Gray Expectations

I've been looking at Alden and Red Wing boots for the past several seasons, as they've been feeling right again. However, the whole tan and brown thing, while perfectly classic, was exactly that for me - maybe a bit too classic. So it was great to find out that men's brand Nom de Guerre had collaborated with Red Wing on a gray suede version, trimming it with their logo and black piping to keep the monochromatic scheme in place. This makes it perfect for the shoppers of current men's fashions at stores like Odin and Blackbird, where most of the clothing rarely veers from a manly palette of a black-gray-fatigue drab. But there's a weird holiday waiting period before you can see them in person. In a strange move, they aren't releasing the style until December 26th, when the the shoes drop (pun intended) at their basement level store on Broadway in Manhattan. At around $285 a pair, they aren't exorbitant, so there might be a post-Christmas rush to nab a pair. Check out Nom de Guerre's website for store info, and see if they'll be worth the wait.

Wood You

I've worked with two different bag designers who've designed wooden clutches, but this one really appeals to me - I used to carve wooden pendants back in college, and this was the kind of biomorphic shape I strove for (and I had all the cuts on my fingers to prove it). There isn't much info on this wooden clutch by Tia Cibani other than that it's made of American hickory, and is lined in gold leather. But all you need is the outside to make a statement - it's so pure, it's almost like you're lugging around, I dunno, an ostrich egg. With a material like wood that's so uncommon in fashion to begin with, I like the idea that it almost looks like an odd object or piece of home furnishing. Naturally, it's from the Moma store, and it's also back-ordered. But at $295, it's kind of a steal. Check it out here.