Product Review: Puma by Rudolf Dassler Strassenmeister Mid

I love the shoes. I've been wanting a pair of Strassenmeisters for a long time. I had bought shoes from this website but never thought to look for Pumas until a month ago. I was afraid I would see typical Puma shoes rather than their lifestyle collections. I was surprised to see the Puma by Rudolf Dassler under Black Label; this is must be a way to market them in the US.



The thing I love about these is how dressy they are compared to the typical Puma collection. There is a sense of refinement and, do I dare say considering it is a hi-top, class. One feature that may put some off is the color migration. Since the shoe is predominately suede, some of the colors will shift. It almost gives the impression the shoe is a bit more worn than normal. I don't mind this at all but to some might be put of by it.

I do love the ankle strap but do be careful. Tightening them too tight might be detrimental to the shoe, as mine has rubbed a little into the tongue and split the material. So beware of that. Other than that the Strassenmeisters in black are really cool sneakers. I would recommend them to a friend who wants a psuedo lux lifestye hightop.

Denim Love Redux

I am not the only denim fanatic on this planet but of everyone I know, one thing is for sure, I love denim like nobody's business. Growing up I was always crazy for it.

I love wearing them. I love taking care of them. I hope you love denim as much as I do.

Sources to help you love your jeans

• Nudie Jeans Care Guide
• Naked and Famous Jean Evolution
  

Puma Social

"Forget calorie counting, fitness training, and hydration levels. PUMA Social reminds us that we are all athletes, even if the only time we run is to catch a cab home. From ping pong and foosball to darts and karaoke, PUMA Social is dedicated to after hours sports. Because we know it takes just as much effort to score a phone number as it does to score a goal."

Puma Social

100 Legendary Trunks

Louis Vuitton provides a sneak peak of the upcoming book about their history of trunks. Definitely a coffee table book I want to own.



'This exceptional book showcases the most beautiful creations of the House through more than eight hundred photographs. Many incredible pieces are featured here, along with the equally incredible stories of their creation. Available from October 2010.'

Official: Lanvin and H&M collab ready for stores on November 23

“Lanvin is the latest brand to collaborate with H&M, with previous collections designed by the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Comme des Garçons and Sonia Rykiel. In a new twist, the Lanvin for H&M collection will be revealed to the world through a special film which will be launched on November 2. The film will be available for all to see online at www.hm.com. Following the film’s debut, it will be just three weeks before customers have the chance to get their hands on a covetable piece of Lanvin for H&M.”

Designed by Lanvin’s artistic director Alber Elbaz, and menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver, the collection will go on sale on November 23 in around 200 H&M stores worldwide. The collection of both womenswear and menswear will be revealed to the world on November 2, just three weeks before the clothes hit the store, making the launch of Lanvin for H&M among the most anticipated fashion events of the year."

Sneaker Pimp: Vans Sophie

The Vans' Sophie shoe is now available for sale. I remember when Nylon magazine did a video of visiting the Vans headquarters, these beautiful shoes were on display for upcoming shoes. Now these suckas are for sale!

Visit the Vans store to see them

Sneaker Pimp: Gourmet Quattro Skate

Gourmet recently unveiled their Quattro Skate shoe. It resembles a chukka with some suede on the outer part of the shoe... probably for durability when busting out ollies and 360 flips.

Gourmet Quattro Skate

H&M x Lanvin

H&M and Lanvin will be unveiling a collaboration on September 9th. This was posted today at the Women's Wear Daily site:

According to market sources, the Swedish fast-fashion giant will unveil a project with Lanvin and its creative director, Alber Elbaz, within the next week.

On Tuesday, H&M launched a viral video campaign on its Web site and YouTube to build curiosity about its annual holiday designer tie-up. A series of black-and-white videos features stereotypical fashion designer types: a man in a skinny dark suit; a woman in an outlandish blouse and chunky jewelry.

Esquivel Shoes

I love handmade products. Check out this video from Esquivel.

Esquivel from David Hubert on Vimeo.

Product Review: G-Star 3301 Straight in Format Grey

Several months ago I was browsing through my closet and noticed a huge lack of variety in my denim washes. Most of the jeans I had were raw indigo jeans, which is kind of lame. So by coincidence Idoru had these killer Italian-made gray G-Star 3301 straight jeans for $210.



They are currently my favorite jeans in my lineup. They go well with my white shoes, such as the Augur Samovar and Clae Russell in patent white.



There are really well made jeans. I am a huge fan of them and will probably buy them in a number of washes. The fabric is soft yet rigid. Check them out if you have the chance and the money to splurge on a set of denim!

Gas Research Denim

Gas Jeans recently launched its new Research Denim line. What makes this experimental series intriguing is the lack of seams. Those are replaced by a heat bonding technique. Sounds cool. Too bad it is primarily for the gals. Now if I can only see them for myself.

