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steven 2021-09-27 16:00:45 -04:00
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@ -6,34 +6,35 @@ tags: [neverfull, brown]
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This tote bag, originally released as a knockoff of Goyard's St. Louis bag in
2007 might actually be the most popular designer handbag in existence, at least
from what I've seen "in the wild"--that is, on the streets of metropolitan areas
and throughout international airports. Since its release, it's seen one major
redesign where they replaced the more ornate textile lining with a simpler
striped pattern (likely to save time/costs as this bag moved into higher volume
production).
This tote bag, originally released as a knockoff of Goyard's St. Louis bag
in 2007 might actually be the most popular designer handbag in existence, at
least from what I've seen "in the wild"--that is, on the streets of
metropolitan areas and throughout international airports. Since its release,
it's seen one major redesign where they replaced the more ornate textile
lining with a simpler striped pattern (likely to save time/costs as this bag
moved into higher volume production).
Luckily, that seems to be the only significant "cost-cutting measure" they've
applied to the continued production of this item; it still features the (mostly)
decorative straps that hang down from the sides of the bag, but in a few certain
situations that call for it, such as carrying a large amount of smaller or lighter
objects, the straps can be cinched to shrink the opening and help secure what's
inside (at least a little bit).
applied to the continued production of this item; it still features the
(mostly) decorative straps that hang down from the sides of the bag, but in a
few certain situations that call for it, such as carrying a large amount of
smaller or lighter objects, the straps can be cinched to shrink the opening
and help secure what's inside (at least a little bit).
In addition to the zippered pouch on one side of the interior, the bag also comes
with a flat pouch along with a leather strap that you can use to attach the pouch
to a D-ring mounted near the opening, or even just loop that strap back onto the
pouch itself to use as a clutch; I've never really used it for either of those
purposes, mine just sits at home nearly untouched while the bag itself is probably
the most used luxury product I own.
In addition to the zippered pouch on one side of the interior, the bag also
comes with a flat pouch along with a leather strap that you can use to attach
the pouch to a D-ring mounted near the opening, or even just loop that strap
back onto the pouch itself to use as a clutch; I've never really used it for
either of those purposes, mine just sits at home nearly untouched while the
bag itself is probably the most used luxury product I own.
While I can't credit Louis Vuitton for having really "invented" anything since at
the end of the day, this is just a reusable tote bag that is nearly functionally
identical to something you could pick up at the grocery store for less than five
dollars, the craftsmanship (and admittedly, the branding) just inspires me to go
out of my way and actually make an effort to actually use a reusable shopping bag
on a regular basis instead of only when I can be bothered to rememeber to bring it
out of the house, to the car, before realizing I completely forgot about it after
I've already gotten to the grocery store.
While I can't credit Louis Vuitton for having really "invented" anything
since at the end of the day, this is just a reusable tote bag that is nearly
functionally identical to something you could pick up at the grocery store
for less than five dollars, the craftsmanship (and admittedly, the branding)
just inspires me to go out of my way and actually make an effort to actually
use a reusable shopping bag on a regular basis instead of only when I can be
bothered to rememeber to bring it out of the house, to the car, before
realizing I completely forgot about it after I've already gotten to the
grocery store.

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@ -9,23 +9,25 @@ draft: true
This was the shoe deal that mister "greatest of all time" took despite being
personally more interested in Adidas' "Forum" high top basketball sneakers.
But regardless of what Michael Jordan wore to international tournaments before
Nike locked him down for a couple of years, history seems to have been rewritten
and people seem to believe MJ always loved his Nike Air Jordans.
Nike locked him down for a couple of years, history seems to have been
rewritten and people seem to believe MJ always loved his Nike Air Jordans.
The "Hi 85" cut supposedly reconstructs the Air Jordan 1 to a specification that
hadn't been on the market in over 30 years, using thicker cuts of stiffer leather
to construct a flatter toebox, instead of the more bulbous ones made of pleather
that Jordan brand enthusiasts have grown accustomed. Amongst sneakerheads, this
particular silhouette is quite sought after, second only to actual original Air
Jordan 1s from the year 1985.
