On’s Cloud running shoes prove that chocolate isn’t the only superior product coming out of Switzerland. The company’s three Swiss co-founders produced their first shoe design in early 2010, and within 18 months, On could be found in running stores in 18 countries. After I stepped foot in the Cloud for the first time, I understood why On shoes are becoming so popular. The Cloud is one of the company’s newest additions, and the most lightweight. It looks sleek and performs magnificently as an everyday running shoe. More than anything I was impressed by the shoe’s incredible comfort. After several runs and some full days on my feet in the Clouds, I couldn’t spot a single thing I didn’t like about the shoe.

OUTSOLE

The Cloud’s outsole is made with Zero-Gravity foam. The patented CloudTec sole sports eight sets of rectangular segments, each with a horizontal aperture that is widest at the shoe’s center (9 cm) and decreases in size towards the front of the shoe, with the smallest at 5 cm. On calls these segments “Cloud-Pods” and they serve two purposes: 1. To cushion the foot when it hits the ground by compressing vertically and, 2. To allow the foot to use the ground as a firm surface to power off from when the Clouds are compressed. The segmented pattern also allows the shoe to bend easily and move naturally with the foot’s configuration.

I was very impressed with how easily the shoe moved with my foot in all directions. The paired segments are split by a deep central channel that gives the shoe incredible flexibility in a medial-lateral direction. All segments have horizontal grooves for grip, and the very back and front Clouds are topped with a rubber for solid traction when the heel and front foot are in contact with the ground. The shoe performed well on wet roads, but I cannot testify to the traction on muddy or leaf-littered surfaces.

MIDSOLE

The Cloud boasts a minimal neutral midsole; the 16 Cloud-Pods of the outsole attach to a full-length EVA Speedboard with anterior-posterior cuts that let the sole respond to the foot and distribute force to all pods. This terrific design cuts out the need for a bulky midsole that would compromise the mass of the Cloud.

Some arch support is noticeable, but more than anything, the upper wraps around the arch, angling in at the strobel board. This is one of my favorite characteristics of the shoe because it is what makes the overall fit of the shoe so comfortable.

The Cloud has an impressively small drop (6 mm) from heel to forefoot. The sock liner is about 6 mm and is sturdy without compromising flexibility. The liner also has grooves at the forefoot, arch, and some that encircle the heel. The hard strobel board below runs the length of the shoe.

UPPER

A substantial part of the upper is made from breathable mesh that is still dense enough to keep out nuances like pebbles and dirt. The toe box is contoured with a felt fabric that also extends to the four extra lace loops. The shoe doesn’t have a lot of vertical space in the toe box but the outsole is so flexible, the shoe moves easily with the toes. The toe box is suitably wide enough to give my toes just enough room to spread out as far as they’ll go.

The tongue is its own piece; it attaches at the toe box but it’s gusseted, attaching near the shoe’s collar. It’s made with a perforated felt on the dorsal side and a soft fabric ventrally that feels very comfortable when going barefoot.

Beginning at the arch and extending to the heel is a tough, wear-resistant overlay to which the laces attach. It’s sturdier than the mesh at the forefoot and helps to retain the shoe’s shape. The collar is made with the same soft fabric as the underside of the tongue and it extends on both sides of the inside shoe to the midfoot.

Instead of an individual heel counter, the shoe has shaft enforcements around the entire heel that help to support foot placement within the shoe. A flexible heelstrap drapes around the posterior upper, extending 10 cm on either side of the shoe. It’s meant to adapt to the foot’s movements, while still providing support for foot placement.

On symbol reflectors are located at the tip of the toe box, at the heel, and on the lateral and medial sides of the arch.

The shoes come fitted with an easy-entry lacing system, but a pair of typical laces can be found in the box if you are looking for a tighter or more individual fit. Four additional lace loops on the anterior part of the shoe allow you to create a tighter fit at the forefoot.

FIT

As a minimal shoe, the Cloud hugs the foot just the right amount. My feet are pretty average and I love how the shoe feels like it was made specifically for me. It’s wide and tight at just the right places so sizing was spot on for my feet. This seems like a great shoe option for those with narrower feet, especially because of the slightly pinched upper at the arch.

