It's still cold out, right?

December's only halfway over, and it's still going to be cold for a little bit, so I guess awkward sweaters/sweatshirts are okay to pull out now. And I don't mean homemade sweaters, unless you're dad is Ralph Lauren.

Before I go on, I really want to say that NOT EVERY FLANNEL/PLAID SHIRT SHOULD BE WORN! I hope I was clear. I realize it's back in style now, but I believe that these shirts don't look good in half the colors they're being sold in (Neon Green? Really?), so people need to be careful. Especially the ones with the bigger pockets. This is especially true for smaller built guys. They make you look like you're drowning in your shirt, especially the people who stay buying a size larger than what they should. The big white tee phenomenon should be left to tees.

Now let's move on.

Lee Hawk 2

Know1edge- Lee Hawk 2 Button Up Shirt ($59)
I like the shirt. It's simple and exactly what a flannel shirt should be. It's in a normal color. I will NOT pay $59 for this for those exact reasons. It's too normal to cost that much. I'll look some other places or sit down and wait for a sale. It's not worth it.

Eagle Flannel

AE- Eagle Flannel ($39.50)
Okay, this would be in my closet already, and most likely will be soon. My style, my price. I just need AE people to STOP wearing those pinstripe shirts that look dumb without a suit everyday. It's not cool. You just look like you didn't finish dressing.

All-Son Algiers Shirt

Urban Outfitters- All-Son Algiers Military Shirt ($40)
Yes, it's another black shirt. But I think it looks like crap in the other 'Fatigue' and 'Sand' colors. Another classic shirt made fly by the epaulets (shoulder thingys). So yea. It works.

Raglan Sweater

AE-Raglan Crew Sweater ($40)
Honestly, I'd rather have one of these, a jacket, and go on about my life. It shouldn't be a task to get dressed in the winter. Especially when chances you won't take your jacket off if you're like me. Plus if your jacket is bangin, would you even want to take it off? lol. But this sweater is great, and just throw a white or black plain tee on underneath.
Waffle Crew shirts ($24.50)AE Waffle Crew are an even better idea if you want a lighter shirt for layering.

AE Striped Hoodie

AE-Stripe Full-Zip Hood ($60)
Just a regular hoodie, but if you're going to wear a striped hoodie under your coat, wear a solid color jacket (or something without a lot of patterns). You'd think that be common sense, but I've seen some bullshit out here. And make sure the colors are complimentary also, especially when you're dealing with patterns. People out here lose their minds sometimes.

AE
Urban Outfitters
Karmaloop

Jackets, Coats, etc. I really don't care...

So it's obvious that all I wear are track jackets (all season long) and I need
variety. Personally I feel old in jackets/coats, but whatever. So I found some that don't totally make me look like someone's grandfather. A definite plus.

Gap Jacket

Gap Wool Short Jacket ($70)
It's wool, so basically it's warm. It's all I care about. Nice design. Moving on.
I'm really making an effort to be excited about coats.


Gap Wool Jacket

Gap Wool Private Jacket ($118)
Okay, so this is more expensive, but it looks really nice, and it's wool, right? I shouldn't be rationalizing paying more unnecessarily, but cut me some slack. I can't help it if I have an issue with paying a little bit more to look good. But it's clean, classic, and simple. Next

Kenneth Cole

Kenneth Cole Soft Shell Hipster Jacket ($139.98)
I'm beginning to realize all the jackets I like aren't even warm at all, but you know what, I don't care? I've realized I'm still over coats or anything that will keep me warm. I like my track jackets dammit!

Express Cire Puff Jacket

Express Cire Puffer Jacket ($106)
It's warm, so I can stop this now. I really could give two flying you know what's about this. So I'm off to a warmer climate. Or I'll have to make my own coats. There's an idea.


Nylon Puffer Coat

Express Nylon Puffer Coat ($106)
Now we're making progress. This is a style I can get with, and I guess it serves that winter weather purpose also. So yeah.



