Not Just for Sneakerheads...

Nice read from Ball Don't Lie's Kelly Dwyer. Sports aren't going to be a regular topic here at SneakersCultureLife, but I thought this blog was a great example of how sneakers branch out past our "small" sneaker collecting community. Fashionistas, jocks and everyone in between can appreciate an icon and an iconic shoe when one comes around. Cool kicks aren't just for Sneakerheads.

3 & 4: Combos

09.18.2010 - Two events on one Saturday opens up the opportunity for a One Hundred x One Hundred double-dip. It doesn't (and probably won't) happen too often, so I have to take advantage of these double headers if I want to stay on a good pace. That being said, the baby dedication and date night scheduled for the morning and evening of the 18th set up the exact scenario I need to look for.

Early on, when I was still building my shoe collection, I had a lot more clothes than shoes. Before I went out, I would pick what I would be wearing, then pick the shoes that matched. As my collection grew, the tables turned. Because I had more shoes than clothes and wanted to keep the shoes in good rotation, I had to pick my shoes first and then coordinate the clothes after. When it got to the point when my sneaker collection outgrew my wardrobe, I would only buy new clothes if I knew I already had shoes to match -or else, I would have to buy the shoes to match the new clothes and that would just be a bad cycle, considering I already had too many as it was (1). But I digress...

Part One

The dedication was a lunch affair -a family event with reception at Maggiano's. Combining two of my favorite things, family and food, was a sure-fire great way to start a Saturday. I felt that the "Alohas" would be a nice shoe for the event. The green was highlighted during the day, the hemp weave added unique style and the dark and natural colors toned it down enough that I wouldn't look inappropriately dressed. The sweater I paired with them was a Christmas gift from my sister a few years back. She bought it for me saying, "I knew that you had shoes that matched it already." Fact of the matter was, I didn't. However, it gave me a perfectly good excuse to pick up the Dunks I'd been eyeing.

Aloha

Our table was the only "young adults" table at the event, but it was definitely the right one to be at. Conversation flowed like the free refills on iced tea I was getting all day. Topics ranged from:

- "Snooky said it; it must be true." -Samantha

- Twitter: follow me!

- Astrid wanting to buy a Nate Kaeding jersey (the kicker? really?)

- Niki Minaj and Drake are just Lil Wayne carbon copies, except one is a girl and one sings

- Mainstream hip-hop is incestuous

- "Pork butt" is actually pork shoulder

- Foie Gras (I'm a sucker for foie gras... and french fries.)

- Jirael learning to "get low" when running the football -> Sam's friends met Lil Jon and call him "Lil Johnny"

- Facebook "social etiquette": how soon is too soon to add someone?

- Aunty Sharon loves Justin Bieber

- "I don't know.. if you wanted to make your food more salty. I'm just saying.." -Samantha, in reference to picking your nose

- Lady Gaga -> the meat dress -> the purpose of her "creation" -> the positive affect she has on "outcasts" in society -> the negative affect she has on music as a whole, and subsequently the world

Random. Fun. Great. The weather was awkward all week, but when we got outside, it was nice and sunny -ideal strolling weather.

Nike Dunk Low - Khaki/Baroque Brown -Mean Green ["Alohas"]

[Nike x KicksHawaii collaboration]

+ Gap Zip Cardigan + Levi's 514 Premium

When all was said and done, we left Santana Row in the late afternoon. I had to get home to change for my date!

Part Two

It seems like it's been forever since Kara and I have gone out out for a date date, so I wanted to take her somewhere fun. Golfland? Perfect. Now, what to wear? In this instance, I picked the sweater first due to the activity and outside conditions. For the footwear to match, I dug deep into the archives for a pair of Dunks I haven't worn in over a year. Though they've been with me since 2003, I retired them a while back to try to preserve whatever freshness they had left. Welcome back, old friend.

out of retirement for one night

The story behind this sweater is much different than the last. I've had the Stone/Mesa's for years, but never really had something that matched well. When I found it at a shop in San Diego, I knew it was exactly what I'd been looking for. Later, wanting to give that pair a rest, I purchased different pair of brown and orange Dunks almost solely so I could continue wearing the sweater.

