UNDRCRWN x Starter Snapback Hats and Style Guide
The early 90's aesthetic is big again among NBA players from Amar'e Stoudemire to James Harden and Brandon Jennings. What's ironic is that the Starter jackets and Polo boots many of us 80's babies grew up on hoarding - the new kids of the NBA were still in diapers when the brands were popular. Sports lifestyle brand UNDRCRWN recently teamed up with throwback favorite, Starter, for a cap collaboration with their own version of the retro trend.
The holiday drop features five caps in the iconic snapback Starter style. The "Simon Says" style is a play on the 1980's toy using bright primary colours and yellow stitching and a black bill for a graphic, yet clean look. The infamous "UNDRCRWN" logo is embroidered on the front in white and the Starter logo on the back of the cap completes it. The "Script Club" style references the popular NBA Draft Cap from the early '90s. The cap features "UNDRCRWN - World Champions" stitched across the front of the cap, as well as a patch reading "World Champs on the left side and the Starter logo on the back. The cap is retro chic without the kitsch and is available in blue, green, red and black.
Now that throwbacks have become the new lid of choice since the standard New Era fitted is falling out of favor. But how do you wear a vintage piece without looking like you're trying to go too retro? I've compiled a little guide to bring you the best in reasonably priced menswear and streetwear brands to rock with a snapback. To stay current, make sure you pick throwback style items but in modern, fitted silhouettes. Mix in neutrals and classic pieces to balance the look. The wardrobe guide is inspired by early 90's style well as the new youngings that are dressing like they're bringing '88 back.
All five hats will be available for sale at www.shopundrcrwn.com and select UNDRCRWN retailers worldwide now.
Brand-ish: 8103 Clothing
Everyone has vices. One of my most obvious and expensive ones is shopping. So when you combine it with my love of sports, things can get a little hectic for my little Visa card. Streetwear is one of my passions and men have a plethora of options compared to women. The ladies' gear is starting to set up, but the fellas' market is massive in comparison. Especially when you look at the t-shirt and cut and sew arena. 10 Deep presented one of the best executed and styled look books in recent years with their Fall/Winter 2009-2010 "Hunt or be Hunted" Collection. Mishka consistently brings out perfect custom colour New Era caps and cult favorites. And Nike Sportswear constantly impresses with their collabs (I bought this Nike x Grotesk jacket at Nike Sportswear at 21 Mercer - amazing!) I'm going to let my girl boner for these established streetwear brands subside for just a minute to showcase 8103 Clothing, an independent brand out of the land of the Jaguars: Jacksonville, Florida. 8103 Clothing began in 2003 in the sunshine state and call themselves a lifestyle brand that fuses skate and street cultures (my first loves) to come up with interesting, quality and topical apparel. They preach quality, passion and independence as they screen all their shirts in their Florida facility, which you have to respect in this mass manufacturing market. They offer tees, jeans, caps and even limited edition collaborations including rings and chains. I want to focus on their t-shirts as I think that's their strong suit.
The prints range from sexy and classic, to silver screen heros, and the ubiquitous East Coast vs. West Coast. But, my two personal favourite prints are the most pertinent now. The first style is their version of what I'm sure is the first of many, Tiger Woods post "sex addiction scandal" tees to drop. It's simple and bold - JUST DID IT.
I kinda love the slightly tall tee fit (long shape and sleeves) and it also comes in a crew neck sweater in black. I may get a XXL (mini dress length) in my favourite colourway, purple and white, and rock it with knee-high socks and heels to a PGA event. Though how awesome would it be if the tee came in Tiger final round red? Do you think he wears red boxer when he seals the deal?
The second t-shirt from 8103 Clothing that caught my eye is the ode to the MTV show that is transforming Facebook statuses and club dance moves everywhere...yes, I'm talking about the phenomena that is Jersey Shore.
The t-shirt showcases some of the very best quotations from the boys who creeped all over Seaside Heights and into our hearts. This is a much more fashionable and ironic way to sport your love of all things GTL (gym, tan, laundry for the non-converted) than say a blowout ala Pauly Dee or fluorescent garb from the Shore Store.
Shout outs to the crew at 8103 Clothing for keeping it fun, fresh and local. If you want to pick up some gear you can grab it from their online store. Or, Karmaloop has some special items on their site as well and if you use coupon code SHEGOTGAME you'll get 20% off. Happy shopping.
High fives & booty taps,
Megan
Copy-able: Givenchy stole C-3PO's feet
Whether Black or white we both like Mike, We both like Jordans, We both feels Nike...
both riding shotgun, both covered in gold like C-3PO"
-Venus vs. Mars, Jay-Z (The Blueprint 3)
I guess Riccardo Tisci and the rest of the Givenchy creative team were bumping the Blueprint 3 when they were sketching out their shoes for the Spring/Summer 2010 season. The french fashion house is coming out with two sneakers, a low-cut and a very high top (more reminiscent of boxing boots than a Dunk high). They're available in gold, black and white. I love the sneakers, perhaps due to my slightly obsession with gold....and Givenchy. If only they came in my midget 5.5 size...
But when I saw them I saw them, I immediately thought of my everyone's favourite cautious, multilingual robot, C-3PO. The gold is almost the same shade and they have an almost Grecian feel to them and when you look at C-3PO's feet, it looks like he's wearing sandals!
It may seem like a bit of stretch, but I find the sneakers to have a very space age, armour feel to them much like a protective robot suit that C-3PO rocked for all six films.
The armour look is nothing new to fashion, though, especially in the last few seasons. Tisci has also been bringing in an air of space age minimalism and strong lines. He called his look for the Spring 2009 season "Western Bondage" so perhaps he is rehashing old ideas with all the straps and cutouts on the kicks. I think it's a great thing that an established fashion house known for more couture than streetwear is in the sneaker game. It could help push the major footwear brands to try something new or even go in the opposite design direction to offer more unique options. When you create a super limited item in a limited edition obsessed area like the sneaker game, you're appealing to a small but dedicated group. Nike hit a home-run with the Air Yeezy's, the Pigeon's highlighted the sneaker culture love affair with limited and Kanye's partnership with Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton how couture and kicks can work together beautifully. So why not tap into that very lucrative market? Also, because they only put out two models and three colourways, they're not taking as big of a chance but still giving themselves building blocks. Supra has taken their Skytop and done it a million ways - from patent to studded, and has rarely mis-stepped. Will Givenchy be to high fashion footwear fiends what Supra is to skateboarder and sneaker heads? Only time and credit card bills will tell.
Not everyone could rock these kicks, partly for the ostentatious style but mostly because of the price tag. When you're buying sneakers from a French fashion house that become famous for dressing Audrey Hepburn and is now the brand of choice for Rihanna....you know they will be deemed "investment items". Would you rock them?
High fives & booty taps,
Megan
PS. Shoutouts to High Snobiety for posting the story.