" Where Have you Been Kanye?"

Yes, Yes , I know what he did!!! Ok maybe he shouldnt have interupted her speech, But we love him....... for stuff like this. His wordplay and fun with rap is on a very high caliber and he's my personal favorite artist. His collaborations and involvement with Marc Jacobs and the Louis Vuitton fashion lines are what make him such an icon and influence to me. His photo in the previous blog made me realize how much of an overly cocky(I still love him) individual he is. His 5th album is highly anticipated and soon to come....BE PREPARED for lyrical labrynths(you like that dont'cha!!) . Here's what it's going to be like. Enjoy........(Christopher Colas)

Accessories: Part 1: Watches

Okay......so now you're the fresh kid, you have the kicks, the clothes and most importantly the swag, but hold on a second...... you're missing something....... accessories!
Everyone should have at least one accessory that they enjoy wearing, for some, its hats, for others, its bracelets, for me, I like watches. This is where you add the extra "you" to your outfit, its the accent, akin to the difference between a violinist trilling or just playing a note, it may sound good either way, but which one is more exciting?
Lets look at some ways to accessorize, starting with my favorite, the watchHere is one of my favorite artists, Kanye West, sporting a pink G-Shock watch. G-Shocks are a favorite of mine, as they are colorful, versatile and tough.

If you have the right colors, a G-Shock can go with any look. Here's Adrian, who sports the same pink G-Shock as Mr. West. If you like the more "mature", less flashy but STYLISH look , don't worry,I have just the thing...
How about these?

Nooka watches have a slight learning curve, but look at them!

They look fun, modern and unique, allowing you to stand out from other watch wearers. Still not your style? Heres something a little more orthodox.


This Casio, plain nonetheless, is still tough and versatile, but not colorful. You could also look at some more established watch makers such as Tag Heuer, Timex, Swatch, and (dare I say) Rolex. But most of these watch makers watches demand higher prices and less choices.

Besides looking good, watches also serve a secondary purpose...........figure it out yet?.. they can tell time, duh!, it might be obvious but this fact alone makes watches a great accessory.

"Mayer Hawthorne"

I found this guy on my daily YouTube searches last week. One of his songs was sponsored by the clothing line LRG. His music is extremely old school but, surprisingly appealing. I'm not going to talk about his career, but I do enjoy his sense of style. Dress attire with sneakers can get corny, but its the combination of his glasses and voice that really pull everything together. Here's a "shnazzy" video called " Just Ain't Gonna Work Out". You'll see his signature heart-shaped vinyl. Mayer Hawthorne: someone fresh with an old twist. Whats not to like? Enjoy........(Christopher Colas)

"Got My Vans on but they Look Like Sneakers"

On March 16, 1966 something happened that would change the world as we know it. No it was not a terrorist attack or the cure for some terminal disease (at least we don't think so). Hmmm.... What could be of such importance? The story goes that Paul van Doren and three partners opened up a shoe store in Anaheim, California. What made their store special was the fact that they made shoes and sold them right to the public. That morning they opened up, twelve customers came to buy these shoes. The shoes would be made in the day and be ready for pickup in the afternoon. "Vans" was born.

Vans deck shoes, which you probably now know as authentics, were the first style of Vans made. Authentics are very simple, yet stylish. I'll let the pics speak for themselves. Here Chris is wearing a vintage Marco Polo burgundy Cardigan, a matching tie, a Lands End Button-up, Hiking shorts, navy argyle dress socks, and yes of course the navy authentics. Still using the authentics (his are black if you did not obviously notice), Savion took a more laid back approach. He is wearing cargo shorts, a red plaid shirt, and a Cincinnati Reds fitted hat.

In 1975, the world would be changed yet again (don't worry you didn't fall asleep in history class). Mr. Tony Alva and Mr. Stacy Peralta created the Vans #95 a.k.a. the Era. Eras and Authentics look very similar but there are three main differences. Authentics lack the side padding the eras have. On the Eras is also a seperatle heel panel that the Authentics do not have. Authentics also tend to have solid and plain colorways while the eras tend to be more colorful. Here I am wearing purple vans eras, a blue and purple H & M hoodie, brown Levi's 511 skinnys, and to be random an orange G-Shock watch.

The next shoe up for discussion is the Vans Chukka low. Chukka lows are bigger then Eras and authentics. They are actually a composite of the Authentics and the Chukka Boots (look at a pic of both shoes and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about). Mr. Adrian's outfit : a royal blue cardigan, H & M graphic tee, super skinny jeans, dark blue and turquoise chukka lows (fire!!!), and to "top" it off, a fedora.

