Retail Therapy 002: Goorin Brothers | Duckbills.

I have an ongoing love affair with hats. I, like millions of other kids, used to rock the prerequisite baseball cap back in high school and thought nothing else of it other than a way to 1) rep a sports team and 2) not do my hair. Then came college and the real world, and my hat collection expanded exponentially to include not only beanies/skullies, but fedoras, newsboy caps and duckbills (which are my most recent obsession). Every few weeks I'd go somewhat out of my way to buy lids with new tasteful patterns and colors -- not to mention being on the receiving end of the occasional wonderful gift. Currently I have a decent-sized collection including items from English Laundry, Triple 5 Soul and other quality brands.

However, hats made by Goorin Brothers remain my all-time favorites. I'd usually pick up a new Goorin hat every time I visited an Urban Outfitter, and they have never disappointed me with the fit and style. Their designs are understated and classy. I was extra amped when I found out that they have an actual shop in the U-District in Seattle! I now have an additional stop to make during my visit to Washington in about a week :)

Browsing their site, these are the duckbills that caught my eye:

"Lost Crown"
The contrast of the design is striking.
I like the juxtaposition of the pinstripes
with the organic, flowing vine-like shapes.


"Peyton"
A dope purple-and-green combo in a
"soft and colorful custom tweed." This looks
sharp, stylish and super-comfortable.


"Bethany"
This one really seems smooth and solid,
with an inviting texture and classy color.
Thumbs up to the castle logo on the side too.

Ah man, these just look so freaking freshhhh. I don't usually get excited about clothes, but hey I just love hats. Hopefully the Seattle store has at least one of these in stock; I'll have to treat myself to a small birthday present!

Retail Therapy 001: Dangoon | Funnel-Neck Zip Jacket.

I have never considered myself a shopaholic. Back when I was working full-time, I limited shopping to a couple of times a year and bought pieces mostly for the office. I do have to admit my greatest impulse buys were caps/hats (damn you, Urban Outfitter!!) but they are largely timeless, so I like to think of those as investments -- plus I can still rock 'em with no hesitation. So no, shopping wasn't really the addiction for me as it was for some of my friends.

Lately though, I have gotten the itch to buy something. I'm currently phasing out the baggier casual clothing I used to wear on a daily basis and replacing them with slimmer gear that actually fits better (yes Mom, you were right). Since the weather is definitely getting colder, I wanted some some new autumn outerwear, but didn't feel like rocking anything from the usual department stores found here in Kansas City. I turned to the Web.

I'd read about YesStyle a few weeks ago, so I decided to visit the site. Apparently they're the fashion arm for YesAsia, a huge site where you can buy Japanese/Chinese/Korean DVDs, electronics and music. I figured it might be cool to get some gear from overseas, and found this jacket from Dangoon, a South Korean fashion brand:

Dope silhouette. It's got "unusually cut side pockets, zipper hardware on the sleeves and body and a funnel neck with straps." Not your run-of-the-mill top. I really like the features, fabric and the cut so I'll give it a try. Since the order is being shipped from across the Pacific it'll take a couple of weeks to get here, but I'm thinking it'll be worth it. I'll post an update when I get it in the mail ...