Sometimes More is More.

Sole Academy has been holding it down when it comes to retro Asics model releases for a while now, and they're showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. And too add to an already solid run, they're all set to drop their newest exclusive at both locations this Saturday (11am Katipunan/10am ATC) - The "Black-Sand Camo" Asics Gel Saga.

Photo from the Sole Academy Facebook Page.

If you slept on the "Kill Bill" Gel Sagas, then these might be worth your while. Orange lages work in tandem with green accents to offset the shoe's neutral base colors, giving them a nice bit of pop without being too obnoxious. For anyone who's looking to add a pair of retro runners into their footwear rotation, these are well worth the P5995 they're going for. And for the serious sneakerheads looking to add to the stack(s), like the saying goes sometimes more is more! Hah!

Click HERE to check out more looks via the Sole Academy Facebook Page!

Mob Mentality.

I walked into the Adidas store in Greenbelt last Sunday with my dad and sister and found myself pleasantly surprised with what I saw on display. No, it wasn't the Adidas x Mark McNairy collabs (more on those in another entry). In fact, I didn't notice them until my sister pointed them out to me.

Adidas brought in a pretty limited supply of the "Black Flag" Wings 2.0 sneakers designed by Jeremy Scott in collaboration with the A$AP Mob's flag-bearer, Pretty Flacko himself, A$AP Rocky. No small feat considering how in demand/sold out these are in other parts of the world.

Beautiful. The Tech Super lurking in the background is mighty fine too.

Design wise, Jeremy Scott's collaborations with Adidas have been pretty out there to say the least. Even with the all-black colorway, that doesn't change one bit. Subtle, asymmetrical details abound upon closer inspection, with stars dotting one shoe with stripes lining the other. The ballistic nylon used in the upper is amazing, and even if they aren't my style at all, I just had to try them on.

Hardly a Fashion Killa.

Yup, definitely not my style at all, but I can't deny that these shoes are beautiful. They're my favorite out of all the Adidas and Jeremy Scott collabs thus far. These pictures do not do them justice. This is a pair you have to see up close to really appreciate. A$AP Rocky and the rest of the mob may Live Long, but I don't think these are gonna last long on shelves. If you wanna stunt like you're in the A$AP Mob, or like a street goth at lest, cop a pair at selected Adidas stores for P10,995.

Again, awesome job Adidas Philippines for bringing these in! My fingers are still crossed on the Mutombo retros though!

Jesus Walks, and Shoots Really Really Well From 3 Point Land.

I may have mentioned this in another blog entry before, but I'll say it again. I love the Los Angeles Lakers. How is this relevant? Because Titan and local streetwear brand Progress are teaming up to launch a capsule collection inspired by Jesus Shuttlesworth, a movie character once played by Ray Allen of the Miami Heat.

All images are from the Titan 22 website.

Yup, the very same Miami Heat who have won the last 2 NBA championships. The same team Ray Allen was on when he hit a 3 to tie the game and save Miami's title hopes in game 6 in the finals series against the Spurs last year. We all know what happened after that. Barring any negative backlash coming from Heat (I come in peace, I know there's a lot of you out there) fans, I have come to accept the Heat's emergence as a real team to be reckoned with, and I will concede that Ray Allen's Got Game. Hah. See what I did there? 

After seeing pictures pop up on Instagram, the whole collection features nicely done appropriations of religious imagery, which if you've been following streetwear, has been quite a popular move for many brands as of late. But so far, I haven't seen anything quite like this. 

Check out images of the Titan 22 x Progress "Jesus" Capsule Collection below and get a live look on October 30, Wednesday, 6 PM at the Titan 22 Flagship store over at Two Parkade, Bonifacio Global City. And from the looks of the poster above, we're gonna be in for some solid DJ sets and Mexican food too!

Titan x Progress "Shuttlesworth" Jersey @ P2495
WOW.

Titan x Progress "Jesus Saves" Pullover Hoodie @ P2295

Titan X Progress "Jesus Saves" Tee @ P995

Titan x Progress "Jesus Saves" Socks @ P795

Because you know sneakerheads love collabs.

With just how big the sneaker community is getting, it just made sense to have another outlet for people to show just how much they love their shoes. Now at Shoephoric, people don't have to rely on tumblr and the 'gram to stunt in their sneakers!

