Heddels Blowout

We have a treat of a discussion for you today with returning guest Ben Robinson. Ben is the founder and editor in chief of footwear website Stitchdown and their upcoming event in Chicago, The Stitchdown Expo.

Longtime listeners will remember my previous talk with Ben about the Indonesian boot scene, but today we get into more details of Ben’s early love of shoes, starting the Stitchdown community, and his picks if he could only have five pairs for the rest of his life.

You can get tickets for the Expo here: https://www.stitchdownexpo.com/

Also thank you to our sponsor, Meermin. Have a look at their selection of welted loafers, oxfords, and boots here: https://meermin.com/

Sashiko is the age old Japanese technique of repairing and reinforcing fabric with rows of decorative running stitches. This little piece of reinforcing thread began over a thousand years ago and has been a mainstay of Japanese peasants, martial artists, and even firefighters.

So if you’ve ever seen some of those awe-inspiring pics of people who have put dozens of hours into customizing their denim and wondered what that was all about, so spool up as we wind back on the past millennium of sashiko  including how you can do it yourself on today’s Blowout.

Today we are talking about that oft-derided denim style that was relegated to the disco era.

This type of cut can go by many names:  bell-bottoms, boot cuts, flares, darts. However you slice it, these inverse-tapered fits usually have a tight fitting top block but are flowing and breezy at the ankle.

As bell-bottoms begin to ring again, let’s take a look at some of the backstory behind these flared jeans.

Thanks again to our sponsor Meermin and thank you for listening and until next time keep it real and keep it raw.

We are currently in the midst of the US Tennis Open being held at the Arthur Ashe arena in Queens, New York, named after one of the most stylish tennis stars of the 20th century, and believe me, there were a lot of them.

It’s also supposedly the end of summer, but it is still 99 degrees where I am in Los Angeles and tennis wear, it’s very nice when it’s hot out! But it wasn’t always that way. So stick around as we dive into tennis shoes, sweatbands, and everything in between on today’s Blowout.

Today’s episode featured writing from the article “Serving in Style” by Kadeem Roper on Heddels.com

We spend an awful lot of time and a lot of digital ink discussing the finer qualities of leather and there is arguably no finer cut than shell cordovan.

You may have seen it on a pair of loafers, a wallet, or a watch strap and immediately recoiled that it was over double the price of the calfskin or chromexcel equivalent. And there’s still a label stamped on the inside of the thing!

Get ready to come out of your shell as we get under the skin of the near mythical shell cordovan on today’s Blowout.

Featuring writing from John Bobey’s article “Shell Cordovan - The King of Leathers”

• Meermin
• Alden
• Crown Northampton
• Loyal Stricklin

You’ve seen it inlaid in rings, pendants, bolo ties, squash blossom necklaces, conchos, studs, and more. It dots the hands and necks of those devoted to Southwestern Americana aesthetics. But its story reaches far beyond our corner of the world. Though this beautifully teal-hued gemstone often feels synonymous with vintage and heritage-inspired fashion, its history stretches much further.

So stick around as we explore this colorful rock and why you may want to rock it on your next cuff, necklace, pin, or ring.

• Shiprock Santa Fe
• Four Winds
• First Arrow's
• Legend
• Munqa

Join our Discord and email us at [email protected]. Article features writing by Daniel Rockburn and his article Robin’s Egg Blue – All About Turquoise & Its Relevance In Heritage Fashion.

Today we’re talking about running! Not away from your problems, but the shoes you’d wear while you’re doing it.

We’re putting aside the goodyear welts and chunky vibram soles to discuss the evolution of footwear options designed for that oh so human activity.

And whether you’re someone who’s run marathon distances or sucked wind while running The Mile in gym class (trust me, I've been both at different points in my 25 years of running), you will definitely appreciate the advances we have available to us today as we stride towards running shoes.

Today we’re talking about guayaberas. No, not guavas my Spanish speaking friends, but rather the shirt named after them.

Also known as the cigar shirt or the camisa de Yucatan It’s been a staple of Latin American and Caribbean clothing spanning three centuries now and, yeah, it’s really nice to wear when it’s hot outside.

So if you could please grin and bear it as we dive into the guayabera.

• eBay
• Cubavera
• Ramon Puig
• Dos Carolinas
• Soundman
• The Real McCoy's
• Gitman Bros.

Email us at [email protected]!

Today we’re talking bandanas.

Not banned books, bandoliers, or watch bands, we’re discussing the classic square of fabric you might find on the forehead of a biker or in the back pocket of someone who just likes leather.

It may seem like a simple thing, but this paisley handkerchief has been in the making for nearly three thousand years and has played a significant part in the silk road, the American Revolution, the labor rights movement, and LGBT culture. And I pretty much never leave the house without one!

So allow me to bend your ears as we get into the bandana.

Today we’re putting down the iron fist. The cast iron one, that is!

As you know, raw denim is our first love, and if there’s one item that’s most spiritually attuned to the raw denim lifestyle, it’s not another piece of clothing, it’s a piece of cookware.

They both have ancient origins but became more commonplace in the 1800s, they both get better the more you use them, there are practically cults about how you should or shouldn’t clean them, and a well worn example probably has an equal amount of food caked into it.