Peer Review: New GQ

-A lot of people are bitching about this month's GQ cover (Rob Pattinson,) but I really don't get why everyone is pissed. Because he's a teen idol? How different is Pattinson from a young Brad Pitt, or any other young actor? He looks good in a suit, which should be the only requirement for being a GQ cover-man.

-The rest of this month's issue had some really solid content (which is why it pisses me off that people are dismissing the whole mag just because of the cover.) I really enjoyed the solid list of 20 graphic novels to check out after Watchmen, after reading Maus I've been interested in exploring more modern graphic novels. There was also a feature on Washington native Anna Faris, a Class Act favorite. 

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Field Trip: & Still

-Brands like No Mas and UNDRCRWN have been coming up with some ill sports-influenced streetwear, but LA boutique & Still has taken it a step further, carrying products by the aforementioned brands along with a ton of authentic throwback sports gear. I found the store completely by accident, but upon entering I was transported back to my elementary school days, where the playground was dominated by snapback hats, puffy Sonics coats and Orlando Magic jerseys. The store delivers a heavy dose of nostalgia while also staying relevant with a solid selection of current streetwear. & Still is located on La Brea right next to Undefeated and Stussy. more

School Supplies: GOODS News

-Coming home from my latest LA Field Trip wasn't easy, but Hypebeast cheered me up with the news that Seattle streetwear mecca GOODS will be opening it's Eastside Chapter in Bellevue on Saturday. Their move to my neck of the woods will be commemorated by a Stussy collabo and some exclusive shoe releases. For those of you not in the 425, they have also slashed prices on denim, flannel, and fitteds in their online shop. No place like home, I guess.

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School Supplies: Lee Shock

-I finally got around to buying the Spike Lee x Casio G-Shock watch we mentioned a while back, as Spike is my man and I need to start getting to class on time next quarter. Spike produced a short to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the watch, which appeared in his underrated 1995 movie Clockers (his second best after Do The Right Thing, in my opinion). The video (below) isn't terribly original and the production values aren't great, but it's got some nice shots of NYC and will still probably get better reviews than Miracle at St. Anna.
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Intro to Cinema: Go 'Away'

-A week or so ago, the good folks at I Watch Stuff posted the trailer for Away We Go, a new movie starring The Office's John Krasinski alongside Maya Rudolph, Jim Gaffigan, and Allison Janney. The script was penned by one of CA's favorite writers, Dave Eggers, and his wife Vendela Vida.
-While we were initially thrilled by the idea of these people working together, the trailer is a downright nauseating mix of obnoxious Juno-style quirkiness and director Sam Mendes' trademark suburban angst, which has become increasingly played out in recent years. Let's hope this movie comes and goes without severely damaging the careers of those involved. more

Intro to Public Relations: Business Cards

-Back when we started this website, we decided that our first task was to print and distribute business cards. We went the minimalist route with our first set, but our flashy new URL demands that we get some new ones in the near future. They may not be as perfect as Paul Allen's card in American Psycho (above) or as graphic as CollegeHumor's version, but be on the lookout for some new ones to litter Red Square shortly.
- I heard a related anecdote the other day regarding CA All-Star and two-time NBA Dunk Contest champ KryptoNate Robinson. In his days at the University of Washington, Nate put his e-mail address and phone number on business cards that read 'Nate the Great' and handed them out to girls around campus. Whether you're a baller or just a blogger, it's not a bad idea. more

Intro to Cinema: Where the Wild Things Are Trailer

-Finally, the trailer to the much delayed film is out. I don't really have much to say because the trailer speaks for itself, but I'm going to suggest that people resist the urge to see this movie on some sort of intoxicant, because it will scare the shit out of you.
-Via Gawker, iWatchStuff, and like every other blog everywhere. more

Extracurriculars: BOXeight LA Fashion Week by Dirk Mai

-I've been a fan of Dirk Mai's studio photography for awhile, and now we get to see his skill at capturing images in a more documentary sense. Dirk works with BOXeight, and LA based arts collective that hosted LA Fashion Week in mid-March. He was gracious enough to lend us some of the photos, which capture from all sides the beauty within the mayhem of a fashion show. Hit the jump for some really great photos.




