RIDE

When it comes to cushioning, the Cloud lives up to its name. It provides great cushioning but still allows the foot to feel and power off the ground. Despite being a minimalist shoe, I was impressed at the number of hours I could spend on this shoe without having aching feet. I am prone to developing blisters in snug shoes so I was unsure what to expect when I took the Cloud on longer runs or on my hilly route. Despite the slightly tighter fit, I had absolutely no problems with the shoe on either run. The shoe performed so well on my runs, I wore it on long days at work that require me to remain active on my feet all day.

OVERALL

My runs with the Clouds were very enjoyable. I used them mainly for short recovery, hill, and long training runs. I was impressed at its versatility in suiting my needs during all of these runs.  The Cloud has more going on than your typical minimalist shoe, but without compromising flexibility or weight. The US women’s size 7 Cloud weighs an impressive 5.8 ounces and retails for $110. In the shoebox you will even find an owner card with your personalized Owner ID that you can use to register your shoes on their website. The On Cloud is an equally terrific investment for veteran or rookie minimalist runners.

The fashion industry is in crisis at the moment. Designers far and wide are talking of a broken system, while many labels – including Burberry, Gucci, Vetements and Public School – have recently announced that they’ll be merging their men’s and women’s collections together, in spite of the traditional calendar that keeps them separate.

On the outset, it makes perfect sense – fashion shows are expensive, and the lines between men’s and women’s clothing are getting blurrier by the day. However, any shift to the fashion schedule is bound to have huge ramifications on the people working in the industry – mainly for the buyers who keep stores stocked with clothes and the editors who keep publications filled with eye candy and reading material.

I hit up a few friends and associates to find out what their thoughts are on this latest development to the fashion industry’s current growing pains. Jian DeLeon is Highsnobiety‘s editor-at-large and trend forecasting agency WGSN’s resident #menswear expert, Eliza Brooke is a Senior Reporter for women’s publication Racked, and Jill Wenger is the founder and CEO of unisex concept boutique Totokaelo.

How do you feel about the merging of men’s and women’s shows? Is it a good thing?

Jill Wenger, Founder & CEO, Totokaelo: It seems to be becoming necessary in order to keep up with various collections and deliveries. As a buyer, the efficiency of combined markets is nice. I imagine there will be more overlap in concept and fabrics between mens and women’s collections, so that the runway presentation is cohesive. It aligns with the gender bending that’s happening in retail stores, too.

Eliza Brooke, Senior Reporter, Racked: I think for a brand like Gucci, merging men’s and women’s shows makes a ton of sense aesthetically. Alessandro Michele has both men and women wearing things like pussy bows, transparent lace shirts, and colorful floral suits, so a joint show is only going to emphasize his take on androgynous dressing. (And, as a side note, I think it’s dope that Michele’s version of androgyny skews toward more traditionally “feminine” styles, since in so many cases androgynous dressing means women dressing more “masculine.” I think overturning the assumption that male is always the default is great.) For other brands, a merged show might not be quite as visually (or philosophically) impactful, but could be useful in saving money, since runway shows can be incredibly expensive — which is a particular challenge for younger brands.

Jian DeLeon, Editor-at-Large, Highsnobiety & WGSN:  It was bound to happen eventually. Fashion, at its best, is reflective of a society’s values, and pushes culture toward an aspirational place. It’s why a lot of the designers deemed influential or “good” have created provocative work that evokes emotions on either end of the spectrum. It’s why I love when people who aren’t into fashion are like “What the hell am I looking at?” – because that means it’s working. The last thing that envelope-pushing designers should want to be is safe.

And when you look at the progress society has made in the past few years in regards to overall awareness of trans and LGBQT culture, it’s really kind of amazing. The Internet has helped that. Celebrities like Caitlyn Jenner, Lady Gaga, and Laverne Cox have really put it in a new spotlight. I mean, ten years ago, most guys thought fashion was a “gay” thing. And now that’s a very dated point-of-view. I think by now most men realize what you wear or being into designers has no correlation to who you love. It’s more like we pick our favorite designers like we pick our favorite sports clubs. It’s a non-factor.

