maxcak's Top 10 Essentials (Part 2)...

Following up on Part 1 of my Top 10 Essentials list, here are 6 - 10.

6. French Cuff Dress Shirt - Everyone will need to wear a suit at some point in their life and with that you should always pair up the suit with a nice shirt underneath. Like most ppl, I'm not a huge fan of rocking dress shirts all the time but when I do I love rocking a nicely fitted French Cuff Dress Shirt. Nothing screams "007" more than a nice black suit with a sleek white dress shirt and cuff links. I recommend the H&M Slim Fit French Cuff, good fit better value.

7. New Era Fitted - At some point in your life you've owned a ball cap of some sort. I'm no exception and my hat of choice are the new era fitteds. Although many might suggest the fedora, bowler, paper boy or kangol, nothing beats a good ball cap. You can rock it in almost every outfit with the exception of formal attire and still be stylish without looking like a fool. An item that trancends generations, you have so many options in terms of colours and design, not to mention the different ways you can sport the hat as well. I recommend you're black/black (any sporting team or company) version cause it goes with everything!

8. Vans Authentic - I know most of you are probably thinking why I didn't put a pair of Jordans in this list but lets face it, the vans authentic are more versatile than your average Jordan. With a classic and simple look, you can sport these in almost every outfit as well. Rock them with khakis, jeans, shorts, you name it! The options are endless and the price makes it a more cost effective alternative to your other casual kicks.

9. iTouch/iPhone - Although I'm a BB guy, no one can deny the need to bump to some nice beats while enjoying the summer weather. Considering that Apple has a stronghold on the mp3 market, it's only fitting to include their mp3 giant on this list!

10. "Safari" Shirt - So I know most ppl are on the "Chambray" shirt since its the big thing right now but I'm still sticking with the "Safari" shirt from last season. At the end of the day its all about comfort and looks and who can deny the sleek and ruggedness of this item? Get it "Olive Drab" or "Flat Black"!

KSM: Nike Zoom Flight '98

Welcome to this week's edition of KickStart Mondays!

Today we feature a classic that anyone who was playing ball back in the late 90's will remember. Today we'll be talking about the shoe that Gary Payton made famous, the Nike Zoom Flight'98 (aka "The Glove"). This shoe was first released back in 1998 under the "Flight" series but was renamed unofficially to "The Glove" by sneakerheads as a result of the player who rocked them on the court. Gary Payton who was also known as "The Glove" sported this sneaker during the height of his career and gained notiriety in this sneaker. Known to rock Jordan's on the court as well, GP came into his own on the Supersonics while rocking these kicks.

The sneaker which featured Zoom Air (most sneakers were rocking this technology in the late 90's) was housed under a very subtle upper to the naked eye. This marvel designed by Eric Avar sported a black neoprene upper with prominent swoosh placement on the toebox that really acted as a glove to the shoe. Under the zippered neoprene cover housed a "monkey paw" like design along the ankle area. The shoe which lay underneath was called the "exoskeleton" and was made primarily of mesh like material. The shoe itself was a hit and has never been retored since it's original release.

I have found memories of these sneakers since they came out while I was still in HS. I had a friend who owned a pair so i was able to see them up close and personal and really appreciated the unique design. What stood out most of this sneaker was the fact that Avar continued to leaverage the use of the human body in another sneaker (the first being the AM95).

I really love these sneakers and hope that Nike will bring them back out of the vault for those who didn't get a chance to own them during their original release.

maxcak's Top 10 Essentials (Summer Edition - Part 1)...

Since we're on the Top 10's tip, I figured I compile a list of my Top 10 Essentials everyone should have right now.

Peep my list below:

1. "Black/Black" Watch - Every gent needs a good watch and what better way to tell time than with a nice, yet fashion friendly piece. The whole "All Black Everything" movement is still going somewhat strong but nothing screams sleek than an all black watch. Some personal fav's are the Nixon 42-20 (Black/Black/White), Timex TX and Meister.

I would suggest copping a carbon fibre watch since those appear to be the next thing but you'll also be spending some serious coin for one of those. I would suggest the Oris for those looking @ CF.

2. Classic "Dark Framed" Sunglasses - Summertime means patios and sun which means its time to bring out the shades. What better way to protect your eyes than with some sunglasses! My personal favs are the Ray Ban Wayfarer Classics but special mention goes out to Supers as well who are killing the spectacle game at the moment. Trends come and go but classics last a lifetime!

3. Overnight/Tote Bag - Now I know most of you are probably thinking that these bags aren't very masculine but lets be real here; backpacks should be used for school/camping and duffle bags should be left for the gym. When picking a bag to lug your stuff around for an overnight stay at your lady friends, its important to get something that does its job well and also looks good while doing it. I suggest Herschel's tote, its got enough personality and is sneakerhead friendly!

4. Selvage Denim - Jeans are always a good alternative to your day to day uniform and selvage is where it's at! Everyone owns a pair of jeans that they throw on during the weekends and just love. A new spin on denim is the emergence of selvage denim which boasts greater quality and build than your standard denim (identified by the red stiching along the inseam of the pant leg). When growing up, folding your jeans were never the "cool" thing to do, however with selvage, folding has never looked so good! I suggest Cheap Monday's, they're a good fit and look great!

