READ: T-world Journal

Photos: 1, 2

T-world: The Journal of T-Shirt Culture is the only publication of its kind...in the world (and has been since 2005). Though the official website only offers a short video, T-world's Facebook and Vimeo pages fortunately provide a little bit more info. Based in Australia, the company works "to be proactive in promoting T-shirt labels and artists across the globe." T-world publishes biannually and can be purchased here. It's a t-shirt aficionado's fantasy and worth checking out for anyone with an interest in design and typography.

Below, watch their video featuring some of New York City's most value t-shirt connoisseurs:


T-world 7: New York tee-ser from T-world on Vimeo.

STYLE PEEPING: Soho, NY

Being based in the best-dressed neighborhood in Manhattan definitely has its advantages. In Soho, inspiration is ever-flowing. Store owner and resident photographer, Glen Gosling took to the streets and found quite a few stylish individuals roaming the city. 

A couple that wears cropped pants together, stays together. The denim-on-denim is a plus.

See more after the jump!

WATCH: London 2012 Olympics

If you haven't already heard, The London 2012 Olympic Games begin today (and you might want to leave your rock for it)! For the next three weeks, the best athletes around the world will compete for the elusive gold. We're excited to watch the Opening Ceremonies, even though we'll have to wait until later tonight (thanks, NBC). But, with Danny Boyle as artistic director and Underworld DJ-ing, the event is sure to be must-see television.

Even though there's been controversy over the Team USA x Ralph Lauren uniforms, we're kind of fond of them. Admittedly, they are corny but the red, white, and blue color combo and slim cut blazers and pants are very distinctly Americana. The beret is an unexpected but welcome touch to the outfits.

Ryan Lochte, Bryan Clay, Giuseppe Lanzone, and Heather Mitts modeling the uniforms.

Kevin Durant (OKC Thunder) and Carmelo Anthony (NY Knicks) look quite dapper in this quick Instagram pic

BRANDS TO WATCH: Mercado Global

Photo via MercadoGlobal.com

Currently sold in our Soho store and online is brand Mercado Global. Mercado not only sells hand-crafted bags and accessories, but also has a mission: to break the cycle of poverty within the rural indigenous populations of Latin America. Rather than donating money and hoping that it goes to the right place, they "provide education, tools, and access to international markets so that women can build their own businesses and invest in their own communities." Currently, the brand includes 400 artisans across 30 communities in Guatemala.

Well-made items with a good cause behind them? We're totally for it. 

LISTEN: Gossamer x Passion Pit

The band that just makes us wanna dance is (finally) back! Passion Pit released their sophomore album Gossamer yesterday. From what we've heard of it, the boys have maintained their electro-pop likeability but have matured, delving into different textures and richer layers of sound. Strings of narratives run through the songs as front man Michael Angelakos sings of his family heritage and love, and the seemingly unrestrained joyous music is at the same time grounded by introspection and loneliness. To Passion Pit, this music in all its colorful buoyancy is what keeps them, as people, afloat.

Too broke to purchase the album? Listen to the free stream via NPR while you can or watch their live performance of hit single "Take a Walk" below.

 

Passion Pit's Gossamer tour begins August 2nd at Lollapolooza and runs through November 6th. Click for concert dates and tickets.

JUST IN: Herschel Backpacks and More

Lately, it seems as though new items just are pouring in! Below are some of our faves.

We're in love with the striped Settlement backpack. Prefer something more neutral? Try the khaki version, made from canvas.

This red Woodlands Backpack provides the perfect pop of color. It also comes in black.

Be sure to check out our Nixon watches. Choose from the super-masculine 51-30 in a shiny steel tide or the Kensington Leather, which can be found in both black and brown. And we can't forget, the London clog by Moheda now comes in dark brown!

