Author: Felson Sajonas

J.Crew never ceases to amaze. Here’s a peak into the looks and pieces that will be releasing from the classic label for Spring/Summer 2010. As you can see, J.Crew stays true to what they’ve always been doing, the little surprises that we’ve all been enjoying as of late are their many collaborative releases. For Spring/Summer 2010 expect other brands such as Hillside, Alden, Baracuta, Superior Labor, and Mister Freedom to release items with J. Crew.

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Source: Secret Forts

Randolph Engineering has supplied sunglasses to the US Military and Air Forces world-wide since 1982. Along with its military presence, RE Sunglasses also became popular to the civilian population and Hollywood with the likes of Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver, Robert Duvall in Apocalypse Now, and Johnny Depp in One Upon A Time Mexico all wearing the brands famous Randolph Aviator Model. There are also other unique designs in the RE series that also include shooting eyewear and reading glasses. RE Sunglasses are available in their online shop.

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Sperry Top-Sider is celebrating their 75th birthday. The brand’s inception can be tracked back to 1935 when Paul Sperry introduced the first original Sperry Top-Sider shoes featuring Mr. Sperry’s Razor-Siping patent. As a way to celebrate their anniversary, the brand will be releasing a collection in multiple styles offered in limited edition boxes that are replicas of the original packaging when they were first sold. The Anniversary range are available in a multitude of color selections with some now available at the J.Crew shop.

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Image Source: Malcolm

Finding the perfect fitted shirt that is close to your favorite one is always a difficult task. Alexander West, a New York City-based bespoke shirt maker has a service where you can send them your favorite shirt, matched in measurement and sent back in one of 123 colors and patterns in hundreds of different fabrics. The first shirt you receive is a test shirt. If it’s not perfect, it can be returned and altered until it’s perfect at no cost. Once the measurements are exact, your pattern is saved on file for easy future ordering.

For more information visit: Alexander West

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COS, which is a part of the H&M brand has some great things in store for the summer season. With better quality and construction, COS looks to offer their male customers a very sharp and linear look for Spring/Summer 2010. There’s influences from established brands with the same minimal approach, but COS brings a more consumer friendly range to the table. The trousers are cut well and the tops are very clean and subtle. If you’re a frequent H&M shopper, then COS is a great alternative.

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Source: Slam

Loose fabrics that highlight a comfortable collection is evident in Kolor’s Spring/Summer 2010 range. Pieces such as trousers, blazers, light jackets, button downs, and sweaters are very relaxed and all drape the male form in a soft way. There’s a lot of crumpling and oversized items in the collection, but are well put together to maximize the look and feeling of comfort. The color range is also appropriate for the collection with light blues, yellows, dark greys, black, olive greens, and tans. There’s an earth tone to the range that is quite unique.

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Source: Selectism

Words by: Felson Sajonas (Editor-in-Chief)
(Click on image for full review)

I’m sure everyone had their own favorite film of 2009. However, it’s quite difficult to pick just one since there were a lot of great screen gems that came out for this past year. In terms of films at a monumental scale, a few great ones were Avatar and Star Trek. Avatar was James Cameron’s return to familiar territory as he introduces us again into a fascinating new world of aliens, albeit less menacing and more magical than his previous outerspace creatures. Although the plot is nothing new, the special effects and CGI however, is one of the best in the history of film. Star Trek on the other hand gave the franchise’s fans and Star Trek virgins a movie that they both could enjoy. It was great to see the origins of Captain Kirk and Spock, and their budding friendship. What I was most impressed with in the movie however, was its opening sequence. It’s probably one of the most emotionally gripping opening scenes I’ve seen in a while. Interestingly enough, I had very low expectations for both movies, but to my surprise, they were two of the years best and are must sees for fans of the sci-fi genre.

Adding to the list, Inglorious Basterds was everything one can hope for in a Tarantino flick. It had playful dialogue, super-tense moments, over-the-top violence, and great music. Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine was one of the most memorable characters Tarantino has ever directed, and the film’s comic book ending was pure entertainment. Inglorious Basterds was truly an unforgettable 152 minute film experience that can be talked about as the director’s best ever.

In terms of comedies, it felt as if the male bonding experience became the target for bringing laugh out loud moments on to the screen. I Love You, Man and The Hangover were two of the funniest movies of the year. Though light-hearted and more genuine in its study of friendship, marriage, and family relationships, I Love You, Man was funny because of the comedic chemistry between actors Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. Also, you can’t help but laugh when there’s a funny moment involving Lou Ferrigno. The Hangover on the other hand was probably the most talked about comedy of the year. The characters were colorful, and the situations the characters end up in makes you really want to re-think your next Las Vegas experience. If there’s ever a plan for a movie night with just the guys, make sure to grab either of these two on DVD.

