Sample Sale Santa 2009

Be prepared to drop them COINSS!!



By far the best sample sale in the city, Opening Ceremony is cleaning out their closets.
Recession or not this sale is not to be missed. PERIOD!!

illiterate thugs need not apply

new bookstore alert!!
my homey, the future gnome maker, just put me onto her homey's new bookstore.

book thug nation:
yes, quite the awesome-ass name for a store that sells books (to thugs i hope).
i'll for sure be poppin on saturday for this "literary event" (so highbrow, yet so gutter).
i feel like nothing i can say can sum it up as wondrously as the future gnome maker did:

"i mean, it beats selling books outta your trunk"

why tamper with genius?
come. read. get your thug on!

Wanna Roll with Tha CLIC

In this ever evolving metropolis its so easy to look up from your daily hustles and realize that your surroundings have completely changed. Often while bullshittin my way around south of 14th st, I'll stumble upon a new hotel or a new boutique, or sometimes if I'm really caught up in my head, I'll suddenly realize that a whole block has been wiped out: scaffolds and cranes and dust lay in its place. New York is in an eternal state of change which is probably why we're all in a rush all the time. Gotta see this or do that or go here before its all gone. This whole city is one of those 'LIMITED TIME ONLY' deals.

Pay homage to the past lives of NYC at CLIC Gallery this Wednesday with the opening of STOREFRONT: The Disappearing Face of New York. Featuring the work of urban photographers James and Karla Murray.

STORE FRONT is a photographic survey documenting the fast disappearing mom-and-pop stores of New York City. JAMES AND KARLA MURRAY spent more than ten years photographing the distinctive storefronts of family-run shops in neighborhoods throughout the city. From cheerful Italian bakeries with hand-painted murals to the dingy dive bar that became a local institution, the Murrays’ bright photographs are a striking visual record of how colorful and idiosyncratic each block of New York’s streetscape once was.

STOREFRONT
Opening Reception
Wednesday July 15
from 6-9
Clic Gallery
255 Centre Street

And while you're there pop around the corner and check out the Clic Bookstore at 189 Lafayette St. Its a well curated space, stocking only a handful of photograpy and art books. They keep the real goodies, their rare first-prints and collectible items, on the upper shelves. Make sure to peep them. Stylists, designers, photographers, and artist pay attention, Clic Bookstore is a gem for all kinds of amazing visual references.
Trust me. Go. You'll thank me later.

Its All So Complex

In an attempt to salvage what hip hop has done to destroy the enitity that is the White Tee

Complex Geometries and JakandJill.com

present

The White Tee Project

Comprised of 100% cotton, Complex Geometries has reimagined The White Tee.
With an emphasis on draping, this wardrobe basic takes has been triumphantly resurrected from the death blow it suffered at the hands of hood dudes everywhere.

Git ur Icy Whites at Complex Geometries

and

Stay up on that NewNew at Jak & Jil

Gimme Gimme Gimme !!!

Frank Lloyd Wright LEGO sets!!!

the first two from the collection are the Guggenheim New York

and the Falling Water House

The retail whore in my says "Must. Buy. Now. Forget. Bills."

Read the NPR interview with Lego collaborator, Adam Reed Tucker

Shoe Porn: 'Beat' a Bitch

The BEAT Boot

Lovely aren't they..... I'll take this beatdown any day!!
Today's Shoe Porn is brought to you by the wonderful people of ACNE

Sample Sale Fools!!

Make it your bizness to hit up this sample sale.....cuz I sure will!!

Shoe Porn : Swagger Jackin'

File this one under "They Know They Need to Stop".........

Dolce Vita's Reno SS09

ACNE's Niara from SS08

All types of wrong.
I don't know how any self respecting design team can sleep at night knowing they straight played themselves like this.
Outta be ASHAMED!

And Big-ups to ACNE being so eternally innovative.
A wise person once said " Those who can, do. Those who can't, jack."

PS: that wise person was me.

Another Lazy Fashion Observation

If This



And This



had a baby. It would look like This!!


and its sister would look like this


And it would cost somewhere around $900
And they would both be worth it.
Thank you Alex Wang for making my Shoe-Porn dreams come true.

A lazy fashion observation....

Ripped straight from my Twitter:

Leather shorts in the forecast for FW09......I'm all about it!

Cop you some!!

New Reasons for Living

Hey Snobbers,

So I been semi uninspired of late. And as I'm sure you've noticed haven't posted anything recently. Since I've started this blog, I've encountered a steady stream of supporters/whip-crackers telling me "You need to update your blog" or asking "When are you gonna write something new?"

For anyone who really knows me you know that:

A) I'm lazy

B) This blog is a labour of love...emphasis on labour

and

C) I'll NEVER blog simply for the sake of blogging.

Blogging for the sake of blogging and, for that matter, doing anything without the true motivation or inspiration produces half-assed shit. And I ain't never been about half-assin' it, except, maybe when it comes to sex.... Just kidding.

As a Cultural Critic, I feel that too often people "create" without possessing any real love for what they do. And without love, there is no respect for the craft. Hence, people will stamp their names on any-old shit-in-a-box and keep it moving.

