Skip to main content

Clae Shoes :: Wear Your Favorite Intellectual

By

I sing of Clae shoes, and what I shall assume you shall assume


I like shoes. This not a secret. But I'm not the kind of sneaker freaker who will buy a new pair of Air Force Ones just because they're a limited edition. For that matter, I would never buy a pair of Air Force Ones, period. For me, the shoes need to be conversation starters; they need to be manifests of mood. It's not good enough for a pair of shoes to define a look. They must be a definition unto themselves, regardless if they are a celebration of color and fabric like D.A.T.Es, or pieces of subtle beauty like Zeha Berlins. The summer 2008 range by Clae Shoes fits this motif. And I mean the entire range.

Clae began in 2001 as a sort of anarchic reaction to both athletic footwear and leisure footwear when they released their "athleisurewear" shoe hybrid. However, they haven't really released anything since 2005. I'm not sure if the three years was spent researching and designing, or if they just took a break. It doesn't matter. They came back strong to release a series of shoes named after poets, painters, philosphers, musicians, and documentarians. Taking names like Garvey, Miles, and Cousteau, Clae shoes not only have soles that are athletic, they have souls that are iconic.

While naming shoes after people like Romare Bearden is a conversation in itself, what pushed me to part with my money was the walnut leather low-top (pictured) named after Walt Whitman. Always one of my favorite American writers, I've read all his poems and diaries; I carry a copy of Song of Myself on almost all my travels; I even have a World of Warcraft character named after him (I can't believe I just admitted that). The chance to own a shoe named after the author of "O Captain, My Captain" coupled with the remarkable leather/canvas design was too much to pass up.

What's more, they're dead easy to find. You can buy them straight from Clae.com, or you can pick them up on Revolve Clothing's website for a paltry $99. Hot tip: if you buy from Revolve, use the coupon code "JT" to get 15% off. Don't tell anyone I told you, though. And be quick. I don't know how long that code will be valid.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Celebrate Halloween with Peter Squires's New Video, "Witch"

By
I don't usually do festive or holiday posts. In fact, the closest I get is writing some kind of seasonal bent against a track, and only then when I've had too much coffee and can't find any relation to a song other than what the weather is doing. I just think holiday-themed posts / articles are lazy. But Halloween is different. Why? Because Halloween, to paraphrase Wesley Willis, whips a horse's ass. So when Ryan from The Musebox put me on to Peter Squires a few days ago, I knew it was going into the annals of Duck & Cover (that's right, I said "annals" on the Internets). From the Press Release: Peter’s direct and honest vocal delivery is reminiscent of contemporaries such as Kimya Dawson and Luke Temple. The album is all heart, laid bare for our aural pleasure. Woe Is Me was recorded in Peter Squires’ Brooklyn bedroom and is available on his website for fans to download at no charge. The first video from the album is “Witch” and it was just rele...
2 comments
Read more

The Pogues + The Dubliners = St. Patrick's Rovers

By
In celebration of St. Patrick's day, and because I spent a good deal of time living on Ireland's west coast (if you can call Limerick a coast), here's an old video of The Pogues and The Dubliners singing "Irish Rover." I love the fact that Shane MacGowan is puffing away at a rollie on stage--and I'm pretty sure it's not water in that styrofoam cup. This video reminds me of a musician I palled around with during my stint in stab city. A mesmerizing performer, Damo would often celebrate the fact he scored a gig before the gig itself. When it was time for him to go on, he would be completely trollied; too drunk for his own performance (which, if you knew Damo, you would concede is no small feat). Damn, I miss those guys.
Post a Comment
Read more

May Day Is Lei Day

By
For the past 31 years in Honolulu, the Brothers Cazimero have hosted an annual May Day variety show at the Waikiki Shell Ampitheatre (because May Day is Lei Day!). When living there, I had the privilege of attending twice, the last time being the 30th anniversary, and just after the sad passing of the legendary Don Ho. Both times were, at the risk of allowing my cynical mask slip, magical. The May Day show is great fun, and follows the format of an old time variety show -- there is an aura of glamour interspersed with a decidedly camp sensibility, with hula stars of past and present gracing the stage. Spirits are high, and the banter among the performers is priceless; at times it feels as though you've wandered into a family reunion, and are a long lost cousin -- instantly at home and enveloped in the warmth. It's a time to celebrate the spirit and culture that truly do make the islands such a special place. There's a song that plays before the Sunset On The Beach movies...
Post a Comment
Read more