Thread and Sole

New York is for Shoppers Part 3

2011-08-01T21:29:00.001-04:00

Previously on Thread and Sole! Our heroes left the big apple on a train bound for the small apple that is Poughkeepsie, NY. Not a week had gone by and I was already planning my next trip back to NYC. This time we wouldn’t go on a Sunday and we wouldn’t go on a day when it was raining. Again I had the whole trip mapped out with a short trip to Brooklyn. So we hopped on the train and headed to Grand Central. This time we were pros and knew exactly what to do. We arrived around 11 a.m. and headed to Times Square to see what is all the hype. If you have never been it is an experience you have to see at least once. And once you go, you might never want to go again. The place is jam packed with tourists staring at giant T.V. screens and shopping at their favorite mall stores. Only these mall stores are 5 stories high. There was only one place I wanted to go and that was the Levi’s store. Levi’s had just released their commuter line of apparel and I wanted to test them out. The Levi’s in Times Square was quite small compared to the rest of the stores, but they still had wall to wall jeans. The commuter collection was on the first table as we came in the door, and I quickly grabbed my size in the jeans and the jean jacket. I headed to the fitting rooms to try them on. The jeans were amazing, raw denim with some nice stretch for riding your bike. The jacket was not exactly my favorite so I passed. I will tell you that the jackets have stretch and all the same attributes as the jeans. If you want all the details on the 511 commuter jeans then read this blog.

We left the store new jeans in tow, and headed for our next stop which was a bakery; cooking is my wife’s passion. I am going to fast forward a little because we spent the next few hours eating and drinking with some friends. We hopped a taxi with 21 Mercer as our destination. If you don’t know what 21 Mercer is then stop reading my blog. Ok, 21 Mercer is Nike’s exclusive NYC boutique with a wide variety of Nike sneakers. As we walked up I saw their big blue ice cream truck and instantly became a kid again. The ice cream truck is a new Nike fixture that sells exclusive kicks, tees and even ice cream. We bi passed the truck and headed into the store, which like most boutiques was not big, but has some amazing products. One shoe in particular caught my eye: the Nike SB Stefan Janoski Black/Mint. The guy grabbed my size and I knew I was getting a new pair of shoes. I paid and left with the new SB’s in my bag. 21 Mercer is in SOHO along with many other stores including kidrobot. kidrobot was a very small store with an amazing collection of dunnys. I spent a little time looking at all tees and hats, but I really only wanted a Simpsons figure. At this point we were exhausted and ready to head home. We left New York City again, hot and tired. Ready to get back to our air conditioned apartment and our little baby puppy. This isn’t the end and the next time I am going to special sneaker haven. FLIGHT CLUB NY!!!

Back to School Advice

2011-07-22T10:18:00.001-04:00

It’s that time of year again. The time of year where one bad choice in fashion can ruin a teen’s entire year. Back to school shopping is a huge time of the year for retailers and children. For the kids and teens it means a fresh start. A great outfit can make everyone forget about that horrible mistake in fashion you made last year.

Parents, listen to your children and children, listen to your parents. For example, your teen wants a pair of pink skinny jeans and you want them to were some khakis; so you get a pair of slim or skinny twill pants in burgundy. I remember when I was in high school everyone was wearing Polo and Tommy Hilfiger. I wanted a pair of Hilfiger carpenter jeans with Tommy Hilfiger stitched down the side, I was also going through a hip hop fashion phase. They were hideous (also expensive) and my mom pay for the jeans. I was dead set on getting them, but I finally gave in and bought some denim elsewhere. I was super mad at my mom.

I look back now and thank my mom for not letting me waste a lot of money on these horrible jeans. I still make decisions when I buy most things on a scale of how much this piece of clothing would embarrass my family. This is the same reason I don’t wear offensive t-shirts or jeans that are too tight even if they might be in style. This brings me to another point. Guys please stop wearing jeans made for girls. They make extremely skinny jeans for guys now. I don’t have anything against guys wearing super tight jeans, but girls jeans are not made for a guys body. Our bodies are very different. Also, parents stop buying clothes for your teens without your teens being present to either try them on or to give their opinion.

Parents and teens get together, go shopping together and make smart decisions. Parents sit down and watch your child’s favorite shows and get ideas on fashion choices. Teens listen to your parents and take their opinions with a grain of salt. Also look for the best deals, not just the cheapest rack in the store. You didn’t want that piece of clothing the first time around, so why would you want it now. We can come together and help everyone dress better this school year.

