Merry Kicksmas

Okay, so it's not even Black Friday, but we all know that in this consumerized (I love making words up) age, the Holidays come earlier every year, even if they fall on the same day. That said, it's time for the cornucopia of commercials, deals, fliers and other regalia that remind us to go shopping and screw our credit scores even more. Even with the ills of the holiday season, there are some memorable spots showing up. This particular one is by the good people at Foot Locker. The Christmas season brings a host of new sneaker releases for our feet mouths to water at. We might not always be able to come up with the means to purchase them, so resorting to other methods is always a fresh thing. The 'Reindeer Hostage Plan' is something that I damn sure wish I'd thought of, especially when I got a look at Santa's face at the end. Check out the commercial and start hatching your own plots for Christmas domination...

Nike Air Max 1 Premium (Crepe/Sail)

Fall is always such a weird time for footwear. The changing weather makes keeping your heaters clean a challenge that only the most dedicated of sneakerheads can fathom. While some turn to boots, loafers, mocs and the like, I prefer to stay with some sneakers. Clean colors and simple designs are the name of the game with this Air Max 1 Premium slated to drop this holiday. The sail colorway has a very light gray tint to it, with the upper made of premium leather with canvas accents, and topped off with a horse hair swoosh. The soles take after a traditional fall chukka with a crepe sole that provides a different look from the regular soles on Air Max 1's. The result is a sneaker that can brave the elements of the colder months as well as be a fresh look when Spring comes back around. Check out some closer pictures and be on the lookout for these when they drop come Christmas...

Nike Air Force 1 - Borough Pack & Block Party

From top to bottom: The Bronx (*shots lick off*), Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island & Brooklyn

If there ever was an iconic sneaker in the culture of New York City, it's the Nike Air Force 1. Uptowns, as we call them were one of the first kicks to have a cult following (aside from Shelltoes), and that's before Nelly made the world go ape shit for them with his track 'Air Force Ones'. Overexposure aside, it seems only right that the Air Force 1 get some colorways specifically about New York. That's why Nike and DJ Clark Kent combined their forces to create the Borough Pack. The pack gives a different style for every borough in the fair city of New York, each with a fabric and tumbled leather upper to mimic a varsity jacket, and gum bottoms for the old school sneakerhead in us all.

The best part about this release is that Nike is also sponsoring a block party at their 21 Mercer Street location in New York to commemorate the release, as well as the World Basketball Festival going on. All boroughs are invited as an initiative to bring New Yorkers together under one banner. I love what Nike's doing here. They're making every effort to appeal to people, and it's a great look for sneakerheads, basketball fans and everyone else in between. The block party is tomorrow, July 31, starting at 6. To top it off, DJ Clark Kent, along with DJ King Solomon and Miss Banks will be hosting the party. This might very well be the spot to be at in NYC tomorrow. Hopefully you can make it. Check out some flicks of the 'Borough Pack' as well as a flyer for Nike's All-Borough Block Party...

Tron: Legacy x adidas

Seriously, I'm signing up for 2011 Comic Con tickets TODAY. The San Diego Comic Convention has become something of a cultural experience, where movies, music, games, television, graphic novels, and of course, comics mash together to keep our inner nerds occupied for four days straight. Add that to the fact that the divide between different media interests has become parchment-thing, and you have my heaven. This go around, we've got adidas collaborating with the people behind Tron: Legacy to create a new line of Tron-themed, futuristic apparel. The first pieces we'll see drop are two pairs of the adidas Heat Check, the company's new signature shoe. Both feature reflective stripes, along with screen-printed graphics on the upper and toebox, reminiscent of the glitzy, high-tech feel in the of Tron. The hoodie below will be self-illuminated, just like the movie. Oh, and in case you were wondering, this collab is set to hit shelves in December, right on time for Tron: Legacy's release. Check out some flicktures of adidas x Tron: Legacy, as well as a new trailer for the movie, which is starting to look sicker and sicker by the day...

Nike Air Max 97 - Metallic Gold/Black/Red

I've never been one for gold sneakers. They either stand out TOO much or they come off as looking tacky. These, however, I can mess with. The Nike Air Max 97 is one of those shoes that gets lost in the shuffle behind 95's and 90's, but always seems to have really simple, yet fresh colorways. Nike's come back hard with retro's this summer especially in the Air Max department, and this is one of the shoes that was resurrected. These 97's feature a metallic gold upper with white stripes for contrast, as well as a red swoosh on the tongue, and the 97 Air bubble that can't be missed. These kicks are an international release and should've already touched down at your local spot. Hopefully you jumped on them...

adidas Roundhouse Mid

I thought I'd grown away from rocking high tops, but these simply appealed to my eye like no sneaker I've seen floating around the interwebs the past month or so. adidas, along with having much fatter pockets due to the World Cup, is also riding high on a huge redesign of their whole aesthetic. Gone are the days of simple silhouettes and plain materials. Adi's company is on a whole new tip, and the Roundhouse Mid is a perfect example of that new direction. The black and white pebble leather and suede are minor touches that add some class, while the strap and high profile add a bit of edge. These bad boys should be hitting our shores soon, after already being available in Japan. Check out some closer flicktures...

