Hello my friends, welcome back for the latest installment of Signals. Signals is our bi-monthly round-up of anything that has caught my eye recently. It really doesn’t have to relate to menswear or fashion or anything — it’s a true grab-bag in that sense.
1. The "lover of travel" moniker is overused. I just read in the Washington Post that luxury travel is at an all-time high, while credit card debt is also at an all-time high with Travel and entertainment being the #1 category making up that debt. Without a doubt in my mind, social media plays a large role in this with its "keeping up with the Joneses" influence on the masses.
2. On losing weight in Europe. It's an anomaly, and I think you are close to the root cause. I go to Greece frequently, and there I drink a lot of beer, eat a lot of fried foods, and have a good ol' time...but I come back lighter. I read once that Mediterranean grains, like semolina/wheat, are so many more gut-friendly bacteria than ours in America. It also reminds me of a Nat Geo article I read about how the maize (corn) that the indigenous cultures in South America ate was a "superfood" as they were super-packed with micronutrients as compared to the modern-day North American variety of corn.
Btw - those photos from an iPhone? They look great.
I read something recently that said “loving travel” has become so pervasive not for the act of traveling itself, but that it acts as a covert screen for upward mobility. A placeholder/heuristic for taste in a similar manner to a college degree being a placeholder for intelligence by employers. A very interesting social pressure borne out of the social media era.
are we fucking with buck mason? For some reason I equate them with lame startup fashion brands that advertise on podcasts. But I agree the west coast ivy editorial was awesome and the website has a some stuff that has piqued my interest.
I had the exact same perception lol. Maybe it's their advertising? Something about the brand felt manufactured and I can't really put my finger on it. The editorial changed my mind though.
Haha I was wondering that myself. I’ve always steered clear of the brand for similar reasons, but I like that editorial a lot. Also read something recently about them buying a defunct textile mill in PA so that they could make their t-shirts domestically, while also keeping all of the employees that would’ve been jobless on with their company. That’s a pretty cool thing to do so maybe they’re alright lol
Great stuff. Some reflections:
1. The "lover of travel" moniker is overused. I just read in the Washington Post that luxury travel is at an all-time high, while credit card debt is also at an all-time high with Travel and entertainment being the #1 category making up that debt. Without a doubt in my mind, social media plays a large role in this with its "keeping up with the Joneses" influence on the masses.
2. On losing weight in Europe. It's an anomaly, and I think you are close to the root cause. I go to Greece frequently, and there I drink a lot of beer, eat a lot of fried foods, and have a good ol' time...but I come back lighter. I read once that Mediterranean grains, like semolina/wheat, are so many more gut-friendly bacteria than ours in America. It also reminds me of a Nat Geo article I read about how the maize (corn) that the indigenous cultures in South America ate was a "superfood" as they were super-packed with micronutrients as compared to the modern-day North American variety of corn.
Btw - those photos from an iPhone? They look great.
I read something recently that said “loving travel” has become so pervasive not for the act of traveling itself, but that it acts as a covert screen for upward mobility. A placeholder/heuristic for taste in a similar manner to a college degree being a placeholder for intelligence by employers. A very interesting social pressure borne out of the social media era.
And the pictures are a mix of my DSLR and iPhone!
are we fucking with buck mason? For some reason I equate them with lame startup fashion brands that advertise on podcasts. But I agree the west coast ivy editorial was awesome and the website has a some stuff that has piqued my interest.
I had the exact same perception lol. Maybe it's their advertising? Something about the brand felt manufactured and I can't really put my finger on it. The editorial changed my mind though.
Agreed, from an outside perspective it kinda gives off allbirds energy
Haha I was wondering that myself. I’ve always steered clear of the brand for similar reasons, but I like that editorial a lot. Also read something recently about them buying a defunct textile mill in PA so that they could make their t-shirts domestically, while also keeping all of the employees that would’ve been jobless on with their company. That’s a pretty cool thing to do so maybe they’re alright lol
Alright I’m in.