Category Archives: Noble County Gold

Shawn Colley approved.

Made Right Here

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I want to share with you something pretty exciting from my friends Joe Gannon and Max Wastler. The amazing duo behind, Buckshot Sonny’s, they’ve decided to share their passion with all things American Made with the world by creating Made Right Here, a show about how things are crafted in the United States. Here’s an explanation from Max on the reasoning behind the show:

“It’s our desire to not only show how it’s made, not only where it’s made, but to also show the people who make it. We want to tell their stories. We also asked them to show Joe and I how to make one of their signature items. We made six pairs of carpenter jeans at Pointer. We made a chambray western shirt at Imogene + Willie, and we made belts and buckles with Billy Moore.

I say we made… really, we tried and failed to make all these things. This is part of the story, too. These people are craftspeople who’ve dedicated their lives to mastering a skill, a skill that is really tough to do.”

I cannot say enough how important it is to shine a light on the heritage of craft here in the America and how important it is to support and celebrate those that continue to create products for our nation. Shawn and I try to support US companies whenever possible, however I know how hard it can be to find those options. Luckily, we have Max and Joe to help up light the way.

(Please check out the full post to check our their fantastic pilot!)

Noble County Gold Denim Shoot

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Thought that I’d mention to go check out Shawn’s post on Noble County Gold about his adventures in giving his beloved Baldwin Denim a bath in the Calibogue Sound. If you know Shawn, you know how seriously he takes his denim, so this was a big deal. It was hilarious watching him do this on the beach, people were walking by like “Whaaaat?” and had no idea what to make of him rolling around in the sand and me taking documenting the event.

I must admit that he did a great job, the jeans have that great worn in look that was authentic looking, unlike those spray on “whiskering” things they spray on. They also smelled like fresh sea air instead of husband funk, a GREAT improvement. I joked that maybe we could buy a beach house down there and start up a business giving people’s denim the “beach treatment” – we could call it the Wash House. Seriously, go check out his post, it great. Honey, I’m already looking forward to your next creative laundry adventure.

R&R

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Shawn and I are definitely enjoying ourselves here in Hilton Head, SC. Getting some much needed R&R before we head back to the craziness in Columbus. I must admit, there is nothing more restorative than a day by the sea.

Spring Outfit for Noble County Gold

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I’ve been looking around online for some Spring clothing for myself and I must admit that I am not really impressed. For some reason it seems that women’s fashion this season is really flat. Not very inspiring.

I’m not sure about you, but it always seems like I can always find things to buy other people when I’m not finding anything for myself. More specifically, for Shawn. So here’s a Spring outfit fit for Noble County Gold.

Here’s what I picked out for Shawn today: The Gitman Bros. button down would be a welcome addition to his closet, the grey tee from John Varvatos looks soft and perfectly worn in (something I could steal) while the Steven Alan jacket would be a nice change from his beloved Barbour. I absolutely LOVE the new wash from Baldwin Denim. . . so over the dark denim all the time. (Sorry, honey.) Of course, I couldn’t forget his favorite accessories: aviator shades, clean white tennies, a J.W. Hulme messenger to haul his work stuff, and don’t forget the obligatory Rolex. Hope you like it, honey.

The ’61 Awning Tote by J.W. Hulme

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Check out this amazing tote created by J.W. Hulme. This gorgeous, limited edition tote was created when a customer called and asked if the company wanted to have an old awning that they made back in 1961. (Prior to becoming the master leather goods company it is today, J.W. Hulme started out manufacturing tents and awnings. Check out their amazing history here.) The designers decided that they could reuse the material by pairing it with their American Heritage Leather to make a functional tote. Due to the amount of awning canvas we could salvage we could only make a small run of ten. How I envy one of those lucky ten who will carry one of these beauties. Anyone in the NYC area should go check out the totes at The Pop Up Flea in NYC this weekend, I doubt they’ll be available after.

Photos by JW Hulme Co.

