CoffeeStudyTalk

I have 7 jackets thus far: Track Jackets (60-70 degrees) Adidas - Red - DUO454 - 2019 Adidas - Navy - DUO461 - 2019 Adidas - Black - 2020 Light Jackets (50-60 degrees) North Face - Venture 2 Raincoat - Navy - 2021 Generic - Bomber - Green - 2023 Middle Jackets (40-50 degrees) Uniqlo - Puffer - Navy - 2021 Winter Jackets (0-40 degrees) North Face - Ski Jacket - Brown/Green - 2023 Temperature ratings also depend on other factors including if it’s raining, windy, sunny or overcast.  I could get away with a track jacket on a sunny day with no wind even if it’s 50 degrees. I typically layer and can wear a hoodie or sweater with my light jackets to add 10 degrees of warmth.  Winters don’t get colder than 0-10 degrees so I typically am fine with the puffer over a hoodie inner layer.  The North Face Ski jacket affords me options as it includes a puffer inner layer and a hard outer shell. Future Changes - 2025 After some thought.  I’m gonna hold off on purchasing new jackets until 2025.

Uniqlo is about 40% cheaper in Korea than Stateside and likely even cheaper in Japan.  I picked up my Supima Cotton T-shirt staples along with some Airism over shirts and a pair of sweaters for total of 197,700 Won or about $150 USD.  This would have cost me $100 more or $250 in the US.  Everything is XL Asia size which would be L in US. Total Haul - 11 items Supima T-Shirt - XL - 6 (4 Black, 2 White)  Airism T-Shirt - XL - 2 (Red, Green) U Crew T-Shirt - XL Green Sweater - XL - 2 (Gray, Green) I went for more Green and Burgundy colors this time along with my Black, White and Gray staples.  It’s a bit early for Fall/Winter wardrobe but couldn’t pass up 12,900 Won ($9.62 USD) sweaters. I won’t wait this long to swap out shirts as my previous Uniqlo T-shirts were from 2019 and almost 4 years old!  While the material was still in good condition it was stretched out and the collars worn.  I’d prefer swapping them out within 2 years. In contrast Hanes and Costco Pima barely lasted 6-9 month

I’m surprised so few people have posted comparisons between these two iconic shoes: Air Jordan 1 Low Air Force 1 ‘07 Both are basketball shoes and famous in their own right and they share similar price points of $110 with comparable materials and build qualities. Versatility - Air Force 1 I give it to Air Force 1’s.  In Triple White colorway it can match so many outfits and styles… A close second are Jordan 1’s in certain colorways can make a bland outfit really pop.  The one exception, Air Force 1's look better with baggy jeans as they are a chunkier shoe profile.  Jordan 1's can pair with slimmer jeans. Comfort - Air Force 1 I’ll have to break in the leather on the Jordan 1’s as they are stiffer than Air Force 1’s.  But with the thicker sole and air unit my feeling Air Force 1’s will win out for long haul treks.   I'm sure after the stiff leather on the Jordan 1's break-in it'll be just as comfortable as the Air Force 1's and remind me of breaking in a pair of

Went with a classic colorway of Red/White/Black with my first pair of Air Jordan 1 Low.  I’ve always wanted a pair of AJ1’s for quite some time; ever since I tried a pair of Air Force 1’s made me curious about the Air Jordan’s. I’m glad I waited as initially I was going to get a pair of Mid’s, but decided the Low’s are more versatile and can match more outfits in my wardrobe. Looking forward to wearing them and seeing how they go.  I’m anticipating buying a few more Air Jordan’s as I want different color ways. Future Planned AJ1’s Green/White/Black Black/White UNC Blue/White Purple/White/Yellow — LA Lakers Red/White Undecided if they will be High, Mid’s or Low’s.  Types of materials and so on…I’ll figure that out in future years. Collecting shoes is kinda fun. 6 months later these AJ1’s have traveled the globe