-All photos by and are property of Dirk Mai.
dirk@boxeight.com
www.myspace.com/thebearsandi more

Econ 101: Active Mailorder Files Chapter 11

-Anyone who grew up skateboarding outside of a major city is probably familiar with Active. As the only real competitor to CCS, Active Mailorder provided skaters all around the world with access to quality goods. I always liked Active better than CCS, which always seemed more focused on marketing and being trendy that encouraging skateboarding and performance. My boy Jeff still rocks a pair of Active cords as his go-to pants. Transworld is reporting that the company has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Sad times.

-About Active: Established in 1989, Active Ride Shop maintains its position among the top retailers and mail order businesses in the action sports industry. Awarded Surf Industry (SIMA) Men’s Retailer of the Year (2008), #1 Specialty Reatiler by the Future Trade, #36 on DNR’s “top 50 most influential menswear retailers.” Active has locations throughout Southern California and delivers catalogs to action sports enthusiasts nationwide. Active Ride Shop sponsors the most elite skateboarders and snowboarders in the world, and is proud of its offering of the finest brands and hottest trends in the industry

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Required Reading: Van Sant x Efron

-Sorry the above photo is NSFLibrary, but it was the obvious choice when deciding which photo to steal for this post. I'm not really a fan of Zac Efron, but I'm not a hater either: As someone who's been involved with music and theater, I've got a solid respect for people who can gain success in pop entertainment, as sugary as it may be. 

-That being said, I really need to get a subscription to Interview. This month's cover story is an interview of Efron by acclaimed Portland film maker Gus Van Sant (who I met at a casting call for Paranoid Park, I could have played that part!)  Van Sant approaches the interview humbly, but there is a slight sense that he feels the need to educate the young star a bit. The interaction and appreciation between them both seems genuine though, and it reminded me of the very similar but fictionalized relationship between Van Sant and Vinnie Chase in the most recent season of Entourage. Most of the article is available on the Interview web site, though you have to pick up the print edition for the full read. Either way, it's a good read for fans of Van Sant, Efron and film in general. 

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School Supplies: Eastpak x Rick Owens

-Awhile back we looked at the Eastpak x Raf Simons collab while pondering the intricacies of adults wearing backpacks. Now, Eastpak continues their string of solid collaborations, teaming up with designer Rick Owens (who drops some questionable knowledge in this months Rules of Style from DETAILS.) The Owens bags look pretty similar to the Raf Simons pieces, keeping the focus on simplicity. I like the nearly seamless look of these. I'm not one for black bags, but the backpack, laptop case, and duffel bag here all look like winners, depending on the yet unrevealed price tag.

-Via Hypebeast. 

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School Supplies: DQM x Fox Dirtpaw

-Growing up in semi-rural Washington, jumping bikes in the dirt is a pretty big part of being a boy. My friend Darran, who is still tearing it up on BMX, gave me a pair of Fox Dirtpaws in 8th grade. They were the perfect glove for riding and even playing football in the cold. For the past two years I've been wanting to get a pair just to use as my normal cool weather gloves. I thought they would make a nice technical variance in my casual outfits as opposed to my other gloves, (I wear these when I'm feeling classy, but more often I rock the one-size-fits-all kind from the gas station.) 

-Today I saw this collab between Dave's Quality Meat and Fox on a new Dirtpaw and it reminded me that I still need to get a pair. DQM adds some nice detailing to the palm. The old model that I recall from my youth didn't have the big rubber knuckle pads and I kind of wish this one didn't either, but I still want them. I figure since sometimes I ride my bike to school I can get away with wearing them with my normal cool-weather attire, or am I retarded for wanting to throw bmx gloves into the mix? Either way, buy me some here, red size small.

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School Supplies: Diana Instant Back

-Hipsters love to lament the discontinuation of Polaroid film. A lot of hipsters, though, also love the iconic Diana-F Lomography camera. This instant back for the Diana-F makes everybody happy, allowing users to see their Diana pics instantly. 

-But I can't really call anyone out, I own a Diana-F (a real one, off eBay, not the Urban Outfitters reproduction,) and I was looking into getting this Polaroid,  but maybe I'll get this instead. Check out this Diana-F Flickr group for some some pretty incredible images. 

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Required Reading: Oki-Ni Denim Guide

-Oki-Ni posted an extensive denim guide, which includes a glossary and a number of diagrams. The guide contains more info than you probably need, but it's a great read for anyone looking to refine their denim knowledge and mature their sartorial eye. 

-Via Hypebeast. 