Nike Dunk SB 'Iron Man' & 'War Machine' (by Diverstile)

Peeped these on SneakerNews and from the homies at RecruitZero...

Fan memorabilia is always a tricky subject, because you can never have too much discretion at drawing the line behind healthy fanhood and ridiculous fanaticism. Some people feel a certain type of way when you call them out on what may be an overzealous idea of what fanhood is. Even so, a creation like this makes me realize the line is blurrier than ever. I considered myself a fan of Iron Man and the entities surrounding the franchise, but never thought I would find myself wanting to rock a pair of Iron Man sneakers. Guess that doesn't hold true today, because these are TOUGH. From the plated-on 'armor', to the custom arc-reactors in Iron Man and War Machine's suits (yes, they both ACTUALLY light up), this might damn well take the cake for any type of themed-sneakers (sans the Skunk Dunks). Unfortunately, these aren't production Nike Dunks, and are customs from sneaker designers Diverstile. If you want to get your hands on a pair, you should probably hit the website link and hope they have a pair left. Check out some more pictures of the coolest Dunks I've ever seen...

Air Jordan IX Retro Premio BIN 23

I've never been a frequent passenger on the hypebeast train, simply because most of the releases that get the ridiculous hype aren't really worth it these days. The days of Tiffany's and Pigeons, when sneakers had original concepts are gone. It's all about colorways with bad quality materials and accessories that come with the sneakers now. Jordan Brand is taking that mantra and running with it. They reworked their classic IX silhouette and dipped it in gold, literally. The Bin 23 Premios are going to be one of those releases you see heads camped out for days for, with JB limiting production to 1,331 pairs, as well as it being a House of Hoops exclusive. That more or less means you'd better have a dope connect or the deepest of pockets to cop. As far as gold sneakers go, these are one of the cleaner releases, and JB doesn't overdo it with the shine. Check out some more flicktures...

Nike Air Foamposite Pro 'Pearl'

#shoutout to MarqueeSole for the pics...

It seems like Nike is trying its best to relive it's basketball hayday of the late 90's and early 2000's, when literally everything they touched turned to gold. I remember being in 8th grade and thinking that Foamposites would be the end-all, be-all of sneaker technology. Obviously, that wasn't the case, but the Foams still are one of the prettiest and functional sneakers, both for basketball and to wear casually. Last year, Nike brought the Pearls out for a limited run, with few heads able to get their grubby paws on them. This year, they're breaking them out for a much wider release, although they'll only be a Foot Locker House of Hoops exclusive. I honestly wouldn't mind rocking these on the court, though outside might be a stretch for these babies. Whatever the case, check out some choice flicktures and keep your eyes peeled, because they're starting to pop up all around the interwebs...

Nike Air 180 - White/Infrared

I guess since Jordan Brand is going apeshit with their whole infrared craze, Nike had to follow suit and drop a few infrared-themed sneakers. They're already dropping the Infrared Air Max 90's this summer and threw in a brand new infrared colorway for the Air 180. This one has cream-colored canvas and nylon on the toebox, and throws the bright red in for the air bubble and the heel tab. Honestly, this is a really dope sneaker. The Air 180's getting some much needed TLC from the folk over at Beaverton, and I, for one, am not mad at all. Check out some more flicks...

Nike Air Pippen - White/Silver/Black

#shoutout to Sneakernews for the pictures

Scottie Pippen is (next to Dominique Wilkins) the most underrated and overlooked player in the NBA. Not only did he play 15 seasons compared to Jordan's 12, he was a legitimate MVP player while Jordan was gone for his first retirement. Funny that his signature sneakers from Nike get overlooked and underrated as well, though they still are pretty hot. Nike went with one of the original colorways for their re-release of the Air Pippen this summer. I can't even front, these are a clean pair; made for summer. They may not be an automatic cop, but if there ever was a time to stock up on rare re-releases now would be the time. These babies are available now, too. Check out some more detailed flicks of the kicks...

Air Jordan VI 'Infrared' Pack

PIFF. That is all I have to say about the new Jordan VI Infrared pack dropping. Well, not really. The VI is one of the more underrated silhouettes in the JB catalog, but definitely one of the richest in Jordan history. Released first in 1991, they were the shoe that MJ won his first NBA title in. They also were the first that Tinker Hatfield personally consulted Mike about, adding touches like a molded back to protect his Achilles tendon, a sturdier rubber sole than the V, and reinforced toes. Now, they're coming back out in a pack (haven't seen a good one since the DMPs) featuring a new white/infrared and the more familiar black/infrared colorway. No word yet on when they're dropping, but considering the lack of number retroes coming out lately, they'll definitely be out sooner than later. Think early summer. Check out some more pictures...