Seriously though, Shoephoric is a social network for shoe lovers in general, not just the sneakerheads. Aside from being able to follow your friends and like-minded individuals, the site's also a venue where you can showcase your collection, do a little bit of buy-and-sell, share you fantasy kicks, and join contests like the one below.

To celebrate 2 years of being up and running, Shoephoric has teamed up with Sneak Peek for a contest that'll get 5 lucky people laced up in some kicks. The discounts and gift certificates don't hurt either. The mechanics to join are pretty self-explanatory. And you're probably showing off some new pickups on Instagram anyway, so be liberal with them hashtags because the winners will be announced on October 31!

Click HERE for more mechanics.

The Sneak Peek on Instagram.

Follow me on Shoephoric - Mykee Alvero

It pays to learn, especially when it's free.

Every now and then, I like doing other things aside from writing about the sneakers I can't buy, like taking my girlfriend Dylan out to The National Museum to take advantage of the free admission for the entire month. It's been years since I last checked out the museum, and given the lack of knowledge I have towards Philippine art, I figured a free trip to the museum would make a pretty good crash course and interesting date idea. Head's up to all the guys with artsy girlfriends out there, unless you know, you're both too cool for this stuff.

Given that some halls were getting renovated, getting to explore the whole place shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. There's a wide variety of art on display, from creepy religious statues, to work done by more contemporary artists. Me and Dylan had a great time getting to check everything out, with the both of us having our own sets of favorites. Overall, it was a great way to make use of a morning. Aside from the two of us getting to get to spend some time together, it was cool to learn about stuff together too. Learning can be fun, especially when it's free!

Check out the pictures below to get a better idea of what to expect. If they're enticing enough, book it to the National Museum because free admission only runs through this month!

On My Feet - Onitsuka Tiger X-Calibers

One of the museum's chill spots features a series of pieces done by Botong Francisco.

If you're a Filipino and don't know even in passing that this is Juan Luna's "Spoliarium", then I guess you didn't pay attention in history class. 

This hall full of old religious art was probably my favorite out of all the rooms. 

A hall of sculptures.

One of the more chilling pieces in a room filled with works done during the time of, or inspired by the Japanese occupation.

My lovely date. :)

Don't Touch.

Ang Kiukok

Rizal killing the #menswear game back in the day.

Seriously, bro. Do You Even Lift?

Images from the Sole Academy Facebook Page.

Well, that won't matter if you hit the gym (though you'd much rather stunt in them, I'm sure) in either of these Nike Air Trainers dropping this Saturday, October 26. Done up in iconic Air Max colorways, the "Infrared"Air Trainer 1 Mids will be released exclusively at Sole Academy Katipunan at 10am, while the "Persian Violet" Air Trainer 2 Mids will be available at Sole Academy ATC at the same time.

Sneaker history buffs should jump at a chance to own some vital models that resulted from Nike's venture into "cross training" sometime in the 1980s. If I could pull off a Shane West from "A Walk To Remember" (yes, I referenced that movie. No shame.) and be in two places at once, I'd get 'em both. Pre-supposing I have the monetary means to do so, too, as both pairs will go for the price of P6295.

Check out Sole Academy's page on Facebook HERE to get more product shots!

Pay Attention To The Color Wheel.

Photo from http://on.fb.me/kPeCIY

There had to be a point in your school life where you studied the color wheel. You know, that circle that shows you which colors worked well together. Now, I'm not saying you should follow the wheel every time you decide to put on some clothes, but sometimes, it's hard to argue with how some combos just work.

Case in point, these navy gumsoled Vans Authentics. This longtime longtime favorite Vans model of mine is just a testament to timeless style that gets taken up a notch all thanks to the presence of the brown gum sole. Trust me, on those days when you don't want to wear your retro runners or Air Jordans, these are guaranteed to keep you looking good even when you've beaten them into the ground.

Available now at Vans Concept Stores for P2398.

Looking At Your Phone To Tell The Time Is A Sign That You Don't Like Making Unnecessary Effort.

In an age where all you need to do to figure out the time is to whip out your phone, wearing a watch isn't really considered a necessity. But people continue investing in them because wearing one is a plain and simple form of non-verbal communication.