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Classmates: Vote for Leesa

-Our good friend Leesa Ellis made it through the Portland casting for America's Next Top Model, but she needs your help to become a finalist! Do us a favor and follow the link below and vote for Leesa. The list is ordered alphabetically by first name.
-http://www.portlands32.com/pages/antm
-These photos are by Eric Wimberly, check his web site for more bomb photos of Leesa and others.
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Faculty: Mos Def

-It's no secret that Mos Def is a multifaceted individual. Still, he rarely gets the recognition he deserves. He's a solid actor, and a terribly underrated rapper who is conscious without being preachy. Mos of all, he never ceases to look steezy. He got into the streetwear game early, doing ads for Brooklyn's Triple 5 Soul, and now he seems to be continuing his collaboration with UNDRCRWN. The new pieces are heavily influenced by Mos Def's home borough of BK, and they drop today at UNDRCRWN.com.

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School Supplies: Vintage Vest

-I'm posting again on another of my favorite items from my closet. This one will be a bit more brief than my Sperry post. I found this vest at Magpie, my favorite vintage/resale shop in Portland, a couple years ago. The label says Cal-Craft by California Manufacturing Co., but I don't know anything about how old it is or where it came from. What I do know is that it has kept me incredibly warm for the past few Northwest winters. It has a great flannel lining and big solid buttons. The best feature by far is the oversized, 70s-ish collar. A great, longlasting find for about $22. 

-Magpie can be found at 520 SW 9th Ave. in Portland, Ore. It's one of the few shops at which I've bought something probably every single time I've ever been in. One more unnecessarily Photoshopped image and a little bit of semi-cool news after the jump. -What was I going to say? Oh yeah, I've been inclined to show photos of things I'm wearing lately, I did a couple weeks ago with my windbreaker post, but I also feel like it's a slippery slope. Posting images of yourself of  public blog is only a few steps away from Myspace. What I have done though, is added a link to my Lookbook.nu page on the sidebar next to the youtube and flickr links. I know lookbook is kind of a juvinile, stock-hipster site. But I feel it's necessary to let our readers know WE PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH, which is ballin, cost-conscious neo-prep style.  Check out my lookbook if you're at all interested in what I'm wearing and where stuff is from and how much it cost and whatnot. 

-Other news: Class Act blogger Maria is heading to Massachusetts to visit some friends at Smith for Spring break. She's taking my camera along to try to capture some solid east coast prep style. It's always been my opinion that east-coast style relies a bit more on money rather than actual creativity, so it will be interesting to see if she can bring back some Class Act approved looks. That's all. 

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Intro to Cinema: Street Dreams

Find more videos like this on Street Dreams Movie

-The skateboarding world is going crazy talking about Street Dreams, an upcoming Rob Dyrdek production that stars Paul Rodriguez and attempts to bring an accurate picture of skateboarding to Hollywood. 

Find more videos like this on Street Dreams Movie

-I'm less critical of Dyrdek than most skating purists because I think he's funny and it seems to me like he has the right idea with this one. Even if it ends up being corny, the girls will flip for P-Rod and it will make a ton of money. 

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Lecture: Ferrari and the Environment

-My third favorite magazine Wallpaper, has an interview with Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo up right now. Montezemolo talks about the role of modern architecture in Ferrari's design process, but what struck me as the most intriguing and important topic of the interview was his explanations of the effort Ferrari is making to lessen its eco-footprint. 

-From the interview: 

"We have a plan regarding the environment which involves our road cars, for which we are targeting a reduction of CO2 emissions by 40% by 2012. At the same time, we want to reduce the emissions from our production facilities through a better use of the energy and the use of alternative sources. The extensive use of glass for our buildings, as well as some of the most advanced technologies to control the light inside the buildings, are just part of the plan. We also built a solar plant which, together with a trigenerator that will be installed early next year, will allow us to reduce energy consumption by 25% and CO2 emissions by 35%. This new installation will make Ferrari completely self sufficient in terms of energy needs."

-I understand that Ferrari produces far fewer automobiles than a company like Ford or General Motors, but it just seems that the kind of thinking going on in the European auto market is light years ahead of the American companies and well, we know how that's all working out. Just a thought. The above photo is of the new California, via Wallpaper. 

