On a Golden Streak

I've blogged before about my unhealthy love for sneakers. And my style theme for next season is centered around being a Golden Boy.

So it comes as no surprise that this pair of Puma Black Label shoes turned me on like a light switch. The gold heel against the subtly patterned black mesh creates so much interesting drama that it's like an episode of Downton Abbey. There's a story both upstairs and downstairs.

The gold gives these shoes a sophisticated quality especially against a dark color. The woven print in the mesh creates a point to affirm that these shoes are not run-of-the-mill and should therefore not be worn on a treadmill.

YES
Thank you Puma for making gold metallic sneakers cool and manly.

NO
These shoes won't make you run or walk any faster.

MAYBE
Just like your favorite sports team, you'd committed yourself to another sneaker brand like Nike or Adidas. That must suck for you.

Trendspotting: Marc by Marc Leopard Print Backpack

Saw this leather leopard print backpack on Mr. Porter's site and it got me thinking how this bag artfully combines the feminine touches of leopard with the manly design of a humble backpack.

YES
This is the perfect way to show off that you are the king of the fashion jungle.

NO
This won't get you a date with Katy Perry.

MAYBE
You prefer zebra stripes.

On Your Mark…Get Set…SHOP

Personally, I prefer a quick visit to the gym versus a jaunt at Target at 4 AM in the morning the day before the store even opens for Black Friday.

I fall into the majority of sane people who forgo the bargain-hungry crowds for the casual and impersonal world of online shopping.

Can I touch the fabric or even try it on to make sure it will fit? No.

Is it a hassle to return for the person getting the gift? Yes.

Do you save as much as you do when you line up at the store and make a mad dash to the flat screen TV's and piss-mark on the one that's yours? Probably not.

But I won't get shot at, trampled to death or freeze my ass off outside.

YES
If you want to live, shop online. You can always do a search to see if there's a hidden coupon code to help you save extra for your gift. And if you're like me and most of the people in your life you give gifts to live in a different state, then you're better off shipping it directly to them.

NO
If you have a death wish, love elbowing your way through the crowds and showing off your crazy hoarding side in public, then find your nearest Walmart. But please case the joint before you go. Don't want you to get lost. Eye on the prize!

MAYBE
You don't have a computer and you're in line at Best Buy 5 minutes after finishing your turkey so that next year you can shop online. In this case, you have my blessings. Go get em and make sure to pick up a laptop case too. They're on sale!

Trendspotting: Moist Man Crotch

There are no words to describe how upsetting these Margiela pants make me feel.

From a distance, they just look like a boring pair of dad jeans dyed in that uninspired gray white denim color. But up close, you notice the dark spot just beneath the front zipper and underneath the crotch area.

Is it a mistake? Is it ventilation? Is it fashion?

Not knowing what to make of it kept me bewildered. Who would wear this and if I miraculously found that person, how would he wear it? That's the only intriguing quality about this pair of pants.

It looks like his balls got moist and formed a wet spot just below his scrotum. The look is even worse from behind.

YES
I'm utterly confused.

NO
I do not like it. I do not condone it. I do not wish to look at it again.

MAYBE
You are the designer who thought this is the pant that men have always dreamed of and wanted. You are wrong.

Sweatin' It Out in Leatha Shorts!

These leather sweat shorts from Oak NYC have been on my radar for a while. They did a perforated version of them in the spring that allowed your Joe Boxers to breathe in the heat.

And for fall/winter, they've come out with a simple pair of leather boxer shorts with the wide elastic waist band.

These are so badass even though they will never see the inside of a boxing ring!

Men have had a long relationship with leather ever since a caveman figured to kill and wear the wooly mammoth of their dreams. Most recently, the leather biker jacket was a symbol of being a rebel whose only cause was to make noise with his hog. But the biker cliche has been played out and no longer seen as badass...especially since most men who ride Harley Davidsons are middle-aged yuppies.

Hence my obsession with leather workout shorts. For this new generation of men, their heroes don't straddle motorcycles. For the most part they are the gods of sport who kill the competition with their styles on and off the court. And LeBron James would rock these shorts.

YES
LeBron and I are kindred style spirits (file under: wishful thinking).

NO
If you are one of the middle-aged men with a Harley, you might want to leave this trend to the young kids. So back off grandpa.

MAYBE
You kept your Hammer pants from the nineties and can make them into shorts. All you need is a pair of scissors. Go for it.

Japanese Homeland Invasion of the Good Kind

Trendspotting led me to a blogpost on Racked.com.  They've discovered AKi-Home, a new Japanese version of IKEA, which offers inexpensive home decor and furniture with streamlined modern design. But unlike IKEA, AKI-Home's products are actually called by their English names.

So instead of saying "Uddgrund" you actually say "Shower Curtain."

Think of it as a distant cousin to Muji. But it's bigger.

I can't wait for their NYC invasion. Hopefully they will also have food because I am tired of eating Swedish meatballs.

YES
This is the only acceptable kind of invasion. It's not like Iraq, where America invaded to redecorate its government. This is more like I need a rug to spruce up the place...not a new dictator.

NO
Just because you don't eat sushi doesn't mean that you can't shop here either. Chopsticks have many other uses.

MAYBE
You're in Japan and you've got a Muji and Aki-home on every corner of your Shibuya. This is like your 7-Eleven which will be invading your country if it hasn't already...along with Abercrombie & Fitch. For that I apologize.

Jay-Z x Barneys Collab Review

Saw this today and can I just say "what a disappointment!" It's basically all the stuff that real street people wear on a daily basis but hiked up by 100% because a designer name is tied to it.

For example, the Balenciaga bag looks like something from the Philip Lim x Target collection.

The python Trimmed hat is WAY overpriced for something I can get at New Era.

And who is really buying this stuff anyway? Is it his hardcore fans from the streets? Doubtful. Is it the overpaid NYC bankers who buy boxed seats at his Barclay's Center concert? Most definitely.

Even though this collaboration is supposed to raise money for his charity, wouldn't he have been better off just asking Barney's to give money to the Shawn Carter Foundation; and in turn he could do an in-store concert or appearance?

The only thing from this that I do like are the embroidered leather boxer shorts and the Rick Owens hoodie. The rest of it will end up at a premium outlet store near you.

YES
At least Jay-Z still makes amazing affordable music. And that's all I ever wanted.

NO
No one in their right minds would even shoplift this from the store since Barney's and the NYPD have the sidewalks on Madison Ave on lockdown.

MAYBE
You're a die-hard Jay-Z fan and he can do no wrong. And your name is probably Beyonce.