Last but not least we bring it to Justin. He is sporting Vans' rendition of a boat shoe, el zapato del barco. Seems like we have an infatuation with boat shoes huh? Justin's outfit is not too flashy and not too dull, just a perfect balance. On him is a black sweater, a white Button-up underneath, ripped super skinny jeans, those "negros zapatos del barco", and even though you can't see it, a black beanie. Enjoy this lesson on Vans........(Leon)

Boat Shoe Alternatives

I'm Baaaaack!
My vacation on a cruise ship gave me plenty of time to break in my new boat shoes, and it opened my eyes to other forms of summer footwear, specifically.....
Boat shoe alternatives
Personally, I prefer not to take sides, but
let's face it. Some people are casual. They are more comfortable in a t-shirt than a button up. They avoid "dressing up" at all times, and by any means possible. Past fashions just doesn't cut it for them. They want modern, urban fashion. These are the kind of people that companies such as Nike aim for when they create certain footwear. Now we all know Nike as the producer of the Dunk, Blazer and the Air-force 1, all (arguably) modern, urban sneakers. But what happens when Nike decides to design their take on a boat shoe?
A Nike boat shoe!?! (Laughter)
Yeah... that was my first response.
Some may know of Nike's past forays into boat shoe territory, first with the little known Mad Jibe,












then the Braatas.
















Both attractive offerings but....do you truly want them?
To me they just don't have the formula right, where's the magic?
I thought that maybe when it comes to boat shoes, maybe Nike should stick to what it knows.....
Until I was shown these,













Yeah....
I had to eat my words!
I give you the Nike SB Stefan Janoski!

Here's Leon, a very casual person(No joke this guy seems to hate dressing up!!), with his Pacific Blue Stefan Janoski's

He matched it with a black vintage cardigan vest and an Armani Exchange(AX) tee to complete this look.

To be fair, this isn't an endorsement of Nike, I am just impressed that they took the idea of a boat shoe and made it their own, unlike other companies such as Converse and Timberland that simply make boat shoes and put their logo on it. Nike dared to be different, an idea that all Back Pack Boys believe in. Enjoy.... (Matt Farmer)

" Urban Prom"

Graduation!!!! The culmination of all fifteen years of hard, dedicated, educational, and essential work. Most of the multitude have made it to this point in life. How do I feel? the words are unexplainable. I'm currently writing this blog next to someone of importance. She might hate me for writing this but she'll live. What better way to get ready for Graduation then have a celebration that America commonly knows as "prom". Now jeans during a prom would be stereotypically tacky. Sneakers??? Well the daring make them somewhat acceptable. I decided to go to prom in traditional slacks, vest, oxfords, bow-tie, dress shirt, blazer and a shitload of cologne. After prom my "Gang" and I took an overly packed stretch Chrysler 300C to Manhattan; which so happens to be my hometown. I decided to pull out the secret weapon. Get your heads out of the gutter my readers. What I am trying to convey is my second outfit!!! It consisted of my Normal upper-body prom attire but with some added jeans and a pair of Supra Skytops....Black of course. Enjoy...(Christopher Colas) .......While you enjoy Chris' after prom semi formal attire to the right, take a look at my simple but elegant prom dress! (Made by me and my mom) It started off as two pieces: a corset and a long grandma dress! ;) We just added sequin to the corset ( all hand sewn) and sequins at the bottom of the skirt....annnnnd WAAAHLAHHHH my dress was complete!! I was going for a short comfortable dress. I'm quite short, standing at 5Feet, sooo I didn't think a "wondrous" gown would look that wonderful on me. Some might say its a "classy rocker/punk" look but its just a short ballerina type dress with shiny parts. :) I loved it, and I was comfy. The shoes on the other hand...nooooot too comfy. (Hand painted the purple on the shoe) _Signed, Your Backpack Girl Diamond :)

The Bow Tie

With prom just hours away it seems fitting to talk about the accessory that just about every guy will be wearing. The bow tie.... its always been a staple of formal wear. Its an accessory which adds that extra dimension of class, usually to a formal suit. Bow ties are either clip on, or the more difficult, but rewarding self tie. The bow tie originated among Croatian mercenaries during the Prussian wars of the 17th century: the Croats used a scarf around the neck to hold together the opening of their shirts. The "bow tie" was soon adopted (under the name cravat, derived from the French for"Croat") by the upper classes in France, who were at the time the leader in fashion, and they became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.
While bow ties are usually worn formally, don't underestimate their ability to be used as a casual accessory.
Here is Chris, wearing a bow tie in a semi-casual style. He could have just worn a blazer, dress shirt and jeans, but the bow tie adds more character. A bow tie can help you stand out in a crowd at a party, or in the city. Its going that extra mile to assert your style. (If you're wondering, Chris is standing next to the late musical legend Louis Armstrong, the wax version, who is ironically also wearing a bow tie. Some styles are timeless!!!)
Bow ties come in many forms, from the classic...
To the more daring.....



















But, no matter which end of the bow tie spectrum you chose, your wardrobe wins.