The Ten Best Garments of 2020
Garments!
If you’re anything like me, you spent the year wiping out your savings on a house, a teacher for your daughter’s “pod,” a new (13 year old) car, and lots of booze. Not many new garments in the ol’ Klacza household! I know, cry me a river. I’m thankful for what I’ve got, but I still kept tabs on the clothing industry. That hellaciously wasteful, preys-on-the-insecure industry. I can’t help myself. It’s what I’ve always done.
And so, I offer you my ten favorite garments of 2020. I said they were the best in the title, but who could possibly know what’s best.
Aimé Leon Dore - Casentino Wool Overshirt ($495)
ALD had a stronger 2020 than any other clothing company. Their impeccably styled and diverse lookbooks are worth your attention (FW 2020, SS 2020). I struggled to pick a standout piece from any one collection, mainly because they’re all so low-key and designed to work in tandem with ALD’s other pieces. That being said, this overshirt in cream/khaki caught my eye and refuses to let go. It’s $495. Will I ever be able to get it secondhand for, let’s say, $250?
Noah - Fisherman Sweater ($198)
I feel like Noah’s had much better years than 2020, but they still produced a handful of grails, none better than this fisherman’s sweater in blinding yellow. (They call it pale yellow on the website, but c’mon.) It’s Made in England and quite obviously the sort of sweater you’ll wear for many years. I admire Noah’s straightforward, earnest approach to doing business, and this sweater perfectly aligns with their ethos. Bravo.
Max Wastler - The Fauci Cap ($49)
Ask anybody, they’ll tell you I went through a serious Ebbets phase in 2017-18. Haven’t bought much Ebbets since, but when Max Wastler and illustrator A. Micah Smith dropped this tribute to Dr. Anthony Fauci, I had to smash that pre-order button. I did so not knowing that Fauci would remain in the national conversation three months later when the hat arrived. I hate that Covid continues to rage, but at least I look dope when my wife gets home from clinic.
ALL SOLD OUT! GET NOTIFIED ABOUT A FUTURE REISSUE HERE
L.L. Bean x Todd Snyder - Scenic Duck Turtleneck ($199)
Listen, I know that 99% of my readers will find this turtleneck appalling. That doesn’t make it any less beautiful to me, or any less sold out. I missed the boat big time. If you’ve ever shopped Todd Snyder’s Champion line–and if you haven’t here’s your chance–you know that that man knows his way around a turtleneck. Give the gift, then fix your hair. You have to get this turtleneck.
SOLD OUT! BUT YOU CAN STILL PURCHASE ITEMS FROM THIS JAH-TIER COLLAB HERE
Online Ceramics - Scarecrow T-Shirt ($60)
Ask anybody, they’ll tell you I went through a pretty serious Online Ceramics phase from 2018-19. I must’ve bought 15 garments from OC. That’s a lot for me. I’ve since sold a couple, but the majority I continue to wear. “Scarecrow” is my favorite thing the guys released in 2020. I laughed the first time I saw it. I didn’t buy it, though. My OC phase stopped cold when we moved to Chicago. Who knows why. Maybe the subject of a future newsletter.
TIE
Wax London - Whiting Overshirt ($136)
Corridor - Acid Plaid Shirt ($148)
These shirts scratch the exact same itch. What itch? The itch to take the fabric off your grandma’s old sofa-bed and turn it into a shirt. Pair either of these with some dark blue jeans, a white sneaker, a can of tepid Diet Rite, and an Eddie Blazonczyk cassette, and you’re good to go.
BUY THE WHITING OVERSHIRT HERE
BUY THE ACID PLAID HERE
Supreme - Loveless Rayon Shirt ($158)
The active ingredient in catnip is an essential oil called nepetalactone; the active ingredient in Patnip is an essential oil called Loveless. (“That’s so dumb,” says Kathy.) Supreme teamed up with MBV this summer, confusing teens around the world. Of course I wanted to buy everything, but I settled for the blue camp shirt on the right. Unless you’re familiar with Loveless’s inside cover, it doesn’t register as merch. Perfect.
SOLD OUT - CHECK GRAILED, I’M NOT SELLING
Brain Dead x The North Face - Basecamp Duffel ($180)
I didn’t see it coming, but Brain Dead emerged as one of my favorite brands in 2020. I never cared for them before. They’ve sharpened their designs, though, and the capsule collections they’ve made with TNF are fire. I’ve got the ‘89 fleece from FW20, but this bag is my favorite. If you don’t have a Basecamp Duffel, you should buy one.
AGAIN, THIS PIECE IS SOLD OUT. CHECK DEPOP. IN THE MEANTIME, SCOPE THE COLLECTION HERE
Taylor Swift - In the Trees Hoody ($48)
Taylor’s webstore is full of egregious merch, but this simple hoody got me. I drank four tallboys one night, and in the morning, I awoke to an invoice from taylorswift.com. I regret nothing. I wouldn’t have copped if the tracklisting didn’t appear on the sleeves. Nice touch.
Rowing Blazers - Unicorn Tapestry Printed Shirt ($195)
Rowing Blazers had an alright 2020. They rolled out a women’s line, but it’s full of cropped rugby shirts. Dumb. They added a lot of sweaters, but those sweaters say things like I’M A LUXURY FEW CAN AFFORD. Maybe their tongues are planted firmly in their cheeks, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna buy the sweater. I do want this garish unicorn shirt, however. My daughter’s obsessed with unicorns, and I think it would look great paired with a suit.
What do you all think? Did I nail it? Are these garments straight ‘bage? What’s in your top 10? Feel free to comment on this post or e-mail me at newexperimentalhours@gmail.com.
Yep you nailed it!