“With the whoop-de-do and hickory dock” – 2009 in Lists

Yeah, that’s right – I dropped the Happy Holidays reference ala Andy Williams to start this post.  What is the hickory dock, by the way?  He sounds like he had a bit too much eggnog when he recorded this song.  Totally awesome.

Since I am not feeling creative or deep, I just wanted to share/remember my lists for the year.

Top 5 Happenings:

• I married the love of my life, Heather, on August 15th in Fort Worth, TX.
• We went to New York, NY – her for the 3rd time, me for the 1st.  Amazing.
• I got engaged to Heather in Las Vegas, on Valentine’s Day.
• I was ordained and licensed as a non-deominational minister.
• My wife bought me my now-beloved Peugeot bicycle (not sure of the date).

Top 5 (material) Things:

• My wedding ring, which was my dad’s ring when he married my mom
• My bicycle – see above.
• shelter/food/clothing/transportation/employment
• (re)discovering the wonder that is a slow cooker (croc-pot)
• remembering why I hate PCs and love Macs (okay so maybe that is because this PC hates me – and no I will not be nice to it)

Top 5 Songs (mindless of release date):

• “The Winner Is…” by DeVotchKa  (from the LittleMissSunshine soundtrack – 2006) — my wife walked down the aisle to this.
• “White Winter Hymnal” by Fleet Foxes — pretty much the most evocative song for me this year (released last year, enjoyed by us all year)
• “How He Loves” by John Mark McMillian as sung by Kim Walker — “If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking” is the lyric for me this year. I don’t care that its been around forever.
• “1901″ & “Lisztomania” by Phoenix — despite the commercials, these songs are adventurous and make me want to grab a camera and go out into the night.
• For Heather: she just reminded me how good the song “Roslyn” is by Bon Iver & St. Vincent from the New Moon soundtrack.

5 Random Films I saw this year (notice the lack of a “top”) :

• Adventureland ***
• Precious ****1/2
• The Hangover ****
• Away We Go ***1/2
• Antichrist ***1/2

Honorable Mention: The Blind Side

5 Films I Didn’t See (but really want to):

• 500 Days of Summer
• UP
• The Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Where The Wild Things Are
• A Christmas Carol or Avatar (something in 3d!)

Best TV Shows I (won’t speak for Heather on this) started watching in 2009:

• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (the Roots are a standout)
• Modern Family (best thing since Arrested Developement)
• 30 Rock (stronger than ever)
• Rachel Maddow Show (she has the best political talk show)
• (consistenly watching more) Ellen

5 Best Books I read this year (regardless of release date):

• (finally finished) Among The Thugs by Bill Buford
• Heat by… Bill Buford
• Love is a Mixtape by Rob Sheffield
• Franny & Zooey by J.D. Salinger
• Heaven Is A Place On Earth by Michael Wittmer

Maybe I’ll post more before the year is out…. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Baby, it’s cold outside…

Sometimes a night goes from plain to grand.  When you look across a room and see the one you love, and you know without any doubt that you can rely on that person to be there always – that night is a good night.  With a trip to a store produces a perfect little tree, a drive produces lights and laughter and raiding of boxes and closets produces a memory of a first Christimas together… you realize the stress of the world cannot overcome a thankful heart.  Joy comes in a night of revelations.  That this is the woman I love.  Happy Holidays.

Yves Saint Laurent’s ‘Experience PARISIENNE’ contest

Heather and Bo Liles entered the Yves Saint Laurent’s ‘Experience PARISIENNE’ contest we are one of the top ten finalists and would greatly appreciate loved ones votes…
Voting for the winner will open at 12:01AM EST on November 15th and close at 11:59PM EST on November 30th. You can send all of your friends and family to http://experienceparisienne.com/contest to vote for your entry. People are allowed to vote once every 24 hours. The entry with the most votes at the end, wins!

Dreams inside of dreams, Pt.1: how I saw her first.

I never imagined her being real.  I thought I had a take on the reality that is life and love and how relationships trick us into thinking that magic exists.  I was convinced that the ideas of sparks and soul mates and romance was an illusion confined inside my head.

And then one night, at nearly three in the morning, I  saw her.  I saw my wife.

She comes walking into the hot June night air, back lit by an old outdoor flood lamp and I knew – really KNEW – for the first time that I was about to jump off this cliff of selfish living and fall deeply into love with this woman.  For us, it would be a dream inside of a dream – so vivid, so real.

Do we have spats and cut our eyes at each other?  We are human.  And in even those moments, the passion of a thousand nights alone spent in our adult lives wondering if we’ll be alone till our last breaths is erased by honest thoughts and a security that these two tin can hearts re joined with a frayed but oh so crimson red cord of love.

A New Bag?

Indeed, she found this gem for school – I like it a lot.

A rant intended towards suppossedly fashionable men, but for the rest of you – enjoy

Okay, as an average man – I, Bo Liles, am guilty of the “maniform” of t-shirt and jeans.  It is the fashion equivalent of comfort food for you food snobs, or a truly great cappuccino for you coffee snobs.  You always go back to it.

Now this post is not about jeans and t-shirts.  If it were, I’d spend the next 500 words telling you to buy a crew-neck and a v-neck each in some variant of all the primary & complementary colors – plus black and gray.  And buy new white T’s every year.  And look for high quality selvage and Japanese denim that you only wash when there is a noticeable stain or they smell.  And even then, wash separate on the delicate cycle in cold water.

