I was in Miami for Ultra/Miami Music Week this past weekend, Thursday through Sunday to be exact. Last week was the official launch of SonicTee.com worldwide. My business partner and I thought it would be perfect to celebrate the launch down in Miami along with friends, as well as doing some promoting. We hit many spots in Miami and we had an amazing time doing it. You might spot us in Orlando this week also, so be on the lookout.

Sonic Tee is an Electroluminescent shirt which has a unique design wired to the shirt. Not only do the shirts light up, but they actually light up to the sound of the music. The shirts have a frequency sensor built in, which captures audio frequencies within range, enabling the sound bars to light up according to the actual music being played. We currently have over 140 pre-made designs readily available on the site, the largest of its kind and more to come. We also work with businesses who want their own custom logo done with it’s own Electroluminescent wiring. What makes the shirt also stand out is the fact that it is machine washable. The wiring board is attached to the shirt via Velcro. All you have to do is remove detach the Velcro strip and you are ready to wash your shirt. You can read more about Sonic Tee on the Facebook page.

To really understand the full effect of these shirts at night, you need to see a video. So while in Miami we shot a quick sample video of our Sonic Tees at Cameo Nightclub in Miami. I’m the one rocking the Sunglasses Tee and my business partner is rocking the logo Tee. You can see the full effect of these tees at night.

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Today I was jamming to Diddy - Dirty Money’s new Single “I Hate That You Love Me“. I love this song, I’ve had it on autoplay all day. Even better was what got my attention in the video for this song. One of the models casted in the video is rocking the Bald Head Look. This got me pondering on the whole Bald Head Look on ladies, is this slowly becoming a new sexy trend?

The Bald Head Look is definitely not for everyone and only a few people can pull it off. There is no middle ground, you will either look like a train wreck if it doesn’t work for you, or you will look even better than people with longer hair if it does work for you. I think the key to it is that you must have the right shape head that you can show off and you must be able to add confidence to the mix which creates that sex appeal.

It is really nice to see women in the limelight being confident in their own skin and showing it off. It seems like some videos are actually casting for that specific look these days. It just goes to show that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and looks. When you are comfortable with who you are and reflect that to the world, people feel that energy and respect you for it. So I’ve decided to include 3 of the hottest ladies rocking this trend right now:

(1) Amber Rose

(2) The Model in the Diddy – Dirty Money Video. Does anyone know who this model is??…I was unable to find anything

(3) Natalie Portman

See more of the video after the jump. If anyone knows the name of the Bald Headed Model, please let me know. Could not find any information on her.

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Model Markley W. (RM # 293107), who also been a past Model of the week on RM, just had a photoshoot with Style and Action Photo. I have also covered Style and Action Photo here on ReelModels when I had an RM Talk interview with the owner/photographer, Gerry. This photoshoot was added to a new section called the “La Porte” series. See more of it here.

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Over the weekend, I was listening to Kanye’s College Dropout album for memories sake. There is just something about that album that put it way above par, and listening to it again just got me groovin’. Especially the very last track “Last Call”, that was just pure poetry. Anyway, before I digress, I wanted to watch some of the videos from that album, so I went on a YouTube frenzy.

Now when I got to the Gold Digger video, I recalled something I have been searching for ever since that video was released. These are two questions I have still been unable to get answers to even after all these years. You would think Google would have an answer somewhere. My search came close at times, but still no answer. The questions are:

(1) What is the brand of brown sunglasses Kanye West wore in the Gold Digger video? These were the dark brown almost aviator style sunglasses with piano black frame and mild brown tint. I’ve been trying to find them and still don’t know what brand they are. I think I’ve read somewhere before that they might have been YSL, but I don’t know for sure. If anyone has a clue, please provide full details: Brand, style, maybe even model/serial # and a link if possible. See a snapshot below:

(2) What is the name of the Model at the very end of Kanye West’s Gold Digger Video? She is the model at the very end wearing the white top and shaking her head while they were both uttering something. The only closest thing to an answer I was able to find was this info on RapModels.net which listed three Models from the video. But surprise surprise, the list was incomplete, and the only missing Model is the one I am looking for at the very end. So again, if anyone out there has answers, please share them. Below is another snapshot:

In fact, I have gotten so desperate for answers, than I am reaching out to all ye Internet overlords. Not only have I tried many search queries, but I am posting on this blog, Facebook, Twitter and even gone as far as to post these 2 questions on Quora. Someone out there knows something, so help me on my mission, I can’t be the only one who has been looking for this. So join my mission and share this!

