Faculty: More Dope Clipse News

-Earlier this month we saw that there would probably be KAWS artwork on the new Clipse album cover, and today two more ill Clipse related items surfaced. First, Hypebeast had the new spring pieces from Clipse' clothing line Play Cloths and this cardigan was the first piece from the duo's clothing line that I've really been compelled to get. Secondly, our PNW friends over at h(y)r posted this picture of Pusha, Mal, and Rick Rubin, which would seem to indicate that Rick is doing a track or two on When the Casket Drops. If Rick could provide something like 99 Problems for Pusha-T and Malice the hip-hop world would forever be changed. 

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Design Major: Nice Collective FW/09

-I had a hard time deciding which looks from Nice Collective I wanted to feature. I think NC is one of the few labels that has a real finger on what's happening on the street level. 

-Photos by Marcio Madeira via men.style

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School Supplies: Timberland

-Despite racism allegations from my boy Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Timberland has been producing some top quality product as of late. Their Earthkeepers collection, which is made entirely from organic, recycled, and renewable materials, features everything from boat shoes for the summer to Shackleton Collection boots for your next trip to Antarctica (pictured).
-Urban Outfitters has become the go-to spot for the new Timberland releases, including an exclusive chukka (below) available only at UrbanOutfitters.com. Needless to say, I copped a pair. Hopefully they can withstand the rainy months ahead.
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School Supplies: Spring Supras

-I haven't done a kicks rundown in awhile, and I've never done one dedicated to just one brand, but these are the Supra NS new spring styles and they're dope. Three models got re-worked with premium materials and icy color schemes. Look for these soon. 

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Design Major: Libertine FW/09

-Though the combinations here are pretty ridiculous, I think most of the pieces from the Libertine collection would be nice eccentric additions to my wardrobe. I'm not suggesting anyone run out and cover their clothes with penis patches (click the photo for a larger view,) but I like the schoolboy aesthetic in the individual items. 

-Photos by Marcio Madeira via men.style

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Design Major: Spurr FW/09

-I haven't seen much from Simon Spurr aside from jeans, but I really liked this collection. I'm always down for mixes of tech and traditional (3-piece + down jacket.)

-Photos by Don Ashby via men.style

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Faculty: Junior

-Ken Griffey Jr. is by far the biggest sports icon to ever grace Seattle with his presence, and yesterday it was announced that he would return to the Emerald City this season. If you remember, we were lucky enough to have Jerry Rice and Patrick Ewing stop by before their respective retirements, but this is different. After the loss of the Sonics and horrific seasons from all of our remaining teams, fans are happy to finally catch a break.
-As for the sartorial connotations of Griffey's arrival, jerseys are already selling out and the much anticipated Air Griffey Max 1 rerelease (below) will be even more sought-after than previously expected. I might even have to break out the XL Griffey shirt I wore almost every day of first grade.
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Faculty Review: March GQ

-Two quick thoughts after flipping through the new GQ:

1- The world will now realize what I realized whilst watching Friday the 13th last weekend (really! And yes it was terrible,) that Danielle Panabaker is bomb.com. And she's my (our) age. 

2- If there are great looking pieces from Justin Timberlake' s label William Rast (like this jacket and vest,) then why is the runway show such a joke?

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Design Major: Bad Trend FW/09

-Pimpin in 09? Not so much. Let's hope this doesn't catch on. Left: Marc by Marc Jacobs, right: Diesel Black Gold.

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Design Major: Patrik Ervell FW/09

-I wasn't as into this collection as Ervell's brilliant spring show. Still, there is something refreshing in his pieces and for some reason it reminds me the simplicity of being a child and not worrying about what you're wearing. 

-Photos by Marcio Madeira via men.style

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Design Major: Trovata FW/09

-This show didn't receive a very good review, and I agree that overall it was pretty dull, but I liked some of the specific things going on within. A cardigan over a vest is something I did last year that I think has a lot of room for good variation. And again with the missed buttons on the cardi, I guess I was ahead of the game on that one too.

