J litestytes 5 Heat up the Local fashionista tells men how to give themselves the gift of fashion for the winter By JUDY CHERN ncouver men could take a cue on how to dress for winter from local fashion blogger M’c ken- neth Licon. The local fashion blogger finds the way that men are attired in this city pales in comparison to cities in coun- tries such as Korea and Japan. “Sometimes when I’m on the street {I look at someone] and think ‘that’s re- ally bad,” said Licon. He tries to find ways to improve the outfit in his mind, turning it into a source of inspiration. One thing that he would like to see more of is patterned shirts on men. “Men tend to stay away from them,” he said. They’re easy to mix into a ward- robe full of plain colours. Shirts can be layered underneath a vest or sweater. A blazer can be worn over top, finished off by outerwear such as parkas or windbreakers. A good peacoat or wool coat are must-haves for the winter season. Sweatshirts don’t do much in terms of warmth, and the fabric and texture doesn’t mesh well with other winter clothing, Licon says. He believes that men overlook the importance of accessories. “Three guys can wear the same black jeans and white shirt, but you can have different coloured ties and socks,” he said. “[I like to make the tie] the gayest most colourful tie you can think of.” It’s also crucial to know which co- lours go together. “Have a neutral co- lour sandwiched in between,” said Li- con. Licon says ankle-length chukka boots are a classic, fashionable staple. He warns men to not wear suede in the winter as the material gets ruined eas- ily by the rain. “There’s something about a man wearing suede when it might rain,” gri- holiday with style maced Licon. Featured in Vancouver Magazine’s list of top five fashion bloggers, Licon got his start on the international scene, before being recognized in his own city. He’s appeared in the Korean edition of Nylon magazine and various other publications overseas. Licon said he developed his personal style, which he describes as “dandy with always an element of surprise in- jected,” after graduating from high school. “In high school you can’t wear whatever you want because kids tease you.” Standing five feet, his short stature forces him to get creative with fashion. Licon says men should forgo the usu- al suspects when shopping for clothing. “Avoid chain stores like Moores,” he said, as they tend to carry out-of-date cuts and styles. Zara offers quality basics for decent prices, according to Licon. Trendier items can be bought at H&M for cheap- er. JUDY CHERN photos M’c kenneth Licon’s unique style relies on classic, Eu- ropean styles and is accented with tasteful articles and accessories Atheists find something to celebrate on Christmas Non-religious still enjoy the holidays with their family and friends while adding their own twists By JENNIFER THUNCHER ost people celebrate the holi- Mi: but not all celebrate CHRISTmas? According to an Ipsos-Reid poll re- leased in 2011, 30 per cent of Canadians don’t believe in God. A 2001 census in- dicated that 42 per cent of Vancouveri- tes don’t have religious affiliation. Yet, Christmas is still predominantly a Christian holiday. Some atheists don’t like the imposi- tion of a Christian holiday on their lives. “T will admit that to me Christmas is in part an inconvenience,” said Geoff Regier, 26, who works for the YMCA. He said he resents the pressure to buy gifts for family as a symbol of love. However, he doesn’t dislike every- thing about the season. “T enjoy the Christmas lights and the music associated with Christmas,” said Regier. He also pointed out that most of the typical Christmas traditions, such as tree trimming, are pagan in ori- gin. Atheist Scott Beck, 51, says he em- joys many of the holiday traditions, like trimming a tree, albeit without a star. “Tam unaware of how Xmas trees or dinner are related to Christ,” said Beck. Spokesman for the Langara Chris- tian club, Justin Lai, isn’t bothered by atheists celebrating the holiday, but thinks believers should work to moti- vate people to celebrate the “true” meaning of Christmas. “Christians should definitely en- courage people to know the Lord Jesus Christ. The way that Christians can bring people into faith is to live out a life worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to express the truth of His message in love,” said Lai. How to buy boarding gear on a shoestring Local deals for used gear can save snowboarders a bundle, leaving more cash for hitting the slopes By STEVEN CHUA finally come and many people want to hit the slopes but don’t have the dime to do so. There are still places where winter sports enthusiasts could find their equipment on the cheap. The first store, Sports Junkies, is a consignment and liquidated goods store. That means the store sells used items for clients — who get a 60 per cent cut — as well as new and used items bought from warehouses and other retailers. “[We’re] the Winners of sporting goods” says Peter Hoffman, the owner of Sports Junkies. “We buy samples and seconds and closeouts.” So how low to prices go? Ski and snowboard specialist Dani- elle White was able to dig for the cheap- est deals. Consignment stores sell items at a S: and snowboarding season has price that drops by 10 per cent every two weeks. “One of my favourite jobs is picking up stuff from underneath the racks,” said White explaining how customers often hide products in the store, hoping their prices will drop at a later date. STEVEN CHUA photo Arthur Sapounas says these boots would range from $100 - $300 at his store “Tt’s funny when people go back to look for their item and it’s not there any- more.” White was able to unearth a trea- sure trove of used gear. She found $70 Rossignol skis, $30 generic ski bindings and $30 Dolomite ski boots, ringing in ata total of $130. Regarding snowboards, White was able to track down a $40 La- mar show- board, $30 Firefly — bind- ings and $30 Burton boots, racking up a combined priced of $100. There are budget also deals on new products. Arthur Sapou- nas, the store manager of The Board- room Clearance shop, showcased deals at his outlet. The products have a reduced price because they are older 2009 to 2012 models. Sapounas showed off a $200 Rossi- Seti: a. ae Danielle White’s hands are full of gear that cost hundreds when brand new gnol snowboard, a pair of Vans boots at $100 and Nitro bindings at $100. His store doesn’t sell ski hardware, STEVEN CHUA photo but provides clothing and apparel.