Pleasurable Revelation

L'Eau De Prep

2011-10-04T01:23:00.000-04:00

Following in Ralph Lauren's footsteps, Tommy Hilfiger just launched his new line of fragrances, "Eau de Prep" this month. The collection features two fragrances, Eau de Prep Tommy Girl and Eau de Prep Tommy. The fragrances reflect sporty yet elegant style, quite similar to the Tommy Hilfiger way of life.

Eau de Prep Tommy features red grapefruit, wild clary sage and passionate granadilla top notes, Egyptian Geranium, wet greens, a splash of tonic, white pepper, lavender absolute and juniper berries middle notes and finally rich amber, and georgywood, oak moss and white suede base notes.

The flacons are very elegant, made of see-through glass and embellished with golden inscriptions and capital while also featuring a new crest from Tommy Hilfiger.

The collection was developed by Hilfiger licensee, Estee Lauder Cos.' Aramis and Designer Fragrances unit. Fragrances Eau de Prep Tommy Girl and Eau de Prep Tommy is available as 50 and 100 ml from the Tommy Hilfiger website where they retail for $65.

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T03:50:00.000-04:00

Fashion Forward #15 - Addicted To Brogue

2011-01-29T04:07:00.000-05:00

If you've ever worn a good pair of leather boots you'll know just how empowering it is and how that solid first step can set the tone for the rest of your day. A lot of the past Fall/Winter runway shows featured solid boots and one in particular, the Brogue Boot, was more popular than the others. I am a big fan of the perforated look (brogueing, or perforating the surface of the shoe originated with the purpose of allowing water inside the shoe to drain out when the wearer crossed wet terrain) and I am glad more and more boots are manufactured using this technique.

A nice pair of Tricker's Brogue boots can be found at OiPolloi.com

Urban Inspiration #2 - 2011 Wird Alles Besser

2011-01-09T16:56:00.000-05:00

Happy 2011, may you all have a fashionable and happy new year! A combination of WearPalettes.com and LookBook.nu brought me to Simon Schmidt, a 14 year old blogger from Germany. Even if he were older I'd still be a fan of his looks, however for someone to have developed a unique and interesting sense of style at such a young age is what makes Simon that more special! Check Simon's blog SimonKreative out for more of his looks!

Fashion Forward #14 - Have Yourself a Jodhpur Winter

2010-12-28T19:41:00.001-05:00

Happy FestiChristmaHanuKwanzaa everyone and I hope that snow hasn't completely covered you yet! I've been travelling around the south of the USA, hence the lack of posts, however in the few moments that I got to surf the web, one item in Rugby.com's winter collection managed to pull me out of my winter lethargy and get me back in post writing mode.

If you remember, I wrote a post about the most interesting styles in men's pants/trousers a while back and the Jodhpur was one of them.

As I was browsing Rugby.com this break, I stumbled upon a gorgeous pair of red plaid denim jeans, woven in a jodhpur style. As far as I know, even though a lot of designers have flirted with equestrian inspired designs, Jodhpur denim jeans have not been done before. Check them out and let me know what you think!

Plaid Jodhpur Jean - $94 - Rugby.com

Vintage Sur Le Campus

2010-11-27T05:17:00.000-05:00

I've recently started following Greensleeves to a Ground, a "très mignon" French blog that draws its inspiration from "Le BCBG mode de vie Américain". BCBG is a French acronym that stands foir bon chic bon genre or in more familiar terms, Preppy. Greensleeves' author often presents the readers with vintage photos or illustrations that showcase the old collegiate lifestyle and I thought it would be interesting to show you a vintage Sears Ad that presented the newest Campus Styles to its buyers.

1933 Sears Ad - just look at the width of those pant cuffs !

Shameless Pitch #2 - PhotoGnomics

2010-11-27T05:00:00.001-05:00

Time for another shameless pitch, this time however for my photography website, PhotoGnomics. Ever since I bought my new DLSR, I have found myself taking multitudes of photographs and I recently felt the artistic urge to showcase them somewhere that was not my Facebook photo albums. Enjoy!

Recent visit to the amazing city of New Orleans

Meet The Hilfigers

2010-11-11T01:53:00.000-05:00

Though Tommy Hilfiger's last campaign has been out for quite some time, a recent close-up shot revealed a Duke University decal on one of the old cars in the campaign's video (00:30)

Meet the Hilfigers takes the Tommy brand into a "new direction while respecting the brand's aesthetic" Tommy tells Women's Wear Daily. I see it more like Tommy is finally getting onto the preppy resurgence bandwagon. What I like most about the campaign, is that Tommy isn't just rehashing the old Preppy look that Ralph Lauren has been regurgitating for years but rather has reinvented it. From what I can tell, he has brought elements present in Italian style and fused them with staples of the original Prep look (The model on the right literally looks as if he was hand-picked from the streets of Firenze during Pitti Uomo.

L.L. Bean Signature - Winter 2010

2010-11-03T12:20:00.001-04:00

I have featured L.L. Bean's new(er) Signature Collection before and I'd like you all to see their Winter 2010 Collection ad. The Signature line is a reinvention of the L.L. Bean classics that caters to the modern buyer. Plaids, earthy tones and thicker textures give this season's line a true North Eastern American feel.

Also, Lisa Birnbach, author of True Prep, got to sit down for a short chat with the line's design directors:

Fashion Forward #13 - Badge of Preppiness

2010-10-04T05:27:00.000-04:00

Appliques, patches, crests, badges or decals are decorative surface applications of fabric that adds dimension and texture to the background fabric. The term derives from the French word appliquer (and the Latin applicare) that means to join or attach. While its early use was most likely to strengthen worn areas or serve as a patch over holes, appliqué developed into a creative art form used by many cultures over many centuries. (Scribner Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, Volume 1)

Nathaniel Vanderbilt Archibald, wearing the Vanderbilt Family Crest on his jacket

The resurgence of Prep culture and its increased visibility on the runways has brought back wearing crests and patches on one's belonging. It has been customary for old families to display their family crest on suit jackets (as is portrayed by Nate Archibald, a member of the Vanderbilt family on Gossip Girl) as well as Prep School and Ivy League Alums to don badges and patches from their alma maters on suit jackets, sweaters, shirts, duffel bags and nowadays even on their laptops.

Rugby is one of the handful of designer houses that has been reinterpreting preppy elements and bringing them to the general public.

True Prep author, Lisa Birnbach states that being preppy is no longer a distant, veiled and often misunderstood way of life, non-preps becoming ever more fascinated and acquainted with it than when her Official Preppy Handbook came out in 1980. As such, preppy paraphernalia is at an all time high in popularity, and sewing or gluing a preppy crest or badge on one's possessions is one easy way of adding that so desired preppy element.

Chest badges are amongst the most popular.

Placement-wise, there aren't really any rules, however, many of the appliques I've seen were placed very similar to monograms, either on the left chest-side or on the cuff of the shirt, rugby or sweater. With bags or other accessories we truly have freedom of expression, and even going over the top with the number of crests, the sizing of badges or the discordance of colours is acceptable.

A clash of two worlds, the jeans jacket and sewed-on the crest, make for an interesting combination.

Most new appliques are iron-on nowadays, however, many machine-washes or dry-cleaning the piece of clothing can make the glue wear off. The safest and more vintage-looking option is still the sewed on look but if your needle and thread skills are lacking here's a guide to help you stitch an appliqué on successfully

A different assortment of badges and crests, ranging from school-inspired to nautical

You can find some of the appliqués featured above at these different online stores:

New York Design Shop (definitely my favourite)
Family Crest
1FerretTreasures
Laughing Lizards

Fashion Forward #12 - Slippery Autumns

2010-09-29T22:57:00.000-04:00

To the chagrin of many of my student peers, the North Carolinian summer has slowly lost ground to the the rainy season that is so characteristic of a Duke autumn. While most people on campus have quickly pulled out their rain boots and jackets and their light layers, there are still those who have yet to transition, if ever to their fall wardrobes. How some people can wear flip-flops in the rain and still avoid serious split-inducing slippage incidents is beyond me, not forgetting the sheer messiness of stepping into mud and puddles. I guess some feet just enjoy getting cold and dirty more than the warm "constricting "comfort of a dry shoe?!

