New: Newsboy @ Casa Del Shai

January 18th, 2008 at 03:29pm Ryan Darragh

The first thing I want you to know is that I have manfully resisted the temptation to shout, “Extra, extra, read all about it!”  Except now I’ve gone and said it anyway.  My apologies; apparently you’re just going to have to live with me.  The second thing I want you to know is that I can’t begin to imagine where Shai gets her ideas and inspirations for her new clothing designs.  In this case, one hopes it wasn’t from repeated rentals of “Newsies,” and if it was, one hopes further that this is because she’s got a thing for musicals, or Christian Bale, or whatever, and not because of its status as a modern classic, because it’s…kind of not.  (Flawed as it is, I think “Swing Kids” is arguably somewhat better.  Yes, I see a lot of crap movies.)  Shai’s new Newsboy Outfits defy easy categorization and immediate understanding of the Why behind the What.  This in no way keeps them from being a lot of fun.

Here’s what you get, guv’nor:  each set includes rough canvas trousers, two striped high-necked sweaters (one brightly colored, one muted with greys), and suspenders.  The different sweater colors–Blue, Brown, Green and Maroon–shimmer like dusty jewels.  I love the big wide horizontal stripes and the interesting contrast they make with the suspenders.  The sweaters are provided on both the shirt and undershirt layers, so you have the flexibility to wear tattoos under the sweater or add another item (say, an open shirt) between the sweater and suspenders.

The suspenders are on the jacket layer, so they’re worn on top of everything else (or nothing else, if your Significant Other’s mental picture of a newsboy embraces that particular fantasy).  The trousers are coal-black but nicely detailed, with double-stitched hems for sturdiness and realistic fading in areas prone to wear.

I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite color, not really, but I find myself really liking this brown sweater.  I think brown often gets the short end of the stick, sometimes looking more or less like dirt or other, even less pleasant compounds.  Here the brown is deeper, richer, more like…chocolate.  Mmm, chocolate… 

Shai’s new Newsboy Outfits are priced at L$650 each, or L$2000 for the pack of all four colors.  Available at Casa Del Shai (Casa Del Shai 150, 100, 691).

Disclosure: Seen in World: Yes | Review Copy: Yes | Friends List: Yes

Notes: On Ryan: "Dante" skin by Lost Thereian (Naughty). "Devyn" hair by Starley Thereian (Moderno). Old Shoes by Fallingwater Cellardoor (Shiny Things).

Entry Filed under: Casa Del Shai, Casual, New Items, Novelty, Outfits, Pants, Period, Sweaters