Vintage Army in Ingelstorp

Last Thursday we went for dinner at a small restaurant housed in a former car mechanics shop in Ingelstorp, a small village on the Swedish Southeastern coastal region of Österlen. Had some great Isterband with Peroni beer, and Raspberry Sorbet for dessert.

In a corner of the restaurant a guy had a sales area of vintage military clothing. Absolutely wonderful stuff. Heritage stuff. Museum stuff. The Roots of Sportswear.

My best buy by far were three great red t-shirts, eternally washed out, used by Bristish Army soldiers (some names still written on the inside; I have private Watkins'). I also bought a pair of 1962 French army chinos, the style they wore in the war in Algeria. High Camus content. Two khaki Belgian Army detachable turtlenecks (that is, the necks only), a Italian thick white cotton sailors' shirt from the 70ies, and French sailor's bag, a Swedish Army khaki shirt from the 60ies (beautiful lead buttons, and washed out to The English Patient desert fade) and a French Army canvas belt.

I left a very happy camper, but 300 euros poorer. Not cheap, but great stuff. I would have left with an Italian sailors jacket, some US Army shorts, and a British Indian Army shirt had he just had my (rather too large) size. The guy who runs it is Rickard Johansson, and his little compamy is called Ocean Desert http://www.ocdesert.com/
He knows his vintage army stuff. Great guy.