Advent Calendar | # 17 Martin Margiela - Cable Knit Scarf

Second to the coat, the most important piece of the winter for me is the scarf. After all those are the garments people will see the most.

Therefore I'm always on the lookout for a nice scarf. Last year it was a tartan one that mysteriously appeared in my wardrobe and I wore it basically every day. Unfortunately it turned out it belonged to a friend's girlfriend so I had to return and so I'm once again on the hunt for the perfect one.

Martin Margiela has done one that's, if not spot-on perfect, at least pretty close to being just that. Hand-knitted in a cable pattern with long fringes at the ends, this is a true piece of craftmanship. And it would fit great with any jacket or outfit. Apart from the blue one which is my favorite, it's also available in beige.

The Style Is Right | Selectism x Oki-Ni - Style Take-Over

The people over at Selectism recently hi-jacked british store Oki-Ni's style section and put together four outfits from what's in store. I can't say I'm a fan of all their pairings, but this one comes off as pretty on point in my opinion. 

I've always been a sucker for grey wool pants this time of the year and these Jil Sander ones are no exception. The Alexander McQueen boots look pretty magic as well while the black contrast-collared shirt from Lou Dalton adds the spice to this look that pretty much could be my standard uniform at the moment. And, yes, the tie stays.

Object | Lou Dalton - Weekender Heavy Cotton Bag

Another bag from Lou Dalton, this time it's a weekend bag in a grey heavy cotton fabric(, which really is wool?). When are shops gonna stop messing up the descriptions of their goods? I mean aren't they supposed to know a bit about what they are selling? Oki-Ni usually does a good job, but there's no excuse for getting sloppy.

Now where were I? Oh, that's right. Back to the actual bag. So it's made in boiled wool with canvas and leather detailing, an adjustable nylon shoulderstrap and two smaller carry handles. I really like the buckle strapm, which is small but still a nice, subtle detail. If that sounds good to you, you can get it here.

Object | Martin Margiela - Replica Granddad Cardigan

Though I can't honestly claim that fall/winter is my favorite time of the year, what with the colds, flus and cold feet (seriously, don't ask. You don't want to get me started on the subject of cold feet) it does have it's perks. One of them is the chance to cozy up in nice, oversized cable-knitted cardigans that somehow just seems to shield you from the rest of the world, no matter how cold it is. 

I have a quite sizeable collection of such cardigans but I might just add one more to it this season. One of the options that have caught my eye is this 'granddad replica cardigan'. Apparently "Replica" is a project of Margiela where they reproduce found garments from different periods and places. This one comes courtesy of Sweden, 1969.

What else can be said about it then? Well for one cream is a bit more of an unusual colorway, but one that still works really great in the winter. And belting is always a nice detailing on a chunky cardigan in my opinion. The shawl collar and the front pockets perfects the look and makes this pretty much my ideal cardigan. Those swedes sure knew how to make a cardigan back in the days!

Object | Lou Dalton - Heavy Cotton Shopper Bag

Somebody better lock away my credit card somewhere and don't give it back until the sales starts. It seems like everywhere I turn these days there are really great looking products that stares back at me and just screams: Buy me! Buy me! Yeah, I hear voices. And every once in a while I have to cave in to their demands and buy something I know I really don't need but damn it feels so good.

My latest craving comes by way of Oki-Ni in the form of a shopper bag from brittish designer Lou Dalton. This is pure goodness made out of a sturdy khaki cotton with gorgeous detailing in brown leather. Two handles, and a long shoulder strap. Fastens with a brass buckle. Oh my, that's all I can say. I recently bought a tote bag so I shouldn't even consider this one but come on. Look at it. Can you blame me? Somebody better buy this one quick and save me the trouble of rationalizing a purchase to my conscience. C, help me out, ?!

Object | Nigel Cabourn - Shawl Collar Knit

One of my biggest regrets this summer (fashion-wise, that is) is not buying Our Legacy's shawl collared pull-over. The fit was great, as was the collar. I tried it on at the beginning of the season but figured I could hold on pulling the trigger for a while. Then summer came, and it turned out to be crazy-busy. I flung around from one place to another, doing all sorts of stuff. Long story short, I missed out and have reproached myself for it every day since.

This one might not be just as perfect in my taste, but it does the trick. As usual Nigel Cabourn brings us nothing but quality products, with inspiration from actual pieces dating back to the mid- to early 20th century. Those were the days, huh? 

Available exclusively in Europe through Oki-Ni it comes in a dark navy hue that's very fall appropriate and features several reinforcing patches on the shoulders and arms - the shoulder ones were originally meant to keep rifles from wearing through the material. So you could, you know go hunting with this one if you'd like to, but seeing as this is 100% wool you'd probably have to dry-clean it afterwards. Happy hunting!