Go-to piece | Ben Sherman Harrington

For a time, I commuted quite far everyday. We’re talking a pre-6.00am alarm call here.

An organised person who had to get up so early would set-out their clothes for each and every morning the night before.

Not me.

Nope, I had the morning routine down to a cool 15 minutes, which meant I arrived at the train station with the three minutes necessary to bully the staff at Nero to deliver a lightning fast black coffee.

When it came to clothes, I adopted a uniform. Black shoes, black jeans, polo shirt, jumper, and Harrington.

Every day, those items would be within arms reach. No need to iron, no need to do up buttons, no need to tuck things in. Quick, easy, and shaved extra minutes of my prep that I could spend in bed.

My Harrington jacket from Ben Sherman became my staple and I continue to wear it today.

It’s so versatile. Open when warm, closed when cold (you know, that classic way in which a coat works), it can fend off a light shower, and be stuffed in a rucksack without harm. It also has a neatness that is perfect for post-work drinks and the 10.00pm train home, yet doesn’t look out of place in the office.

Perfect.

Sneaker Watch | Nike Free Trainer 3.0

Some people get very excited about the technology behind trainers. The materials, techniques, and devices used in their construction.

That's cool.

Part of me wishes I could understand more about intricacies of trainer design. Who knows, perhaps I will, one day.

For now, I'll appreciate their look and take the slightly conservative approach that if a brand's product has worked for me in the past, it'll work for me in the future. A limited outlook, I know, but one that hasn't seen me too far wrong.

I'm the proud owner of two pairs of Nikes (that's right, two whole pairs!) - one, a pair of black Nike Free 5.0; the other, a pair of Nike Free Trainer 5.0 that Nike were kind enough to give me for attending an NFL training session at Wembley, for Buckets and Spades.

I'm always looking to add to that meagre collection, as Nike are a brand who get their trainers right.

A strange thing to say, but there is never a press release I receive from Nike and wince at - a lot of other brands, who do produce some great stuff, regularly produce a dud.

These Nike Free Trainer 3.0 are exactly what I mean. Click the link and admire.

Read the tech specs if you like, but I'm already wearing these (in my head) to the gym, for a run, or on the walk to the climbing wall. So good, so Nike.

Pictures: Nike.

Like Nike? Like Running? Check this piece on running shoes and this one on running in London.

Barbour x Deus-Ex Machina | Menswear meets motocycles

2014 was a year of collaborations for Barbour - they turned the level up to the max, picking to work with some straight-up menswear brands as well as more unconventional ones too.

Land Rover, Pantone, Norton & Sons, and adidas all made for suitable pairings. Did anyone get their hands on the adidas collab by the way? That stuff will surely be worth a packet by 2020.

As 2014 came to a close, Barbour hooked up with Australian motorcycle lifestyle brand Deus-Ex Machina (which literally means “God from the machine”), to create a range of t-shirts, knitwear, bags and, of course, biking-suitable outerwear.

My favourite piece is the Barbour International x Deus -Ex Machina Horace Jacket, which takes inspiration from their iconic jackets which were popularised by the motorcycling crowd and 50s/60s Hollywood film stars alike. Featuring a short body, reinforced elbows, slanted map pocket, throat fastening and iconic black and gold Barbour International logo.

I guess this is what happens when the cold North East of England meets the dry flat streets of Oz? Makes perfect sense, Steve McQueen would have no doubt given this the nod.

- Mat

Pictures: Barbour and Deus Ex Machina Instagram. Words: Mat, Editor of Buckets and Spades.

Like Barbour? You might also like the Harris Tweed + asos collaboration and UK made Chapman bags.

Shoreditch Stores | Club Monaco + Number Six

A quick post on a couple of stores in Shoreditch.

First up, Club Monaco - a US brand that offers a level of style I can only dream to aspire to. Loafers, chinos, and slim-fit shirts, sit alongside more rugged sweaters and parkas. The store itself is like a miniature gentleman's club, with chairs and hatstands nestled between the well presented clothes, many a nod to it's heritage as a former gunsmiths, and even a small bourbon counter.