And the more guys get into clothes, the more we’re willing to experiment with different cuts and silhouettes. Especially for the hobbyists and enthusiasts who always want to find the newest thing. Brands have become like bands in that sense, and we all know what musicians like David Bowie did in terms of blurring lines and smashing social norms.

What potential downsides can you see, if any?

Jill Wenger, Totokaelo: The real design talents will figure out how to make it work.

Eliza Brooke, Racked: I’m curious whether merging men’s and women’s shows would mess with the buying cycle. If Gucci shows men’s and women’s during the womenswear shows in September and February, how does that affect menswear buyers?

Jian DeLeon, Highsnobiety & WGSN: Menswear has always been womenswear’s second banana. I mean, it’s the D-Leagues and the women’s shows are the majors. The menswear industry will never go away, but I can imagine it might be hard to implement on a larger scale, at companies where you have specialized buying and design teams that cater to a specific demographic. But at the end of the day, that’s all logistics. What’s happening to fashion is what’s happened to media and music. You have to learn to adapt or you risk falling by the wayside. It probably happened to this industry late because the truth is, a lot of our manufacturing processes and the means by which we buy, ship, and access our clothes hasn’t changed much in the last few centuries. There have been no technological revolutions in how we make product, only in how we can buy it at the digital level.

Are you noticing men becoming more interested in womenswear? How about the opposite?

Jill Wenger, Totokaelo:  Clothes are clothes are clothes are clothes. I’m not seeing clients acknowledge gender either way. If they like it, they like it.

Eliza Brooke, Racked: I’m not sure that men are becoming more interested in womenswear, but I’d definitely say that women are becoming more interested in menswear — or at least more aware of it. Reporters for more general interest publications can see that the menswear market is growing, so they’re going to write toward that. As a womenswear writer based out of New York, the publications I work at are not necessarily going to fly me out to Europe for the men’s shows, but they will cover NYFW:M in some capacity.

Jian DeLeon, Highsnobiety & WGSN: If you’re a fan of men’s fashion, you probably have some understanding of womenswear. The directional men’s stuff often follows what influential womenswear designers are doing. A lot of guys know who Phoebe Philo is, but probably won’t wear Céline – aside from maybe a pair of sneakers. On the flip side, women have loved men’s clothes from the start. Look at Diane Keaton in Annie Hall, or any woman that’s grown up with sneakers or streetwear culture. These are both predominantly male cultures, but women have always been an intrinsic part of them.

Sweden is one of the world’s most egalitarian countries. And there, designers like Our Legacy and Acne Studios specialize in these androgynous, minimalist silhouettes. But overall, there’s less stigma for a woman to wear a man’s clothes than for a man to wear a woman’s. And when you think about that, it’s kind of silly for there to be a stigma for a guy to wear an androgynous-looking overcoat just because it was made for women.

What do you think of the future of fashion weeks in general?

Jill Wenger, Totokaelo: Fashion weeks mean different things to different people. As a buyer, I end up missing half the shows because I’m in appointments and trying to squeeze in visits to 150+ vendors over the span of 20 days. Having to submit large orders that will impact six months of selling within 24 hours of a three-hour appointment isn’t ideal. In my dream scenario, we would view all the shows one month and submit all our orders the next month!

Eliza Brooke, Racked: With all these change-ups to the fashion calendar, it’s clear that designers are unhappy with the way things are currently working. Future fashion weeks are for sure going to look different, but what exactly it’s going to look like is hard to say. I think brands are just trying out a lot of different formats right now, and some are going to work and some won’t. Everyone’s on one big learning curve together.

Jian DeLeon, Highsnobiety & WGSN: That’s a tough one. Maybe the calendars will merge? That would be a logistical nightmare, though. The point of having separate men’s and women’s shows originally reflected the different retail calendar both markets have. Not to mention, should the weeks merge, travel and hospitality would be a nightmare. As I said before, a lot of larger retailers have specialized teams focusing on a specific market, and I can imagine how insane it would be for a company to have to send say, 20 buyers abroad in one go. I’m interested to see what will happen though.

For more thoughts on the broken fashion system, check out T magazine’s in-depth interview with Vetements’ Demna Gvasalia and Gucci’s Alessandro Michele.