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I was checking up on TechCrunch today as per my usual routine, when I saw an article on Boticca. Boticca is a startup that launched this week and is focused on connecting Designers direclty with Users in a very interesting and effortless way. The neat thing about this startup is that they seem to be focused on up and coming designers, which is a good thing. Here’s is an excerpt from TechCrunch:

Says founder Foroughi, “The most singular thing about the site is how the site combines fashion aesthetics and ecommerce usability in a way that hasn’t been done to date.”

In fact Boticca’s website is beautiful, simple to navigate and user friendly. Aside from sorting by “Jewelry,” “Bags” and “Accessories” as well as staff picks, you can also search and scroll through individual designer profiles through the “Designers” page. Each designer profile allows you to read background information and actually interact with the designers, hence Boticca’s tagline “I’d rather wear a unique story.” The profiles also show the most popular pieces and commentary for each design.

I’m all about supporting the little guy. The Boticca team also seem dedicated to providing quality content via the application process. It is concepts like these that get me really excited, where unseen and unique talents from all over the world are showcased and promoted. It also allows said designers to make their deserved income while cutting through all the middle channel b.s. If you are a talented designer with very unique offerings that could be of interest, you might want to give Boticca a try and apply to the site. I look forward to following how the site progresses and who knows, maybe I can have an RM Talk with some of the Designers and/or Boticca team sometime in the near future.

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This is one of those cool finds, I found this one through a friend who photographed for them. Trendy Room is a boutique in Port Orange, Florida that carries trendy clothes for women. It got my attention ‘cos I thought the name and logo was really neat. I then decided to check out the site and find out more info. They carry stuff from the major fashion cities. So if you are looking for some super trendy attire ladies and are in the Port Orange/Daytona area, check it out.

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I started my own “Art of Shave” series with Part 1 a few weeks ago.  This Part of the series will now go into the good ol’ long lost tradition of “The Wet Shave”.  In Part 1, I talked about an amazing article I had read which talked about the Wet Shave but I had lost the link to.  In short, the author went into great detail about how we are a society that has grown accustomed to wanting things now now now and quick quick quick.  You can see this in other areas of our lives such as fast food, diets etc.  This mentality was what boosted the popularity of the disposable razor and the tradition of the Wet Shave was lost.  Even the corporations make sure we stick to using these silly disposable razors. You can’t walk into a store and easily find any of the traditional stuff for sale.  I get all my stuff online from Lee’s Safety Razors.

The Pre-Shave

The pre-shave is a very important part of the Wet Shave process.  Unfortunately, this very first process is one thing that is already missing from the way Men shave today.  If you are going to get into the Wet Shave, you cannot skip this step.  You will really need to prep your face before you start sliding a razor and blade on it.  I started off with the Musgo Real Pre-Shave Oil when I got into the Wet Shave.  I used it for while and then decided to move on to something else.  Now I have a primary and secondary.  My primary pre-shave care is the Art of Shaving Lavender Pre-Shave Oil for sensitive skin.  I especially like this because as the name implies, it works great for my sensitive skin.  The fragrance is also nice, and not too overwhelming.  It really helps soften the hair and protect the skin for the shave process.  My secondary is The Body Shop for Men Maca Root Wash Off Shave Oil.  I call this my secondary because I only take it on trips.  I do a lot of travel and carrying all this stuff around is not exactly practical.  So having a nice small 0.5 oz spray bottle works better in this case.

The Shave Brush

The shave brush is another important element lost in todays go-go world.  I use a Vulfix 660 Super Badger Shaving Brush.  The brush is made from Badger hair as it implies.  This is important because it actually retains heat and water when you use it on your face.  That warmth is necessary to soften the hair as you apply the shave cream.