Time for a refresh in 2022 and currently have 44 items in my wardrobe with plans to add 7 items (1 jacket, 1 shoes and 5 shirts). I’ll retire a logo T-Shirt to keep my wardrobe to 50 pieces. My planned 7 items: Green Bomber Jacket - $30 - DONE Air Jordan 1 Low - $110 - DONE Uniqlo T-Shirts (3 Black, 2 White) - $50-100 - Hold for 2023 My wardrobe would then rest at: Shirts - 18 Outerwear - 14 Pants - 12 Shoes - 6 For 2022, I’ve already acquired and replaced a few items to add to this list: Adidas - Superstar Shoes (replaced in 8 months…) Nike - Court Vision Shoes 9.5 H&M Green Chore Jacket M Green Varsity Jacket L (retired to car kit) Air Jordan 1 Low Update - 12/10/22 Picked up pair of Air Jordan 1 Low.  A Red BR Crew Sweater.  I’m done for 2022!

I'm going green for my jackets in 2022 and so far splurged on a dark green varsity jacket, an olive green chore over shirt jacket and am waiting for Adidas to have in stock again a suitably collegiate green track jacket. I'm finding green suits my wardrobe now that I have all the basics down and ready to add a bit of color. I wear it now almost like a uniform.  Blue jeans, white shoes, black or white t-shirt and a green jacket. Helps break the monotony of wearing only white, navy or black jackets. Planned Purchases: Varsity Jacket - $28 - Donated Chore Over Shirt Jacket - $40 - Donated Adidas Track Jacket - $40 - Never Bought I went with entry level version of these classic jackets to try out the style, colors and textures then will upgrade later to better quality versions. Exception is the Adidas track jacket.  I already own 3 of them and satisfied with this level of quality in materials and style. Update - 11/28/23 - Know your Jacket size I ended up donating both jackets purc

I haven’t worn GAP sweaters regularly since college, but got into a habit and now have 3 GAP hoodies and 1 crew sweater, to complement by Uniqlo crew sweaters. Keeping it simple and got mostly white or beige GAP sweaters that seem to go well with my blue jeans; my navy jackets and tops were clashing so to break up the monotone blue, going with white tops and white shoes.  Very simple, classic and easy. I can now sport at least 4 different white sweaters to break up the week and do a mix of a black crew neck.  My Navy GAP hoodie, I’m relegating for those days I wore black or khaki pants. So glad my new job allows me to wear hoodies again!  Spent 3 years stuck in slacks and button down shirts.

I needed a general purpose backpack to slot between my casual Jansport and my Dakine hiking bag. I had five basic requirements: Black color Polyester material Larger than 26 liters Utility pouches for water bottles Internal compartments for a laptop There were several choices and I was liking the Adidas - Striker II selling for $20, but couldn’t find any in black so I opted for a black Adidas - Foundation V. Both the Striker and Foundation look very similar, with the proportions of the Striker being slightly smaller. My options Jansport Superbreak 501 - $17 Adidas Striker II - $20 Adidas Foundation V - $27 Size - 33 Liters Overall, I’m liking the Foundation V, it’s a bit larger at 33 Liters compared to my 26 Liter Jansport 501. Compartments - 4 It has four compartments with a laptop sleeve in the primary and a mesh zip pouch in the secondary with key leash.  The third pouch is padded for sunglasses and fourth pouch for small utility items.  That is double the compartments on a Jansport

I couldn't find a guide on the various types of Adidas Track Jackets as there appears to be several variations.  These are my personal notes based on observations and for most part I noticed 6 characteristics to look for: Logo - there are slight differences based on the specific model of Track Jacket. Material - most are either pure Polyester or a Cotton-Poly Blend (generally 50/50) Collar - track jackets generally zip up to a pop-up collar, other styles like the Superstar lack a collar. Sleeve Stripes - most have the standard 3 stripes running length of each sleeve. Full Zip - these open in the front with a full zipper.  I'm skipping those quarter-zip varieties of jackets for now. Front Zip Pockets - these usually have 2 front pockets that zip up. Non-Trefoil Varieties Typically these have no logo or use the triple stripe triangle logo and will call the Tiro Style.  They are also usually pure 100% polyester, but I've seen a few Cotton/Poly blends. Essentials - Adidas

