Be what you wanna be as long as you know / Consequences are given for livin'
Mar 24, 2026
Get familiar with the origins of the Oxford shirt and find out which ones Really Rock.
We’re serving up a tasty one from Service Works and a warm one from FA.
Erik Herrera Stuns In New VENTURE PART.
Kash’s Kustom Kicks are Komically Kringe.
Plus, Print Media and Audio/Video Interviews!
💥TUESDAY MEANS WAR💥
GARM OF THE WEEK
The Oxford Shirt (600-700 words)
TheOxfordshirt has been around since the 18th century. The basket-woven cotton was developed in Scotland and named for the famed Oxford University. Its iconic heavy weave gives it a durable quality that maintains softness.
Brooks Brothers introduced the modern version in 1896, standardizing features like the button-down collar and back pleat. Polo players (on the horses and shit, like the Polo guy) made these adjustments DIY-style to allow for more movement while they were playing, and it turns out the freedom of movement is good for pretty much everyone else too! This version first got traction with the masses as an alternative to stiff dress shirts with suits, then was adopted by the actual prep and Ivy set that went on to inspire generations of Brands.
Ralph’s take was first released in the late 60’s, and J. Crew and others pushed a Mall prep boom in the 90’s to further cement the garm as a Motherfuckin’ Must. In more recent times, the Uniqlo Oxford had a stranglehold on WDYWT thread across the sneaker internet (for good reason).
We often sing the praises of Versatility in garms. So much of the modern world champions extreme Specialization, whether that’s single-purpose jawns or single-focus people, and disregards the importance of Generalization. You could wear an Oxford to a wedding or a skate session. Open or closed. With any style of Pants! Even with track pants like the Palace blads! Wardrobes should be full of this type of Utility garm for all missions. Another key ingredient for The Perfect Garm is that it should look better with wear. Needless to say: Check!
Ralph is the blueprint for the best, and imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Every Ralph-wannabe from J. Crew to ALD has its version. Supreme’s is the best. Materials and fit have stayed strong and consistent through the years, they always find new ways to set them off each season, and they usually keep the branding and graphics minimal.
This particular shirt has been around in “streetwear” forever for good reason. Uniqlo offers Really Good Clothes for Really Good Prices and has kept it consistent all these years. They are a go-to for wardrobe staples like Oxfords and sweaters at an affordable cost for all Soldiers. They frequently collaborate with Japanese designers like Engineered Garments and NEEDLES to allow more Soldiers to access The Best Shit, and maintain ongoing partnerships with JW Anderson and Lemaire for the same reason. Uniqlo’s Oxford is marketed as slim fit but we would say it’s more on the regular side. They recently introduced an on-trend oversized fit, but we haven’t had good experiences with other brands’ oversized fit Oxfords so hesitate to recommend uniqlo’s. We’re far from Trad, but this is one area where we must respect the OG and not Fuck with a Good Thing.
Antonio Ciognoli spent time as a designer at Ralph Lauren before launching 18 East, where he takes influence from a diverse background and handmade Indian textiles to produce The Best Fleece In The Game, really strong basics, and outstanding versions of icons like cargos, mountain jackets, and Oxfords (duh). Theirs is cut the way it ought to be, which is to say just relaxed enough to allow for full freedom of movement. Each colorway features an Indian “Bhuti” flower hand-embroidered flower at the left side seam. We recently came up on the Pink version (long story but thanks, Ted) that’s dyed in a traditional Indian method called Dabu, a time-intensive process that requires painting the design in mud then allowing it to dry and crack before hand dyeing to finish. The result is a slightly trippy and Very Vibey Oxford as only 18 East can do it.
Oxford cotton can also mix well with other shirt patterns. The service-ready shirt by Service Works uses blue Oxford cotton on their Waiter Shirt style for a unique spin. It’s never easy to execute a mashup garm, but they smashed this one. We especially love the box pleat, which was originally designed to add greater freedom of movement. This is a smart addition to a shirt meant to be worn by busy servers during the hustle and bustle of a busy shift. Service Works is a TWR favorite because they take inspiration from the ancient ritual of breaking bread together. These garms pay homage to the backbone of every restaurant dining experience, the service staff, and we Salute those Unsung Soldiers as well. Sharing a meal is one of the most important human experiences that has kept our circles bonded and strong since the dawn of time. But the importance of these critical social experiences is being underlined in the modern era of Devices and Solitude. Shout out to Service Works for the reminder to grab a bite with the homies after the session instead of rushing home.
