UNIFORM | Introducing j.MASON

I'm so so so excited about the new accessories label j.MASON out of Los Angeles. Jocelyn Mason, the designer behind her eponymous label was most recently the Director of Product Development for Clare Vivier. I remember meeting her on a studio visit at Clare V. over three years ago—she showed me the ropes of monogram embossing—something that still seems like magic! Now she's out on her own with some realllllly incredible products.

From luxury handbags hand-made from vachetta leather ($599) and leather key chains ($39) made from vegetable-tanned leather to Irish linen scarf wraps ($99-$125) that come in colors from natural flax to dark indigo—everything is the perfect mix of classic with California. The leather totes and braided keychains are exquisite, but also easy to understand at first glance.

The j.MASON scarves ($99-$125) however, are insanely versatile and truly not like anything else on the market that I know of. You can wear them around your neck draped, doubled like a kerchief, wrapped like a shawl, tied as a shirt, there are probably hundreds of ways to wear these gorgeous textiles and j.MASON makes it so they'll actually stay in place with the leather ties on each side. Check out all of the new j.MASON supply at The Reed!

GUIDE | The Reed's Red-Eye Survival Guide

We've recently created something of a red-eye survival guide at The Reed. It's a packing guide and includes two playlists, one to lull you to sleep upon take off and one to gently get your energy back up when the wheels are down at your destination. Everyone is different when it comes to sleep strategies on planes. I think noise canceling headphones are invaluable, others swear by scuba-necked hoodies, and some like to sprinkle a few calming drops of lavender essential oil on a scarf and wrap up in it to get some shut eye. We'd love to hear your strategies as well. Come check out the guide here.

P.S. Next up in the guide department is New Orleans with a Jungmaven t-shirt to go with it...stay tuned!

Follow Lizzie and The Reed on Instagram for more inside scoops!

UNIFORM | The Tradlands x The Reed Safari Shirt

This shirt's origin story goes back a few years. I walked in to a lunch meeting at King's Highway in Palm Springs and my friend Kristina was wearing an oversized linen shirt. It had been washed hundreds of times, the buttons were thick, and there was a bit of fraying happening here and there—it was sooooo freaking perfect. I couldn't focus on anything but the shirt—what a perfect item to have in the hot heat of a summer day, especially in the desert. My first question: Who made it and how old was it? Gap and about 20 years old. Great, I thought. I'll never find anything like it. I combed through 1980s Banana Republic and 1990s Gap online and searched high and low, from vintage stores to eBay, and came up empty handed each time. It was destined to only live in my memory until this spring when I was talking with Tradlands' Sadie Roberts about a collaboration for The Reed, and, hel-lo, I asked if she could create a shirt inspired by this old Gap shirt. YES, she could.

We didn't want to just copy an existing shirt though, we wanted to create the best damn white linen shirt possible, and frankly, I think we did it. The Tradlands x The Reed Safari Shirt ($155) features tails that are extra long so it can be worn like a tunic—long over shorts or even as a bathing suit cover up. The buttons are thick and sturdy (and happen to be made in Chicago). The white Irish linen is so breezy and soft, but durable enough to take well to lots of wash cycles. The cut and tailoring is what makes Tradlands the best American-made women's shirt maker on the planet. But what's the best thing about The Tradlands x The Reed Safari Shirt? The oh-so-subtle YES monogram stitched to the chest in white thread.

The shirt is about saying yes to summer adventures. All of our heros that have donned white linen in the past seemed to have spent their summers doing things like writing novels while traveling the world or protesting injustices—this shirt is entirely about that summer spirit.

The shirt just launched and in celebration, we're offering free domestic shipping all week with the code YESYES. Come check out the shirt right here at The Reed!

GIVEAWAY | Grei Chambray Shirt and Canvas Tote

When it comes to the idea of investing in high quality basics I don't think there's many out there that do it as well as the New York-based and American-made label GREI. Their products are simple without being plain—utilitarian in the best sort of way—products that please with their functionality and design. One of my absolute favorite pieces of theirs is their chambray shirt ($195) which just keeps softening every time I wash it. It's so versatile and a shirt I always pack if I'm going out of town—doesn't matter where I'm going, the shirt makes sense everywhere. In addition to the shirt, their canvas bags ($145) are perfect. 

