Sense the Culture at Senseless

Rome and Javed of Senseless - photograph by Alex Young

"It's a barbershop vibe," Javed said of his Pittsburgh-based clothing store, Senseless. He owns and operates Senseless with his equal, younger brother Rome. An attention to community adds to the store's curated shopping experience.

The last time I was at Senseless, Linwood, a local hip-hop artist, stopped in with his crew to chop it up with Javed, who is also a figure in the 'Burgh's rap community. Moments later, Rome's Tidal music account displayed on the TV in the back of the shop next to Kermit the Frog's Supreme portrait, ill beats from Kendrick Lamar's new "The Heart Part 4" played to fresh ears. We talked about Kendrick sending shots at Drake, stopping the Canadian's momentum.

Senseless' atmosphere works for streetwear consumers and as a spot to hang out with people who can relate to each other. "People like us, people that respect things," Javed said.

Shelf at Senseless

Additionally, vintage apparel and premium brands, like Guess, Jordan, and Supreme, attract informed shoppers. Casual run-ins with creative modern mavericks, shop talk about sub-culture heroes like vintage wear miners Round Two, and overall appreciation for popular media and entertainment makes Senseless a destination for youth in the Steel City.

“Taste with clothes and taste with music go hand in hand. Pop culture, bro.”

— Javed

Natives of the Hill District, 22-year-old Javed and 20-year-old Rome began pushing their stylish tastes with sneakers. Throughout their teenage years, they sold retro Jordans on eBay and Instagram. Their online inventory made Javed and Rome relevant clothing vendors, and their interests in hip-hop from the '90s and early 2000s made their clothing selection much more refined.

The brothers had the idea for a brick and mortar store in the late spring of 2016. Authenticity features as Senseless' best asset to complement their clothing collection.

"We aren't in it to make money. We are just trying to change the culture and bring something different to Pittsburgh," Rome said. "That money shit is going to come and go. We want the connections, knowing people around the city," Javed continued.

People who frequent or follow Senseless become familiar with a local network of like-minded people. Javed introduced me to some members of his Serene rap collective when songs from Retrorosser and Jet hit in the background during our initial interview. The store's Instagram account features various photos of proud buyers of hip clothing. The photos clearly identify Senseless' youthful target market.

"You gotta understand the market and create a melting pot for other artists," Javed said.

Another way how Senseless capitalizes off the young market is with their prices. "If you don't shop with us you don't have any sense," Javed said. "No store in the city can beat our prices for what we offer." Don't be senseless and buy thousand dollar Yeezys from other consignment stores in the 'Burgh when you could get them from Senseless for a few hundred. "We don't want to play with anybody's money," Rome said.

While Javed and Rome conduct smart business sense, they are role models for young black minds in the city because they prove to individuals that "we can own shit," Javed said. By owning their own business, they advance the mindsets of "normal niggas our age who come through the store and just think we work here."                  

Although the boys find a sustainable business at their North Side location, they are looking to move the Senseless storefront to areas like Downtown, East Liberty, or the South Side. They want to attract larger foot traffic and have a larger space to host events that would complement the future Senseless Records.

For now, Javed and Rome can hang their hats on creating an atmosphere that connects people with real appreciations for popular culture. "Everybody looking for Senseless," Javed said.

Senseless

901 Western Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15233

Stillers Postseason 01

Available under the t-shirt tab.

'Stillers' is Pittsburgh vernacular for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's iconic football franchise.  Stillers is also representative of the culture and fanatics who relentlessly support the Black n' Yellow.

My first ever Stillers game was September 24th, 1995 at Three Rivers Stadium; I was two months old.  I can't speak to it from memory, but it was a losing effort in which hall-of-famer Warren Moon threw two touchdown passes to fellow hall-of-famer Cris Carter, as the Minnesota Vikings routed the Steelers 44-24 on an autumn afternoon.  At least my first year of life featured the Stillers' return to the Super Bowl for the first time in sixteen years when Bill Cowher led Pittsburgh against Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX.

