11 posts tagged “fashion”

 

As I mentioned in a previous post, I recently picked up my first Cavanaugh Cap. I also bought a 7 Diamonds shirt.

So I wanted to share with a fun little fashion show:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoy.

Cheers!

As you may or may not know, I love to shop. Most especially for clothes and accessories.

I dont believe I have fallen prey to consumerism - I think a lot of it has to do with having gone through the experience of being fairly poor for quite some time. Depriving myself of many things. In general I know I can live without these things and would not be unnerved if they were to just PooF one day.

The other part is the experience and feeling of finding something. Finding something that is perfect, even though you didnt know beforehand. I love that feeling in every. single. way.

This is why I can never shop with guys - I would irritate them to no end. I browse and browse and browse until I find something that is screaming at me to be bought. And its perfectly okay if I find nothing. To me - shopping is a fun activity. An adventure.

 

That said, my recent thing has almost gone into a fetish. I am particularly fond of shopping for three basic things right now - even though I need *none* of them.

 

1) Ties

If I see a cool tie, I will buy it. Even though I wear a tie maybe twice per year (although I wouldnt mind an excuse to wear them more often).

At this point I must have at least 30 ties.

 

2) Shoes

Right now I have about 14 pairs of shoes. Some I rarely wear. Some I wear quite frequently. And once a specific local shop gets some shoes I have my eyes on, I will buy those too.

Right now, I have my eyes on about 5 more pairs of shoes.

 

3) Cologne.

I have bought about 5 bottles of cologne in the last 2 months. To be fair, 3 of those were to scoop up my favorite cologne before it becomes extinct.

 

My two new ones:

 

To me, vintage smells like what would happen if Old Spice were uncheapened. Like a designers take on the idea of the classic cologne. Im pretty sure that is exactly what it is supposed to be.

 

 

This one is really interesting. Its not so popular here in the states, but I hear it does quite well in Europe. In my opinion, the scent is extremely masculine. It makes me envision what I would smell like if I just came out of an hour long stint in a cigar smoking room. Or just got done standing over a campfire.

You have to be really careful with this cologne though, cause it is quite strong. I would recommend less than half the normal dose you use.

I guess today is Me vs. MSN day.

In response to the article Men: How to dress for a first date.

 

Basically, my overall impression is that Matt Schneiderman is almost completely without a sense of *style*. To be more specific, a personal sense of style. And he is not encouraging much in his readers either.

Im really against most of what he is saying in the article. Point by point:

 

1) Whatever you do, dont wear khakis

Done and Done. The only thing Matty nailed right on the head in the whole article. Khakis are for yachting people. Prissy people. Boring people. Unless they are a totally rocking pair of khaki-colored pants, they say, "Look at me, my debutante mom taught me how to dress." Trust me, you rarely (if ever) want to say this with your style.

Yes. They are that bad.

A nice pair of jeans, fit well for your body type ... will kill khakis any day of the week. Especially when you coordinate them with your overall look.

 

2) Give the striped dress shirt a rest.

Standard stripes yes. Stripes with a bit of a pattern to them, where they are irregular in their width and color - usually good.

In case you didnt really look at fashion lately, one thing that has been a recent-ish trend is to wear stripes on stripes. Or patterns on patterns. So if you *must* go with a tie, clash the pattern a bit with your shirt.

If you are totally against stripes (or just cannot pick out a cool striped shirt), then stay with good solids. Pay particular attention to color quality of the shirt. Pay attention to the quality of the fabric. Consider shirts with interesting, but not overdone, texture. And as always - check the fit for what you are trying to say with your appearance.

Finally, in this point he use Kelly Rae to recommend tucking in the dress shirt.

Any man worth his salt knows that there are times to tuck and times to let loose. If its your pet peeve that a man knows this - you have issues, not him. Tucking it in can often show a sign of stuffiness. Or "I just got off of work and put absolutely no consideration into this outfit at all!" (especially if you are doing the unbuttoned collar look.