The Shave Cream

The shaving cream is used to create a nice rich lather in which will be applied on your face before shaving.  Today, most Men use the crappy foamy stuff in the cans.  This on the other hand is some good ‘ol traditional cream.  The feeling of this on your face will not even make you look at those canned foams again.  I use the Geo F. Trumpers Soft Shaving Cream Pot of Rose.  I’ve tried the other pots like Extract of Limes.  But this one seems to work best for me.  This is quality English stuff, you can’t go wrong.  Shaving creams also come in the form of Shaving soaps.  It’s all a preference thing at this point if you want a Shave cream or soap.  But they both do the same thing, which is to create a rich lather.

The Shave Mug

The Shave Mug is also sometimes called the Shave Cup or Bowl or even Pot.  It is in essence where the lather will be created using the shave brush and the shave cream.  It is very important to have a nice warm/hot lather, and that is why wet shavers use mugs.  I use a simple one called the Sante Fe Shave Cup.  Lately though, I’ve been reading up on Scuttles and considered giving it a try too.  Because of how scuttles work, it keeps the lather warm all the way through.

The Razor

The Razor is one of the most important pieces to the wet shave process.  I use a Merkur Heavy Duty Double-Edge Safety Razor.   This is made in Germany, and if you’ve used anything German, you know how anal they are about perfection.   It’s a weighted razor, so it allows you to move almost effortlessly.  If it’s your first time with these Razors you have to be extra careful, this is not child’s play.  Focus and steady hands will save your face here.  If you really want to go all out traditional you can opt for a Straight Razor, and say a prayer that you do not chop your face off before you begin.  Unless you really know what the hell you are doing, I would not even touch this.  The double-edge (DE) razor is called that since you can use both edges of a single blade.  Most of the DE razors come with Safety Bars on the edge just so you don’t chop your face off.  But there is only so much the bar can do, you still have to be seriously careful using this stuff.

The Blade

The blade is what goes into the razor and does the cutting, duh!  Well, it might sound simple enough, but it could be very complex finding the right blade for your face.  When I started wet shaving, I started off with the Merkur Double-Edge Supler Platinum Blades.  Another German product at its best.  I was lucky, because these blades were just the right fit for my face.  I stuck with it for years until a few months ago, when I decided to venture out to see what other blades felt like.  You see, I’m the kinda guy that likes to try things at least once and judge for myself.  So I ordered the Japanese blades instead, the Feather Hi-Stainless Platinum Coated Blades.  Let’s just say I cut myself so many times, I almost busted a tear the first time I used it.  These blades are so damn sharp.  I cannot even begin to describe how sharp the Feather blades are.  Don’t get me wrong, I like the fact that they are death-wish sharp, but there is no room for error with the Feathers.  The Merkur was more forgiving.  So this is a little heads up for anyone who orders the Feathers.  For now, I went back to the Merkur.  On the same note, I recently just ordered a set of Israeli blades, the Crystal Double-Edge blades.  I have yet to use them since I ordered them, so maybe I’ll provide a later update down the road.

The After Shave

The after shave is often an after thought for most people.  But it is just as important as the pre-shave.  They complement each other and a good after shave will leave you feeling like a million bucks.  Most Men today get those counter after shaves which are just terrible. After Shave is not supposed to sting people!! They are not supposed to smell excessively strong either, this is what cologne is for.  I’ve always had a problem with how people use them.  When I used to put those on, not only did my skin sting, but it dried up so bad it felt like my skin was being damaged.  For the wet shave, I use Geo. F. Trumpers Coral Skin Food.  This is in my opinion the best After Shave ever.  It does not sting, it is not greasy, it cools down and cures my skin right away after the shave.  This thing is just great, it literally just evaporates into your skin.  It doesn’t even leave any weird overwhelming scent.  It just feels so natural.

So there you have it.  Step your game up guys.  If you haven’t tried a Wet Shace, give it a shot.  This is honestly the best and healthiest way to go when it comes to Shaving.

