LIFEISNOIZE

WHO Dat?!!!!

Congrats to the Saints for the superb win over the Colts at Super Bowl XLIV.  Vive les Saints, la Nouvelle-Orléans et toute la Louisiane!  I wanna have a crawfish party too...

Also, big sports news here in Montreal... Gainey's GONE!!!  Nouveau Canadiens?

TSN...  Your thoughts??

By Phil

On a lighter note today, let's take a minute to celebrate the parachute pants, also known as the Hammer Pants...  C'mon, if you grew up in the city in the early 90's (that's before internet guys... the information highway was in construction then) there's a 68% chance you did own, at one point in time, a pair of parachute pants and you tried to imitate Mc Hammer's dance move.  For a minute, I thought the lad was Irish and his name was McHammer (like we needed another white rapper like Vanilla Twist there!  Sorry but seems like Eminem didn't get the memo or was the first vicitim of whitesploitation).

Looking at the video, this guy also had very flamboyant dance moves... just like an Irish dancer right?

Dude also has a blog now, check it out: MC Hammer Blog

Listen to the lyrics mates... actually don't!  I love the part where he looks at a girl and says something that almost sounds like: "Just for a minute let's all do A bump"  HAHAHA SPRITE!

By SOLG

P.S. Joke of the day from Little Britain USA: "The Brits like to have three meals a day, here in America, it's more like fifteen"

Peace

Way back when, in 1991, I met a black skinhead.  I was a little confused at first, since the last "faux skinheads" I had met in a city park before "B Day" had tried to beat me up just cuz I was hanging out with a black dude.  Thankfully, a skateboard to the head had convinced'em otherwise (I'm not trying to justify violence here, but I still had to explain to me ma' why I needed a new board).  Probably due to my young age and influenced by my teenage identity crisis, I developped a fixation for this lad.  Nowadays, some of you call this a boy crush, but it was more of a big brother type thing for me.  His style; the clothes he wore, his vibe; the music he listen too and his immense knowledge of the different subcultures from the U.K. circa 1950's 1960's and 1970's sorta launched my interest in trends and fashion amongst other things.  Didn't some one say that everyone wants to imitate the black man anyways?  Like on the Chappelle Show??

February is Black History Month.  I'll agree that writting a piece on Black Skinheads can seem a tad peculiar on it's own (I can imagine how it does seem during BHM), but that's only because a large misconception was built through time around this movement born in the late 60's.  During my "online" research, I have stumble upon some major bullshit about Skinheads (like ALL skins are white supremacist and skin gangs do not accept girls to enter their clicks), so I want to give you a bit of history first.

Here's what I found on Wikipedia that provides good overall background info about the subculture:

A Skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian (specifically Jamaican) rude boys and British mods, in terms of fashion, music and lifestyle.^[1] Originally, the skinhead subculture was primarily based on those elements, not politics or race.^[2] Since then, however, attitudes toward race and politics have become factors in which some skinheads align themselves. The political spectrum within the skinhead scene ranges from the far right to the far left, although many skinheads are apolitical. Fashion-wise, skinheads range from a clean-cut 1960s mod-influenced style to less-strict punk- and hardcore-influenced styles.

This essay is ment simply to clarify things and allow people to understand that the skinhead and suedehead cultures have their roots in black history.  It's all about the Jamaicans residing in the U.K. that brought their music and rude boy culture to the old world, the working class; people that earn their living, the dancehalls; the boogie music from New Orleans that became ska and early reggae music and a sense of style that evolved from the 1960's mod culture.  Most of all, it was Blacks and Whites mixing it up.

There was still and element of racism, against Pakistanian workers in the UK, I'll give you that much.  Maybe this is why the movement could never fully get rid of the race card...

Watch these videos:

Do I believe you can still be a skinhead in 2010?  With the same original mission and all??  Well maybe it's possible.  There's still a working class in this world right????

If you wanna do it for fashion's sake, because you like the style, sure go ahead. 

Any other "obvious" or "cracker" reason doesn't make any sense to me...  Enough was done to ruin the image of this culture already! 

I understand this piece can shock a few of our readers, so I ask you to read on it a little more if you want.  Here's something interesting about the Belgium Black and White Skins exhibition and Interview and something here on the Mexican Skinheads that was publish in Vice Magazine (Check out: Skinheads made ion China).

Wanna read about girl skinheads: Skinbird

One Love to all Colors of The Benetton

**This is open to discussion people

By Philippe

Nice Boots... Lodger's

Originality, good content, nice pics...  Here's a bit on Style Salvage: GET TO KNOW THEM!

"Style Salvage is an open discussion conducted by two friends, Steve and EJ, on how men could (and should) dress. Started back in June 2007, the blog aims to showcase emerging and established design talent alike whilst exuding a penchant for quality, tailoring and a general openness to creativity and self-expression. It features style commentary, interviews with designers, journalists and shop owners mixed in with the occasional easy DIY project and personal style shot."

I particularly liked their piece on:

Throup presents his objects for the lower body

and

Imagining Oscar

C Ya

By Philippe Alexandre

Ever so often, and by by pure fluke or through shameless facebook self promo, you'll find yourself hitting a cool blog // website // webpage about men's fashion one the WWW, a rare jewel if you allow me the expression. 

In my search for things "de la sorte", I looked at what google suggested first with keywords such as men's fashion blog.  Bet'ya lot's of peeps are betting on some keywords (understanding the game).  Well, dear readers, there's a lot of "notsogood" stuff out there, but after about 50 clicks, I was able to land on two cool sites // blogs that finally had sugar on their candies.

