Male Bonding Time

Menswear Spring 2012

Call me bias, but while reviewing the men's spring 2012 collections, I only decided to look at collections which for some reason I thought I would look good in.  The most masculine collections would still have me picturing myself in these outfits, setting aside my summer daisy dress for a pair of Mugler bedazzled leggings, and have me completely copying the typical school boy outfit (short shorts and a crisp collared shirt) also showcased by Mugler-timeless I guess. 

Excuse me if I'm wrong, but the Men's shows set the tone-foreshadowing-what's to come in the future for the women's spring collection.  When picking the select few collections to review; the 2 designers I didn't know, the 5 big ones I do know, and 2 of my favorite designers-I of course had to check out the Balmain collection considering the remarkable impact they had this spring with the studded burnt leather, that made it okay to be a bad ass American.

A classic timeless brand was also added to must see list, Gucci brings back the trench in a season that is not use to the long red jacket, which is definitely a statement piece setting itself aside from the many neutrals of the collection.  This spring the simplistic styled guys in Gucci look just as fashionable as the exotic taste a guy must have to wear Mugler.

Mugler Spring 2012 Menswear

Balmain Spring 2012 Menswear

Gucci Spring 2012 Menswear

Caged Aggression: Givenchy Fall 2011

In the new fall 2011 Givenchy campaign, models let out their inner animal expressing their hidden aggressions.  While the color palette from the spring tones all the way down; from the Pop pink's and orange's-to the dark shades of grey and the ultimate color of any fall/winter season-black.  Natalia Vodianova, Kristen McMenamy, and Mariacarla Boscono also share the growls and snares in this Feline campaign.

 

With prints that alone are great style statements, Givenchy almost trumps Prada's spring 2011 symbolic bananas and monkeys prints, with their Honolulu flowers, Hawaiian beauty, and fierce panther.  But like Prada's striped fur collars, Givenchy's ultimate accessory in this collection is the pointy cat like caps, which I love a little too much, past the healthy love limit I assume.  Between the hats, the goggle glasses, and the prints; to say any piece in this collection will be undoubtedly recognizable by any fashion lover this fall would be an understatement.  

 

Photo Finish

The Sartorialist

School's been out for the past 3 days now, and all I have manage to accomplish is season 1 of Veronica Mars on Netflix and discovering I have the ability to-avoid fresh air, daylight, and leaving my bed for more than 5 minutes at a time-successfully.  While in bed I can't say I was being the least bit productive, but in between episodes I did get to thinking.  Thinking about the "Think Different Posters" I use to look at posted on this random history teacher (who I didn’t even have but somehow always ended up in his classroom) wall.  This old campaign is a little before my time, but it definitely inspired me.  It reminds me in a way of street photos captured by the notorious author of The Sartorialist Blog.  I did get the chance to look at my Sartorialist app on my iPhone today and fell in love with the black and white vintage photos he has been collecting over the past few weeks.  Talk about inspiring.

Sporty Spice

More Comfort and More Style

It's been a while since I have blogged considering the last couple of days have been very stressful.  The last day of school (Thursday) has come and went and now that schools out-summer has just begun-giving me the chance to become completed devoted to blogging at all hours of the night.  And now without the worry of the blackishly dull bags exposing themselves in the morning, from my late nights of collection browsing and Sex and the City watching, I get the chance to experiment more.  It's time now that I throw on my pumps, and invest in a new camera because though I have not kept up blogging, I have been doing a lot of shopping.  Some of my latest buys are my new Jeffrey Campbell Black Glitter Lita platforms, a long with a lovely pair of Vince Camuto wedges. 

I must admit though I have been shopping, my outfits lately have been a little off.  Waking up in the middle of the day and rushing to school in an attempt not to miss my finals has really put a damper on my closet creativity.  The sporty look has been the result of my late night studying, early morning rushing.  Though my school T-Shirts and Under Armor running leggings are not in the same ball park as designers sporty apparel, I did the best I could in my schools red, black, and white.  But there are some people who successfully manage to pull off the sporty look while still looking completely fashionable, Andre Leon Talley, as my prime example-along with the devilish school girl rock sporty looks the Spice Girls manage to pull off well into their late 20’s. 

Style.com Spring 2011 Sporty Looks

"I go to damon dash for my trousers, I go to Ralph Lauren for the shirts." -Andre Leon Talley

A man who is all about fashion, even on the tennis court

Can a fashionisto get any more athletic than this?

Amare Stoudemire has been known for sitting front row during fashion week

and is one athlete who has made a graceful transformation from Sports Illustrated to Vogue

The Spice Girls always gave the public something to talk about in their sporty apparel

styled with sky rocket heels

Jil Sander Spring 2011

I may not run in it, but the sporty aesthetic is clear cut

Google Search: Japanese Fall Fashion 2011

Yasutoshi Ezumi Fall/Winter 2011

I've recently been looking for great fashion from outside of the usual fashion city circles (France, Milan, New York).  Browsing through my Google search engine for inspiration, I stumbled upon this collection by Yasutoshi Ezumi.  I don't know much about this designer, but what I can tell from this collection is that she is an amazing designer.  I use to think of Japan fashion as solely an innovative futuristic cluster of styles, which modeled an over dressed baby doll, which I personally have grown quiet fond of.  But this designer shows a more modern collection, which could be held at that same bar as the NYC, Paris, and Milan designers.

photos from: japanesestreets.com

Acne Pre-Fall 2011

Soul Divas

Had trouble picking a song from Adele's 21 album

she's my favorite singer, and this is my favorite album

Don't You Remember

By. Adele

I'm not quite sure what purpose a pre-fall collection serves nor do I particularly care.  What I do know is that during this awkward period in which I'm not quite sure when to where what, I hope that Acne's pre fall collection manages to somehow find its way into my closet, and lead me to the answer to such a difficult question.

With a look that is supposed to be based off of the classic, "women of the family, a clan that includes the living legend Debo, Dowager Duchess," as reported by style.com, I saw a lot less Debo and a lot more soul.  The kind of soul I'm talking about is not Motown-Temptations-I'm a guy and my voice is higher than any normal females.  The soulful divas of the 21st century are more of the hipster coffee shop-beanie wearing musicians-that sing their ballads like a spoken word performance, with just as much of a fulfilling meaning in each of their songs than in a Shakespeare poem.  These women are the truth seekers, the ones that are favorite singers, instead of just singing someone’s favorite song. 

Adele, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Joss Stone, and of course Corrine Bailey Rae's, blues like big hits classify them under the same category which I see in majority of this 10 piece collection.  But by chance, maybe these women are dipping into the style closets of 50's sensations such as Etta James, considering most of these women look up to greats like her, I see why their style greatly reflect hers.  So in a way, the collection does reflect a timeless classic look, jazzed up and rocked out by the soulful beauties of this modern age.

   
 "one more coffee and one last cigarette"