Hate Yourself Less

American workwear for insecure days

Style

When you’re low as hell, but have to leave the house, there’s nothing quite so reassuring as some Americana clothing, the ultimate comfort-wear for when you feel no good, pally.

While we don’t want to reinforce bone-headed old versions of being a man, sometimes you want to put on the veneer of manhood when you’re feeling low or vulnerable, or just madly hungover. Clothes that provide a psychological prop to get you through the day. For those off duty hours of feeling like a loser, a bit of American workwear is always a winner. Heavyweight, understated, no-nonsense, reassuringly sturdy, it brings a bit of Kerouac/Nicholson/Mitchum ready-for-anything to you, even if you feel useless and uncommunicative just want to sit in the corner and sip tea. That’s ok. Take a day or two. Here’s our pick of the best gear for this kind of thing…

Levi’s X Justin Timberlake Lined Trucker Jacket

Put this on, and both blend in and stand out. Part of a new collection with the man behind the voice of Branch in Trolls, this trucker has canvas on the outside and a warm flannel lining on the inside, with a corduroy collar. Classic workwear with a bit of modernism thrown in courtesy of Branch. £95

Levi’s Ribbed Beanie

Ya wanna look like ya been at da docks, pal?

Quite. Well, here’s a way to give it some ‘On the Waterfront’ with a bright red UK pop twist. Most important, you can pull it down tight to give your head a cuddle. Sometimes you need some warmth over your ears by way of primal reassurance. £25

Tommy Hilfiger – Fairisle logo-embroidered stretch-wool jumper

Finally you get to be Starsky. You can sip coffee out of a styrofoam cup and mutter and play everything down even though you’re damn good at what you do and everyone knows it.

Finally you get to alienate a millennial audience with a reference which dates you like a motherfucker.

£205

Levi’s vintage clothing – Striped cotton-jersey t-shirt

This is your new favourite t-shirt. It’s always good when you have a new favourite t-shirt, it comforts, it cures, and sure it may stink because part of the thing of a favourite t-shirt is that you never wash it, not ever, you can’t risk anything about it changing. Then you meet your partner, and move in together, and somehow you lose touch with your t-shirt until one day you find yourself with it in your hand, about to drop it into a plastic bag for charity, and you experience a Proustian rush of watching Predator 2 on the sofa with mozzarella hanging from your mouth like you’re a pizza dog, and a single tear drops into the bag too. £70

J Crew – Slim lightweight denim shirt

Denim shirts are perfect for when you’re unshaved and regretful. It’s not going to end your regrets, or shave you, but it will make your experience a shade more cinematic. Maybe you look like Nicholson in your ennui. Maybe. Well, it’s something at least.

£75

Levi’s Vintage Clothing – 1947 jeans

The skinny jean has had its day, surely. We, for one, literally can’t stand (in) them anyway. Much more of this and our legs will be so sore its like we’re walking on Pepparami’s. No, no, the wide leg has to come back, even if you have to go to 1947 to find it. The ever reliable Levi’s vintage range gets a raiding again, but you know, this isn’t about strutting down the town centre hoping a girl will/won’t notice the outline of your penis, this is about chilling out, going for a walk, sitting outside a pub on a cold but bright day, just trying to centre yourself a little. It’s a scientific fact you can’t centre anything in skinny jeans, your poor penis least of all. £180

Red Wing – Blacksmith Leather Boots

So this style was originally worn by blacksmiths, and brilliantly, they wore the same shoes during the day, then gave them a spit and shine, and went out wearing them at night. Yes that is impressive actually, think what the daily toil of a blacksmith is like. Anyway, big clunky boots could be the difference in encouraging you to get out of the house when you feel like shit. An essential.

£270

Martin Robinson

10 months ago

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Hate Yourself Less

American workwear for insecure days