I've owned quite a few baseball caps over the years from fitted, snap backs, mesh truckers and so on.  And generally, I wear a hat either to protect myself from the elements or when I'm lazy and didn't fix my hair. Minimal Design/Colors In keeping with the minimalist theme, I've preferred either single color black or white hats, with as few designs or logos.  It's quite easy to find a decent baseball cap for about $10 at various discount retailers and even less online from Amazon. Mesh Caps for the Breeze For hot weather or when I anticipate sweating, mesh trucker hats offer the most utility.  Otherwise, I favor the classic snap back and try to get them slight oversize. Logo Caps Back in the day, I favored logo caps from a favorite sports team or some name brand.  My favorite was my NY Yankees and another was a simple white Adidas logo snap back. Simple is Best By no means do I consider myself an expert and continue to learn and discover new

Having tried a variety of jackets and brands, I've come to enjoy the simple Adidas Track Jacket - Essentials 3-Stripe with Tricot Weave. Tricot Weave Was quite interesting to lookup what 'Tricot' means and it's a type of weave pattern that gives the Adidas Jacket its wavy look and texture on one side and a smooth and soft feel on the other side. The Tricot weave also makes the fabric very breathable. Color Patterns I've settled on the basic colors: Active Yellow / White Stripe Scarlet Red / Black Stripe Black / White Stripe In addition to the 3 Track Jackets, I have a 4th Navy color windbreaker.  That should be enough in terms of track jackets.

Getting closer to my ideal wardrobe and plan a few more adjustments in 2020.  I'm discovering that I look pretty good in Earth Tones (Dark Green, Light Brown/Tan) along with Burgundy Red and Dark Purple.  I'm going to reduce my reliance on Dark Blue in favor of more of these other colors to balance my Black and White basics. Uniqlo/Adidas I'm quite pleased with Uniqlo and that's becoming a larger proportion of my wardrobe.  I'm also liking Adidas for my sneakers and sporty jackets.  It's quite possible in a few years a good 50-60% of my 51 main articles of clothing will be from Uniqlo/Adidas. Shoes & Jackets My Shirts & Pants will focus on the basics and I'll dedicate my budget on Jackets and Shoes.  I'll start simple on shoes to find the ideal choices and want to stick with the standard Converse All Star, Adidas Superstar, Adidas Samba and a Nike or Air Jordan.  Possibly, squeeze in a Puma, Onitsuka 66, etc. Outerwear, considering a Harr

After years of trying various brands, I finally found the perfect Polo shirts.  Previously, I relied on Ralph Lauren exclusively, but the quality has declined and started trying other brands. Brands I've tried: American Eagle Abercrombie & Fitch Old Navy GAP Banana Republic Foot Locker Armani Exchange Ralph Lauren Tommy Hilfiger Nautica LZOD Moncler  Burberry  Naturally, the higher priced shirts generally were better...but I'm not about to spend $50-200 per shirt when I need about 5-7 polo's.  Uniqlo had me covered with some excellent options at $20. At first I was hesitant as the Uniqlo poll's have two buttons on the collar, when I'm used to three.  Don't judge until you try them on and they were perfect. Will the collars survive?  Will get back to you in a few months... However, only time will tell if the collars hold up.  That's an inherent problem in most polo shirts.

I was having a hard time finding a Large size Supima Cotton T-Shirt at Uniqlo in the States and asked a friend to pick me up a couple in Japan.  My friend said they had a ton of Large size shirts there so I ordered five (5) Supima Cotton T-Shirts. When I got them however, the Japan size Large fits more like an American size Medium and was very disappointed.  After researching online, it appears this is due to vanity sizing and the sizes will differ between countries. I gave away the Japan shirts to another friend and just by luck, I checked my local Uniqlo store in the States and they finally got Large in stock.  I bought the five (5) I was seeking. The experience was bittersweet.  While I finally got the exact shirts in the size I wanted, it required wasting almost $50 bucks getting a bunch of shirts of the wrong size. Lesson learned.  Do your research before buying clothes you cannot try on in-person.  Been quite a few hit-or-misses when ordering clothes online. Still...I f

