Well where I'm from, I'm considerd an innovator of style. I wouldn't say fashion, because fashion is what's sold to the masses. Style is what gives fashion life. Style is what makes different items, speak different messages on an individual. For example, A coach tie on me, means something different on a man who works at a bank. I may match the teal blue in the in the tie, with a teal blue dress shirt, teal blue Wide brim fedora hat, three peice gre(top. pants and scarf... always got to have a scarf to match the suit, no matter the season) tailor made dashiki suit, with teal blue stacy adams dress socks, with Teal blue Giorgio Brutini square toe dress shoes. Yes, Yes, yes, your saying that's too much Teal for the eye to handle at once!!! But, understand that's the style. Loud, fancy, and elegant. A banker may wear a navy blue suit, white dress shirt, the same coach tie, with black bostinian shoes. Which ever way you do, that's fine. However, it's the style preference of the individual. I'm able to incorperate the Coach tie into my 1930's swing dance, 20's elegance 60's black panther movement, 70's pimp statis flavor. What i'm saying is you can make anything work, as long as you do it with originality. So in this blog entry, I plan to high light the brands that I couldn't live without.
Stacy Adams: This brand has been recognized for two decades as one of the most stylish dress shoes brand in the united states. Over years a pair of Stacy Adams Shoes have coverd the feet of many Preachers, church decons, pimps, playas, old school drug dealers, well dressed hoodlums, and ect. Recently, stacy adams has also ventured off into clothing as well. They are alsso responsable for making hats, dress shirts, cuff links, flashy suits, socks and other accessories. Even though I don't wear suits off the wrack anymore(Tailor made Dashiki suits from my company, The BROWN COLLECTION), i must say, I love what the brand has broght to the table with their suit game. They understand that men are tired of drab colors. So they take their suits to the next level. Yellows, lavenders, mint greens, baby blue ect. Even their patterns, thick stripes, plaids, everything. I mean even their winter collection is raw. If I wasn't into tailor made dashiki suits, I would wear Stacy Adams suits in an abundance. However, I'll stick to their hats, shoes, belts, ties, and dress shirts
Giorgio Brutini: yeah, yeah, this brand is the sworn rival of Stacy Adams. I'm not ven going to get into their long rivalry. But, Giorgio Brutin has some of the sickest shoes in the game.But, I will say this, they both help each other grow. With them always trying to up each other over the years, they bring out the best in each others designs. From suits to shoes. At one point Giorgio Brutini had way better shoes than Stacy Adams. Suit wise Stacy Adams had way better suits than Giorgio Brutini. However, watching each other in compition they helped each other out. Stacy Adams upped their shoe game, and Brutini upped their suit game. As far as shoes go, I still rock with both. Britini has to come back this season with their shoe game. They put so much emphasis into their suit collection, until their shoe game is kind of lacking. Stacy is back on top, leaving them in secondd place.
Mauri Shoes: Now i'll break it down like this, Mauri Shoes are the AIR JORDAN of the dress shoe game. Yes I know, what I said about Stacy and Giorgio. Stacy Adams are like Air Force 1's. A classic shoe that will last decades. Giorgio Brutini is like wearing a pair of Nike Dunks. A great shoe but, it will always come in second. Unlike the other two, Mauri sticks to only shoes. The reason this Italian Shoe brand is the best is because their shoes are made out of Genuine Gator. I would only suggest envesting in them if you don't mind, spending $300-$400 a pair(hey i've worn them, doesn't mean everybody else doesn't mind fronting that much money). For a person who doesn't dress up, that often Mauri's may not be the shoes for you(even tough i'm gona keep buyin them). Now for the younger hood dudes who are not all that comfortable wearing dress shoes, I would suggest wearing Mauri Sneakers. You have probably heard Cam'ron and young Joc talk about them in their songs. In fact if im not mistaken, Cam was the first rapper who endorsed the shoe threw lyrics. In fact Cam was in the "bout bout it" remix, with the sixers fitted, untied du rag flapped underneith the joint, with the sweat suit, with the cream Mauri kicks. I'll never forget he said, I made it so, chicken heads can't pronounce my shoes. This was back in 03. Mauri's weren't that prevelant, but, in New York dudes are rockin em crazy. I take my Godfather hat off to them for investing in these kicks. they kept it FuZzY. They could have invested in some SB Dunks or Jordans, However, they went for straight luxery. Where i'm from in New Haven, all anybody wears is Jordans, Air Force 1(bka UPTOWNS), and timbs. Dudes aren't even up on dunks out here. There was only one kid I saw, who was up on Mauri's. But, he wasn't your average New Haven Kid. He was up on style in general. He used to wear dress shirts with the matchin tie to school, with some jeans and air force 1's. The next day he did some bapes. But he was original for the New Haven set. So he killed the Mauri kicks to school and turned around and killed Mauri dress shoes to an 8th grade dinner dance(yeah it was an 8th grader).
Ralph Lauren: Now for me I love the Ralph Lauren polo brand. Way before kanye west supposedly made it not boring. But i love the color schemes they broght to the fashion world. from their ties, dress shirts and sweaters. even though, this Ralph Lauren brand is snubbed, but CHAPS, has broght a lot to the table. Yes, it is cheaper than all of the other Ralph Lauren lines however, they have a great base in the brands progress. Chaps has sick Sweaters. I remember back in 2000-2001 when I was in high School, dudes used to rock Izod sweaters and Chaps Sweaters. I remeber when dudes you used to wear them with Khaki's and timbs(2000 Hillhouse vs cross basketball game). They were next in line under the Coogi and Iceberg. I know you are lookin at me crazy but it happened. The Chaps brand was highly respected, but now do to the rise in the horse(as my dad refers to it) and Purple Label, Chaps is left on the back burner. Well I just dig Ralph Lauren in general. I must say this, there is never going to be one specific brand that I love everything in. At the same time there are at least one or two things I feel in every brand. Chaps has shirts, ties, and sweaters that are solid. Yes, I would rock a chaps dress shirt, you just have know how to wear it. I mean, there are dudes who still rock Coogi and Mischino.
Tommy Hilfigure: Now Tommy is another ground breaking brand that has made waves through the fashion industry. Ever since the 5th grade i've always had a peice of Tommy in my closet. I remember when I had this red. white and blue tommy jacket with the big hilfigure on the back. My dad had the same one. But, what kind of hurt the brand over the years was that silly rumor about him being rascist. i could never understand where that rumor came from. There was never any proof to it. Even if it was taped on the oprah show, there should have been video footage of the telecast that was leaked. Thaty rumor had been going on since the 5th grade and I was what? 11 or 12 and im 22 now? I'm just glad they cleared the air on the oprah show recently. Really i never stopped wearing Tommy. Like Junior Year of High School I was rockin Tommy heavy. I had atleast 10 Tommy Hilfigure Button Down Shirts. I was so bad, until I wore the tag still on them to let you know they were official. people used to come up to me asking me, Why do I still support that Rascist? like I used to say, I need proof that he said that. However, nothing can stop the brands contribution to the game!!
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