An UGGly Situtaion

Tom Brady can run up flights of stairs while his feet bask in the comfort of wool lined sheep skin boots. This is quite the accomplishment. My guess is men all over the world are taking note of what UGGs Australia can provide for them too. From what this commercial shows and from Brady's public comments on the footwear the boots seem to be pretty versatile.Why is it then that more men haven't picked up on this trend? Oh yes, it's because they are uglier than a monkey's armpit. UGGs are not a good look for anyone especially not a self respecting man. I don't care if pro athletes wear them or if they are advertised in GQ they will never be considered stylish. I have never put on a pair so I won't deny the fact that they probably do feel like you are walking on a cloud. Having said that, comfort should never be the main concern when purchasing something to wear in public. If it were we would be seeing more people walking the streets decked out in snuggies and sweats. Maybe Brady is trying to dictate style in this direction, saying that his favorite UGG style is the Ascot slipper because you can wear it inside and outside. No other man could really get away with such a fashion statement though so try and  leave this one to Brady. The real question boils down to: Are you trying to look like a suburban high school girl or a well dressed grown man? If you answered yes to the first question then you probably should buy a pair of UGGs and also stockpile your closet with pink Hollister sweatshirts. If you want to be taken seriously pass on these boots regardless of the comfort factor. For the price tag that UGGs command it's easy to find a different style that is plenty comfortable and also looks great. Let's be real Mr. Brady on a scale of one to Gisele how good do these boots really look?

Red Line

North Lake Shore Chi

2011 Art Prize GR MI

"Rusty"

"Metaphorest" 

Art Prize is a competition open to any artist who can find a venue to display their work in the beautiful city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The event runs for 19 days and attracts over 200,000 visitors to a city that is supposedly dying. When I was downtown this past weekend the streets of GR were undoubtedly alive. From the middle of September to early October Grand Rapids is a bustling metropolis due to this artistic event. Art Prize brings a new crowd to the city. Numerous people come from the suburbs, all over the state and even from across the US to participate, vote or just enjoy the artwork and splendor of the fall season. Whatever the reason for coming to see the artwork the influx of people to the city brings customers to restaurants, bars and storefronts helping  local entrepreneurs boost revenues. The attraction does wonders for the city and personally I would love to see Art Prize continue for years to come. Honestly though the artwork this year was not on par with that of the previous two years. I was only able to be in the city for a day, so I did not get the chance to witness all the artwork, but what I did see did not impress me at all. Don't get me wrong, there were some nice pieces, but I wouldn't say any were really worthy of the $250,000 check for the first prize winner. The art that won in 09 and 10 were both equally amazing and this year's top ten fails in comparison. Like anything else there will be good years and bad years though. As long as "Crucifixion" or "Under Construction" don't win I won't be too upset. It would be a real shame if the conservative church goers of GR vote the crucifix mosaic all the way to the win because that would certainly hurt the credibility of the event for future years. Only in Grand Rapids would something like that happen, but we will just have to wait until  tomorrow to see who is named the winner of Art Prize 2011. My hope is that one of the works from the above photos will win, but it's difficult to interpret the art taste of the masses so who knows?

Check out the official Art Prize website www.artprize.org      

Character of Style: Ryan Gosling

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This summer saw the release of “Crazy Stupid Love”, a film that helped propel Ryan Gosling to a new realm of stardom. That’s not all the box office hit did for the young star though. It’s no coincidence that Gosling took his style swagger to another level about the same time this movie started filming. If you look back at Gosling’s street cloths five years ago you would be surprised by the evolution that has taken place. It seems his character’s style in films correlates to how he dresses off set. The man has never looked terrible at premiers, but he certainly wasn’t recognized as one of the most stylish men in Hollywood when “Lars and The Real Girl” released. Could that be because Lars was a socially awkward character who wore faded plaid shirts and oversized winter boots, looking homely at the least but better categorized as creepy? It’s difficult to say exactly, but in recent months Gosling has without doubt taken a few cues in fashion from Jacob Palmer. While there is no way I would ever say “You are better than the Gap” Gosling’s character did have impeccable style, and any man could learn a thing or two from him. Gosling kept his on set wardrobe fresh in recently released high action drama “Drive”. Seen above wearing a vintage Levi’s denim jacket in one photo and satin jacket with leather driving gloves in another. It will be difficult for Gosling to continue to find films that offer costumes with the type of style of his summer 2011 hits, but it looks like his off set swag is here to stay. Look for him to continue to stay ahead of the style curve and out dress most actors on the red carpet.           

Bastian Reigned Supreme at Fashion Week

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As the 2011 NYC Mercedes-Benz fashion week drew to a close on Thursday, Kanye West had yet to unveil his new line, but it is reported we will get our first look during Paris Fashion week. It is a women’s line so not really that interesting. I just like to see what the creative mind of Mr. West will come up with next.  With so very many brands showing off their spring 2012 products this week it is difficult for me to boil down my favorite collections, but the one that really caught my eye was that of Michael Bastian. Bastian started his brand in 2006 and has done relatively well, but last year chose to recreate his image and find a way to sell his products at more reasonable prices. He cut ties with his partner, Brunello Cucinelli, last December and is committed to lowering his prices by 20% without sacrificing quality. Unfortunately even with the price reduction his line will be out of my price range, with hoodies retailing for upwards of $1000. After not releasing a fall lineup this year we finally got our first look at what Bastian has been working on for almost a year. What I find most intriguing about his spring 2012 lineup is the classic American pieces to which he added his own unique design. While some brands such as Versace, Calvin Klein and Y-3 have started to trend towards a baggier look, Bastian for the most part kept his collection slim and refined, the way clothing should be worn. I will have to come to grips with the fact that some top brands are going with looser fits, but I don’t think that is ever a style I can really get behind. Tailored suits and slim trousers will never go out of style regardless of what the new trends may be. Some of my other favorite collections featured on the runway include Band of Outsiders, Gant Rugger, and J Crew.
Props to QG for photos          

State & Mechanic

Alma MI