shegotgame: NHL and NFL Wear Poppies in Honour of Armed Forces
Yesterday, November 11th, was Remembrance Day in Canada as well as Veterans Day in the United States which honours all active and retired members of the armed forces. Here in Canada and in other commonwealth countries, we commemorate Remembrance Day by wearing poppies inspired by John McRae's poem In Flanders Fields to honour servicemen and women who died serving our country. The American legion also has used them, but they're not as popular as they are in Canada and the UK.
Many sports teams paid tribute this past week by wearing the poppy on their uniforms or their equipment. All Canadian NHL teams sported the poppy on the back of their helmets. Many American and Canada sports teams like the Toronto Raptors, the Nashville Predators, the Vancouver Canucks as well as NCAA football teams wore camouflage uniforms as well, most using prints that active officers are currently using in duty. But let's focus on the flowers for now and break down all the camo gear in another post.
It came as a bit as a surprise as the NFL joined in - at least while in England. The Cowboys and the Jaguars both wore poppies on the front of their jerseys and on the back of their helmets as well. It was a welcome surprise to see the NFL adapting and embracing the culture and traditions of the country that they're playing in. Very classy.
@shegotgame Sneak Peek: The New JORDAN HANGAR
Leave it to Jordan Brand to constantly be one upping itself when it comes to the branded experience. The latest Jordan basketball experience is Jordan Hangar, unveiling later today in Los Angeles. But I managed to get my hands on the exclusive photos from the new basketball space and from the renderings, it looks sleek and industrial - much like the architecture in LA as well as the XX9 sneaker. Jordan Brand has made the most out of their Terminal 23 space in New York hosting games, events and fashion presentations since it launched last year so it makes sense for them to open something similar out west. What do you think of the new space? And more importantly - who got next?
shegotshoes: Balenciaga Arenas Hightops in Green Felt + Grey Leather
It's without question that the Balenciaga Arena has been one of the most popular silhouettes in sneakers in the last few years. The hype was at its peak when Kanye West and Pusha T started wearing the sneakers in 2011, and hasn't died down much since 'Ye sported them. Since the original model debuted we've seen it in both low and high top silhouettes in suede, calfskin and lambskin. Over the last few seasons, Balenciaga began experimenting more with texture on the popular kicks, like using embossing techniques to mimic stingray hide.
This season, Balenciaga moves onto felt with the first pair being a darker shade of tennis ball green with grey leather accents like the stripe down the heel along with a grey sole and laces. It reminds me of a grown up version of the incredibly popular and hard to find Alife x Reebok Court Victory Pump "Ball Out" in neon green. Both shoes use a similar shade of green (albeit one more neon than another) with neutral base colors (grey vs. white), one color midsoles, while the Reebok's use an icy outsole and the Balenciaga sticks to the same grey as the midsole.
What do you think of the newest textile to join the Arenas family? 'Ye has not been sported in them yet but he has worn a similar pair in yellow leather, back in 2012.
The Balenciaga Arena hightops in felt and leather in green and grey retail for $585 USD. They're currently sold out everywhere but let us know if you'll be copping a pair or if you'd like our help securing your pair, submit a form here. Check out more images of the sneaker below in the gallery.
Whisky, Style and Soul - Welcome to the Wiserhood
My name is Megan and I love whisky - but truth be told, I haven't always. I was rather dark liquor averse after going through a rather traumatic (read: vomit everywhere kind of night) with rum as young(er) lass. However, as my palette has refined and my alcoholic consumption has gone from college binge drinking to the occasional drink out with friends once or twice month. I've become a believer in the brown as I hate overly precious, syrupy cocktails and prefer spice over sweet. I love trying new bourdons, scotches - all relatives in the whisky family - either neat or with water or even with ginger ale or lemon tea. I've noticed a larger trend of women in my age demographic drinking whisky and embracing brown liquors outside of rum. Whisky is no longer a drink for purely the country or old men, but for those who have graduated from less sophisticated spirits.
Personally, I've stuck to exploring brands from the Southern United States since I affiliated whiskey and bourbon with majestical places like Kentucky and Tennessee but I've neglected the fact that some of the best and oldest whiskeys come from Canada. My country may be known for our beer consumption and production but we have roots in whisky too!
Believe it or not, Wiser's Canadian Deluxe Whisky was first distilled in 1857 - making it 10 years older than Canada itself. Another Canadian export is of course, comedy. From SCTV to most The Daily Show staffers - we're known for having a rather pronounced funny bone.
Wiser's plays to Canada's cheeky, self-effacing humour in their ad campaigns using regular-looking guys who do little things to make sure they have an uncompromising commitment to quality - and not look like a fool. Take for instance, this man's ingenious way to get out of holding a very precious pink purse.
I dare you not to giggle - or better yet applaud that commercial. Some whiskies and scotches can be a little snobby, so Wiser's makes the beverage a little more light hearted. While the Wiserhood is all made up of men, I respect their collective sense of style and humour. Personally, I'd rather have a fun night with someone that can make me laugh and laugh at himself, than someone who takes his booze far too seriously. Just please, don't make me giggle when I'm drinking as whisky through the nose might sound medicinal - it's not a ton of fun.