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School Supplies: Boot Dilemma

-I posted a couple weeks ago about my search for the perfect boot. This past week two significant things happened, the first being that I watched the video (below) of the completely nutty 88 Keys explaining his Polo obsession. In the video 88 made me aware of the Polo Ranger Boot (below right,) about which I had no prior knowledge. I thought them to be the perfect boot for me, so I got on eBay and found some and began bidding. I lost the auction at the very last second even though I went up to $210 (I told myself I wouldn't go higher than $200.) 

-The next thing that happened, the day after I lost the auction for the Ranger, was that there was a Band of Outsiders sale on Gilt. The sale had the B of O for Sperry boots I blogged about a couple of times. I decided to pull the trigger and buy them since I'd missed out on the Rangers. The B of O boots were only $140 after shipping (down from the $385 original price,) so I felt pretty good about the purchase. But then the seller of the Rangers emailed me saying that the person who had won the auction bailed and I could have the Rangers. Fuck. I couldn't afford to buy two pairs, even though I like the Ranger better. I'm still feeling alright though, I have a feeling the B of O x Sperry will hold up better to weather and they were significantly cheaper. We will see. 

-To help yourself (and me!) get more good deals in the future, sign up for a Gilt account by following this link.  

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Design Major: Michael Bastian FW/09

-My homie over at The Sunday Best thought the Bastian's collection was a little too derivative, but it was one of my favorites. Bastian is the modern quintessentially American designer, a younger, edgier Ralph Lauren. If this collection suffers anywhere it's in the sheer amount of items in each look, which even I must admit borders on 'too much.' But I'm a sucker for tons of layers. 

-Photos by Marcio Madeira via men.style.

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Design Major: Marc by Marc Jacobs FW/09

-More than anyone, Marc Jacobs understands the beauty of layers. He is brilliant in his ability to capture the likely products of youthful sartorial whim. That first scarf looks like it's from Old Navy though.
-Photos by Marcio Madeira via men.style

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Design Major: Band of Outsiders FW/09

-My Photoshop is back in action which means I can  give you my take on the New York fashion week shows. The Band of Outsiders collection was a littler more casual than I'd liked to have seen but still solid. I like the short jacket to compliment the short pant, they're both a bit feminine, but that just means you've got to have swagger to pull them off. 

-Photos by Don Ashby via men.style

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Music Theory: Bon Iver

-I mentioned earlier that Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago was one of my favorite records of 2008. One of the benefits of discovering a band way after everyone else is that they will often release new material before you are even tired of the old material. Such is the case with Bon Iver, who just released Blood Bank EP a few weeks back. It was streaming in its entirety on their MySpace, which apparently now only feature's the haunting title track (below). The Sasquatch Festival lineup will be announced tomorrow, and I am hoping to see Bon Iver on the list, which is rumored to also include Kings of Leon.

Blood Bank - Bon Iver

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Holiday: Parker x Lincoln

-I've never been a huge comic nerd, but I've always followed Spider-Man, and this is just bad ass. Click this link to check out this digital President's Day comic, "Gettysburg Distress." Abe looks like he's gonna kick some ass. 

-Off-topic, posting has been sparse lately and I apologize. The main reason is that I'm having some issues with my creative suite software, which although you may not notice, I use to help format nearly everything item I post. I'm working on the problems though and they should be resolved within the week. NYC S/S 09 reviews coming.