Diesel going down another path

The other day I was reading Details, a men's fashion magazine, which featured an interview with Renzo Rosso, the owner of Diesel. Renzo stated that Diesel got carried away with going upmarket and will change its direction. What that direction is, I have no idea but he stated expect changes to be seen within six months to a years time.

Getting Bogged Down

True Religion. Just hearing those two words can slow my day down immensely. If there is any brand I dislike with great discord, it would be True Religion, even more so than the trite Coach.

I enjoy helping out customers but my desire to assist them finding clothes drop to nothing whenever I am asked, 'do you guys have any True Religions?' If I could compare it to a thermometer, hot being I would love to help and cold being lowly partcipation, I would be sub-zero. I have no desire to engage with the customer's needs.

What makes it difficult is if the customer cannot talk about any other denim company on the planet that isn't from the Buckle or some boutique that only retails Rock and Republic and jibber jabbers about True Religions to no end. "I love True Religions. I've tried this and that but oh my gosh I love me my True Religions." It is very depressing.

Good Transparency: Modern Retail

I use the internet a lot before making my decisions on purchasing a product. I try to take user reviews with a grain of salt but they do have an influence if whether or not I might buy something.

Florence and the Machine

Florence and the Machine are one of my current musical obsessions. Florence Mary Leontine Welch is from southern London and offers a wide variety of singing ability. The songs vary from Kate Nash-like to Goldfrapp. My favorite song is 'Dogs Day Are Over,' which Anna stated it would compliment a fantastic women's breast cancer awareness ad.

Product Review: G-Star Augur Samovar Sneakers

I ordered these shoes from the ASOS website on Christmas Day. It took until the 7th of January for them to arrive in my mail box. Some can picture how excited I was when I opened the box and started wearing them around the apartment.



The first thing I noticed is how the shoe does not look or feel like anything like a sneaker. The Augur Samovar is more akin to military jungle boot morphed into a sneaker, which explains why it does not confine movement to traditional trainers. It provide similar dynamic ankle and foot movement found in lightweight running shoes but possibly even better, as it uses a mesh on both sides of the shoe.



I love the way the shoes look and feel but they do come with one fault. The suede padded heel collar provides ample protection and snugness but yet is picks up blue indigo dye easily from jeans since it is white. Some might be able to notice the subtle dry bleeding.To keep them in tip-top shape will be a chore since most of my jeans are raw with very few washings, which I feel the collar will without a doubt turn bluish.

I strongly recommend these shoes because they offer great visual appeal and a great level of support but buy a pair in another tone.

Product Review: G-Star Raw Reese Classic

Yes, I am a G-Star fanatic. Many of the jeans I own are from the raw denim specialist. This pair I have owned for a long while now but were the first pair I bought in the state of Colorado. These were purchased at Polar Revolution in Aspen while Anna and I were staying at Glenwood Springs for Spring-break. You can imagine the elation when I found what is the best source for G-Star in the state of Colorado.



The Reese Classic is just that, a classic G-Star jean reintroduced. Although I love the new Astro jeans I bought not long ago, the Reese Classic holds a very special place in my heart. They are a straight leg (17" leg opening) that looks unbelieveably good. If still produced, I highly recommend these to any guyt. Key thing, get the right leg length because they are a tad bit too long. Other than that they are one of the few perfect jeans I own.

G-Star Raw @ Idoru

What is probably the best boutique in Colorado Springs will finally seperate and distance itself from others in the Peak region with one new simple acquisition: G-Star Raw (The only thing people seem know around here is True Religion and Joe's Jeans). Yes, starting in January (no exact date specified) I may have less of a reason to visit the stores in Denver and Aspen, as I loathe travelling to vendors who offer very little.


The first time I went to Idoru I was clamoring for to carry G-Star. It is a perfect fit. Also I selfishly want a location closer to me. I will still visit many online sources but it brings me much unbridled joy to know Idoru will likely have something I am looking for. What is also really cool is now the boutique carries SuperDry! Check them out. They are starting to carry things that I am heavily interested in.

Oh yea, Since I am a guy and there are many women who are reading this, I will let you know Idoru will have G-Star Raw for women. Now I wonder if they will carry the G-Star Correct or Marc Newsom lines!

Random Find: G-Star Raw Magazine

Magazine Link

G-Star's new Magazine is out. For those, like me, whose newspaper stand does not carry such material can read it through the link I supplied. It covers the concept behind G-Star to an exciting look at the Elwood jean introduced in 1996.

Product Review: WeSC Oboe headphone

I am a fanatic for good music. As much as I like to share what I am listening to, I love owning a great pair of headphones to keep things to myself. When I found out that WeSC started producing phones I was immediately interested.



I read a couple sites mentioning these headphones are not the best in the WeSC line-up. I am no audiophile but I think they are pretty good; especially since I only paid 55 + tax for them. I love the design and how they fit, which are the key components for me buying them. Check out the other headphones from WeSC at their website.