New York is for Shoppers Part 2

2011-07-17T19:22:00.001-04:00

When we left our last post, our heroes were heading downtown to the meatpacking district. We did make a pit stop in Little Italy with my wife’s relatives and they treated us to a wonderful lunch at Il Cortile. After lunch we hopped a cab and headed to the meatpacking district, with the new Levi’s boutique as our destination. The Levi’s Meatpacking store is a premium concept store housing only the finest fits and washes in the Levi’s catalog. If you can’t find the perfect fit for you there is also an in-house tailor to custom fit your jeans. Let me be frank, this is not a store for an everyday jean shopper. This store caters to people who appreciate high quality denim and those who want their denim to fit perfectly. It’s not a huge store, very long and narrow, but it is packed with Levi’s greatest hits. You might even walk right pass it and never know because the main sign is a blank red Levi’s arch. All the usual suspects were accounted for and stored in their own little sections. This store also carries some of Levi’s more exclusive collaborations; at the time it was Levi’s x Pendleton. I most enjoyed the window display that showed Levi’s support for the newly passed gay marriage bill in New York. I only wish I had spent more time in the store but it was our first trip and we still had lots to see.

(in front of the store not enjoying the muggy weather)

I didn’t buy anything at the Meatpacking store this trip. Mainly because we still wanted to do some shopping at the Chelsea Market and we were pressed for time. I did make one more stop at Urban Outfitters to pick up the 501 cutoff shorts I had seen earlier that day. I do recommend that you check out the stores I have mentioned if you are looking for some of the best of Nike and Levi’s. We returned home tired and beaten to a happy puppy who desperately had to go to the bathroom. The adventure doesn’t end here I just got back from a trip to the city this week. It was partly a sightseeing trip, and partly me trying to convince my wife to move to the city when she finishes culinary school. Stay tuned for part 3 of my posting on NYC, the next one is in 3-D.

Levi’s for Cyclist!

2011-07-11T22:12:00.001-04:00

I just ran across an article, from the blog Refinary29, about the newest line from Levi’s. The collection is geared towards urban cyclists using their bikes as transportation. The Levi’s Commuter Line may look like regular items you would find in any store, but it’s what is inside that counts. The jeans boast 2% stretch for getting on and off with ease; this also helps with comfort while riding. It doesn’t stop there, the jeans use advanced fabric technology to avoid stains and to help keep sweat from funking up your jeans. Don’t worry about showing too much crack to the people behind you, these jeans have a higher back rise. If you still aren’t sold, there is a utility loop for a bike u-lock. I would recommend you wear a belt, because most u-locks can be very heavy.

To go along with their denim, Levi’s is modifying their famous trucker style jacket for a rider friendly fit. The arms have an accordion sleeve to help with ride height and a similar cotton/stretch blend for comfort. There is also a hidden iPod/iPhone sleeve to help keep you going on a long ride. The jeans will come in a skinny fit for $78 and the trucker jacket with run for $128 respectfully. Look for these to hit selected Urban Outfitters in August, but if you just can’t wait the Union Square store in NYC should have these this week.

via Refinery29

New York is for Shoppers! Part 1

2011-07-10T20:55:00.001-04:00

Welcome back readers! I enjoyed and loathed this hiatus I have been on the past few months. A lot of events have happened in my life; I got married and moved to NY. No, I didn’t move to NYC, but a smaller town north of the city, Poughkeepsie. It’s not exactly the fashion capital of the state but it’s a lovely little historical town and I only have to take a 45 minute train ride to the city.

My wife and I decided to make the excursion to the city on a rainy Sunday. We hurried to the train station excited for the adventure. I had the whole trip planned out on my iPhone, which consisted of all stores that I didn’t have available in Florida. Every place seemed like it was walking distance from Grand Central Train station. I was so wrong.

New York City is humongous. Every building towers above you and all the streets look the same. When I was looking at Google maps, everything looked so close and walking to all my destinations would be no problem. My first stop had to be Niketown on 5th Avenue, but we had arrived to early and nothing was open. We started to walk down 5th Avenue passing street after street avoiding the rain and traffic. I soon realized we were headed the wrong way. (damn you Google maps!)

We then trucked back the other way and stepped into Urban Outfitters to avoid the rain. This Urban was amazing. It was set up like a NYC style loft, with tons of wood displays everywhere, including a giant Levi’s emblem with nails driven into the wood for a nice 3-D effect. My wife bought a dress and I bought an Obey tee, shocker, and a kidrobot Simpsons figure.

We moved back to the street with the rain and wind picking up as we moved on towards Nike. We passed all the really upscale stores, and finally arrived at Niketown. I was not expecting a five store mega store. I was expecting a lot of shoes and that’s exactly what I found. I believe it was the flash of the store or the fact that I was shopping in NYC for the first time, but I just had to get a pair of shoes. The fifth floor my was destination of choice; this housed the Sportswear line and vintage shoes. I picked a nice vintage Nike Air Vortex in light blue/black. They came in a light orange vintage Nike box and we headed out to meet up with my wife’s relatives that were in town so we could get some lunch. We had been in NYC for 2 hours and I only had 2 stores checked off my list. I had a lot of places I still wanted to visit and we had a lot of ground to cover.

