a thick navy cotton jacket to face the wind.

Quirky piece of the day: this pair of grey suede derbies on a rubber sole. They look quite massive with their studded sole, though remain amazingly light and comfortable. Swith such and urban style, they turned to be a perfect pair to a perilous in the rocks. I could even walk on water…

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The jeans

Since few weeks I’ve received my Louis, freshly “baked” in the Okayama workshop of the brand, in Japan – kind of a Mecca of denim. It’s a basic 5 pocket straight cut trousers made of a 14.5 oz raw selvedge denim, meaning it is really thick, heavy and rigid. By this way, know that manufacturing a pair of Renhsen jeans requires 2.50 meters of fabric, which is around two times more than any classic jeans. “Raw” means that the fabric wan’t treated, so yarns forming the fabric are still soaked with their natural indigo color, meaning that as you wear the jeans, or if you wash them, this color will fade leaving then white marks.

The product is extremely well finished, sewing points are perfectly made and the jeans leaves an impression of sturdyness. Details are appreciable: the label inside, the rivets, this horizontal trimming on the back pockets in a slightly different blue and the selvedge finish (which still makes quite an impression). The Louis also has a firmly sewn YKK zip, rivets strenghtening the font pockets and a leather tab with the brand logo. Easy to see that we are talking about real quality jeans.

Test

When unpacking the plastic wraping the jeans, a first thought comes: the postman got me a wrong package, it is well too rigid! Well, there’s actually no mistake, my jeans are here, as rigid as a cardboard. The fabric will untighten wearing them, leaving some scars on the hips and at the knee pits. That’s fortunate, this is the only way we like them! First try, the Louis has a straight cut, like a good old 501. I confess I was expecting a slimmer cut, but in some way, things are better like that, it’ll make a bit of a change for once.

Like told before, they are really rigid and leave their marks on my body, a bit like a new pair of shoes you wear for the first time. But the fabric gets softer after few times wearing the jeans, and they quickly become really comfortable after around 5 days wearing them. I have picked my usual size (32/34 for 187cm, 6.15 ft) and the jeans fit perfectly now, after 3 months.

I’m rolling up hems (3 times to really say) which gets the fit slimmer. For the moment, small fades start to appear from the knees, and I haven’t washed them yet (I’m planning at least 6 month wearing them 3/4 times in a week before any wash). Like one says: “each wash gets you new jeans”. That’s really good jeans, I happy with them even if I’m thinking about altering the legs by a retoucher (fyi : until then I was wearing a pair of Naked & Famous SkinnyGuy). Tested and approved then!

Where to find some?

Renhsen’s distribution remains restricted to few retailers. Today, the Louis RSB I have tested is out of stock on L’Exception store http://renhsen.lexception.com, but when you look for such quality jeans, better is to try them before. Renhsen showroom: 22 rue Beaurepaire, 75010, Paris.

Ps : the Louis exist in grey, black and blue, all three in selvedge. Sizes: from 27 to 36, legs=34.

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Brand: Herringbone
Price: from €229 to €399, depending on the model

Description:
With their vintage style, Herringbones camera bags are made of a very soft full grain leather. They all feature many pockets and customizeable details. The inside is padded and it has removeable compartments.

Brand: Billingham
Price: From £137 (€170) to £466 (€578) for the biggest size

Description:
Billingham creates waxed cotton bag since 1973 from their factory located in central England, around Birmingham. Originally, the brand only proposed fishing bags, hence such a construction. When in 1978, Martin Billingham who was himself an amateur phototographer discovered some Newyorkese guys carrying their camera in fishing bags, then he decided to convert its brand activity into camera bags manufacturing.

Brand: Garbstore
Price: €200

Description:
Since summer 2012 the English from garbstore propose a camera bag range with two available sizes. it’s all manufactured in the UK. Bags are made of thick cotton and feature nice leather details. The inside has removeable padded compartments you can change according to your lense(s) size. On the contrary to most bags, Garbstore played a colorful card, which is likeable.

Brand: Hard Graft
price: €440

Description:
Those who already know Hard graft may have difficulties keeping themselves from visiting their website on a regular basis, keeping on their head the idea to finally own one of their bag someday. For the others, know that it is an English high-end accessory brand with a distinctive minimalis design. Felt, nice leather and an awesome render for this accessory specialist who just released its first camera bag. It is made of vegetally tanned leather and features a removeable compartment. It is nice, expensive and we regret that it wasn’t released in a bigger size (dimentions: 19cm x 13cm x18cm).

Brand: Domke
Price: from €124,90 to €289,90

Description:
In general popular from advanced photographers, Domke bags were created to answer specific needs: carrying photo equipment. Jim Domke created the first bag, in search for praticity, sturdyness and reactivity. All made in the US, the range offers bags in many sizes.

