Time With Teva

When I was growing up, I was living in Florida - Orlando, to be specific.  It was a great place to grow up, I think, though I was that kid that always had something to gripe about. The thing that made it so fun for me was how music-centered it was.  It wasn’t a city where there were a lot of options for things to do, so most people were in bands, or went to small, local rock shows to kill the time.  Music is still a big part of Florida’s identity, I think.  I mean, they still listen to Ska (If you don’t know what that is, don’t worry).

So, every year, during the summer, it was always the most exciting thing to go to festivals like Warped Tour, where dozens of my favorite bands would be coming to town, thousands of people would be attending and you were on your own.  Festivals were the first events that made me feel like an adult, in a way, because I was responsible for my money, my transportation and even my life!  But time would go on, I eventually moved away from Florida and my desire to go to shows and festivals was replaced with my need to eat and pay rent, so eventually, I lost the interest and forgot what it was about.

Last weekend, Teva  asked to partner up for Governor’s Ball and suddenly the 16 year-old in me broke out and returned, ready for the sun, songs and sandals.   I was there in the capacity to work with Teva and to get photos, document the atmosphere and help promote their brand, but it hardly felt like work.  I was surrounded by a nostalgia that I hadn’t felt in nearly 15 years (This is still crazy for me to say.  Don’t worry, one day you’ll say it out loud, too) and the weekend rushed by.  

It doesn’t matter if you’re 15 or 55, you get excited to wear something unique to an event.  New York has had some pretty bad luck with weather for some time, and with the promising forecast of sunshine and cloudless skies, I was “festival-ready” to start Summer off right.

On Friday, I had my pair of the Teva Original Universal Premier sandal with me and I was finally ready to wear some shorts!  And it was funny.  A lot of people on Instagram messaged me saying, they wish they could style themselves like me, or they wish they could rock a pair of sandals, but couldn’t.  I wrote back to everyone that said these things and said “You Can!”  Being comfortable in my own skin is the only way I know how to dress, and sometimes it backfires, but when you’re wearing basics and a killer pair of sandals, it’s easy.  They were so comfortable and the perfect footwear choice for walking outside on the grass all day.

When I came back on Sunday, I wore the Teva  Alp Premier sandals and kept it basic because I’m a pretty basic guy.  But I was surprised that these sandals were even more comfortable.  They were also easier to wear and get into, as they have a clip-lock above the ankle, and not just a velcro strap.  It might just be me, but having the quick-release option on these was the one thing I really longed for in a good pair of sandals.  As I’m writing this, I am literally wearing the Alp Premiere on my feet right now, that is how much I love this pair.

Anyway.

When I got home, I looked at the photos and laughed.  I had so much fun, and it showed in many of the photos.  But I laughed because looking at the shots, it reminded me of a feeling I had when I was a kid, going to these events, so many years ago.  I remember the feeling of how “Adult” I was and how things like Warped Tour or going to concerts made me feel so mature, somehow, and now I actually was that adult and mature version that I used to strive to become, feeling suddenly younger and more care-free.  Governor’s Ball left a time-transcendent experience, bringing me back to my favorite years, and it was all because Teva decided to want to work with me and got me outside of my comfort zone and dragged me back to my childhood.  

Take time to reflect on what drove you, when you were younger.  And if you’re young, hold onto these feelings and thoughts and reflect on them later.  It sounds dumb, but you’ll appreciate the little things, like sitting on a grassy hill, filled with thousands of people a lot more when you can tie it with the nostalgia from a memory before.  And the simple things, like walking around that field, will be far more comfortable with the right pair of straps to your feet.  Be sure to check out Teva’s selections of Sandals, as there are so many different options.  

