Aloha Kicks Fit: Would This Work?
Would have to wait until 2024 for this combination but would this pairing work?
Guardians of the Galaxy Reyn Spooner shirt (available now).
Nike Foamposites “Galaxy” supposedly coming back in 2024.
sneakers
Waiting for the Wie Waves
As Michelle Wie West winds down her competitive days with the LPGA, she’s wearing personalized Air Jordan 1 High “Waves” golf shoes in her last US Open. The design is kinda out there, but there are a lot of ties to Michelle’s life represented.
According to Michelle’s Instagram post, these shoes should have released on “Wednesday,” but no specific Wednesday was specified. Will have to keep watching for them.
Aloha Kicks Fit: Up Next…
Not even two weeks since I picked up the South Park aloha shirt from Reyn Spooner did they release another banger. This time, it’s small kid time memories with Ultraman. While I was more of a Kamen Rider and Kikaida fan, Ultraman as a design for an aloha shirt? It’s a must have.
But what shoes would I pair with this sagebrush reverse print? In some ways, the chutney colorway of the KITH x New Balance 998 Frank Lloyd Wright shares similar hues of red, greens, and tan.
But since I already have the apricot colorway, I don’t have this chutney variation. Based on color name similiarity alone, there’s the Joe Fresh Goods and New Balance 993 Performance Art.
But this sage color way is more green than blue/teal of the aloha shirt design. The Arctic Blue colorway is a closer match but still not quite right. The search for matching kicks continues…
Maybe the Salehe Bembury Water Be Thy Guide NB2002R?
Aloha Kicks Fit: South Park x KITH NB
My most recent aloha shirt and kicks outfit is this South Park design from Reyn Spooner paired with a KITH New Balance Frank Lloyd Wright collab. The New Balance is in the orange/apricot colorway.
Here’s the unfiltered view in bad lighting, followed by an IG filtered version.
I think the orange and green hues of the shoes pair nicely with the South Park crew.
Back to the Beginning
Nike and Jordan Brand are taking us back to the beginning where it all fatefully began with the release of the Air Jordan 1 Chicago colorway.
This shoe is the one that birthed a new genre of sneakerheads with a young MJ redefining the shoe game on the hardcourt.
I’m pretty sure I picked up my unexpected pair at Arakawas in the heart of Waipahu. Yes, Arakawas by the sugar mill smokestack.
I don’t remember much about the store anymore except that it had lots of odds and ends and a weird store layout (I remember stairs to the second floor??), and amongst the oddities, I found the white pair of Air Jordan 1s. I’m pretty sure the cost was $60 or $65 which at time was a lot to pay for shoes. Fortunately, I got a pair though it might have been too big with not all sizes available.
So fast forward to November 19, 2022 with Nike timewarpping us back to 1985 with a re-imagined Air Jordan 1 that’s supposed to mimic the original shoe found in the depths of a storeroom, forgotten all these decades. And if Arakawas were still here today, I have no doubt this situation could actually happen.
While generally available to the public on November 19, Nike is giving long time members a chance at an early purchase:
Exclusive Access will provide some of our most dedicated SNKRS Members the opportunity to purchase the Air Jordan 1 ‘Chicago’. The offers will go out to a selection of Members who have entered and lost at least 20 different Air Jordan 1 High releases on SNKRS.
While nothing is guaranteed, I’m hoping my Nike membership since 2001 offers a slight advantage.
Nike x CNCPTS x Reyns x Godzilla
Totally unplanned but totally meant to be – collaboration with Nike, CNCPTS, Reyn Spooner, and Godzilla!
Nike and Concepts Air Max 1 in the “Heavy” colorway paired with the Reyn Spooner Godzilla aloha shirt from the Japan Series. Both limited editions, and both sold out.
While I didn’t plan for this pairing, obviously it was meant to be.
Posted in @reynspooner IG story.
I Am Drawn to This #6
This is the Yeezy 350v2 MX Rock.
This colorway released a few days ago on December 22, 2021 and was heavily overshadowed by the restock of the Belugas (though reflective). This black-based Yeezy features a mixture of organic-looking swirls of colors which freshens up this overplayed silhouette. I was not able to get my size unfortunately but can admire this shoe from afar thanks to Elliot Page’s YT review.
Travis Be Trolling
Travis Scott is just playing mind games at this point. Around 7am HST, his site launched clothing and merchanise. One hour later, I’m still in queue to checkout.
I know all those items are out of stock, but that checkout queue is/was seriously busted.
But…
If you try to buy other pre-order items, Hawaii residents will most likely get this warning.
In that particular cart, I had shorts. But if you buy a single tee (or a cap), it does ship to Hawaii using USPS at $5.90. However, if you only want these lighter-weight items, then buy them individual up to $40 in total shipping because if you have two tees in cart (for example), shipping changes to UPS at $40.
So you could buy six individual light items can still be below the multicart checkout shipping rate.
Now the big question is – if a Hawaii resident wins the Travis Fragment AJ1 Low, will these heavy items ship to Hawaii?
Please stop trolling Hawaii residents, Mr. Scott.
Sharing Off White Dunk Episode 1
Just for a measure of good luck, I’m sharing the first episode that introduces the upcoming Off White take on the classic Dunk.
Via Nike? SNKRS:
My Next Running Shoe
My next running shoe started with this IG post.
Finding this shoe wasn’t that straightforward since it’s not widely available. It was sold out on Brooks, and Dicks Sporting Goods would charge shipping to Hawaii. But a Google search found this available on Zappos, and Zappos offers an educational discount. Yes, kinda expensive, but I haven’t had recent luck with Nike running shoes.
The React Infinity Run 2 has been a disappointment in its second rendtion. The very first React Run was absolutely great but another colorway oddly wasn’t as good. I returned the Pegasus 38 since it was nothing special. Most recently, I got the Invincible Run, but that foam stack feels so unstable. It’s extremely cushioned but I get the sensation that I could topple over merely walking in them.
So I’m gonna give these Brooks Aurora-BL a chance based on this performance review and hope this Brooks combination of design, tech, and materials is right for me.
These Are the New Nike Hawaii Dunks
Releasing on Friday, April 23, 2021, are these Nike SB Dunk High Pro themed after Hawaii.
This island-inspired SB Dunk High features a traditional floral print to capture Hawaiian vibes—but that’s not all. The first layer of material tears away over time, revealing surprises that further contribute to the shoe’s oceanside motif, including shaggy green suede and a palm tree print.
From SNKRS.
While I like the nod Nike has given to Hawaii, I’m personally not feeling the “Hawaii” vibe of these Dunks. Even though the insole features artwork of volcanoes and nene goose, the design of the upper reminds me of a bad aloha shirt. I mean that pattern doesn’t scream aloha crisp to me. Now if the shoe featured a reverse print Reyn Spooner design, then the it’d be ready for the streets of Hawaii.
But then again, these “Maui Wowie” are made for 420 (but not dropping on April 20th), so I guess the inspiration of the design isn’t meant for the general audience. Of course, I’ll try for the Hawaii Dunks on SNKRS (at 4am HST), and it would be nice if Nike gave preference to those who live in the Aloha State. How about a local SNKRS Stash/Pass at the old Niketown location in Waikiki?
Images of the under layer can be seen in this post.
