NC Coast Before Irene Moved In

North Topsail Beach

A picture I took a few weeks ago on a peaceful morning on Topsail Island.

Mr. West Was in the Building, Swagga on a Hundred Thousand Trillion

If you didn't catch last night's MTV VMAs then you missed a hell of a show. So what was the biggest story of the night? Was it Beyonce announcing she is pregnant or Lady Gaga making her full transformation into a man? Gaga went full out greaser in her first act, looking like Ponyboy, Johnny Cade or who knows what else. Yes, Manly Gaga would want to be the talk of the night, but unfortunately for him/her Kanye West stole the show just like he always does. It was a low-key heist by Kanye standards since it didn't include rushing the stage after polishing off a bottle of Hennessy, and there was no salmon colored suit. The show was his none the less because he chose this stage to debut another colorway of his signature Air Yeezy 2's. It was just classic Kanye- wrists adorned in bracelets and rocking denim on denim like only he can. All eyes were on his kicks though when he and Jay performed their hit single "Otis", and we got an even better look at the zen grey  sneakers when he came on stage with Katy Perry. Nike now just needs to come forth with a release date for these masterpieces. The 2011 VMAs were a great show and in all seriousness Beyonce did have some pretty exciting news. Congratulations to her and Jay who are by far the coolest celebrity couple. Naturally then they read this blog on the regular and will see this post.

Josh Endorses Palladium Boots

Pharrell in Tokyo

I have been admiring the style of Palladium Boots since last fall and have contemplated buying a pair on numerous occasions over the past year. Last week I put in an order, and couldn't be more happy with the product when I tried them on today. These boots are the most comfortable footwear I have put on in years, and more importantly they look great. They will be an excellent upgrade from the Blazer boots I wore for the past  three seasons and trashed this summer while backpacking. Palladium supplies the perfect combination of lightweight design and durability. With a wool upper, leather accents and a rubber toe there is no doubt I will stay warm and look fly as I brave the cold weather and snow of Mid-Michigan this winter. I can happily say my days of trudging through snowdrifts in leaky nylon boots or Janoski's are over. Palladium boots were tough enough for the French Foreign Legion to explore the Atlas Mountains in the late 40's, so they should do the job trucking across campus today. They are also stylish enough for one of the biggest innovators on the fashion scene to represent. Earlier this year Palladium added style icon and designer Pharrell Williams to their marketing team, so with his help look for them to blow up this fall in the US and abroad. If you don't already have a pair I highly recommend copping some before the fall and winter months arrive. These boots are so nice I'm already thinking about buying another pair in brown or grey to diversify my footwear for the upcoming months. Don't forget to check out the "Tokyo Rising" full video with Pharrell at palladiumboots.com available for view starting September 1st.

Styles for Men, Women and Children at Palladium

         

How To Make It In America: Get Ready For Season 2

With the series finale of Entourage airing in just a few weeks, the second season of How to Make it in America couldn't come at a better time. Both shows are produced by Mark Wahlberg and Rob Weiss and they do have some similarities, but the lifestyles of the characters in each show are very different. The Hollywood, happy go lucky way of life prevalent in Entourage is absent from this newer, more gritty HBO series. How to Make it in America follows the lives of young entrepreneurs Ben Epstein (Bryan Greenberg) and Cam Calderon (Victor Rasuk) as they try to work their way to the top of the New York fashion industry. These friends and business partners are set on "sticking it to the man", but have had little luck with their business endeavors. In the season one finale it looked like Ben and Cam might have finally gotten their big break by starting a clothing line called Crisp, but there is no doubt this season the two will encounter their fair share of difficulties. From what I have seen so far from the trailers this season should be even better than the first. With a bigger acting role for Scott "Kid" Mescudi and cameo performances by Pharrell Williams and Pusha T season two is going to be must see tv. If you have yet to see the first season get on it now because season two will be starting October 2 at 10:30 on HBO......Can't Knock the Hustle

Ye & Jay Before They Were On The Throne

With the recent release of the Jay-z/Kanye album, "Watch the Throne", I thought it fitting to take a look back at a musical relationship that has spanned more than a decade. Kanye got his big start in the rap game courtesy of his "big brother" Jay. He first started by producing one track on Jay's album "The Dynasty: Roc La Familia" in 2000, and a year later produced numerous songs on "The Blueprint". The two first collaborated lyrically when Kanye received a feature in "The Bounce" on "The Blueprint 2", and shortly there after Kanye began to rise to stardom as a rapper. Since then Yeezy and Jigga have worked together in the studio to produce a number of hits. Here are three of my favorite collaborations prior to their full album. Take a listen and a watch.    

Kanye's "Monster"

"Run This Town" from "The Blueprint 3"

Diamonds from Sierra Leone (official remix featuring Jay-Z)

Sorry, there is no visuals for this song, but check out the video for the original song

that doesn't feature Hova. It's a great video, but this remix is a way better song. Kanye may have spazzed , but his big brother came through and kicked his ass. 

Frank Ocean Is Going H.A.M.

