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?