Second, Number Six. Perhaps not technically in Shoreditch, it's close enough and definitely decent enough to warrant the short walk along Brick Lane. Sat alongside the Truman Brewery, Number Six is in great company, with Son of a Stag almost next door and Albam only a stone's throw away.

While Club Monaco is a narrow and cosy store, Number Six is a wide-open, ceilinged room, where all of the colour and vibrancy of the clothes is immediately on show from the door. Just check those socks!

Last time I visited Number Six, I noticed some good-looking coats from Penfield and Patagonia, gloves from Barbour, and bags from Herschel.

Both stores are well worth a visit. Although, if you can't get there, both Number Six and Club Monaco can be browsed online - just don't expect that glass of bourbon.

Pictures: Club Monaco, Number Six Instagram, and my Instagram.

Go-to piece | Sunspel loopback sweat top

Everyone has their favourite item. A go to piece, that if they didn't give any thought to, they'd probably find themselves wearing each and every day.

Mine is a Sunspel loopback sweater.

It has to be, I have two of them.

The reason anyone gravitates towards a particular item will usually be three-fold: fit, quality, and versatility.

The loopbacks have quality in spades. They're outwear pieces that don't require dainty handling or concern about wear and tear. Both of mine are over a year old and both look as good as new. I know, as I've compared them to ones in-store - sad, I know.

As for fit, someone called me trim the other day (thanks!), but while these jumpers are fitted they also provide a bit of cushioning, so you look less rake-like and more like you're carrying some muscle. No bad thing.

Finally, there's versatility. Round necks work with both shirts and t-shirts. The colour of the jumpers helps too. Plain in tone, they settle in nicely with jeans, chinos, trainers, shoes, and shirts of every colour.

Owning two - and attempting (yet failing) to buy a third in the sales - makes me a fair fanatic of the Sunspel loopback, but when you find something of such quality that fits so well, it's hard not to stock up and make it a key component in your wardrobe.

You can find out more about the design of the loopback range on the Sunspel blog.

Twisted Time + Boxpark | Online watches in the real world

I doubt there's many folks out there who've visited Shoreditch and not visited Boxpark. It's a fantastic space to discover new innovations from bands you know well, as well as brands you might never have heard of before.

Twisted Time - a watch 'boutique' - have been online for a few years now, but have only recently taken a step into the physical world, with a store in one of Boxpark's pop-up spaces.

As you'd expect from a boutique store, the focus is on showcasing undiscovered watch brands and designers, sometimes from unusual sources. Braun, for instance, is a well known appliances brand, but not one I'd associate with watches. That said, I was put firmly in my place by my girlfriend and by Mat when I once displayed this shocking level of ignorance in public ;-)

Personally, I'd go there to hunt a Daniel Wellington watch, as my classic Rotary has long since died. A little too different for me, but I'd love to see the HYGGE 2089 series in action and might also be cheeky enough to take a shot with a Junghans on my arm.

If you have some spare shopping time before Christmas, or some cash to spend after, the Twisted Time pop-up at Boxpark would be a good place to visit.

Harris Tweed + ASOS | Classic material, contemporary style

Harris Tweed is getting everywhere, it seems. Those 'Guardians of the Orb' are doing a good job of not just protecting their product, but helping it thrive. An act of Parliament, no less, protects the tweed and guarantees that everything carrying the label contains exactly what it says on the tin.

Following a view smaller projects, ASOS are working once again with Harris Tweed, creating a series of classic Harris Tweed garments, cut to suit their market, as well as a range of more contemporary pieces  - rucksacks, joggers, and overshirts.

The check overshirts are an interesting piece. An evolution of the fashion for thin check shirts of a few years ago, these heavier shirts are perfect for winter and the now ubiquitous pursuit of layers.

The rucksacks and holdalls offer something different too. An opportunity to add some texture to what can be a fairly bland or 'second thought' item.

As ever, these pieces are only available from asos.com. Worth a look once that Christmas money starts rolling in.

