« November 2009 | Main | January 2010 »
No two feet are alike, which is why many men and women are
very particular when it comes to their shoes. They must be the right color, design and fit and sneakers are no exception to this rule. But so
often we wish there was a little something we could change, to get them to look
exactly the way we want. Luckily for us, sneaker companies nowadays are making it
easy for customers to create their ideal pair of kicks, from choosing the
perfect color combination to adding their own name. Here are some of the brands that provide a fun and easy
way for anyone to I.D. their footwear.
NikeiD: NikeiD provides a wide selection of shoes that can be personalized by the customer. The site transforms the visitor into a designer, as they can apply their own choice of fabrics and colors to their shoes. If they prefer, they can also choose from a range of pre-made designs or those that other customers have created. Nike was one of the pioneers in developing the I.D. option and the brand has now expanded beyond shoes, allowing users to customize bags, equipment and sportswear as well.
MiAdidas: Adidas encourages customers to “personalize your performance” with their Mi Adidas option. Adidas takes a close look at each individual and their shoe needs, resulting in a shoe with a perfect fit and a perfect look. U.S. tennis player, Melanie Oudin, made the MiAdidas kicks famous at the 2009 U.S. Open. Customized with the word “Believe,” her shoes took her all the way to the quarterfinals in her very first appearance at the Open.
YourReebok: Reebok has taken it one step further, allowing users to customize their shoes anytime, anywhere. This past Spring, the brand introduced the world’s first shoe customization mobile application. This "first of its kind’" application offers three of Reebok’s most iconic silhouettes: The Freestyle, The Classic Leather and The Ventilator. The designer can change up to 23 different areas of the shoe with a choice of 19 colors, four materials and the option of adding personalized text.
Puma Mongolian Shoe BBQ: Puma offers a rather interesting approach to sneaker customization, encouraging customers to “Preheat Your Creativity and Start Cooking.” Just as a Mongolian BBQ allows you to cook up a personalized meal based on a medly of meats and vegetables, Puma also allows you to choose from a wide array of “ingredients” (30 different precut materials, colors and textures) to develop a shoe that suits your taste.
VansCustoms: Not only does VansCustoms allow you to create the shoes of your choice, but if you’re having trouble with some of your design decisions, there’s no need to worry. Vans has a new “Chat & Share” function that allows you to collaborate and exchange ideas with your friends during the personalization process. You will be asked to create a screen name for yourself; then chat and inspire your buddies to design the perfect pair of Customs.
With so many great options to choose from, how would you I.D. your kicks?
- Glam Gal -
Deciding which bag to bring to a sporting event can be really stressful. Seriously. Between stadium searches and the potential of leaving the game with a tote covered in gum and beer, large bags are definitely not an option. But for the ladies, cell phones, wallets and all other necessities will not fit in our pockets. There has to be an easier way. And here is the answer (for football fans, at least): The Football Purse.
It’s
that simple. A bag that’s both stylish and lightweight and holds everything you
need for a game. And of course, it’s shaped like a football. This pigskin purse
was made famous by the “NY Giants Girl,” Reby Sky. Sky is the NY Giants' female "superfan" and has a large following among both men and
women because she brings some femininity to the world of football. She currently owns
and operates NYGiantsGirl.com and GirlieFan.com, home of The Football Purse.
Girlie Fan is an online apparel and accessories shop offering unique items that are the perfect mix of football and fashion. The company caters to female sports fanatics who want to look good while rooting for their favorite team. Girlie Fan will allow you to stand out in the crowd, but in a good way. While The Football Purse is the site’s featured item, there’s more to come. Stay tuned for apparel that will prove to be both stylish and sporty.
And just because it’s too hard to resist, check out another variation of a football purse. The Katherine Baumann Mini Jeweled Football Purse is adorned with more than 3,200 Swarovski
crystals. This is an option for a truly devoted fan, but you probably won’t
see many of these in the stands.
- Glam Gal -
What’s the worst thing about the Winter season? No baseball,
of course.
Though we’re still months away from Opening Day, there’s no need to retire our favorite fan gear. But with half the country in the midst of snow storms, a typical baseball cap won’t suffice when it comes to keeping warm. Luckily the latest creation from New Era, the largest headwear manufacturer in the U.S. and the official “on-field cap” of Major League Baseball, means you don’t have to wait until April to show your team support.
The “Fnitted” from New Era was created to wear right over your favorite New Era 59fifty cap. It was designed with a knitted exterior that features an embroidered team logo and an interior and ear flaps that are fleece lined for total warmth.
Now before you pass judgment, let’s backtrack a bit. You might remember seeing what many referred to as the “Elmer Fudd caps with flaps” from New Era, worn during the 2008 World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies. This was not one of the finer moments for baseball hats.