Rainy Day on Campus, Take Ivy

Rain - Stone Tiles - Boots - I have had the misfortune of being reminded today just how unfortunate the combination can turn out to be as I, in all of my 6'4" "majesty" graciously rear-landed in front of the library. While others would be more worried about the sheer pain of impact, the possible staining of clothes or damage to one's laptop, the first thing that popped into my head was how I could augment said boots so that this would not happen again.

The basic idea is increasing traction/friction between your shoes and whatever surface you walk on, thus avoiding unfortunate aquaplaning. This can be done either by gluing a couple of no slip appliques /decals or some light sandpaper pieces to the soles of your feet, or applying a no-slip treatment to them.

Wake Up Preppies, They're Back!!

2010-09-13T22:49:00.000-04:00

The most anticipated month of this year has come, and what better way to be woken up on a beautiful September North Carolina morning than by the UPS delivery of the 2 books we've all been waiting for!

I haven't actually had the chance to read them but from taking a few peeks at True Prep I can definitely tell you it's gorgeous and will most likely join its predecessor, The Official Preppy Handbook as one of the staples of any self-respecting prep.

I would really recommend getting these two amazing books either for yourself or as a gift!

Shameless Pitch - CampusSartorialist.com

2010-09-10T19:28:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone, I hope the last month has been treating you all well. I have been extremely busy with returning to school, freshmen orientation and another project I started working on over the summer and of which I'll talk about in just a bit. Sadly, being so busy meant I have had virtually no time for writing new posts. Fear not though , as I have many great posts lined up for the last quarter of 2010.

As for my shameless pitch, I would like to introduce everyone to a project I have been working on since July and have only launched yesterday.

CampusSartorialist.com, is a website which I hope will walk in the footsteps of its famous counterpart ( The Sartorialist ) and will become a medium of expression for Campus fashion. Many of you have probably witnessed the invasion of, if not been guilty of wearing, Fleece/Sweatpants, Hoodies, Crocs and many other unspeakable accoutrements, however there is still hope amongst the college population and through Campus Sartorialist I hope to bring the best of college style to the surface.

In Perpetuum Effingo, CampusSartorialist's motto can be literally translated as "in perpetual formation/fashioning" and I chose it for its simple yet all-encompassing nature as well as its correlation to students perpetually evolving, adjusting and changing.

Many of you might ask why the need for another fashion website aimed at the college population, when CollegeFashionista, CollegeFashion and other blogs/websites are already popular and followed?! While I do give credit to these websites, I believe they focus too much on the sartorial aspects of campus fashion and thus miss the big picture. College campuses are ever-changing environments, where teenagers experiment and define their style as they transition from their teenage years into adulthood. It's not about what the trends in Milan are, which shade of lipstick goes best with what, but about self-expression and originality. Teruyoshi Hayashida created Take Ivy, one of the most appreciated and famous college look-books, in 1965 and while looking back at what students wore back then compared to now might seem familiar to you, these two periods of now and then are quite dissimilar. CampusSartorialist would like to become the repository of collegiate looks from around the world and specifically from within the U.S., where students living on a campus together creates a unique fashion bubble.

Taking upon this task is definitely not a one-man job and I would like to welcome any help I can get as far as photography and capturing what you think is unique amongst the college crowd. If fashion photography is your passion, I would definitely welcome any guest features as well as anyone who would like to become a long-term contributor. Your name, photos and a link to your resume/website would be added to a Contributors page, which will be made available from the main page.

Please direct any questions, suggestions or submissions to CampusSartorialiast@gmail.com and please spread the word, follow it on google or twitter(#CampusSartorial), like it on Facebook and comment on the posts!

To a great new beginning!

Robert

Hair and Grooming #6 - A Rockabilly Exsufflation

2010-08-12T21:03:00.001-04:00

Rockabilly, a fusion of the words rock-and-roll and hillbilly is a genre of music that originates from the South of the US which mixes elements of rock, blues, country, hillbilly boogie and bluegrass music. Part of a resurgence of retro hairstyles for men is also the quiffed variant of the 50s and 60s greaser hair. I have recently been searching for a new hairstyle and in the end I decided to go with a modern, asymmetrical, highly texturized version of the rockabilly quiff.

A vintage clip shows that the quiff is not for the faint of heart and just like its modern counterpart it requires a bit of time to get it just right.

Teddy boy rockabilly quiff hair cut 60s

Other modern variants of a quiff include longer hair in the back and on the sides that it slicked back:

NYC Socialite and Cognoscenti, Chuck Bass also dons a modern quiff

One of my absolute favourite male models, Jon Kortajarena, sporting a quiff in danish-designer Matinique's ad campaign

Lastly, the twins of Slikhaar.dk have featured this hairstyle, this example being the closest to what my hair looks like right now, on their YouTube channel:

The best brushes to achieve the quiff are round ball-tipped brushes and large ball-tipped brushes:

For styling you need a strong-hold mousse, a matte pomade or wax and if needed a strong hairspray:

Fashion Forward #11 - Ubiquitous Ties

2010-08-05T19:32:00.004-04:00

Studying in a campus that is so reminiscing of Oxford or Cambridge, I often think how much alike my campus is to some other American staples, Disneyland or The Cheesecake Factory to name a few. Though all originally set out with the intention of becoming genuine replicas of European Universities in the case of the former two and a mix of European architecture and eclecticism for the latter two, the end product is a travesty of the original, a mere façade, veneer of vanity.

Saying that you're too busy with school to care about how you look is NOT an excuse!

The universities that are models for the American Universities, as well as many prep and boarding schools within the US still enforce some form of dress code. While many people think uniforms are means of torturous uniformization, they are nothing like that. Uniforms were first designed as a means of distinguishing students of these schools from other people living in the cities adjacent to the universities and moreover to hopefully instill school pride in the case of recognition of one's association with the school. The lack of uniforms, or in the least, of a proper dress code has brought the American student population down to the realm of exaggerated "je m'en fiche-ism". Take a walk through some of the more prestigious university campuses in the U.S. and what you will see will be nothing less than an incongruous image between the architecture that is meant to evoke high values and aspirations of academic excellence and the fleece-pant and hoodie wearing student, whose school pride sums up to nothing more than some bouts of pride during football or basketball season. What is worse is that whenever anyone tries to be more fashionable, without a preset purpose, or just for shits and giggles, as a friend of mine described it, the rest respond unfavorably and most times it's part of a defense mechanism rather than disapproval of sartorial choice.

Just putting on a navy jacket, a shirt and a tie is not even that much of a change yet it has prompted many questions like: "Oh, what's the occasion?"...well does there have to be an occasion for someone to put on a tie? The answer is No! it doesn't have to. With a resurgence of the traditional Ivy League Look, now more than ever, donning a tie in any combination uplifts your entire look and adds that special feeling that you took a few extra minutes to get ready in the morning.

Ties come in a huge variety of colours, fabrics, cuts and patterns, however that will not be the topic of this post. What I would like to focus on instead, is the versatility of a tie, one of the few accessories that men can play and experiment with when dressing up. While there are many combinations, some of which I might not have thought of, here are the ones I think are worthy of your attention.

1. The T-Shirt and Tie

The most casual of all combos is wearing a tie, loosely knotted over a t-shirt. Though it's not exactly my personal style I have seen many guys don it in European clubs. If you decide to try it out just make sure your tie is on the slim side and not too somber looking (no wool). What's also popping up more and more these days are t-shirts that already have a tie attached permanently to them or one is just drawn on.

2. The Short Sleeved Shirt Combo

Also on the more casual side, wearing a tie with a short sleeved shirt is a funky and hip way of adding originality to your look. It's great for a summer in the city and if your work place permits it, a great summer office look. Same rules as above with regards to choosing a suitable tie.

3. Simple is not necessarily lazy: The Shirt and Tie

Now I'm pretty sure most of you are hyper-familiar with just wearing a shirt and a tie in the office or for events where a sports coat/blazer would be overkill. The rules of slim-ties apply here as well and please do tuck in your shirt. If you find there's some extra stuff hanging out, either think of something else to wear or put on a sweater to cover it up (read below). If you're not a big fan of short-sleeved shirts but you find your long-sleeved ones to be a little stifling in the summer, you can always roll up your sleeves stylishly (remember, rolling too little or too much over the elbow is not the right way to do it).

Shirt, tie and jeans all by Dolec & Gabbana. Shoes by Calvin Klein Collection. Tie bar by Paul Stuart.

