Kickin' Spring: Must Have Footwear

A Little Off the Top
Topnotch tips to help define your style from the owner of Shorty’s Barber Shop and Public Service Salon in Los Angeles, Chris Bair.

It's the beginning of spring— hallelujah! And whether it’s warm or frosty, just the thought of spring arriving gets my blood and libido peaking, helping me go from drab and distraught to bright and exuberant. As things start to bloom and come alive once more, I feel the need to KICK it!

One of my favorite ways to bring a bit of color into my wardrobe are bright, fun, and make-a-statement high tops. I mean, all the other kids have the pumped up kicks, so why not you?

Right now my favorites are Nike Air Jordans. They are an inexpensive way to throw a pop of color into my leftover winter fashion. They come in numerous varieties and won’t set you back like a pair of Gucci loafers. Hell, you could buy like 7 pairs for the same price— one for every day of the week.

Another fantastic choice come from Adidas called Crazy 8. Some of them are a bit too much for even me, but feel free to go crazy with your style.

SOME POINTERS: To get the best look out of your high tops, wear them like slip-ons. Buy a half to a full size bigger than your actual foot. Spend the appropriate time making sure the laces are exactly perfect and them tie them off permanently, usually to the inside so you don’t see anything flapping about. Then DON’T touch ‘em again. Just slip them off and on.

Let me tell you, pumped up kicks go fantastic with your favorite pair of jeans or really great with a hot pair of shorts. However, if you're going to wear them with shorts use low, no-show athletic socks; the smaller the footie the better, and both Adidas and Nike make really great, comfortable socks.

SIDE NOTE: No-show socks in high tops make your calves look bigger.

Yep, kicks and shorts always get a WOOT! WOOT! from me.

Chris Bair is owner of the award-winning, trendsetting Shorty’s Barber Shop and Public Service salon in California. Always observing and sharing new trends that make for interesting twists and turns in culture and lifestyle, Bair is a regular contributor to Gay.net. For more information on Bair’s shops, visit www.shortysbarbershop.com and www.publicservicela.com, or follow him on Twitter @shortysbarber.