Masaharu Wada on Japanese Watches, Taste, and Collecting

Masaharu “Masa” Wada of Hodinkee Japan joins Jeremy in Tokyo to talk watches, Japanese taste, and finding your people.Masa shares how a watch blog led him out of tech and into Hodinkee Japan, why Japan’s best shops have such a distinct point of view, and what makes independent watchmakers like Naoya Hida, Kikuchi Nakagawa, and Otsuka Lotec so compelling.They also discuss appreciating watches you’ll never own, getting past the obsession with in-house movements, and the trouble with selling a watch once it has a story.Plus, his grandfather’s Rolex, a trip to Zurich, and how collecting brought Masa closer to his dad.*Sponsored by Bezel - the trusted marketplace for buying and selling your next luxury watch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Patreon Preview from Blamo!This week on Die, Workwear!, Derek and Peter are joined by Erik Ford, co-founder of Buck Mason.Since launching in 2013, Buck Mason has grown from a small Los Angeles brand selling t-shirts and jeans into one of the more recognizable names in American menswear. It's also a brand that's frequently discussed in our Slack and, at times, something of a lightning rod in menswear circles.Erik is a serious clothing enthusiast, with an appreciation for vintage garments, American manufacturing, and the small details that make good clothes great. That obsession has taken Buck Mason from studying old t-shirts and denim to taking over a historic knitting factory in Pennsylvania.The gents discuss Buck Mason's early days, why so many heritage brands have lost their way, the challenges of manufacturing in America, and what it takes to grow a clothing company while maintaining creative control.They also get into California style, private equity, and the surprisingly complicated business of making a really good t-shirt.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Patreon Preview from Blamo!Derek and Peter sit down with Ryan Devens of San Francisco’s Tailor’s Keep to talk about what actually goes into making a bespoke suit.Ryan explains how Tailor’s Keep developed its house cut, why fitting forward shoulders can require rebuilding an armhole and sleeve, and where the limits of made-to-measure end and bespoke begins. They also get into the realities of garment manufacturing today: why Tailor’s Keep moved its made-to-measure production from the United States to Asia, the difference between Chinese and Indian manufacturing, and why rebuilding a skilled tailoring industry in America is much harder than simply opening a factory.They also discuss the post-pandemic return of tailoring, why clients are getting interested in craft again, the mistakes Ryan has made after more than a decade of fitting different bodies, and the fabrics he reaches for when making everything from summer suits to winter trousers and overcoats.Plus: four-inch Ralph Lauren ties, pants splitting at weddings, Gap jeans, alligator longwings, and the problem with trying to automate craft.**Listen to the FULL episode on the Blamo! Patreon   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Writer Jerry Stahl joins Jeremy to talk about his new book, Gonzo Neurotic: The Best (and Not So Best) of Jerry Stahl a collection of work spanning decades of journalism, profiles, and cultural misadventures.Jerry talks about revisiting his younger self, getting people off script, interviewing everyone from Mickey Rourke to Samuel L. Jackson, and what years of rejection, success, and failure have taught him about making a creative life work.They also get into meeting your heroes, getting fired from Twin Peaks, comparing yourself to more successful friends, Marc Maron’s jeans, Larry David, Thom Yorke, and the records Jerry never gets tired of.*Sponsored by Bezel - the trusted marketplace for buying and selling your next luxury watch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding are the co-hosts of Switched on Pop, the acclaimed podcast that breaks down the making and meaning of popular music.They join Jeremy to talk about the relationship between music and style, why we instinctively know what a “rock star” looks like, and how rebellion, authenticity, and a little bit of careful manufacturing create the people we think of as effortlessly cool.They get into The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Weezer, punk and hardcore’s influence on menswear, John Mayer and Visvim, Trey Anastasio’s style evolution, the strange similarities between guitar pedals and fashion, and why developing taste might ultimately be an act of curation.Plus: Irish penny whistles, Patagonia Baggies, and the eternal question of whether any of us actually need another navy jacket (always).*Sponsored by Bezel - the trusted marketplace for buying and selling your next luxury watch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Derek Guy and Peter Zottolo return for the third installment of their quarterly AMA series, generously sponsored by our friends at Bezel. This time, they go deep on fabric: navy sport coats, green double-breasted suits, the five tweeds they would choose from scratch, and the right cloth for a balmacaan. They also revisit bespoke mistakes, the tailors still on their wish lists, shoes for serious walking, the difference between personal style and costume, and what actually reads from across the room. Plus: date-night clothes without tailoring, keeping pet hair off your wardrobe, finding occasions to wear the clothes you already own, the appeal of authentic workwear, their favorite versions of menswear staples, and why the person you imagine in the mirror may not be the person everyone else sees. They close by designing the elusive middle-ground jacket—dressier than a chore coat, easier than a sport coat, and made for the romantic life of a writer. * Sponsored by Bezel - the trusted marketplace for buying, selling, or insuring your next luxury watch  ** Fabric Recommendations Navy Sport Coat Derek’s Picks: Holland & Sherry Mesh & Hopsack Blazers Huddersfield or Smiths Mock Leno Harrison Spring Ram stitched hopsack Holland & Sherry cashmere doeskin Hainsworth doeskin Fox serge Peter’s Picks: Hopsack or similar Spring Ram 16oz for fall/winter or Finmeresco 12oz for summer, I have experience with Moorhouse and while it’s much softer it’s too prone to fraying Green double-breasted suit in the South Derek’s Picks: Harrisons Spring Ram Huddersfield Fine Worsted Super Gaberdine Peter’s Picks: Spring Ram 12oz if you can stand it, or Isca 8oz if you can’t.  