Bulletin Board 45
Anticipating summer! Our new Wm Brown linen collab, Cape Cod warm weather vintage, and tropical dressing tips from a stylish friend in Singapore
WORK IN PROGRESS
In our most recent fall issue, we ran a Factory Tour feature on my friend Nathan Hellard, who’s been quietly producing some of the best linen in the world through his business Maison Hellard, a literal mom-and-pop workshop in the southwest of France (his sole assistants in the project are his parents and his trusty cocker spaniel, Vaillant).
Ever since my friend John Sugden introduced me to Nathan at a bird hunt in the Scottish Highlands in 2024, I knew that I wanted to make a cloth with him. Maison Hellard’s fabric stands out for being on the more substantial side, like an Irish linen, (which means you get the good kind of wrinkles), but with a softer handle that also drapes great. And its color range is beautiful—very country, with lots of earthy hues.
And now, the Maison Hellard x Wm Brown cloth that Nathan and I collaborated on is out! Inspired by 1960s military uniforms, in particular those of the French army in Vietnam, it’s a mock herringbone woven on a special jacquard loom, dyed to a shade of green that Nathan has dubbed Armée française (fitting, as Nathan himself is a graduate of France’s Saint-Cyr Military Academy).
I like to think that it provides a more tailored way to play with the army-green palette usually expressed in field jackets or safari shirts this time of year, and with its 100% linen composition, it’s ideally suited to the warmer months to come. About 100 meters of the fabric were made, and you can get your hands on cut lengths to bring to your tailor via Maison Hellard’s website, or by emailing Nathan directly at info@maisonhellard.com.
As for myself, I had my friends at Fayad & Co. make me a sport jacket (pictured above) that leans into the hunting/military inspo with patch, inverted-pleat pockets. Looking forward to seeing what all of you do with it! —MH
RAG TRADE
Vintage T-shirt sellers are a dime-a-dozen today, and to my mind, rarely interesting. All too often, what they’re really selling is irony: think of the proverbial PBR hipster in a faded tee advertising a place or business they’ve never been within 1,000 miles of.
But from the moment I encountered Outermost Salvage, I knew something was different. Both its Instagram page and online store presented tees of a specific era and provenance: the bygone Cape Cod of the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s. Before long, I’d lost myself in tees commemorating the Cape Cod Classics Car Club, the 1996 Martha's Vineyard Rod & Gun Club Fly Rod Catch & Release Derby or the South Wellfleet General Store.
It was clear from the curation, which also featured tees with other New England or nautical ties plus vintage L.L. Bean, Lands’ End and Polo (i.e., what your dad would have worn on vacation in 1997) that the sentiment behind it was completely sincere. Whoever Outermost Salvage was, this person loved Cape Cod and everything their finds represented.
After a few IG messages I was speaking to Jon Caufield (“one less L than Holden,” he said, in reference to the literary character who almost shares his surname) a Massachusetts native whose family moved around the Bay State but maintained a summer house in Chatham. In 2018, Caufield left a management job at UPS to live on the Cape year-round and started selling clothes online. He soon noticed that he had repeat customers based in Japan and connected one of the buyers to a well-known Tokyo vintage store. Before long, Caufield was wholesaling to Japanese buyers directly and making a living as a full-time vintage reseller.
In comparison to that ongoing gig, Outermost Salvage is more of a passion project, a way for Caufield to continue working as an amateur Cape Cod historian via clothes. While many of the business names or events commemorated on the wares are familiar to him, he thrills at finding something totally obscure—for instance, a tee advertising a forgotten ‘70s running store on Nantucket, or a shirt cryptically declaring “I Was Shot by Joel Meyerowitz at Provincetown Art Museum,” and trying to uncover the stories behind them.
“There’s something that makes it that much more interesting, knowing that it’s tied to a very specific place or time, because a lot of these businesses aren’t around,” Caufield says of his salvages. “The turnover for restaurants and bars and everything on the Cape can be pretty brutal.”
Caufield occasionally strikes gold in-person—his greatest-ever find might be a 1970s duck canvas sailing jacket made by the Massachusetts-based Yachtwear Research Inc., which he found in a Rhode Island Savers and kept for himself—but most come from carefully worded searches online.
“The reality is that a lot of the best stuff is scattered all over the country, because people from all over have that experience of coming to Cape Cod and enjoying their time there and wanting to bring home a little piece of that,” he says.
As you might expect, Caufield’s gone deep enough down the rabbit hole to have his own, highly specific favorites. These include tees from the long-shuttered Eastham surf shop Jasper’s commemorating the annual Cape Cod Lifesaving Competition, and a series of screen-printed “Dead Dog” shirts made by a Martha’s Vineyard resident to lampoon the island’s Black Dog Tavern and its ubiquitous souvenir tee.
But beyond these grails there may be even greater treasures, what Caufield refers to as “dream shirts.”
