Clothing

The Top 5 most UN-Manly Gifts for Men

Black SantaWe will acknowledge that sometime it is hard to buy gifts for men, but if you are doing that last minute shopping, please stay away from these items on our top 5 most UN-Manly gift list. We are men and these gifts truly are the most emasculating, wimpy products on the market today. 

For the ladies, skip any of these products and instead buy us a six-pack of beer or a bottle of Jack Daniels.  For the fellas, if you want to buy any of these for yourself, just prepare for all the homies to bust on you until you're rolling that chair around in the old folks home.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Wardrobe for Opportunity

Wardrobe for Opportunity (WFO) is a resource to help men and women obtain employment by (among other things) providing clothes for job interviews. Not only do they help with professional clothing, WFO provides image workshops, professional image coaching, interview workshops and internships to the men and women of the community.  These programs give low-income job seekers the confidence, networks, and experience they need to pursue the career of their dreams.

WFO also offers programs to include a Success Series that features workshops, financial literacy, career coaching and community mentors to provide participants with critical leadership and knowledge in a supportive environment.

There are organizations that can help you get interview clothes

If you need interview clothes for a job but don't have money there are organizations that may be able to help.  CareerGear.org and Wardrobe.org are 2 organizations that can help you get interview suits. If you know others, please share.

Crossroads Trading Co.

Crossroads Trading Co. is a new and recycled fashion retailer that has been serving its fashionable and environmentally conscious customers since 1991.  They specialize in high-quality name brand clothing at exceptionally reasonable prices.  Think Marc Jacobs, Coach and Banana Republic for a fraction of original retail prices.  With 26 locations across the country, they provide three great opportunities for customers:

1. To sell their gently used clothing for cash or trade in our store.

2. The knowledge that they kept that clothing out of landfill.

Coliseum Public Market

The Coliseum Public Market is located at 5401 Coliseum Way a few blocks from the Oakland Coliseum Complex and is open Tuesday through Sunday. It is a large flea market with average daily attendance between 5,000 and 6,000 people. This outdoor market has approximately 400 dealers selling new and used merchandise, electronics, sportswear, produce, antiques, collectibles, and crafts. Food and restrooms are available and there is camping nearby.

Laney College Swap Meet

The Nor Cal Swap Meet is located at the Laney College, 7th and Fallon Streets, parking lot. Hours of operation are Sunday from 7am to 4pm. Admission is 50 cents per person and there is ample free parking. It is an outdoor market that includes antiques, collectibles, a great selection of locally made crafts, new merchandise, produce, and lots of new sportswear. The site also includes a snack bar and restrooms.

Berkeley Flea Market

The Berkeley Flea Market features is helpon the gorunds at the Ashby Bart Staion and features International collectibles, & art, antiques, books, music, handmade crafts and jewelry, new & used clothing, incense, body oils, household goods, tools, and International food. 

Flea market hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00 AM - 7:00PM.

An “oswenka” is a type of fashion show where men compete for dignity and self-respect instead of money

The 2008 award-winning movie “Kings of the Evening” is loosely based on this South African Zulu tradition, which goes back over 50 years.

Kings of the Evening – the Original Black Men with Swag

Kings of the Evening movie posterHow many black people saw Kings of the Evening?  How many people ever heard of Kings of the Evening?  With Tyson Beckford, Lynn Whitfield, Glynn Turman, Reginald T. Dorsey and Steven Williams (think Captain Fuller of 21 Jump Street), this movie had one of the best black casts available.  Was the movie bad? Well it won several major film festival awards and was rated very highly by most critics.  Unfortunately, there are several reasons why many black people under 30 may not have seen in it:

There were no dancers in the movie

There was no hip hop soundtrack

There were no drug dealers

There were no gangsters

Tyler Perry didn’t make it

You can get $150 Nike Shoes for Less Than $50

There are stores that buy clothes from individuals and resell them for discounts of 50% or more.  Stores like the Buffalo Exchange will resell everything from designer jeans, t-shirts, hats and shoes.   You can easily find a pair of the latest $150 Nike shoes for around $50, or any name brand $50 jeans for less than $20.

source: 
Buffalo Exchange