The move toward mixed gender fashion shows is getting a big-name boost — from Gucci. On Tuesday at The New York Times International Luxury conference in Versailles, France, Marco Bizzarri, chief executive of the brand, called for an end to separation of the sexes, or at least to their collections. From 2017, he said, the anchor brand of the Kering group will no longer hold different shows for men’s and women’s wear, but will rather combine the two into a single show, to be held each season.

“Moving to one show each season will significantly help to simplify many aspects of our business,” Mr. Bizzarri said. “Maintaining two separate, disconnected calendars has been a result of tradition rather than practicality.” Men’s wear shows and sales to wholesalers are now held in January and July, and the women’s in September/October and February/March.

The move follows similar announcements from Burberry (which will combine its men’s and women’s shows starting in September), Tom Ford (ditto) and the French brand Vetements (which will have a joint show in January 2017), all geared to close what brands say is a growing, and costly, gap between modern consumer expectations and the traditional fashion system. However, unlike those brands, which have said that they will also immediately sell the clothes they show — or, in Vetements’s case, close to immediately — Gucci does not plan to change its production calendar: It will show clothes that will be available six months later.

Call it show-everything-now/sell-later. It’s more radical than it sounds, because of Gucci’s size (it reported revenue of 3.9 billion euros, or $4.4 billion, in 2015, and has 525 wholly owned stores around the world) and its current position as a trend leader.

“It is really being looked to as a trailblazer in the industry,” said Julie Gilhart, a consultant and the former fashion director of Barneys New York. “That makes this move potentially the most disruptive change yet.”

On its face, unifying men’s and women’s wear makes sense, and not just because most consumers think of men’s and women’s wear as one category (“clothes”). Combining the collections creates obvious efficiencies, most clearly in the cost of a show, which can reach €1 million.

In addition, at a time when men’s and women’s wear are getting ever closer together — with Louis Vuitton putting Jaden Smith in its women’s wear ad campaign in women’s wear, unisex clothing on the rise, and the creative director of Gucci, Alessandro Michele, often including men in his women’s show and vice versa — combining the two underscores the message of a single brand aesthetic across genders.

“It will give me the chance to move towards a different kind of approach to my storytelling,” Mr. Michele said in a statement.

However, there is an institutional and municipal argument against combining the men’s and women’s weeks. Every fashion week city profits, literally and significantly, from playing host to the collections. Each season brings floods of buyers, critics and support staff into each city, providing a financial boon for related industries. According to a 2012 analysis by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, women’s wear weeks there alone have a “total economic impact per year of $887 million.”

No wonder why, in July 2015, New York Fashion Week: Men’s was introduced, following London Collections Men, which made its debut in 2012. (Previously, men’s wear had its own official weeks only in Milan and Paris, along with the Pitti Uomo trade show in Florence.) The first New York men’s week brought 3,000 people to the city.

It is not yet confirmed exactly when the joint Gucci show would take place, but given that men’s wear now accounts for 35 percent of Gucci sales while women’s represents 65 percent, odds are the combined show would take place during the women’s season.

If so, the absence of a brand like Gucci from Milan men’s week could leave a gaping hole in the schedule for many buyers, and, along with the Internet’s ease of access to shows, may create a convincing argument for some buyers and critics not to attend — or at least it may reduce the number who do.

Mr. Bizzarri said Gucci was working closely with the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, the governing body of Milan Fashion Week, but nothing had been decided yet.

According to Carlo Capasa, president of the Camera della Moda, “Given that the calendar situation is always evolving, it is hard to predict if there will be any negative effects.’’ The important thing, he said, is that the Italians “show powerful vitality as a whole” — perhaps (it is possible to imagine) by being the first to shift to a new system.

One striking thing about Gucci’s announcement is how many unresolved questions there are about the logistics.

Would the house, for example, invite men’s and women’s critics to the same show in September? Queried directly, Mr. Bizzarri said he did not know yet.

What would it mean for multibrand boutiques and department stores sending men’s wear buyers to shows in July? Would they send them again in September? “I don’t know,” Mr. Bizzarri said with a laugh, though given that 82 percent of Gucci’s 2015 sales were in their own stores — and that ready-to-wear accounts for only 11 percent of its sales — perhaps it does not matter.