This is a first date, you want to appear relaxed. You want your date to be relaxed too. You probably wont be going anywhere super nice (cause you are more creative than that, no?). So coming across as stuffy is *very* risky.

 

3) A little color goes a long way.

Yes. Yes it does.

A good point as to why the striped shirt, done right ... goes a long way. Alternatively, a fairly neutral toned dark shirt with just a slight bit of color really pops out that color.

But ... for the rest of this point?

Color recommendation without knowledge of a person's skin tone is just *DOOMED* to fail. Duh. Anyone who truly wants someone to look good knows this. You can give color ranges to try, but if you are giving fashion advice that contains color advice, add the following recommendation:

"If you are not good with color, your best bet is to grab a woman in the store and have her help you with a certain range of color options you have already selected"

(Bonus: pick the right girl, converse with her correctly, and you might have just bagged another first date. ;) )

And finally ...

A sweater over a dress shirt? That is the fashion equivalent to telling a one legged man to hop through a minefield. Chances are, if he has to read this article, he AINT gonna pull that off correctly.

KABOOM. Dead.

 

4) Pay attention to your footwear.

Oh yes. Yes yes yes.

This is one aspect of the larger concept of "Pay attention to the subtleties!" If you can pull this off comprehensively, you are saying to her "Ya, I get it."

Basically you dont want a good looking outfit. You want an outfit that makes you look good. And all the small things, thats probably what she is going to remember most about your style anyway. Shoes go a long way for this.

Not to mention, the probability of the woman also liking shoes, and appreciating your attention to your own ... high. Bonus points right there dude.

 

5) Dont forget the details.

Ya. Its all about these.

Detail style can go a long way to turn an otherwise okay outfit into something remarkable, and memorable. Wear things that show a bit of you. Wear things that attract attention, but arent gaudy.

Another thing you can do is stylize your outfit with subtleties. One quick and easy way is simply in how you do your shirt sleeves (for a dress shirt). This can say a lot about your overall vibe for the night.

Im guessing that any guy who knows what a french cuff shirt is ... probably also knows to wear interesting cufflinks with it. High probability on that one.

 

 

Anyway. If I could add one major point to this ... I would say simply:

Be comfortable in what you are wearing. That is ... OWN IT.

This is a vibe thing that will totally skew a lot about the feel of your date. If you are not comfortable in the clothes you are wearing, you have a lot of work to do to ensure that doesnt get conveyed to your date.

Also, one great reason to occasionally buy more expensive stuff that makes you feel good. Because again, that will translate to those around you.

 

Ya, thats style basics by moi.

I was at Barnes and Noble, in the magazing section.

I wanted to pick up the latest copy of Juxtapose. It is quickly becoming my *all-time favorite* magazine. But for whatever reason, Jux was the only magazine that was sold out.

So of course, I was all harumphed about it. I secretly pouted in frustration as I flipped through other magazines. (after picking up a copy of Food&Wine and Delicious). Internally I was hoping that some divine intervention would cause Juxtapose to appear right before my eyes. And then I could get my art goodness.

But as my mind wandered, and my page turned ... I came across this:

 

And I just had to know more about it. Cause this watch is truly fantabulous.

Unfortunately, my internet research turned up zero useful results. The manufacturer's webpage is in french that is too complicated for me to read. All the American retailers are not listing this as a product. And searching for the price of this watch is not giving me any information.

So I will just pretend that it is too expensive for me to own. But priced just right for me to swoon and oogle.

Oi. What a watch.

Tonight I went to Marqsmen, a Men's Fashion store in Bellevue.

They were having a party to celebrate the release of new Men's bags by a local designer "Rian". In general, I like to go to these types of events for a few reasons. First - I know Marques, he is totally cool, and I love to support local cool people I know. Second, I like fashion (admittedly on my own terms though). Third, I am almost always down with social gatherings.

