"Sangria for two"

Whilst venturing through Hypebeast's latest offerings i found these New Balance X 24 Kilates Colabos.

Click to enlarge

Those of you who have had the pleasure of visiting 24 Kilates will know they are Hung like horses when it comes to selections of kicks and garments (quantity of stock) and not only this, but their technique (quality of stock) is something that can be likened to nothing less than Ron Jeremy's very own thrust action. On top of this, the shop layout is fresh and during the times I've visited they have played nothing but Butter in the musical department.

With this is mind, i suppose it was wrong for me to assume anything from these guys would be short of a footwear miracle. And footwear miracle it certainly is! They have drawn from their environment and through doing so have created something inherently unique and associated with what they love.... Barcelona! The "Modernism Pack" is inspired by Atoni Gaudi's architecture which defined and characterized Barcelona's appearance today and will be avalible for punters from March 2008...... See you there!

Picture i took whilst in Barca

But it wasn't only the Sneakers in these pictures that got me excited. The setting and city backdrop also excited me becuase it reminded me of my own time spent in Barcelona and how much of an impression the city made on me. I'm very much a city person, but had never been to a city i though trumped London until last summers expedition to Barcelona.

A city with a beach in its center couldn't make more sense! Although i wouldn't recommend it for London becuase the beaches would inevitably end up in a fucked up, over-populated state, in Barca they somehow remain relaxed at the same time as being a stones throw from the main shopping street. Barcelona also, in my opinion, had more and better Streetwear shops as well as what seemed like a more down to earth Streetwear scene.

Pictures of the place that is....

For now however i'm staying firmly posted on the London roadside and will enjoy views like this
whilst i can.

Untill next time. Adieu

I went shopping today

I Charity shop shopped in Catford today... yep, until it shut... we were the last ones in the shop. Thats how we dooo! I got so much stuff today i'm really on a roll. There are these black curvy, gothicky dresses that keep cropping up. I adore them. I've bought three! I think that i think i'm going to look like some sort of Dita Von Teese in them when I slap on some red lipstick...

Computer says naooooooo. All the same they are extremely cute, or will be when Sophie works her magic. I'm kicking myself for spending £15 on one in Absolutely Vintage when I bought two for £6 in Catty today. Watch this space i'll show when they're ready.

Charlie got lots too no doubt. The boy can shop! Not only is he... a sexy... motherfucker:

he can shop. God's gift if you ask me ;) ay pea?!

He turned this thing inside out, it looked fresh.

Sophie tried it in this (charity shop) dress. I have actually been asking to borrow it for ages but she wont wash it for me and it stinks. Whose is it actually? I'm on the floral prints a la mo. I'm going to wear floral throughout winter, as a testament to my love for summer.

But then I could just bust a festive look this christmas with this dress...

If only if only these Hi Techs were in my size... exclusive-neon-yellow-tennis-ball-material-Alife-Reebok-collabo-sneakers sorry what?!

I'm completely joking of course I would love a pink pair size five for crimbo :)

Much love

Over and Out xxx

Jumble Fever

I cannot get enough of charity shops and jumble sales at the moment! Yes it is all my budget allows of late, but it also takes the guilt out of shopping pleasures as not only am I getting outfits upon outfits out of a ten pound squeeze, somewhere along the line, the money I’m spending is hopefully going somewhere slightly more worthwhile than Phillip Green’s pockets. I don’t however recommend charity shopping to the masses. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t have a Sophie in my life to alter the size 24 gems I find into something I’m happy to wear of a night. She can pull a stunt comparable to Jesus’ water to wine.

Where the magic happens.

Shopping in charity shops isn’t easy though. You really have to be in the mood to trawl through rails of musty smelling stuff and have the eye to see past shapes and sizes. It’s really about shopping for the patterns, colours and prints. Of course what I’m saying is nothing new and that’s why there are vintage shops to do that for you. Rokit kindly organises its stuff into colours and patterns and generally caters for the smaller sizes whereas charity shop’s donators on a whole seem to be successful weight watchers members. This has its advantages nonetheless as it is a lot easier to turn something big into something smaller than vice versa. So if you do have a Sophie in your life or you are a Sophie yourself I condemn you to spend another half bar on the high street.

