Wallabee Run: Clarks With Style!

In the past when I heard the word Clarks the first impression that came to mind were shoes an unfashionable, middle age or older guy would wear, but now I would actually want to see the shoe before I judged it. You see Clarks have made it the thing to wear their Desert boots or Chukkas as some call them, but now they have a new player in the shoe lineup and it is the Wallabee Run.

This low cut shoe looks great and feels better than it looks. This shoe does not say Clarks to me when I look at it even though it is the lower cut version of the original Wallabee. Unlike the original Wallabee, it has a thinner sole without the heel and this makes it more stylish and appealing; instead of a Herman Monster platform shoe. It comes in five different styles: Black, Tan, Taupe, and Navy Nubuck and also in Tan Leather. Zappos is asking $125, which is the same price in the stores. I went with the Tan Nubuck and I’m very pleased with shoe for the reasons I listed earlier.

So if you’re looking for a nice comfortable, stylish casual shoe that will garner some attention when you stroll out this summer, you might want to take a look at the Clarks Wallabee Run. You will not be disappointed.

Old School Baseball Gear

After watching the movie, 42, I had the desire to buy a Montreal Royals baseball hat. I've always been a big fan of Jackie Robinson and other Negro League baseball players, so after seeing the movie I had to get some type of paraphernalia to pay homage to him. And Lord behold, I found two sites selling them. J Crew (www.jcrew.com) has a Montreal Royals hat made exclusively for them by Ebbets Field Flannel, which lead me to research Ebbets Field Flannel and boy was I pleasantly surprised!

Ebbets Field Flannel (www.ebbets.com) is the best old school baseball paraphernalia sports shop I've ever come across. They carry everything from baseball hats to clubhouse jackets. Their pricing was very comparable to J Crew, but they had bundle deals that you have to go with or you will be throwing away money or not taking a free item or two. All the materials used to make their pieces come from the original manufactures of the authentic designers, which gives them the genuine look and feel of the originals. And for you football and hockey historian fans, Ebbets went as far as to make jerseys of historical football and hockey teams.

So if you're looking for some cool authentic gear that speaks historical volumes when you enter the room, you better check out J Crew and Ebbets Field Flannel asap!

J Crew Factory Is A Come Up!

One of my favorite songs right now is Macklemore's Thrift Shop! The beat is banging and unique, but his lyrics personifys my take on the fashion industry. I'm always trying to find a "Come Up!" I hate paying full price, because I know the clothing industry is a 100% to 1000% mark up depending on the brand as well as retailer. So when I'm shopping I'm willing to pay only what I think the item is worth and whether or not I need it in my wardrobe. I used to be an emotional buyer, but over time I've been able to reel that in and be more conscience of what I buy and my budget.

I've always been a fan of J Crew since Millard "Mickey" Drexler took over the reigns and revamped the men's look. I had finally found what I was looking for in the J Crew style, but most importantly, it fit me perfectly without having to have it tailored. Most designer clothing doesn't fit athletically fit men, but I've found J Crew to fit just right. Now, don't get me twisted not everything at J Crew is inexpensive, but I will say everything is well made.

But here's the "Come Up" I was talking about earlier. J Crew has an online factory store http://factory.jcrew.com and the deals are the bomb. If you're like me you'll wait until the price is right, like Bob Barker, before you'll buy an item. Nothing hurts worse than seeing something you paid full price for one day be half off the following week. I've been burned like that before on several occasions, but I vowed never again. I started to show some restraint and before I knew it I became more of a practical, fashion shopper. My rule is "if it comes down to my price range and my size is available then it was meant to be," other than that no go.

J Crew Factory is always having sales, so be patient. I've been fortunate to get several suits at 30-40% off by waiting a few weeks. Yes, even on this site I wait for sales. A penny saved is a penny earned and on this site you can save a lot of pennies. So if you want to pop some tags from home just get on J Crew Factory and get your "Come Up" on. It's F#%@ing Awesome!