My house is a short walk away from Heinz Field.  When I open my bedroom windows, I can hear public address announcer, Larry Richert, call-out, "It's a Pittsburgh Steelers first down!" as I watch Antonio Brown and Le'veon Bell extend their arms outward indicating the same thing. Living on the North Side, you learn that the game of football and Stillers Nation is omnipresent.  This neighborhood that hosted the nation's first tax-supported library, is also the birthplace of professional football.  In 1892, the Allegheny Athletic Association, a sports club on the North Side of the 'Burgh, paid William "Pudge" Heffelfinger (three-time All-American two-way player at Yale) $500 to play in a game versus the Pittsburgh Athletic Club.  What's more is that this community has been home to the Pittsburgh Steelers since 1969.  Playing in Forbes Field with the Pittsburgh Pirates and splitting home games at Pitt Stadium from 1933 to 1969, the Stillers struggled to find their own identity--the City of Champions had yet to be established.  When the Black n' Yellow moved to Three Rivers Stadium, positioned on the edge of the Allegheny River, fortunes started to change.  Franchise owner Dan Rooney and legendary head coach Chuck Noll turned the Steelers into a powerhouse.  In the last 46 years players like "Mean" Joe Greene, "Iron" Mike Webster and Jerome "The Bus" Bettis have entertained the Stillers faithful to the tune of 22 divisional titles, 35 playoff wins and 6 Super Bowl championships--all the highest in NFL history.  Three Rivers and Heinz Field have been instrumental in ushering in new eras of winning football.

The on-field product of Stillers football--the Steel Curtain defense featuring vicious linemen and an offense that can be both finesse and bruising, epitomizes the blue-collar attitude of the people in the Steel Belt.  During the dynasty of the 1970s, when Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, L.C. Greenwood, Mel Blount and company won four Super Bowls in a span of six years, the National Football league was just emerging into popularity.  As the Steelers continued to win in dominating fashion, like the five shutout wins the Steel Curtain produced in 1976, they became a frequently televised team.  Recording the fourth most played Monday Night Football games, football fans across the country could see how elite the Steelers actually were.  Couple the bandwagon fans who couldn't help but root for the Stillers with the mass exodus of people from Pittsburgh who headed down south or further midwest due to the collapse of the steel industry in 1983, and you can understand why Stillers Nation has become so expansive.  Those fans of older Stiller squads have started families and now their children are Stillers fans, engendering a hoard of Stillers faithful across the globe.  You can be in Italy in December and still catch a Sunday game at La Botticella, the Steelers bar in Rome.

As a Nation, Stillers fans don't just watch their team.  The devotion of the Stillers Gang is noted in our attire and memorialization of the beloved franchise.  Black and yellow is our uniform and it does not have to be game day to wear it.  Joe Manganiello, one of the strippers in the Magic Mike movies, is a native of Pittsburgh who makes sure his Columbian wife, Sofia Vergara, is also decked out in Steelers garb from head to toe.  Whether dawning a Pirates hat or sporting those ugly throwback uniforms on a quick trip to the Giant Iggle or cruising the streets of Beverly Hills, Stillers Nation rocks the black and yellow as a symbol of pride for the city they call home. Amidst the Steelers' 1975 playoff run, the late radio personality, Myron Cope, was ordered to "come up with a gimmick that would more intensely involve the Stillers fans."  His creation, 'The Terrible Towel', has been a waving fixture in every football stadium the Steelers have graced since then.  Cope's towel and many other traditions such as the singing and cheering to Styx's "Renegade" before every fourth quarter are indicative of Stillers Nation's engagement in commemorating Stillers lore as well as helping the current iteration to achieve the coveted hardware.