Believe it or not, the Wiserhood is growing and looking for more uncompromising, interesting men. The campaign entitled "Wiser's Wants You" allows men to enter a contest through Facebook that eventually leads to a grand prize of a starring role in one of Wiser's silly but smart advertisements.
Now the first step is register and then fill out the form. I was checking out, I have to say that I love that the style choices are as important as the booze! I can only champion the style selections in the contest. It inspired me to take these style cues and include in my own list on the type of man that I'd like to see in the Wiserhood - and perhaps on a date!
First, we have facial hair - a rather divisive category for most women and men. I can't say I'm one for a moustache like the corporal or an overly chiselled chin strap as I feel like it often looks like someone drew an outline for a beard with magic marker but never filled it in. The low yield is the obvious choice for a relaxed take on facial hair as it says "I care" but not "I spend more time grooming than sleeping". Personally, I would have added my own fifth choice - the beard. When a beard is well lined up, sharp and generally well groomed, it elevates a man of from grizzly to great. It's always beard season, my darlings.
Next, we move on to neckwear. I'm not really one for bow ties or the sweater around the shoulders as they can often look too dandy or done up for my taste. I think for a man in the Wiserhood, it's probably best to opt for a well knotted, not overly thick tie or skinny to the point of lollipop head. Or, perhaps - no tie at all. Whisky is not really a button up drink to me.
As for how to drink the over 100 years of Canadian tradition this shouldn't be a rocket science. Drinking whisky in anything other than a tumbler seems uncivilized. A cocktail glass or champagne flute doesn't allow the whisky to open up, especially if you add rocks or some water - how one should properly taste a whiskey. Straight from the bottle isn't recommended after all, Wiserhood wannabe - I don't want your germs all in my drink.
Now, for my own extra tests to see if a man has uncompromising character and style, we must speak about footwear. Outside of a man's smile - shoes are the first thing I take notice of on a man as I think you can tell a lot about a person by their footwear. I'm a sneaker girl so I'd be happy to see a man in a classic pair of kicks, like a Jordan I or III. For a refined evening, a modern wingtip like the Cole Haan LunarGrand is comfortable but polished - bonus points for trying to the metallic hues.
Next, we need to talk accessories as a whole. If you wear a pinky ring, you might be better suited for martini than a glass of whisky and if your nails are on the dirty side, may I suggest rubbing alcohol...to clean your nails - not drink. And please, no watch should have more "ice" than your drink. "Ice" or diamonds on both watches and worn as jewelry are the worst investment you can make, a simple gold chain or watch lasts forever and shows you're in it for the long haul unlike ice which is an immediate red flag. How can you buy me a drink if you're wearing all your money on your wrist? Tsk, tsk.
Finally my last and final tests that would get plenty of "slow claps" is personality! This may seem like an easy one, but a genuine, open personality with a great sense of humour goes so far. Manners, a sweet soul a good laugh and an open bar make up for any style flubs in the long run.
If you think you're worthy of accolades of the Wiserhood, make sure you apply on Wiser's Wants You Facebook page. Call backs will begin in 2014 where 200 entrants will be judged on a casting sheet and judged on a "slow clap" or "no clap" vote. The most uncompromising will be crowned the winner of the contest and become the face of the newest Wiserhood commercial. It's kind of a big deal. Will you be entering? Let me know and I'll be sure to vote for you in the next round!
And finally, I will leave you with these wise words of who I consider an honorary member of the Wiserhood, Ron Burgundy. I suggest such a routine every time you drink you whisky, scotch and bourbon. Cheers.
This is a sponsored post by Wiser's Canada. Please drink responsibly.
Blog: Redux
Blogs are the new black, so it seems. I've been on the internet, documenting moods, outfits, grievances, adventures and generally over sharing since high school. After awhile, it all seems a tad self indulgent - especially when you don't have the right structure in place (I have Wordpress fatigue).
Thanks to my new, much cleaner site I'm feeling fresh and new and have found it necessary to have a platform to share my personal and professional life in more than 140 characters or a filtered image. I feel very blessed and empowered that I was able to make my dream career a reality thanks to hard work and as I continue to evolve as a business woman, I want to share it with other. Also: shoes. So. Many. Shoes
Here on the MeganAnnWilson.com blog, you'll find client highlights and placement, behind the scenes looks at what I do everyday (hint: it involves a lot of coffee), media updates (both myself and clients), outfit tips and tricks, lookbooks, editorial shoots and more.
When it comes to navigating my blog, it's all about categories. You can find all sportsand client related information under the #shegotgame tag. Fashion and personal style posts live under #shegotstyle, while any press appearances are marked as #shegotpress and finally, mail and products are tagged as #shegotmail.
If you have any ideas of what you'd like to see or what you want to know, please feel free to drop me a Tweet, comment, or email.
xo,
Megan