TheSnobette.com

Hey everyone. If by chance your visiting here and wondering what happened to this blog, I'm still posting a lot on fashion, but over at TheSnobette.com, whose focus is women's cutting edge fashion. See you there!!

Love, Lois

Have a Very Rock Steady Holidays

Hello my people. This is just a quick note before I got out to do basically all my X-Mas shopping. Me and Mr. Procrastination, we are gooood friends.



This lil' video clip of "Rock Steady" as performed by Aretha Franklin is my gift to you. Should you be feeling a little blue or perhaps overwhelmed by the craziness that is December, the compilation of best-of clips of Soul Train dancers that starts off the video will both make you smile and renew your faith in humankind. About half way through the track it cuts to vintage Aretha singing the damn thing. I'd try and describe what it is that makes her so awesome in this clip (and anything else she sings for that matter), but it's a reflection of her legendary status that there are really no words that can describe how amazing she is. Who since has surpassed her? In a word, nobody.

Reeboks Wit the Straps!

I am a sucker for songs that call out fashion trends, but especially if they feature beats that make you want to get up up and shake your booty. Which is why I'm LOVING the song "Low" by Flo-Rida (somehow T-Pain is involved, too). In "Low," the key lines in the hook are: "Shorty had them Apple Bottom Jeans and the boots with the fur'''" which alternates with "Them baggy sweat pants and the Reeboks with a strap.." Too cute!

I'm not sure about the evolution of Flo-Rida's song "Low" 'cause even though I just started hearing it, there are YouTube videos of people dancing to it from a year ago (though maybe it was T-Pain's magic touch that got it mainstream attention). The official video is very much just okay, but maybe now that's it rocketing to the top of the charts, they'll redo it and get some more dance action.

Crap official video or not, there's a bunch of homemade videos of people dancing around to the song, and these are my faves:

This little girl is Awesome with a capitol A:


A very adorable foursome, I love the girls jumpsuit-y thinger:


Cheerleaders, which, I can NOT believe their advisor let these Wholesome County white girls do a routine to this, but oh well, the world aint what it used to be and that is a great thing as far as I'm concerned:


And this one just 'cause the way the whole "no homo" state of mind has infected the rap world, the sight of dudes gettin' down has become a total rarity and plus, I think it's funny how they sort of act out the lyrics by pointing to their sneakers when Flo-Rida sings "Reeboks with the straps...," which, while very four-year old/Hokey-Pokey dance move-y of them, is also just too damned adorable.

Karmaloop TV

Most excellent online retailer Karmaloop recently launch a section devoted to people of the industry. This interview is with one of our all-time faves, M.O.B. designer Leah McSweeney. Wait for the end when you get to see her cute and smiling lil' boo boo baby.

Adidas Rumor

There's a rumor going around Wall Street today that both Asics and Nike are looking into purchasing Adidas. How crazy would that be if Swooshy took over Three Stripe? As much as everyone I know has crazy respoect for Nike, I'll bet I couldn't find a single person who would be happy to hear that deal go down.

Clap, clap your hands

I have issues with McDonald's as much as the next person (tho for real, the Egg McMuffins are the bomb!), but this commercial is pretty damn cool:



The kid eats his Happy Meal while boogying down to DJ Casper's "Cha Cha Slide" booming from his box. And I'm sure all you sneaker heads noticed that he's wearing Adidas Shelltoes. But did you know that Adidas is pulling back distribution of that particular style for the first three months of 2008? The idea is to bring back some of the brand cache that was lost because the Superstar was too widely distributed.

And p.s., yes, I am gonna just try and hop back into this blogging thing like I was never gone. So there!

Dark Days in the Evil Empire

Hi everybody. These are dark days in New York for Yankee fans, I cannot lie. On top of having to watch the Sux march to another World Series, we've had to deal with the loss of Uncle Joe and what seems to be the demise of great leadership at the top of the Yankee organization.

Anyway.....it's not like I haven't been blogging. I've been posting quite a LOT over at HighSnob's ChicksWithKicks (god how I hate that name--thank goodness it's changing!). But it aint the same as my home base here. I'm gonna do my best to post here a little more.

Nike's Quarter

Nike had reported yesterday that it had another great quarter, blah, blah, blah....the only negative they admitted to was that sales were down in Japan, BUT they were up like crazy in Asia overall. The exec who talked on the earnings call, who said he has been to his fair share of store openings, noted that the recent opening of a flagship store in Beijing was crazy like he had never seen before. Thus, we can safely conclude that like the rest of the world China has drunk the Swoosh-flavored Koolaid.

I swear to Christmas so times I hate Nike so much I love them.