I invite you to discover Style Salvage and Street Etiquette.  These cats will mos def provide some inspiration for times to come.

Here's a bit on Joshua “JKISSI” Kissi and Travis “Trav” Gumbs from Street Etiquette

About: "Comprised of two individuals who reside in the urban world of NYC, Street Etiquette is a parallel to the accepted meaning of Etiquette. Etiquette is described as proprieties of conduct established in any class or community or for any occasion. Our community is the urban areas New York City full of eccentricity, originality and diversity. Our Street Etiquette is our love for HipHop, Hood Art (graffiti) and most of all our love for incorporating different styles of fashion into our urban style."

I particularly enjoyed there blog intitled 

Fabric Etiquette: Tweed

Really nice job on the photography mates

Merci

By Philippe Alexander

Hey guys, following our popular post Fall 09 Essentials, here are a few trends that will inspire your Spring/Summer 2010 look... Mix and Match, Create and have fun.

Hey messieurs, pour faire suite à notre très populaire blog post Fall 09 Essentials, voici quelques idées qui sauront inspirer votre look pour la saison Printemps/Été 2010... Créez, mélangez et amusez vous!!!

With the 1980s fashion revival coming to a close, embrace the revival of earlier periods, particularly the 1930s and 1940s.  Your Military Men Fashion will be inspired of the Second World War.

Comme l'arrivée de la fin du retour des années 80 à maintenant sonnée, optez plutôt pour le style des années 30 et 40.  Votre Style Militaire pour Homme sera celui de la Deuxième Guerre Mondiale.

Replace the tie with another accessory, like a light scarf, a hat or a nice pair of sunnies.  If you are gonna wear a tie, tuck it in your trousers and try to get your hands on a nice tie clip.   

Remplacez votre cravatte par un autre accessoire, comme un foulard, un chapeau ou une de belle shades.  Si vous décidez d'opter pour la cravatte, ajoutez-y un bel clip à cravatte et entrez la dans votre pantalon.

Don't go with the heavy look of the shirt and suit combo.  Rather wear layers, nice T-Shirts, button shirts, light cardigans and top it of with a nice waist jacket, a blazer or a classic overcoat (trench).

Évitez le combo un peu lourd de la chemise et du complet.  Optez plutôt pour les T-Shirts, Chandail à boutons, les cardigans et portez les en "layers".  Ajoutez-y un blazer, un petit manteau ou le trench.

Here are a few examples from the ACNE SS10 Collection / Voici quelques exemples tirés de la Collection SS10 d'ACNE

Reborn and L'Appartement Deux both carry some of there stuff / Certains items Acne peuvent être trouvés chez Reborn et à l'Appartement Deux.

By Philippe Alexandre

From Italy to Germany, CLOSED recently unveiled its spring / summer 2010 collection and announced a new online store feature.  Maybe I can blame it on the tiny 20 hours of sunlight Montreal has received so far in January, but all those pastel colors feel good, like real good!  This Lookbook will definitely inspire me for this coming season (just 2 more months of winter).

Here's what The Malcom had to say about it:  The CLOSED SS2010 collection takes the moden casual man and puts him directly in the spotlight. The combination of clean and slim fitted styles, such as formal jackets in washed cottons, and the more extreme, dirt washed denim or chino styles help make the CLOSED SS2010 look distinctively its own. Check out their newly opened online store HERE to get your CLOSED fix.

Here are more pics from the Lookbook

By Philippe Alexandre

So I happen to fall on these shoes by Japanese clothing label nonnative and was automatically like, where could I find them puppies in Montreal?..  Worst case scenario, who in Canada would ship'em to me or worst worst case scenario, do they have an online store?

So I let you look at the galoches first!

Then I follow the link to nonnative's website and find out that they don't really have a proper and clear link telling we if someone here in Montreal would be interested in selling me their gear, but am happy to find that a store in Vancouver BC carries some nonnative.  I direct myself to the Roden Gray's web page only to realize that they do not seem to hold any nonnative anymore, but still manage to find what seems to be one of Canada's premier Men's Top Shop in Roden Gray...

R'minds me a bit of Boutique DUO on Prince-Arthur or even Michel Brisson on St-Paul St.

So hit those store, where ever you are!

By Philippe Alexandre

P.S.  THEY DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE AN ONLINE STORE NEITHER

Hello Chums

Opening Ceremony is the baby of Humberto Leon and Carol Lim.  O.C. is big, like U.S.A. BIG...

Founded in 2003, the O.C. Showroom currently features over twenty international and domestic designer collections in categories including ready-to-wear, accessories, and footwear.  What's very neat about this concept, is the relationship put forward between designers, brands and business owners.  By operating satellite showrooms in Paris and LA four times a year, it also acts as a platform and truly offers O.C.'s designers an international agenda.  Brilliant!

You can find big concept stores/boutiques in New York City, LA and Tokyo.  In fact, their store in Tokyo is more than a conservative first venture outside of America, Opening Ceremony Tokyo is an 8-level conceptual department store located in Tokyo’s Shibuya district...

And if you can't hit their retail store (I know I will for my next visit in the Big Apple), check out their Worlwide Online Store

This just in, Opening Ceremony has released images of its first delivery for fall / winter 2010.  We'll have to be patient "mes amis" since it will not hit the stores before early fall.  While you wait, know that the collection takes inspiration from the style and culture of modern France, and includes a wide variety of luxurious formal attire and fun casual pieces.  Source: definitivetouch

By Philippe Alexandre

Hey dear voyeurs and readers

Just letting you know about Terry Richardson's Photo Diary... because it's fun to look at!