I spy that black dress just past the door, with the white collar!

But… you definitely have to ditch the “something in mind” approach when you go charity shopping. I sometimes make the mistake of looking for something which unless I am extremely lucky, will not be there which switches off the “eye” and is really frustrating. When you know what you want, and you have to have it (and you have the money), it is I suppose better to hit the high street. I am learning not to do that but when I do, I look to American Apparel for something plain and fitted in a block colour and neat material. Otherwise it is best to go shopping when there is no event in mind and stock up on stuff to turn into head turners for a later date.

Kylie's gold hot pants were 50p from an Oxfam- she insured them for £1mn and auctioned them for hundreds. See!

Then of course you have to find your charity shop. All of my friends have their personal favourites which tends to be the ones closest to them… a bit rep your ends style. Mine is the Salvation Army in Catford, which I have to admit outdoes my little Red Cross in Forest Hill. SE23 all day every day otherwise! ;) Anyway at the end of it all, the very best bit is if and when someone pulls the “wherdyaget thaaat” on you, you have lots to say.

Over and out xxx

INSA, inas much words

INSA has been around for a hot minute now and has really done alot in a little time, from the numerous collaborations with brands such as Oki-Ni to his iconic sneaker customizations, everything he does is firmly rooted in his original style and is identifiable with him, but at the same time doesn't lack difference, which cant be said for all of those who have a good idea/design and stick with it. Anyway this entry is pretty much going to be burnt off INSA's own blog http://insaland.com/blog/, of which i'm a regular and a recommender.

Firstly INSA has recently done one of the Whole cars which are situated ontop of a building on Great Eastern Street and can be peeped from near the Old Blue Last. I have always wondered how to get up there and will one day find out, so watch this space. Anyway INSA was invited to paint one of the cars and this was the outcome....

Secondly and as mentioned before, INSA has done alot of Sneaker focused stuff which is what initially attracted me to him. INSA has customized alot of sneakers in his time ranging from Dunk Hi's to the Kickers Kick-Hi boot which is statutory wear for inner-city youts in uniformed comprehensives. I myself once sported the brown suede variant of the Kick-Hi in my younger years. Anyway his Dunk Hi's are currently on ebay and after defeat in the first round (They were relisted) im determined to come out victorious (and with a significantly lower balance) this time! These are them, and in my opinion they supersede any sneaker customisation i've laid my eyes on before.........


Last but not least is INSA's use of women throughout his art, and thats USE in its best possible sense. INSA basically keeps it simple and uses frighteningly hot women to compliment his art. Some may argue the women are infact art in themselves..........

However in this case i'd probably argue they are used to make things look good and 'sex up INSA's dosia' in the literal sense. And that sexing up comes in some seriously big hot, vindaloo style portions. Peeep these at your own risk!


Anyone who knows me will be well acquainted with my particular tastes in regards to women and im happy to say i think me and INSA share a similar fetish.

Until next time. Adieu

AlifeStyle like no other

Ive been a fan of ALIFE for a while now due to two factors. First being, I find they keep alot of their stuff quite minimalistic and dont over do the detail on thier designs, a quality i think many Streetwear labels are guilty of these days. Second is their affiliation with the clan otherwise known as Wu-Tang, and the way ALIFE has always supported good artists and given them a platform to elevate themselves, whether it be at the ALIFE block parties or through the brand itself.

Their most recent contribution to the wonderful world of sneakers is the latest installment of the "Ball Out" series. Dropping two new colourway's of Victory Black and Hot Pink. "The Ball Out" is an ALIFE/Reebok Court Victory Pump, fabricated by hand entirely out of tennis ball felt.

Ive been trying to get my mitts of a pair of the original "Ball Out" Neon yellows for a while now and although i wont be copping either of the new installments i can appreciate there worthwhile amongst the mass of fast-food sneakers that are getting dropped here there and everywhere.

These are two sound new colorways of an already imaginative and deservedly hyped series. The black is there for all the more somber and less outspoken sneaker wearers and the pink is great for the ever growing female sneaker population and the guys that regard sneakers as a means of embracing their inner femininity.

Untill next time. Adieu