Jake Davis Blog

Inspiration: Women

All women are crazy. It's in their blood. But they're also the most beautiful thing in the world. So we put up with the crazy for the beauty. All's fair in love and war, right? Let's be real gentlemen, they're the reason we get up in the morning, go to work, and eat crow most of the day. They're our biggest inspiration.

Besides the women close to me who I will not embarrass here by naming names, there are a few standouts through out time... From the likes of Francoise Hardy to Jane Birkin. But none have a special place in the sonic landscape that is my heart like Astrud Gilberto. I can't think of a more beautiful album cover than her "I Haven't Got Anything Better To Do." When a woman looks at you like that... Nothing you can do but love The Girl from Ipanema...

Astrud Gilberto, João Gilberto, & Stan Getz - The Girl from Ipanema

Astrud Gilberto link

R By 45RPM Distressed NYC Denim Shirt

Every style icon from McQueen to Dean wore one at one time or another. A brother of my favorite type of shirt, the chambray, this light-weight denim top is a beautiful piece from 45rpm. Although their price point is high their quality is amazing. I love the color and details on this one. Not much more to say...

R by 45rpm link

Pervie vs. Derby

It's amazing what sparse facial hair, clear lenses, and a trench coat can do for you. My whole shit the last two months while I was intensely working was to see how ugly I could look. Not regular ugly. But dope ugly. Does that make any sense? 

The first look is my "pervie, I've been on the road, shooting and editing in the dark for weeks, don't let your small children around me style" via A Continuous Lean. The second is my "sleek, I think I'm Steve McQueen, let's race, I never want to see a computer again style" via Secret Forts. Both feature a lot of the same gear like a blue chambray, A.P.C. new standards, and Keds canvas shoes but the results couldn't be further apart.

Thanks to Michael and James for hitting up the kid on the style tip. And feel free to punch as much as you like... "I can dodge and jab..."

A Continuous Lean Street Style link

Secret Forts Head To Toe link

Inspiration: Slim Aarons

     

It's officially summer. That means if you're not at a beach or poolside you're a sucka. Yeah... We're all suckas unless you have Wi-Fi or 3G by the water right now. If that's the case then... respect.

As you can see Slim Aarons was known for photographing attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places. His essentials are as follows, Poolside with Slim Aarons, Once Upon a Time, and A Place in the Sun...

  

If you're stuck in front of a computer inside today let the legendary Slim Aarons take you Outta Here...

Slim Aarons amazon link

Off The Grid...

Went to the beach... Please come back tomorrow... Same time, same place. Till then... Keep Me In Mind...

The Pop Up Flea

I personally hate flea markets... Hate... Not dislike but hate. My girlfriend drags me to them every opportunity she gets in Woodstock. You know the ones... Dishes, trinkets, and dirt everywhere. RRL and Stock are about as flea market as I get. But I have a feeling this is going to be completely different and I'll be the one doing the dragging. 

My good friend Brendon Babenzien will be unloading some Aprix footwear. So all you motherfuckas who've been jockin' hard on the street, "Where'd you get those?!?" Now is your opportunity to cop 'em. 

My good peoples Michael Williams and Randy Goldberg are putting this together. So come through, rummage the goods, and get handsome. For more information check the link below...

Pop Up Flea link

Body Language "Speaks"

I get sent a lot of music between tracks to write on for videos, solicitations, and friend recommendations. So if a track happens to make it on here it means I really believe in it. Body Language is the truth. They've been playing with Passion Pit in New York and worked with them on Manners. Their EP Speaks dropped last week. 

Next time you're trying on some Band of Outsiders at Opening Ceremony this might be pounding from the speakers. Special thanks to Grant Wheeler for this one. It's called Huffy Ten Speed...

Body Language myspace link

Body Language Speaks amazon link

Inspiration: Father Style

"To be an actor you have to be a child."

- Paul Newman

The thought of being a father is a bit unnerving. I don't know if it's a generational thing or not but none of my friends have kids yet. Twenties and thirties... Nothing. I don't know if we're all too self-serving to make that sacrifice or we're all just kids ourselves. Regardless, Max Wastler of All Plaidout created a beautiful tribute to fatherhood this past week, which I was happy to be a part of. 

Inspiration and influence starts with parents, whether it's an act of rebeliousness or embrace, it's undeniable. Dressing myself is hard enough, imagine the responsibility of dressing someone else. A mini you... The task is daunting. Someone who always seemed to get it right was Paul Newman. What's fantastic about this photograph from 1965 is I can easily see him wearing what his son has on and vice versa. Now that's classic style...

The Horace Silver Quintet "Song For My Father"

So I get the call from sis late night stee. "Jake, do you know what Sunday is?!?" The brain wanders... Coloring session for the U.S. Royalty music video. Check. The day before Wimbledon starts. Check. The last day before my summer diet starts. Check. "No you asshole... It's fuckin' Father's Day!"

Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh... Fuck. So all you slackers or workaholics... B.T.W. We're all one in the same... I'm giving you ample time to get the man that partially created you something nice. Here's some inspiration music from The Horace Silver Quintet. Song For My Father... And if you're really slick you'll hit that amazon link at the bottom of this post and send him this beautiful album. Unfortunately, the kid's going to have to work a little harder than that since his father gave him this album. Any gift ideas let me know in the comments section...

Song For My Father amazon link

A.P.C. Sale Or The Color Combination

You know when you obsess about things like color combinations you start seeing them everywhere. I've always believed it's our own energy that makes these things manifest themselves in our lives. Even if it's something as inconsequential as the way nantucket red compliments washed blue.

This postcard from A.P.C. came in the mail today. I love the styling and the hint of white on the shades. And yeah, their Summer sale starts June 18th...

A.P.C. link

The New Model: The Shop At h(y)r collective

Remember over a decade ago when you could launch a brand on 10k and a few cool ironic graphic tees. Cut the tags out. Stitch your own. Get them in the right doors in New York and give them to your friends, who just happened to be the right downtown kids. From that capital you could re-invest in a few cut and sew pieces. Maybe open a retail store of your own in a burgeoning neighborhood. Maybe it was also a gallery of sorts. You were young and it was all so new. Mistakes arrived daily but it felt good anyway... Even on the weekends.

Sooner or later you had a brand with some respect. Nike calls and you pick up... A collaboration? Of course you say, yes. Michael was your childhood idol and who wouldn't want to visit the campus. Some made it out of the decade, some didn't. Some were profitable. Others weren't. But at the end of the day you had the foundation and there was a formula for you to break in...

In 2009 that old formula is obsolete. On to the new one... This one is pretty exciting. You can do the mathematics and equations and forecasting... I'll just do the co-sign...

The Shop link

Style Metaphors

Last scene from Carol Reed's The Third Man

Music is just like clothing for you. You'll wear the same shirt or outfit for weeks. Just like you'll listen to the same song or album on repeat for days. But the metaphor goes further. Sometimes you'll walk into your closet and grab an old coat you haven't worn in years and that's all you'll want to wear for weeks on end. And you have no idea why. It's all sub-conscious for you. It's not that you didn't love the garment the entire time you owned it. It's just now it's getting the proper attention it deserves just like that old record. 

Relationships are the same way for you. Sometimes it takes time and space for that relationship to feel new and exciting again just like that vintage A.P.C. trench coat you have hanging by its lonesome in the dark. What's great about inanimate clothing is it will always be there for you. You wish you could say the same for the people in your life.

So for now remember you love all the clothing in your closet and maybe just Push Your Head Towards The Air... And of course... Repeat...

Style: Fast Eddie Felson

 

"Money won is twice as sweet as money earned."

- Fast Eddie Felson

You know when you see some of your childhood idols now as opposed to when they were young and you think, "shit what the fuck happened?" Most completely lose their cool. I'm not sure why or how that happens along the way of getting older. 

My criteria for clothing in the last ten years has been if I can't see myself as a grandpa wearing this then I'm not buying it. But when I am actually a grandpa maybe I'll be completely over it and just want to wear a Sergio Tacchini velour track suit and let the chest hair flow... But I have a feeling that will never happen.

Very rarely do you see people get cooler with time. Except in the movies... Paul Newman's character Fast Eddie Felson's style finely matures with age from The Hustler to The Color of Money. Here's to getting older and wiser... Making smarter decisions... And looking great doing it...

All Access: U.S. Royalty "Every Summer"

I mentioned a little bit ago that we traveled to D.C. to shoot a music video for the great up-and-coming band U.S. Royalty. The adventure was a ton of fun and I'm currently in the edit on the official music video for "Every Summer." I thought I'd give you guys a sneak peek into the adventure sponsored by Ford. You'll also see a couple of exclusive scenes from the actual video in the clip. 

I'm really excited about this one. A very special thanks to everyone who made the video possible... Enjoy...

U.S. Royalty myspace link

Style: Color Combinations

                             

Color combinations are almost as important as the garments themselves. The combination of Nantucket red and washed out blue compliment each other perfectly. Or maybe I'm just having regrets today about passing on the Ivy League for art school in New York. Nope that's not it. This palette is dope and just right for the season.

At this point you should know who makes what but I'll shout it out anyway...

Single Needle Chambray Shirt | Engineered Garments 

Nantucket Red Classic-fit Broken-in Chino | J.Crew

Bleached Red Oxford Shirt | Gitman Bros x H(Y)R Collective

Sorahiko Barn 100/W | R by 45rpm