In partnership with Square Cash, here are 5 MSP-Approved style & tech moves to lighten your load and make your life easier.
(Photography: Lauren McGrath)
The Tech Advantage
The age-old story of, you’ve met up with friends for dinner and left your wallet at home or you just didn’t have enough cash on hand to pay the bill – plus, the ATM is blocks away. For most of us, this type of situation would cause an instant panic attack because you know you said your daily mantra – Phone, Key, Wallet before leaving the house. Hopefully, you grabbed your keys because we know your got your phone (no one leaves their phone behind). To save you from not bucking up at dinner, Square Cash app might become your new best friend. I’ve personally used a few financial apps to transfer funds to friends but none have been as functional as Square Cash. There’s no lag time in transferring cash to a friend and it’s free if you link your bank account or debit card (huge plus).
Talk about lightening your load, there’s no social feeds running to distract you like other apps – so, you can get down to business and transfer that $20 over to your friend and get back to crushing those oysters. With a superior and clean design, an instant funds transfer process and it’s free – Square Cash hits is leading my top five right now. You can download Square Cash for iOS & Android!
Card Case Initiative
Bulky wallets are literally a “pain in the butt”. A traditional tri or bifold wallet takes up some much space in your pocket and inevitably end up becoming a storage unit for receipts. Slim down your pocket to a card case and carry just what you need. Some cash, debit/credit card, business cards and insurance card (you know, for those pesky emergencies). Upgrade your life and add your store loyalty cards to your cell phone – there’s apps for that. Don’t be afraid to punch up the style of your card case with a funky pattern because your money should l fly too!
Commuter Fresh
There was a point where everyone wanted to a mountain bike – when in reality, you spent about three-percent of your bike time anywhere near a trail, let alone a mountain. As a bike becomes a valuable & inexpensive way to commute around town, the one thing that is paramount is its weight! Mountain bikes weigh a ton (around 45 to 70 lbs), so I suggest getting a fixed gear bike. Also known as a fixie, these bike weigh a maximum of 30 lbs. The one slung over my shoulder – 22.4 pounds and is light as an alloy feather. For those moments when you need to pick up your wheels and run up a flight stairs or throw it on the front of the bus, it’s about as heavy as a bag of some hefty groceries.
Cotton Tanks & Canvas Duffles Aspect Collection Duffle Bag – Herschel Supply Co (P’s & Q’s Philly) | Striped Tank Top Shirt – MB x Uniqlo | Black Jeans – 7FAM | Midtop Sneaker – Axel Arigato | Mod Watch – Todd Snyder x Timex | Fixed Gear Matte Black Bike – Vilano Bikes | Wild Beast Graffiti Camo Cardcase – Gary Baseman x Coach
Tanks top shirts have gotten a bad reputation for being “bro-tastic”, but, they’re extremely practical as the temperature creeps up to ungodly hot levels. Aside from going shirtless, a tank to is your next best option. The are some guidelines that will help you find a tank to wear like your favorite t-shirt:
- Leave the basketball/lacrosse/recreation league practice jerseys at home
- Details Matter: a chest pocket and piped seams move a tank into t-shirt territory which is exactly where you want to be. Stripes & geometric patterns can add some character without going overboard into novelty territory
- The proper length should fall at your waist or just past your belt
- The chest of your tank shoulder be more fitted than the rest of your torso. Remember you’re not wearing an Olympic track & field speed suit.
Moving on to the canvas duffel bag, which is a highly underrated travel accessory. Brands have pushed leather duffel bags for years now, touting their refined qualities – but, when you pack them full of clothes & shoes that leather is heavy. Canvas duffels are lighter, can be waterproofed. Opt for a bag with functional details and a structured shape. You’re looking for a duffel bag more than a regular gym bag.