To Be Continued!!

Wednesday Rant–Bad Customer Service

2011-03-16T20:38:00.001-04:00

It’s Wednesday time for a rant. I know I haven’t done this segment in some time but something happened today that really pissed me off. I will keep this short and to the point. Nothing pisses me off more, when shopping, then horrible customer service. You walk into a store looking to find a new piece of clothing and the person working there could care less and just has an attitude the entire time. I was shopping today and I went to a store, that will remain nameless, and the person was just rude and just had horrible attitude. The worst part was they had the item I was looking for and I didn’t want that person to get the sale so I left. I did find that item at another location and made the purchase, because the people were extremely helpful and polite. I am not asking for people to throw rose petals at my feet, just remember that I am the customer and you are selling goods. If I don’t buy the goods at your store then you don’t make money. I happen to know this company does work on commission, so I don’t know why this person would act this way. Hey person, maybe you should remember you are at work and that you make money off of sales and not walkouts. So next time you work, try and remember that a little bit of kindness goes a long way.

New “Ship” Tuesday 03/15/11

2011-03-15T23:45:00.001-04:00

It’s Tuesday once again, so let’s check out all the new arrivals. We’ve got lots of goodies to show you today. I’ve decided to feature a top to bottom outfit; shirt, shorts and shoes. After hours and hours of searching the internet I have found three pieces that I know you will love and again I will post the links, in case the urge to purchase takes over. Let’s start our journey.

Spotlight: Hurley Phantom Series

2011-03-10T23:07:00.001-05:00

Continuing on our path to warmer weather, I bring you the Hurley Phantom Series boardshorts. The Phantoms are the most comfortable boardshorts money can buy. They will cost a little more than your usual pair of Corona boardshorts from Target, but they will last a lot longer and they are much cooler than anything else on the market. These boardshorts don’t hold water and they dry much faster than conventional trunks. All three of the pairs range in their fit and how much stretch they contain. Each pair is different, but they are all equally revolutionary. The rest of the story after the break.

New Ship Tuesday

2011-03-08T20:36:00.001-05:00

This is a new segment for Tuesday; the day everything new drops in stores. Things like DVDs, music and everything else. I am mainly going to focus on clothes, shoes and maybe some special items. Basically every Tuesday I will scour the internet for you guys and bring all the new stuff. Come with me on this new journey and you might just find your next purchase. The rest of the story after the break.

Top 5 Shorts

2011-03-07T22:48:00.001-05:00

For most of the country it’s time to break out the shorts. I know some of the readers are still buried in snow, but eventually it will too hot for pants and jeans. I figured we should get a jump start and check some great styles that you may not have thought about in the past. Let’s journey into the world of short pants. The rest of the story after the break.

Top 5–Nike Air Max Running Shoes

2011-02-28T21:23:00.001-05:00

I love vintage running shoes and the most collected is the Air Max series. They are the flagship running shoe in the Nike Brand and a have a loyal following for each release year. I chose the 5 that I think represent the series best. The rest of the story after the break.

Nike Air Foamposite One “Penny”

2011-02-12T06:39:00.001-05:00

The Nike Air Foamposite One “Penny” released last night at retailers. Did you pick yours up? What do you think of the Foamposite “Penny?” The rest of the pics after the break.

SOPHNET x Carhartt Collection “Capsule”

2011-02-11T22:45:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wanted to dress like you worked on the American railroads? SOPHNET and Carhartt are making you dreams come true. The “Capsule” Collection is a collaboration celebrating denim uniforms of workers that Carhartt used to make. All four pieces are made of 9oz denim with the star being the denim jumpsuit; sure to be a crowd pleaser at your next party. What do you think of the capsule collection? The rest of the pics after the break.

Sixpack France “Dust to Dust” Collection

2011-02-11T22:34:00.001-05:00

Are you looking for a new brand of sick tees to wear? Well look no further than France! Sixpack France has released an immense amount of tees. There are parody tee, art tees, political tees and even weird tees. They have releases pics of 24 tees so far and hopefully there are more coming. I am salivating looking through all the great shirts and they are all great tees. Some real stand outs are the “Pink Flag” and “Jazz, Poetry, Drugs” tee. What do you think of the Sixpack France collection? The rest of the pics after the break.

Billionaire Boys Club 2011 S/S Lookbook

2011-02-11T22:16:00.001-05:00

He makes great music and he also makes great clothes. I’m, of course, talking about Pharrell Williams; super producer and sneaker and clothing enthusiast. Billionaire Boys Club have dropped their 2011 collection and it’s a little out there and a little everyday wear. I don’t recommend this collection for those with a heart condition. What do you think of the BBC 2011 collection? The rest of the pics after the break.