Date night was a lot of fun. Mini golf ended in a tie (a story for the kids) and we capped the night off with a long awaited trip to Five Guys Burgers and Fries in Fremont. If you don't know, cheeseburgers are my favorite food. Though they conveniently package all four basic food groups, that isn't the reason I love them. I love them because they are delicious. =)

Nike Dunk Low Pro - Light Stone/Mesa Orange -Paul Brown ["Stone Mesa's"]

+ LRG Knit Button Hoody + Levi's 514 Premium

I won't drag this out any longer with my take on the experience (check out my Yelp page for that story), but I will say that I really liked Five Guys Burgers and would definitely go back. It's definitely worth trying if you haven't already.

After finishing my first full week of training as a Law Enforcement Clerk, a fun and eventful Saturday was just what the doctor ordered. The string of good times has truly been a blessing, but has reminded me to never take things for granted -enjoy your life and enjoy your loved ones. Peace.

{currently in the speakers: Rick Ross f. Drake, Chrisette Michelle - Aston Martin Music}

(1) Let's be real though. You can never have too many shoes...

*Bonus Section*

THE table

Tiramisu. yeuup.

Five Guys Burger "with everything"

good?

GOOD

But in the end... (ya, I posted that one.

Kara made me take it down though.)

(Photo Assist Credits: Gabriel Hipol, Kara Pacis -thanks)

2: Friday Night Lights

09.17.2010 - I've never been to a high school football game before. While I was at Independence, I attended church on Friday nights. Plus, the fact that none of my friends played for our school and our team was just overall pretty bad gave me no incentive to ever want to go. That being said, I attended my first high school football game this Friday.

There was excitement in the air as JR and I walked onto Mount Pleasant High School's athletic field. We missed the early JV game, but we made it just in time to see the varsity play under the Friday night lights...

"Hype is something that's not for real. I'm all real."

-Boobie Miles, Friday Night Lights

The boys in our family have always been football fans even though none of us got to play. JR came close, but transfered schools. I never really got into playing sports until I was in college. Mel tried out one year, but due to a combination of circumstances, he didn't end up playing for the team. And it was a similar story for Jether.

Last winter, we started a bit of a casual football mini-league. What started as our Sunday post-afternoon/ pre-night NFL game on the side street next to Vista Verde eventually evolved into a Saturday morning, cleats, flags and cones weekly ritual. We got up early to get the most playing time in before it got too warm. Teams were mixed up according to matchups and we played every Saturday for several months (except when it rained). It was exciting because everyone was dedicated and got really into it. I even planned out a decently elaborate touchdown celebration for when I would hit the end zone every week including: Lebron James' pre-game "powder"; New Year's hat, streamer poppers and blow horn; and the "everyone get in the picture" celebration.

As serious as we were about the game, we never kept score and spread the ball out so everyone got a chance at action. No one got seriously hurt and everyone always had fun. I'd like to hope that those games were part of the reason Jirael and Gabo ended up going out for the team this year -so we could all live our high school football careers vicariously through them.

Nike Blazer High Premium (Tier Zero) White/Black-White

[Nike x Stussy x Neighborhood collaboration]

+ H&M Button/Zip Hoody + TRUE "Just Doing My Job" Tee + Levi's 514 Premium

Even though the actual game concluded with a disappointing end, just being there, hanging out, cheering, heckling, laughing, talking and taking the team's (and band's) struggles in stride made the night. I'm finding out that good times with good people has been a recurring theme in my life recently. Friday was no exception.

{currently in the speakers: Lil Wayne, Jay-Z - NFL Theme (Remix)}

*Bonus Section*

the fans

Aunty Shar came through big time w. the tailgate bag

hot dogs, burgers and veggie chips + Capri Sun to wash it all down!

Cheerios

clockwise from me: Uncle Frank, Gabo, JR, Miko, Nick,

Ammon, Jirael, Mel

(Photo Assist Credits: Joy Anes, Michael Hipol -thanks!)

