FEATURE | TIE UP

Translated By DeepL

A discussion on UNIVERSAL OVERALL. Takeshi Toshima looks at quilted jackets from an American casual perspective.
WORKWEAR NEVER ENDS.

A ramble about UNIVERSAL OVERALL.
Takeshi Toshima gives a bird's eye view of quilted jackets from an American casual perspective.

UNIVERSAL OVERALL, born in Chicago in 1924, is a long-established brand that has been pursuing the robustness and functionality of workwear since its establishment. The brand has gained popularity for its simple, masculine looks that cut down on waste and high-quality items that can only be found in workwear.
In the second installment of this project, in which we unravel the secrets of these exquisite items with a stylist who has a keen eye for workwear, Takeshi Toyoshima makes an appearance. In this second installment, we asked Mr. Takeshi Toyoshima to actually try on the clothes and give us his thoughts on the comfort of the items, how they should be styled, and other more practical questions. How do the clothes of "Universal Overalls" look in the eyes of Mr. Toshima, who has seen a lot of clothes?

  • Photo_Masashi Ura
  • Text_Yasuyuki Ushijima
  • Edit_Yuri Sudo

The colorful quilted hoodie seems to fit the mood of the moment.

Q: Mr. Toshima, you wore our inline quilted jacket and quilted hoodie this time.

The quilted jacket is just so light! I thought so. It looks quite thin, but when I actually put it on, I thought it was warm and insulating. It looks like a military liner. It is a picture just by putting it on, and of course, I think it will be useful as an inner layer for heavy outerwear. ...... It seems to be quite useful.

This type of item was quite new to me, as I usually wear heavy clothing such as down jackets in the winter and lighter items such as denim jackets and coveralls in the fall.

I see that the quilted jacket was not an item that you would have chosen for yourself.

To be honest, yes (laughs). I'm the type of person who has never really worn inner down. I do use it in my styling.

What would be a good coordination for this item?

This kind of quilted jacket gives off a classic atmosphere, so it might be better to match it in a traditional way. However, it would be more appropriate if the jacket is worn with a little bit of a twist, rather than in a conservative traditional style. Even with slacks, it would be better to wear an easy type that is a little looser, or a denim jacket that is much thicker, to give the styling more individuality.

I see. That's a good reference. How did you feel when you tried on the quilted hoodie, which is available in four colors (black, olive, coyote, and orange)?

If I were to wear this item, I would be into orange. I have never seen a pullover hoodie with a quilted body before. I think it would look good with a street style.

I think it would look great with a pair of slightly loose corduroy pants, like you have today.

Yes, it is. I think it would be good to choose one size larger and wear it roughly like an anorak. With this orange color, you can wear it under outerwear with the hood out to accentuate the look. The coloring is like the lining of a MA-1, and it looks quite nice, so you may want to use it as a single point of interest. The side zips are also in place, so you can wear it with an inner layer. Perhaps it would be fun to layer it with a short G-janes or something.

It's quite fresh to wear them in such layers.

For me, the quilted hoodie seemed to fit better than the quilted jacket.

When did you first learn of the existence of "UNIVERSAL OVERALL"?

I was aware that the brand has quite a long history, having been established in 1924. In recent years, BEAMS, Beauty & Youth, and other select stores have been carrying the brand, and they have been actively placing special orders, so I have been seeing more and more of them.

What is your impression of the brand itself?

Maybe it's because I've seen the special-order items so far, but I get the impression that the color schemes and silhouettes are very modern workwear. I think it was originally classic workwear, but in my opinion, it's more like "modern workwear.

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