Why Ed Hardy Sucks

We have all seen the ubiquitous shirts designed by Ed Hardy, and his ensemble being sported by many men in the last 2 years. They are easily recognizable by their over abundant graphics, multiple skulls, liberal use of the bedazzler and $ 100+ price tags. These shirts have been spotted on the backs of Shaquille O'Neal, Madonna, Miley Cyrus and your local teenage "rebel".

For those that are unfamiliar with the brand (lucky you!), let me offer an example:

Clearly lacking in any kind of semblance of design, and unfamiliar with the term minimalism, this is something you an overambitious 8 year old boy might design at a t-shirt design store.

Ed Hardy and Christian Audigier were first based on tattoo designs, now these shirts have become a trophy of the tasteless. Devoid of any artistic merit that their original designs were based, they now expel excess as being the name of the game. Unfortunately, these companies and cheaper copy cats have spread like Britney Spears exiting a motor vehicle.

Closely related to Ed Hardy, we have Affliction and Tapout which are more linked to Mixed Martial Arts then tattoo culture. I just wanted to remind everyone that pulling the t-shirt will not make you fight like George St. Pierre. Apparently that fact is lost on many fans of the brands as bar owners have been banning the shirts from their establishments. My hat goes off to them.

When I think of this trend I am reminded of a similar beast appearing in the mid 90's. No Fear t-shirts and Von Dutch also come to mind. Let's hope that this trend will disappear just as quickly.

If you come away with anything from this blog let it be this: money does not buy taste.

Raw Men's Jeans

By now, most people who concern themselves with men's style, are aware of the raw jeans trend. For those who aren't, allow me to elaborate.

These jeans are typically a dark indigo color with no distressing of any kind. The idea is that as you wear them, with time, they will acquire natural distressing. This creates a much more natural fade which eliminates awkward fade patterns such as having the distressing on the back of the knee, somewhere around the middle of your calf.

The jeans are often considered "projects" by their owners. They wear them as often as possible, and avoid washing them for as long as possible. This method allows for the highest contrast fades on your jeans. However this also means the jeans might not be washed for 6 months or more. However the results often speak for themselves.

The branding is usually minimal on these jeans which allows for pairing with more tasteful outfits. It will also prevent you from looking like the next douchebag teenager who thinks having large R's on the pockets is a fashion statement.

I personally have purchased the APC Rescues, which have a classic straight leg and minimalist styling. Another popular choice is the APC NS with its slimmer, more tapered cut. There has been some debate on the sizing, so make sure to do your research before ordering online, or better yet try some on at a local retailer.

They are not cheap often running $150+ But the wear you get out of them, they are definitely worth they hefty price tag.

If you want to check some out try APC, Kicking Mule Workshop, or Nudie. If you want to go really high end right away check out Pure Blue Japan, Sugar Cane or Dior.

As with most things in life, quality supercedes quantity.

Workwear Trend

A short article from Newsweek about the workwear trend.

You might want to incorporate this trend in moderation. Perhaps a pair of Red Wing Boots or a slim fitting flannel?