For the more daring of you, suspenders are another accessory that can enhance the almost bare look of a shirt and a tie. Keep the suspenders simple and do go with the ones that use leather tabs to attach to the pants rather than clip-ons. The Topman suspenders I introduced to you a while back make a great addition to any look

4. Wearing Vests is Tré Cool: The Tie and Vest

Of all the casual appearances of the tie, its combination with the vest is probably the most wide-spread. Often hipster teenagers and metro guys going out are seen wearing a tie and a vest. Almost any vest works whether it was originally part of a 3-piece suit or is a fluffy down-vest.

5. Layering Up - The Rugby and the Tie

As fall descends upon the northern hemisphere and the weather gets chillier in the mornings and evenings, just a shirt won't be enough to keep you going so the art of layering comes in handy here. A simple way to keep warm is to add a rugby shirt over your shirt and add a tie for panache. Since we are no longer able to see the tie, whether or not you're wearing a slim or wide tie is of no importance anymore. A way to get creative is to step outside your tie-knotting zone and try a different knot each day, depending on your shirt's collar. You can always roll up your sleeves to complete the look and please do not forget to not pop your collar. Rugby.com has a nice selection of Rugby Shirts.

6. It's Getting Chillier, Break Out the Sweater: The Sweater and the Tie

As the temperatures plummet and a thin rugby shirt is not enough anymore, a cardiganm or sweater is a welcomed substitution. This is one of my favourite combinations as I am a big fan of sweaters, especially shawl-neck sweaters, although you can wear any type of sweater, even v-necks and crew-neck sweaters

7. Bring in the Blazers and Sport Coats: The Tie Meets the Jacket

The cherry on top, when it comes to layering is adding the final touch, the blazer, sports coat or jacket in our case. Whether you choose to wear your coat over the shirt directly or doubly layer it with a sweater or rugby is up to you as well as choosing the jacket to top everything up.

8. The Suit

Last but not least, the outfit your probably associate most with wearing a tie, the suit, will never loose its appeal and whether you're a fan of the double or single breasted suit or of peak or notch lapels, you'll still be wearing a tie to it.

I really hope you've enjoyed our little incursion into the different ways you can incorporate a tie into your daily wardrobe and that you will try to go out of your comfort zone a little next time and wear a tie. There wil definitely be some people who will ask you what the occasion is and it will get annoying, but you know what.. you feeling great is all that matters at the end of the day.

Tie Tips

- Avoid wearing clip-on ties or bow-ties, they are unproffesional.

- The front point of your tie should be just long enough to touch the waist of your pants.

- Your tie should be darker than the color of your shirt.

Food and Drinks #1 - Beers Aplenty

2010-08-04T12:11:00.004-04:00

“A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure.”

This Czech Proverb could not be more right and with so many types and brands of beer nowadays it's often hard, even for the most beertastic of bros to wrap his head around what makes each beer different and what exactly he likes in a beer. So many of us drink it quite often yet don't know that beer is actually a general term for more than one type of fermented beverage. Though I will never claim that I am a beer expert, I will try to sum up what everyone should know about this beverage of choice.

Beer 101

1. Power of 3

The term beer encompasses roughly 3 types of fermented beverages: Ale, Lager and least known, Lambic or Mixed Origin beers.

Ale

In short, Ales are a type of beer that ferment at warmer temperatures (60-75 F) and form a layer of foam on top, giving them the name of top-fermenting beers.

Lager

Lagers are a type of beer that ferment at temperatures averaging 50 F and contain a complex sugar, raffinose, as a byproduct of fermentation. Unlike ales, lagers ferment at the bottom, giving rise to the name bottom-fermenting beers.

Lambic

Lambics and mixed origin beers are sometimes bunched up together and forgotten, even though they are original beers that fueled the creation of a beer-brewing industry. Unlike ales and lagers where the yeast cultures used for fermentation are carefully selected, lambics and mixed origin beers are spontaneous-fermentation beers, meaning the yeasts that are involved in their fermentation are naturally occurring ones. Compared to ales and lagers, lambics cover the smallest portion of the beer market and are only manufactured in Belgium, more specifically in the region surrounding Brussels, where the yeasts that are native to the Senne (Zenne) valley are used.

2. By the looks of it...

There are three visual characteristics that are usually observed in a beer and they are colour, clarity, and nature of the head. Colour is usually imparted by the malts used, notably the adjunct malts added to darker beers, though other ingredients may contribute to the colour of some styles such as fruit beers.

Chart of some more popular beers based in their colour

3. Aroma, Flavor and Feel

Aroma

The aroma and flavour in a beer ares formed by a combination of the malts and other fermentables used, the strength and type of hops, the alcohol, esters, and various aromatic components formed by the yeast strain as well as other elements that may derive from the water and the brewing process. Bitterness can be measured on an International Bitterness Units scale, and in North America a number of brewers record the bitterness on this scale as IBUs.

Based on different elements that pertain to aroma and feel, similar to wine, some beers go with a certain type of dish while others with another. Use this chart if you ever want to pair beer with your food.
Feel

The feel of a beer in the mouth, both from thickness of the liquid and from carbonation, may also be considered as part of a beer's style. A sweeter beer feels thicker in the mouth. The level of carbonation (or nitrogen, in "smooth" beers) varies from one beer style to another. For some beers it may give the beer a thick and creamy feel, while for others it contributes a prickly sensation.

While wine connoisseurs are called oenophiles beer connoisseurs have no actual name although maybe the word beeroisseur might work?! Here's a chart of the terminology a beeroisseur would use to describe the bouquet of a beer

A condensed history of beer

Please enjoy the next time you open a bottle of "golden ambrosia" as some people call it!

Fashion Forward #10 - 4-Looped Belt

2010-08-01T07:46:00.001-04:00

If you've been reading any of my posts you know by now that I am a big fan of any form of innovation when it comes to men's fashion. Browsing around Summer Is A Verb, I saw a picture of a belt the likes of which I had not seen before, and luckily there was a direct link to the manufacturer's website.

Wiley Brothers, founded in 1999, is an American-based leather handcrafts company specializing in leather belts and accessories. The "Classic 4-loop Hoof Pick Belt" is their signature product and is inspired by folding brass hoof picks used by all types of equestrians.

The 4-Loop belt retails at $145

While there is plenty of variety when it comes to Men's Belts buckles, I will never say no to something new that works and is appeasing to the eyes. The 4-Loop Belt's buckle is hand-stitched to bridle leather and hooks into one of four loops. The 4-Loop Belt is available in Black, Dark Havana, Mahogany and Light Havana and in sizes 26 to 42.

A Little More Preppy Than That

2010-08-01T07:02:00.001-04:00

I found this hilarious spoof of Easton Corbin's "A little more country than that", sung by Lady Antebellum. Hope you guys enjoy it to and don't take it to heart as it wasn't written to offend anyone! Enjoy the song and video! Thanks to Summer Is A Verb for the link!

Etiquette #2 - Ruining The Perfect Toast

2010-07-31T15:08:00.001-04:00

Many of you have probably attended one form or another of a social event or gathering in your lives and most likely have seen or heard someone giving a toast. Be it a wedding, christening, bar mitzvah or graduation ceremony, a toast represents the verbal affirmation of the importance of said event and as most of our social conduct, it is governed by some simple rules.

Rule #1 - Order

As with introducing people to each other, there is a set order based on seniority of importance and stepping over it is usually frowned upon. In the case of dinner parties or any other form of casual event the host is always the first to give the toast. If the host does not initiate a toast it is definitely not your duty to take initiative.

In the case of wedding receptions the duty for the first toast falls on the best man and being tipsy or drunk when giving it is bad manners. If you ever find yourself in the position of best man, save the drinks for after the speech.

Rule #2 - Initiation

One of my biggest pet peeves is people initiating a toast by tapping their glasses with one of their eating utensils. Not only is the sound annoying but the act itself is pointless and is considered very bad manners. Same goes for clearing one's throat to command attention.The proper way to initiate a toast is by standing up and holding your glass at arm's length. In smaller gatherings, this act should suffice to silence everybody, however if in the presence of a larger audience, it is acceptable to say: "May I have everyone's attention please" or "If you could all turn your attention for a moment". Don't begin speaking until everyone is looking at you and the room has quieted down. The toastee never stands up and if the toaster is further away he or she just "air clink" their glasses in sign of recognition at the end of a toast

Rule #3 - The Speech/Toast itself

Most toasts can be divided into three parts: the introduction, the oration, and the toast proper. Present in all toasts given to an audience where some might not know you, the introduction explains who you are and what your relationship to the toastee(s) is. The oration is the meat of the toast, which you will have written and learned in advance! The toast proper is the simple act of raising one's glass higher and while facing the entire group, uttering one of the following "to X" (where X is a person's name or to a concept, e.g. "to peace," etc.) or "Cheers!" etc.

