Shred GearIn the spirit of the Red...
Shred Gear
In the spirit of the Red Baron, Split has snowboard headgear inspired by bomber caps from World War I ($24). Instead of leather, the Huntington Beach street-wear line opted for polar fleece and flannel. “It keeps you warmer than a ball cap, which is what everyone wears on the slopes,” says co-owner Scott Bailey. “It’s for the individual who wants to set himself apart.” The bull’s-eye logo on the forehead further conveys the die-hard attitude of the sport.
Cut the Phat
Janet Jackson started it with last year’s film “Poetic Justice.” Now the rage among the teen and twentysomething set for thick Jamaican braids has been cut short, says stylist Lenore Smith of Hair By Lenore in Tustin. “The length to have is a bob.” The latest influence is the sharp-tongued lawyer on Fox’s “Living Single,” played by actress Erika Alexander. Smith, who has been braiding for 17 years, says it’s not difficult, just time-consuming. Expect to sit eight to 12 hours. Prices start at $150.
Java Gems
Apparently caffeine mania goes beyond a good brew. The steaming coffee cup pendant from Minnesota-based Torq is the accessory label’s hottest piece. Designer Nancy Grist estimates her company has sold more than 2,000 of “Refill” as necklaces, chokers, key chains and zipper pulls ($9-$24). “My designs have always focused on what people love. I guess coffee is more than a drink,” Grist says. Her stainless-steel pendants include burning hearts, crowns, saw blades and other pop symbols.
Winning Style
Dressing the CBS announcers for the Olympic Winter Games was no last-minute graze through the season’s trends. North Hollywood-based Ward Rhobe consultant Richard Valenza spent a year forming a look that would capture the spirit of the event while balancing style with fashion. The result: a British invasion of Norway with classically tailored menswear that uses a mix of patterns and bold colors. Vests--in fabric and colors that reflect individual personality--are as mandatory as a tie. Valenza turned to French-made Faconnable, sold exclusively in the U.S. at Nordstrom.