Four Fashion Startups To Watch

Fashion is an industry driven by change and the never-ending search for the Next New Thing. So it's no surprise that we've embraced social media and start-ups, and they in turn, have embraced us. From style bloggers to Pinterest accounts, social media continues to change the way we shop, dress, and stay in style. Here's a list of four fashion-based start-ups we're keeping on eyes on right now:

Snapette: Users "snap" photos of clothing, shoes, and accessories at brick & mortar shops on their smart phones, sharing them with other members--think real life Pinterest. Those who seek items can browse through photos posted by users, brands, and retailers to find desired products in nearby stores. It's a cool and convenient way to localize your shopping experience.

Shoptiques: This website brings the best boutiques in the world to the online marketplace. Shop by neighborhood, trend, or within item categories (clothing, bags, shoes, accessories) to find one-of-a-kind pieces from local boutiques across the country. And guess who's going to be on it soon? Duh.

Svpply: A website that refers to itself as "a curated collection of the world's best products and stores" must be quality, right? And that it is. Svpply (pronounced "Supply") allows users to window shop with ease, browsing and collecting links to clothing, artwork, books, music, movies, home goods, and more. Their streamlined aesthetic focuses on quality over trends--great for lovers of brands like Saturdays, Rachel Comey, and Herschel.

Pose: This app makes it easy to document outfits from day-to-day and allows instantaneous gratification in the form of "loves" (similar to a "like" on Facebook) from other users. When posting a photo, it's easy to tag the items in the ensemble, allowing followers to seek the same pieces for their own wardrobe. So to those of you who post outfits religiously to Twitter and Instagram, maybe it's time to try this app on for size?

JUST IN: Spitfire Sunnies and Fail Jewelry

We've got new items from Spitfire, Fail Jewelry (and much more) both in our store and online.

Spitfire always offers hip frames.

Get funky with these Lovejoy Clip-On Sunglasses. Or try them without the clip-on if you're not so daring.

See more from Spitfire and Fail after the jump!

Twelve Sites We Love (and You Will, Too!)

Many of us here at Flying A are notorious internet surfers, and we're always on the look out for something new and exciting. So just for you, we've compiled a list of some of our latest favorite blogs and websites. From fashion to music and random GIFs, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

Mike and Gabriel from Cup of Couple

Fashion & Style

• Style Blogger: Daniel Trepinar and his team make menswear look effortless. Every guy should want to be them...or at least dress like them.    
• The Fashion Bomb: This site definitely lives up to its motto "all urban fashion, all the time." The Fashion Bomb provides daily fashion news, style inspiration, and more with a multicultural perspective, focusing on women of color. The bright layout can be a little overwhelming, but the on-point content more than makes up for it.  
• Closet Freaks: Anthony and Dustin are the ultimate power couple. Adorable AND well-dressed.  
• Cup of Couple: Mike and Gabriel are Madrid's answer to Anthony and Dustin. Their style and gorgeous website are both graphic designer approved. 
• Honestly WTF: Our bread & butter of style blogs, Honestly WTF offers constant inspiration on all things design as well as DIY tutorials we can't wait to try.

News, Culture & Lifestyle

• Gawker: We love the witty editorial commentary as well as the sometimes intelligent, sometimes obnoxious comment section--it's the black hole of the interwebz.
• Paper Magazine: This site serves as a wonderful supplement to the printed mag. It's well written, nice to look at, and we can't get enough of their GIF roundups.  
• We The Urban: A highly successful online publication "dedicated to everything related to culture." Did we mention that it's run by a seventeen-year-old...from North Carolina of all places? Tavi, watch out!

Music

• Hype Machine: The easiest way to keep up with what's new in the indie music world, Hype Machine lets you curate playlists from songs aggregated from various music blogs. Our only complaint was the high concentration of bad mash-ups/remixes, but they've recently conveniently added a "No Remixes" option. A big thanks! 

