How to Layer. An SS26 Gear Review by Jamie Ferguson.

We’re back with another Gear Review for medium-time collaborator Stan Ray, this time with an in depth look at the stand out pieces from their SS26 Collection, paying particular emphasis to the ones that lend themselves to being caked, onioned, lasagna’d, pafait’d, MDF’d…

I’m talking about gettin’ LAYERED people.

March, April and May are the perfect months for going unapologetically Tribbianni. Put on as much as you want, so that you can take off as much as you need.

A lot of brands can struggle with Spring Summer collections, after all menswear does benefit from the options the colder weather offers but not so with Stan Ray, who I can always rely on to deliver viable habiliments for sticky season.

I get the impression this time around that they’ve paired back the offering slightly, focusing more on the classics they’re known for; banging bottoms, top-shelf jacketing and, of course, some good ol’ fashioned sweats, tees and hoodies.

What was your Wu-Tang Generator name? Mine? Earth Toned Onion. Okay, maybe not but you might’ve believed me off of this fit right here.

Spring layering is one of my favourite things. The UK is notorious this time of the year for not knowing whether it’s coming or going, meaning you can slap together a whole load of pieces on top of one another as necessary.

I’m a big fan of the blouson-type jacket’s that Stan Ray does and this Gas Jacket in an extremely wearable washed dark brown cotton canvas is right up there. I’ve thrown it over the top of the Painter’s Shirt and wrapped a classic mid-grey sweater around the shoulder’s.

Bottom up, we’ve got the OG Painter Pant. I get so much wear out of my stone-y coloured double knees that I wanted a slightly plainer fronted trew to bear some of the brunt. These are perfect. I can already tell they’re going to be exceptionally durable and get a sense that they’ll wash and fade with the best of them.

As always, high rise and looser through the leg. Yahtzee.

This look I’ve built around the Tour Shirt, a peppy little number which I’ve tried to anchor with an olive CPO Shirt in ripstop and the A-Pant in white cotton.

The shirt is super breathable with coconut buttons, which I found hilarious for some reason, as it evoked images of me sipping one with a straw on a beach somewhere hot, which, frankly, living in Ireland, I need right now. Apparently snow is due next week… Come on!

The shirt and hat can be shoved into the Big Tote should the weather improve.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been playing a lot of Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball on my SNES mini but I find I’m coming over all maudlin about the way I used to dress in the 90’s.

M65 Fishtail Parka // Standard 5 in Black Wash denim // CPO Shirt in Navy Ripstop

To be clear I did not dress like this at high school but I feel like we all had that one kid who used to wear a lot of over-sized mil-surp to class. I never understood that kid but then again I was wearing my Mom’s turtleneck that made me look like a bee with a necklace with my own name spelled out on it round the outside so what the heck did I know?

What I’m getting at is this is my homage to that kid, with a few touches that are full menswear Kool-Aid.

A lot of the gear from this Collection elicits that feeling in me; the desire to be that cool, grunge-y, skater-y, mid-90’s kid. I don’t think that every really left me, its just had a lot of tailoring filtered into it and whether or not I’m actually even there is for the jury to decide. Trying to think if I’ve ever seen a dude do a kickflip in loafers.

Man, they would get wrecked first try…

Coverall Jacket in Ice Stone Denim // Standard 5 in Mid Stone Denim // Stan OG Tee / Stan OG Hood in Navy

Little Boy Blue.

Less ‘little boy’ and MUCH more middle age, skinny-fat man blue but I guess that doesn’t quite have the same ring to it?

I find blue is about the only colour you can mash various shades of together and not look crazy. Imagine wearing a whole bunch of different shades of red? You’d end up like a 3rd grader’s Valentine’s Day card.

This look was inspired by the mighty Jake Woolf, who I’ve seen wearing a lot of hoodies under other forms of outerwear as well as a slouchier take on denim and loafers, which I’m really loving. As I’ve mentioned in previous Stan Ray Gear Review’s, I used to be all about micro managing dem hems so they sat just on top of the shoe but I don’t mind a little puddle these days depending on the outfit.

I have to admit, these days this is pretty much a go to rig for me when I’m doing the school runs in the morning. I find the trick with this is playing around with the proportions, how you choose to layer everything on top of one another and weird little flourishes that add some visual interest e.g. tying the hoodie strings into a cute bow or rolling the hat up into a pocket.

Bonus feature; everything in this ensemble can easily be thrown into the wash if anything gets spilled on it. It will handle those high temps and softeners like a pro which helps as I’m constantly sitting on half eaten food in the car to the point that I’ve earned the nickname ‘Candy Butt’ in my house and not in the way you’d hope…

See more of Jamie here and here.