archivey bits

American Apparel vs Uni Qlo

We all know that too many people love American Apparel. But why? What is it that draws 15 year old kiddies and the last few nu-ravers to kit themselves in head-to-toe A.A. spandex and lycra? All it is is a big American (hint’s in the name) company taking over our high streets and our wardrobes, and draining our bank accounts.

By draining, we mean a landslide of funds from your last 4 birthdays disappearing in one bout of retail therapy. Why buy plain black socks from American Apparel when you get the same socks for £2.50 at your local M&S? Maybe it’s the novelty, but these aren’t just socks, these are M&S socks.

However it’s not a high end supermarket we prefer, it’s Uni Qlo. Better name, for starters, and a flagship store built to look like a rocket. And did I mention they’re Japanese? I love them. And their clothes. Especially the killer sales. And plus, even when they’re not in the sale, the clothes are worth every single penny – they have UV shield fabric. Case settled.

Dayglo Poster vs Streetpeeper.com

Everybody loves someone with amazing fashion sense. If that’s you, people like looking at you, people want to look like you, people in general would be quite happy slinging your wardrobe into a bin bag and running off into the night, never to be seen wearing those trackies again.

Some people are so devoted to documenting citizens worldwide with such panache that they began projects to show the slightly less fashion forward of us how it’s done. Such photographic records of streetstyle include streetpeeper.com, with snappers based in all major cities, and Dayglo Poster, Brighton’s own flickr project in association with Don’t Panic. You decide the best, but the latter just proves that a Brightonian can never go wrong!

Department of Eagles ... from the issue in November 08. we're revisiting this one because, really, they're an epic band. and they were in skins!

“But I tried so hard; no one does it like you” hum, harmonise and sing Fred and Daniel, the two (two!) musical extraordinaires behind Department of Eagles on their second album, In Ear Park, released October 7th on 4AD. Full of whimsical melodies, reminiscent lyrics and a bell-laden sprinkling of ethereal vocals, these two new Yorkers create curiously charming songs to tap your foot, hum and smile to. Perfect warm, melodic tunes to warm, melodic tunes to heat up your soul in the cold, wet months ahead! Yes, Department of Eagles, no one does it like you.
Myspace.com/deptofeagles