This blog features Orvis products that our associates or our customers particularly enjoy or appreciate for their quality, utility, and comfort.
Written by: Deb German
‘Tis the season for fresh greenery festooned with pretty ornaments, tinsel, and twinkling lights: the unmistakable aroma and inspired beauty of a cut Christmas tree come but once a year. For many the Christmas tree stands as the centerpiece of this celebratory season of comfort and joy…
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Down is one of the most tried and true insulating agents available for clothing and bedding. For hundreds of years people worldwide have worn down to stay warm. Russian trading records dating back to the 1600s list bird down as a popular textile. Today, down continues to be a desirable insulator for jackets, since it provides maximum loft, which in turn retains heat more effectively at a lighter overall weight than any other natural insulator. Thanks to technology, however, synthetic insulation has given us increasingly better alternatives to down for insulating jackets, sleeping bags, and more. Let’s take a look at two of the most popular down alternatives for jackets to see how it can keep you warm without adding unnecessary weight…
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Finding the perfect gift for a person with persnickety taste, while shopping on a budget, can be a challenging task. Fortunately, at Orvis we’ve curated some of the best gifts under $100 for men, women, the home, kids and dog lovers, to make your holiday shopping for everyone on your list, simple, enjoyable, and most of all, rewarding. Here’s a sampling of some of our favorites from this holiday season’s gifts under $100…
Read MoreWritten by: Deb German
Autumn engages the senses. The distinct smell of dry foliage is the harbinger of what lies ahead, a last perfumed breath before the landscape lies frozen and dormant. Apples and pumpkins, wood smoke and conifers: these sensory reminders and others of their ilk take us by the hand (or grab us by the shoulders), and lead us down a pathway awash with memories, to our own cherished fall traditions, summer occasionally lingering awhile in the rear view mirror…
Read MoreWritten by: Deb German
Well plenty, that’s what. All I can say is, traveling with two shepherd puppies, no dog crates, and one small child on a twisty mountain road somehow seemed like a good idea at the time.
Traveling with dogs is always challenging, with some dogs more than with others. Traveling unprepared for doggish situations is just plain stupid. No matter how seasoned you may consider yourself where dogs are concerned, you always need a travel crate, even if you elect not to use it. Always. I speak with the wisdom of one who was a party to unfortunate decision-making on an ill-fated trip with a pair of puppies, even when I should have known better. (Not to worry, everything came out okay. So to speak.)
Read MoreWritten By: Deb German
Bet your dog rests her head in your lap opportunistically, just like she does on the sofa or chair’s armrest if you routinely allow her on the furniture. It should come as no surprise that dogs love head support: it’s a naturally comfortable position for them, and the bolster bed gives your dog the same kind of buttress when your lap is unavailable.
Bolster Dog Beds: Supported Comfort
It’s what bolsters are all about. Your own nighttime ritual probably includes at least some wakefulness in bed: reading, working on your laptop, a little late-night telly. Bolsters have long made themselves useful tucked under a pile of pillows; they give us the lumbar support we need to sit up comfortably in bed and elsewhere…
Written by: Jeremiah Greco
The use of wool in textiles dates back as far as 3000 B.C., having been used for garments in some of the earliest civilizations. Naturally insulating, water-repellent, durable, and often anti-microbial, wool has long served as a go-to textile for garments. That history is what makes the wool sweater such a classic style for men. From fishermen in Ireland’s northern villages to shepherds in the highlands of the Middle East, the wool sweater has stood the test of time and guarantees itself a place in your wardrobe for decades to come…
Read MoreWritten by: Deb German
Packing the best travel clothing is as much about dressing in layers as it is about the specific women’s travel wardrobe you choose.
This is a cautionary tale of sorts, a manifesto for the woman with wanderlust. I’ve had occasion to travel alone for lengthy visits to New York City several times in recent years, but did not possess a stitch of women’s travel clothing, unseasoned as I was. In my defense, I got smarter each time, but also broke a few cardinal travel rules: I packed a mountain of clothing in an enormous, unwieldy bag; almost everything I brought needed pressing when I arrived; and I stupidly purchased stylish, new shoes for my first trip. That last bit was possibly the most poorly conceived decision of all. My feet suffered needlessly for days because of it, even after I abandoned the offending shoes.
Read MoreWritten by: Jeremiah Greco
What’s the difference between tattersall and gingham, or between plaid and tartan? Is there any? Some may look at patterned, long-sleeved men’s shirts and think they’re all the same – crossing lines or checks in different color schemes. But each of those patterns has a history all its own. So let’s take a look at what makes each shirt design different.
Read MoreWritten by: Jeremiah Greco
You see them everywhere – maybe you even have a pair or two. Chukka boots are a staple of gentlemen’s style, but not every man has stepped into this classic piece of men’s footwear. If you’re on the fence about adding a pair of suede or leather chukka boots to your wardrobe, hopefully a look at chukkas then and now will help you decide to give these handsome boots a try.
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