Cavs Fan Guide: Stylish Threads for the Finals

one of one, I'm good with those odds #TheLand #ShipToCLE #SeekNoApproval

A photo posted by Omar "O" Z. M (@officialozm) on Apr 17, 2016 at 2:54pm PDT

The NBA Finals are no time to let your style slack — especially if you’re sitting courtside. With the national media spotlight and a dose of celebs hitting town for the Cavs’ home games, we talk to Omar Madhun, who owns sneaker and fashion reseller Ship to CLE, about some tips for stunting (showing off) in style.

Hat Trick: Madhun recommends starting at the top with Tackma’s suede-brimmed Cleveland Cap ($65). The hat features the brand’s signature lightning-shaped T logo, but in Cavalier-inspired colors. The cap itself is navy blue, while the logo is buttery gold outlined in wine. “The quality speaks for itself, and it’s affordable,” Madhun says. The cap is also a statement piece at Cavs game, he says. One of the brands’ founders has ties to Cleveland, and LeBron James, J.R. Smith and Tristan Thompson have all publicly sported it. “Especially in Cleveland, you can’t go wrong,” Madhun says.

Time Travel: Although there is plenty of limited-edition NBA Finals gear hitting the shelves right now, Madhun recommends rocking vintage-looking Cavalier threads. “That vintage look just beats out that new style,” Madhun says. Whether you had it buried in the closet from the ‘90s or you picked it up at a secondhand retailer is inconsequential. But for those like Madhun, who is 23, choosing the vintage route evinces a certain level of fandom. “It conveys that you’ve been a fan for a good amount of time, even if you’re young,” he says. “They assume this guy is serious if he went out of his way to buy a jacket that’s older than him.”

Bottomed Out: While narrowing down the perfect pants can be tricky because it’s slightly dependent on what you’re wearing up top, Madhun says it would be hard to miss with a pair of Nike Tech Fleece joggers ($100). They’re comfortable, stylish and most importantly, help show off your sneakers (don’t worry, we’re getting to those next). But Madhun says if you're torn between two options — one that goes better with your top and the other with your kicks — choose the former. “I wouldn’t stretch to make the shoe look good,” he says. If you’ve got top-notch soles, “people are still going to notice them.”

Kick It: The shoes take your look to the next level. Madhun’s recommendation is any pair of Nike’s Kyrie Irving line, especially the first version. But if you’re going to go with the newer Kyrie 2s, make it the exclusive Krispy Kreme edition ($165 through NikeID). “Those are super hot right now,” Madhun says. “They’ve been a hit throughout the playoffs.” Prompted to choose, Madhun says go with Kyries over LeBron James’ signature Nike shoe because they look better in a casual setting. Oh, and Madhun says please be sure to leave your Under Armour Steph Currys at home. Hopefully, that’s a no-brainer.

LeBron James and Nike Unveil New LeBron 12 Shoes

I like the hummingbird.

In Nike’s world, it’s the Instinct, one of seven LeBron 12 color schemes introduced to the world Tuesday. A mix of purple and black with orange and teal accents, it shimmers a little, like the feathers of the tiny bird.

It’s not exactly the first — or second, or third, or 12th — animal you’d associate with King James. (Of course, Nike has that one covered too. In red, white and black, it’s known as the Heart of a Lion and will be the version LeBron will wear most often during the upcoming Cavs season.)

Of course, you’ve probably never thought of your sneakers the way the folks at Nike do — or even the way collectors and basketball junkies obsess over them.

Serious science goes into making sports gear like this. The Nike Sports Research Lab started in 1980 and has collected more than 30 years worth of data on athletes, performance and equipment.

“We’re at the intersection between the science of human performance and the science of the products we build,” says Matt Nurse, senior director of Nike Sport Research Lab.

“We have maybe the largest sports knowledge database in the world.”

That also means they likely know more about the science of LeBron than just about anyone else. His power, speed, agility, explosiveness. It’s all there.

All those characteristics are in the new LeBron 12 too.

One of the biggest changes starts right at the bottom, where five hexagonal-shaped Nike Zoom Air bags look like some updated version of the ‘80s game Simon. In the past, that cushioning and energy return system was a single piece. Now, it has been placed strategically to map the pressure points in the foot while playing. 

And while it’s easy to start getting geeky about the advances in the LeBron 12 — breathable Megafuse construction (the stuff that looks like black and purple mesh) and Hyperposite wings (which adds strength and support without sacrificing flexibility) — I like the Instinct because it’s unexpected. The Instinct also embodies my favorite part about LeBron as a basketball player: his vision, his awareness and his decision-making. It’s the part I’ve missed most since he’s been gone.

The science guys know LeBron’s vision tested at 20/20. They determined that he can release a 40 mph pass in 0.18 seconds, less than half the time it takes to blink an eye.

The Nike designers know a little about him too. So sure, a hummingbird.

