OG Status

Adidas has been selling their Gazelle model as part of their Originals collection for quite sometime, but I never realized that they were also selling a faithful version to the 1958 original.  Called the Gazelle OG (original gangsta?) this shoe is apparently an exact copy of the trainers athletes around the world wore over 50 years ago.  The shoes, coming in a  wide range of colors, were a huge hit in the UK due in part to fans being able go get shoes that matched the jersey of their favorite football clubs.  The Adidas webstore is currently selling the Gazelle OG in gorgeous shades of both "university" red and "airforce" blue.  So why should you spend $15 dollars more for the OG versus the standard Gazelle?  For starters, the OG has a slimmed down sole (much like the Rod Laver vintage sneaks) making it much more versatile in my opinion.  And did I mentioned the colors? Seriously, the university red kicks might look better with your chinos than 99% of the footwear on the market - OG status for real.

-L.A.S

Samba Red Brick Sole

Well, kinda sorta not really.  These are a little too streetwear-y for my own personal taste, but I do dig how Adidas is at least offering some new options.  You could look at this two ways: 1. Breathing new life into a classic or 2. A blatant bastardization - your call. I, myself, will avoid picking sides because I can.

I should also mention that there is a blue and white colorway as well that may indeed lean more towards the classic end of the spectrum, but that's also up for debate as long as you can still buy (and hopefully will be able to until the end of time) Samba Originals.

And speaking of those Samba Originals, what kind of fake style sage would I be if I didn't give my own recommendation for the greatest Samba ever produced?  It's officially spring (right?) so you gots to go with white.  And let's jazz that sucker up with some navy and a gum sole because that's how I does it baby.

-L.A.S

Rod Laver Vintage

In the last issue of GQ Creative Director Jim Moore endorsed the Rod Laver vintage sneaker just re-released by Adidas.  As a fan of the standard Rod Laver sneaker I had similar sentiments especially after seeing just how bare bones the new vintage model was.  The vintage model actually reminds me a lot of a slimmed up Stan Smith (an ex-girlfriend of mine actually used to refer to my Stan Smith's as "grandpa shoes") complete with mesh body, which will really come in handy when going sockless.  Part of me also wonders if Adidas was taking cues from Common Projects and their best selling Achilles model.  Anyhow, I can get down with the Rod Laver vintage and it's one of the rare times that I have been impressed with a black sneaker.  Anyhow, you can buy the black colorway from Adidas online and the white and green colorway at J. Crew.  At $75 it is a cheaper alternative to the Common Projects Kool-Aid and a welcomed addition to anyone's S/S sneaker rotation.

-L.A.S

Long Playing

A conceptual fit based on the artwork and moods of an album cover - not sure if this will become a continuing series just yet.  Shout outs to the homie AC and his blog A Fresh Take for inspiring all this heady stuff.

First up is Jimmy Eat World's Bleed American.

Gitman Vintage x The Hill-Side x vintage x Our Legacy x Adidas x pizza x Bud heavy

-L.A.S

Dress Like A Bastian Model

While Bastian's clothes might be a little or a lot out of your price range the footwear he styles his models in are often low-priced standards that all guys should have in their closets.  Piggybacking off of Valet's quick breakdown on a few of the footwear choices in the Gant by Michael Bastian showcase I went ahead and compiled some for you.  The following footwear was seen in both the aforementioned Gant collection and Michael's namesake line.

[Editor's Note: I am going to refrain from highlighting any of the upper crust footwear (i.e. Stubbs & Wootton) to keep this post in the gutter as much as possible.  Also, if you want some shitkicking, head smashing Doc Martens head here.]

Adidas Samba...$59.95

Adidas Superstar 2...$69.95

Unidentified Adidas running shoes...?
[Editor's Note: I had trouble tracking down this exact shoe in this exact colorway, but the Adidas Dragon is pretty damn close.]

L.L. Bean Blucher Moccasin...$69.00

[Editor's Note: There were a bunch of suede versions in the show that I have never seen before so hopefully those will be on sale soon because they were fresh to death.]

L.L. Bean Camp Moccasin...$69.00

 

 

 

L.L. Bean Moc-Toe Boot...$119.00

Sebago Classic...$130.00

Puma Sky High...$67.46

Military Surplus Boots...$59.00 (or cheaper at any surplus store)

-L.A.S

The Cosby Shoe

[Pictured: Adidas Samba available at Zappos for $59.95.]

Jack Purcells, Authentics, Stan Smiths and Chucks are so ubiquitous these days that certain publications are going as far as telling you to wear them with your suit.  While you will never hear such a recommendation from myself you can expect a little nudge towards the road less traveled.  Instead of getting another, or even your first, pair of the aforementioned sneakers why not get a pair of Adidas Sambas?

The Samba has been around since 1950 when it was first introduced as suitable footwear for soccer players who trained on icy, hard ground.  Since its debut it has become the second largest seller for Adidas, behind the Stan Smith, with 35 million pairs sold worldwide.  While you can still buy the original version used for training featuring the foldable, extended tongue, there are numerous "updated" (more manageable tongue, etc.) versions for those who don't play the beautiful game.  

Being a former player myself, I can't recall a time in my life when I didn't own a pair of Sambas.  Currently, my beautiful cream and olive pair (they look awesome, I swear) are being held hostage by my brother back in NJ, but that's another story for another day.  During my earliest days playing indoor, I remember getting excited just to suit up for practice knowing I was going to be wearing my Sambas and they pretty much never left my feet for an extended portion of my childhood.  Just as classic as it was almost 60 years ago, the Samba is your perfect understated sneaker.  No bells. No whistles. No graphics. No neons.  Just unwavering, steadfast soul.

Pick up a pair and wear 'em with your denim before the weather gets too crappy.  And when the weather does take a turn for the worst, put 'em away until spring.  You're sure to have a smile on your face the first time you lace up sockless in April.  They were good enough for Roger Daltrey and Dr. Huxtable and, believe me, they are good enough for you.

"...you weren’t anything unless you had Adidas." - Bill Cosby, The Playboy Fashion Guide Interview, 9/2/09

-L.A.S