Like any form of entertainment, football is a service providing spectators of the sport elation, anxiety and sadness.  Sports is a byproduct of man's desire to compete, and the beautifully violent game on the gridiron takes center stage in modern society.  Every Sunday for seventeen weeks, watching the Stillers triumph or fall in crushing defeat is like watching your favorite drama series.  Injuries to key players and upsets league-wide are constantly changing the storylines of the season; it never plays out how you thought.  As I've grown up literally blocks away from the epicenter of Pittsburgh's heartbeat, immersed in Stillers culture, I've been able to understand more and more about the game and history of Stillers football.  Putting on that black helmet was never in the cards, as my parents knew the inherent dangers of the game. Yet, each agonizing loss to Tom Brady and each ignorant Stillers naysayer who would deny their superiority instilled a desire to discuss and take part in the construction of the Stillers legacy.

At InTheRough, it is our objective to discuss and create Life's Goods--the aspects of life that indulge our purest emotions.  Throughout the past year, ITR has been dedicated to documenting the culture of Pittsburgh as three of its five staff members call the city home. The creation of the Stillers t-shirt arose from this same effort, for there is no greater good than the Pittsburgh Steelers who are able to unite and grab the attention of the city of Pittsburgh.  The mustard-yellow, pepper-black, and white long sleeve t-shirts celebrate the uniqueness of football in the Steel City.  The shirts' embroidery was designed in-house by Justin Berk, Lanie Edwards, Alex Hersh, JR Walker, Quaishawn Whitlock, Alex Young and Maxwell Young while it was manufactured by Touch of Grey Tees in Pittsburgh.

Wrapping up their 35th playoff victory over the Miami Dolphins 30-12 today, the Steelers have advanced to next week's divisional round when they will play the Kansas City Chiefs.  Stillers t-shirts are available for purchase here, so we are prepared for the upset at Arrowhead Stadium. Stillers bend, they don't break.

"TWO HUNDRED" Collection by farESH Brand Praises Pixburgh History

Pittsburgh celebrates its rich history achieved by all of the people who have called the city home. Regarding the arts, government or sports, anything in Pittsburgh has prideful supporters. For 200 years, the city's natives and transplants remain a part of a community simply by residing in The 'Burgh.

Proving to be a valued member of the community, local lifestyle label farESH Brand champions the city with a new clothing collection. Titled "TWO HUNDRED," farESH's fall range for 2016 commemorates the bicentennial of Pittsburgh.

Specifically, "TWO HUNDRED" combs the figurative archives and keys in on past and present cultural influences. In particular, farESH Brand recognizes Revolutionary War soldier Ebenezer Denny as a Pittsburgh hero for being the city's first mayor. Black and gray baseball jerseys feature in the new collection with Denny's last name stitched on the back with bicentennial patches on the front left chest.

Nicknames are important here, too. They reference the culture of the city which is affected by its geographic location, production, or slang. "The Paris of Appalachia" adorns the front of a white fleece jacket and Pittsburgh's seal hits on the back. The phrase "comes from the fact that Pittsburgh is the largest metropolitan city that is part of the Appalachian Mountains," Ryan Brown, creative director of farESH, says. Also, in current and previous work from farESH, the brand successfully applies "Pixburgh" to their movement to represent a united and unique bunch. The term is "a play on the city's accent... Growing up, that's how we stylized the name," Jimmy Schaffer, a local photographer enlisted to shoot the collection's lookbook, says.

Back of The Paris of Appalachia fleece Jacket

"farESH Brand has always embraced the variety of culture, music, and art that the city has to offer," Schaffer continues.

To that end, the "TWO HUNDRED" lookbook features those who participate in Pixburgh's creative community along with Schaffer. For instance, hip-hop artist Tucker Pillsbury, a.k.a. Dillis, models the streetwear, like hats and T-shirts that praise the city's "152XX" zipcode. Creative phenom, artist Mathias Rushin models the clothing with Dillis, and locals Brendyn Irvin, Greg Scelp, and Gabe Searles assist in the visuals and styling of the lookbook.