Take Ivy Kit

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I saw this on the Jack Spade site and thought that it was a neat take on the Take Ivy phenomenon. For those of you not obsessed with “trad” bible, Take Ivy is a collection of of candid photographs shot on the campuses of America’s elite, Ivy League universities. First published in Japan in 1965, the series focuses on men and their clothes, perfectly encapsulating the unique academic fashion of the era. Now considered a definitive document of this particular style, rare original copies are highly sought after by “trad” devotees worldwide. (Of course, Shawn has one.) This August, a reprinted edition has been released and this time in an English translation.

So, in order to celebrate the occasion, Jack Spade and K-Swiss have partnered up to create a limited edition sweatshirt and book belt to accompany the US release of Take Ivy. They’ve produced a heavy gauge crewneck sweatshirt with orange silk screened elbow patches and is cinched with the book by a custom bridle leather book strap made in NYC.

NorthernGRADE

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This past weekend Shawn and I traveled up to Minneapolis, MN to attend NorthernGRADE, an Ad-Hoc Men’s Market, held at Architectural Antiques.  I talked a little bit about this last week, but wanted to fill you in on how it went.

The event was located at Architectural Antiques, what an amazing place. It was like going through the best attic/grandparent’s basement ever. Full of light fixtures, stained glass, mantelpieces, knobs, hinges, church pews. . . . it was a treasure trove of old-timey goodness. Definitely the perfect atmosphere for the event, I loved how the vendors were able to create their own spaces using old bartops, marble sinks, and the like. It made each area distinct and let their product’s personality shine through. Brilliant.

I was quite impressed with the quality and range of the vendors, everyone there were masters of their craft and took great pride in their products being made in the USA. One of my favorites were Baldwin Denim, where Shawn picked up two pairs of stellar jeans and a tie. I also loved Cause and Effect leather goods. Billy Moore is quite the character and a true craftsman. I picked out a horsehide belt with a handmade anchor-shaped buckle for Shawn and got myself a leather cuff. I also purchased the Stormy Kromer hat I wanted!

All in all, I feel that the event was a huge success and hope that this will be the start of something big, where more venues will promote and celebrate companies that strive to continue manufacturing high-quality goods here in the US. I know that I would definitely go to them, and judging by the over 700 other people in attendance, many more will join me.

Noble County Gold Heaven: NorthernGRADE

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This weekend Shawn and I are headed up to Minneapolis to check out NorthernGRADE.
It’s a shopping event designed to celebrate American- made menswear from small companies, most of them from right here in the Midwest. The line up can be directly taken from Shawn’s closet: Red Wing Shoes, Duluth Pack, Pierrepont Hicks, Taylor Stitch, J.W.Hulme, and Baldwin Denim. Basically, Noble County Gold heaven.

I think that this event is a really brilliant idea. Not only is it spot on with the current “nostalgic/heritage” trend that is happening in menswear, it focuses on something that is becoming more and more important today: buying local and staying true to your roots. One of the things I hear Shawn say all the time is, “I want it to be REAL.” Meaning, that it has to be an authentic product as well as it ringing true to your heart. I wish that women’s fashion would jump on this bandwagon.

Since I am not really going to be trying any bow ties- although that IS a big trend this fall- I’m looking forward more to some of the other vendors that will be present. This is not just a clothing meet up! They will also have bikes by Freeman Transport, canoes by Stewart River, and stationery by Doane Paper. I am really looking forward to checking out the bikes, Freeman is an amazing company and I would LOVE to own one. Or maybe I can talk Shawn into bringing back a canoe to take out on Lake Mendota! More likely, I’ll see if I can nab an old school hunting cap by Stormy Kromer. Perfect to keep me warm this winter while out throwing snowballs for Walter.

They’ll also have music, food, and other entertainment, so I’m sure it will be more like a night out with some well dressed gentlemen than a man bazaar.

Noble County Gold

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Let’s welcome a new blogger into the family!

I am proud to announce that the hubby has created his own blog: Noble County Gold. He’s been working on it for quite some time and just brought it live last week. Welcome to the interwebs! Shawn has decided to focus his blog on a combination of menswear fashion (vintage and new), rugged outdoorsy stuff, and things he thinks are “candy”. If you know him, you’ll understand that this can vary from old school rap to a box of vintage buttons. I highly recommend taking the NCG tour when you have a chance. Good stuff, honey!