Still, despite all the uncertainty, he said the decision was easy to make. “It just seemed obvious,” he said. “It’s clear something needs to change. Why not start with this?”

It remains to be seen whether other Kering brands like Bottega Veneta, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, all of which show on both the men’s and women’s wear schedules, will follow suit. Right now, the group is treating Gucci as a test case, which may only add to the general confusion.

“It would be one thing if it all changed at once,” Ms. Gilhart said. “But everyone’s going off in different directions. It’s like the wild, wild West.”

I’m a runner who loves ultra lightweight running shoes and ultra soft cushioning. I want to feel like I’m running on clouds and I want my shoe to weigh something in the range of clouds. So I was excited to try the new Nike LunarTempo shoes at a media workout at Mile High Run Club, a treadmill studio in New York City. Nike has billed the Nike LunarTempo as a shoe with “ultralight cushioning for high-speed miles.” The workout at Mile High Run Club would put that tagline to the test.

Nike LunarTempo Shoes

Nike LunarTempo in action. (Photo: Nike)

When I arrived at Mile High Run Club, a locker with my name on it was waiting for me, filled with complimentary running gear, including the new Nike LunarTempo shoes.

How did they fare in one treadmill run? The neutral shoe is a bit like running on clouds.

Nike used their Lunarlon foam midsole, which is indeed one of the cushiest rides in town. I currently wear the Nike Flyknit Lunar2 with Lunarlon. That oh-so-soft landing under the heel is one of my favorite things about that shoe, and the Nike LunarTempo didn’t disappoint.

But this time around, Nike has re-engineered the Lunarlon foam to make it even lighter at 6.2 oz for a women’s size 8, more responsive and just as supportive. After a few short wears, I can confirm that this shoes feels fantastic underfoot if you love a soft ride like I do.

Flymesh and cables (Photo: Nike)

The LunarTempo’s upper is a seamless mesh, dubbed Flymesh, with cables to provide snug support around the arch and midfoot.

The Flymesh doesn’t hug the foot quite as much as Nike’s Flyknit upper, but is still on the supportive side compared to other uppers. Take that as a plus or minus depending on how snugly you like your shoe to hug your foot. Personally, I love that cradled feel of a wrap around my foot. And that mesh is incredibly breathable.

Through the course of a 4-mile treadmill workout, where we changed pace and incline frequently, I loved how responsive the Nike LunarTempo shoes were. As a long-distance update to the Nike LunaRacer, Nike designed these shoes for runners who want to go fast and long, a shoe that can go beyond the track and tempo runs over the long haul.

The women’s Nike LunarTemp (Photo: Nike)

Working with the NBRO run crew in Copenhagen, Nike designers discovered that many of them were logging heavy mileage in Nike LunaRacers, but could use even more support on long runs.

“As always, our source of inspiration is the athlete. After seeing how many runners were using the race shoe for their everyday training, we used the insights as a framework for our design solutions,” said Dave Roulo, senior designer of running footwear. “The shoe was designed to deliver comfort, cushioning, and responsive performance in training.”

Waffle tread (Photo: Nike)

So the flexible and light LunarRacer frame got the updates above, plus a waffle tread to improve traction and impact absorbtion, and carbon rubber in high-wear areas of the outsole for added durability.

On caveat on the Nike LunarTempo: they run a bit small. The toe box has plenty of room side to side, but is just a bit short in my normal size.

I wear women’s size 9 in the other four pairs of Nike shoes I currently own (Air Zoom Pegasus 31, Flyknit Lunar2, Free 3.0 Flyknit, and Free 4.0 Flyknit). The Nike LunarTempo size 9 was just a tad tight in the toes. I’m more of a 9.5 in these. So beware of a short fit. You might want to size up in these.

Other than that, the fit was great everywhere else. The Nike Lunar Tempos were incredibly comfortable and easily handled swift treadmill work. I’ll look forward to testing these more thoroughly on the road.

Nike+ Run Club Workout at Mile High Run Club

Mile High Run Club (Photo: Nike)

I’ve been to a few other Nike+ Run Club workouts—on Manhattan’s West Side highway, in Central Park, at the Niketown store in Midtown, and the iconic Icahn Stadium at Randall’s Island. I’ve come to really enjoy them.