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Peer Review: Breakfast at Sulimay's

-This series of videos, in which old people at a Philadelphia breakfast joint called Sulimay's review the latest cd releases, has been getting a lot of attention in the blogosphere lately. In this episode the reviewers listen to Santogold, Portishead and Death Cab for Cutie. The episodes that feature hip-hop artists are funnier, because old white people hate rap, but I picked this episode to feature because the really old guy, while explaining where Death Cab is from (holla) references 54-40 or Fight, a campaign from the 1800s when the boundaries of the Oregon Territory were being drawn up. I hadn't thought about 54-40 or Fight probably since Northwest History in 8th grade, but dude looks like he may be old enough to actually remember the acquisition of the Territory, and just think how weird things could be if the boundary of the U.S. extended another couple hundred miles northward?

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Music Theory: Say Hi

-The predicted hipster exodus from Brooklyn to Seattle may be becoming a reality after all. This week's The Stranger features an article on Say Hi and their frontman Eric Elbogen. Elbogen moved from Brooklyn to Ballard to record the band's new record, and we're glad he did. I haven't done the best job of keeping up with the Seattle music scene as of late, but I've been listening to "Spiders" (below) all week and I think this band has a very promising future in the Pacific Northwest.

Spiders - Say Hi
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School Supplies: My Favorites

-I know I've been doing a lot of personal posts lately, but I haven't had much time to be trolling the blogs. I've decided, after getting a good response to my military coat post, to post on a couple more of favorite items in the coming weeks.

-I've worn these Sperry Top-Siders (above) more than any other shoe in my life. I've had them since 2006 and I've worn them in the rain, snow, sand and ocean. I've skated in them, hiked in them and worn them to school probably 90% of the time throughout my college career. The wear on the leather reads like an unfinished canvas, layers exposed, the process clearly evident. My Top-Siders are a map showing where I've been and hinting at where I'm heading. I've got too much rambling to do, so the rest, along with more photos, is after the jump.

-I remember a long time ago, probably three or four years, reading a Glenn O'brien style guy response about the appropriateness of Top-Siders. It was one of the only times in my life when I've completely disagreed with Glenn's opinion, which was that Top-Siders ought never be worn anyplace other than the deck of a seagoing vessel. To me, the Top-Sider is the ultimate everyman shoe. It's got a class shape, but it's easy to slip on and go. It's low cut makes it ideal for the break of a narrower jean or trouser.

-I shot this with my Nikon, b-t-dubs. And a 50mm f/1.8 Nikkor lens. Be sure to click the photos and check them out in greater detail 

-A reminder: All of these photos, as well as a bunch of our photos that never made it on to the blog, can be found on our Flickr.

-I've got a pair of creamy white Top-Siders, the BoO Sperry boots, and two pairs of Sperry slip-ons (one pair being the Modern Amusement collab, which are pretty rare,) but these are still my favorite. They've held up pretty nicely, especially considering the abuse I've subjected to them, but the sole on one of them is starting to come off a bit. I'm looking into Mighty Mendit.

-That's all. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts in the comments. Unless your thoughts are anti-Top-Sider, I don't want to hear none of that shit. more

School Supplies: Spring Items

-It's hard to get enthused about Spring style when it's snowy one day then 50 degrees and clear the next, but I'm starting to look around for things I need for the upcoming season. I wrote about my love of Toms Shoes way back when, and I still need to expand beyond my one black pair. The new spring styles are out now and the charitable company keeps putting out fresh takes on the minimalist design. 

-Another thing that caught my eye is this versatile bag from Tretorn, it would be a nice upgrade to my stock black camera bag, though it's quite a ways out of my price range. 

-Posting has been a little sparse lately, we apologize. I've been putting in 13 hour school days and Tim works every day in addition to school, but we've got some good shit coming including, hopefully, a lot more scene on the street shots when the weather gets a little warmer. Keep checking back.  

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School Supplies: Buffalo Finds

-I lost my American Apparel windbreaker a while back and I've been meaning to replace it. It fit well but it wasn't even waterproof so y'know, whatevs. Ever since I saw Patrik Ervell SS/09 I've been interested in getting a windbreaker with a less tapered fit. Glossy looking breakers were big this year and I almost picked up one by Homeroom at Locust a while back, but it was a little too expensive for something so light. Yesterday Tim and I dropped by the Buffalo Exchange and I found this fresh breaker for $12. It's a little wider and shorter than the normal cut that I look for, so there is room for great plays on proportion and length. Tim bought a Kobe No.8 jersey. 

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