The "Hi 85" cut supposedly reconstructs the Air Jordan 1 to a specification
that hadn't been on the market in over 30 years, using thicker cuts of stiffer
leather to construct a flatter toebox, instead of the more bulbous ones made
of pleather that Jordan brand enthusiasts have grown accustomed. Amongst
sneakerheads, this particular silhouette is quite sought after, second only to
actual original Air Jordan 1s from the year 1985.
I couldn't get into the "reverse bred" colourway. The colour blocking just can't
compare to the original black/red design, and I always ended up wearing my other
pairs of sneakers because of it. So, I did the unthinkable, and destroyed any
semblance of resale value these shoes had by dousing them in acrylic spray paint.
I didn't put too much effort into my "ice cream paint job"; I only masked off the
bottom half of the outsole and the interior lining. I didn't bother preparing the
materials with solvents because I'm not concerned about the new layer of paint
not adhereing properly. If anything, I wanted it to be able to wear away and chip
off at high stress points in the material, revealing the original red and black
I couldn't get into the "reverse bred" colourway. The colour blocking just
can't compare to the original black/red design, and I always ended up wearing
my other pairs of sneakers because of it. So, I did the unthinkable, and
destroyed any semblance of resale value these shoes had by dousing them in
acrylic spray paint. I didn't put too much effort into my
"ice cream paint job"; I only masked off the bottom half of the outsole and
the interior lining. I didn't bother preparing the materials with solvents
because I'm not concerned about the new layer of paint not adhereing
properly. If anything, I wanted it to be able to wear away and chip off at
high stress points in the material, revealing the original red and black
colours of the leather panels as I wear them.

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@ -6,29 +6,31 @@ tags: [college bag, grey]
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I carry this bag by its top handle so much that I've considered many times just
leaving the chain off, but then I have to carry more than one object and I'm
immediately reminded of how useful it is to be able to carry my things in a bag
without the use of my hands. The goatskin leather makes this much more durable
and hardwearing than Chanel lambskin, which the quilting is very reminiscent of.
The full-width slip pocket on the back and the magnetic closure make this even
more functional than a Louis Vuitton Pochette Métis in my opinion, which is
another popular bag with a similar silhouette.
I carry this bag by its top handle so much that I've considered many times
just leaving the chain off, but then I have to carry more than one object and
I'm immediately reminded of how useful it is to be able to carry my things in
a bag without the use of my hands. The goatskin leather makes this much more
durable and hardwearing than Chanel lambskin, which the quilting is very
reminiscent of. The full-width slip pocket on the back and the magnetic
closure make this even more functional than a Louis Vuitton Pochette Métis in
my opinion, which is another popular bag with a similar silhouette.
I am lucky. There's no doubt about it. How else could one describe the situation
I'm in? Not only do I have the privilege of being able to spend so much of my time
reading about the quality and details of luxury leather goods just to deliberate
over which of them I should consider adding to my wardrobe's collection, but
someone actually loves me enough to not only look past what could only be observed
as unhealthy obsessions with material objects, but is even willing to go so far
as to actively indulge me in those obsessions!
I am lucky. There's no doubt about it. How else could one describe the
situation I'm in? Not only do I have the privilege of being able to spend so
much of my time reading about the quality and details of luxury leather goods
just to deliberate over which of them I should consider adding to my
wardrobe's collection, but someone actually loves me enough to not only look
past what could only be observed as unhealthy obsessions with material
objects, but is even willing to go so far as to actively indulge me in those
obsessions!
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, my boyfriend bought me this purse. Of course, it's
not a purchase he made completely independently, but these items are so
expensive and designed in such specific ways with so many varying options for
details, that buying one of these things for a fashion nerd like me would be
akin to buying someone a new video card for their computer: certainly not
impossible with enough time dedicated to researching compatibility, but so
little room for error that there really isn't a reason to just ask what the
person specifically wants, because the fact that any interest in supporting
this at all exists means more than almost anything else.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, my boyfriend bought me this purse. Of course, it's not
a purchase he made completely independently, but these items are so expensive and
designed in such specific ways with so many varying options for details, that
buying one of these things for a fashion nerd like me would be akin to buying
someone a new video card for their computer: certainly not impossible with enough
time dedicated to researching compatibility, but so little room for error that
there really isn't a reason to just ask what the person specifically wants,
because the fact that any interest in supporting this at all exists means more
than almost anything else.

