column - PBteen

 COLUMN
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
BY B. LOVE
W
HETHER YOU’RE A COLLEGE
kid getting ready to return to
campus or a teen prepping for
the new school year, getting new gear is the
coolest thing about going back to school.
(Of course, if you’re the parent having to
pay for it, not so much.) Here are a few
products that can make the end of summer
a little more bearable:
Last year we discovered ETHNOTEK
(ethnotekbags.com), a hip company with
the tagline “Celebrating & promoting world
culture one bag at a time,”
ETHNOTEK
whose messenger bag
has become a constant
companion on our world
travels. So we were really
excited to get a sample
of their new “Wayu”
line of backpacks, which
are available in 8 exotic
designs hand-crafted
in Ghana, Guatemala,
HELLY HANSEN
Indonesia and Vietnam.
Made from waterresistant nylon, the
25-liter pack measures
12 x 18.4 x 7.2, with an
interior compartment
large enough to hold
13-15 inch laptops.
But it also looks really
INKKAS
cool, suggesting you’re
a global adventurer for
whom school is just the
first step in a life-long
extraordinary journey.
I’m not sure how
I lucked into having
a daughter with an
extremely low tolerance
threshold for shopping
PB TEEN
excursions, who prefers
thrift store chic to trendy
boutiques. Fortunately,
as she gets older, she’s
making cool stylistic
choices we can easily
agree on. Her favorite
brand by far is ROXY
(roxy.com), whose
surfer-influenced line
KELTY
for ladies includes hip
rocker tees, shorts, and
casual sweaters that look
as cool in the classroom
as they do on the beach.
She’s also got a thing for
hoodies, especially those
of Scandinavian athletic
wear company HELLY
ETON
HANSEN (hellyhansen.
com). Their Pace Stretch
Hoodie features a sporty
design and a flattering
fit that’s light and
comfortable enough to
wear every day.
I’m not often (read:
never) jealous of my
kiddo’s wardrobe. But
I’ll have to admit I was
green with envy when I saw her awesome
new shoes from INKKAS (inkkas.
com), a socially conscious company that
donates a portion of every sale to help
protect the Amazon rainforest and its
native inhabitants. All of Inkkas’ shoes are
handmade in South America, using South
American textiles, by South American
people. Available in low- or high-tops, their
line offers an array of eye-catching colors
and patterns, from brilliant blues and pinks
to more subtle earth-tone browns. They’re
as comfortable as Vans or Converse, but
look WAY cooler.
Whether you’re gussying up a tiny dorm
room or a bedroom, well-chosen bedding
can really brighten up the place. We’re fans
of the PB TEEN (pbteen.com) line from
Pottery Barn, which includes comforters,
quilts, sheets and shams in a colorful
array of bold styles that tread the fine line
dividing adolescence from adulthood. My
daughter’s favorite, the Tropical Garden
Patchwork Quilt, is made of 100% printed
cotton voile, filled with 40% recycled
materials (each one saves around 35 plastic
bottles from the landfill),
and quilted by hand. And
all their twin-sized quilts
are designed to fit twin XL
dorm mattresses.
If people remember
one thing about college,
it’s usually the parties.
Of course, considering
the level of alcohol
consumption that tends
to go on at frats and
sororities, perhaps those
memories are fuzzy at
best. Regardless, the
new Folding Cooler from
KELTY (kelty.com) is
a marvel of innovation
perfect for tailgating or
an off-campus keg party.
When not in use, the
cooler collapses to just 6
x 23 x 14.5 inches for easy
storage. But when it’s time
to party, it expands to 13
inches in height, holding
up to 60 cans with ice. It
also includes 4 molded
cup holders, a reinforced
bottom, dual carry handles
and a shoulder strap for
simple portability. In short,
it’s a marvel of design
innovation.
Smartphones and iPods
may be fine for pumping
up the jams for your
personal listening pleasure.
But if you want to throw
a slamming school soiree
that’s truly legen…(wait for
it!)…dary, you need some
sort of sound system that
can shake the walls as well
as it shakes bootys. Despite
its name, BASSBOOMZ
(bassbuds.net/bassboomz)– a
Bluetooth speaker designed
to be used with any laptop,
smartphone, tablet or other
MP3 player– doesn’t quite
have the necessary oomph to
rock your house party at the
drop of a hat. But if you’re
looking for a portable speaker
to use when you’re grilling
out on the deck, it works fine.
For bigger, bolder sound,
try the Rukus XL from
ETON (etoncorp.com).
Though it costs about $70 more, the 14 x 8 x
5-inch triangular Bluetooth wireless speaker
provides a lot more bang for the buck, with a
low end bass range that’s significantly ampedup from their previous model. It also includes
a built-in solar panel for charging outside,
and will even charge your phone at the same
time. It may not make going back to school
any less of a pain in the butt, but it will almost
certainly ensure that you have a little more
pleasure once get there.