Fortunately for us, this new version is a bit more stylish. The Fnitted is a nice blend of funky and nerdy and this time around, it’s removable.
Only a limited group of teams are available at the moment, though more will be added to collection. What do you think about the Fnitted cap: a homerun or a strikeout?
- Glam Gal -
In 56 days, the World’s Biggest Fashion Show will take place
in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It’s the Opening Ceremony of the 21st Winter Olympics. But this is no ordinary fashion show, as models
are replaced by athletes of all shapes and sizes who will showcase their pride in
their country in everything from classic suits, to feathers, to berets. No matter what the choice, the Parade of the Nations is always a massive
runway for native finery.
And who better to represent Team USA than Ralph Lauren, an icon of design whose fashions epitomize the spirit of America. Polo Ralph Lauren will be the Official Outfitter of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. The company was previously involved in the games in Bejing in 2008 and now they will be designing the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony Parade outfits for Team USA, as well as village apparel and accessories for the athletes.
The brand began unveiling its outfits for athletes last month and the overarching theme this year is “retro." Inspired by the 1930's Olympic games, ceremony fashion highlights will include newsboy caps, cardigans, fleece pants, shawl collar sweaters with antique buttons and alpine boots. Long-sleeve tees with bold graphics will be part of the Olympic Village wardrobe, as well as white warm-up jackets with red and blue stripes down the sleeves and alpine ski sweaters decorated with reindeer. Take a peak at a sample look below and visit here to own a piece of the collection.
Lauren’s performance gear is still under raps, but these sketches were released to give us an idea of what we can expect:
Also getting on the action is sportswear giant, Nike, who will provide apparel and footwear for Olympians including items to be worn during the competition, on the medal stand and casually in the Olympic village. The company researched a variety of weather conditions that the athletes might encounter while in Vancouver and took these factors into account when developing designs.
Thus far, Nike has unveiled the "medal stand look," which features blue waterproof down jackets with 800-fill down insulation and a unique faded fabric print that is customized for every single jacket. Check them out:
And lastly, let's move on to the US Snowboarders, who have always had a very unique interpretation of what they consider to be fashionable. A mixture of punk, rock and grunge is often characteristic of their style and as a result, dressing them can be a challenge.
But the apparel designers at Burton, the snowboard equipment company, have risen to that challenge designing what they have dubbed the “anti-uniform.” The inspiration for the look is “classic Americana,” but with a twist. While the classic red white and blue color scheme is consistent throughout, plaid is dominant up top and pants are actually designed to look like a pair of faded blue jeans with holes. So cool!
There you have it, a preview of the Team USA fashions that we can expect to see during the 2010 Winter Games, from February 12 - 28, 2010.
Stay tuned because A Glam Slam will provide full coverage of Olympic fashions and analysis on the best and worst looks from the Opening Ceremony.
- Glam Gal -
Earlier this year, the New York Post shared some
of the juicy secrets of the New York Yankee wives, including their exclusive
“wives’ only club” (no girlfriends are allowed), extravagant shopping trips and how
they spend time with the kids. Though it was a nice glimpse into a world many
people are dying to know about, if left us wanting much more.
Luckily, VH1 is taking it one step further with a brand new series set to air early next year called “Basketball Wives.” The show will offer an inside look at the lives of our favorite NBA wives and showcase everything from their designer homes, clothing and jewelry, to worrying about their husbands’ faithfulness.
The show will follow these five women:
Many women (and men) have just as much of a fascination with
the wives as with the players themselves. And Glam Gal is certainly one of
those people. Good looks and a killer fashion sense seem to be characteristics
that all of these ladies have in common, but most importantly, they must have a
love of the game as well as a love of the player.
So how much of being an "NBA wife" is all glitz and glamour? And how much is not? We'll have to wait until VH1 dishes those secrets. After all, we've seen what has happened with Tiger Woods. While it’s not the case for all athletes, would you trade in the material benefits for the fear of infidelity?
And who else would you want to see on the show? Here are some of the wives Glam Gal would love to know more about: Vanessa Bryant (wife of Kobe Bryant), Eva Longoria Parker (wife of Tony Parker) or LaLa Vasquez (wife of Carmelo Anthony).
- Glam Gal -
Could a new paddle elevate the sport of ping pong from geek
to chic?
The Brodmann Blades paddle has recently been featured in both Entertainment Weekly and GQ Magazine not only as a great holiday gift, but as one of the greatest innovations in the game of ping pong in more than 100 years.
Without a handle, this unique paddle works like a glove for either hand. The product is a natural extension of the hand and benefits include improved comfort, greater ball control, a faster game, more spin on the ball, and a superior backhand. With these benefits, the game is more accessible to beginners, and experts believe it will help to push the limits of the sport to a new level.