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@ -6,38 +6,39 @@ tags: [slip-ons, white]
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Is that a JoJo reference?? Yes, Araki's beloved manga series "JoJo's Bizarre
Adventure" got an animated adaptation so successful that Netflix bought up the
production ahead of its 6th season to get exclusive distribution rights. These
shoes however, are actually a nod to the design of the character Bucciarati, one
of the protagonists of "Part 5: Golden Wind".
Is that a JoJo reference?? Yes, Araki's beloved manga series
"JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" got an animated adaptation so successful that
Netflix bought up the production ahead of its 6th season to get exclusive
distribution rights. These shoes however, are actually a nod to the design of
the character Bucciarati, one of the protagonists of "Part 5: Golden Wind".
The influences that penetrate JoJo's Bizarre Adventure range from classic vampire
fiction to tarot cards and divination to rock, metal, and hip-hop musicians, to
high fashion. This variety showcases the growth of not just the work, but the artist
himself, as a clear reflection of his developing tastes.
The influences that penetrate JoJo's Bizarre Adventure range from classic
vampire fiction to tarot cards and divination to rock, metal, and hip-hop
musicians, to high fashion. This variety showcases the growth of not just the
work, but the artist himself, as a clear reflection of his developing tastes.
Unfortunately, out of fear of potential lawsuits, the translators elected to drop
the majority of these allusions: For example, Bucciarati's "superpower" (the
simplest way to explain this to someone who doesn't follow the series) is named
"Sticky Fingers," after the album by The Rolling Stones. In America, Sticky
Fingers is referred to as "Zipperman," a much more literal description of what his
"special abilities" are.
Unfortunately, out of fear of potential lawsuits, the translators elected to
drop the majority of these allusions: For example, Bucciarati's
"superpower" (the simplest way to explain this to someone who doesn't follow
the series) is named "Sticky Fingers," after the album by The Rolling Stones.
In America, Sticky Fingers is referred to as "Zipperman," a much more literal
description of what his "special abilities" are.
Vans is an impressive company. They started up in the 70s and made an effort to
cater to the newly developing "skater" demographic that wanted cheap shoes (because
they're often torn up in the process of learning and performing tricks against a
skateboard's sandpaper-like grip tape) with thin soles to transmit a more tactile
feel of the board to the riders' feet.
Vans is an impressive company. They started up in the 70s and made an effort
to cater to the newly developing "skater" demographic that wanted cheap shoes
(because they're often torn up in the process of learning and performing
tricks against a skateboard's sandpaper-like grip tape) with thin soles to
transmit a more tactile feel of the board to the riders' feet.
While Reebok and Nike invested in high-tech materials to make new sneakers for
professional basketball players (and those who aspire to be more like them), Vans
instead focused on continuing to deliver their already popular products and
reinvesting their profits to sponsor skateboarding events, growing their audience.
professional basketball players (and those who aspire to be more like them),
Vans instead focused on continuing to deliver their already popular products
and reinvesting their profits to sponsor skateboarding events, growing their
audience.
Today, Vans continues to make variations of those "skateboarding shoes," but they
have also expanded their catalogue to include a much wider variety of aesthetic
variants, openly accepting those who want to buy "lifestyle shoes," electing to
wear something that denotes an awareness of a subculture rather than actively
participating in it.
Today, Vans continues to make variations of those "skateboarding shoes," but
they have also expanded their catalogue to include a much wider variety of
aesthetic variants, openly accepting those who want to buy "lifestyle shoes,"
electing to wear something that denotes an awareness of a subculture rather
than actively participating in it.

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@ -6,34 +6,37 @@ tags: [mini pad, blue]
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I've been a fan of Hori's aftermarket video game accessories for a long time. The
first time I personally purchased a Hori product was back in 2006 when they released
screen protectors for the Nintendo DS' plastic resistive touchscreen. Admittedly,
this was a pretty simple product that anyone who had access to the infrastructure
could produce, so it was kind of inconsequential, but this interaction gave me the
confidence to purchase my first mass-produced arcade stick, the Hori Real Arcade Pro
3 (which I immediately disassembled and reconstructed with other aftermarket parts,
but I digress).