Nike+ Run Club Head Coach Chris Bennett has a wonderful style that’s hard-charging but not too tough, and equal parts motivational and educational. Every time I do one of his workouts, I either learn something or am reminded of something I have forgotten, and have a fantastic run. I leave feeling like I can accomplish anything.

Coach Chris Bennett rocks the mic. (Photo: Nike)

The workout of the night? 12 x 90 second repeats at marathon, 10K, and 5K pace. When I checked in at Mile High Run Club, they asked me my 5K personal best. After some hemming and hawing—I’m not in PR shape!—they handed me a wristband with treadmill paces jotted down for me based on my best 5K time. In the studio, lines of treadmills facing a mirror awaited with towels and water bottles.

Coach Bennett rocked the headphone mic ‘90s style and talked us through the workout, pumping us up when it was time to hit it hard and bringing us down gently when it was time to rest. And as with most Nike+ NYC workouts, the jams were cranking.

I thought this particular workout was the perfect blend of tough but doable. Since our paces were chosen based on 5K race pace, this would be a swift one for me.

Rocking my treadmill workout, and yes, I always wear red lipstick. (Photo: Nike)

Comparatively, I’m a much faster 5K runner than marathoner. My 5K PR is 24:46 at a 7:58 pace. Based on that, I should be able to run a half-marathon in 1:55 and a marathon in 4 hours. Fat chance! I have yet to break 2 hours in a half and my marathon PR is 4:28.

For me, that meant my “marathon” pace in the workout was more like my half-marathon pace in reality. But I was delighted to find that running the easiest intervals at half-marathon pace still felt great. I did the whole workout feeling strong, but not entirely tapped out.

English Gardner joined us for the warm-up and cheered us through the workout. (Photo: Nike)

Nike also brought out 100- and 200-meter specialist English Gardner, who owns a silver medal from the 2013 World Championships in Moscow. “To be a runner, you have to be a little bit crazy,” she told us. You said it, English!

If you want to try out a Nike+ Run Club workout in New York City, they’re free and open to everyone. Check it out at Nike.com.

I attended the 2014 Nike Women’s Half Marathon San Francisco courtesy of Nike as part of a media group. As always, all posts and opinions are purely my own. I’m always honest about my experiences. Seriously. For more information, read my Disclosure policy.

A few years back, I tested the Northwave Extreme road bike shoes and liked them…still ride ’em, in fact. So when the chance to test their lightweight, racy Extreme XC shoes came up, I stepped up. Like the road shoes, the 2014 model (tested…long term review, here) came in a really bright color alongside the standard black. For 2015, the green carries over and they added a sweet angular gray urban camo with bright orange highlights. The Extreme XC model also gained a Velcro strap near the toe and a partnership with Michelin to develop grippier outsole traction pads. Otherwise, the shoes are similar in materials and design, enough so that this review bodes well for the current version, too…

The uppers are a lightweight microfiber. The test models had larger perforations across the toe, the 2015 model gets small pinhole perfs across the sides instead. Both have the small mesh vent on top of the toes.

Despite the narrow Italian look, the shoes are comfortable without constricting the foot. They’re snug, like a racing shoe should be, but not uncomfortably so. A few small mesh vents on the toe and instep combine with a perforated foam tongue to help the feet breathe. During the summer, they never felt hot, probably helped by the light color and thin upper material. In winter, they’re good with thin wool socks to a point, after which there’s not much room inside them for thicker socks so it’s best to switch to a dedicated winter shoe.

Scuff guards on the toe and bottom instep help protect high abrasion areas. They’re thermowelded to the upper, creating a seamless one-piece upper.

The heel cup has a reinforced shape inside the bottom 2/3, then sits high on the achilles tendon with a non-slip fabric to keep your foot firmly planted inside the shoe.

In more than a year of riding, I’ve never had my feet feel like they were going to lift out.

One of the key features unique to their Extreme mountain bike shoes is the narrow, minimalist carbon sole. For 2014 they used Vibram rubber pads in the center section, which saves you when you can’t quite get clipped in and need some traction on the pedals. It also adds a bit of purchase when hiking unrideable sections. For 2015, they switched to a special rubber from Michelin.

