When I think of the term "heritage", I have this mental picture of an Air Force aviator from the 1920's with cropped tweed trousers, rugged boots and a shearling bomber jacket. Everything is worn-in and has a story. It's such an iconic styling sensibility.

Add a "utility pocket" (exterior patch pocket with a flap closer) and you drive it home.

On the flip side, "modern" brings to mind clean lines, structured silhouettes and 'utility' in the true sense of the word. Function becomes a key part of the fashion and it's all about minimalist styling.

But I like the grey area in between (of course).

I want utility with a story. I want rugged with clean lines. I want function in heritage fabrics.

So why not mix the two together? This Grayers jacket is a perfect example of modern Fall coat from a brand known for their heritage sensibility. Utility pockets and underarm gussets make it functional, but the slim silhouette is modern. I paired it with a hoodie (modern), tweed trousers (heritage) and boots from Cat Footwear that are a mix of leather and canvas (really heritage).

Then there's the bag (super modern). It was designed by an architect with function in mind. It has a felt laptop sleeve with snaps to hold it in place and the backpack is made from SUPR Felt, their water-resistant fabric made by melting the fibers in felt. M.R.K.T (Mad Rabbit Kicking Tiger) makes a whole range of clean, modern, sustainable bags. Check em out here and use code 'madtiger10' for 10% off any order.

I'm sure you can expect a lot more mashups this season. I always found black and white so boring. Living is grey is so much more interesting. :P

Grayers jacket / J.Crew trousers / Club Monaco hoodie / J.Crew chambray shirt / CAT Footwear boots / M.R.K.T. backpack

Modern Heritage