Other Toasting Tips and Rules

Sometimes, when the toast is finished, it is proper for the recipient of the toast to stand, without drinking, and say a few words.

If you are participating in a toast, make sure that your glass is at least 2/3 full for the toast. It is considered bad toast etiquette to toast with an empty glass.

It is never a good idea to not participate in a toast. If you are present at the event, you should participate in any toasts given while there!

While alcohol is the traditional drink used for toasts, any drink will do, including punch, sparkling fruit soda or even soft drinks. When a toast is over, it's never good manners to applaud. You are signifying your agreement with your actions at the toast.

Garment and Shoe Care #1 - GIVE Your TOMS Some TLC

2010-07-30T12:58:00.004-04:00

Having recently become involved in the TOMS Campus Club program I've gotten even more familiar with this brand and the amazing work they do around the world. Even though I only own 2 pairs of TOMS I am a huge fan of them and after having gotten mine a little dirty, I started thinking of how I should go about to clean them. If you don't own any TOMS pairs of shoes, and I do recommend you visit TOMS.com and check them out, don't worry, this post can apply to mostly any canvas shoes or espadrilles.

So TOMS get a little stinky from the leather inside and sometimes they absorb some dirt and dust, but this should turn you away from buying a pair because it's really easy to get your TOMS back into tip-top shape. Most people go about hand-washing their TOMS, but I think that's necessary because they are pretty sturdy and unless your washing machine's cycle speed can;t be controlled, I don't see any reason to encumber yourself with hand washing them.

1. Wash your TOMS by themselves on your washing machine's most gentle cycle. Add laundry detergent only ( NO bleach) and wash

2. Either let your TOMS dry out in the sun (discolorations might appear) or dry them on LOW or NO heat along with a couple of WET towels and a dryer sheet. If you have a dryer rack, dry them on there.

Your TOMS might feel shrunk or the leather inside may have curled up a bit when you get them out of the dryer. It's normal so don't worry! Just wear them for like 10 minutes and they're back to normal, dear!

Post #100 - An Ebullient Duke Summer's Day

2010-07-29T18:22:00.005-04:00

Browsing some of Duke University's vintage photo albums on Flicker proved incredibly rewarding when I stumbled upon this little gem of a picture. Taken in 1986 by then Duke student Mark Estrada , this B&W photo manages to encapsulate the things that make me love Duke as much as I do: the incredible architecture that gives the campus an aged and mysterious feel, the great weather of the south and the desire for learning and bettering one's self that I see in so many fellow "Dukies". If you never thought you could get a tan and catch up on your reading, all the while being part of an amazing campus, this here picture will prove you wrong. I have been saving it for a special occasion and I couldn't think of one that would be more fitting than celebrating the 100th post on this blog.

To Duke and to many many more posts to come; I thank y'all so much for reading and following!

Fashion Forward #9 - To Summer Is A Verb

2010-07-29T03:32:00.000-04:00

I borrowed this logo from the awesome blog Summer Is A Verb

Indeed, 'to summer" can be used as a verb and nowadays many a people frown when it comes up in conversation. While it is indeed tightly bound to the Prep world, a degree of snobbishness and the whole summering in Nantucket habit, I like to use it just for, as one of my dear friends likes to say, "shits and giggles" to gauge my friends' level of abhorrence to the expression.

A gorgeous family on a beach on Nantucket

To come back to the idea that brought this famous Preppy Handbook mème into my mind, August, the month I consider to be the pinnacle of all summer gaiety and debauchery, is upon us and I realized I did not talk about summer accouterments at all.

Grown up in Europe, my image of swimwear was, how can I put it, dimensionally curtailed?! Though not as huge a fan of Speedos as was in my childhood, my opinion on size when it comes to any kind of shorts stands. The beaches of America are sadly laden with over-sized, monochromatically afflicted swim-tents. Even GQ saw the problem rising and decided to say something in one of their 2009 summer issues.

GQ featured a couple of guys that had some size problems with their swim trunks in June of 2009. What the sad part is is that so many guys with great bodies choose to hide them in these over-sized ugly board shorts, instead of showing off their hard work in the gym to the rest of the beach. If you've got it flaunt it is almost appropriate in this case.

Though it is a tad late on the summer timeline, here are a few swim trunks that veer away from the all too familiar and sometimes boring solid swim trunk. Summer is about being spontaneous and ebullient, so why not show your inner happiness through what you wear on the beach!

1. Ralph Lauren Molokai 6" Floral Trunk - Jacobian Floral - $59.99; 2. Parke and Ronen - Chilmark Bikini - $90; 3. Ralph Lauren Molokai 6" Floral Trunk - Blue Paisley - $59.99; 4. Lilly Pulitzer - Capri Trunk - Daquiri Pink - $90; 5. Parke and Ronen - SSI Sunset Ivy 4" Swim Short - $95; 6. Parke and Ronen - NDM Navy Del Mar 4" Swim Short - $95

I really hope all of your summers have been nothing short of amazing and I am looking forward to transitioning with you all into Fall, my favourite season!

How It's Made #5 - Cowboy Boots

2010-07-27T07:57:00.002-04:00

Even James Dean, an all-time fashion icon wore them!

Even though cowboy boots have never and will never be my thing, it is interesting to see the amount of work it takes to fashion them. If you're a fan and would like to read more on Cowboy boots, check out Bootblog AllenBoots.

Flash

2010-07-26T10:23:00.000-04:00

Fashion Forward #8 - I'm Seeing Double Vs

2010-07-26T05:32:00.001-04:00

Clothing Brigade is a new online store I've grown very fond of. With a motto that spurs its buyers to "Shop Independent(ly)", the exquisite collection of items found in their online racks is sure to please you. While I am most excited about their jeans and accessories collection, I would like to present you with a reinvention of the ubiquitous V-neck Tee. Most fashions events that I attend see me bemoaning the lack of originality and innovation in men's lines, which, despite the inherent lack of options that comes with designing Men's clothing, is not an excuse for unbridled rehashing of the same boring shapes and forms.

Wrath Arcane - Double V Tee
$49

I like how they not only added a second skin to the simple V-neck Tee but also spiced it up with a little bit of asymmetry

The Last Bastions of Prep: Deerfield Academy

2010-07-25T23:53:00.003-04:00

Deerfield Academy, is one of the top Prep Schools in the United States, right there next to Phillips Andover Academy, Phillips Exeter Academy, Choate Rosemary Hill. Deerfield Academy, founded in 1797, is an independent, co-educational boarding school located in Western Massachusetts, know for its rigorous academic programs, athletic prowess, and the beauty, drama, and rhythm of campus life.

I have always been a fan of school uniforms as I feel they instill feelings of belonging to a community and school pride. While as far as I can tell, Deerfield Academy does not have a uniform per se, the dress code mentioned by some of the students in the video makes for a more homogeneous look. The Prep look, which is indigenous to, well, Prep Schools is a non provocative, put together appearance. The Prep does not wear Abercrombie or Hollister, which I am always amazed to hear some people call preppy! The Prep boy or girl wears Lilly Pulitzer, Ralph Lauren, Vineyard Vines, Lacoste, and other similar brands. They like prints such as Seersucker, Plaid, Argyle, and Madras and most often do not shy away from wearing what most people call go-to-hell colours.

I Invite you to watch the following video and notice some of the Prep elements of clothing, which are as close to the source of Prep as they can be. We can even notice the Jacket, Shirt, Tie and Shorts look that has been creeping up on the different runways of the world.

Thanks to The Over-Cher for the video link

The Big Pony Effusion

2010-07-25T08:41:00.000-04:00

Ralph Lauren, founding father of the Americana style has released a new line of Ralph Lauren fragrances which focus on the individuality of the Big Pony motif, one of the latest Ralph Lauren hits in Menswear.

The fragrance quartet comes in differently coloured bottles, each numbered with a different Polo-inspired decal. The full Big Pony Collection comprises 40ml, 75ml and 125ml edt (Eau de toilette) sprays and the online price is $50 for the 75ml bottle. A four x 15ml coffret will also be available.