Even with a very stiff sole, these shoes are decently walkable, and they run great over barriers and up steep hills for cyclocross.

Both model years use a dual ratchet with a release lever. The ratcheting is smooth, even when covered with mud, but the release lever leaves a lot to be desired. Often, I’d have to tighten them a click while holding then pulling the lever, fiddle with it a bit, and then simultaneously pull the cable out while jiggling it. I didn’t have the same issue with this system on the road shoes, so it’s likely just gummed up, but it does mean it takes an extra 20-30 seconds to get the shoes off. To its credit, the system does keep the foot secure and never accidentally loosened.

Speaking of gumming up, the continuous strip of tread adjacent to the cleats provides a big area for mud to collect. It didn’t seem to prevent cleat/pedal engagement, but it does mean more rotating mass on each pedal stroke.

The upside is that the tread strips also provide a small platform to rest on the pedals, which helps with minimalist pedals like the Ritchey WCS (cleats shown above) and Crank Brothers Eggbeaters (below).

Tow spike mounts come standard, which I should probably install for ‘cross, but the shoes seem to do fine without them.

Actual weight for size 47EU (~13US) is 645g for the pair. These came with two sets of insoles, but the 2015 models get a single, newer Extreme Air Evo footbed that gains a little arch support.

Long term, these things have held up very well through more than a year of wet, dry, hot and cold riding on mountain bikes and cyclocross bikes. They clean up easily, are light and surprisingly comfortable…and not just for a race shoe. They’re comfortable compared to any of my cycling shoes. Northwave’s BioMap design claims to put your foot in a powerful position for efficient pedaling, and it seems to work well without causing the fatigue some too-stiff shoes can. They’re stiff, but they don’t beat up my feet. And the carbon sole and treads have held up exceptionally well to the abuse mountain bike shoes usually see.

I am not the type of person to just pick something at random when I need something. The other day, I lost my sunglasses, and my friend suggested that we go to the local store to get a new pair. While I do shop there for many things, I knew that they would not carry the designer sunglasses that I insist upon. When I normally have a pair of sunglasses, they last me for years, unless I of course lose them like I just did. That is why I wanted something more than a cheap plastic pair.

I knew that I was going to get them from Designer Sunnies, an online designer sunglasses retailer, but I was not sure what kind I was going to get. The first thing I did when I got to their site was customize my search. I looked at the different brands that they sell, and I decided to look at Michael Kors since I have a purse that I absolutely love from the same designer. Continue reading →

Styles come and styles go only to return again. Sometimes, certain styles are modified to make them look more in tune with the times, but there are some trends that keep a steady hold with the passage of time.These styles gradually gain a strong holdon our hearts and eventually in our wardrobes. For the modern Indian woman much influenced by western fashion as she is by the Indian sensibilities, there are certain wardrobe staples that she swears by! Starting with dresses for girls, like the little black dress which is a rage nowadays to maxi dresses which have also gained a lot of popularity to typical Indian ethnic wear to shirts for women which count as the basic office wear – all of these are found in her closet.

Of the different shirts that we stock, thewhite shirt is one of the most important wardrobe essentials for every woman.Though most of us associate a white shirt with the typical corporate dress code, however if we can manage to keep a flexible mind and try to experiment, it can open up a whole world of opportunities for us! The classic white shirt has got immense potential to be styled in more than just few ways by dressing it up or down. A plain button downshirt may not top the list of wardrobe staples which are fun to wear. They are more like the silent rescuer of the damsels in distress, when we have to go for some sober and polished dressing which calls for wearing the more serious looking shirts!So these shirts are in most cases, tucked safely away in the back side of our wardrobes until we need them again. These are very much like the dresses for girls, which are fun to wear and come out mostly due to seasonal demands. For example, we bring out our summer dresses only when the season is in, otherwise the breezy summer dresses find a silent place in the back of our closets! We mostly prefer to wear the simple shirts under blazers or shrugs and sweaters during winters, but for a fun and experimental look, they can be easily teamed with a pair of shorts in the summer with the sleeves being rolled up. They can double even as a beach cover up. Honestly speaking, if you are of my type and do not have either the patience or the ability to keep the whites white, then I would certainly recommend you to spend some more bucks for a non white simple shirt. You can jolly well replace it in a matter of few years once the white has turned yellow or after you have generously spilled a glass of wine all over it.