FA’s apparel program has really been cracking since the beginning, coming hard with well-made garms of all cut-and-sew varieties that are oft overlooked by the kids fiending for tees and hats with the word “fucking” blasted on ‘em. A lot of FA bangers have unfortunately been ruined by giving the people what they want (silly edginess). This jacket is on the edge of ruin, but thankfully they went with the “FA” logo and stuck to tonal outlining for a subtle edge rather than a full-on assault of branding. A cotton puffer is exactly the type of wild innovation that FA brings to the table, unafraid to experiment with Shit nobody else is doing. Topping it off with that wax treatment adds critical winter water resistance in the form of classic and under-utilized textile work from a bygone era before the rise of Synthetics. Less is more, so we would’ve left off the huge back graphic, but we appreciate the aforementioned tonal outline that doesn’t absolutely ruin an otherwise terrific garm. All in all, this is another lowkey banger from a brand that continues churning ‘em out.
SOLDIER OF THE WEEK
Erik Herrera
Erik Herrera is as smooth as it gets! If you haven’t checked his new Venture part, we recommend getting your ass to Youtube immediately to experience the definition of “stee” in motion. As per usual with a VENTURE PART, Herrera rips a variety of spots for 2 minutes of straight Bangers and Finesse. He blasts over street gaps with ease, unassuming garms flapping from the speed just like his long locks. The kits are unassuming but stylish, keeping it clean in minimally-branded Huf stuff and Converse One Stars. Like many legends before him, he favors brown and khaki and check shirts. If they shot this in VX it could probably pass for a 90’s clip. In a sea of graphic tees and hoodies, Erik rarely chooses either. And now that the braces are off? Sheeeeeit. This guy is Up! Erik Herrera cannot be Fucked With. Neither can Venture. Awake.
ENEMY OF THE WEEK
Custom Sneakers
Custom sneakers were booming in the early 2010’s. Every other day there was a new Complex post about the latest celebrity custom that Mache whipped up. Every sneakerhead at least thought about making their own customs. Nike revived and beefed up iD options to ride the wave. The moment eventually ended, as they always do, but an unfortunate few still haven’t realized it. For many reasons, customs are still going around and they’ve only gotten worse. Some customizers are still doing it For The Love Of The Game, which we commend to some degree. But some guys are frozen in time wearing customs and Yeezys and Shit. There’s a subset of Millennials that display very Boomer-like tendencies, chiefly remaining Stuck In The Past for one reason or another. Many men of a certain age are stuck dressing like it’s still 2015, frozen in early adulthood in more ways than just their outfits, but the clothes make it most obvious.
Make your sneakers your own, by all means! Teenagers have a time-honored tradition of scrawling shit on their sneakers in Sharpie or White-Out. Alpha skaters show off their rips as a form of dominance. Most dudes don’t even notice the signature scuffs and scrapes that make their shoes unique to them. Leave actually customized shoes to professional hoopers with PEs.
A word of advice if you happen to end up with your very own pair of customized kicks: put them on display or put them away. Do Not Wear Them! We’ll admit that bespoke sneakers make a great gift for the right occasion and/or recipient. But after you dance your ass off as the Best Man in that wedding you need to put them in the closet for good. Many make the mistake of bringing custom sneakers, especially very niche or Very Loud ones, into their rotation. This ends up like a vanity license plate on a car where people are mostly staring at the sneakers trying to figure out what the Fuck they are rather than thinking, “whoa, sick!”
An elite group of Clueless Losers Who Know Nothing About Being Tight not only gift themselves custom kicks, but they also proudly wear them in public thinking they’re Flexing. Well known Pathetic Loser Kash PateLOL recently unveiled sneakers done up in honor of himself, celebrating his job as head of the FBI and including a bunch of goofy logos like a Punisher skull and his own personal logo (!). Kash’s Kustomz violate so many rules that they end up looking like some abominations your kid throws a tantrum to get, which is befitting for the first child ever to be director of the FBI. Loud colors? Check. Lots of different logos? Check. Generic shoe as the canvas? Check. (Aside, this is painful for us to write. The Jordan 1 is our favorite silhouette of all time. But it lost its luster when the bosses flooded the market with excessive variations and collaborations. Same story with the Dunk. Leave the golden geese to themselves). The only difference between these and kids shoes is Kash’s don’t light up!
ADDITIONAL INTELLIGENCE
PLANK
Issue 2 of PLANK magazine has arrived from TWR Commanders Sam Korman and Maxwell Harrison-Caldwell featuring contributions from many more. The theme of the issue is Dance, with the graceful maneuvering of Brad Cromer on the cover and the likes of Finn Pope, Max Palmer, and Zak Anders dancing inside. Grab a subscription here.
Mike Gigliotti on The Bunt
Mike Gigliotti is vulnerable and open in his new interview with the guys at The Bunt`. Stories about early Supreme, coast-to-coast moves, and Baker. His interviews are always a must-listen.
You’re now up to speed on the latest from the battlefield. Use this intel wisely and pass it on to others who may need our guidance. We can’t win the war unless we’re in it together. $5 TWR sticker packs available here.