#1 RL Blue - the Sporty one - is a fresh marine scent with notes of grapefruit and lime.

#2 RL Red - the Seductive one - is a gourmand blend of dark chocolate and musk.

#3 RL Green - the Adventurous one - is a fresh green scent, featuring hints of mint and ginger.

#4 RL Orange - the Stylish one - is an oriental-woody fragrance with notes of mandarin and kyarawood.

My favourite part of the whole Big Pony campaign is their video advertisement. Bruce Weber, an amazing photographer, has been able to capture the carefree sybarite lifestyle that is embedded into the American noosphere as being the Ralph Lauren/Rugby RL way-of-life. These videos has always appealed to me, and this latest one is no exception.

What's even better, is that as part of their campaign, Ralph Lauren has made it that customers are able to combine a lot of short video clips and make their very own Big Pony video.

Fashion Forward #7 - Brace Yourselves

2010-07-20T09:13:00.002-04:00

Suspenders (Am. English) or how they're most commonly referred to, Braces (B. English), have been popping in and out of style for the past century. While originally designed so that the higher-cut trousers of that time wouldn't fall off, suspenders have become more or less useless in the age of low-cut pants and belts. Nonetheless, suspenders have nowadays made their way into mainstream fashion as more of a fashion statement rather than a practical accoutrement. Though they are considered underwear by the most purist of dandies and fashionistos, suspenders have broken out of their "always covered" shell and are now worn in full view, having become a part of different cultural scenes.

Browsing TOPMAN.com , I happened to come across this Off White Vintage Tip Braces, which although not traditional due to their clip on rather than leather tab mode of attachment, I still find quite appealing.

Off White Vintage Tip Braces, $30

If you do fancy wearing suspenders or braces, whichever your favourite word for the might be, remember that wearing both suspenders or a belt is considered a faux pas!

The Road Goes Ever On and On

2010-07-18T13:49:00.000-04:00

Hair and Grooming #5 - The Golden Ratio of Fragrance

2010-07-18T13:08:00.003-04:00

Perfume and cologne can enhance one's overall appearance. The alluring scent that is complimentary to a person increases attractiveness, however, when perfume is applied wrong, the overpowering effects can actually have an opposite effect. Through a little perfumeducation and some trial and error you can discover what your personal Golden Ratio of fragrance is.

The first step in learning how to make perfume work (guys, if you still think perfume is for girls and cologne is for men, please read my previous post on fragrances), is by selecting a scent that's right for you. While a certain fragrance can smell just great on a testing strip in the perfume shop, it can behave quite differently on your skin, once it combines with your natural scent and skin oils. Because of this, the only way to be certain a perfume is compatible with you, is to apply one or at most two perfumes, each on a different wrist, and then take a walk outside the shop for at least 30 minutes. By this time the perfume has had time to start evaporating and allow you to perceive the actual smell it emanates from your skin. If you are still pleased with it then you should definitely purchase it.

The second and most important step is the all time cliché, "location, location, location". I have seen plenty of guys getting ready to go out, only to watch them in horror as they sprayed perfume all over their clothes and sometimes even under their armpits.

Spending time taking care of my clothes has made me aware of the effects all our grooming products have on them and the alcohol in perfumes is one of the most harmful of all. Perfumes are mostly always a mixture of different organic molecules that are designed to evaporate at different times, however from skin, not clothing fibers. Without direct contact with warm skin, the alcohol evaporates before all the essential oils have had time to, possibly leaving you with a stained garment.

Now that you know better than to apply fragrances to your clothes it's time you learned about pulse points or the points on your skin where blood flows closest to the surface and are the warmest. Applying perfume to pulse points insures optimum delivery of the scent.

The 6 Male Pulse Points

The 6 Pulse Points are: 1. the temples; 2. behind the ears; 3. clavicles for men and the cleavage for women ; 4. elbow pit; 5. the insides of your wrists; 6. the insides of your knees.

While it is definitely not advised to apply perfume to all 6 pulse points at once, depending on what you are wearing, as well as the weather conditions, here are some patterns I would use:

a) Warm/Hot weather, shorts and a tee: 3,4 and 6

b) Warm/Hot weather, night out, freshly shaved: 1,2 and short sleeve: 4/long sleeve: 5

c) Cold weather, casual: 2 and 5

d) Cold weather, formal: 1, 2, 3, 5 (Remember, perfumes effuse slower in colder weather so don't be afraid to add a bit more than in the summer )

Knowing the essential pulse points will insure you won't stain your clothes anymore and that you'll make good use of your perfume.

Tips

1. It is also important to remember that we are all prone to olfactory fatigue, which means that after being exposed for a prolonged period of time to a certain smell, our nose becomes temporarily desensitized to it. IF you are at any time uncertain of whether or not you are applying enough perfume ask some close friends for advice.

2. In the summer time, hot weather and sweat contribute to an accelerated loss of perfume and if you're planning to be out longer your nice fragrance will start to become unnoticeable. What you may have seen some women do is carry around a small pen-shaped perfume applicator which they use to reapply perfume when out. Here are two such applicators you can use to carry some perfume around if you want to freshen up, as well as a mini funnel if you need to transfer perfume more easily (if your perfume bottle does not open, your only option is to spray and spray into a closed chilled container and wait for the perfume to condensate on the walls after which you can pour it into the smaller bottles)

Photographic Spotlight #2 - Rinze van Brug

2010-07-16T22:17:00.001-04:00

Rinze van Brug began his love of art at a young age. With inspiration from movies such as BEAT STREET and WILD STYLE Rinze's artistic approach blossomed. Drawing and then graffiti were the first methods of expression for Rinze and he worked commercially while in Amsterdam creating art murals for stores and restaurants while continuing his personal art as well. At 19, Rinze purchased his first Macintosh computer and began exploring new programs such as Painter, which allows users to develop their own art work in a much shorter time span. Learning these computer programs escalated the extent of artwork Rinze could achieve. Able to finish projects in one hour that would have taken weeks, Rinze was able to explore new genres of art.

During art school Rinze excelled in graphic design and photography graduating to enter the advertising world. At Ogilvy he worked with clients such as Philips, Canon, Mercedes, Red Bull, and many other Fortune 500 companies as an art director. To work through his ideas with clients he would sketch out pictures of how he wanted the photography to look and, in doing so, realized his calling was photography and design.

Much of Rinze's inspiration comes from music that helps him to continuously mold his personal style. With new music consistently hitting the scene Rinze utilizes the fusion of music, life and art in his photography. Rinze has worked with high end fashion companies and at Fashion Week, as well as portfolio work and editorial, to documentary and integrated art styles. Each photograph shows Rinze's ability to capture the moment, the pose, or the scene as he brings each photograph to life.

Channeling the 90s

2010-07-16T00:30:00.001-04:00

The 90s preppies had it going right....everyone else sadly did not!

E pur si muove

2010-07-15T15:11:00.000-04:00

Etiquette #1 - Emily Post

2010-07-14T23:25:00.001-04:00

Proper etiquette and behaviour is what has kept our society from disintegrating into chaos. While most people learn the basics growing up, it takes a little more effort to acquire mastery of the more delicate issues. I have created this series of posts to be able to share with you the etiquette points I think are most important and applicable to our generation and what better way to start the series than a vintage video of Emily Post herself:

With this occasion, I would also like to point you to the new Etipedia on EmilyPost.com, one of the most comprehensive online resources when it comes to manners and proper etiquette.

Celebrity Style #2 - Zachary Quinto

2010-07-12T13:39:00.003-04:00

When it comes to the 31-year-old Pittsburgh native, less is always more. As the skull-splitting Sylar on Heroes, Quinto induces terror with a single stare and on the red carpet he sports narrow suits and skinny ties. I would go as far as saying that Zachary Quinto brought the hyper-virilized look back. His stuffy yet manicured eyebrows and sexy stubble prove that you don't have to give up your perceived masculinity in order to look great!

Describe your look growing up.

I was basically sporting a Spock do back then -- it looked like I had a bowl haircut. I remember wearing braided belts, khaki pants and suede bucks. Very J. Crew. I went to a private Catholic school and wore a tie every day. I like to think my taste is more refined now.

What's your style today?