5. The "Polo" Shirt - Another staple in any man's wardrobe, the polo shirt is considered formal enough to rock at work without looking childish while still being cool in the streets. Granted you get one that fits you and not one that you're swimming in. The right polo will fit you like a glove and hug you in all the right spots. You'll look smart and trendy at the same time as long as you refrain from popping the collar and avoid company logo wear (unless you work for any of the top polo shirt makers). I recommend the Ralph Lauren "Custom Fit", JL and Fred Perry.

Stay tuned for 6-10 next week!

Adidas - Fortitude Mid “Neon” Collection...

Thought to be only a "Friends & Family" release, Adidas has decided to release these (in ltd quantities) stateside on August 1st.

Let me be the first to say, "Thank you Adidas!"

Source via: Hypebeast

maxcak's Top 10 Sneakers of 2010...

Everyone's been doing their take on their favourite sneakers of 2010 so far, so we decided to share our top ten with you all. Peep the list in no particular order below:


1. New Balance 574 Sonic Weld "Brights Pack (Orange)" - I'm not normally a huge fan of NB but these joints seriously go hard! I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a pair of the first samples (black/teal) version and was really surprised to see how well built they were. These had to make my list just for the colourway alone!

2. Air Jordan I "AJKO" - If you've been following the blog then you already I know I'm a huge Jordanhead. When they announced that these were being retroed, I was on the fence at first. Not because I didn't love this shoe but I was getting sick of all the AJ1 retros being produced but once I saw them in person, you already know what the deal was.



3. Nike Air Foamposite One "Eggplants" - Need I say more?










4. Nike Air BW Gen II SI (Netherlands) - When I first saw this sneaker it instantly caught my eye. As part of Nike's "True Colors" pack for the 2010 World Cup, this shoe made my list not only because of the serious colourway (orange is my favourite colour) but simply for the fact that is was based on the team I supported during the WC.



5. Nike Zoom Lebron VII "Heroes Pack - AJ XI" - We featured this sample back in March that Ty from RegularOlTy rocked in his "WDYWT" piece. Already an amazing shoe on it's own, when you add in the colourway and inspiration behind this model, you have a winner. Too bad these will never be available to the public unless Ty wants to let them go (let me know!).



6. Adidas X Ransom Dunes - Call me biased but you gotta show some love to your local independents! I was instantly a fan of this particular model and when I saw the beige textured version, money!







7. Nike Air Max 24/7 "Neons" - One of my all time favs are the Air Max 95 "Neons" and when Nike decided to go on their hybrid craze I wasn't too impressed. That was until they released the 24/7s. I was on the fence for these until I saw them in person and I need to tell you that these kicks just pop.





8. Air Jordan VI "Bulls" - A lot of ppl slept on these because the Nike decided to drop the Infrared Pack a week after these came out but I'm a big fan. I'm always a fan of the classic colourways and these were no exception. Soft leather, good colour swatches and general comfort help this shoe make my list!




9. Nike Air Footscape Freemotion - In my opinion Hiroshi Fujiwara of Fragment Designs can do no wrong (he's ahead of the curve so get with it!). This year he blessed NSW by adding his design cues on some Footscape Freemotion models. Normally I would go for Fujiwara's designs but I was more impressed with the subtleness of the general release grey colourway. Although the Fragments pop a bit more, a more subtle colourway seems appropriate for such a "loud" shoe.

10. Nike Air Max 90 "Infrareds" - Nuff said...

Lindsay Lohan x KAWS...

Complex recently did a collabo photoshoot of lilo pre-jail and everyones favourite street artist kaws. As much as you want to hate on her, you still can't deny the fact that at one point she was on top of the world.

Peep the shots and interview over @ Complex...

d o n ' t s l e e p...

This Sat, Nike will be blessin us with one of their classics. Releasing on the 24th, the Air Max 90 "Infrared" colourway is set to be retroed as a general release across North America.

The AM90's have seen a re-release (QS) about 1-2 years ago and instantly sold out. I'm sure even though this time around they'll be a general release like the AM95 "Neons", they'll sell out quick. Who can resist a fresh pair of "Infrareds" straight out the box?

I know I can't!

Don't sleep this Saturday, July 24, 2010. The AM90 "Infrareds" will be dropping at your local sneaker store, independents (LS & C-apsule) and online.

Will YOU be copping?

Image via: Primitive (you guys killed it!)

AJ VI "Bulls" Home Edition...

So I finally got my pair of the AJ VI Bull's CW (White/Varsity-Red/Black) and what can I say, these are DOPE!

I know a lot of sneakerheads probably slept on these with the Infrared Pack dropping about a week afterwards but these are definitely one pair you don't want to sleep on. First off, the CW is on point. You know you can rarely mess up a sneaker with the good ol Red, White and Blacks. Secondly the price is on point as well, priced $20 less than the Black Varsitys @ 189.99 CDN, this sneaker is considered a steal here in Canada. Third, it's a crispy pair of AJ VI's.

Did YOU cop? If you haven't, I would seriously advise you to reconsider!