Welcome to clipboard, a weekly newsletter about good shit and Tāmaki Makaurau. This week: the joy that comes from a new pair of shoes, plus good stuff from around the web, and a brief thank you. If you enjoy clipboard, do share it with your besties and cool folks you know. If you’re new here, welcome! Get in touch with me via email or on IG.
before we get into it
I wanted to kick this week’s newsletter off with a brief word of thanks. My off-the-cuff rant about the state of social media seemed to hit a nerve, and I got plenty of messages and emails agreeing with my frustration that social media is no longer, well, very social. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to engage and share your frustration, I love when this newsletter can be a forum to begin a conversation, rather than me just sending text out into the ether.
Instagram, which for years has been the default home for people of about my age to share cool stuff, show off and meet new people, has started to get, well, a bit shit. It feels more like a broadcast medium than a place to truly interact, and it’s more filled than ever with stuff that isn’t good or interesting.
It certainly seems that a lot of you agree, so I’d love to hear from anyone about how you actually connect and interact with real people nowadays - is it Discord servers, group chats, a new app like BeReal or Popparazzi? Let me know. If you want to catch up with me, the real person writing this newsletter, you can send me a DM on Instagram, an email, or hit me up in person - I’m always up for a coffee or orange wine.
*insert cool title about shoes*
Last weekend I bought myself a new pair of shoes. After sharing the intel that Loaded, a much-maligned (including by me) High Street sneaker store has Wales Bonner x Adidas kicks at discount on this newsletter, and getting inspired by good friends of clipboard Jordan and Mitchell, I decided to act on my own recommendation, and pick up a pair.
The Adidas Japan is a step out of my comfort zone, in terms of shoes. To date, I’ve kept my shoe rotation to classics that go with everything: penny loafers, grey New Balances, Blundstone Chelsea boots, plain white sneakers, and my favourite Dr Martens. These shoes aren’t black, white or grey, and they provoke conversation (if you want a compliment at the wine bar or cafe, these are the ticket).
The style is a bit out there: a resurrection of a 1980s Adidas style with a twist courtesy of Grace Wales Bonner, they’ve got this interesting square toe, vintage blue and cream colouring and hand-stitched details on the tongue.
In the week since I picked them up, I’ve worn them three or four times, and every time it’s felt like a breath of fresh air. They look great with a longer, uncuffed, pant, which I’ve been hesitant with ever since I got into fashion, and they give every look a bit of an edge.
Sometimes, you just need one piece to spark a run of great outfits. These shoes have unlocked great looks that I never would have gone for in the past, and a fun spin on fits I reach for all the time. I’ve worn them with jeans, army green fatigues, and white trousers, dressed up with a collared shirt and dressed way down with a hoodie. I can’t wait to wear them with shorts and preppy white socks all summer.
I’ll always advocate for really wearing your clothes, especially when you first get them. If you’re feeling in a bit of a rut, and shopping your wardrobe hasn’t worked, sometimes you just need to take a risk on one piece to make everything feel a bit fresh all over again. Buy less, buy better, and have fun with it!
clips
A new Brain Dead collection has landed at Good as Gold in Wellington. Speaking of fun outfits, you can’t get much more joyful than a Brain Dead graphic. I like this stripy cropped tee (v TikTok-core!) and this zip polo, which appears to be made of towelling?
The new Harry Styles album bangs, but you didn’t need me to tell you that.
I’ve been reading my favourite Substack newsletters on the Substack app, and if you subscribe to more than just clipboard, I’d recommend downloading it - a very nice reading experience, and I only wish they were paying me to say that. If you want some recommendations for other newsletters to read, head to the clipboard homepage.
If you’re a music nerd, you’ll love the book Major Labels, by Kelefa Sanneh. I cracked into it this read, and it’s very insightful.
Have I mentioned that I’m excited about Swings, the upcoming joint in the CBD from the genius minds behind Ockhee, the best restaurant I’ve ever been to? Well, I am.
A shop to put on your radar is That Was Then, This Is Now in Wellington, which has quietly built up an absolutely outstanding range of classic workwear style brands like Buzz Rickson’s, Universal Works and 3Sixteen. The e-commerce shots leave a little to be desired, but rest assured the quality is very real.
That’s all for clipboard this week, thanks for reading! I’ll be back in your email inbox next Sunday at 7am, and until then you can find me on Instagram and get in touch via email. See you then!
Sounds like you are using Substack as social media. You out and idea out there any people responded. That’s it innit?