Well there will be none of that here at Critique de Culture, where we blog with integrity and put our heart and souls into each tiny morsel of hate and snobbery.

With that being said here are my new reasons for living:

Reason #1

MOMA's Atlantic Pacific Installation

The good folks at the Museum of Modern Art have bestowed on us lucky Brooklynites reproductions of over 50 pieces of art to be plastered all over the Atlantic Ave/Pacific trainstation.

Check out this adorable excerpt from their mission statment:.

"We know you’re moving at warp speed to get from here to there, but take a
breath and take a look. We hope what you see in the station changes the way you
see the world today, if only for a moment. And it’s a reminder that the real
MoMA is only a short ride away."

How amazing is that?!? Now I get to enjoy the works of Kara Walker, Vincent van Gogh, Jackson Pollack, Picasso, and Roy Lichtenstein while I wait for that 2 train that will never come.

Reason #2
This Why You're Fat.com

Dubbed as the place "Where Dreams Become Heart Attacks", this website features the most gluttonus, artery-clogging, bulemia-inducing delicacies to ever grace the earth.

Feast your eyes upon the Bacon Cheeseburger with Chocolate covered Bacon

Gravy Covered Pizza

or the Spaghetti Meatball on a stick

Strands of cooked spaghetti worked into a meatball, dipped in dough, deep-fried, then topped with marinara sauce

For my Ramen lovers, get into the Romellette, an omlet made with Ramen noodles.


YUMM!!!

Reason #3

The scaffolds are coming down at Topshop!!

Rejoice Retail Whores, the Brits are (finally) coming!!

Shoe Porn: Duck Duck Goose.....

Lustworthy !

The Duck Boot all sexed up.

Thanks Sample Sale Santa

Well y'all Sample Sale Santa came thru this holiday for your girl Snobette .

Since I simply couldn't shop for others without shopping for myself first, I hit the sample sale trail hard last week. And came out looking like a Champ!
Here is a sampling of my bag o' treats:

Proenza Schouler Lace Up Booties

Whyred Fishtail Parka

Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony Mesh Paneled Dress

Sophomore V-neck Tank

And not to be outdone my lovely cousin, knowing how much I love Alvin Ailey, gave me the Alvin Ailey Barbie 50th Anniversary edition.

Shes wearing the dress from "Wade in the Water" in Revelations.

......how amazing is that?!!?!

Good Lookin' Santy Claus.....

A. Wang: Tryin' Stick Me for My Paper!!

This is a problem.....

This is the type of shit that makes you:

A) miss your rent......



B) blow your gift-giving budget on yourself......

or

C) consider a profession in the call girl industry.....

Here are some of my faves from Wang's FW08 collection:

Photos courtesy of Style.com

Please buy your Metrocard and groceries before you even attempt to "browse" this sample sale.

Dear Santa.....

I been good all year.

And during these tough economic times, a sista like me ain't really askin' for much.

'Precciate it!!

Hood By Air: Poppin' up

Snobbers,
Act like you know wassup...



I had the privilege of attending their SS09 Runway show entitled "Gigolo" this past Fashion Week. Hood By Air has grown leaps and bounds since they first stepped on the scene. This latest collection was light on the logos and all about the cuts and texture. The styling was impeccable, (greasy pompadours under hair nets...HELLO GENIUS), the music official, (an acapella version of "Freakin you" by Jodeci mixed by KINGDOM)....Long Story short: you need to get into this and fast!

Cop your Hood By Air pieces EARLY at the Pop Up Shop this weekend.

Hit up their website for their amazing blog "The Block" and more info.

PS: Momma ain't raise no fool.....CASH ONLY PLEASE!! (In this economy, its a must! And none of that Funny Money either. YOU WILL GET CUT!)

For All My Graffiti Lovin' Fashionistas: Marc Jacobs x Kaws

To commemorate 10 years of the Mouse Flat, taste maker and rampant lover of High and Low culture Marc Jacobs has collaborated with the street-art cult fave KAWS to release this beauty.

The MJ x Kaws mouse flat will be available at Collete in Paris, Original Fake in Tokyo and Marc Jacobs stores throughout the US & UK.

Happy Shopping!

Colette x GAP

I'm sure you heard about this one by now.
But feel free to file this one under Weirdest collaborations ever...

The boutique of Parisian cool, Colette, is teaming up the the chain of coporate American Lame, The GAP, to produce its first ever mini-shoppe in the US.
The Colette x GAP pop up shop will open for one month(September 6th to October 5th), adjacent to the flagship GAP on 5th ave and 54th street.



Now, I've been to Colette (International Snobette Oui Oui!!)and I've been to the GAP (regretfully so), and I still don't see how these two polar opposite enterprises are gonna mesh well. Hopefully, Colette will have all of the creative control and the GAP will simply foot the bill like a good ole' SugarDaddy!!


Looking homeless outside of Colette.



Lost like a true tourist.

The Pop up store will feature special collaborations by Andre x Neckface, Miss Tic x Claw Money, SO-ME x EPSO and Jean Phillipe Delhomme x Ruben Toledo.
See ColettexGAP.com for more info.