While farESH utilizes a cast who advocate for creativity in Pixburgh, the city is "very collaborative. It seems like people are working to build the city as a mass, not individuals," Dillis says.

Fundamentally, farESH Brand's "TWO HUNDRED" collection has the respect for the 200 years the city has thrived. "Pittsburgh has grown to be a more diverse and forward thinking city... It would be amazing to look back even in 10 years and see where the city heads and to see the work that my peers and myself put in to make the city better," RB says.

"TWO HUNDRED" is a reflection of Pixburgh's progress, which farESH Brand makes tangible in the form of wearables. For those interested, shop the collection here and use the code "ITR" upon your purchase for 10% off your bill.

View the full lookbook below.

Post 9 To 5 Thoughts Pixburgh Playboy Cap

Nine to five is a time frame during which some people grind professionally in corporate America. The eight work hours consume a good portion of the day. Sometimes after work, some people slip into a trap where they do not explore life outside the office. Sometimes, their daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. becomes unadventurous. It is easy for some people to fall into the same routine with no deviation day in and day out.

Post 9 a.m. To 5 p.m. Thoughts is the antithesis of this mentality. The after hours company is overseen by Pittsburgh-based stylish forces Pixburghcam and Yunngchi who express creative and cultural stimulation.

A quick browse on the two's socials here and here, and people can see how contemporary and past icons in fashion, music, and sport inspire their design aesthetic. Supreme, Dr. Dre, the Pirates, and Michael Jordan mesh in an Instagram post by Cam. Proudly, high fashion interchanges with streetwear, like an image of Louis Vuitton seat cushions attached to old paint buckets or a coffee table book tributing Bape's creator Nigo. A similar taste also applies to Yunng. See him study LeBron James' massive Nike advertisement for Cleveland or wear Carol Christian Poell, an unorthodox fashion label, matched with Nigo's Human Made. In their time, both Pixburghcam and Yunngchi celebrate a knowledgeable and specific niche of popular culture.

For Post 9 To 5 Thoughts, the designers work the classic Pittsburgh Pirates hat into something sexy. In two versions, a blue or white Playboy logo fills in the open space of the "P" on the black snapback hat. Officially called the "Pixburgh Playboy Cap," each order comes packaged with Playboy magazines cut from the 1970s. Use of the bunny from the men's entertainment company suggests a wondrous sex appeal around the city.

Get right and shop the hats here, although the blue bunny seems to have sold out from demand. For more on Post 9 a.m. To 5 p.m. Thoughts follow Pixburghcam and Yunngchi on Twitter.

InTheRough T-Shirt

Supporting people in positive endeavors is important. Showing support means an acknowledgment of one's efforts and mission. This respect demonstrates in many ways, like buying a product or service, giving your presence at an event, talking about a work and sharing it, or sporting a crafted garment.

Through different forms, InTheRough supports an ambitious and artistic, creative community. Mainly, ITR's writings under "Life's Goods" and "Music" comments on people's imagination, ingenuity, and spirit that drives them to create experiences and products for the world to enjoy. ITR speaks on details, emotions, processes, and significances each creation and creator embodies.

As InTheRough develops in our fifth year, what we write becomes more thorough, and what we deliver to our readers and supporters becomes more diverse.

To this point, much of what ITR offers is digital, besides the cards, stickers, and personal experiences between artists. Now, completing a goal, ITR and the staff offer free T-Shirts here for people to wear.

The shirts' graphic was created and printed in-house by Lanie Edwards, Alex Hersh, JR Walker, Quaishawn Whitlock, Alex Young, and Max Young. Dark green, berry and black colors are available. The design speaks to Life's Goods, the things that evoke pure emotion. These shirts are a reminder to enjoy all of Life's Goods.

There is no fee for these tees because we appreciate everyone's support over the years. People's promotion and readership of InTheRough had a hand in pushing us to this point.

More is coming from InTheRough Style.