What makes these events so amazing is that Marqsmen is on the Eastside. And everyone in Seattle knows that the Eastside is Devoid of Soul. Well, not anymore folks - people like Marques are putting a little kick into those burbs.

 

That aside, I am going to tell you straight up like I told Rian...

Those bags are damn awesome. The material is top notch - it feels sexy to the touch. Which always makes me smile. The attention to detail is unfathomable. He even went so far as to insert medium-grade magnets in the outer cover. (This means no more of that awkward fumbling around trying to open your bag while doing 15 other things). And they just have ... STYLE.

Honestly - if I were a bag person, I would have bought one right then and there. I loved them THAT MUCH. Everything about them. But lets be honest here - I have tried to be a bag person and it never works. So I stood in the store, with a cup of wine, at odds with myself thinking,

"These bags are absolutely phenomenal. I should buy one cost-be-damned! But no man, you would never use it. You always forget the bag! But they are so beautiful... ARGH."

 

Dont believe me? Peep the pic:

 

 

And this barely does the bag justice. You really have to go out and feel it yourself. Admire it, and baske in its subtleties. Then you will totally know what I am talking about.

If I havent pushed you over the edge yet, I have one last detail to seal the deal. The designer is a great person. I chatted with him briefly. Stellar dude. Very personable, warm and receptive.

Support people like this.

 

 

While there, I also got to chatting with one of Marques' employees. I believe her name is Stacy, but dont quote me on that because I am absolutely dreadful with names. Anyways ...

She is opening a store in Leavenworth that will showcase some Women's Fashions. So anyone in the area should be on the lookout for this to happen. Why do I say this?

Well. Again, great person. And you can bet that I have snuck a peek or two at her personal fashion style. Well dressed, not too girly, a little playful in style. Interesting, and definitely not too stuffy or "highbrow". All the right subtleties to tease your fashion eye. Just the way I like it!

 

 

 

Finally, what would a trip to Marqsmen be without me making a purchase?

I usually get my fix of John Allen's Smoothe from Marqsmen. (It is my all-time favorite leave-in conditioner/styling product). But I am currently well stocked. So tonight I got the following:

 

The G Love Cardholder.

I have been looking for a thin wallet for a while. Mostly because I hate the obnoxious bulge in the back pocket. It always makes me feel like I am sitting lopsided.

The one I purchased was Fiery Auburn in color (for lack of better terms). I would have went black, but I dont think they make one.

Oddly enough, I didnt know the name of it until after I bought it. Kinda makes me wonder if it has any relation to my favorite Philly Funkster.

Who knows.

 

 

 

And

 

John Allen's Bodywash.

I have been using bar soap for a month now. Which makes me feel dreadful - it always leaves this horrible after shower feeling that I just deplore.

So when I came upon bodywash liquid soap by John Allen, I figured I would give it a shot. I like his other products, and anything has to be better than the bar. Anything.

Cant wait to find out how this feels tomorrow morning!

 

 

 

 

 

So ...

I saw some people I havent seen in a while. Met some new people. Drank some wine. Saw some great fashion stuff. And I bought some killer things with potential.

All in all ... Im calling that a Good Night.

I recently watched Idlewild. Which is, not a very good movie, to say the least.

However, it is usually my goal to specifically look for something I like in every movie I watch. And I must say, Idlewild was no different.

I really loved the dance scenes and slowmo camerawork in them. And I especially loved the men's suits in this movie. Some of them leave a bit to be desired, but others ... I simply must know where to get suits like these.

A perfect example, is this nice brown suit Rooster wears. I think I could totally rock that color (although I would pick a different shirt and tie, and get rid of the vest.)

 

 

And the hat is pretty damn awesome too. I really like hats. I found a hat line on the net that I think has cool options:

 

 

But whenever I see someone rockin a hat, I secretly wish that I could actually pull it off. Never found a hat that I have looked good in. Wish I could. I think it has something to do with my face and head shape.

Damn, I wish I could though.