“I’m not sure if they even exist, but places from when I was much younger. The little café, Ron’s Diner, where I would go after swimming lessons every day with my great aunt. She would march me up the road in my bathing suit and we’d sit at the lunch counter and eat a grilled cheese. It’s on a hit list in my head. I don’t know if Ron’s Diner ever had a shirt, but that would be something I would be over the moon to find.”
If it’s out there, Outermost Salvage will find it. —Eric Twardzik
DRESS CODE
Properly warm weather brings a conundrum. We’re excited to get back into our linens, seersuckers, tropical wools, etc, but then the temperature spikes—and it’s easy to just stay in tees and shorts until September rolls around. For a primer on how to dress well while it’s baking outside and the humidity is off the charts we turned to our friend Charles Yap. As managing partner of The Decorum Singapore, one of Southeast Asia’s great menswear stores, Charles knows a thing or two about dressing elegantly while staying cool. —ET
How would you describe your own personal style?
I love classic tailoring, military vintage and American/French workwear inspired pieces. I’m usually playing with a combination of these genres, with a pop of colour for good measure.
How do you continue to dress elegantly when it's hot and humid out?
Singapore is indeed hot and humid, but most of us spend more than 90 percent of our time indoors, where the air-conditioning is nice and pleasant. I feel it’s unfair that we dress sloppily on account of the very small window of time we spend outdoors —on commutes and for that short, easy stroll from point A to point B.
How about for a formal event?
Black tie and formal events tend to be held in climate controlled venues—usually in an air-conditioned hotel ballroom or a top dining establishment. I tend to go with a “creative black tie” if attending a formal event in a hotter or more summery setting… I might ditch the usual black dinner jacket in place of an ivory cotton jacket. From where we are, we are seeing an uptake in demand for tailored formal wear as well as for black tie accessories. Many of our clients also think long term and versatile, as black tie commissions are made not just for events taking place in Singapore, but in different parts of the world (and in different climatic conditions). Being of Chinese descent, I sometimes find joy with my bespoke Mandarin jacket by Bryceland’s & Co, made by a Hong Kong master using fabric from the Fox Air collection. That’s my other “creative black tie” option.
Do you have any specific tips on staying cool in tailoring?
Choose good tailoring. It takes more skill and experience to craft a garment that’s comfy and ventilative. Select your materials wisely with the guidance of your trusted retailer or artisan. It’s hard to go wrong with high twist wools, and natural fibres. Layer smartly. Never underestimate the practicality and functionality of storage capabilities in a well proportioned jacket or overshirt. Always have a handkerchief in your back pocket—preferably in 100% cotton and vintage.
What are some specific fabrics/bunches you'd recommend?
I tend to gravitate towards Fox Air, Drapers 4 ply and linens from the W Bill collection. I’m also starting a love affair with Bard Lovat 3-ply. It’s important to balance lightness and drape. And more importantly, listen to your trusted tailor—they have way more experience than you do.
No other way to say it—how do you keep from sweating through dress shirts. Or if you have, what's your fix?
Dress shirts in pure cotton or linen compositions tend to be rather light and breezy, with a cool handle. I seldom find myself sweating through a well-made shirt in a well-chosen material.
What's your approach to casual dress in warm weather conditions?
Of course, there are days when we spend more time outdoors than indoors. I tend to go with lighter jeans for Ghurka shorts, 100% cotton or linen knit tops, and perhaps a military vintage jacket. My rationale is that If the original owner of my Vietnam War era M65 could navigate a conflict in a tropical environment that’s way more stressful, I’m having the easy end of the bargain, enjoying a well made piece in peacetime with some history thrown in.
What are your thoughts on wearing shorts, particularly in an urban/professional environment?
There is always time and place in an urban setting for shorts that are well-tailored and well proportioned. It also depends on the vibe and setting of your professional environment. Always dress in a way that makes you feel happy and comfortable, that’s appropriate to your setting and the people around you. It’s ok to be the best dressed in any space, as long as you conduct yourself with a certain sense of mindfulness and decorum.
Do you ever mix shorts with tailoring or more formal wear?
I’m starting to play with my Bryceland’s Ghurka plus a double breasted linen sport jacket combo. I think they work fine with a Breton shirt and unlined suede loafers. At times, I drape my tux jacket over a linen short-sleeved crew neck and straight-leg jeans. I’m all for getting more wear and use out of our favourite pieces of tailoring—beyond the usual suit and tie combo. Dressing and living well is all about having fun while the sun is shining.
I live in Austin, where we go into the oven in late May and emerge overcooked sometime in late September. Even short walks outside are a bear. Straw hats are a must. I've also turned to guayaberas and camp shirts for survival. Their open bottoms add ventilation to the linen, cotton and carefully selected performance fabrics. Sure, you might look like a Miami Vice extra, but that's a lot better than a drenched sweat bomb.
Really enjoyed learning about the Decorum in Singapore and hearing Charles's take on warm weather dressing.