1: One Love

09.12.2010 - The first out of one-hundred -I had to start things off right. Firsts are a big deal for me. The first time I wear a new pair of shoes, taking out on their maiden voyage if you will, it has to be for something. I wouldn't just wear them randomly to the mall, it would have to be someone's birthday. Or it wouldn't be for just a normal class day, but maybe for a big family event. That being said, which shoes would be the firsts in my journey to one-hundred?

I felt it would only be right if I chose a pair of Ones. But which Ones? Air Forces? No, too typical. Air Trainers? Not enough significance. Air Max? Maybe, but let's look for other options. Jordans? Jordans... I've just had an apostrophe. (I think you mean an epiphany.) Lightning has just struck my brain.

There was no better shoe in the sneaker world to start off a list with than an Air Jordan. And the Jordan I's (1) were the perfect start.

since '85 (foreground). since '83 (background).

I only have two pairs of Jordan I's -both of which I received as a high school graduation present from my mom. Even though I had to wait by myself at Shiekh's in Great Mall to get them (this was back in the day when if you got in line at 6AM you were first; not like today where campouts for multiple days for the most hyped shoes are not uncommon), these shoes are special to me because they always remind me of her.

As you can tell, I'm not lying when I say they hold significant sentimental value -it's the reason I've worn them less than ten times in almost ten years. I wear Jordans for good luck. College midterms and finals, MtG Regionals and PTQs, that sort of thing. I only wore these when I really needed a miracle: Jordan I + my mom is an insane combination of luck summoning power. So when I picked them for my first day on the blog, I knew it was going to be a great day. And a great day it was...

Air Jordan I+ - White/Navy - Silver

+ Old Navy Plaid Button-up + Levi's 501 denim

It wasn't quite first Sunday, but it didn't have to be; it's always a blessing to go to church. It wasn't going to a huge fancy party, but it didn't matter; the small family parties we have are the ones I love the most. And it wasn't an especially busy day, but it's ok; I got everything done that I wanted to get done: go to church, spend time with family, relax and have a great day -check, check annnd check... that's it.

I don't need to wear an awesome pair of shoes for it to be a good day. But when I have a good day and am wearing an awesome pair of shoes, it makes it that much better. If you know what I mean, you know what I mean.

{currently in the speakers: Lupe Fiasco - Daydream}

(1) Jordan shoes are unique in the shoe world as they are numbered in Roman numerals, as opposed to something like Jordan '95 (ie. Air Max '95). This ran from Jordan I until Jordan XXIII (#23, where I predicted they would stop) -they currently use the year system for all new models. Basketball pro models that follow the Roman numeral system today (ie. Kobe, Lebron) derived said system from his Airness. And I'm sure that's not the only thing they emulated from Jordan.

*Bonus Section*

Oysters!

they're all watching the game, but she's always watching me.

cruisin' on a Sunday afternoon

(Photo Assist Credits: Rholinelle Joy DeTorres, Michael Hipol -thanks)

P.S. Lunch to whoever can name the movie from the quote at the end of paragraph two.

P.P.S. Google search is for cheaters.

A Story of Two Storytellers....

Last week, I wrote a small piece about the upcoming Diamond Supply Co. x Black Scale collaboration. It got me thinking about the pros and cons of "keeping it real" and risking never making it big vs. making it big at the cost of "selling out". It's something that I think about quite often, not only as I consider my own future plans, but also just observing interactions in society; the analogy transfers over on so many levels.

There are more A-Rods than there are Cal Ripkens. There are more Garnetts than there are John Stocktons. There are more Black Eyed Peas than there are Mos Defs. There are more LRGs than there are Crooks and Castles or 10 Deeps. All are successful in their own right. At the same time, not only did they take different paths to get there, but the "success" they have attained is different. It brings about the question, How would you define success and is the end result more important than the path?

