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!

Cheap Sites, Good Buys!

It's official! Uniqlo (www.uniqlo.com) has gone ecommerce! Now, you can buy nice, inexpensive clothing without breaking the bank. I wrote about this website before, because I was amazed at how they were able to offer such high quality clothing for such low prices. SInce they have opened their online store I can't stay off their site. WIth lambswool cardigan sweaters in multiple colors going for $29.90, how can you not take a look at this store? It has definitely been added to my favorites.

Another site that I've mentioned in the past has also added to their arsenal of products and that is The Tie Bar (www.thetiebar.com). They have added to their line, brace yourself, "Socks!" Yep, I said socks. Believe it or not, they are some pretty cool socks. Again, if you don't believe me take a look for yourself. They have some interesting footwear that will definitely make people take notice when you sit down and cross your legs. For only $8 bucks you can get a signature sock without paying Tom Ford prices (no disrespect to Mr. Ford, but for shock value and quality comparison I had to reference his brand). Once you go on this site I'm sure you will buy more than a pair of socks, so just be prepared to spend anywhere from $50 to $100, but the great thing is you will receive at least 6 to 12 items. The reason being is that nothing is more than $15. Now tell me that isn't better than spending $100 on one tie?

So don't go spending unnecessary money on clothes, because of the expensive brand name. You can get nice quality clothing for less and not cramp your fashion style.

A Woman's Nose!

There's nothing like the scent of a woman when she passes by. We can see them coming from a mile away, but it's their aroma that captivates us and makes us want them even more. Well, the same goes for us men. Women like a well groomed man, but a man that wears a nice fragrance conveys to a woman that he has his shit together; at least from a grooming and hygiene perspective.

It's amazing how a fragrance can strike up an innocent conversation, but lead to sinister, sexual motives. If  you're trying to create a lasting impression on someone from the female persuasion Spicebomb, by Viktor & Rolf, will do the trick. I never thought that Viktor & Rolf would out due their fragrance Antidote, but lord and behold Spicebomb is like no other. This fragrance holds all day and will definitely garnish the attention of the women in your surroundings.

You can grab a bottle at Neiman Marcus (neimanmarcus.com) and Nordstrom (nordstrom.com) for $75 for 1.7 oz and $95 on a 3.0 oz. Again, it holds well so don't bathe in it. I guarantee when you wear this fragrance to work or out on the town women will be attracted to you like bees to honey.

Dress Fresh For Less

In this down economy everyone is trying to cut back on their expenses in every area; from the cable bill to the grocery list. One of the first things I did was try to figure out how I could maintain my fashion style, but at a lower expense. I believe in saving for rainy days, but I also believe in enjoying my life and one of my vices is clothes shopping. I like nice things like the next man, but I don’t believe in paying absurd prices for simple things and to me selling clothes is the biggest mark up racket out there.


Why does Tom Ford charge $645 for a dress shirt? Can it really be worth every penny or is it the price that makes us want to buy it? Or is it the price that subliminally persuades us to believe that his shirt feels better than less expensive shirts? It’s not like I’m going out and buying Tom Ford clothes anytime soon, but boy do I love his collection. So how can I get the Tom Ford look on a budget and still receive clothes that are not only nice looking, but comfortable and durable?

You will be surprised at the numerous clothing stores and websites out there that cater to people like me. My first gold mine was finding “thetiebar.com” online after reading about them in my GQ magazine. I was hesitant at first when I saw they were selling ties for $15 bucks, but when I kept seeing them over and over again in GQ I thought; what could 15 green backs on a tie hurt? So I took a chance on them and to my fashion benefit their ties are nice quality. For a quarter of the price of a J Crew and Banana Republic tie I was able to purchase a tie of the same quality and I would put their ties up against them both any day. FYI: they also sell bow ties, tie bars, pocket squares, and cufflinks.

My second come up was when I ran across “uniqlo.com” online. Again, I was perusing through one of men’s fashion magazines and notice their link in an advertisement. They had several items that I liked off the bat, but not knowing the quality of the material and construction made me kind of leery. The only way to find out was to purchase something and hope for the best. I bought a lambs wool cardigan sweater and to my pleasant surprise it not only fit perfect, but has maintained its look and construction for several years now. I can’t say that about some of other sweaters that I paid twice or three times as much for. Unfortunately, they stopped accepting phone orders, but will open their online store this fall. I can’t wait!

These are just a couple of clothing websites I use at this time, but hopefully you might find them beneficial. Another to be on the lookout for is “joefresh.com.” This Canadian store is mainly located in New York and New Jersey, so if you’re in the area check them out. Something tells me the quality of the clothes in their store is impeccable; especially for the price. Hopefully, they will be going to ecommerce soon. Overall, I hope these stores save you some simoleons and keep you looking fresh.

Not Your Grandpa's Allen Edmonds!

A friend of mine swears by Allen Edmonds shoes, but they never seemed like my type of shoe. In fact, I always thought they were for old men that put comfort before style. I'm sorry to sound so harsh for all of you loyal Allen Edmonds fans, but that's the truth. Without question, Allen Edmonds are very comfortable, but until recently they lacked the style I was looking for. Now the new and improved stylish Allen Edmonds I can definitely rock.

The three styles that caught my eye were the Neumok, Cronmok, and the Aberdeen. First, the Neumok is an oxford wingtip that will have everyones eyes looking at your feet. This traditional shoe will grow old with you and remain relevant with you as well. It comes in six colors (blue, brown, olive, and red leather; also in snuff and tan suede). The first on the list to buy will be the Blue! Happy Birthday to me!

Next on the list will be the Cronmok. The Cronmok is the high-top of the Neumok. Yes, I said high-top! The boot will get the same looks from others as the Neumok. It will have you either walking around with your pants legs rolled up or wearing shorts so everyone can see them. Unfortunately, they only come in the blue, tan, and brown leather unlike the multiple colors of the Neumok. Needless to say, the blue leather will be in my closet soon. I know, why would I buy both the Neumok and Cronmok in blue? One look and you will see why!

Last, but not least is the Aberdeen. It's another wingtip, but with a more casual feel. The mini-lug rubber sole makes this shoe a great shoe to wear with jeans or khakis, but still feel stylish without feeling over or under dressed. It comes in three colors (smokey grey, dark brown, and tan wax leather).
The smokey grey is my favorite and will definitely find it's way into my closet with the others.

I have to say I've been converted to an Allen Edmonds fan. I look forward to wearing these shoes as well as what Allen Edmonds has to offer in the future.