New store alert. South East London just keeps getting better and Open as Usual, is the latest addition – a men’s and women’s retailer over in New Cross. As you’d perhaps assume from a shout out on this blog, Open as Usual don’t ‘buy stuff in’, they, “curate.” Consequently you can expect an unusual, global mix of clothes and products – the key USP for a tosspiece like me is that many of the brands are UK firsts. In other words, you can swag a coat your mates will never have heard of, which in turn will artificially inflate your sense of self-worth. Makes life worth living.

Anyway, check these pieces from the first drop which caught my eye.

This fat looking pant is from Japanese imprint Universal Products. Regular readers wil know I’m a sucker for a fuller trouser, so these look like a goer to me. At 130 coins, you’d be a barbarian not to.

Simple kicks from Doak. I mean, come on, you can’t be busting Converse – 70’s parchment jobbies or otherwise. People might think you work in Size? Superga are all sorts of done. And while I’ve still got a soft spot for Novesta and Spring Court, you’ve got to change it up now and again. These are kiln baked, like Shoes Like Pottery, but feature a thicker sole, which is a good thing.

Now Flistfia is a brand I’m familiar with from Blue Button Shop in Canada and I think Open as Usual are the first guys to bring it UK side. This is basically a soft denim piece direct from the mills in Okayama. There’s a double-zip going on, so you can give it the Ice Cubes by unzipping the bottom, leaving the top fastened. That’s totally a look. Apparently.

I just Googled, Living Concept, the makers of this Japanese import. One of the (linguistically corrupt) quotes I happened upon reads: “nice special items that decorate the lifestyle.” I’m down with that. I’m down with this work coat too. The Open as Usual site says it’s grey. Looks dusty blue to me. Either way, the white buttons pop – it’d be a great spring/summer throw-on.

Thems my picks. Go check ’em out. Support the indies. Support the indies. Support the indies.