For the year’s best film, I had it shortened down to two selections – District 9 and The Hurt Locker. District 9 I felt, reinvented the Sci-Fi genre with its gripping social commentary on racial tensions, war, humanity, and government. With South Africa as its backdrop one couldn’t help but think about the film’s Apartheid Allegory. Despite its societal concerns, at the core of the movie was a sci-fi film filled with captivating characters and powerful action sequences, all while infusing the theme of hope, friendship, and survival in the mix. Also, Sharlto Copley’s performance as Wikus Van De Merwe was truly amazing as he transformed his character from average fun-loving government worker to a surviving alien war machine. To take it a step further, District 9 could possibly the best Sci-Fi film of the decade.

If I were to only pick one out of the two, my nod would go to The Hurt Locker as the best film of 2009. If you thought your job was bad, then you wouldn’t think it is after watching this film. The reality is, we have soldiers in Iraq at the moment whose job is to defuse explosive material such as roadside bombs, car bombs, or pretty much any explosives that will cause harm to soldiers and civilians. What director Kathryn Bigelow has done is she’s captured what the feeling and the surrounding tension would be like during these moments. It gives viewers a sense that these soldiers are of a different breed, but in reality some are starting to develop emotional and psychological issues with their given role. On top of the bombs they have to defuse, there’s also concern of their environment and the people they’re protecting. Soldiers could never really know if the plain clothes civilian on his or her cell phone is either someone just making a call or someone trying to set off a bomb. Forget phrases like “nail biter” or “edge of your seat,” if anything this is movie is a “punch in the face,” that will make you realize that this is unlike any other war movie you’ve ever seen.

These are just some of the films in 2009 that I thought were worth mentioning. They were all great in their own right, and it sets the bar high for 2010 to follow. If you’re looking forward to the films of 2010, here are some films that I’m personally looking forward for as well: Day Breakers, Book of Eli, The Wolfman, Shutter Island, The Crazies, Alice in Wonderland, Green Zone, Clash of the Titans, Repo Men, Iron Man 2, Robin Hood, The A-Team, Predators, Inception, The Expendables, Tron Legacy.

Also here is my complete list of the best films in 2009.

1. The Hurt Locker
2. District 9
3. Star Trek
4. Avatar
5. Inglorious Basterds
6. The Hangover
7. Moon
8. Up
9. 500 Days of Summer
10. Coraline
11. The White Ribbon
12. Zombieland

Today is New Year’s Eve and for some of us, we just can’t help but reflect on the many things that impacted the world in 2009. Some highlights include Obama’s first year in office, Michael Jackson’s death, the H1N1 outbreaks, Health Care reform, the Fort Hood shooting, the Philippine flooding, Tiger Woods’ infidelity, and more. While we here at SwipeLife would like to go more in depth about things that happened in the media and around the world, we figured we’d stick to what we know best. Rather than just highlighting the more popular events of 2009 (which the big media entities have already done), Our Year End Review will focus on the topics we’ve always covered – Fashion, Cars, Design, Entertainment, Gadgets, etc.

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This was SwipeLife’s first full year, and it was quite challenging and fun serving our readers up-to-date material on the things we felt pertained to the modern man’s lifestyle interests. Our editors and contributors did a great job surveying and giving light to the top names, designs, and trends of 2009. As we look back, we’ve noticed the rise in Men’s fashion, not only in the labels and the designs, but also in the way men made fashion more personal and even more theatrical in terms of everyday wear. The automobile industry saw the decline of Automotive giants, but at the same time saw the capabilities of the future in design, energy consumption, and affordability. Gadgets are becoming more and more a necessity, especially with cell phones. Applications and programs that we use on our mobile devices are now helping us run our lives with ease and less stress. Design and Architecture saw the increase of decadence, but also saw the need for utilizing and making efficient the living spaces we already use everyday. Music, sports, and movies all had their crowning moments but none could’ve been bigger than the death of a pop icon, a golf legend’s indiscretions, and the revival of a sci-fi classic.

For 2010 we hope to keep doing what we feel we do best. In the beginning of this year, we were still working out a few kinks. We wanted to make our everyday material interesting, but more importantly we wanted it to be relevant, accessible, and fun. As we look back, we’re definitely more than happy to be in the position we’re in, and we have our talented staff and especially our readers to thank for it. We have a lot in store for 2010, and some changes will be made that you’ll find more interesting and more personal. There’s a lot more room for improvement here in SwipeLife so all we could really say is that we hope you’ll stick with us for 2010.

