From the I never knew this file of my mind comes this little snippet of education. I always loved the Filson travel kit (also available in Tan) as it reminded me of the one my Father always touted around but never knew they were also called a Dopp kit until I stumbled across this great article. Read it here and also after the jump if the link is broke. Pretty interesting I thought.

Have Dopp, will travel

BY CHRISTOPHER PARKER   July 13, 2010 12:07

Once upon a time long, long ago, when travel by air spared us the indignity of cramming tiny shampoo bottles into plastic bags under the malevolent glare of former high-school bullies, adolescent boys were given the gift of a Dopp kit as they transitioned into adulthood.

A Dopp kit is a toiletry bag for men, invented by Charles Doppelt in 1919 (although some claim it was actually his nephew Jerome who did the inventing) and later issued to American GIs in WWII. Much like everything else in men’s military style, these were a hit with civilians when soldiers returned stateside, leading to the company being purchased by Samsonite in the 1970s.

Although mostly replaced these days by nylon bags — replete with mirrors, pockets and other unnecessary doohickeys — that are basically the fanny packs of luggage, a classic Dopp kit in leather or waxed cotton is something that every guy should still have as part of their travel gear. Filson makes a great kit in the same material as their field bags, but don’t discount eBay as a source for a vintage one, which aren’t too hard to find in decent shape.

So, while there’s little one can do about the current state of air travel, a small and relatively inexpensive luggage upgrade can at least make things feel a bit more civil.

End note: once you have your Dopp kit, its time to fill it with some decent products. Jack Black, available at Holt Renfrew, makes some great travel size items just for men. Fear not — the company has nothing to do with the actor.

I always find it interesting when I see the impact of American Culture in foreign countries. I’ve seen a few articles popping up about the spread of American Heritage clothing in other countries. I knew Japan for example always liked USA Boots from Red Wing and Chippewa but it appears to be spreading to other countries with  other brands as well. Read this article here and also after the jump in case the link is broke.

Now that there’s a Red Wing concept store in Berlin, you can buy Filson in Paris, and scarves from Brooklyn’s Hill-Side have made it to Amsterdam and Trieste, it’s clear that the fetishization of American “heritage” style is no longer just for American men. And few shops in Europe are more faithfully dedicated to heirloom denim and classic work wear than the new Stockholm shop Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold. The name alone, taken from a Townes Van Zandt classic, is like Carhartts incarnate. The shop, in Södermalm, the city’s answer to Brooklyn and the only party of town that could be called gritty, is outfitted almost entirely in unfinished knotty pine boards; they line the walls and form blocky benches and tables for merchandise that includes Mr. Freedom work shirts, Quoddy moccasins, Pendleton blankets and Wesco motorcycle boots. And true to the cult of craftsmanship, the narrative behind every company the store does business with is highlighted on its Web site. The expertly focused selection of brands includes plenty of international origin — canvas satchels from Brady Bags of England, founded in 1877; Grunden rain gear (Sweden, 1926); jeans by The Real McCoy’s (Japan, 1990) — but the effect is nonetheless a mashup of styles that feels unmistakably American. Easy rider meets California gold miner meets New England stevedore, all crammed into your dad’s tool shed, circa 1976.