Whether you listen to rap music or not, it's very likely that you are familiar with hip-hop hero, Lupe Fiasco. There is no denying his stardom or his talent. Like Neo, outlasting the "chosen ones" before him (read: Kanye West), many would argue that he is the best rapper out right now, if not among the greatest of all time. I can honestly say that he was probably my favorite rapper; was, until I read this interview from Complex.

It is a know fact that Lupe Fiasco doesn't like to do mixtapes(1). He says in the interview he feels it "cheapens you as an artist." I understand that oversaturation hurts value. But if you're doing it because you just love doing it, how can you call it "cheap"? He says he loves the music more than he loves the music business, yet he opts not to make music for the public, instead choosing to fight it out with the labels as to when/what gets released. He went so far as saying he didn't care if Lasers, his long-delayed upcoming album, never came out.

The interview wraps up with Lupe stating that he feels he's already successful; that he's "good". He is so proud of his accomplishments up to this point that it seems he is just content. Lupe felt a sense of accomplishment when Jay-Z said told him he was "nice(2)." Since Lupe has attained his success in his mind, he stopped moving forward on the path that actually got him there.

On the other face of hip-hop's coin, we have Wiz Khalifa. I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't heard of him yet, but as his most recent album's title (Deal or No Deal) clearly suggests, he's going to be making music with or without a major record label backing him. In fact, in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Wiz expounds on his thoughts regarding his success thus far, even after his split with major label Warner Bros.:

"I built that from the ground up," he said proudly. "There are artists with major record deals that are on TV that don't have that many followers [on Twitter], so I really feel like me just grinding, working hard, staying at it, giving people what they like, has helped me be successful..."

Building something from the ground up. Love him or not, you have to respect that. The thing that I love the most about his story is that it's not just words from him -Wiz Khalifa declined Drake's offer to tour. Wiz mentions in the interview with XXL Magazine that in order for him to maintain what he's built up to this point, he has to focus on what it is and what he is doing. You get a genuine sense from those two pieces that Wiz is a very genuine person. He doesn't say anything contradictory, nor is he overly egotistical.

Given, Wiz hasn't seen success like Lupe has. It's impossible to say how you'd act when you actually get there. Lupe has built a very respectable resume in a fairly short amount of time. But even on the journey there, it is obvious that Wiz Khalifa has both a clear path, clear goals and a clear motivation. Though passing up on an opportunity like touring with hip-pop (not a typo) megastar Drake is certainly not a positive financial move, Wiz chose to forgo the immediate cash inflow in order to maintain what he's worked so hard to build.

While artists like Wiz Khalifa, Wale and Kid Cudi (of the much hyped "freshman class") put out mixtape after mixtape, their albums have yet to shatter any sales records. Despite this, their shows are sold out and their fanbases are loyal, huge and growing rapidly. If you do it for the love and you do it for the fans, there is nothing cheap about it. To say otherwise would be insulting. I would argue that artists who value creating and just having their work out there higher than they value things like exclusivity and proper releases are more respected in their corresponding communities and more deeply loved by their fans -and this isn't just for music.

Taking it back to the original question, I think that people's definitions of success will always differ. Some will value championships more than they value loyalty to a certain team, and that is their prerogative. Others choose loyalty to their core fans over money and fame. There is nothing wrong with that. In any case, success never involves being idle, quitting or giving up.

Success is a goal, it's not a destination; you can't stop once you get there. But if you make goals and never stop working towards them, you are already successful.


{currently in the speakers: Wiz Khalifa - This Plane ...Taylor Gang or just quit.}
-link advisory: lyrics

(1) Mixtapes are a compilation of underground tracks, varying from remixes to originals. Though they may contain recordings from release albums, they are not official releases from the labels. Often, mixtapes can be downloaded from the internet and are given away free by artists and DJs.
(2) In slang, when used in this context, nice means more than nice. It is an understated high praise compliment that can range from highly talented to very well done.

One Hundred x One Hundred

I've never taken a full sneaker collection picture before. I've heard that it can take hours, to pull everything out and set everything up, from the people who have done them on the message boards. Given I have over one-hundred pairs of shoes in my collection, I think it would take me closer to half a day to finish that project.