Bear in mind that Isca is 55/45 linen/wool so it won’t be as crisp as Spring Ram.  If you want a stiffer suit try Cape Kid 60/40 wool-mohair  Five Tweeds Derek’s Picks Brown Molloy & Sons Donegal (or Holland & Sherry for something softer) Gray glen check Fox tweed Something brown from W. Bill like a basic glen check or gun club Lovat Kirkton 523 Lovat Kirkton 502 Peter’s Picks: For sportcoats, I prefer softer tweeds (Shetland, lambswool, even hairy faux tweeds such as Moonbeam or Sherry Tweed) as opposed to stiff & scratchy (Harris, gamekeeper, Hartwist, Thornproof).   Porter & Harding Glenroyal True POW Brown, Dark Brown, Green & Tan Dogtooth Brown with green & red check W Bill Grey shetland herringbone Holland & Sherry Sherry Tweed either Brown w/hazelnut/blue check or Brown w/chestnut/blue mock glen check Balmacaan to wear with jeans Derek’s Picks: W. Bill Classic Coatings Marling & Evans undyed wool (or this check) VBC Hope and Archive Overcoat Holland & Sherry overcoat Lovat Ettrick (as seen at Paul Stuart Japan) Harrisons cashmere overcoating Peter’s Picks W.Bill Classic Coatings or Irish Donegal Lint Brushes Article at Put This On Best Of M43 is vintage  Chore coat was Jack/Knife (RIP) – hand-hammered rivets and leather backs, single stitching everywhere, perfect fit, until you grow out of it OCBD is Kamakura – replication of old BB and good fabrics Chino - I only have one pair from Buck Mason, the paperback Jeans are either Strike Gold 5103 slub jean ( crazy fades) or Buck Mason Full Saddle Tees are Buck Mason Field Spec Chambray shirt is Brycelands USN Perfect chambray shirt Western shirt is Stevenson Overall Co Cody Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ian Ousley joins Jeremy from Madrid for a conversation about clothes, acting, and the long process of becoming yourself. Ian talks about relocating to Vancouver to film Avatar: The Last Airbender, how the city’s weather and retail scene changed the way he dressed, and what he learned shopping for archive fashion in Tokyo. Plus,  stories about Raf Simons, Ann Demeulemeester, a nearly 15-pound Panasonic camera jacket, the Rolling Dub Trio boots he waited all day to buy, and the era when a bright red Supreme beanie felt essential. They also trace Ian’s path from wholesale vintage and his former LA shop, KALÓ SOIL. They dig into how taste and skill develop at different speeds, and what every artist has to make first. * Sponsored by Bezel - the trusted marketplace for buying and selling your next luxury watch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sondre Lerche has been writing songs for most of his life. He released his debut Faces Down more than two decades ago, and somehow, eleven albums later, he’s still finding ways to make the whole thing feel new. We talk about his new record Acrobats, spending years rewriting a single song, falling in love in a world that can make happiness feel almost irresponsible, and what performing 130 shows of *Moulin Rouge!* taught him about singing, acting, and pushing himself somewhere completely unfamiliar. We also get into getting older, vanity, learning to let go of how other people see you, his lifelong style obsession, the influence of A-ha’s Morten Harket, vintage clothes, Ralph Lauren, and why some of his earliest songs are harder for him to revisit than others. * Sponsored by Bezel - the trusted marketplace for buying and selling your next luxury watch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

John Darnielle is the songwriter, author, and frontman of The Mountain Goats, one of the most influential independent bands of the past three decades. What began as Darnielle recording songs on a Panasonic boombox in the early '90s has grown into a beloved catalog spanning more than 20 albums, earning a devoted following for its literary songwriting and deeply human stories. John joins me to talk about the band's new album, Days, and why he's finally allowing himself to look back on a career that's always been focused on what's next. We get into aging without becoming nostalgic, why every act of creation is ultimately hopeful, and what it means to see your own life—and your parents' lives—with fresh eyes. We also chat about Randy Newman, the bands that shaped him, grief, faith, songwriting, influence versus imitation, and why the days really are short.Listen to Days * Sponsored by Bezel - the trusted marketplace for buying and selling your next luxury watch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Patreon Preview from Blamo! The Wardrobe Budget series reaches its completely reasonable and financially responsible conclusion: What would we buy if we had $50,000 to rebuild our wardrobes from scratch? Yes, 50K. (You asked for it!) Peter and Derek use the fantasy budget to talk about the clothes they love most, from exceptional outerwear and bespoke tailoring to workwear, shoes, and accessories. Before that, they consider Emily Segal’s concept of “tasteslop” and whether good taste can exist without cultural context. They close with a new round of tailoring, footwear, photography, and other recent discoveries in Hey, Nice Pants. ** Listen to the FULL episode on the Blamo! Patreon  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.