Now And Then - 2013/14
My most recent posts have been superficial and materialistic. Oh well!
It's the festive season and I'm not feeling like delving deep into my inner self and spilling my guts onto the screen as it were. This time of year usually haunts me and brings me right down, even with the SSRIs doing what they do. However over the past few years being able to spend quality time with my family, and seeing the wife and kids happy has definitely made a difference in my emotional state.
And that's your lot. Now, onto the fun stuff!
If you didn't know already, I work in footwear. Not the fun side of things by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm surrounded by every aspect so get a lot out of the overall experience. Over the past year and a half my perception of 'comfort' has changed dramatically. In doing so it has changed the way I shop for shoes, basically ending it altogether. Having switched to 'barefoot' living there is almost certainly no going back to cushioning and air soles. My love of the design and often reoccurring nostalgic tendencies are still intact I am just not spending any money. Until now.
So many things drew me to this shoe. Firstly it's Stussy✓ and Nike✓ and called the Trainerendor✓ - What a name! and the Velcro strap is reminiscent of the Air Trainer SC my first pair of Nike Air if I remember correctly. Also the silhouette is not far off that of the Roshe which for me is as grown up a shoe as Nike have done of late. Finally, coming in two colourways both boasting reflective qualities, but the Green version offering the widest spectrum as seen below.
I'm a sucker for 3M and reflective materials, and until now only the Adidas ZX9000 reflective pack stirred any interest from me. But that is a horrible shoe with regards to being far too narrow. Now, even though details and images of this shoe have done the rounds for the last few weeks, I was still just warming to it in it's original release colour of black (of course) with a white sole. Still that was only available via the likes of eBay and running at £150 a pop. Fuck that noise. So the drop of this collaborative effort between two brands I love and respect, the colours and materials used and in small part the exclusivity of the release had me hook line and sinker. The hard part was going to be getting a pair of course, that's part of the deal.
Release date was no secret, Friday the 13th at 12:00 PST via Stussy online. That's 8PM GMT. Fortunately I was home from work, getting the kids ready for bed and was able to log on. Boom, there they were, full size run. I added a pair of US 9.5 to the cart and clicked Check Out. Fuck. Only accepting US Billing addresses. Now here is where having good dudes in the right places really comes in handy. I reached out to a couple buddies in NJ/NY asking for help. One wasn't in a position to reply, and the other couldn't get to a PC. Next my size was sold out in 26 minutes. Shit balls. But wait, here's where it gets sweet. My man Danny was able to call up his contact in Stussy NY and have a pair held. Awesome! So fucking awesome. I didn't even consider the Chapter Store in NY. I really am looking forward to getting these whilst on holiday in the States. A(nother) Christmas gift to myself. I obviously couldn't have done it without the help of my guy in NJ and I owe him big time.
I understand that 1948 in London had fifty pairs up for grabs on the following morning but I assume the retail price would have been £100 or more, I've not had confirmation. Otherwise if you want these you are now at the mercy of the re-seller.
So the Stussy x Nike Trainerendor represents the NOW in this post. Onto the THEN. Then being next year.
I have had a shoe on my mind for the past year or so. The last time I had a pair was in school so it's been a minute. The wife really isn't keen on them and that has held me back from buying a pair. However they have come up in conversation with a new pal who recently trashed his pair of Baby Blue suedes. These shoes have significant history, and made my all time favourite shoes list, albeit in the form of a collaboration with the Wu Tang Clan. Yes I am talking about the Clarks Wallabee. Even more significant is the fact that I work for the creator of said shoe, as well as the man who penned the deal with the Wu Tang Clan to use their logo and branding on the classic shoe.
The Wallabee is always available, being a part of the Originals collection from Clarks, in both suede and leather versions. Classic colours of course being black, brown and cream. But like previously mentioned the real hardcore can go for punchy options too. I've particularly liked them in flannel/wool, and the Futura version and just couldn't justify the £100+ or so they cost inline. A regular solid colour pair still costs from £80+ so I've held off.
Now however details have emerged of a new incarnation available in SS14. In collaboration with infamous and somewhat mysterious Hip-Hop artist MF Doom we are being treated to a chocolate coloured leather version with the Doom mask embossed on the heel and throughout the inner. There aren't many images, almost none of them are that flattering either, but I can't fail to be intrigued. I have it on good faith that my friends at The Buttery Store will be stocking these so hoping I can get a proper look when the time comes. If these came in black, I wouldn't hesitate but the dark brown could still be an option.
This will be the last post of the year as I'm off to the States for Christmas and New Year to be with family. No end of year lists this time around, it's all about living in the now and looking forward, OK with the occasional nod to the past. Back to normal service in 2014. Thanks for the continued love and support. Peace.