Brand: Kalahari
Price: from 29€

Description:
During a safari in Botswana, John and Elaine Dugmore felt the growing need of a tent repairs service. So they launched using one only sewing machine, which was really not enough to repair the huge pile of tents standing in front of them. So they decided to work upstream, creating better end products. Kalahari’s camera bag range is not the most beautiful of all, but above all one of the less expensive made of sturdy cotton and offering many sizes.

Brand: Ona bags
Price: from €200 to €320

Description:
Since 2010, Tracy Foster decided to launch his own bag brand for photographers who also care about their style. Premium materials: full grain cowhide leather, waxed canvas and reused copper, are used to make Ona Bags. With a very classic schoolbag, messenger bag style, they allow carrying up to 3 lenses (7 for the backpacks).

Brand: Moore & Giles
Price: €483

Description:
Experts in leather since 1933, Moore & Giles started producing shoes upper, soldes and leather linings, all coming from local tanneries (then international). Only in 2007, the brand starts to focus on accessories. They propose two leather bag models, the Lew above is one of them. It really is beautiful and was created in partnership with a famous photographer: Rick Lew. The bag mixes waxed cotton and leather, the inside has customizeable compartments and a lot of space to carry up to 6 lenses. It is on of our favourites.

Brand: Property of…
Price : €219

Description:
The Singapore brand Property Of… launched their first camera bag this year with the Thomas style. made of waxed cotton, it is ideal to carry a reflex and two lenses with its 3 compartments. It also features an outside pocket, a resists to water. Cool thing, 5 colors are available: beige, black, grey, olive and orange.

Brand: Tanner Goods
Price : €270

Description:
Since 2012 the American handmade leather expert Tanner Goods added a bag dédicated to photographers in their range. The outfits is made of a sturdy cotton with few leather details. The inside is in felt, ideal to cushion all shocks involved when carrying such a fragile item. The bag isn’t that large, it can have 2/3 lenses maximum.

CONCLUSION

A thing you’ve now understood, budget for a camera bag vary. Like usual one would say: the more you need a large bag, the higher budget you should have. But actually the “larger and more expensive” does not really work here as it will depend on the material quality your chosen bag will be made of (just like when you buy a regular bag :x). It you have nice camera bag ideas, please feel free to share ;).

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La plaça Reial, as the Catalan call it, is one of the most touristic places of the city. it was build in 1848, in dedication to king Ferdinand VII and in a wider sense to the Spanish monarchy. Located two steps from the famous Ramblas, it was yesterday frequented by the higher class looking for sun and gastronomy – times are changing. This is the only square in Barcelona with archways under wich I undertook few acrobatics.

The outfit is ideal for Spring: a denim jacket, a t-shirt with a eye-catching-trucker graphic, black jeans and pair of tropical-patterned sneakers. A way I like to dress, no hassle. However be careful to wear those sneakers with fitted jeans, the contrary would look like “crushed” (well, the Vans Era is a bit flattened). Do not worry, we did not forget to shoot around Gaudí’ street lights (to be continued on Facebook)

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Dnm Pieces trousers are made in France, in a small workshop in the Nord where the fabric also comes from (non-selvedge for the moment, but it is to come), the other materials are from Europe (Italy, UK). The whole manufacturing process is made by hand, with a great attention to details: trims, copper buttons, nice mix of colors and quality finishing touches.

The brand launches different model: two jeans and three chinos, all named after a 7 multiple, known as the magical number. Both jeans: the n°7 and the n°14 are made of a 11oz raw denim and tightly fitted (let’s say like a Levi’s 510). The fist has a classic shape, minimalist like all basic 5 pockets trousers featuring a “coin pocket” (which isn’t used on the n°14). Nevertheless the second has a very elegant red trimming on the front pockets. Both have the brand’ specific details: a brushed stell rivet on the top corner of the right back pocket and the classic leather patch which is bull-calf made here.

The three chinos are numbered 21, 28 and 35. Available colors are quite simple: burgundy, sky blue and beige. Fabric used is 100% cotton twill and again few details are making those Dnm Pieces chinos stand out: wood buttons, denim pockets and a colored selvedge detail from each ankle. They’re close-fitted as well.

Manufacturing such products in Europe implies high retail prices: €175 for the n°7, €185 for the n°14 and €165 for the chinos. For the moment, Dnm Piece mention their wish to keep a restricted distribution. For the moment, only Culture Denim in Lille, France has them. But you can also buy their products straightly at source, on their official webstore, waiting for your nearest retailer to bet on Dnm Pieces.

More info at : http://www.dnm-pieces.com

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