As a self-described tote addict, this bag still excites me—it might sound silly, but it's true. The construction is so solid, the handles are the perfect length and reinforced, and the sides naturally close together at the top.

We're giving away a shirt and a tote from The Reed to one lucky winner. To enter: check out The Reed on Instagram (@the_reed_shop) where we regularly announce new products and updates. Like or comment on the giveaway photo that's posted there and you're automatically entered to win! We'll choose a winner Thursday 7/23/16! Good luck!!

UNIFORM | Mohinders Shoes

You may have noticed a resurgence in huarache style shoes here and there. I distinctly remember starting to spot them in Echo Park in L.A. a few years ago or so. Now, they're a bit easier to find (especially in warmer climes), but not necessarily when it comes to a quality pair. While a pair you may pick up in a sea town on a surf trip in Mexico may be memorable, a pair from Mohinders stand apart from other woven leather shoes.

They are ethically manufactured in rural India by 2nd and 3rd generation craftsmen and women who use a very unique vegetable tanning process that uses the bark of a babul tree and the myrobalan nut. If that means nothing to you, let me tell you what it means to me: they smell amazing and you can wear these shoes with no socks without fear that an unseemly aroma might arise from your feet after walking on a hot summer day all over town.


Currently Mohinders has two styles on offer: Men's City slippers ($145) and Women's Flats ($145) with women's City Slippers on their way soon! Check out Mohinders, they're inspirational on several levels and I've been wearing the shoes for days and am really digging them!

UNIFORM | Upstate Raglans & Scarves

As a style writer and a retailer I've gotten a little frustrated over the years with how fast seasons move in fashion. The focus on what's to come always seems to trump the present, and it always felt so disjointed to me to be thinking winter in the middle of summer and vice versa. But today all that frustration melted away when my Upstate Fall/Winter 2015 order arrived for The Reed. Not only because it's sooooo awesome, but because it is totally wearable for the rest of the summer. Sundowners at the beach with the dyed (buttery soft) raglan? Check. The wool/silk blended scarf around my neck with a sundress? Yes please!

The scarves are brilliant not only because they are the perfect weight, luxuriously soft, and a great statement piece, but there are so many ways to wear them.

A few years ago an Upstate shibori-dyed kimono snuck into my closet and it's been one of my most favorite things to wear out—because it's a little loud I don't wear it regularly, but without fail, every time I wear it I get asked about it and where it's from. I'm thinking one of these pieces just might sneak into my closet as well. Check it all out right here. 

UNIFORM | Jungmaven Tanks

It's that time of year when our shoulders and biceps are out in the world and the one tank I've been noticing is the American-made unisex Jungmaven Tank, cut in a way where both men and women look sleek without wearing something that's skin tight. I think I especially noticed this particular tank when the photographer shooting us in Utah last week was wearing one (it was 100 degrees and we were in winter wool, so it looked like the apparel version of a tall cold glass of water). L.A.-based Jungmaven has their own great designs on offer ($48+) but there are also two Jungmaven collabs that have caught my eye:

The Poor Porker's Chicory Tank ($54), a coffee over-dye tank that's screen printed with a chicory illustration by Elizabeth Hults and The Ace Hotel's Jungmaven Tank ($60) that features an embroidered flower and cheeky slogan (F*ck It, Let's Hug). Good stuff all around. Viva la tank!

BASE LAYER | LITE+CYCLE Sun Stick

Some of the best items in the world sprout from necessity. I think this is might be one of them. At least twice a week you can find me and my friend Kristi Head, the founder of LITE+CYCLE (and frequent Base Layer contributor), hiking the trails of Griffith Park. While walking dusty trails for miles in the sun, we got to talking one day about wishing there was a portable, all-natural, non-toxic, balm for your face, lips, cheeks, neck, nose that you could drop in your pocket and reapply on the go. Months later, here it is! A natural, hydrating, soothing, protective sun stick that you can take on the go and use for skiing, boating, hiking, biking, beaching, and all your summer adventures. It's really quite lovely, it's light on your skin and packed with natural essential oils like avocado, coconut, and jojoba. There are no toxins, synthetics, fragrances, sulfates, or parabens—you can even use it on kids. My lips and nose have already thanked me.

Get your LITE+CYCLE Sun Stick ($16) here!