LRG- The Absence of Light Denim Jacket ($99)
I really don't like much of LRG at all. I hate, hate, hate their track jackets/hoodies, and basically everything else they make. They're just pointless uses of ugly bright colors and random shapes/patterns with no shape. If you're going to try and be creative, have a story or cohesive theme please. They're super trend driven, which isn't always good. Anyway, apparently I like their plain jackets. And only a FEW of those lol. My outerwear style needs to classic/clean, but most def needs to be modern. And by clean I mean I don't want 100 dumb zippers, HUGE pockets, and military-style braids on the shoulders ALL one one jacket. I hate that. That's a sign of trend overkill. But this jacket is very urban and on point with the trends without being so ridiculous you'll look dumb wearing it two or three seasons later. My goal especially with jackets and shoes is to potentially wear it for a good time period and still look fly. Females are better at that than guys. We tend to be very in the moment with clothing. (Remember Rocawear,FUBU, Southpole?) I know so many guys, myself included have so many of those clothes lying around in their pile of wasted money because they're not hot. But back to the jacket. The color is dope. It's a nice departure from black.

The Midnight Show Jacket

LRG- The Midnight Show Jacket ($450)
The jacket is fucking amazing in white. I'm sure it's ridiculously annoying to constantly be paranoid about getting something on this, but it's really a great jacket. Simple in design, but it works well with the few black accents. Again another ridiculous price, but this def a nice jacket.

(All LRG jackets found on karmaloop)
Kenneth Cole
Gap
Express
Karma Loop

Thank You Adidas

Y-3 line has some dope stuff. Really Adidas in general has hot clothes. Kind of not promoted enough. Really. The only issue is that the prices are insane.
I guess sports designers are experimenting with high fashion prices.
So it's just more motivation for me to get my paper right.
I will.


Hayworth II Mid ($270.00)
I'm really upset. These shouldn't be so expensive AT ALL. They're dope.
So I will be hoping for a gift, or a winning lottery ticket.


Tenji Winter Hi ($315.00)
Again, Adidas is blowing my life with these prices, but Because I really like these shoes, I'll cut them slack. I guess I'm one of the few realistic males out there because I won't blow that type of money on shoes especially if they're going to be touching dirt. And for that price, they better be worn every day of my life.

And now I'm going to stop because the rest of their prices are so blatantly insane for shit you can find other places for cheap. The shoes are the dopest part. The rest, not worth it at all. But regardless I'm still a fan. And I'm hoping to win the lottery still.

Now for the cheaper, but just as dope shoes.


Rod Laver Mid ($70)

I'm not too crazy on the grey color, but it's simple and has a really nice flow to the construction of the shoe. So it works. And clearly the price won't make you say WTF like the Y-3 line

Conductor Felt DP

The Conductor Felt DP ($130)

This is probably the best knockoff from the Y-3 line, and this price is a little more reasonable. Part of me thinks it's a little exaggerated in design, but this is why I like black shoes. It's a good detractor from the other stuff. But this is a definite option for the shoe closet.

Decade Mid
Decade Mid (DJ) ($100)

I really want this in another color, mainly because I just haven't committed to grey shoes yet, but I guess it fits the metallic theme. But once again, the design is really nice.

Y-3 Store
Shop Adidas
Nizza Hi DP

Nizza Hi DP ($75)

Now this is the Y-3 on a much smaller scale, and I'm ok with that. It has more of an everyday look to it, but the design is definitely on point. I like the Chuck Taylor feel that it has, and thank god Adidas shoes feel much better. The Nizza Low DP is also dope, and is the same idea, only low top and in white. So I won't really post it lol

All of the prices I posted are adidas.com prices. So clearly you should find it elsewhere for cheaper.

Are UK Imports a fad here in America?.

Ok. Duffy, Adele, and Amy Winehouse are all similar in a few ways.
*They're from the UK
*They're all women (obviously)
*They're all 'alternative', soul, throwback singers
*They were all released to critical acclaim.