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Faculty: KryptoNate

-Nate Robinson won't stop flying over the heads of NBA superstars past and present, and his huge dunk over Dwight Howard yesterday should bring him some much needed recognition. Yesterday's NBA Dunk Contest became the final round of a best-of-3 series between the two, with Robinson gaining the majority of fans' votes and yelling "206 holla at me" whenever possible. To see another one of Seattle's finest, check out B-Roy in today's NBA All Star Game at 5pm on TNT. more

Criminology: Spit It Through 'The Wire'

-I discovered The Wire pretty late, so we are surely not the first people on the internet to call it one of the best shows of the decade. I think most viewers would agree that the show is as addictive as Barksdale's red tops.
-The Smoking Section recently ran down the list of Wire characters in an effort to find each one's rap alter ego. While I love the idea of Nas and Jay-Z as streetwise kingpin Avon Barksdale and his business partner Stringer Bell, I was dissappointed that they left Clipse off the list. It is a show about drugs, after all. more

Design Major: Seattle Central Library

-Arch Daily has a very detailed post today about what may be the most visually stunning and innovative building in the Northwest, the Seattle Central Library by OMA + LMN. The article features a number of great photographs, diagrams and blueprints. Its a great read for anyone interested in innovative design and Northwest architecture. 

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Faculty: KAWS on CBS

-This video provides a good summary of the KAWS fervor of the last year. The questions are a bit corny, but CBS has to connect with their geriatric audience. Good stuff, nonetheless.  more

School Supplies: Valentine Goods

- I can't even remember how many lame valentines gifts I've gotten over the years, so here's a quick guide of things I think rock- for guys and girls. (first off, mixtapes and letters are always tops.)

1. If you've ever dated a boy who prefers both boxers and skinny jeans, you know how much these will be appreciated. Boxa by Acne.
2. I can't leave my apartment without at least one ring on, so a fun new one is always a good choice. Species by the Thousands dog head ring.
3. This one feels pretty unisex to me, at least I would love it as much as any boy. J. Lindeberg grey zip wallet.

4. Matthew Woodson has been one of my favorite artists for a while now, and he recently set up an online store, buy a print for your honey! more

Faculty: Need 4 Sheed

-Though he no longer resides in the Northwest, Rasheed Wallace is tough to forget. The ambidextrous walking technical foul is tearing it up for the Pistons (amidst trade rumors), and we were excited to discover Need4Sheed.com, a website dedicated to Rasheed's ridiculous antics. Our favorite videos include an impromptu freestyle, his Jingle Bells Remix and the above encounter with Reggie Miller. more

Design Major: Clipse x KAWS?

Clipse x Kaws-ReUp Gang Blog 4 from ReUpGangRecords.net on Vimeo.

-If you follow this blog at all then you're probably aware that we are huge Clipse fans. Listen to the verse at the beginning of this video, fuck. The KAWS reference, talking about the signature X's on the eyes. I don't even know what to say, it's just mindblowing. So, we already saw the Kanye x KAWS album art, and in this video Pusha seems to be assuring us that the album art on When the Casket Drops will be from KAWS, I can't wait.

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School Supplies: Packin'

-As a college themed site, we thought it important to take a closer look at the quintessential campus accessory: the backpack. These days, the style-conscious tend to side with the messenger bag, but it is still possible to stay classy with a classic backpack.
-The North Face backpack is about as common on campus as the Denali fleece, so it is nice to see their Recon SE (above) break the monotony with some vibrant new colors.
-The company decided to go a very different route with their new Purple Label pack, which is reminiscent of the older JanSport and Outdoor Products packs that we've been rocking since kindergarten.
-If you are looking for the both the simplicity of the Purple Label pack and the colorful look of the Recon, Outdoor Products recently collaborated with green label relaxing to create a line that is both efficient and aesthetically pleasing. They also came out with some slick messengers, if that's your bag.
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Art Major: Rip the Ripper

-These images are from the recent event Rip the Ripper, which showcased different artist's reworkings of the iconic Powell logo.  The one on the left is by Shepard Fairey and, interestingly, shows the ripper tearing through Fairey's second-most iconic print. The painting on the right is from Don Pendleton, whose signature style shaped the look of Alien Workshop at a time when I was very much a fan of the Sovereign Sect. Check out the rest of the pieces, including works by legendary skaters Steve Caballero and Lance Mountain, here.

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