See, you don’t need a post on that.  You need to heed my plea:

Dear men of the world,

Stop running trends into the ground.  I, being a man, understand that we are not as creative fashionably as the ladies on the whole and once we grasp onto a trend, via suggestion or sheer luck, we overdo said trend until the feature that made whatever article of clothing or arrangement a trend in the first plase is looked upon with disgust.  And the sad thing is that in the last few years, men have set about ruining classic items of style (and Americana — see the douchedomn that is tattoo designs on clothing).

Exhibit A:  The bow tie.

From Carey Grant to James Bond to wedding parties everywhere, the bow tie is a symbol.  It is a symbol of special occasions, self-confidence and suave characters everywhere.  It is also the choice of bad style and eccentrics everywhere, but no matter.  The problem is this: male fashionistas of recent times have reclaimed the bow tie, which in of itself is not a bad thing.  Like this fella:

(pic via vanessa jackman’s blog)

Hey, this is a good outfit.  I like it.  I also think if he insists on dressing in it very day that he is a fool.  No one, I repeat, no one has any business in wearing a bow tie everyday unless you are a weatherman, a New Orleans lawyer stereotype, bow tie salesman or over the age of 65.  I think that covers the exceptions, no?

By wearing a bow tie everyday or even more than 3 times a month, you pretty much say to the world that I am a trend follower who can’t think for myself.  Or you look like an unemployed circus clown.  You have given over to a sad world, where non-original men ruin good things like baseball card collecting (I’m still bitter about the market overexposure of the 90’s), classic cars (young men with Camaros & Mustangs), tattoo design (Ed Hardy & anyone with a tribal tattoo) and shoes (I’m looking at you, Sketchers).

The catalyst for my rant:  This guy

(via ny post)

This is Brad Goreski, assistant to the stylist Rachael Zoe – she’s on reality tv, she sucks up to celebs, blah blah blah…

I was watching TV the other night with Heather and we came across her show, which sucks you in like Twilight, and I realized that this man, this fashionista, was wearing a bow tie in EVERY scene during a trip to NYC.  And in this realization, I mourned the loss of taste for appropriateness in situational dressing and fashion.  I don’t care that he sported a an array of couture bow ties, I was too annoyed that he is a stylist and yet so unoriginal.  He could have at least sported an ascot and a fake but well waxed curled handlebar mustache for my enjoyment.

But he acted as if he was a very important person, but like so many in our Western culture, his style was a direct translation of his pursuit of fame via his ability to ride the coat tails (or hemline) of those higher on the D-List than himself.  He was  American 2009, and it was tragic.

So, in a word…stop it.  Think about your style, don’t overdo the bow tie, the skinny tie, the cardigan or the corduroy blazer.  Balance things in your closet, break out the trends when you’re going somewhere special.  Don’t wear too many accessories or more than one statement piece.  Those who find you attractive will thank you for it.

Sincerely,

Bo

Ch-ch-changes

will do you good.

We are married, it was insane and lovely getting here, now for posts with pics and fun.

See our Flickr and Twitter feeds to your immediate right, and…

Check back here often.

love and regards,

Bo & Heather

I’m not original but I am self-aware

I saw this a week or so ago on The Satorialist and I was glad that I wasn’t the only one who saw the beauty in such a simple style feature…behold the goodness of the rolled/cuffed pant:

The cuffed jean

The genius in this man’s style is really his choice of footwear with the cuffed jean.  Perfect.  Showing that you don’t have to be edgy or trendy to make an amazing impression with your personal sense of style.

upon considering functional style…Pt. 1: an introduction

If you follow us on twitter (www.twitter.com/lostindrawers) then you know that I have been thinking about functional style.  Now for some people, they have a natural functional style – i.e., any style can be functional because they can do anything while wearing anything.  Now she might kill me for bringing her into this, but Heather is one of these people.  She often rides bicycles in shoes only people featured on www.copenhagencyclechic.com can appreciate:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via Copenhagen Cycle Chic

Heather is the style and wit in our relationship, I am just the incessant mouth who doesn’t shut up.  Her style is functional because she makes it functional even if it wasn’t intended to be so.  I, on the other hand, can have functional clothing but rarely do I have a cohesive style.  The trick in this post-modern world, where high-tech meets green and fashion merges with a fast-paced lifestyle, is finding what works for you while not sacrificing a sharp appearence on the garish alter of crocs/clogs/flipflops.  And yes, I am preaching to myself, because I am a lazy dresser with more t-shirts than button downs and blazers combined.

What is this functional style?  This is the industry’s billion dollar question.  And one that can help us find our unique looks in a culture that relys one mass consumerism.  If you are bound by your budget, you don’t have to rely soley on Wal-Mart and Old Navy for your clothes.  If you are a working family, don’t feel like you solely have to dress from Target.  Even if you are young and hip, your options extend beyond Urban Outfitters and Forever 21.  Try www.etsy.com for quirky originals or subscribe to www.readymademag.com for their ocassional DIY fashions.  Shop vintage stores, and sample sales from new, young designers.  But most of all, use your imagination and common sense.  The goal for most is to look their best.  So, I am attempting to change my lazy ways and be as stylish as possible while remaining functional for my lifestyle of commuting, bicycle building and riding, academia & religious study, teaching, and of course…writing.  Each environment offers me a challenging but unique canvas to dress in such a way that I will be inspired to succeed in each endevour.  Now to shed this crappy work attire (lavender T-shirt, black shorts – 95 degrees right now, and Toms shoes) and don some evening bike wear, like rolled up denim and rad socks:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Bo

Plans

So what have ole’ Bo and Heather been up to, oh just planning a wedding..building bicycles, getting ordained you know the usual.