Sneaker Boutiques

I spoke to sneaker boutique buyers in July for a story I do twice a year for Footwear News magazine. I heard a lot about cleaner sneaker looks as well as boutique buyers wanting to give more floor space to clothes and accessories. Apparently guys having cut their teeth on sneakers as a fashion item have begun to appreciate putting together total head-to-toe looks.


^^Click to enlarge to read interviews with Atmos, Social Study and more.

Under Armour: Not Your Soccer Momma's Mindset

A while back I was talking with retailers about Under Amour's campaign to promote their women's line. The people I spoke to it described it as one that features hardcore athletes, who weren't at all femmy. I, like the buyers I spoke to, thought that was a mistake on Under Armour's part. We all agreed that while women not only want to, but also and have more pressure on them to be in good shape, ultimately they still wanted to be soft and feminine.

And then after I saw the ad and it made me realize, I am an old-damn crow. Because you know what? This new generation of women is different. They're really serious about competetive sports in a way that my generation wasn't.

So now I have to give Under Armour its props. It created ads that set itself apart from its biggest competitor, Nike. It's like if you're a soccer Mom like me, you'll probably identify more with Nike, but if you're a young woman, you're going to like the feel of Under Armour more. So rather than take on the Swoosh head on, Under Armour chose to plant its seeds with the up-and-coming crew and slowly grow with them.

On a side note, we're going to see the launch of Under Armour's athletic footwear line in late spring. Me? I'm pretty damn excited about it. It's been too long since anyone has given Nike serious competition in the footwear category.

Kelis & Nas Performance

This is sort of old--it's from this past July--but I just spotted it. Watch it to see Nas and Kelis perform "Bossy" and "If I Ruled the World" together. The concert ends with Kelis singing a line from "Me and Mrs. Jones." Their onstage chemistry is adorable.

Swagger!

Wyclef called into JAM’N 94.5’s “Ramiro & Pebbles Morning Show" last week and the reason the interview got a lot of attention is 'cause he stated that he believes Lauren might be bi-polar. That's interesting gossip and all that, but I thought the better part of the interview came before he decided to torpedo his old bandmate/friend/lover.

Prior to Wyclef calling in, the hosts were discussing swagger and whether or not a man needs money to have it. This argument is as old as the hills and one that Kelis wrote about in the column that I posted up yesterday. Predictably, votes broke along gender lines. Pebbles was arguing that a man without money can pull a woman based largely on his confidence and how he carries himself. "Women see potential in men," she said. Ramiro wasn't buying it. He felt as though a man's confidence is directly proportional to the size of his bank account.

I'm not going to say that there aren't women out there who are money-seeking missiles and that money matters not a wit, but most females are looking for more than just cash. The mating game is a very complicated one and somehow I doubt that Mother Nature set things up so that only men with a big stash would be allowed to enter the gene pool.

And when Wyclef finally called in, what did he say? He agreed with the ladies! He said that back in the day when he and his woman started dating, there were "mad dudes" in his hood with a LOT more money than him, but he was able to pull the woman who is now his wife 'cause "certain dudes just have that confidence in them." For added evidence, at the time he met her he was living with his Mom!

I Want to Thank God......and Al!

I don't know if you've noticed, but I haven't been posting around here much. Sorry, but I've been VERY busy watching Yankee games, as such, my absence could not be helped.

Before today, my last post was in August when I bragged about having great seats to a Yankee vs. Red Sux baseball game. I asked the Great God of Baseball to not only let the Yanks crush the Sux--which of course they did, sweeping the series no less--but to also allow for an appearance by the great Joba Chamberlain. As such, I am hereby sending my everlasting thanks to G.G.B. for making both of those requests come true.

Also, many many thanks to Al for coming through with an image from the game that features me. Yes, ME!


^^There I am to the right. And there's Robi to the left, waving to me shortly after hitting a crowd-pleasing homerun. He tried to get me to celebrate with him after the game, but I told him, I would be nothing less than a huge distraction and like the captain says, he needs to stay focused on winning each and every game. The sacrifices I make for the good of the team, I tell you.

Urban Outfitters Sueing Forever 21

Unbelievably, Urban Outfitters is sueing Forever 21, stating:

"...that Forever 21 has infringed on its copyrights related to some garments that it sells through its Anthropologie concept."

What comes around, goes around, bitches. For years Urban has been jacking designs from independent designers. The sucky thing is that Urban stole those designs knowing that the indies would never be able to defend themselves. Now that they've finally noticed that Forever21 is eating into their business, suddenly Urban finds the practice of copying offensive. Rich.

