Nation

Elite sneaker culture's often a restricted-access club, like in the movie Eyes Wide Shut, only with no masks and a less monotonous soundtrack. Also, less sex, and more sneakers. De-restricting your access: Alife's new web shop.

Historically, hi-top maestros Alife have built up barriers between the everyman and their coveted wares: the NYC shop's an unmarked buzz-in-only affair, the LA branch seals kicks behind glass, and the Vancouver boutique's cloistered in some place called "Canada"; but now, their self-branded gear's online. Shoes range from the brightly-hued, exterior-stitched Everybody Mid in one of 5 colors (red/blue/orange/black/white), to the thick-soled, short-laced, moccasin-esque Kennedy, to several styles of the low-top Public Outrage, including one with a blue tongue, yellow laces, and giraffe-printed uppers, the perfect camouflage for hiding in the Fresh Prince's closet. For your upper half, Life offers hoodies, tees with garish polka dots and brightly colored squiggly lines, plus icon-adorned fare like an anthropomorphic Krink brand marker writing its name, and the bust of a Frankenstein'd puppet named Jest; hit up the Hardware section for a Jest figurine, or snag some real Krink markers, and use your precocious artistic talents to produce garish polka dots and brightly colored squiggly lines.

Right now the store's loaded with previous seasons' gear, but they're restocking every few weeks, and the new Fall line'll drop soon, meaning your feet'll be so eye-catchingly adorned no one'll notice you're humping in last season's mask.

AlifeNYC.com

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