3 Days to Greatness!

3 days until the blog turns a year. This post should crack the 90th post barrier.

Let me expound on how this next year is going to be. I definitely plan on doing more essays, more funny stories, more philosophical sartorial pieces, more diversity in post topics, more eccentric details, more product review, more advice, more questions answered, and more greatness.

This past year I accomplished a few things:

1. Graduated with a BBA in Finance
2. Started an adult relationship with a young lady
3. Opened my first checking non-student checking account
4. Saved more than I planned, even without adhering to my usually strict budget
5. Planned my first conference
6. Opened my own trading account, no more trading around with Mom's

Changes that occurred in 2009:

• I became the head of my family due to my father's death
• Inherited a small sum of money, its in the 5 figure range
• Became an assistant manager

Things to look forward to in 2010

• A new career with a new company, my dream job is with AT&T if only AT&T can quickly get back to me before I have a heart attack from the suspense
• A stronger and deeper relationship with my woman
• Prospectively being a full-time manager with a better salary, hourly wages suck
• More Trading
• Bigger Savings Account
• Paying off student loans, mine aren't too bad
• Better Work/Life Balance, my work hours suck
• New car
• 1st MTM suit, I've dabbled with pieces here and there but not a full on suit.
• MTM and Bespoke shirting and shoes, I do save for a reason because me like nice stuff

Goals for 2010

• Remember my father
• Pay off student loans
• Pay off my car
• Sign a lease to a high-rise apartment in midtown ATL
• Gain wisdom
• Visit my grandparents in Africa and meet my extended family members for the first time
• Continue building my shoe wardrobe, I'm up to 5 pairs
• Begin Building a Professional Wardrobe, even though my work place doesn't require it I eventually plan on getting into a position that will require business dress
• Find a full time entry-level job with nice benefits and an excellent training program
• Network more, I'm now the biggest fan of nepotism since going at it alone is proving impossible
• Calligraphy Practice
• Getting Ripped again
• Furthering my sartorial knowledge
• Building Deeper relationships with my friends, family, and community
• Lay the groundwork for wealth building in my family
• Create a foundation for my prospective family
• Thanking anyone who has helped me get to a good start in building my life
• Lastly, thanking my woman for lending me her ear and supporting me even when I'm feeling down

Yeah I know that is plenty of stuff. Well I told you all I like lists and categories. After all how does a mathematical mind work. So, that is me for the next year of my life. Let's pray for blessings!

Wallets: Self-Present 1

Today Is my 24th Birthday; I'm halfway to 30.

Traditionally I don't really care to celebrate my birthday. There is really only one thing I do every year, I buy myself presents. I don't really care to party but I always get dragged in to something. This year was different, we had an intimate dinner with a few close friends. Last year it snowed and Atlanta shut down. So, I got to leave work early only to be dragged to a club -fest that ended in a house party at my ex's house. I got home at 6 am and had to be at work at 11. My how the times have changed.

My first set of self-presents, that's what I call them don't judge me, appropriately arrived Today.

I'm a Gilt Groupe Member and bought these slim wallets on Friday. Typically, Gilt takes forever to ship. This time was different; 3 days later they arrive.

Check them out!

Canvas outside with brown leather piping.

Suede Interior

Inner Compartment for coins and receipts

See the contrasting textures... Yummy right!

Overall this is the sort of wallet you could find made in an African open air market. The canvas, a popular fabric, is readily available and would be considered stylish. The contrasting textures are just bonus. Extra points because the 3 materials paired together shout.

Medium brown crushed leather

Inner compartment

More brown crushed leather

This last wallet is probably going to be my new daily user. It is time I put up my dad's card case.

Hopefully I can soon fill these wallets up with some real money from a new source of employment. Here is to wishing!

WIWY: Birthday Outing Edition (No Text)

Shouting!

Whenever you dress casually you clearly are not bound by many rules. In fact, you should do whatever you want to do within reason. Consider practicality and pleasure. Yet, do not forget to wear one thing that shouts!

If your like any of my non-African friends your asking me what I mean. Well, Africans are not as bound by the rules of color Westerners follow. Colors don't imply orientation or sex, they are just colors. We simply wear what we like and think nothing about color matching. We also will wear any colors together yet somehow there is a harmony there. We never really ponder the colors we just work on feeling. 'Feeling' is very important to any African art. Our artwork works on two principles that contrast each other artifice and the natural. Dressing is no different. Feeling is simply a sense of harmony that a work of art has in its entirety, taken as a whole. Things without feeling are not considered art. This idea only matters because Africans tend to use high contrast in works of art. For example, loud colors, busy patterns, and the use of realistic and abstract elements all in the same body of work. For those two cousins to get along feeling must be present. Keep this in mind as we explore shouting.

Shouting, literal translation from several East African tongues, refers to the element that contrasts the most. This shouting element can be as simple as a contrasting texture, a print, a color, or a change in formality, or informal element in a formal article. Africans naturally do this. We'll combine the traditional printed cloth with a odd coat and come up with an interesting looking odd coat. I for one, take a Kente cloth and have it sewn into a pocket square. The square's pattern shouts so loudly other Africans and the cognoscenti can spot it's origin. Shouting adds style and flare to your entire look. Italians seem to have something similar and they call it sprezzatura; from what I can gather it seems to be attached to the man doing it. It also is not exactly contrast but not doing something in the normal way. Many copy each other on purpose instead of developing out of the natural. Shouting is attached to the element, the article, or the contrasting aspect. Shouting also is never affected or forced it is developed naturally. An example of this is Ozwald Boateng. His entire line is all about shouting, ignore the cut and fabrics. His ability to style is principled in shouting. If you have a chance at looking at some of his looks you'll begin to see the common thread. Now, just like in real life shouting can be done to some one in the same room or clear across an estate; it is the same sartorially. Go light or sprinkle on the seasoning heavily. Boateng shouts until your ears bleed.

To drive in my point, let's move on to some examples of shouting and I'll guide you to a better understanding:

Funky socks shout.

These boots shout.

Purple blazers shout.

Patch pockets and turnback cuffs on a suit coat shout loudly!

Photo Credits: Hart Schaffner & Marx, Leffot blog, Perry Ellis, M Magazine, don't remember the first photos owner.

MTO Dreams

I've been secretly socking away some money for some Made-to-Order Shoes. So far, I've got about $600 saved up. I'm thinking about splurging on some boots or some monk straps. Whatever I do, I'll definitely make it a fun shoe. Hell, I might even go for some button boots.

Now onward ho! Shoes today are greatly limited in design and materials. This is probably due to the market in mens fine shoes being usurped by sneakers and cheaper alternatives. One can only get an idea of this by reading and studying ads from the past. As an avid thrift shopper and yard sale aficionado I can tell you that even regular people could afford to purchase fine leather shoes. Why, the market was flush with a surplus of makers and the entire environment supported it. Sneakers were utilitarian and only for sport thusly, the propers shoes due to saturation and demand could be offered and low as well as astounding price points. Another side effect was that, just like today, the various makes could be creative and market different styles and fashions.

You don't believe me do you, take a look at the following:

Too many to describe. Just know that they would look proper even today. I'm really digging the straight tip oxford in the corner.

This appears to be spectators with 2 different kinds of materials. It appears to be suede, calf skin, and white leather. The materials contrast highly and look sharper for it.

A casual design with some perforations. Botegga Venetta still designs shoes like this every S/S.

A spectator monk hybrid next to a spectator with some perforated leather panels.

Photo Credit: All are Esquire and found all over the internets...