Band of Outsiders 2011 S/S Lookbook

2011-02-11T21:06:00.002-05:00

“Look it’s Cyclops!” It’s actually James Marsden for the new Band of Outsiders2011 Spring/Summer Lookbook. He’s just having fun at the Gaylord Hotel in LA. The best part about this lookbook is it was shot with a Polaroid Camera; it kind of gives it an overexposed, vintage look. What do you think of the Band of Outsiders lookbook? The rest of the pics after the break.
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adidas Originals Questar–Available Now

2011-02-11T19:00:00.001-05:00

Remember these beauties? The adidas Originals Questar just popped up on the Originals website for sale. The shoe retails for $125 which is reasonable for most retro shoes. This is a must have for any sneakerheads shoe collection, even the biggest fan of Nike Shoes.

pics courtesy of adidas Originals

Video: adidas Originals Jeremy Scott Cover Shoot

2011-02-11T07:31:00.001-05:00

The video is a photo shoot for the cover of XOXO magazine. It’s a pretty short video of the behind the scenes of the shoot.

Nike SB Dunk Pro “Denim”

2011-02-09T11:21:00.001-05:00

More and more denim covered sneakers are dropping lately. We had seen grey denim and dark selvage denim, and now we get a mixture. The newest SB Dunk is covered in dark obsidian/midnight navy denim. The Dunk also features the new and improved sole and mid sole, that I talked about a while back. It’s a pretty damn good looking shoe, but right now it’s only available in store at UK skate shop Dissent. I’ll keep you posted if and when these drop in the U.S. What do you think of the Nike SB Dunk “Denim?” The rest of the pics after the break.

Nike Air Pegasus 83 SI

2011-02-09T10:27:00.001-05:00

Why are all the good vintage shoes only available overseas? That includes the Nike Air Pegasus 83. A great vintage running shoe from the early 80’s; made with a mixture of nylon and suede. The current colorway, magenta/grey is so far my favorite version of the shoe. These aren’t available yet but I’ll keep you posted. What do you think of the Air Pegasus 83? The rest of the pics after the break.

Nike Air Wildwood ACG

2011-02-09T09:56:00.001-05:00

This is the shoe you wear in the warmer times while hiking the trails. Winter is on it’s way out and warmer weather is on the horizon. You don’t want to wear your winter boots in the heat and you don’t want to wear any regular running shoe on the trail. The Wildwood blends both the durability of a boot and a slim, comfort ability of a running shoe. I’m not loving the design; I still prefer the Air Max 1 ACG running shoe. What do you think of the Wildwood ACG? The rest of the pics after the break.

Spotlight: adidas Originals Running Shoes

2011-02-08T22:59:00.001-05:00

The adidas Originals started as a way for younger people to experience the popular shoes of the 70’s and 80’s. It’s also a way to display their history in actual form and not just pictures. People, like myself, crave what we once had and love to cherish past innovations. It’s no surprise that I love vintage shoes but, I really have a thing for vintage running shoes. I think one of the big reasons I have a thing for vintage shoes, is that when these shoes came out I didn’t have the money to buy the shoes. So now I am making up for lost time and I can afford to purchase most of these lost souls. Check out the rest of the story after the break.

Top 5 Packer/Steelers Colored Shoes

2011-02-08T00:18:00.001-05:00

I have been a Green Bay Packers fan since birth. I am so happy that they won the Super Bowl and are receiving the recognition that they deserve. I didn’t want to do just a Packers colored shoes Top 5, because frankly there aren’t that many in the true colors. So I included the Pittsburgh Steelers colors, Yellow and Black, because they had a lot of heart and played a fantastic game. I have decided to to use only the team colors and not colors that might match. Check out the Top 5 after the break.

Nike Challenger

2011-02-07T12:01:00.001-05:00

If any more retro shoes are released my head will probably explode. Not likely, but I am super excited that Nike is dipping back into the 70’s running shoe catalog. The Challenger is an updated version of the 60’s waffle running shoe and it comes in a grey/blue colorway. Hopefully there are more of these shoes on the retro horizon. What do you think of the Challenger retro? The rest of the pics after the break.

3 New Levi’s Fits

2011-02-07T11:28:00.002-05:00

Always on the cutting edge of denim design; Levi’s has released 3 new fits. The 520 Taper is a slouchy skinny fit. This fit isn’t super innovative, but I am excited to see Levi’s take on this emerging fit. The Skinny Carpenter is workwear combined with fashion. I am still not sure of how this one is going to look, but I am willing to give it a try. The Ex- Girlfriend a satirical take on the popular boyfriend fit for woman. The fit is the exact opposite of the boyfriend fit; it’s an ultra skinny stretch jean. This is the jean for the guys who find the 510 a little too loose. I am glad to see 3 very different fits being released and Levi’s seem to be taking a risk with the carpenter and ex-girlfriend fits. What do you think of the newest Levi’s fits? The rest of the pics after the break.
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