It's pretty laid-back but metropolitan. I always try to do something a little different, while being straightforward and definitive. I wore a navy blue Jil Sander tux with black lapels to the Golden Globes. And I like Alexander McQueen, who brings a sense of adventure to clothes. It's understated but tangible.

Did you ever have any fashion obsessions?

I used to love Miami Vice. I went through a serious phase where I walked around dressed like Don Johnson: linen pants with an oversize blazer and no shirt. But I was, like, 10.

Zachary Quinto and fellow Star Trek hottie Chris Pine in a candid photo-shoot

What's the biggest splurge you've made?

I don't splurge. I guess buying a house would qualify. But my lifestyle remains the same now as it was a few years ago -- in terms of where I go, what I do, who I do it with. I still buy clothes in the same places. I love to travel, so after the first season of Heroes I spent a month in Europe. But I was traveling on trains, carrying my backpack.

You seem to know who you are -- what's something you'd never wear?

I can't stand pleated pants. They're not sleek or streamlined. I like order and simplicity. Pleats are, like, why?

Do you have a favorite scent?

I use China Musk oil. And I've worn patchouli since high school. I know it smells like dirty hippies. But it's like cilantro -- either you love it or you don't.

MSN Lifestyle Interview

Fun fact: Zachary is the only person in history to appear on the cover of Entertainment Weekly two weeks in a row!

No feature about Zachary Quinto could be complete without this hot clip from So NoTORIous.

Fashion Forward #6 - Pay What It's Worth ?!

2010-07-11T17:44:00.002-04:00

Pay What It's Worth is the only store of its kind in the world that I know of. While other retailers use Outlet Malls and Factory Stores to make use of surplus items or garments which do not pass quality control, Malcom Frontier uses this website to give the customer unparalleled choice with regards to cost. Any amount the customer wishes to pay will get them the item!

Quoting the website itself:

How much you pay is totally up to you. Before you decide you should consider the defect or reason the bag is being offered here. Then consider how much use and enjoyment you’ll get out of your bag. Keep in mind that, despite some small issues, these are still high quality Malcolm Fontier bags designed to be the perfect sidekick to your modern on-the-go lifestyle. Maybe you’ll decide on $50, maybe $75, or $100; any amount will get you the bag.

NOTE: certain measly amounts may come with an unexpected and long lasting feeling of “I’m a cheap bastard” guilt.

Products offered by PWIW

I highly recommend you take at a look at the products offered on PWIW as you will find the defects are mostly always negligible or the items were just produced in surplus quantities. I am quite positive you won't ever find a $1 bag anywhere else!

How It's Made #4 - Esquivel Shoes

2010-07-04T13:28:00.003-04:00

The more time I spend in the USA the more I am impressed with the quality and craftsmanship of locally-made items, despite being quite biased due to my European upbringing. I talked about the Alden shoe factory a while back and now I want you to introduce you to a west-coast, California-based Luxury Shoe Manufacturer: Esquivel.

Even though Esquivel markets these marvelously finished pairs as Women's shoes, there's nothing that I see that would make them unwearable by men.

The following video is a slideshow of stills taken during the making of Esquivel shoes:

The Esquivel website does not feature an online store, however Esquivel shoes and boots can be purchased at Endless.com

There's just something I love about green leather

Fashion Forward #5 - Slim on the Inseam

2010-07-04T12:10:00.000-04:00

Summer is upon us and what better way to be fashionable and avoid the torrid heat than sporting a shorter and slimmer than usual (see Fashion Forward #4) short?! It's definitely not a new trend since it was popular a little before my time in the 60s and 70s and is slowly resurfacing.

While that-which-shall-not-be-named is present in two of these photos, I would like to think it was all part of the photographer's artistic vision and therefore ignore it. What I would like everyone to focus on is how good and natural short shorts look on these guys! Even Sean Connery, as James Bond wore them and we all know Mr. 007 is a stylish gentleman.

While it is still harder to find shorter shorts at larger retailers, there are a few shops out there that only sell short shorts. One of the companies I like the most because of their simplicity and affordability is California-based YiMPS, whose motto is funnily "There is glory in short shorts".

YiMPS is a new company and so far only offers two short designs, both featuring a 4 inch inseam:

The Original Fit

Vintage-style men's corduroy shorts with a roomy hip and leg fit. Length is mid-thigh (4 inch inseam). This fit is perfect if you have a bulkier or a more muscular physique. This design comes in sizes 28 to 38 and retails online for $41.99.

The Slim Fit

Vintage-style men's corduroy shorts with a slim hip and leg fit. Length is mid-thigh with a 4-inch inseam. This fit is perfect if you are lean-bodied and going for the hipster look. This design comes in sizes 28 to 34 and retails online for $37.99.

Tips

- While sporting the short short is in itself a more difficult task for the average man who is more or less guided by mainstream society, my personal recommendation would be rid yourself of leg hair, at least whilst wearing short shorts. Not only will this help define your leg muscles better, but will also fend off any captious observers that would rather find fault in looking at your bodily hair than at your bare legs.

- Keep in mind that your thighs might be of a lighter complexion than the rest of your leg if you have no exposed your thighs to the sun at all. A few sessions of sunbathing, artificial sun-tanning or some home-applied self-tanner will quickly remedy this issue and ready yourself for a great short short wearing experience.

For more on short shorts there's always MenShortShorts.blogspot.com

Photographic Spotlight #1 - Lisa Loftus

2010-07-01T17:58:00.000-04:00

Photography is one of the most widespread forms of expression of our times and starting with this post I would like to acquaint you with some of my favourite photographers from around the world. Some of them are famous , some like to focus on only one theme, but be the best at it, while some like to capture beauty in any form and shape.

Lisa Loftus is a NYC and L.A. based photographer whose work encompasses everything from fashion to day-to-day life and through her photos she is able to capture the energies and soul of all of her subjects in a fascinating manner. Pictures do speak for themselves though and I give you but a couple of my favourites:

Designer Spotlight #2 - Indochino

2010-06-30T19:18:00.006-04:00

Having left this series on an Oriental note in the last post in this series, I would like to continue as such and introduce you to Indochino, a Shanghai based company that focuses on made-to-order clothing. What sets them apart from other similar companies is that they do not only offer suits and shirts made to order but also winter coats and vests. Prices are also quite affordable ranging from $299 to $499 for their made-to-order suits and $79 to $99 for their shirts.

What I like most about Indochino, from what I can gather from their website at least, is that they put their customer's satisfaction first and that they run a very smooth operation from the time you place the order online till your item of clothing arrives at your doorstep in one of their very nice Indochino boxes. Indochino has summarized their process of making a suit jacket from start to finish in this short video:

A funny fact that Indochino prides itself with is that they are the only designer to feature a 40-character long monogram on the inside of their jackets.

Fashion Forward #4 - Lucky Number 7

2010-06-24T21:28:00.003-04:00

Embedded photo courtesy of Rugby RL

As global warming only gets worse and temperatures rise worldwide, the weather is ever more permissive for wearing shorts. And the timing could not be any better, as it seems designers have finally gotten their sanity back and have returned to the original pre-2000 short pattern.

Runway looks should always be taken more as an exaggerated indicative to the trends of the subsequent seasons rather than "here's what you should wear" looks

The 80s saw the apex of short inseam shorts and no man was ever ridiculed for showing too much skin. Why exactly men began feeling emasculated by short shorts will always be a mystery, probably connected to why starting with the year 2000 and peaking around 2005-2006 inseams have gotten longer and longer, giving birth to monsters such as the over-the-knee cargo short. Luckily the exact opposite has been happening since then on the runways and I am glad to see that shorter inseams are cropping up in stores.

Please donate or burn any such shorts that are in your possession. They do not only scream of slacker and lack of self-confidence but are also down-right ugly and useless, just like they're longer brothers, the baggy jeans. Seriously though...do you have that much stuff you need to lug around in those over-sized pockets?

My personal favourite inseam length, and I know many other fashion bloggers would agree, is 7 inches, give or take half an inch, measured from the crotch down. Avoiding any and all 7-inch jokes and puns, this inseam length, also called a rise, provides sufficient coverage of one's thighs, yet is not too long for comfort and sartorial benediction. I am happy to report that European men, who are most always more brazen than their American counterparts, have adopted the shorter inseams quite well:

Lots of Kudos to these Swedish guys, including the middle one, bravest of them all. Also notice the absence of leg hair which is a definite must if you plan on wearing shorter shorts (check out the tips in the Slim on the Inseam post)

There are a few simple rules when it comes to working around the 7 inch inseam:

- Men with a more muscular build, whose thighs are thicker than the average man's should not opt for anything shorter than a 7 inch inseam unless he wants to give off the gym vibe

- Men who are a little on the shorter side should definitely avoid anything longer than 7 inches like the plague as shorts with long inseams make one look even shorter than he is.

