You'll know what we know.
A blog dedicated to the interesting, scandalous, useful and cutting edge in the world of men’s style, fashion and grooming.
It may be past its 45th birthday, but the mod look is wearing its age pretty well. Boosted by the Tommy-inspired looks currently fueling menswear—along with Paul Smith’s nostalgic pastels—Swinging London is as strong now as it’s ever been.
And if you’re going to jump on a scooter, you’ll going to need a helmet to match»
Our old friends at Ateliers Ruby have revamped their classic mod helmet with a new futuristic visor for something that wouldn’t have been too out of place in Speed Racer.
We prefer the old polka dots ourselves—after all, they go better with the classic Piaggia Vespa—but the folks with more futuristic scooters need something that matches too.
The signed cast is one of our more iconic memories of childhood, so it’s surprising no one tapped into it before.
This helmet extends Les Ateliers Ruby’s hitting streak, thanks to a little well-timed design help from Maison Martin Margiela. Splitting the difference between street art and sixth-grade summer camp, we’re guessing it’s got something for just about everyone on a motorscooter.
Helmets usually aim for a charmingly European nostalgia—much like the Vespas themselves—so the market is wide open for a few bubble-cases straight out of Flash Gordon.
Borsalino is an Italian heritage brand that takes a slightly different tack than the usual mod-inspired helmets by bringing in extra touches like fur and snakeskin-imprinted leather for a more adventurous take.
It makes sense—these are precision instruments, after all. Why not let all that technology show?
Our enthusiasm for biking has been dampened by one simple, easily overlooked fact: Bike helmets tend to be incredibly ugly. Luckily, a few newer models have started taking a pointers from the flatter skateboard helmets and—in this case—worked in some actual fabric.
This Lacoste helmet manages the difficult trick of being both eco-friendly and sartorially accomplished. The first count comes from subbing in soft cork for the usual styrafoam. The second comes courtesy of our old friend the flat cap, which they wisely adopted as a style guide. Naturally, this one’s a bit beefier. It’s got a job to do.