But every week or so, I get a small snapshot of what that collection family photo would look like. It started when I was in high school. My uncle Jerome advised me that I should try not to wear the same pair of shoes in consecutive days -I should let them air out first. By keeping a nice rotation, I could extend the life of the shoes, keep each pair from stinking up too fast -just generally maintain all-around freshness.

As my shoe collection grew, the lineups in the hall grew. Days would pass and I would rotate between the pairs in the hallway and other pairs in my room, but every pair I wore eventually ended up in the hallway to air out. I would sometimes try to see how long I could stretch the line before my mom would get mad. The first complaint generally came around five pairs. The second came around eight. Anything past ten or twelve and it was final warning. Either that, or she would throw all my shoes into my room just to clean the hall. When the sneakers fill up the hallway to the point that I start stumbling on them on my way to the bathroom and kitchen, I know it's shoe cleaning day.

up the hall..

down the hall..

Today, my first shoe cleaning day of autumn, I took a look down from the end of the hallway and thought, "Man, there is a lot of heat(1) in this out here." Not to brag. Not at all. But any sneaker collector can admire a nice shoe when they see one and the hallway was my collection's mini-masterpiece. The variety reminded me of a time in high school. I decided that for the whole month, I would go through my entire collection (around twenty-something pairs at the time), a new pair every day, no repeats until the whole thing was done. Then I got to thinking, what if I tried that now?

I like to save the nicer shoes for things like date night, going out, birthday parties, church, etc. you get the picture... but if I filled in the work and bad weather days with beaters(2), I think this is something I could actually do. I've been wanting to do this for a few years, but now that my collection has begun to plateau, I think it'd be fun to dig into the depths of the stacks and see what I actually have.

sorting..

stacking..

I'll try to document everything on here as I go, along with some (hopefully) interesting stories about the shoes themselves or whatever they've inspired me to write about. Anyone that sees me can keep the blog honest by checking and making sure I haven't doubled up. I probably won't be able to do one-hundred shoes in exactly one-hundred days, but hopefully I'll be able to get through the collection by New Years. I'm actually more excited now that I'm writing about it than I was when I was thinking about the project earlier. Hopefully by the end, even if I don't have the family photo, I can piece it all together. Day one starts Sunday! I wonder what I'm going to wear....?

{currently in the speakers: A Tribe Called Quest - Can I Kick It?}

...(see what I did there?)

(1) Heat: n. - an expensive, rare or "hot" sneaker.

(2) Beaters: n. - the "every day" shoes that you don't mind getting messed up. a beat up pair of shoes.

*September 11th... we will never forget.*

Black Diamonds and Blood Money

Hot off @NickyDiamonds' Twitter (last week), the new Diamond Supply Co. x Black Scale collab. Diamond Supply Co. and Black Scale have been running for years, but have definitely started to hit their stride as major players in the streetwear scene.

I've been following Diamond Supply since their early years, but have begun to pay them some serious attention as of late. Between their Un-Polo and Wiz Khalifa drops, they've quickly become one of my favorite streetwear brands. And while I don't currently own anything from Black Scale, I'm happy to say this will be the first piece in my collection. It feels good to support entrepreneurs from the Bay Area (and getting fresh gear in return doesn't hurt at all).

It will be interesting to see what direction both these guys head in as their brands are gearing up for warp speed. Will they follow the path of mass appeal set by LRG and Undftd before them? I mean, I know everyone has to make their money, but at the same time there's something to be said for a business that would turn a blind eye to the money to focus on their core audience.

Where does one draw the line between trying to "keep it real" art/vision wise vs. "living the dream" dollar wise? I don't have a definitive opinion to be 100% honest, but I think about it every day. While the idealist would obviously say, "keep it real or die," you can't honestly tell me that ten times out of ten you would pass on the opportunity for the gold, glam and glory -if not at the very least, an early retirement. I'd love to hear your thoughts and continue this discussion in the comments section since I have to get up early for work tomorrow -back on my own little grind, trying to get where I want to be down the road.

Oh yeah, almost forgot...