- NEVER and I do plead that you listen, go with any short that passes the middle of your kneecap. Not only does it look bad but it also restricts movement and pretty much negates the purpose of the short pant. If one is however going for the Capri look then that's a different story and the former should be ignored.

Rugby.com posted a brief guide for lengths of board shorts and swim wear which also is quite applicable to any other shorts, swimming or not.

Here is a short clip from the New York magazine, featuring NYC-based stylist Charles Manning and his view on short shorts.

Celebrity Style #1 - Taylor Lautner

2010-06-23T18:41:00.065-04:00

Taylor Lautner, werewolf extraordinaire, teen heart-throb and this year's "Zac Efron" has been getting a lot of hype lately due to the whole Twilight series shabang. While his acting might be questionable, his looks are definitely not. It takes a lot of work from any guy to get into such great shape and a lot of people have picked up on the dumbfounding effect his good looks have on everyone else. What prompted me to look more closely into Taylor Lautner and his style was GQ magazine's doubly featuring Taylor in its pages in less than a year. The editors at GQ are always in tune with what's hot and what's not and it seems like they are milking this baby right when its ripe (kudos GQ).

Even though he was not even 18 during the first GQ photoshoot, Taylor's look could easily pass as that of an aspiring YUPpie between the ages of 22 and 25. I for one love fitted shirts and the choice of model could not have been better. Taylor is a very photogenic guy and what's best is that he reminds you of a really nice guy who you could easily get along with, unlike some of the snottier looking male models out there.

Taylor Lautner wearing the slim-fit shirt like all men should, sans billowing and overflowing oodles of superfluous material. 1. Shirt, $40, by H&M. Tie, $135, by Salvatore Ferragamo. Pants, $195, by Boss Black; 2. Shirt, $325, and pants, $540, by Dolce & Gabbana. Belt by J.Crew. Watch by Raymond Weil; 3. Shirt, $325, by Ralph Lauren Black Label. Tie, $125, by Conference of Birds. Pants, $195, by Boss Black. Cuff links by Dolan Bullock. Watch by Raymond Weil; 4. Shirt, $395, by Dior Homme. Tie, $165, by Dolce & Gabbana. Jeans, $315, by Prada. Tie bar by Thom Browne New York; 5. Shirt by Spurr. Tie by Band of Outsiders; 6. Shirt, $600, by Trussardi 1911. Tie, $120, and pants, $755, by Michael Bastian. Boots $825, by Dolce & Gabbana. Tie by The Tie Bar. Watch by Paneral.

Now that he is finally 18 and all of us boys and girls that are of age can now rejoice for not thinking illegal things, Lautner came in for another photoshoot with GQ, previewing some of the Fall 2010 trends this time.

The black and white photography combined with a rehashing of so many vintage elements produces a cool and refined look. 1. Coat, $3,718, and pants, $745, by Louis Vuitton. T-shirt, $25, by A|X Armani Exchange. Boots, $795, by Burberry; 2. Suit, $895, and shirt, $225, by Calvin Klein Collection. Tie, $125, by John Varvatos. Shoes, $595, by D&G. Tie bar by The Tie Bar; 3. Reversible jacket, $595, sweatshirt, $98, and pants, $295, by Polo by Ralph Lauren. Boots, $1,500, by Ralph Lauren. Socks by Wigwam; 4. Sweatpants, $275, by Simon Spurr. Sneakers, $580, by Neil Barrett; 5. Coat, $2,370, turtleneck, $640, pants, $630, and belt, $235, by Gucci.

Now that we've looked at Taylor and how good he would look in stylist picked clothes, I'd like us to take a peek at Taylor's personal style:

Taylor likes to take on the casual approach to most situations and by that I mean jeans and a t-shirt or a flannel shirt however he can definitely pull off a slim suit better than most actors in Hollywood.

For a man, or should I say an 18 year old teen, Taylor is definitely on the rightest of tracks when it comes to fashion and if perchance he strays away, I'm sure there will be someonewho will call him out

Hair and Grooming #4 - Million Dollar Hair

2010-06-21T08:58:00.000-04:00

How many times have you wanted to cry out FAKE! when watching a shampoo commercial, thinking no hair on earth could be that smooth and shiny?!

The truth is, hair like that does exist and getting yours to look more just like it is not rocket science. The reason our hair looses its natural shine and becomes dull and lackluster is mainly air pollution and over-usage of hair styling products. The outer layer of the hair follicles has the ability to bind to chemicals and oils, so anything from alkali metals from hard water to harsh chemicals present in the urban environment air can get bound to your hair. On top of that, prolonged sun exposure and alcohol-based hair products contribute to drying out your hair which combined with one not using a conditioner can really damage your hair.

Following these three steps guarantees your hair will become healthier, shinier, smoother and any other positive adjective you can think of.

1. Remove muck and build-up

Before going about to hydrate and moisturize your hair the most important step is setting down the foundation which is restoring your hair to its natural state, free of all extraneous pollutants.

To do so, mix 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 gallon of distilled water and store it in a bottle in a cabinet or the refrigerator and used every couple of weeks to remove gunk. To use it, wet hair with warm water, or shampoo and rinse as usual. Then pour 2 cups of the vinegary mixture over the scalp and let mixture saturate the hair. Finish everything up with a cold-water rinse. Your hair should now be clean and free of pollutants.

2. Moisturize

Harsh chemicals in the air and washing your hair too much can rob your hair of essential oils naturally secreted by your scalp.

While it is true that regular moisturizers and other professional products like hydrating serums are effective, there are a couple of home-made hair masks that work just as good and give you the confidence that no unwanted chemicals come into contact with your hair. One of my favourite hair treatments is an Olive oil Avocado mask.

Bubbi from Bubzbeauty.com has already made a how-to video of the same recipe I use:

- 1 ripe avocado, mashed

- 2 egg yolks

- 2 teaspoons of olive

One other easy hair treatment is putting plain real mayonnaise into your hair, covering it with a shower cap and warming it up, either by placing hot towels around your head either by blow-drying the cap for a longer time to favour deep moisturizing

While some of you out there might think these remedies don't apply to you because you have oily hair you're not quite right, because the over-secretion of oils by your scalp can be indicative of a couple of things, a pH imbalance at the skin level being one of them. These treatments help restore your hair to is natural state and as long as you avoid applying too much oil to the roots of your hair there shouldn't be any oily problems afterwards.

3. Bring out your natural colour tones

Depending on your natural hair colour there are a few things you can do to bring out your hair's natural highlights.

Boil one quart of water and add the following to the boiling water:

- For brunettes, a handful fresh rosemary sprigs (bruise by crumpling in your hand)

- For blondes, a handful of dried chamomile

- For "orange tone" redheads a chopped-up carrot

- For "berry tone" redheads a chopped up beet

- Remove from heat, let steep for 10 minutes after which filter the mixture by puring it through a fine colander or a cheesecloth.

- Shampoo and rinse your hair as is your usual routine then put the warm colour-enhancing mixture into your hair and let it saturate it.

-After 5-10 minutes rinse with cold water. I usually reapply the chamomile tea over and over again until I am done with the quart of liquid

Having personally used all of the above treatments I highly recommend them so that you too can have smoother, shinier and healthier hair

How It's Made #3 - Suits

2010-06-18T01:54:00.000-04:00

Suits are one of the staple items of a man's wardrobe and unless you've had the privilege of having a bespoke suit made, you may not be fully aware of the amount of work that goes into making a suit, even if, as is the case in the video below, the process is highly automatized. Next time you think a suit you see in a store is way too expensive, think again and come back to watch this video.

Designer Spotlight #1 - Spy on Henry Lau

2010-06-15T07:27:00.001-04:00

The world of fashion as we see it revolves around four urban centres: New York City, London, Paris and Milano. What most of us fail to consider is that fashion does not exist only in the Western World and that many designers bring innovation into fashion on the other side of the world, in the urban centres of Asia.