I feel like every few years we have to have a new hot import singer with a 'fresh voice' (as vh1 likes to call them) and a 'unique style' hit the States. Don't get me wrong I love all three of these artists, but it's a little pathetic that it takes one sometimes purposely sugary song to make them big on radio here. Now some people will say, they have talent, so why should it matter how they became popular? Well, that's true, but I think it's dumb that they either have to wait an album or two to even get the time of day over here, or rely on an extremely late album re-release for some shine. I'm sure within the next two years, another girl (or guy hopefully; James Blunt or Daniel Powter anyone?) will come along and sweep us away with some amazing song. Then they'll spend a year or so plastered across magazines with the same title "America's hottest import", (or something similar) and be the go-to artist for all people who want to seem 'edgy' until the cycle starts again and they're back to only seeing popularity overseas.
But hey, I enjoy the music, so maybe the cycle is for gullible listeners like me who don't really take the time to search outside the Beyonce/Rihanna bubble we live in. And hearing the song on a cheesy reality show (The Hills, Gossip Girl, etc) doesn't count.

"Circus" Official Video

This is how music videos should be now.
VMA nominations for sure.

The Grammy's= Complete Irrelevancy

It's obvious people are only nominated based on popularity or because of bought votes. The whole show has been a joke for years now. Get it together Grammy voters.

Full Grammy Nominee List

*Katy Perry- Should've gotten best new artist, and that's about it. Pop Female is ridiculous to include her.
*Danity Kane- It's COMPLETELY obvious "Damaged" should've been nominated. I mean they were actually a pop group with a huge top 10 single. Gnarls Barkley? And "Apologize" by OneRepublic is ridiculously old.
*Maroon 5 and Rihanna- I mean the song wasn't even written as a duet. She just got on it, because she's a overexposed mediawhore, who is jumping on any song she can. M5's original version deserves a grammy, but not the version with Rihanna.
*Leona Lewis- No Best New Artist nom? Have they heard her voice? And she had a solid album, not to mention she's become a complete international star.
*Pink- "So What" was a good single, and I guess given the songs out in the past year, she deserves the nomination.
*Britney Spears- Honestly "Best Dance Recording" should be her category. It's the only place she'll see grammy gold (2005 "Toxic"). "Piece of Me" or "Break the Ice" are much more worthy than "Disturbia" by Rihanna.
*Beyonce- "Me, Myself, and I" It's 2008! That song was released in 2003! Are you seriously nominating it 5 years later? I feel like that shouldn't even be possible.
*Carrie Underwood- This is getting ridiculous. "Last Name" was a good single, but definitely not her strongest. It's like she's nominated just to be nominated, and not even with a song she has a shot at winning with. Wasted spot.
*Mariah Carey- Bottom line, the E=MC2 was not an amazing album, but she definitely deserved a nomination for at least "Bye Bye" or "Best Contemporary R&B". I mean J. Holiday over her? WTF.

Happy Spots- Jazmine Sullivan is doing the damn thing. Congrats on her 5 nominations!
And big congrats to Janelle Monae for getting nominated for "Many Moons"
Semi happiness for Ne-Yo. For some reason as talented as he is, I just have never seen Grammy's for him, at least not on the vocal side. But congrats to him.

Now let's hope they televise the major awards in every category, and not present them in bullshit side ceremonies.

For The Record...

Britney Spears is misunderstood. Maybe I'm one of the few that really gives her sympathy, and it's not even because I like her music, or even her as a person. I guess it's because we live in a world where it's too easy to believe anything we hear. It really sucks to live life with people out in the internet world diagnosing you saying you've done this drug, you have this issue, when they know nothing. Because a 'source' said something obviously doesn't make it true. But whatever. I just think she can't ever catch a break.

On to the show.

The documentary was done brilliantly. From filming to editing, to the background music, this almost didn't feel like it should be on MTV. It was so raw and artificial, and a refreshing change from MTV 'reality' TV. For all of the nitpickers who say she didn't go into enough detail about her struggles, all I have to say is would you really spill your deepest secrets to the world? Didn't think so. She surprised me with her ability to take stock of the last few years of her life, and her mental awareness contradicted all the stories about her being so completely out of it. I don't even think I could assess the doc in a normal way, because her life is so unnatural. But the video showed her in the best way she could be shown now. She's healing, and growing, and all the fuzzy stuff. I think she's ready to go back to her old life, hopefully with a stronger psyche.

Maybe the crazy masses will give her peace.
She's human.
Circus is the best description of her life.