Best,
Bobby

Firsts with Fossil

Growing up, I was always impressed by the past.  The simplicity of most things that we take for granted now, was so inventive and well-built, and even as a kid I remembered feeling a certain sense of awe as the seconds and minutes moved slowly on my grandfather’s timepiece.  I would quietly count the seconds in my head, trying to memorize the rhythm, so I could perfectly count time without the need of a clock.  Perhaps it’s because of this that I’m compulsively early to everything I do - I just couldn’t keep that tempo and always counted too quickly.  Nothing has changed with regards to the appreciation of the complexity of such a simple tool, like a watch, and I still only search for the wrist watches that remind me of that classic era, where, if you’re so still, you can feel the pulse of the second hand.  
For this very reason, I hadn’t prescribed to the recent boom of Smart Watches, as they always looked too “new” for my taste.  Sure many look pretty smart and have incredible functionality, but they all lack what I needed - a nod to the past.  So, I was so excited when Fossil asked me to take a chance on my first Smart Watch and to partner with them to promote their beautiful and timeless Q Grant Smart Watch.
This watch not only looks great, but it has some pretty impressive functions, that can be completely controlled by the Fossil app on your phone.  I was using it to even track my steps, while James and I were shooting these photos!  I can even use the watch to take photos from my phone, via bluetooth connection.  For the general use, it’s also great because it will alert me whenever I have a notification, email, text, etc on my phone by simply vibrating gently - which has already come in handy many times so far, when I couldn’t feel my phone.  I can control my music when I’m playing anything and I can even wear it in the shower or in the pool because it’s water-resistant to 50 meters.  
Obviously, the watch does a ton of helpful functions, but it has really helped to bring me a little closer to the modern age, where the information and assistance is just that much closer and faster, whilst still keeping the classic look of a timepiece my grandfather would’ve worn.  They have a ton of beautiful options of watch faces and the bands are interchangeable, so you can swap a leather for a metal strap and a ton of different colors to choose from.  The Chronograph is also just oh-so awesome, really punching in that classic look that many of us long for in a good watch.  So, take it from me, dressed up or dressed down, you really can’t go wrong with the design, the build and the delivery that the Q Grant offers.

Best,
Bobby

Got2B A Wildcard

I recently partnered with Got2B to have some fun creating content.  The concepts are always simple and the ideas are so adventurous, leaving me so much room to have fun and think outside the box.  They asked me to join their Street Team, for the “Wild Card” group - an audience with shorter, straight hair that wanted to spike or smooth their look. For the Wild Card collection, they gave me three of their products to test out: The Defiant Pomade, The Playful Pomade and The inPlay Paste.  Using these products was easy and they held forever, without feeling heavy, oily or tacky, like a lot of other products I’ve tried over the years.  
One of the things I really liked about working with Got2B was their approach to identity.  They explained, “We’re not a gimmicky group that only caters to punks and goths, we’re more than that.  This brand is for everyone, and we put people first and the product as the partner because we’re here to help people embrace themselves, not invent themselves.  When I heard this, it really made me feel more assured with the experience.  Not only in the product, but in myself with the product.  It made me excited to get out and create some fun, unique shots that embraced my creativity.
I wanted to do something unique, so I asked my friend, James, to shoot the photos for me.  We sat down over a coffee and tried to think of something unique for the photos, something that said “Wild Card,” and what that meant to me.  We thought about unpredictability and getting flipped around and ran with the idea.  I wanted to really run with the concept of unpredictability and spontaneity, because I am that person.  I live a life with organization, a schedule and a system for everything I do, but still find the everyday aspects of my life are still dancing in chaos and chance.  
When we started talking, we both had the idea to play with gravity and perspective, taking a simple image and manipulating it to feel like something else is happening.  From there, it became our goal to live the Wild Card roll and create something only that could do, and the building jump was the call.
We set up the shot and did everything as “in camera” as possible, so there wouldn’t have to be a lot of photoshopping.  I did actually fall off the roof, many times, but there was a ledge about five feet below for me to fall onto.  So, after a few impactful moments of the day, the shot was there.  Then I had to individually toss each jar of Got2B product in the air, so we could select, mask and blend into the same composition the fall was in.  With a little bit of work and a lot of imagination anything can be done and this was the best part of this project.  We were allowed to create whatever we wanted and really explore the boundaries of normalcy.  It was all about challenging myself to be comfortable in my own skin and also pushing myself beyond what was normal, doing things that not everybody does because I wanted to do it for myself, because my standards are higher than others.  After hours of shooting, I was also pleasantly surprised to find that my hair was still looking great, despite many death-defying falls and hours of marching around, looking for a shot.  When I’m putting in the time to create the content, and not thinking of the product in my hair because I don’t even have to, that is an amazing feeling and a great brand to back up.  
Every day we have the chance to style ourselves, to make up our appearance or dress it down, but it’s easy with brands you trust.  I had so much fun creating the photos for this project and I hope you like them, too!  Leave me a comment letting me know what your “Wild Card” photo would be!
Be sure to click here to get discounts and check out the other collections!

Best,
Bobby