Why You Bought It: Samba this, Samba that. For a pair of Stripes that aren’t Sambas, you all leaned towards the Tokyo, introduced way back in 1964 as a part of the brand’s celebration of the Tokyo Olympics and originally an exclusive to athletes participating in the Games. Now you don’t need to be athletically gifted to rock a pair, and you’ll have way fewer instances of running into someone with the same kicks as you.
What You Should Buy Next: If you still want another pair of Adidas, the Taekwondos lean into the current trend of ballet shoes, which are very much having a moment. Like the Tokyo, it was designed for an Olympic moment (the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul) for taekwondo athletes. The shoe proved useful for throwing a roundhouse kick, but took on a life of its own when it reached the streets. Sporty but low-key, comfortable, and laceless, it was an IYKYK hit—especially while Yohji Yamamoto dropped riffs on it through Y-3.
The Mighty Watch: Casio Military Watch
The Story: 20 Rugged Military Watches to Spruce Up Your Regular Civvies
Why You Bought It: Stylish, functional, and crazy-affordable? That’s Casio in a nutshell. Add a bit of military ruggedness, and you’ve got yourself a timepiece that’ll outlive you.
What You Should Buy Next: You can spend more on a military-approved watch, but you don’t really need to. A sub-$1,000 ticker like the Marathon NAV watch offers an ideal nexus of looks, quality, and value.
The Daily Runner: Adidas Adizero EVO SL
Adidas
Adizero EVO SL Shoes
The Story: The Best Adidas Running Shoes for Earning Your Stripes
Why You Bought It: Ask any runner who’s worn the Evo SL, and you’ll likely hear them gush about it. We can certainly verify that enthusiasm; we’ve tested a few daily trainers throughout this year, and as good as they are, the Evo SL might be our absolute favorite. They’re easily the complete package: smartly priced, super comfortable, lightweight, fun to look at, and high-performing.
What You Should Buy Next: If racing is your goal, we like the Adizero Adios Pro 4. The Pro 4 is capable of tackling anything from a 5K through to a marathon with plenty of high-end features rolled into a more accessible package. Fans of the Pro Evo (more on that in a moment) will be happy to know that elements of carbon fiber Energy Rods are present in the Pro 4, giving the shoe a maximum energy return improved by the Lightstrike Pro foam.
The New Signature Scent: D.S. & Durga I Don’t Know What
D.S. & Durga
I Don’t Know What EDP
The Story: The Best Bergamot Fragrances Smell Like a Summer Breeze
Why You Bought It: If you don’t know what scent to wear, we would suggest I Don’t Know What. It’s not a joke. The scent, which D.S. & Durga considers a “fragrance enhancer,” is sure to be a crowdpleaser, defined more by what it can do when you layer it with other scents rather than what it smells like on its own, which is a delicious mix of bergamot, vetiver, and florals. It’s a super subtle scent that offers subtle reminders throughout the day that you’re wearing something, but overall, it’s sure to elicit many “what are you wearing” questions, which is sure to lead to some fun wordplay.