I've been a fan of Hori's aftermarket video game accessories for a long time.
The first time I personally purchased a Hori product was back in 2006 when
they released screen protectors for the Nintendo DS' plastic resistive
touchscreen. Admittedly, this was a pretty simple product that anyone who had
access to the infrastructure could produce, so it was kind of inconsequential,
but this interaction gave me the confidence to purchase my first mass-produced
arcade stick, the Hori Real Arcade Pro 3 (which I immediately disassembled and
reconstructed with other aftermarket parts, but I digress).
"Mini Pad" is a line of more generic controller designs that aim to be smaller and
cheaper but still (nearly) fully featured. The first of these was for the N64, and
it consolidated the iconic (albeit confusing) 3-prong design to a more tradtional
2 handle form factor. For the PS4, the Mini Pad omits wireless connectivity, the
"Light Bar" (an RGB LED indicator) and the onboard speaker that was largely reserved
for occasional gimmicks, and replaces the trackpad/touchpad with a button used in
combination with the analog sticks to simulate gesture inputs.
"Mini Pad" is a line of more generic controller designs that aim to be smaller
and cheaper but still (nearly) fully featured. The first of these was for the
N64, and it consolidated the iconic (albeit confusing) 3-prong design to a
more tradtional 2 handle form factor. For the PS4, the Mini Pad omits wireless
connectivity, the "Light Bar" (an RGB LED indicator) and the onboard speaker
that was largely reserved for occasional gimmicks, and replaces the
trackpad/touchpad with a button used in combination with the analog sticks to
simulate gesture inputs.
These are fantastic trade-offs for the competitive offline player who needs to carry
their controller around between PS4s to play matches. The sheer pocketability of this
controller makes it far more convenient than nearly anything else on the market. The
only problem I had with this controller was the hardwired connector, so I spliced
some cables and pulled out the soldering iron to make the USB cable that goes
between the controller and the game console.
These are fantastic trade-offs for the competitive offline player who needs to
carry their controller around between PS4s to play matches. The sheer
pocketability of this controller makes it far more convenient than nearly
anything else on the market. The only problem I had with this controller was
the hardwired connector, so I spliced some cables and pulled out the soldering
iron to make the USB cable that goes between the controller and the game
console.
I own two of these, one in generic dark blue, as well as this limited edition Dragon
Quest Slime themed one. The Slime controller actually came with buttons that match
the casing, but I elected to swap them out with the original PlayStation coloured
buttons. Not only did I give myself an aesthetic upgrade, I also gave myself a batch
of replacement parts if any of the components on the controller I actually use wear
out (like the conductive rubber pads that actuate the switches).
I own two of these, one in generic dark blue, as well as this limited edition
Dragon Quest Slime themed one. The Slime controller actually came with buttons
that match the casing, but I elected to swap them out with the original
PlayStation coloured buttons. Not only did I give myself an aesthetic upgrade,
I also gave myself a batch of replacement parts if any of the components on
the controller I actually use wear out (like the conductive rubber pads that
actuate the switches).

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@ -6,26 +6,26 @@ tags: [superstar, green]
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Yung Lean's "Unknown Death 2002" (released in 2013) feels like a lifetime ago, but
the influence of internet artists still persists to this day. They made a name for
themselves showcasing their favourite things from their childhood and adolescence
under a layer of aesthetics lifted from a subculture halfway around the world. I
still frequently see people parrot a personally relevant version of the spread
spaced "s a d b o y s" branding/meme/tag.
Yung Lean's "Unknown Death 2002" (released in 2013) feels like a lifetime ago,
but the influence of internet artists still persists to this day. They made a
name for themselves showcasing their favourite things from their childhood and
adolescence under a layer of aesthetics lifted from a subculture halfway around
the world. I still frequently see people parrot a personally relevant version
of the spread spaced "s a d b o y s" branding/meme/tag.