An investment watch tells everybody "I could've spent on my child's college tuition, but I bought this watch" in the most subtle way possible. Now while that's all fine and dandy, sometimes you just want a watch that does its job of telling time, looks good, and isn't offered at an aspirational price point.

The Daily Timepiece by Neff (yup, the same guys that make caps) is all of those things. They come in a vast array of styles, from solid colors, all the way to the Wild Time editions in the photo above. Price wise, they're pretty affordable, with higher end models sold at around P2200. They're sturdy thanks to a predominantly rubber exterior, and great for casual to semi-formal settings, especially if the rest of your gear is understated. Look for it to provide that punch of color, an irreverent compliment to simple style, and some other nice descriptives being thrown around in #menswear blogs as of late. 

Look for Neff Timepieces at the SM Store over at SM Aura Premier. 

You Can Never Have Too Many Pairs of Retro Runners.

Photo via Sole Academy

If you're anything like me who believes that there isn't such a thing as having too much of a good thing (though my wallet would like to disagree), then you wouldn't sleep on these "Urban Camo" Asics Gel Lyte 3's dropping this weekend. Retro runners have been really heavy in my sneaker rotation as of late because they're far more versatile than pairs of basketball shoes, in the sense that you can take them with you to dressier occasions, or in my case, an office with a business casual dress code.

If you're looking for a gateway pair into retro runners, I'd strongly consider these. Really good mix of materials, and the base colors are simple enough to wear with a good array of clothes, with the ice blue accents setting the shoes off in a "yeah, I love sneakers, but I keep it simple", rather than a "My extremely loud sneakers compensate for my lack of personality" kind of way.

These shoes will be available at Sole Academy stores this Saturday. 11AM in Katipunan, while the southerners can get first crack at ATC come 10AM.

Click HERE to get more looks via the Sole Academy Facebook Page.  

Brian Anderson's New Shoe Gives You Reasons To Care About Nike SB Again.

The Nike SB hype may have died down in recent years, so it takes some really creative and groundbreaking shit to turn people on to most of their new releases. The last new model I seriously liked was the Koston 1, but that was up until Brian Anderson's shoe dropped.

Dubbed the Project BA, the sneaker is an exercise of skate shoe badassery. Though what's in the picture above is the premium version, the regular version is hardly a slouch, either. As much as I enjoy just looking at them, I have to say this shoe is pretty fucking comfortable to wear, even more so than the Kostons, SB Dunks, and Blazers because of the Lunarlon cushioning working in tandem with soft, yet protective ankle cushioning.

Design-wise, the upturned toe is what really strikes me about the shoe's design. I haven't skated in a really long time, so I can't say just how helpful it'll be when it comes to flip tricks. The nod to running shoes is pretty welcome though, and pronounced enough to turn the heads of all your Flyknit and Asics wearing friends.

If you're a longtime SB head who's looking for something other than just Janoskis and Kostons, or if you just want a comfy, new shoe to beat into the ground, head on over to COG - Center Of Gravity in Burgos Circle and score yourself a pair!

Product Misplacement - JP Cuison's Latest Art Exhibit.

Meta!

I try to get on that cultured tip every now and then, so me and Dylan checked out the opening of JP Cuison's new silkscreen poster exhibit, "MISPLACED!". What's it about? If you were thinking art always has something to do with these deep, high-brow concepts that speak volumes about underlying issues in society, well give those pretensions a break and head over to the Pocket Universe Art Collective with a mindset to check out some really awesome looking work.

JP Cuison is a living, breathing example of how advertising doesn't entirely kill off unfiltered creative endeavors. And I'm no art critic, so don't expect any socially relevant shit here aside from pointing out how cool it was to see some icons in popular culture suddenly finding themselves without an idea of where the hell it was they wandered into.

Check out the pictures if you want the virtual tour, but nothing beats all the little details you'll get to see when you check the pieces out up close! You'll be in store for a couple of meta-moments too. There was a girl who came in asking the wrong artist about the ideas behind the exhibit. If I answered her, she probably would have believed me. Real talk.

On My Feet - Nike Flyknit Lunar 1s. 

The Creature From The Black Lagoon - MISPLACED!

