Style and Smarts

Is it us or has technology turned into the largest pissing contest in the world? It used to be that guys compared cars and there were only a few hot rods to go around. Today it seems like everybody’s out to one-up the next guy with their stellar collection of apps and gadgets. Since there seems to be an endless supply of said apps and gadgets, we all just keep racking ‘em up. What’s the result? A lot of clutter (both digital and IRL). And clutter is the enemy of style.

There must be an answer to this problem. How can you stay on your tech game without sacrificing style? Glad you asked. Here are some stylish ways to wear your tech.

Want to keep track of your texts, calls and other updates without digging around in your pockets? Your digits are now digital. The Smarty Ring puts internet connectivity at your fingertips (well, not at the tips, but on your fingers nonetheless).

But enough about what it does. The question is should you wear one? We say, go for it. A ring is discreet enough to not take over your whole look and, unless you’re Pat Riley, your fingers aren’t likely to be so full of rings that your style won’t accommodate another one.

We’ve all seen the Google Glass promise of the uber connected life. Frankly, going around like The Terminator with data flashing in front of our eyes all the time sounds pretty annoying, but there are times when it would definitely prove useful like when you’re navigating an unfamiliar area, looking for a hands free way to look up anything on the interwebs or just looking for a way to capture a bit of inspiration.

Would we wear these? At first we thought not, but the folks at Google have come up with some styles that don’t make you look like a dork. These still aren’t going to compete with the likes of Oliver Peoples or Warby Parker for stylish looks but the new frame styles (Split, Thin, Bold and Curve) have definitely gotten us interested in trying out these marvels of modern tech.

Back in the day when we saw our first Casio watch with the calculator on it, we thought we’d reached the pinnacle of tech you’d wear on your wrist. We never would have imagined watches that could connect to the internet and run apps like the smart watches we’re seeing now.

Thankfully we’re seeing some much better looking watches than the old G-shocks. We’ve been particularly impressed with the looks of the Pebble Steel which comes with two straps and could easily pass for a traditional watch. While the feature war is still going on between upstarts like Pebble and more established tech companies like Samsung, Pebble taken the lead when it comes to band choices and style. We approve.

Not all technology is digital. Everything you wear can be infused with a bit of tech to make it better from essentials like underwear and undershirts that fight sweat to slick ways to keep your collar in place. If you can wear it, you can wear it smarter.

Collaterals collar links use a flux quantum charge (which is like a magnet on steroids) to hold your collar in place. This lets you turn any shirt’s collar into a button down collar or get the collar pin look.

These briefs and undershirts are infused with pure silver that doesn’t just add some bling to your undergarments, but provides natural resistance to odor-causing bacteria.

What’s your favorite bit of wearable tech? Leave a comment below.