Urban's not the only business that has issues with Forever21. According to the article:

"A little Googling reveals that designer Anna Sui has a T-shirt out that incorporates a picture of Forever 21's founders on a "Wanted"-style poster, with "Thou Shalt Not Steal" printed at the bottom."

Many many moons ago, I did a little side work for a designer, who Sui contracted to make her knitwear. What was the method to Sui's design madness? She'd have her assistants shop the Downtown thrift shops and she would then pick out her favorites and send them over to the guy I worked with to reproduce.

Fashion can be a beautiful thing, but behind the scenes, there's tons of ugly.

Kelis: MissBehave Column

Betcha didn't know that Kelis writes a column for MissBehave magazine. I scanned for you, dear readers, but even if you click on it, it might be tough to read. In it, Kelis looks at how money affects relationships between men and women. It's not super deep, but I do like her conclusions, which I posted below.

"I'm a forward thinking modern female. I've posed a bunch of questions, so here's my take--leave the gold digging for the chickens and the birds. Expect more than money ladies. A man and woman should be partners. I business, partners play different roles equally important to the success of that business. Life and marriage are no different. so for all the jaded negroes Kanye spoke for, I suggest you made a T-shirt. Maybe the slogan could read something like: "Dig This: I Got Your Gold Right Here!"

Weeee!!! Yanks, Red Sux and Moi

Appropos of NADA, I'm excited to announce that next Thursday night, you will find me, yours truly, sitting a few seats to the left of the Yankees dugout, sipping beer and watching the Bombers take out the Boston Red Sux. Woo-hoo!

Dear great god of baseball: Though I realize I should content myself with not only fantastic seats but the opportunity to attend a game featuring one of the most intense rivalries in all of sports, I am going to push my luck and humbly submit a request for a Joba appearance. Please note that if this request will in any way compromise the Yankees chances at CRUSHING Boston, you are free to ignore.

And btw, if you're a Yankee fan and your not reading beat writer Pete Abraham's Yankee blog, you are missing out.

Rhi-Rhi & Paper Mag: Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Normally I don't post up whole spreads from magazine just 'cause that aint really cool, BUT because I got a request from a reader AND I think the shoot is amazing, I'm gonna do it anyway. Enormous and sincerely felt props to photographer Jessica Craig-Martin, assistant photographer Stephanie McNeil, stylist Masha Orlov, hair stylist Ursula and makeup aritst Mylah Morlales (all females--I love it!) who did an amazing job on this shoot. The only missing image from the shoot is the one I included in a post below.








Click to enlarge all of above.

Kanye & Takashi Murakami Cover Art

New York magazine in a recent issue critqued the Takashi Murakami cover art for Kanye's soon-to-be released CD. The writer viewed the art as "confused and busy," and attributed its theme to nothing more or less than "West's recent stylistic infatuation with contemporary Japanese art and anime."

I'm not positive, but I don't think Kanye's love of Murakami is all that recent. Kanye's always been pretty up on the whole streetwear scene and Murakami as well as other Japanese artists have always been a big part of that trend.

For me, the cover art reflect his dichotomous personality as it relates to hiphop. While on the one hand, he's the ultimate insider from a hit-making pespective, he frequently takes an other-orbit, outsider position when it comes to his owns views on rap, as well how he chooses to present himself. Kanye is of the hood, which as the art illustrates, is in and of itself on another planet from mainstream America, but still in another orbit.

And perhaps I'm taking this analysis a step to far, but while the bear's body language is open and hopeful, his expression is blank if not a bit sad. In other words, while being a man without a country brings its own joys, as Kermit knows all too well, it aint always easy being green. New York magazine complains that the cover art would have been much better suited for his very first CD, but no, Kanye then was still very much feet on the Earth, focused on grinding out his hustle.

This worldview is perfectly illustrated in a recent issue of Complex magazine, in which Kanye rates the outfits of four celebrities based on how each of four cultural groups--"Devil Wears Prada, Hipster, Hood, & Middle America" would respond to it. In this particular issue, rather than breaking down the outfits of other celebs as he usuall does, he critiques four of his own outfits. (In some future issue, he needs to do a critique of four women.)


^^Click to enlarge

There are plenty of hilarious comments, like the one he makes on the Hood rating for his 2006 Grammy outfit that he sums up with a phone message he received after the event: "Damn, 'Ye, you let the city down." In the Hipster view on 2007 Hot 97 Summer Jam outfit, he says, "The matchiness is made up for by the ridiculous amount of jewelry and those glasses. Hipsters like it when black people wear a lot of jewelry." Funny yeah (and a little painful cuz I think that view on gold sums me up a little too well!), but the bigger theme is Kanye's Mac-truck-wide perspective combined with a fearlessness when it comes to acknowleding and even laughing at the multiple personalities all outsiders have to create to survive.