Mr. Peanut - MISPLACED!

Dracula MISPLACED!

The exhibit is running until October 21. And if you wanna impress any future house guests with how much you love art, limited quantities of each poster are on sale!

Dylan and Nemo

#2/55! 

Pocket Universe Art Collective - 2nd Floor, SaGuijo Cafe Bar, 7612 Guijo Street, San Antonio Village, Makati.

Because Camo and Floral Prints are So Hot Right Now.

A few years back, Nike SB's were some of the most hyped up shoes to wear. I remember the days where there weren't any local shops that carried them, which made people covet that shit with so much more fervor. Fast forward to the present, we got a few shops that carry them, and the hype may have died down considerably, but leave it to Nike to drop a couple of SB bangers every now and then.

Dropping TODAY at We Legendary Ronac are two Camo/Floral releases of a favorite SB silhouette of many, the Stefan Janoski. If you saw the first release, there was a shitload of hype that went with it. And yup, they were gone pretty fast. Expect the two styles in the photo above to go the same way the first drop did. So if you've got all the time in the world to cop a pair of sick shoes, and not a working stiff like me who just blogs about them from my office desk, head out to the Ronac Art Center in San Juan before they're long gone!

We Legendary on Facebook

Gap x The 2013 GQ Best New Menswear Designers in America Collection

So The Gap brought over a collection made in collaboration with GQ's list of the best new menswear designers in America this year. So why should you care? Well for one, if our tropical weather doesn't mean shit to you and your fashion sense, then these clothes are pretty fucking cool.

The collection in itself is pretty diverse, and made to appeal to a vast range of consumers. If you wanna look like you were unaware that summer ended months ago, then go for the Aviator Nation stuff. If you're a bad-ass who loves raw denim and outdoor-friendly gear that isn't corny, go for Baldwin. And menswear snobs who love traditional clothing with a twist will most definitely enjoy the Bespoken and Ernest Alexander offerings.

Check out some of the photos I took of select pieces below before the staff told me off about it. If I had the cash, I'd get 'em all. If you're looking to buy, head over to the Gap in Bonifacio High Street!

Backpack by Ernest Alexander

Tweed Blazer by Bespoken

Sweats, Crewnecks, and Hoodies by Aviator Nation

Camo pants by Baldwin.

 

Crazy For Katsu At Yabu ATC.

Saturdays are pretty sacred for me and my girlfriend Dylan. It's the day where we get to unwind and spend time together after going through the grind of the work week. A normal weekend for us consists of either hanging out at each other's houses, going out to eat, or watching a movie if there's anything interesting showing. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we'd end up at an invitation-only dinner at Yabu Alabang Town Center.

Before I go into anything else, I'll go ahead and say that me and Dylan love to eat, a claim the photos below will definitely attest to. Yabu: The House of Katsu has been a favorite restaurant of ours for a while now for good reasons. Some restaurants will bank on hype and the experience of actually being in the restaurant to distract you from realizing how pedestrian and forgettable their food actually is. But in the case of Yabu, not only do you get great food, you get it in an experience that's most often grounded on great service, attention to detail, and value for money.

Going back to the dinner, all invited guests got to order pretty much whatever they wanted, free of charge. Over the course of all the times we've eaten at Yabu, me and Dylan have our mainstay orders, but we took this opportunity to really sample the other offerings on their menu. If you haven't picked it up from my earlier ramblings, Yabu is a Katsu house that serves a wide variety of Katsu dishes, made to appeal to both traditional and adventurous lovers of deep-fried meat.

I'm no food blogger, so I'll cut a long story short and spare you of having to go through all the mouth-watering details of an experience me and Dylan were just really lucky to have been a part of. From the appetizers, all the way to the main course, Yabu still doesn't disappoint. If you've tried out Yabu before, and share the sentiment I do towards the place, you'll be glad to know that no pillar from the Yabu experience was missed on the opening of this new branch, great food, and impeccable service. And with the official opening just days away, I'm sure Yabu Alabang Town Center will be welcomed by southerners such as myself with both open arms, and open mouths.

That spinach salad. 

Glorious, glorious pork. 

Thank you so much to Yabu for having us!

I did say we love to eat. 

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