In my pursuit of simplifying my wardrobe, I've heard a lot of good things about the Japanese brand Uniqlo.  I am naturally skeptical regarding the overall quality among fast fashion retailers, but decided to give them a try as I've been having mixed results with Zara, H&M, Old Navy and others; my primary problem being the lack of basic essentials. T-shirts // Good For example, I just wanted some decent quality t shirts in plain colors for a reasonable price.  So I started there and am quite impressed with Uniqlo already as I purchased both their Supima Cotton and Dry Packaged lines of t shirts.  The only problem I had was finding them in size large.  I'm in that weird limbo size category between medium and large and generally buy large and hope it shrinks a bit to fit nicely. Oxford shirts // Good I also found a nice oxford short sleeve in light blue and picked that up.  I'm quite happy with it.  I also found a nice linen shirt in a blue/white plaid pattern fo

There was a 50% off sale at my local Adidas store and I picked up 2 items a track jacket in red/black stripes and a navy/white stripe windbreaker.  I'm quite pleased with both of them. The track jacket is great indoors, but doesn't really keep me very warm outside as I suspect the material allows the breeze to blow right through.  The windbreaker is phenomenal, it is very lightweight, keeps me warm outdoors and also water resistant. In total, I spent about $45 total ($20 for the track jacket, $25 for the windbreaker).  I would have preferred the track jacket in the more classic red/white stripes and a royal blue windbreaker, but they are both fine as-is and I'll enjoy them for many years. That fulfills about half of my 2019 clothing purchases.  I'll likely pick up a pair of Adidas track pants later in the year and see quite a few at Costco.  Probably in the 3rd Quarter and some replacement t-shirts and that'll complete my 2019 clothing replenishments. Review

I adopted a minimalist wardrobe several years ago and went from 175 articles of clothing to under 38 pieces.  I've been fine-tuning that number and have 45 items as of 2018 with a planned increase to 48 items in 2019. My initial approach was to drop the total count and now the fine-tuning process is to identify specific colors and types of clothing to ensure a proper balance across my entire wardrobe ensemble. Core Colors I've settled on three core colors:  Black, Blue and White.  They constitute roughly 70% of my total wardrobe and I'm slowly increasing different color choices in 2019; notably a Red Adidas Track Jacket. Brand Quality I've been experimenting with various types of clothing and color choices and when I'm satisfied with a certain type or color I then seek out the best brand quality that I can reasonably afford.  In general, I spend on better brands for work attire and limit my discretionary budget for casual clothes on mostly fast fashion

I've enjoyed a Minimalist Wardrobe for about 2 years and maintain just 41 articles of clothing: Pants - 11 Slacks - 5 Jeans - 2 Shorts/Gym - 4 Shirts -20 T-Shirts/Gym - 7 SS Shirts - 8 LS Shirts - 5 Outerwear - 5 Blazer - 1 Jackets - 2 Hoodies - 2 Shoes - 5 Dress - 2 Sneakers - 3 Future Purchases I am planning on a few purchases in 2018-2019 White GAP Hoodie Denim Levi Jacket Update 12/16/18 Bought the White GAP Hoodie, but decided not to get a Denim Jacket.  I'll reconsider in 2019 as I plan to add a Jacket and not sure what brand, style or type.

I've studied quite a few minimalist blogs & videos and see several recurring themes defining what type of minimalism a person is practicing and they have three characteristics: Quantity Quality Variety Extreme Minimalist = Survivalist There are the 'Extreme' Minimalist who are surviving on literally just a few unique items.  They live in a tiny home or out of their car and probably could fit their entire life in a single backpack.  A true nomad of the modern age. Quantity = LOW Quality = HIGH (ideally) Variety = LOW Casual Minimalist Then there are the 'Casual' Minimalist that have more quantity than an Extreme Minimalist and generally wavers between quantity and variety.  There are many approaches and some Casual Minimalist may have 5 white t-shirt or 5 t-shirts, one of a different color and anywhere in between.  All can be considered a Casual Minimalist.  For me I'm somewhere in the middle and limit myself to 3 color of t-shirts (White, Gre