Nike Dunk SB 'Skunk'

#shouts to SneakerNews

Happy 4/20 to all my smokers out there! Nike SB did the unofficial holiday right this year, by releasing the 'Skunk' SB's at midnight. They feature a tonal green color scheme, rough suede upper, with purple and orange accents. What kills the sneaker is the hidden stash pocket on the inside of the tongue. Also, they have a 'dizzy' skunk on the insoles, just in case you were in any doubt as to the theme of these sneaker. No, I wouldn't rock them, but I would definitely have these in a collection. I know there's going to be some idiot stoner who's going to use that stash pocket and get caught. Whatever the case, the concept is dope. Check out some more pictures...

Nike Trainer 1 – Vintage Box Edition

The sneaker box is one of the most overlooked pieces of sneakerhead memorabilia out there. Everyone loves what is inside the box, but the actual boxes often times get tossed out, used for female memories or in extreme cases, used for Myspace and Facebook pictures. Nike decided to pay homage to their iconic sneaker box by releasing an Air Trainer one in the classic orange colorway with a grey and white stripe on the midsole. Also, they featured materials like nubuck and ballistic mesh on the upper. While these might not be the sneakers you wear everywhere, they're definitely a must have for those die-hard collectors out there. Check out some more pictures...

Nike Shoes Make Music

The disclaimer at the end will not keep most people from trying to do the same thing... the same way that Dragon Ball Z being a cartoon didn't keep most 10 year old boys from trying to bring out their Chi like Gohan. Anime nerdiness aside, Nike+ and Nike Free teamed up with the breakbeats (beats to break to) crew Hifana to make this spot. Using 12 pairs of sneakers that they twisted and hit, the Japanese duo cooked up a beat to behold. The commercial shows at the end a runner syncing his Nike Free sneakers and the Nike+ iPod system, so that he could track and view his running stats on his iPod. Probably wouldn't buy it, but the commercial will definitely get about 100 more spins...

#shoutout to Meezyy and John from SwaggerDap

adidas Beach Pack – Superstar 2 + Forum Mid + Stan Smith

#shoutout to Sneakernews for the pictures...

As the weather gets much sunnier and nicer (I'm outside right, just to put it in perspective), it's important to have sneakers that match the times. Not that I'm going hypebeast, but the summer is traditionally the time when the beaters get stocked and the heaters get rocked. Now, adidas is trying to get in on the summer act, releasing their 'Beach Pack' right in time for those Memorial Day trips and whatever malarkey and tomfoolery you have planned. The Superstar, Forum Mid, and Stan Smith all have white leather with white mesh, that overlap with yellow, green, and blue panels on their uppers. I really think they got the inspiration from looking at terry cloth towels on the beach. Whatever the case, these things are already available at Mita and will be dropping on local shores pretty soon. Check out some closeups and keep your eyes open...

10 Deep x adidas Originals Consortium Stan Smith

I haven't remotely liked anything from 10 Deep in the past 2 years. From weird colorways to wacky designs, the New York brand has lost a little bit of steam lately. That doesn't mean they're immune to a dope collab every once in a while. adidas Originals and 10 Deep clashed together for a new take on the classic Stan Smith sneaker, throwing together a grey nubuck upper, a perforated logo on the side, and the oh-so-sexy gum soles. Of course they both got their licks in with logos from both brands left and right. I love how simple, yet refined the shoe is. Definitely a sneaker to break out when the weather gets gorgeous...

adidas Originals - “Hide and Seek” Stan Smith 80

It's been a long, long, long time since I've thoroughly enjoyed a convertible sneaker. In fact, the last hot one was probably the Jordan XVI, and I wouldn't even wear those off the basketball court. Regardless, adidas decided to bring back the shrouded sneaker with their 'Hide & Seek' Stan Smith 80's. The kicks feature a black upper high top, with that zips off to reveal blue low tops. These might be a good look for the spring time, when sudden showers plot to throw dirt on a freshly Un-DSed pair. Or maybe you just want to be like Skeeter on 'Doug' with the cutting-edge convertible kicks. Whatever the case, take a closer look at the new Stan Smiths...

Nike Air Max 180 'Lemon'

Now that Gucci's made the lemon aesthetic into the epitome of a fad in hip-hop, I suppose it's only right for there to be a sneaker for that very tenet. Nike's Air Max 180's slowly become one of my favorite silhouettes, because of how simple and clean it is. It also has a very casual feel to it, without looking like your typical Nike sneaker of late. Not a lot of bells and whistles here. I like where 2010 is going so far. Hopefully, Nike keeps with a demure profile like this. Check out some alternate flicktures...

Star Wars x adidas Originals Sneakers

There's nothing like a dope streetwear collaboration to start off the year. adidas decided to pay homage to Star Wars in 2010 with a full collection of t-shirts, hoodies and jackets. On the other hand, they decided to release a bunch of original sneakers like the Samba and the Top Ten, themed after different characters and vehicles in the series. Pictured are Yoda, a Storm Trooper, Dart Vader, the Tie Fighter, the X-Wing, Luke Skywalker, and others. Check Star Wars for the rest of the collection...