4TheRcrd Mag.

Photos courtesy of Craig Long “The Commodified”.

Although the blog hasn’t even been running online for a year yet, it has drastically grown and acquired a permanent, ever-growing reader base, not just in Vancouver but all over the world. Listed under such blog sites as “Facehunter“, “The Commodified” is the ONLY official Vancouver street fashion blog that our city has, making it truly the only raw read on style in Vancouver.

Craig Long is the solo master behind the name, maintaining the site as best as his schedule will let him, amidst the hectic days of working downtown and attending university. I was fortunate enough to catch 30 minutes with him and interview Craig on the phone about his online hobby, “The Commodified.”

Created on August 2006, the blog blossomed from inspiring lectures on consumerism, what Craig saw other people wearing on the city streets, and the world wide rising of street style blogs. And of course urban magazines!

By being the only original Vancouver street style blog, it’s an outlet of creativity for Vancouverites, where they can view how multicultural the city really is through all the unique styles that flow through our urban blocks.

When asked, “What’s up with all the American Apparel hoodies?” Craig admits there is a sub-culture for each generation, currently revolving around the 80’s coming back around one more time with a modern twist on the skinny jean - converse combination.

American Apparel articles are often not only spotted on some of “The Commodified” blog posts, but also everyday on the streets. Craig responds, “American Apparel is a sub-culture of its sorts. All it is really, are basic pieces of clothing that are meant to enhance and compliment your overall look, maybe matching something fancy with a simple AA shirt. For someone who is part of the sub-culture, they will instantly recognize an AA clothing article, even if it’s as plain as a white shirt signifying that as much as they keep away from it, American Apparel has transformed into a globally known brand. For those who are not part of the sub-culture, they would perceive AA as just another plain article of clothing, never suspecting it to actually be American Apparel, letting the mind wonder.”

The posts readers see on “The Commodified” are not specifically chosen according to Craig’s personal taste in street style. He takes the pictures himself whenever he can, always coming upon a wonderful surprise. The beauty of the “The Commodified” is that it doesn’t revolve around one particular style, but many, that are rooted from music, cultural, nature, history, art or commercial inspirations.

The blog is a window into the lives of Vancouverites, projecting through the way people represent their clothes. With each post the lives of strangers are portrayed in a way that’s completely up to the viewer to acknowledge and form in their own minds.

Currently Craig is planning to commit more time to “The Commodified”, as its reader base is growing. Besides coming up with more posts, he is also taking time off to travel to Singapore and Montreal, where he will try to spot out some interesting trends, while still keeping “The Commodified” alive with the help of enthusiastic recruits. As for predictions on future trends in the upcoming season, Craig states that high-waisted pants, shorts and skirts would be frequently seen on girls. The guys will be taking on a more romantic and classic spin on jeans, shirts and shoes. The blog is a guilty pleasure, especially for those who revolve in, experiment and love the Vancouver style, but also for all those who are just plain curious, even your grandma!