Varsity Reds?

I did some budget tie shopping when I was in Portsmouth last weekend. I picked up this red/blue striped tie from the M&S outlet at Gunwharf. I've paired it with a basic Gap oxford button down here to continue my prep/varsity styling.

Shanghai Noon: Why the Shanghai is the greatest SB dunk.

When you ask people what the best ever Nike SB dunk is your going to hear a lot of Tiffany, a lot of Supremes and a lot of Unkles. But in my opinion the greatest SB dunk is this underrated classic.

Released in 2004 the Shanghai was part of the pink box era. Officially coloured in 'White, Metalic Gold, Redwood' it released just after the Reese Forbes 'Hunters' and the Hufs. I've read that the design came from Chinese rapper Deng Ke Chow, but the Nike SB website credits the design to Nike designer Runyo Chen. They were an Asia exclusive, but there was a limited release to some Nike SB accounts in other countries. I got my pair from Bored skate shop in Southsea.

While it doesn't have some of the glitz or gimics of some of the other dunk releases, it has a perfect mix of colour, material and details. Here's a breakdown of why I think this is such a great shoe...

1. Suede dunks are always awesome (even if you're constantly in fear of rain) and the deep maroon 'Redwood' colour gives it a real lux feel but without being over flashy. Then you add in the embossing detail, which was designed to reflect Chinese architecture, it gives the shoe real character while still keeping it subtle.

2. It uses the classic dunk base/overlay colour blocking, but by using a light grey on the toe box and heel, and then white on the middle panel  it keeps the classic look but give it a fresh update.

3. The grey tones are carried into the lining, tongue and sole. This minimalism gives it an understated style, and not over using colour allows the red suede to really stand out.

4. It has some great detailing. There's the aforementioned embossing on the suede. The the tongue tag has a Chinese design symbolising 'Good Luck and Fortune'. There's also a Chinese character printed on the inside side panel but I haven't been able to find out what this represents.

5. To set it all off Nike finished it off with the metallic gold swoosh. it contrast brilliantly with the subtle greys and combining it with the maroon really captures the feel of its Chinese influence.

So there we have it, my argument for the Shanghai as the greatest SB dunk. As you can see from the pictures my pair are starting to look a little beat, but not too bad for a a ten year old shoe. There was a very limited retro release in China last year, however I haven't been able to find a reasonably priced pair yet. Hopefully I can get hold of a pair at some point so I have some back ups for the future

Work in progress.

I've wanted a tote bag for work since last summer, but I've really struggled to find something that was a decent size and not a giant beach bag. Finally I found this Carhartt 'Simple Tote' in their online sale at 50% off. Its a good size, possibly a fraction bigger than perfect, but that's more room carrying around junk. Made out of water repellent 'Dearborn' canvas its going to be super hard wearing. Shipping was fast and pretty efficient (UPS managed to not screw up this time), and they threw in the Spring/Summer brand book and a sticker which is always appreciated.

Go Griz!!

I've been looking for a varsity/college sweater for a while now and although I've seen a few in highstreet stores for made up schools, I wanted to try and find something a little more authentic. I really wanted something in maroon so after a bit of googling I found the University of Montana Grizzlies. They play in maroon and silver which is perfect, plus grizzly bears are awesome. I found this sweater by Stadium Athletics on footballfanatics.com which combines awesome varsity lettering and also a sweet bear claw logo. I've been wearing it for work with a shirt & tie and khakis for a great varsity/prep look.