Heddels Blowout

Sashiko - Reinforcing Japanese Stitches

Sashiko is the age old Japanese technique of repairing and reinforcing fabric with rows of decorative running stitches. This little piece of reinforcing thread began over

The Bell Bottom Tolls for Thee - A History of Flared Jeans

Today we are talking about that oft-derided denim style that was relegated to the disco era. This type of cut can go by many names:  bell-bottoms, boot cuts, flares, dar

Anyone for Tennis? A History of Serving in Style

We are currently in the midst of the US Tennis Open being held at the Arthur Ashe arena in Queens, New York, named after one of the most stylish tennis stars of the 20th

What the Shell? All About Shell Cordovan

We spend an awful lot of time and a lot of digital ink discussing the finer qualities of leather and there is arguably no finer cut than shell cordovan. You may have see

Robin's Egg Blue - The Ancient Appeal of Turquoise

You’ve seen it inlaid in rings, pendants, bolo ties, squash blossom necklaces, conchos, studs, and more. It dots the hands and necks of those devoted to Southwestern Amer

Running Shoes - Millennia of Trying to Not Injure Ourselves

Today we’re talking about running! Not away from your problems, but the shoes you’d wear while you’re doing it. We’re putting aside the goodyear welts and chunky vibram

Guayabera Shirts - Beat the Heat like a Guava

Today we’re talking about guayaberas. No, not guavas my Spanish speaking friends, but rather the shirt named after them. Also known as the cigar shirt or the camisa de Y

The Bandana - Never Leave Home Without One

Today we’re talking bandanas. Not banned books, bandoliers, or watch bands, we’re discussing the classic square of fabric you might find on the forehead of a biker or in

Tis The Seasoning - All About Cast Iron

Today we’re putting down the iron fist. The cast iron one, that is! As you know, raw denim is our first love, and if there’s one item that’s most spiritually attuned to

Mount Vernon Mills CEO Bill Rogers gives White Oak's Looms a New Life

For the past decade or so, there has been one white whale (or rather a pod of white whales) among raw denim fanatics, whose course has been followed with great interest s

On the Lookout for Watch Caps

Welcome to Heddels Blowout. The show where we explore one thing, from watch caps to flip flops, and tell you all about: Why it’s important Where it came from How it’s

The Gory Details of GORE-TEX

That’s right, today we’re talking about arguably the most well known name in performance fabrics - GORE-TEX. Most of the time, consumers aren’t aware of the upstream mat

Tariffied Denim and Boots

That’s right, today is a little bit different. I’m not here to talk about an item but a concept, tariffs! The big T-word that has been taking up so much airtime over the

Cardigans Again and Again

Most of us can’t even hear the word “cardigan” without picturing Mr. Rogers coming home to exchange his suit jacket and dress shoes for one of his zip-up cardigans and a

Why the USAF Brought Back the A-2 Bomber Jacket

When you imagine an Air Force pilot, the first image that probably comes to mind is the dashing World War II-era captain in impossibly high-waisted khakis and a brown lea

We Made the World's Strongest Denim Sneaker with Crown Northampton's Chris Woodford

It’s been a long time since our last collaborative product, but we’re back with a bang. We’ve joined forces with Crown Northampton to launch the Grand Union Wholecut Snea

Loafers - Lazing in Leather Since 1920

Today we’re talking about loafers. Those do-nothing idlers who just sit around all day and the leisurely leather shoe that’s come to be named after them. Yes, the penny,

Raw Denim - Back to the Indigo Well

That’s right, this is a denim episode! Longtime listeners will remember our 13-part, 7-hour audio epic about the history of denim where we covered 500 years of history of

Polarized Sunglasses - Women Love Them, Fish Fear Them

Today we’re talking polarization. I’m not talking about the bears, Santa Claus, or the state of global politics. Rather something a bit more anodyne, and seasonally appr

Graphic Tees - Fashion Gets Explicit

They say all clothing is a type of language. Even refusing to participate in the conversation is a way to say something. Whether you’re in a top hat and tails or Canadia