In rapping about "the gift and the curse" Jay-Z alludes to the alienation that results from being a black man born with an overload of talent and ambition, but Kanye puts the issue on blast and then even pokes fun at it. As a Scorpio rising with a deep appreciation for the deeply twisted I wouldn't want everyone to be like Kanye, but damn he is a refreshing change of pace.

And on that note, here are some gratuitous shots of Kanye at some recent event. Ya gotta love the kicks.

Magazine Round-up: Killer Females

I just read through a bunch of magazines and when I was finished pulling favorite pages, the theme was clearly females who have it going on when it comes to fashion.


^^Amy Winehouse up first. Amy isn't always on point fashion-wise--case in point this image--but I'll love her forever and always for her beehive, which continued to sport even when on her honeymoon in the Caribbean. So, big points for her ultimate, I-do-not-give-a-fuck-what-you-think take on life. (Source: Vogue Fashion Rocks)

^^Bjork: even better than the Winehouse beehive was the evening that Bjork wore her swan to the Oscars, an all-time great moment in f.u. fashion. In this image from Bust magazine, Bjork is sporting a crocheted costume which she wore for the art included with her recent CD release.

^^It's Kelis and this is TrendyNation. Need I say more? (Source: Vogue Fashion Rocks)

^^M.I.A. I'm not super crazy about how she's styled here, but we don't get a lot of images of her here in the U.S. and given that she's in my top ten, best-dressed list, she gets special priviledges 'round here similar to Kelis.

^^Here's RhiRhi as featured in a recent issue of Paper magazine. I thought this shoot was amazing, and while Kelis is looking great lately, I'm not convinced yet that she has the autonomy to become, as she states in the story, "the next Black Madonna." In the same article she graciously credits her recent style upgrade to stylist Mariel Haenn. Again though, did she choose the stylist or was she foisted upon her? I always like to give females the benefit of the doubt, but ehh, my Spidey senses are not feeling like she's an altogether independent woman. I could be wrong though.

Stuck in Pittsburgh

Btw, my people, I am currently stuck in Pittsburgh. I was trying to go the shoe show in Las Vegas last night and my flight out of New York was canceled thanks to a bunch of rain all up and down the East Coast. After three or four hours in Laguardia, I went back home and then returned to the airport this morning in hopes of getting on a flight on standby. I caught a flight to Pittsburgh, which arrived at 12 or so, but my connecting flight to Las Vegas won't be leaving until 8:30 tonight. Nice, huh? I'm gonna be hustling around that shoe show like a MANIAC tomorrow cause I leave back for New York tomorrow night on the red eye. And I know I've promised it before, but this time I am totally going to take pictures. I swear! The catch is that I will probably post all of them on ChicksWithKicks.

Anyway, this airport features a mall, so I'm going to go explore. Lol, only four hours to kill! Ahh well, at least I got some time to catch up on some blogging, which makes me feel good.

UPDATE (with pictures!!) I'm just about recovered from my evening meal, which started with Ben & Jerry's and ended with ziti from Zbarro's. And that my body has processed that nightmare meal, I'm starting to get that loser feeling, like anyone else would have been in Las Vegas by now. Given all the time on my hands, I took some pictures while I was here:


^^These are my latest footwear acquisition. I adore them. I don't know the real style name, but in my mind I call them my Coco Chanel Jordans. I bought them in one of those shoe boutiques on 14th Street in Manhattan and I might go back and buy the beige pair.

^^Outside of my Jordans, today I am Miss Asics as I am wearing an Asics jacket and carrying an Asics bag. A few months ago, I went to an Asics showcase and received an the jacket and overnight bag for my efforts. A lot of times the samples companies give out suck, but I ran all winter in the Asics jacket because it kicked ass in a million different ways, but mostly because no matter how freezing it got, it kept me warm. But this isn't an image of the jacket, it's the Asics bag that I also received. My son calls it his "Coach bag." I thought he was joking and playing off on the stupidity of designer stuff, but then recently he asked me if it really was a Coach bag. I like the way it looks and feels, but I'm not yet convinced of its durability. If I was walking along one day and the handle just ripped off from its mooring, I wouldn't be shocked.

^^I noticed today and yesterday in the airport that everyone is carrying these quilty bags. I kinda like them, but I kinda think they suck, too. This trend started as an ironic play on the grandmotherly nature of quilted, homespun looking bags, but now they're being carried by people who are not mean and vain fashionistas, but like the bags themselves, are nice and wholesome, which ruins the whole concept and inspires my disdain.