“Hummingbirds see so well. They see better than humans,” says Kevin Dodson, Nike’s senior product line manager for basketball footwear. “They’re insanely quick. As they see, they can react, instantaneously.”

But even with that kind of vision, LeBron didn’t quite get the hummingbird idea at first, either. “He was like, ‘You guys are crazy. You guys are out of control,’ ” says Dodson. “But once we started to tell him about it, he was like, ‘I’m in. I love it.’ ”

So peek under Lebron’s name on the tag, and you’ll find a feather designed in oranges and purples. The bird appears in a teal hexagon on the heel tag. It’s all in there. 

But mostly, I like the Instinct because I’m glad LeBron’s all-in here.

Release Dates:

LeBron 12 NSRL Oct. 1 in China, Oct. 11 globally

Heart of a Lion Oct. 30

Dunk Force Nov. 11

Instinct Nov. 22

Six Meridians Nov. 29

Trillion Dollar Man Dec. 1

Data Dec. 20

The LeBron 12 is also available for customization on nike.com/nikeid, beginning Oct. 6.


By Steve Gleydura

The well-dressed, well-heeled man

Recently I have received comments from my male readers expressing their feeling of neglect. I have heard you loud and clear, therefore this post is just for the male fashion followers. I as watched the runway shows of NY fashion week and scoured over the pages of several popular men's magazines and clothing websites, three menswear trends have completely taking over. First, the gray wool suit- it is super versatile and can be worn in both casual and formal settings. Depending on the weight of the fabric, a gray suit can be worn year round and is a timeless classic- a wardrobe must have. It is most appealing when worn with a vividly patterned shirt and bold necktie. The second standout trend are slim fitting shirts in charcoal gray, black, or army green with military inspired details such as buttoned front pockets and epaulets worn with complementing skinny neckties. Finally, every guy must get a pair of brown dress shoes for fall! Brown shoes offer the most bang for you buck. They can be worn with just about everything (yes, even black and gray) and look far less formal than the basic black shoe. I hope this helps my trend challeged guys and motivates my fashion savvy male readers, never again again shall I neglect either.

Fashionably yours,
Frenchye

Fab Fall Shoes

Here I am entering week four of my "no new summer shoes" challenge and interestingly enough forgoing summer shoe splurges have not been as difficult as I envisioned. I mean sandals are just little strips of leather glued to either a flat sole or platform heel, right? Well not really, but I have to find some sort of comfort in this process. Summer shoes definitely have their appeal however true shoe lovers salivate at the thought of a great pair of fall shoes or boots, especially the boots. As summer quickly moves along I find myself counting down the days to fall and the end of my shoe buying ban so that I can shop for shoes again. The problem is the selection of fab fall shoes and boots that have already hit the retail scene. It has been a true test of wills as I speed fast the shoe department of my fave stores so that I am not overcome by the temptation to stop, look, try, and then buy. As a new fashion mag arrives in my mailbox or online retailers alert me of more fall shoe fabness, my must have list keeps getting longer and longer. Right now here are my top five fall shoe must haves: 1) Ugg Australia 'Lynnea' ankle boot, 2) Sam Edelman 'Sanford' knee boot, 3) Steve Madden 'Harllem' boot, 4) Stuart Weitzman 'Ironlady' bootie, and lastly 5) Christian Louboutin Point-toe pumps. As my shoe list grows, I'm sure the money that I saved by not buying summer shoes will be well spent as I stock up on fall foot luxuries.

Fashionably yours,
Frenchye

To Shoe Or Not To Shoe

I recently did an inventory of my closets (yes, I have more than one) and came to the realization that I have way too many clothes and an obscene number of pairs of shoes. I guess that would be just fine if I actually wore these items but I don't. Many of them I haven't worn for years for one reason or another and dare I shamelessly say forgot that I have a lot of it. Because of this, I have issued myself a challenge: NO NEW SHOES! I am challenging myself to shop in my closet and wear the shoes that I have. I have committed to not buying a new pair of shoes for the entire summer. Now if you love shoes, you know that this will be quite a painful obstacle since shoe divas tend to live, breathe, and dream of shoes. However, I will be strong even as the shoe sale demons taunt me with unbelievable summer clearance sales. I will keep you posted on my progress and hope that you will join my NO NEW SHOES! challenge.

Fashionably yours,
Frenchye

Happy Feet

A car full of new shoes? How can any woman resist? That's the thought at the grand opening of DSW at Crocker Park tonight. One lucky customer will win all the shoes she can throw into a Smart Car in 15 minutes. Just think how many pairs of stilettos, ankle boots and cute little flats that can add up to and how happy your feet will be. And to top it all off, the winner will also have a chance to score the actual car at DSW's Eaton Town Center store in Columbus Nov. 20. Registration for tonight's event starts at 5 p.m. followed by the drawing for the winner at 8 p.m. 

(Photo courtesy Hakimsalleh from Flickr)