Polite Rebellion

I'll be the first to say, I don't claim Bk

despite the birth certificate

Not as many memories made

when compared to my time below the Mason Dixon

-all despite my obvious difference

p.s.

What is this whole thing all about anyway, style gentrification. Is it okay? Yes. Why? Because nobody owns style. I'll fess up and say it. No, I don't like to tell people what cologne I prefer because I don't want too many people smelling like me. I purposely avoid buying super commercialized scents like Aqua de Gio or Curve (huh?) or Ralph's stuff because I want to be readily distinguishable. The shoes, gotta be distinguisable. The ties, gotta be distinguishable (for the most part).

I can remember wanting exclusivity for the first time after I discovered this little shop in downtown Orangeburg. It almost didn't fit. Most of the clothes didn't especially fit me as they were sized larger for the 'urban' style of the time. The designs were nice though. Miskeen. Pay $50 and you'll never see anyone else with this shirt. "What!" I was working at Bi-Lo at the time and could have bought one but never did. I wasn't used to paying that much for a shirt. $50! I had jeans less expensive than that, but these painted shirts.

Then I discovered LRG. The materials, the stitching, the concepts, the details, those little messages in odd spots. They cared about their clothes. You could tell. I loved that. They inspired me to take on clothing design, big brother style. I dug 'em and could swing the $30-$35 shirts.

I remember when I first started wearing it and people at my high school were asking, "what's LaRGe?" Anyway, style is no exclusive province. What it is or isn't is up to whoever is talking.

All that being said, I don't really like observing folks JUST wear whatever they wear beacuse they've gotten the idea that it's in. That seems so impersonal. "How unfortunate", I think to myself.