#neonstash

Today I managed to sneak down to the DC Shoes press day, courtesy of Neon Stash PR. Now I remember liking DC back in the teen days, when all my friends were skater kids and I was listening to 'pop punk' (which really was just pop) trying to fit in with the cool crew. These days, I'm comfortable with tailored tastes and dress shoes. So what would I be doing at a DC press day?

As cool as the snow and skate gear may be, those are two words that when combined with the word 'board' don't really fit into my dictionary. DC Shoes however have wearable-street styles, which aren't just made to look pretty, but also be suitable for skating as well. I'm a visual kind of guy but I also like practicality in my clothing, which is why their seemingly-chunky but surprisingly light trainer range looks both cool but also durable. 

Their Autumn/Winter '13 range had the classic trainer shapes true to DC, but it was the different hi-top style moulds that caught my eye. The suede was of good quality, something you could tell would last from a beating and wouldn't peel off from a scratch. The inside lining was thick, keeping your feet warm and free from the mushy streets of London. They weren't outrageously loud either, they really were just cool and wearable (notice that is the third time I've used the word 'cool', when really there isn't another a word quite as fitting). 

The paisley hat was one of their many caps and hats that caught my eye, as well as their adaptations of the animal print as well (girls: see their trainer collection, some very cool and subtle prints!). And speaking of prints, the camouflague shirt is part of their camo collection. It really is a solid variation of the camo, and fun fact of the day: it's also patented by DC. Their 'Duck' camo shirt would look great under a suit jacket, blending a nice mix of both street and smart. Just because it looks like a streetwear shirt doesn't mean that you can't mix and match with a bit of clean tailoring. 

Some of you may be wondering what on earth am I doing putting streetskatesnowwear onto the blog and asking how it all fits together - well I'm a big fan of creativity, and aside from Neonstash PR offering people the opportunity to make and design their own pocketed tees, DC have clearly put some thought into the creative side of their brand and have come up with different takes of the same thing that a lot of other people seem to be doing, while still remaining technical. They have some strong pieces and exercise subtlety in their prints, without going commercial and making things outrageously loud 'because they're on trend'. Now I know never to walk past a brand and think 'Nah, that's definitely not for me.' 

I didn't think DC would be something I'd want to wear beyond the teenage years but hey, I kinda like it. Be sure to check out the press day if you have time tomorrow and doodle on the DC monster wall! Hannah from the Neonstash crew can be seen pointing to my very faint manic-bunny-which-was-meant-to-be-something-else drawing. Thanks for bringing me down and for the very cool snapback, which can be seen on my Instagram feed!

- Mr. Boy