Think J. Peterman in a hawaiian shirt
Written: Jan 16 '03 (Updated Jan 28 '03)
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I whistled a lot at work today -- mostly an off-key riff on Dire Straits’ “Brothers In Arms”. Don’t ask me why -- that’s just what was on the mental playlist. And despite that mournful inspiration, I whistled because I was feeling pretty doggone chipper. I was well turned out. I was natty. I was dressed, pretty much from head to toe, in stuff from The Territory Ahead.
It could have been the cozy, driving-to-work comfort of my Talkeetna Bomber Jacket, “made of sturdy cotton canvas, sandwashed to softness … washable Nubuck leather trims the storm flap and zippered collar back. Soft corduroy lines the collar and cuffs…” I wear this jacket all the time. Whenever I need a jacket, that is.
Or maybe it was the casually stylish texture of my Ace of Slubs Cotton Shirt, a “medium-weight cotton in a finely stitched, raised slub dobby box plaid that’s as cool as the other side of the pillow…”. It’s a perfect compromise solution for those work days when I have to look presentable, but can’t face the prospect of a standard oxford cloth button down shirt.
Of course, I was looking good from the waist down, too (insert obvious double entendre here) in my Sueded Cotton Twills which are indeed a majorly comfortable pair of pants. As the catalog states: “For softness, it doesn’t get much better than this. Fur may be softer, but you’d be hard-pressed to strike a dignified pose wearing pelt slacks. Better to go with the twills. Sueded Cotton Twills.” I dunno… pelt slacks have a certain kinky appeal, but maybe that’s just me.
Finally, I was feeling particularly smug today because I was wearing my new pair of Union Street Loafers. They don’t have a cutesy catalog description, but are nevertheless a comfortable and amusing pair of shoes that look like the spawn of an unholy liason between a pair of Doc Martens and some bedroom slippers.
The Territory Ahead is a Santa Barbara-based store selling men’s and women’s clothing, accessories, and a limited selection of quirky housewares. One of their catalogs turned up in my mailbox about 10 years ago and I’ve been buying stuff from them ever since. Their products are hard to describe, but a customer quote in a recent catalog comes closest to hitting the mark: “You take something traditional and add a certain twist to it.” That twist takes the form of interesting fabrics and textures, modern takes on traditional styles, an impressively ugly collection of hawaiian-type shirts, and wildly inconsistent pricing.
For example, I just got my frankenstinian shoes on sale for $39.99, which is cheap, considering the laughs I’ve gotten from them already. Even before they went on sale, they were $68.00, still a fair price, I think. Certainly a better deal than the $78.00 canvas-and-leather shaving kit, the $39 personal pepper mill (wtf?), the $385 leather cube, or the colorized boxer briefs at $19.50 a pop. But scattered amidst these misguided offerings are a lot of fun clothes that put a spring in my step and that annoying whistle on my lips.
The service I’ve received from Territory Ahead has always been exemplary. Their shipping charges are fair, ranging from $4.95 for orders under $25 (a pair of those nifty boxer briefs, for instance), to $14.95 for orders over $200. Stuff gets to me on time. On the few occasions when I’ve had to return something, there has never been any hassle. Additionally, I’ve called them from time to time to ask for more info, to see if they might have just one last piece of a discontinued item, etc. The people on the phone are friendly, helpful, and not at all drone-like. Which is nice.
I’d be grossly remiss not to mention the catalog. The folks at Territory Ahead have taken pity on their customers and backed away from the florid, smarmy descriptions that once accompanied their product photos. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the spectacular photography that provides the theme for each seasonal catalog. Each one features a different North American locale and uses everything from extreme macro closeups to sweeping panoramic landscapes to convey a sense of that place and season. Over the years, I’ve savored their wonderful photos of landscapes from Baja to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Even when I haven't ordered any product, the catalogs are a pleasant diversion from the plague of credit card offers that normally clog my mailbox.
The Territory Ahead
www.territoryahead.com
800.686.8212
Tell ‘em I sent ya.
Recommended:
Yes
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