The Daily Valet. - 6/6/23, Tuesday
✔️ Beware of Barefoot-Boy Summer
Tuesday, June 6th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Think of how good this newsletter would look on an augmented reality headset.
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Today’s Big Story
Beware of Barefoot-Boy Summer
Ignore the trend. Put Your Shoes Back On. Here's the Problem With Going shoeless.
Ouchie. That's my first thought when I saw the images of all these well-known dudes, just walking around city sidewalks without any shoes. Maybe my feet are simply more tender. But what's wrong with sliding those bare toes into some Birkenstocks?But if you ask the trend watchers, they'll tell you to out your toenail clippers, because “Barefoot-Boy Summer is on its way.” The term was coined by the always astute Max Berlinger, who noticed a certain type of stylish urbanite has been “traipsing around town sans chaussures.” He mentions tall king Jacob Elordi shoelessly braving the L.A. streets on a coffee run, say, or the musician Mike Sabath, a.k.a. the barefoot member of Shawn Mendes's “smoothie squad.” Even the Italian brand Etro sent male models down its runway wearing short-shorts and breezy blousons paired with feet as naked as the day they were born.So feet are in right now. After all, a bare foot is gorpcore taken to its purest, most natural conclusion. Berlinger says the burgeoning movement is the only logical response to two footwear trends: (1) years of increasingly chunky, cumbersome, look-at-me designs and (2) the ridiculous hype cycle to which the men's shoe market has been held hostage. “So why not just … forgo them altogether?”There are certainly movements to go barefoot—the idea of “grounding” (putting your bare feet on the earth), which scientific studies say can have salubrious effects or promote feelings of emotional peace or well-being. Of course, other studies have found that exercising barefoot (or as close to barefoot as possible) is actually good for the body.But actual foot doctors aren't convinced. According to TIME, podiatrists are alarmed at recent reports and the slew of social media posts. “You're pretty much asking for trouble, and I 100% do not recommend it for a lot of different reasons,” one doc says. She warns of all the ways you can hurt yourself. Of course, there's the stuff you can step on, from wood splinters, glass and needles, but she also reminds us that there's stuff (bacteria, fungi and viruses) that's lurking underfoot that we can't even see.
Biased Advice:
Still curious about going barefoot? Do yourself and everyone around you a favor and get a pedicure.
Uptick in Unruly Air Passengers
doesn't anyone know how to act on a plane?
Experts are predicting a busy summer travel season. That could also mean a few months of extraordinarily unruly behavior in the air. In case you haven't heard, domestic air passenger traffic worldwide is now back to pre-pandemic levels, and North American carriers have made a full recovery in international passenger volumes compared to 2019 levels.And even without masking requirements, it seems like the unruly air behavior that started during the pandemic has only gotten worse. According to new data from the International Air Transport Association, there was one unruly incident reported for every 568 flights in 2022, up from one per 835 flights in 2021. What's more, the trend has persisted in 2023. InsideHook asks, “have we, as a society, seem to have forgotten how to act on planes?”As one flight attendent pointed out recently, with a little common sense and courtesy, flying could almost be pleasant. But we've got to work together. CNN reports that non-compliance, verbal abuse and intoxication were the most frequently reported incidents in 2022 (there was also a 61% increase in physical abuse in 2022 over 2021). Interestingly, “smoking of e-cigarettes and vapes in the cabin or lavatories” was the number one non-compliance issue.
FYI:
Last year, Delta's CEO argued that unruly passengers should be banned from commercial flights for life.
Partner
Just because they don't ask for it, doesn't mean they don't like nice things.
Apple Finally Unveils a Headset
They’re calling the augmented reality headset the company’s “first spatial computer”
The moment we've been anticipating for years has arrived: Apple unveiled its new Vision Pro on Tuesday. Looking like some sleek ski goggles from the future, the mixed reality headset just might be the one that finally brings augmented reality technology into the mainstream. Like phones that are essentially a slab of glass or smart watches, they've proven that they have a way of distilling this early technology into more everyday items.As rumored, it features a separate battery pack and is controlled with eyes, hands and voice. Vision Pro is positioned as primarily an AR device, but it can switch between augmented and full virtual reality using a dial. Meaning you can use it to flick through floating apps and games or retreat into your own personal movie theater with a screen that feels 100 feet wide (complete with advanced Spatial Audio). It boasts 12 cameras, a LIDAR sensor, and a TrueDepth camera, as well as “IR flood illuminators” to make sure the cameras can see your hands in dark environments for control purposes. But—and no surprise here—it's not cheap. The device will start at $3,499 and launch early next year.So far, critics who got to try it out seem impressed. CNET experienced “incredible fidelity, surprising video quality and a really smooth interface,” while The Verge's editor said, “I happily talked to others, walked around the room, and even took notes on my phone while wearing the headset—something I would never be able to do with something like the Meta Quest Pro.” The Washington Post appreciated that “this is an improved reality, not some other-world metaverse.”
Plug It In:
With the wearable battery pack, you can only use the Vision Pro remotely for up to two hours.
Jeep Is Developing Autonomous Off-Road Driving
Where we’re going … we don’t need roads
Speaking of new technology, autonomous driving is no doubt the future, right? And while multiple automakers are all vying to develop self-driving vehicles to transport people with minimal hassle, Jeep is developing autonomous tech for driving off the beaten path.According to Autoblog, the brand has started testing a fleet of Grand Cherokee-based prototypes fitted with experimental technology that lets the big SUVs drive themselves on challenging off-road trails. They're keeping details to themselves at the moment. We don't even know the system's name yet. But we do know that the technology is being developed exclusively for the Jeep brand and that more details will come later this summer.The idea of using self-driving technology on off-road trails is an interesting one. As The Drive points out, it's fair to say that for many, driving off-road is a hobby. Thus, there's some question as to the point of automating a driving task done for pleasure. Maybe it's so you can take a few epic selfies while not having to worry about keeping one hand on the wheel.
Not the First:
Land Rover has been testing autonomous off-road systems for close to a decade, though the technology hasn't reached production.
In Other News
After 34 seasons, 750 episodes, and a decades-long funk, the show is back.
Have you heard about ...
Partner
Gifts for Discerning Dads
We asked the team at MR PORTER for some solid Father's Day gift suggestions
Is your dad one of those notoriously hard-to-shop-for guys? No surprise there. A lot of fathers are, which can making shopping for Father's Day particularly challenging. So we went to the experts. We asked the dapper gents at MR PORTER to offer up the ultimate list of perfect presents. Here are over two dozen options, in a range of prices, that their team will be giving (and hoping to receive themselves) on June 18th. And to make it even easier for you, they're offering free standard delivery on orders over $150. Which means you can get it to your father in just three business days.
Two-tone merino wool polo shirt, $230 by Mr P.
Stretch cotton-blend bomber jacket, $1,950 by Thom Browne
Herbrand round-frame acetate sunglasses, $180 by Mr P. x Cubitts
Centenary leather-trimmed carry-on suitcase, $1,865 by Globe-Trotter
David regenerated suede sandal, $285 by Mr P.
Want more ideas?
Shopping
What We’re Buying
An affordable nightstand
A clean, contemporary and ethically made nightstand for under $200 is quite the deal. It’s handcrafted in Los Angeles from responsibly harvested wood and finished with a clear, non-toxic varnish.
Get It:
City nightstand, $199 / $169 by Avocado Green Mattress
Morning Motto
Never stop improving.
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