The Tuesday Dispatch: Style Recommendations from the Front Line

THE WAR REPORT

Jul 08, 2025

This week, we’re bringing you more shorts, pillowy sneakers, and a solution to every skater’s nightmare. On the personnel front, we herald Style Antihero Nikolai Piombo and mourn the defection of a Real One to the Other Side (juiceless follower).

TACTICAL UPDATES

LOWER UNIFORM

Denim Work Short by Stussy

Summer’s just getting started and a lot of Soldiers are begging for shorts recommendations. Here’s another: Stussy denim jawns. They’re a perfectly baggy fit and offered here in some 14oz raw Captial D Denim type shit. A little heavy for the Dawg Days of Summer but perfect for the rest. Stussy put a little “utility pocket” on the side of these, which is a simple but Transformative addition to vault a great looking pair of shorts or pants into The Rafters. Any type of carpenter pocket adds practicality to a great looking garm, allowing you to stash your phone for easy access when you’re Outside Making Maneuvers or need an inconspicuous spot for your Enhancer of choice. It also just looks Cool and gives a little something extra for designers to Freak. We would personally go for the leopard version if it weren’t sold out. Shout out to Stussy for consistently supporting The War Effort for nearly 40 years.

FOOTWEAR

Air Max Dn8 by Nike

Yeah, they’re pretty wacky, but that’s sometimes what you wanna see for an Air Max. They’ve got 8 little tubes of air on the sole that make it feel like walking on a nice firm pillow. Air running all the way down the sole provides cushion with every step, a nice alternative to some great Air Max silhouettes that only feature Air in the heel. Nike’s had some Massive L’s when it comes to trying full coverage Air, but the Air Max Dn8 finally hit. Every Armory should have a Big Ol Wacky pair of Air Max and we’d steer you toward these for 2025. The Collaborations are beginning to Drop and it’s Safe to say this comfy pair of Crepes will have a bright spotlight on them soon.

EQUIPMENT

Board Bag by Hunter for Thames

It’s the age-old question - how should I travel with my board? Blondey got you covered with a Hunter bag designed specifically to haul your whip. The deck goes in the main compartment and there’s a small front compartment for your trucks. Chuck it in the overhead and you’re good to go. Plus it gives a certain English Countryside vibe that shows your Sophistication and Taste. Sorted. Now, on to Thames. Thames makes very Interesting and Unique and Fun stuff. They also make Outlandish and Outrageous things. But overall, Thames is doing Pretty Cool Shit that doesn’t get as much shine as we would expect for a Skater Owned Manufacturer. Is it Large in the UK? Is it a Blondey thing? Is it a Palace thing? The War Report is certainly not a Blondey Fan Blog and recognizes his many misses through the years! But Thames is Pretty Cool. Quite Blondey, Very British, Good Fun. We also hear they’ve added a talented new skater to the team. We’ll have to check him out!

FIELD NOTES

SOLDIER OF THE WEEK

Nikolai Piombo

A True Original. A Pioneer. As Authentic as Authentic can be. There will never be another Nikolai and that’s probably a good thing. The Kits are Krazy but that’s why we love him. Nikolai has Transcended Hate thanks to his otherworldly skateboarding ability. His new Venture part is his Full Greatness on full display. Anyone else would be mercilessly bullied into revamping their wardrobe. But not Nikolai. He’s on his own wave of bunnin zoots, gamin, overusing slang, HEADPHONE CLIPS TYPE SHIT. Who else could make skating in headphones fun and quirky instead of Annoying as Fuck? He dresses like a mashup of the most Euro mf you’ve ever seen with a character from SSX Tricky. Baggy capri trackies with Athletic tops flapping everywhere should not look good, yet it all makes sense as he swishes through a fakie flip crook. As we’ve previously mentioned, Authenticity is a critical characteristic of a Real Soldier and Nikolai has it better than most. Keep it up dawg! We love it!

ENEMY OF THE WEEK

Timothée Chalamet

There’s been a worrying downward trend in the once Banging style of Everyone’s Guy, Timothée Chalamet. He really seems to Be exactly who he seems - a Cultured Intellectual Down Ass Dude with Taste and Style and Authenticity. He’s an undisputed King on the big screen because of his true expertise. He’s full of surprising inspirations and influences and feels like the first Superstar Actor of the Online Generation. But, as the New York Knicks made their way through the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Tim’s courtside attire got wilder and wackier. We saw a worrying “costume” approach to his wardrobe that didn’t square with The Old Tim. Wearing a bandana like this was the final straw - we have a problem. This has become the favorite “swag” of “creators” and “reality tv guys” and other similar types. It looks Goofy but it also serves no purpose, which puts a garm squarely on the Prohibited list. The metamorphosis from Timothée Chalamet to Tik Tok Tim has been completed. If anyone has Tim’s email, Subscribe him to The War Report so we can guide him back on track.

You’re now up to speed on the latest from the battlefield. Use this intel wisely and pass it on to others who may need our guidance. We can’t win the war unless we’re in it together.