NOISE | The Reed's 1970s Soundtrack Map to L.A.

Traveling doesn't always involve physical movement. Over the past two weeks I put together a 15-track 1970s L.A. playlist and guide. How else could we tackle such a sprawling city? From Tom Petty to Donna Summer this hour of music will transport you—or maybe at least entertain you. Check it out >> right here!

GEAR | Sandqvist Bags

I spent a good chunk of the week on The Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah shooting for a really cool Woolrich x Westerlind capsule collection coming to The Reed and elsewhere this winter. As a photo trick we used the salty desert landscape to mimic snow. It was hot and we were wearing down jackets, boots and flannel—but the beauty of the Utah wilderness—including roaming bison herds—was enough to cool us down. It was pretty hectic at times though, we'd change out of an outfit and put on another as soon as humanly possible chasing the windows of low light in the late evenings and early mornings. Organization was key. I packed everything I needed into a Sandqvist weekender and it performed wonderfully. It's deeper than many duffle weekenders I've seen so I could pack up to four layers of rolled clothes. When I travel by air, I usually use wheeled luggage, so I was hesitant at first to take this, but it was a breeze with the shoulder strap and fit perfectly into the overhead bins on the plane. It was a lot easier to move around a car than wheeled luggage too. If you're not familiar with the Swedish bag maker, check out all their stuff, great backpacks, laptop bags, totes, and accessories.

METHOD | Indigo Dye

Speaking of all things blue...

A few weeks ago we took a limited batch of our white Jungmaven New Mexico t-shirts (if you haven't seen The Reed's Escape to Santa Fe, check it out!) and dyed them with natural indigo dye. We used a kit made by Jacquard which will dye at least 15 shirts (I'd say more like 30 or more). Indigo has made a resurgence over the past few years but as you may know it's one of the oldest dyes used for coloring fabrics and still used today at the primary way that jeans get their color.

We mostly took found rocks and coral pieces and tied them to the shirts with rubber bands to create the radial spiral and shibori circle patterns—some came out great and some were more "experimental". The shirts come out of the dye bath in a deep saturated blue, but (depending on what method you use) will likely fade a little once washed.


The Indigo Dyed New Mexico T-shirts ($39) are available in a limited run and if you're looking for a good dye kit, we highly recommend the Jacquard kit ($14)—and it's a super fun thing to do on a summer weekend—dye your bed spread, couch cover, some old white t-shirts, a pair of white vans, table cloths, napkins, rags, socks—I could go on forever.

UNIFORM | Summer Blues

In a matter of a week summer will be technically officially on and we have some serious blue feelings on the matter. Blue as in, pool blue, indigo blue, navy blue, chambray blue...

Clockwise from top left: Capelo hand-woven cotton summer scarf ($59); Crap Eyewear Sunglasses ($56); Ursa Major Travel Face Wipes ($24 for a box of 20); GREI. Indigo Windowpane Bandana($65); Pools by Kelly Klein ($28 and up); Mollusk Baja Beach Short in Navy Ikat ($68); Karen Kimmel Leather Moon Coasters ($36); Armor Lux Striped Pocket Tee ($80).

UNIFORM | Madame Espadrille

Since starting this blog and The Reed, there is one tenet when it comes to products that I am steadfast about: quality. If it's well-made and thoughtfully produced it will be a better investment for you. There are of course some exceptions and one of those is espadrilles. Like a frequently worn pair of Vans, espadrilles aren't really built to last years. Like the season itself, the canvas and jute shoes are fleeting and so made to be enjoyed. This week Madame Espadrille launched out of Ibiza, Spain and we're really digging their fluro colors and summer party vibes—maybe these are that rare pair of espadrilles that we'll only pull out for special occasions. Prices start at $28 (€25) and ship from Spain.

UNIFORM | Capelo Hats

From the instant I laid eyes on a Capelo palm leaf hat I was hooked—the bridle straps, the leather detailing, and the craftsmanship are top notch. Capelo hats was founded by two friends who traveled together from Los Angeles to the rural mountains of Mexico in a school bus—two ladies seeking adventure! They found that, but they also discovered multi-generation hatmakers who make exquisite hats by hand and has fostered a lasting relationship with the artisans who partner with Capelo. We're proud to carry these hats at The Reed, where you can get both the Cholo Chica ($140, photo above) as well as the larger-brimmed Cholo Grande ($140, photo below). Bring on the sunshine.