Miscellaneous

• My Life Through Kristen Wiig: Because we can't imagine living in a world where one does not relate their life moments to Kristen Wiig GIFs
• Text From Dog: How we'd imagine conversations with our resident dog, Travis.
• Tattoologist: We're not the only ones inspired by gorgeous tattoos, right?
• Mammoth and Company:  An online art gallery run by a group of talented artists. Choose from photography, paintings/illustration, mixed media, landscapes, animals, vintage, and modern.
 

LISTEN: Channel Orange x Frank Ocean

After coming out as bisexual on his Tumblr last week, Frank Ocean released his first album, Channel Orange much earlier than expected. Last night, my Twitter timeline exploded; this new CD seemed to be all that anyone could talk about. Many of my followers (broke college students, such as myself) vowed to purchase Channel Orange, rather than scouring the internet for a free (read: illegal) download. I hadn't seen such an outpouring of support since the Kanye West classic My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. If that's not proof enough, it's already #1 on iTunes. Yes, he's that good. If you're too broke/stingy, listen to the free stream here (don't worry he released it himself!) and while you're at it, download Ocean's 2011 mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra. 

Still not convinced? Then peep Frank's performance of "Bad Religion" on Jimmy Fallon from this past Monday.

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A First Look at Rihanna's "Styled to Rock"

For those of you who haven't heard, pop sensation and celebrity style icon, Rihanna, will be launching a televised fashion competition (because, you know, there are never enough of those) in August. On "Styled to Rock," burgeoning fashion talents will face off, with hopes of designing for the star. Lysa Cooper, Henry Holland, and Nicola Roberts will serve as mentors while Ms. Fenty oversees the contest. The show airs exclusively in the UK and seems interesting to say the least. We'll probably take the time to watch an episode or two for a dose of Ri-Ri's crazy/amazing style and antics.

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL: An Interview with Felicity Stiverson of Wish by Felicity

New in the store are necklaces from Wish by Felicity, a brand of handcrafted jewelry made right here in New York City. Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with the designer, Felicity Stiverson about the history behind her vintage-inspired pieces. (She's wearing one in the above photo.) Read the interview after the jump!

WHAT TO WEAR: Fourth of July

Like many of you reading, we're off to celebrate the Fourth of July! Luckily, we thought to que up a post to help those who may find themselves sartorially challenged when it comes to celebrating US Independence. The key is to keep it simple and to stick to red, white, and blue. Whether you plan to attend a barbeque, see the fireworks, or just chillax with a few friends, these fits we've assembled with serve as a guide to help you through patriotic dressing, if only for a day.

You can't go wrong with shorts and a v-neck!

Ladies, less is more...except when it comes to piling on funky bracelets! Tie the outfit together with metallic shoes; they serve as a neutral to balance the bright red and blue.

Outfit: Boxy Tee by Hope, Fifty Five Colors Shorts by Joe's Jeans, Leather Sandals by Sophia Costas

Accessories: Brown Sunglasses w/ Gold Clip-On by Spitfire, Red/White/Blue/Gray Bracelets by Gypsy Story

Dudes, a lighter blue short and darker red accessory allow you to look patriotic without overdoing it.
Outfit: Deep V-Neck Burnout T-Shirt by Yoko Loko, Cotton Chino Shorts by Scotch and Soda, Slim Oxford II by Palladium
Accessories: Time Teller Watch by Nixon, Lovejoy Sunglasses by Spitfire

If you like some of these pieces, the shop will be open again on Thursday and remember that our webstore is always open. Happy Fourth, everyone!

Keep It (Eco) Friendly on Etsy

Flying A <3s Etsy! The site makes it so easy to find and support handmade and vintage sellers with eco-friendly agendas. While perusing the website today, we discovered some lovely brands that offer environmentally sound products which totally fit into the Flying A aesthetic.

Pippi Hepburn provides trendy vegan leather bags in a variety of silhouettes and colors. 

This foldover carryall provides a rusty pop of color to an otherwise basic shape. If you'd rather go neutral, you can find the bag in both brown and stone. Prefer metallics? They have gold and silver, too!

See more after the jump!