Editor-in-Chief
Felson Sajonas

2009 YEAR END REVIEWS

FASHION – Jason Rodriguez, Omar Mussa, William Rees

MUSIC – Jason Hortillas, Paul Castillo, Gerald Flores

DESIGN/ARCHITECTURE – Dan Carr

SPORTS – Dresden Baluyot

MOVIES – Felson Sajonas

A rugged 2010 maybe ahead of you and you’re in search of the perfect bag to go with the new year. Filson Co. is basically one of the names you can trust when it comes to owning a bag that’ll last you beyond 2010. This Sportsman Bag model is no exception. Coming in a custom dyed dark brown color, this bag is also custom finished by the good folks from Jean Shop NYC. A mixture of waxed canvas and oiled leather, the bag also features two way brass zippers, leather pulls, adjustable shoulder straps, and more. Available now at Context.

Yield hooked up with Anachronorm to produce a truly unique bepoke denim shirt. Details include yellow trimmings such as the half zip closure on the front, as well as the yellow buttons on the front pocket and cuffs. Its button neck collar closure is unique as well considering that the shirt is more of a pullover zip up than it is a button down. A very rare treat for those who are into the fascinating world of denim. Available now at Yield.

Japanese hat makers CA4LA gives us a closer and colorful peak into their Autumn/Winter 2009 collection. For the season, CA4LA is releasing various styles such as fedoras, trilbies, conductor hats, fitteds, and more. Different materials such as leather and wool are present as well as prints and designs ranging from stripes to animal prints. CA4LA definitely has something for everyone.

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Source: Mode

This editorial from Italian magazine Style surveys the darker styles of the season. Darker hues such as black, grey, burgundy, purple, and some browns dominate the spectrum of the editorial. Since Fall/Winter are the best times for such colors, we see them in familiar cold weather items such as coats, sweaters, hats, and scarves. The editorial was photographed by Gianluca Fontana with Viva model Matteo Martari.

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Source: The Fashionisto

Albam’s Deck Chukka Boot is a footwear release in conjunction with Quoddy. The boot features everything you’d expect from a Quoddy piece such as water resistant Horween leathers, white decksole for traction and the signature cross stitch. Only a few available sizes and colors are left so act fast. Available now at the Albam web shop.

Man vs. Machine may sound like the title for the next Iron Man movie, but for the New York based label it’s pretty much their identity and brand philosophy. MVM’s looks mirror the styles of the future in the modern age. There’s a seemingly tight blend with technology and the pieces presented. Details such as laser engraved logos, perforated leather, technical nylon, and chrome finishes truly establish the mechanical aspects of the line. Also colors such as grey, red, black, blue, and chrome give the range a very unique yet futuristic feel.

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Source: Mmmust

While its severely cold outside at the moment, we here at SwipeLife figured we’d heat things up a bit with some lovely ladies in bikinis. For your viewing pleasure is Zimmerman’s Swimwear Summer 2010 line. We don’t have the names of the models involved in the collection shoot, but we are definite fans already. Chalk this one up for our Women We Love section. Enjoy.

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Source: Fashionising

This Royal Hooded Jacket comes from Melbourne based label, Orri Henrisson. This take on a great coat has a fitted silhouette throughout the cut. Details such as an oversized collar with a removable hood is added for multifunctions and style. Other details include pockets, buttons, half vents, and more. Available now at Bespoke.

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Sonic Fabric have come out with multiple items and accessories for this season. One of their more popular pieces are their limited edition neckties that are made from 50% recorded audio cassette tape and 50% colored thread. Their unisex slit scarf are also made of brown sonic fabric with a brown polar fleece lining (this very unique design allows the texture of the two layers of the scarf to be visible – like two scarves in one). One edge of the scarf includes a selvedge made of loops of tape. Avialbale now at Supermarket.

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http://www.uncrate.com/men/style/dress-shirts-ties/sonic-fabric-ties/

From Hackett: Home of authentic British style, this season Hackett brings you a collection inspired by quintessential British traditions. From the city to country gent, Hackett has your look covered this season. Choose from the Mayfair & Tailoring Collections, Tweed and Horse & Hound Collections and the Essentials Collection. This season, get the collegiate look inspired by our sponsorship of the Boat Race & the London Rowing Club or the Klosters Collection, inspired by the Hackett sponsored Snow Polo. For the motor enthusiast, there is the prestigious Aston Martin Racing Collection.

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Source: Hackett

It’s cold in the east at the moment. Not just cold, but windy, numb your face type cold. In their latest editorial, GQ Japan shows us their stylish coat picks for the month. Traditional coat options such as heavy wools, long coats, and belted styles in varying dark colors become front and center for the winter.

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Source: Mode

Ken Diamond does Mocassins the right way from quality, construction, packaging, right down to the presentation. The Vancouver based designer has been working with leather since the late 90’s and now has his own line of various leather goods. Simple high quality leather material are used in the classic designs which are all hand made in the studio. Traditional ways of crafting the footwear are always intact but modern techniques give the product a very fresh flair. Available in Brown (Mustard), Black (Licorice), and White (Marshmallow), Ken Diamond Moccasins can now be purchased at their main website. Also make sure to check out other goods such as bags, wallets, belts, and more here.

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