-Bossman75
It's the festive season and I'm not feeling like delving deep into my inner self and spilling my guts onto the screen as it were. This time of year usually haunts me and brings me right down, even with the SSRIs doing what they do. However over the past few years being able to spend quality time with my family, and seeing the wife and kids happy has definitely made a difference in my emotional state.
And that's your lot. Now, onto the fun stuff!
If you didn't know already, I work in footwear. Not the fun side of things by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm surrounded by every aspect so get a lot out of the overall experience. Over the past year and a half my perception of 'comfort' has changed dramatically. In doing so it has changed the way I shop for shoes, basically ending it altogether. Having switched to 'barefoot' living there is almost certainly no going back to cushioning and air soles. My love of the design and often reoccurring nostalgic tendencies are still intact I am just not spending any money. Until now.
So many things drew me to this shoe. Firstly it's Stussy✓ and Nike✓ and called the Trainerendor✓ - What a name! and the Velcro strap is reminiscent of the Air Trainer SC my first pair of Nike Air if I remember correctly. Also the silhouette is not far off that of the Roshe which for me is as grown up a shoe as Nike have done of late. Finally, coming in two colourways both boasting reflective qualities, but the Green version offering the widest spectrum as seen below.
I'm a sucker for 3M and reflective materials, and until now only the Adidas ZX9000 reflective pack stirred any interest from me. But that is a horrible shoe with regards to being far too narrow. Now, even though details and images of this shoe have done the rounds for the last few weeks, I was still just warming to it in it's original release colour of black (of course) with a white sole. Still that was only available via the likes of eBay and running at £150 a pop. Fuck that noise. So the drop of this collaborative effort between two brands I love and respect, the colours and materials used and in small part the exclusivity of the release had me hook line and sinker. The hard part was going to be getting a pair of course, that's part of the deal.
Release date was no secret, Friday the 13th at 12:00 PST via Stussy online. That's 8PM GMT. Fortunately I was home from work, getting the kids ready for bed and was able to log on. Boom, there they were, full size run. I added a pair of US 9.5 to the cart and clicked Check Out. Fuck. Only accepting US Billing addresses. Now here is where having good dudes in the right places really comes in handy. I reached out to a couple buddies in NJ/NY asking for help. One wasn't in a position to reply, and the other couldn't get to a PC. Next my size was sold out in 26 minutes. Shit balls. But wait, here's where it gets sweet. My man Danny was able to call up his contact in Stussy NY and have a pair held. Awesome! So fucking awesome. I didn't even consider the Chapter Store in NY. I really am looking forward to getting these whilst on holiday in the States. A(nother) Christmas gift to myself. I obviously couldn't have done it without the help of my guy in NJ and I owe him big time.
I understand that 1948 in London had fifty pairs up for grabs on the following morning but I assume the retail price would have been £100 or more, I've not had confirmation. Otherwise if you want these you are now at the mercy of the re-seller.
So the Stussy x Nike Trainerendor represents the NOW in this post. Onto the THEN. Then being next year.
I have had a shoe on my mind for the past year or so. The last time I had a pair was in school so it's been a minute. The wife really isn't keen on them and that has held me back from buying a pair. However they have come up in conversation with a new pal who recently trashed his pair of Baby Blue suedes. These shoes have significant history, and made my all time favourite shoes list, albeit in the form of a collaboration with the Wu Tang Clan. Yes I am talking about the Clarks Wallabee. Even more significant is the fact that I work for the creator of said shoe, as well as the man who penned the deal with the Wu Tang Clan to use their logo and branding on the classic shoe.
The Wallabee is always available, being a part of the Originals collection from Clarks, in both suede and leather versions. Classic colours of course being black, brown and cream. But like previously mentioned the real hardcore can go for punchy options too. I've particularly liked them in flannel/wool, and the Futura version and just couldn't justify the £100+ or so they cost inline. A regular solid colour pair still costs from £80+ so I've held off.
Now however details have emerged of a new incarnation available in SS14. In collaboration with infamous and somewhat mysterious Hip-Hop artist MF Doom we are being treated to a chocolate coloured leather version with the Doom mask embossed on the heel and throughout the inner. There aren't many images, almost none of them are that flattering either, but I can't fail to be intrigued. I have it on good faith that my friends at The Buttery Store will be stocking these so hoping I can get a proper look when the time comes. If these came in black, I wouldn't hesitate but the dark brown could still be an option.
This will be the last post of the year as I'm off to the States for Christmas and New Year to be with family. No end of year lists this time around, it's all about living in the now and looking forward, OK with the occasional nod to the past. Back to normal service in 2014. Thanks for the continued love and support. Peace.
-Bossman75