The Brodmann Blades brand is described as a company where “design meets sport” and which focuses on “consumer products that add fun, fashion and flair to everyday life.” Check out GQ magazine on stands now, for a full review of the product by Sean O’Neill, two-time table tennis Olympian.
Ping Pong? Sexy? You can't be serious. But while we’re on the topic, how about Biba Golic? This champion table tennis player from Serbia is often called “the Ana Kournikova of ping pong.” And she was just named one of the “40 Hottest Female Athletes of the Decade.”
Perhaps Biba is another factor in the resurgence of the sport? Her sponsor, Killerspin, believes so. Biba can help pump up product sales and bring pro table tennis to a broader audience in the United States. Keep an eye out for this ping pong champ.
- Glam Gal -
Buffalo Bills wide receiver and reality T.V. star, Terrell
Owens, is taking on a new venture: fashion model. Owens has signed a deal with major
modeling agency, Wilhelmina Models.
The firm signed Owens to its sports division, which also promotes boxer Roy Jones Jr., NBA star Andrei Kirilenko and U.S. speedskater Allison Baver. Wilhelmina will represent Owens in seeking endorsements and sponsorship deals in personal care and fashion industries. Among the things Wilhelmina is planning to do, is hook T.O. up with fashion magazines and even some fashion editorial once the season ends.
And what does the football diva think about his new move? "When you've got some good looks like myself, you've got to take full advantage of it." [LA Times]
T.O. might also take part in NY Fashion Week this February. Will he be “too sexy for the catwalk?” You can bet he believes so.
- Glam Gal -
Hit the slopes in style on your ski vacation this season. Introducing every ski bunny’s dream: the new Gucci Eyeweb Ski Goggles. The luxe Italian brand has just released unisex ski goggles that come in black or white, with the signature red and green striped headband. And not only do they look good, but they have anti-fog lenses with “Seal Ring” technology, to ensure a thermal barrier and a clear visual field. But priced at $195, would you trade your sporty goggles for this designer option?
If Gucci doesn’t work for you, how about Chanel? The
Parisian fashion house and one of the most revered brands, has a
collection of ski items to die for! The ski googles, skis, snowboards and ski poles all feature the
signature interlocking “cc” logo, in chic black, white and silver hues.
If you’re not a skier yet, these couture options might convince you to become one. Or at the very least, you’ll look great while sipping hot cocoa in the ski lodge. Check it out:
- Glam Gal -
The holidays are in full swing, which means the peak of travel season is upon us. Vacation is a time for rest and relaxation, but getting to your destination is often tiring and stressful. Security lines, long flights and delays can be difficult to deal with, so comfort is key when it comes to travel essentials.
And who better than professional tennis player and style icon, Maria Sharapova, to offer up her must-have travel picks and advice. Sharapova is always on the go, as tournament play takes her all over the world. There's no doubt she definitely knows a thing or two about traveling in style.
Delta Sky Magazine revealed what's in Maria's bag when she travels. Check it out below and learn how you can mix fashion and function the next time you're headed to the airport.
Comfort is Key. When traveling, comfortable clothing should be your top priority. Steer clear of tight-fitting, rough or itchy fabrics and leave the three-inch heels in your suitcase. This is one instance where casual picks like hoodies, sweats and sneakers are perfectly acceptable. For her in-flight look, Maria opts for Hudson Jeans or Rick Owens pants paired with a long tank. And Glam Gal says flat shoes are also a must!
Accessorize Appropriately. Accessories can make or break an outfit, but an overabundance of jewelry, belts and other embellishments will only cause unwanted traveling setbacks. You are bound to damage or lose items when removing them for the security check. That's why Sharapova keeps it simple. She chooses a cashmere scarf to keep warm (cardigans are also a great option) and a pair of shades to keep that pesky sun out of her eyes. And she carries all her goods in a Cole Haan hobo bag because it encompasses the most important carry-on qualities: it's a large size and it's lightweight.
Keep Busy. On a long flight, music is a must for keeping busy. Sharapova loves listening to The Dave Matthews Band, U2 and David Gray. Try making a playlist of all your favorite tunes for a relaxing flight. If music isn't your thing, opt for some in-flight reading. Maria keeps busy catching up on all of the latest trends in Vogue magazine.
Hydration, Hydration, Hydration. The air on board a plane is much drier than on the ground, so it's important to drink plenty of fluids during the flight to avoid dehydration. When en route, Maria's drinks of choice are water or tomato juice. And Glam Gal likes to bring the Evian Spritzer and chapstick on board to counteract the effects of dry cabin air. Take this advice and you'll exit the plane looking fabulous!
To all those heading out of town this holiday season, have happy, safe and comfortable travels!