Christopher Francis Ocean

Frank Ocean is relatively new to the music scene, but has already attracted a great deal of attention from some of the biggest names in the recording industry. Ocean, who is loosely associated with Odd Future, currently only has one mixtape of his own, "nostalgia, Ultra", but has collaborated with some heavy hitters. He has written songs for John Legend and Justin Beiber, but wasn't really brought into the spotlight until this summer after co-writing "I Miss You" which appears on Beyonce's album "4". Ocean then managed to score the biggest feature on Ye and Jay's album "Watch the Throne" which after the first week numbers looks like it could be one of the best selling rap albums of all time. All of this exposure will no doubt do wonders for Ocean's career. Let's hope he will release some mega-hits of his own soon. He has already begun to make a name for himself as a songwriter, and with the release of his new single "Thinking About You", he is showing his amazing vocal range. Some of his best solo tracks include "back", "swim good", and "dreamkilla" although I like just about everything on his mixtape. Ocean used samples from The Eagles and MGMT on "nostalgia, Ultra" , and I can't wait for his EP, "nostalgia, Lite" to drop.  Ocean will one day be the new king of R&B; look for him to be topping the charts in the near future.

Download "Back"
Download Dreamkilla

Summer Blockbuster "30 Minutes or Less" Hits Theaters Tomorrow

Aziz Ansari along with costars Jesse Eisenberg and Josh Spratt

With only one day left before the nationwide release, anticipation is building for what looks to be one of the top comedy films of the summer. "30 Minutes or Less" has a  great cast of up and coming actors including Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride and Nick Swardson, not to mention a cameo role by yours truly. The Ben Stiller produced movie features Eisenberg as a pizza delivery boy who is kidnapped, has a bomb strapped to his chest and is forced to rob a bank for two low level criminals. Look for stand up comedian and tv star Ansari to have a breakthrough performance and supply most of the laughs while Eisenberg plays an awkwardly quirky character you can't help but find funny. Nobody is projected to receive any Oscar nominations, but that's alright since Eisenberg stated early this week on Jay Leno that he never wanted one again. This film is just good clean humor for the whole family, well maybe not, but for those over the age of seventeen it is a must see. Go out and buy tickets to make this film the highest grossing of the weekend, if for no other reason than to see the beautiful cityscape of Grand Rapids, Michigan on the big screen.

Vans Is On The Cutting Edge Of Footwear Design

Vans will be introducing yet another new shoe to their fall footwear lineup - the Vault Penny Loafer LX. Ever since Vans Inc. was started in 1966 they have been making basic skate shoes with simple designs and colorways. Other brands including Nike and Reebok have recently been selling beefed up high top sneakers adorned with flashy eye-popping colors, but Vans has stuck to their roots. Now is their time to shine. Slim, basic shoes have become a staple for footwear enthusiasts over the past year and subtle colors are now back in style. We have seen a change in this direction  from the Nike SB line, but the designers at Vans have taken the concept to a whole new level. Instead of becoming complacent and just continuing to sell favorites such as the Authentic, Era and E-street the company has revamped their line and added new clean silhouettes. The OTW collection was introduced about a year ago and has added a new air of class to the company built around action sports. This summer designers at Vans have gone head on into the world of high fashion with their unique takes on classic dress shoes. As I have mentioned in past posts they already have for sale their version of a buck and  wingtip sneakers. With more wingtips coming in the near future and now a penny loafer on the horizon Vans has slipped under the radar and into the spotlight. What this company has decided to do is an evolution in style and it will be noticed. They have created some signature models that I think people will begin to embrace and wear on an everyday basis. By purchasing these new styles of Vans you can add a  sense of sophistication to your footwear game without looking too dressed up. The new casual look for men is now slimmer and more refined; Vans has taken notice and created shoes that will go well with this more upscale style. They are way ahead of other sneaker companies in terms of innovation. Business casual is the new casual and Vans knows it.  

Ladies Style: What Not to Rock

As of late, my sister has been asking me if I would feature her on my blog. When I saw what she was wearing when she came home today I thought of something I could write about her. Wearing sundresses is a great look for women in the summertime. They are attractive and lightweight for the summer heat, but wearing something that resembles a dress shirt is not cool. The above picture of Rihanna surfaced a few weeks ago and her attire looks like a shirt she could have taken from her boyfriend's closet, although the color is a little feminine and Drake pretty much only wears sweatshirts. It is definitely not a dress though. What my sister, Heather, is wearing does not look as much like a dress shirt , but whoever designed it was clearly confused as to what exactly the finished article of clothing was going to be. It is tailored like a shirt that should be tucked into pants, but it's too long for that. There is really no good way to wear these "Dress Shirt Dresses" , so the solution is to just buy a nice plaid shirt or a dress and not worry about trying to pull off this hybrid look. Ladies, do not try the look because people won't think you look trendy; they will just be wondering if you forgot  your pants.  

Bucks Are Back

Grey Suede Bucks by Florsheim

If you don't already have a  great pair of casual dress shoes you should hop on this trend as soon as possible. Bucks and saddle shoes have been gaining popularity over the past two seasons and now is the perfect time to buy yourself a pair. They are available in a wide array of colors including lighter tones to rock with a summer wardrobe and darker earth tones for the beginning of fall. Sneakerheads and staunch businessmen should both look to step out of the box and into a pair of bucks. The era of flamboyantly colored sneakers has come and gone, and now it's time to add a little more color to dress wear. While it is easy to find a pair of  classic bucks that go with just about anything, these are not a typical everyday shoe. Having a pair of black dress shoes is still a necessity for work and a few pairs of sneakers for the weekend is always a good idea, but these are perfect for a change of pace maybe once a week. Wear them to the office on casual Friday with a pair of chinos or with a pair of slim cords or dark resin jeans when you go out to the bar at night. Most reputable designers have at least one style of bucks for sale now, so depending on your budget and on the exact look you are going for there is a buck for you. Whether that be a pair of Walk-Over's or a more sporty look from the Vans OTW collection, available at Premier, as long as they have that southern clay colored sole you will be looking classy.