Recent purchases I can't stop wearing
Where I found a pair of some of the best quality sweatpants for only $100, my vintage acquisitions from Japan, escaping the baggy pants agenda, and more.
It’s been a minute since the last time I shared what new purchases I’ve been excited about. On my recent trip to Japan I was on a mission to create an updated shopping guide geared towards vintage shopping—you can read the guide here.
During that period I obviously acquired a bunch of new fall gear that I couldn’t wait to wear back home. Since that trip I’ve added a few other pieces that I found secondhand, and now I’m more than ready for the cold ahead.
In today’s newsletter I’m sharing my recent vintage acquisitions from Japan, where I found a pair of some of the best quality sweatpants I’ve ever owned for only $100, how I’m escaping the baggy pants agenda, where I buy all of my favorite accessories, and more.
PALACE PUFFA
Winter in Canada is no joke so having a down puffer is absolutely essential. Each season Palace drops their highly desirable Puffas that comes with a matching balaclava.
I’ve been trying to get one for a few years now, but I either didn’t have the funds at the time or I simply forgot about the drop—these sell out instantly and this recent drop was no different.
I’m not going to lie, when I first got the puffer in my hands I thought that they forgot to include the balaclava with my order. After coming to terms with my potential L I decided to go through the jacket one last time to see if I can find it.
During my search it was revealed to me that the balaclava is stored in a hidden pocket of the hood—crisis avoided but I did feel dumb for a second.
Because they drop these every year, it’s not that difficult to find them secondhand without having to pay crazy resell—some are expensive, but if you look hard enough you can find some for a steal.
I do recommend sizing down on this because they run pretty large throughout!
YOU CAN’T BEAT A PAIR OF GOOD FITTING PANTS
You ever go shopping at a store, pick something up and think to yourself; “yeah, this is nice but I would never wear something like this”. You feel the fabric, look at the details, only to put them back on the rack and move on with your life. This used to happen to me a lot until I started forcing myself to go and try things on.
I’ve realized that simply looking at clothes only gets you so far. You have to go and try things on, even if you think it’s something you would never wear usually.
Most of the time you’ll end up surprising yourself, and that’s where your style begins to truly evolve.
Just like many of us, I fell into the baggy pant psyop and while it was fun for a moment, I knew that straight cut pants were going to be in my daily rotation soon. At the same time I was also on a tip of just always wearing dark colored bottoms which caused me to fall into this feeling of having nothing to wear, but that’s a topic for another day.
Since forcing myself to try more things on I wouldn’t usually gravitate towards, I have not only found amazing fitting pants in the process, but also started adding colors to my everyday fits again.
I think that trying things on is also important because it helps you identify what works with your body and what doesn’t. Trying clothes that don’t fit will expand your mind and will help you understand clothing better, making your shopping habits much more effective.
THE PANTS
The 3 pairs I’m about to show you were acquired during my trip in Japan. I had this urge of going with more form fitting pants, so I was looking specifically for straight fits—going from true baggy cuts to a straight cut actually feels so strange at first, but only after a few weeks that feeling goes out the window and all of a sudden you’re actually feeling out of place in insanely baggy bottoms.
The first pair is the North Face Purple Label pants that are made using a very thin and soft corduroy fabric in eggshell white. I can’t remember when was the last time I owned white pants, but when I put these on I knew I had no choice but to buy them.
Due to the nature of the fabric, they crease in this very natural way that just looks effortless with every movement. They also fall on my shoes perfectly every time.
You may be able to find these over at the Nanamica flagship stores in either New York or Japan. There are also similar versions of these pants from past seasons over on eBay for very good prices.
Second pair is the 1947 501xx from the Levi’s Vintage collection. Comes in the original fit which is definitely the slimmest pair of pants I’ve worn in years. It’s cool though. It’s been fun to switch it up and force myself out of my comfort zone. They’ve already stretched out only after a few wears. Can’t wait for the fades to start coming in.
Last but not least is a pair of sun faded Dickie’s that I got while I was shopping in the best area for vintage in Japan. Fit on them was immaculate, the cotton drill fabric has been broken in so well that’s insanely soft, and for only $80 I would have been stupid to pass these up—you can find these for even cheaper in a random town in America, so keep thrifting.
THE ONLY SWEATPANTS THAT MATTER
You haven’t lived until you have acquired a pair of sweatpants so good that you can’t take them off. We’re talking about the perfect fit and the most immaculate level of comfort.
I recently found what I think are the best sweatpants I’ve ever owned. The Japanese sourced french terry cotton is so soft that I can’t stop wearing these outside. Oh, and they were also only $100—I’m realizing now that I should have bought several pairs.
