Now that it’s really starting to get cold (at least on the east coast), it’s time to start looking for new jackets that make a statement. For those who don’t want to just stick with the typical (and boring) Northface jackets, take a look at the various ones 55DSL are offering this season. 55DSL started off as an experimental spin-off of Diesel, but has now developed is own fun and exuberant personality. It has created a creative fusion of radical sports (surf, skate, snow) and urban culture. 55DSL wants their clothing to transition effortlessly from the sports scene, whether it be a mountainside or skate park, to the city scene. If the line’s clothing can withstand the weather and conditions of the mountainside, it should be able to withstand the toughest elements in the city.

For the warmer days, there are a number of lightweight sport jackets such as the JOBEAUTY for women and the JETSTORM for men. The JOBEAUTY offers a more feminine version of the typical 80s-nostalgic sports jacket for women. It’s blue at the bottom of the jacket, which then fades into black at the top. This way, instead of having to decide between getting a black or navy jacket, you can get both colors in one. 55DSL’s logo and name are highlighted in this collections colors: hot-red, turquoise, and purple. Then, for those days where it’s cold enough to kill you, 55DSL has puffers (Jacco for women and Jip and Jipper for men) and military parkas (the Jagg for men and the Jagg FL for women). These puffers offer an urban alternative of the typical down Northface with their shiny exteriors. If you’re looking for a longer coat to protect you from the wind, try the Jagg, which is made out of tough aviation-style satin. For girls, a military-style jacket can give edge to a more feminine outfit. The company also offers FiftyFifty5 light jackets that are comfortable enough to be worn like a sweatshirt, but warm enough to be worn as a jacket. Putting a sporty twist on the grunge trend this season, 55DSL offers the Fujii Lin and the Fujiwara Lin, which has a printed check on a polyester piquet.

In addition to its wide selection of jackets, 55DSL offers a whole line of shirts, sweats, pants, hats and eyewear for both men and women. Everything in the collection has a sporty look with an urban twist. Personally, I reallly like the colored denim jeans that come in turquoise and purple. According to the company’s Fall/Winter ’08 press release, the “collection was inspired by hi-fidelity stereo equipment and twisted references to the late 80′s. Quirky audiocassette graphics, as well as old LP covers, are corrupted with our usual irreverence.” For those of you who haven’t checked out this brand, check them out at a store near you. In fact, if you live in the Orange County area, check out the new pop-up 55DSL store at South Coast Plaza opening on November 3. Finally, on somewhat of a sidenote, 55DSL’s slogan “Live at least 55 seconds per day” is pretty true. Life can be pretty hectic, but we should all take the time to slow down and enjoy it, whether through fashion, music, or culture.

Get a sneak peek of the entire Fall/Winter collection here.

WHY DOES AMERICA’S BEST DANCE CREWKEEP DOING THIS TO ME!?!? For the second season in a row, ABDC has eliminated my favorite crew on the second to last episode. They are so close and I am so excited for them, then BAMM! They are in the bottom two. I love Fanny Pak. Their creativity is out of this world. Who else can embody toy soldiers, cannibals, and sexual P.E. nerds so well? In their final performance on the show, they impersonated the judges and did an amazing remake of flash dance.

Now that I got out that little rant, let’s talk about the clothes. The first thing that stood out to me, were the Afrika Printed Cotton Spandex Jersey High-Waisted Leggings from American Apparel that Glenda from Fanny Pak wore in their first dance. I actually have those leggings in my shopping bag on the online store. Even though the leggings only have a basic black and white color scheme, they have an ethnic look that gives that little extra oomph. Plus, they are high-waisted, which can be more flattering than typical low-waisted leggings because they hold in any extra bulge and make your legs look longer. Score.

With Fanny Pak gone, I guess I’ll have to vote for SoReal Cru who happened to feature my second favorite item of clothing after those leggings. One of the guys wore this white puffy jacket with neon and black designs all over it. It reminds me of the Insight Breakdance Cami from KarmaLoop that is pictured here. The random neon block words intermingled with the white ones give this cami a retro edge. The print has an 80s feel but it is modern to easily fit in with style today. If you want to get this top from KarmaLoop.com don’t forget to use the code AI23807 to get 20% off of your order! To conclude this mini tribute to Fanny Pak (even though Boni is happy they are gone), I encourage all of you to check out some of the Fanny Pak performances below.

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In the late 1970′s and early 1980′s, something amazing was happening to New York City’s urban youth; they began to deviate from the cultural norms and embrace new, ‘strange’ practices like graffiti, breakdance, and hip-hop. Martha Cooper, a photo-journalist from New York City, captured on film the entire movement in its infancy. All of this was happening at a time when society viewed the movement as asinine, idiotic, ridiculous, and even threatening. Most people thought that ‘real’ art was in galleries, not alleys; ‘real’ dance belonged in ballrooms, not street corners; ‘real’ music emerged from guitars, not beat machines. Take a look at this fascinating video that documents everything Martha Cooper accomplished from 1979-1984 in Hip Hop Files.

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The hardest part of this week’s America’s Best Dance Crew speed-up challenge was figuring out a creativetransition to blend together the two sections. By far the most creative transition was Fanny Pak’s. They performed to Mariah Carey’s Touch My Body where they went back to a 1980s prom. It starts off with everyone dancing in pairs except for the blonde girl who acted like a rocker anti-prom chick. In order to get the party started, she poisons the punch and suddenly the prom gets a little crazy. Who would have ever thought that an idea as ridiculous as drinking spiked punch would actually make a great transition? My favorite part was when the white boys started shaking their booty. It was unexpected and entertaining.

Also, I have to highlight the prom dresses the girls wore. The pink and purple ruffles were the epitome of what you go scrimmaging for at thrift stores when you need a Halloween costume or outfit for a “Tacky Prom.” But you know what? The dresses actually worked. I loved how they threw in the all pink high tops. I would love to get my hands on a pair of those. People have not been giving Fanny Pak enough credit for their depth and ability of this group. Fanny Pak makes things work that would be corny in any other context.

If you haven’t seen Fanny Pak’s 80s prom performance, you need to watch it below. Otherwise, just watch it again. To watch their performance, skip to to 0:50.

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