These are pics of my absolute favorite pair of jeans ever:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mine are actually mislabeled too - they are tagged as Hunter but are really Matt. Above are not pics of me (as if the flip flops and real butt arent clue enough) just some model on the real site. The back tag and coloring verifies that my jeans actually are of Matt style.

Love these jeans. Worth every bit of the $75 I paid for them. And then some. I have tried on lots of $200 jeans that just cannot touch these for comfort, fabric texture, style, and fit for my body.

The only thing - these are from Turkey, which means they tend to be measured/fit more like European jeans than most you can buy here in the US. Which means a little more slim fit. Also, this means that you definitely have to try on *every* single pair of jeans before you buy because the craftmanship does not follow fixed inches. I can vary up to 2 inches in the waist from one jean to another in the same style!

I have been cleaning up a bit tonight. Trying to get some of my new stuffs put in a better place. A little Bit O Reorganizing.

While doing so, it occurred to me what my biggest passions are. I looked around at all my stuff. And then I started calculating a little bit.

All told, I guesstimate that in the last 1.5 years I have spent approximately 15k on the following categories:

• Music stuffs
• Clothes

I understand that Music stuffs is a broad category. And that is why it accounts for probably about 3/5ths of that spending. I mean, I am counting instruments, lessons, CDs, Vinyl, etc.

To put this all in perspective, that amount is actually just as much if not more than I have spent on rent.

 

This is an interesting observation because the topic of passion comes up a lot in conversations with new people. At mixers. On dates. When chatting with someone you just met and might like to know more of.

A lot of people say they love music. Its really important to them. And they call me out as giving a 'usual' answer when I say that I love music. But seriously, based on spending alone ... I think I am less than usual on this passion. Especially when you consider relative expenditures (music vs, furniture, for example)

And that doesnt even count time spent.

For whatever reason while walking to the store today, I remembered that I have a new shirt that I havent worn. Or even taken out of the package for that matter.

I bought it a few weeks ago. Its a BCBG Attitude Dress shirt. Its black with sparse black stripes. I would call it a spread-collared shirt, but it is borderline. It is a Modern Fit (cause that is the largest fit style I can wear). And it has french cuffs***. Unfortunately, there are no images of this shirt anywhere on the web.

I also have to find a reason to wear this awesome Claiborne tie I bought a while back. I picked it up cause at the time I thought the date I was escorting to a dinner was wearing pink. It is a pink and purple hued (okay, maybe more deep plum) version of the tie pattern shown here.

Damn, I really wish I knew more women that would give me excuses to get really dressed up. I have a nice suit, plenty of great ties, and some really cool shirts to do this with. Plus, I would buy more of this stuff if I knew it were going to get used more often than once a year. Meh.

Damn Seattleites and their Casual Dressing. Tongue's Out to you!

 

 

 

*** I love french cuffed shirts. I cannot believe that I recently had to explain to a woman what french cuffs were. Seriously, there were some gender role reversal issues going on there.

Im not much of a jealous type.

However, I must admit, that I am at least a little envious about the relationship women have with fashion. And for that matter, all fashiony type things.

It just doesnt really work well for a straight man to be as jazzed about style and such. We also do not have as many options as women do for what we can wear, or what we can have - without social ramifications.

I already take a lot of shit from my male friends about some of the things I really enjoy. Shopping tops the list of jabs from dudes - I really love to shop for a lot of stuff so its an easy target for them. I also really like to interior decorate - Im really excited and anal retentive about providing ambience (in my own style of course). Whoa man, do I hear it from guys about this. And dont forget about attention to details, not a very manly thing (unless it has to do with electronics, stats, or breasts).

Yes, I know most men find it strange that I consider Shopping a fun activity (especially clothes shopping). And I know that because of the *way* I shop, I cant really take any male friends out shopping. That would just lead to frustration and some NOT FUN.

So be happy ladies, and celebrate how easy it is to be into the things you are into. And ... if you are ever looking for a shopping partner - holler my way :)