February 24, 2015

Written By Timothy Nguyen

“A short-term shop for long-term goods”. That’s how Pop Up Flea, an appropriately named store that opens for only a weekend at a time in NYC, Detroit, Tokyo, and London, describes themselves. Each opening, or event, hand selects a number of designers in order to create a momentary wonderland for the menswear enthusiast. This past December, I had the fortune of attending their last event of the year in NYC.

The moment I stepped inside, I was handed a free tote bag and presented with the opportunity to enter a giveaway for a Filson Bixby bicycle.

The place was absolutely stuffed with people, and there was an overwhelming selection of 80 brands/retailers to choose from, including Levi’s, New Balance, Rogue Territory, Steven Alan, and Woolrich. Check out the complete list of all in attendence to the NYC event here. I stopped by 3Sixteen first, a NYC based brand known for providing quality American raw denim. Their dressing room were constructed with piping and raw denim, and they offered on-the-spot hemming as well. Raw denim enthusiasts in NYC or LA should definitely stop by their shop and talk to Johan, Spencer or Andrew.

Since I’ve been in the market for a new pair of boots, I was really excited when I stopped by the booth for Oak Street Bootmakers, a Chicago brand that specializes in handcrafted shoes and boots. The only store I know of that stocks them is Nordstrom, which unfortunately never has my size in stock. They provided an interesting contrast with my Thom Browne suit. Although these boots were very comfortable, since I couldn’t find a spot for them that would fit within my aesthetic, I decided to pass on them.

I also stopped by Ernest Alexander and Brooklyn Circus.

I wasn’t very excited Brooklyn Circus’s branding but they offered some really good cuts and prints/patterns. On me, sleeves of the varsity was a little long but it was surprising to see how well it fit off-the-rack on my smaller frame. The overall aesthetic of the crowd at PUF would best be described as “Americana”. I definitely felt a little bit out of place in my Thom Browne getup amongst the sea of workwear inspired gear, but many of the booths I stopped by seemed to recognize what I was wearing. Even though none of the brands offered really fit in with my personal aesthetic, I am really glad I stopped by and had the opportunity to support smaller local businesses.

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