Among the things they (and we, to be honest) loved was Arizona Iced Tea, in
particular, the green tea variant with the green can and the sakura blossoms. The
brand itself got to have a series of moments where their can design was printed on
a variety of merchandise like tote bags and hoodies. The success of this merchandise
has led Arizona to seek out collaborations with streetwear brands to develop even
more merch to sell.
particular, the green tea variant with the green can and the sakura blossoms.
The brand itself got to have a series of moments where their can design was
printed on a variety of merchandise like tote bags and hoodies. The success of
this merchandise has led Arizona to seek out collaborations with streetwear
brands to develop even more merch to sell.
When Adidas first introduced the "Superstar" in the late 60s, it was the first
low-top sneaker made of leather. Soon after, it was adopted by over 75% of players
in the NBA. In the 80s, Run-DMC professed their love of their shoes with three
stripes by wearing them on stage, going against the pop tradition of elaborate
costuming for performances, instead embracing what they chose to wear on the street.
Like the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars before them, the Adidas Superstar has been
cemented as a lifestyle sneaker worn by many even beyond the realm of competitive
sports.
low-top sneaker made of leather. Soon after, it was adopted by over 75% of
players in the NBA. In the 80s, Run-DMC professed their love of their shoes
with three stripes by wearing them on stage, going against the pop tradition of
elaborate costuming for performances, instead embracing what they chose to wear
on the street. Like the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars before them, the Adidas
Superstar has been cemented as a lifestyle sneaker worn by many even beyond the
realm of competitive sports.

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@ -6,9 +6,28 @@ tags: [k680t, black]
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When I buy Cherry MX-compatible mechanical keyboards now, all I look at is what the case looks like, and the physical layout of the keyswitch plate. This is for two reasons: the keyswitches I want in the keyboard aren't available in prebuilt keyboards and the MCUs in prebuilt keyboards aren't reprogrammable. So, in order to use my custom keyswitches and ensure the keyboard can be programmed to support the custom keyboard layouts I've grown accustomed to, I wire the switches into a matrix by hand, so that I can wire them to a reprogrammable MCU, such as an Arduino board.
When I buy Cherry MX-compatible mechanical keyboards now, all I look at is what
the case looks like, and the physical layout of the keyswitch plate. This is
for two reasons: the keyswitches I want in the keyboard aren't available in
prebuilt keyboards and the MCUs in prebuilt keyboards aren't reprogrammable.
So, in order to use my custom keyswitches and ensure the keyboard can be
programmed to support the custom keyboard layouts I've grown accustomed to, I
wire the switches into a matrix by hand, so that I can wire them to a
reprogrammable MCU, such as an Arduino board.
This layout is nearly perfect to me. In addition to the compact qualities of a traditional 60% keyboard are dedicated arrow keys and a 4-key navigation cluster, which I have mapped to "Print Screen", "Delete", "Page Up", and "Page Down". My only gripe as a Mac user are the Windows-style left modifier keys that aren't far enough to the right, making them slightly less ergonomic to use.
This layout is nearly perfect to me. In addition to the compact qualities of a
traditional 60% keyboard are dedicated arrow keys and a 4-key navigation
cluster, which I have mapped to "Print Screen", "Delete", "Page Up", and
"Page Down". My only gripe as a Mac user are the Windows-style left modifier
keys that aren't far enough to the right, making them slightly less ergonomic
to use.
I found this particular keyboard on Taobao listed for 50% off because the wireless functionality wasn't working, which was perfect for me, because I didn't need the existing MCU (or wireless functionality) anyways. I took it apart when I got it and loaded it up with my Huano D-shaped tactile bump switches and soldered together a matrix (along with resistors to prevent electronic interference across simultaneously pressed keys, enabling N-key rollover. I wired the matrix to a Teensy-LC board and set up a customized firmware in QMK with my desired layout features.
I found this particular keyboard on Taobao listed for 50% off because the
wireless functionality wasn't working, which was perfect for me, because I
didn't need the existing MCU (or wireless functionality) anyways. I took it
apart when I got it and loaded it up with my Huano D-shaped tactile bump
switches and soldered together a matrix (along with resistors to prevent
electronic interference across simultaneously pressed keys, enabling N-key
rollover. I wired the matrix to a Teensy-LC board and set up a customized
firmware in QMK with my desired layout features.