Stay tuned for Part 3, the Art of Shave continued….

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I decided to write my own piece on the Art of Shave, as I have been shaving with a Double Edge (DE) Razor for a few years now.  There are many articles out there about this style of shaving.  Before I even knew about this option, it was difficult trying to find out what will work for me.  I feel others who have/still are contemplating making the move from those silly disposable razors to good ol’ traditional shaving could find this article useful.

Every guy remembers that period in their life when puberty hits, you start seeing some serious facial hair and then you realize, oh snap, time to learn how to shave.  Most men today would consider only 2 options: (1)An Electric trimmer or (2)The Plastic disposable Razors with multiple blades.  When this period in my life hit, I remember picking up a Gillette Mach 3 and trying to shave.  I was not even able to get half way through, my skin was so irritated that it blistered a little.  I thought to myself, I might not know jack about shaving, but this can’t be right.  I gave my face a week or two to cool down and gave it another try…the exact same thing happened.  My skin was highly irritated, it blistered and my face was in serious pain.  To make matters worse, I put after shave on it and I thought I was going to die…the pain was unbearable.  This was the first time I realized I probably have sensitive skin, but also, this style of shaving just isn’t working out.

I decided to try out option 2, an electric trimmer.  I purchased an Andis T-Outliner II, recommended to me by my barber as it gives a close shave.  I tried the Andis, and it was a good trimmer.  It cleaned my face with no irritation, and was quick to use & easy to clean.  I actually stuck with this way of shaving for 7+ yrs.  During this time though, I felt like something was still missing: (1) The trimmer just did not give a close enough shave, no matter how close it was. (2) The thing gets way too hot. (3) When I use after shave, it stings A LOT, and its use caused my skin to dry up so fast I could see cracks appearing (4) The movement and cut pattern of the electric was just so rough on my skin, you could see like a dark burn shadow sometimes after using it. I thought to myself again, I might not know jack, but this is not right.  If this is really what every guy goes through, this is messed up.  I ventured out to do some research, and this is where my friend Google came into play.

Believe it or not, this research actually took weeks.  I read so many articles, magazines and watched so many videos that a good friend of mine thought I was losing it for a second.  This is how much I wanted a damn answer…there had to be a way to achieve that spotless and smooth shave of perfection.  This is how I came to learn about the “Wet Shave“.

I remember reading this amazing article about the Wet Shave, which was actually the article which sold me on this idea.  Sadly, I have lost the link to this article and it kills me, because it was a well written piece.  The author went into some great details about the Wet Shave, but more importantly about the history behind how the disposable Razor came into the market and then the good ol’ Wet Shave tradition was lost.

Stay tuned Part 2, The Art of Shave continued…

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This week, I noticed all of a sudden that I started getting emails from Gilt Groupe everyday.  To be honest, I almost forgot that I still had a Gilt Groupe account.  The email was a good reminder.  But here’s the funny part, when I opened up the email, the layout and content was just like that of Rue La La which showed what sales were going on.

Last month, I wrote about Rue La La and the new trend of online private sales.  In that post I noted that:

I also really like how Rue La La sends a daily email with a well rounded snapshot of the running boutiques for the day. That way, you can get a preview of the sales without having to log in to the site. Only if I see something interesting, then I login to purchase.

I wonder if someone at Gilt was paying attention, because I was quite surprised to start getting those emails from Gilt.  Now it actually makes me want to look at what sales Gilt is having.  I didn’t care before since I got most of what I wanted from Rue La La anyway.  It is not every time I want can/want to  login to these sites, but email is something I check everyday.  So having a summary/preview of what is going on in my email, though such a small effort can make a huge difference.

It’s good to see them making some simple changes.  Considering all the money they have raised, up to $83 million according to TechCrunch, it’s about time they use the money on the service front also.  Looking forward to tracking how these daily snapshots compare.

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It’s like a frenzy right now on Rue La La.  Check out the new list for Act 2.  So many choices right now and most of it being sold out before I get to even have a look.  Still 3 more acts to go!

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