That's fresh yo -if I do say so, myself. (comes in white too)

(Photo Credits: Diamond Supply Co., Swagsyndicate.com)

{currently in the speakers: Aloe Blacc - I Need a Dollar}

1 + 1 = -2?

So a Jordan XI and an Air Max 1 walk into a bar...

I've been having the feeling lately that Nike as a brand has been running out of ideas. When I started collecting sneakers for real back in 2001, every other month a shoe would come out that would make me think "I gotta have those!" I tried to pace myself to one pair per month, but I remember a few months when it got really out of hand. I would blow what little money I had from working my part time job (and eventually even start to rack up credit card debt) just to satisfy my fix.

I don't spend much on shoes anymore, but I'm not entirely sure it's because I've gotten tired of them. I love sneakers. I walk into stores on Haight looking for something clean, new and exclusive to catch my eye -nothing does. I stroll the mall stores like Sheikh and Shoe Palace hoping a bright, fresh pair would call my name -I walk away empty handed.

I want to want to buy a pair of new sneakers... I just don't want any of the ones that are out right now. I thought this phase wouldn't last long, but it's been several years and I don't remember the last time I bought a new pair of shoes from a store. Sure, I've gone on eBay and forums and picked up brand new OLD pairs that I've missed along the way, but a NEW new release hasn't been added to the family for a while.

And I really think it's because everything that's coming out, I either already have something similar, already have the original or just have a better version. I'm sure I'm not alone here, as anyone who's been collecting for a while knows -you can't have too many shoes, but you don't want too much of the same.

When I first started collecting, I started on two sneakers -Air Maxes and Jordans. Air Max runners came out with the cool colorways and were always comfortable. And even if you didn't play basketball growing up, you were cool if you had a pair of Jordans on. Anyone who's been collecting for a while knows -there's no stronger foundation for a sneaker collection than Air Maxes and Jordans.

My favorite Air Max of all time is the Air Max '87 aka the Air Max 1.

The clean lines and single air bubble exhibit the elegance of simplicity and the mesh and nubuck upper accentuates both form and function. Plus, doesn't it just scream "I'm an 80's baby!"? Back in elementary school, my aunt gave me a pair of her old Air Max Ones (I wish I knew where they were). I remember the first time I wore them was "Field Day" and I swear, even though they were at least a full size too big, I was flying in those shoes.

One of the all time classic Jordans is the Jordan XI.

Now, that is a beautiful shoe. There isn't any way around it. It's smooth, it's shiny, it's clean, not to mention one of the more iconic Jordans in history (see: Space Jam). The use of ballistic mesh and patent leather on a basketball shoe was groundbreaking when it released and to this day the Jordan XI remains as one of the most loved Jordans of all time. I used to wear my lucky Jordans during midterms and finals in school. Wore them to prom. Will probably wear them at my wedding too. I even have a pair of baby size 1's for my future son (or daughter) The White/Columbia Blue colorway is very gender friendly. But I digress...

You can't go wrong with either of those shoes. But Nike/Jordan has proved that it's possible to go wrong with BOTH of them.

...

I really don't know what to say. I mean, part of me really wants to like it. I can see the Jordan XI in the shoe and I think "nice". Then I see the Air Max 1 part of the shoe and I think "nice". Then I take a step back and look at the shoe as a whole and think "huh?" My friends were having a conversation over the weekend about two really good looking people having a baby that just turns out funny looking. I guess that can happen in the shoe universe too.

It might just be a case of "you have to see the shoe in person" or "it looks better when you're wearing it than it does on the shelf" but those scenarios are extremely rare in my experience. I guess we'll see how well they do when they release this weekend. Having a limited drop might help a bit, but I won't be surprised if I see these bad boys in the outlets by next spring. Maybe then I might be convinced to pick 'em up? Maybe.

So a Jordan XI and an Air Max 1 walk into a bar... I guess the result is a joke. And not a very good one at that.

(Photo Credits: Flight Club, Jumpan23.com)

{currently in the speakers: Lexicon - Nike Head =) }