Historically speaking, shirts for women are one of the most versatile items to have earned a place in our wardrobes. Whether in shades of white or the classical oxford blue, we are certain to keep reaching out for this style over and over again. Shirts for women should ideally be long, almost covering thebutt portion of our bodies with a hem that is shaped like a shirt tail. The silhouette that it creates is expected be a bit oversized, but the sleeves of the shirt should be long and slim. A classically styled shirt for women comes with small collars, as is therefore guaranteed to brave the ups and downs of fashion trends with equal ease, that is, it will never go out of fashion.

Shirts offer a very different silhouette altogether than dresses for girls. Dresses are meant to accentuate the femininity more, while the shirts are more men’s fashion inspired. Yet a woman can look equally feminine and ravishing in a shirt which is differently styled than a man’s shirt thereby flattering the feminine body like no other outfit. How would you differentiate between a woman’s shirt and a shirt that belongs to a man? Well, you must have noticed that a woman’s shirt has got a more structured look than that of a man – it usually comes with darts that are placed along the sides of the bust area for a better fit and they are narrower toward the waist. Along with structure, they differ in terms of orientation too. To the person who is wearing the shirt, men’s shirt has its buttons on the right side, while women’s has buttons on the left. So from now on,nobody can escape by wearing their boyfriend or husband’s shirt and try to get away with it, without being caught by your discerning eyes!

Now you can simply grab your share of the most exclusive and amazing collection of chic shirts only at your one stop fashion store StalkBuyLove.

Shoes. One of my favourite accessories. I already have a collection of more shoes than I need, but I continue to buy more and more. And more.
The newest addition is these high top casual shoes I received from Inkkas Shoes in the colour Cotton Candy. I was super excited when I got these because they looked even prettier in real life than they did online.
Knowing me, I wear black everything all the time including shoes, but upon being contacted and looking at the website I just HAD to pick the pink pair. Pink is my favorite colour after all.

These shoes are the comfiest things I think I’ve ever put on my feet. Normally, a new pair of shoes are rough and hard to break in, but in just 5 minutes of wearing them around they just got comfier and comfier and loosened to hug me perfectly.
The shoes are made from fabric and feel to be hand woven all throughout the design around the whole shoe. The designs are interwoven with different colours to resemble a tribal pattern, the shoes are very soft to the touch and have that woven fabric feel.
Inside, the shoe has a firm spongy insole that bends to form the shape of your foot for extra comfort, and the lining of the inside is also very soft and spongy with fabric to ensure your foot is kept safe and no rubbing against hard inlay, which is really great for my fussy feet.
The bottom of the shoe is rubber and has groves in patterns, so no slipping for you. The base of the shoe is very sturdy and secured to the top of the shoe so it shouldn’t separate quite so easily (something I’ve found to happen with other converse type shoe designs.) Plus that bottom platform part is slightly taller than the average converse and thicker, so it feels sturdier.
The laces are however quite thin so they could stretch and wear with rough use, but should last with good care.

Values of a company are one of the reasons I love a company and want to support them, I believe if a company has good values then they have personality and compassion and it makes them real. With that being said:
Inkkas shoes are made at the hand of Indigenous South Americans with Peruvian textiles, hence the tribal design on all of the shoes. However, they are a Free Trade company, keeping respect to the lovely makers of these shoes. They are also Eco-Friendly and only use such materials for their products, which we all know is something I am an activist for, I love all things friendly to the environment. And they are socially responsible, so they donate a portion of every sale to the Indigenous South American communities, which is why the prices on the shoes are what they are.
All these points make Inkkas a great company in my mind and show that they are a caring and responsible company who think about what they produce and think about others. Always a good thing and I will always support a company like that.

All in all, I LOVE these shoes! They’re so different to anything I own, they’re so lovely and unique and comfy. I put them on to take some photos and found myself getting excited and felt happy and jumpy and I kinda went little nuts and had a mini photo shoot with myself. That’s how these shoes make me feel, though, just fun. I can’t wait to find ways to style them with my usual style, but I think they will work wonderfully.