GIFT GUIDE | Father's Day a la Hemingway

Photo of Mary and Ernest Hemingway on safari in 1953-4 via The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston. 

"Never go on trips with anyone you do not love." —Ernest Hemingway We thought we'd look to Ernest Hemingway for inspiration on this year's Father's Day gift guide—what could more right than Papa?

Clockwise from top left: Brookes Boswell Restored 027 Vintage Felt Hat ($160); Leather and brass key chain ($35); Ursa Major shave cream ($24, Hemingway wasn't always sporting the full beard); Vintage Taylor compass ($55); Kletterwerks Sandstone Totepack ($89); N'East Paper Shark Jaw Notecard ($4.50); Waxed Canvas Dopp Kit ($70); Vintage Victory Brass Wine Opener ($59); Olive Waxed Duffle ($230).

From now until Father's Day (June 21), we're offering domestic shipping at The Reed with the code PAPA15.

p.s. Don't miss our new travel guide: The Native's Napa Valley!

SCENE | Houston, TX.

I'm headed to Houston for a super-quick last minute trip and wondered if any Houstonians out there had some recs for eats, drinks, sees. I've got a pretty good short list so far, but always appreciate some native intel. Thanks y'all!

UNIFORM | Industry Standard Jeans

By Aja Lake

After a futile search for great-fitting jeans with a reasonable price tag, Industry Standard founder Nicole Najafi set out to create the best pair of jeans for the best price. Designed in New York and made in L.A., Industry Standard jeans are produced in small batches and made from fabric sourced from a 110-year-old North Carolina denim mill. The brand's formula includes closely partnering with their factory to turn out modestly priced product while ensuring craftsmanship and transparency in production. The result: an ultra-flattering, go-anywhere staple—these jeans are seriously comfortable, folks. Check out Industry Standard jeans (starting at $95) for premium quality denim. These are the type of pieces that really make up a "uniform", classic, understated, versatile—perfect. 

GIFT GUIDE | Father's Day @ Huckberry

Since starting The Reed, I have grown to respect online retailers even more than I had already, and perhaps none more than Huckberry who continuously innovates without losing sight of its core manifesto. There's always good stuff over there and the atmosphere is never stale. They're also maybe the ultimate resource for looking for cool dad gifts. Here are a few of my pics from their Father's Day Shop!

Clockwise from top left: Render K Brass Pen ($60); Chemex Classic Coffee Maker ($38); Patent Print of the 1990 Porsche 911 ($35); Juniper Ridge Siskiyou Backpacker's Cologne ($53); Woodman's Pal 16.5-inch Knife with Sheath ($70); Filson's Original Briefcase ($265); Olloclip iPhone 4-in-1 Clip on Lens ($70); R Murphy Damariscotta Shucker ($33); Perf La Playa Blanket ($38).

GUIDE | The High Desert

A new travel guide just launched on The Reed—the Low Down on The High Desert featuring a whole bunch of our favorite spots in Joshua Tree, Pioneertown, Wonder Valley and Twentynine Palms and a hiking guide from Cold Splinters' Jeff Thrope. I said this in the intro, but the truest thing I can say about the High Desert is that it's loosely defined by its elevation and geography, and while those metrics can help us understand where the High Desert is, it can't explain what it feels like to be in this otherworldly "gorgeous wasteland" favored by artists, astronomers, cowboys, and conservationists. You may have caught a preview of the Jungmaven High Desert t-shirt on Instagram, but if not, this grass green hemp/cotton blend is up for sale now. The New England shirts are pretty much gone, so get these while they're hot hot hot!

Get more >> Lizzie on Instagram: @lgmettler | The Reed on Instagram: @the_reed_shop

GEAR | Brown Ink x The Reed National Park Stationery Set

The great people from the Minneapolis-based paper company Brown Ink created an exclusive National Park Stationery set ($19) for us at The Reed. It's a handsome set of six letterpress flat cards pressed with vintage blocks on an antique letterpress. The set aims to harness an era when American families would spend their summers touring the country, seeing the continent out of a station wagon window and landing at one of the trusty national parks where they'd set up camp.