Oi Polloi + Adidas | Introducing the Ardwick

Trainers breed fanatics. Not just people who love this type of footwear (see #thedailytrainer), but people who are obsessed with a particular style or brand, considering to buy or wear no other.

When it comes to Adidas, Nigel Lawson, of Manchester based clothing store Oi Polloi, is most definitely in the fanatic category. And now, he's had his just rewards for years of championing the brand, working with Adidas to create a trainer exclusively for Oi Polloi - the Ardwick.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I'll let the words of Oi Pollio's own blog explain the project, the product, and some of the obscure tales behind their obsession with trainers.

Oi Polloi have 200 pairs of Adidas Ardwicks to sell in-store from 8am on Sunday 14th December. Get queuing now!

Chapman | The Dunmail Collection

Chapman are well known for their rucksacks, shoulder bags, and luggage. Made in England, they're a product that suits a smart look, as demonstrated by their models who are usually pictured in chinos, trousers, and tweed.

Generally, smart is the quintessential look for something made in England. The skill in production, cost of labour, and quality of materials justifiably command a high price, positioning 'made in England' at the higher end of the market.

The Dunmail Collection is, perhaps, a little more casual, so a little more fun. Don't get me wrong: smart shows style, smart shows elegance, smart shows class. It's great when you see a brand experimenting slightly, though, and offering something that's a shade or two different from their usual range.

The colourful options of the Dunmail range - a 25 litre rucksack, padded satchel, and a shoulder pouch - definitely deliver something fun, moving away from being a very useful accessory to a smart outfit, to a much more all-round piece suiting home and travel, work and play.

You can learn more about The Dunmail Collection here, and if anyone gets chance to try one, let me know!

Where to find Chapman: Outside of London, try Severn Wolves in Norwich or Cambridge. In London, Aida on Shoreditch High Street. Other stockists are available.

Jack Spade | 'Buy more save more'

One of my favourite stores in London, Jack Spade, are running a four day pre-Christmas sale. The idea being, as with all sales, the more you spend, the more you save!

Mat is also a big fan and covered these guys with an excellent store shoot back in December 2013.

These guys do a good looking suit, but as I don't have call for suits too often, I'd go for the spencer crewneck sweater and their slim selvage jeans. What the hell, although it's a little bit 1990s, I'll take a messenger (record) bag too.

All of the links in this piece point to the US online store, but you can find the London store at 83 Brewer Street, Soho.

The sale runs from Thursday 11th to Sunday 14th December - a great excuse (as if you needed one) to avoid the Oxford Street crush. Off you go!

Edwin Denim Co. + Cookson & Clegg | Japanese denim, English manufacture

Heavy Denim is the name of this blog, but that doesn't mean we only cover denim - far from it. Instead, the title sprang from a joke between me and Mat (the Editor of Buckets and Spades) complaining about the weight of our jeans. Or something like that, I forget it's true origin. As you can tell from that anecdote, we're a funny pair when we meet for a beer!

That said, when a pair of good looking jeans come along, we're not going to sniff at them.

Japanese denim is highly regarded - like cars and electronics, anything America can do, Japan can equal, if not better - while a heavy weight of denim is high sought after. As Boris "the Blade" says, weight is a sign of reliability, although he doesn't mention how much you might sweat in the summer.

It follows, therefore, that a pair of 14oz Japanese Selvage jeans are something to pay attention to.

The history of Japanese denim is actually fairly short, by comparison to some of their US counterparts. Even so, Edwin still have a rich past and a collaboration with an English manufacturer who have been in business for over 150 years - Cookson & Clegg - makes these jeans even more eye-catching.

I can guarantee (although that is in no way binding), that bringing all of these factors together will delver a product of some quality; a product that you're not going to replace in a hurry, if ever. A high-rise cut and tapered fitting should also help these jeans stay 'in fashion' - whatever that really means. Based on a 1950s design, these are a descendant of real workwear, not a fifteen minute fad.

Where to find them: Liquor Store, Birmingham

(Thanks to Mat for the heads-up on that one)