Henry Lau of SPY HENRY LAU is one of Hong Kong's most prolific and talented up and coming young designer. His style is a mixture of both western and autochtonous, eastern, elements which compared to the entrenched cuts, styles and materials of western fashion is a much welcomed breath of fresh air. Modifying what have become the dull standards of fashion design, Henry Lau reinvents classic garments by adding superfluous shawl necks to t-shirts, playing with asymmetry in button placement or relocating collar tabs in shirts. My only big peeve when it comes most any Asian designers and their clothing is that they seem to have the impression that all humans are of one size and that their clothes should therefore be sold in only one 'free-fitting" size. While Henry Lau's website mentions that he would like to expand his customer base to Europe and the United States, I would like to offer him the friendly advice that he should look into building garments in different sizes if he wishes to succeed on these markets.

Here are my favourite Henry Lay items which you can purchase here.

1. Loose Sarouel Pants - $102 ; 2. Shawl Collared Checked Shirt - $102 ; 3. Stylish Plain Shirt - $90; 4. V-neck Tee with Tie Scarf - $102; 5. Stripe Shirt - $90; 6. Cropped Length Check Shirt - $77; 7. V-neck Knit - $103; 8. Shorts with patchwork details - $90

Hair and Grooming #3 - Oil Be Gone

2010-06-14T00:04:00.000-04:00

Summer is upon us, at least in the Northern Hemisphere and the sun, heat and humidity that one would enjoy on a vacation, are all contributing factors to an undesired oily face. Oil secretion is a natural process by which your body is protecting the skin from drying up, however there are many circumstances where a shiny face is not very desirable.

Romanian actor Sebastian Stan, who plays Gossip Girl pseudo-villain Carter Baizen on a not so great day, oil-wise

Women have been secretly fighting their sebaceous glands for some time now, and I think it's about high time more men got on the anti-shine wagon.

While there are plenty of cosmetic solutions that involve creams, toners, serums and other concoctions of a similar consistency, I feel that most men wouldn't want to go through all the trouble of finding the right cosmetic products for their skin type.

The easiest solution that you can carry around in your pocket would be a little pack of blotting paper. There's not much to blotting paper: you blot (that's patting not wiping) the oily areas on your face and the paper absorbs the oil, after which you throw it away.

Blotting papers have a long history dating back to around 517 A.D. in Japan when Japanese professional dancers, called maiko, and Kabuki performers used specially treated paper made with hammered gold to blot their skin.

eHow.com

When shopping for blotting paper/tissues don't go for the more expensive options. Not much can be added to blotting paper to make it worth paying more.

For the more independent and crafty of you, here are instructions for making your own blotting paper:

One other thing that you can use on-the-go to ward off any shiny areas on your face is applying a colourless blotting powder that absorbs oil particles on your face and leaves you with a matte look throughout the day.

How It's Made #2 - Jeans

2010-06-13T21:40:00.000-04:00

If you've ever thought twice about dishing out a larger sum of money for a good pair of jeans, take a look and see that making a jean is not that easy of a job and price can portent to quality.

Fashion Forward #3 - Just Wearing My Blue Suede Shoes

2010-06-10T22:03:00.003-04:00

Suede also Suède (pronounced swayd) is short for Suède gloves, from French gants de Suède, gloves of Sweden, from Suède, Sweden. It has now represented as a type of leather that has a soft napped surface or any other fabric made to resemble suede.

In 1955, Carl Perkins wrote and recorded "Blue Suede Shoes" at the Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. This original recording is considered one of the most significant and groundbreaking American songs of the 20th Century. As you may know, a young newcomer named Elvis Presley recorded his own cover version the following year.

Quote from Epauletshop.com

Blue suede has been heralded as this Spring and Summer seasons' IT trend and I can definitely attest to its veridicity. Even here in my little corner of Europe where trends take some time penetrating into, I have begun to see more and more guys and girls donning the blue suede shoe. The Style forums have featured a lot of detractors that recognize the visual value of blue suede but fail to see its practicality in daily style.

Well I am here to tell both them and you that blue suede is definitely here to stay and wearing it can be done in a very natty and easy manner.

What has become a trend for European men, as far as I can tell, is matching the colour of their shoes to their top item of clothing, but always the same shade or if an appropriate shade was not available, using a non-coloured item instead. While it is harder to do this with some of the more eccentric shades shoes come in nowadays, blue suede shoes can be so easily matched with either a nice blue blazer (wool if it's winter, cotton or chambray if it's summer), a V-neck sweater and even a nice v-neck t-shirt if you're wearing a more casual/summery blue suede shoe.

For the more adventurous of you fashionistos, you can try matching the blue suede with another colour. When it comes to what kind of pants you're wearing, I'd recommend either a dark blue/raw denim pant (straight or slim cut of course) or doing what the very fashionable Italian fella did in the picture above and go with a white pant, preferably without a bottom cuff. In some rare occasions, if the opportunity arises you can match a darker shade of blue suede to a dark suit pant such as the gentleman below.

In the case of picking a top to go with your blue suedes, always remember to check the colour wheel to determine what the best match would be for your shade of blue. Generally, the complementary and the triad colours are the best matches, however in the case of blue, I find that it's generally best to stick with just the complementary colour, orange (much like the shade of the Vespa above). If you do like to use some contrast, depending on the specific shade of blue the appropriate matching colours range from greenish yellow to purplish red.

Here is a compilation of some of my favourite blue suede shoes, which now come in great variety.

1. Alden for Epaulet Navy Suede Perkins Chukka - $425; 2. ACNE Delhi Suede Lace Boaters - $467; 3. Opening Ceremony Suede Desert Boot; 4. Closed Distressed Boot - $321; 5. A.P.C. Blue Suede Boots - $330; 6. Gordon Rush Royal-Blue Suede Chukka Boot for Saks Fifth Avenue - $495; 7. Emerica Reynolds Blue Suede Cruisers - $59.99; 8. CAR SHOE Suede Tie Loafer - $372; 9. Dolce&Gabbana Navy Suede Shoes - $500; 10. Supra Vaider High Blue Suede Skate Shoes - $74.99

Last but not least, suede in general is very sensitive and blue suede isn't any exception. I would rather say blue suede is more delicate and sensitive than other naturally occurring coloured suedes.

Here is a video on how to care for your suede:

You can purchase a Suede Care Kit from Amazon.com. It features a Suede Protective Spray, a Suede Cleaner Concentrate, a Suede brush and a Suede Scuff Eraser for only $10.85

How It's Made #1 - Alden Shoes

2010-06-10T10:46:00.001-04:00

When it comes to great quality American-made shoes, Alden is one of the classic companies one would think of. Courtesy of Epauletshop.com we get a glimpse into the labour-intensive process that a shoe has to go through to transform from a sheet of leather into the beautiful shoes Alden has to offer. Enjoy!

Big Black Book - Spring 2010

2010-06-08T18:40:00.000-04:00

Even though I know I'm a little late with posting about this but being abroad for a semester has cut me off from my beloved Magazines. If you're not familiar with Esquire you should really check it out the next time you're next to a news stand.

On top of its monthly magazine, Esquire comes out with a very nice biannual publication dubbed "The Big Black Book". The BBB as I like to call it contains a plethora of style information, self-improvement and different tips and tricks for the two seasons it precedes. For example the Spring edition covers Spring and Summer etc.

For the visual-savy of you guys, I've uploaded a sample of the current BBB for you to peruse.

I am not quite sure if The BBB is available at newsstands or not but you may certainly order it online, here.

Discounted Rugby

2010-06-01T19:19:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, I just purchased a nice looking cardigan from my favourite online store, Rugby Ralph Lauren and I got a 10% off coupon code. I am out of the country so it's unlikely that I will use it within the one month period before it expires so I decided to share it with you. I am unsure if it's single use or not but let me know via comments if you've been successful in using it or not.

RWF

Powerful Powernaps

2010-05-31T11:15:00.000-04:00

How many times have you really felt like sleeping but were prevented to do so by a paper or project that was due the next day or by having to go out with friends?!

If you are like most other people the answer is probably a lot of times! My next question is going to be what have you tried to do to combat this, naps, stimulants or just plain die-hard determination ?!

The right answer however is a combination of all three!

Research has shown that both information overload and pushing our brains too hard can zap energy. But studies by the National Institutes of Mental Health found that a 20-60 minute “power nap” can not only reverse the mind-numbing effects of information overload, it may also help us to better retain what we have learned.

Now you will say, yes I always take naps but most of the times I am even more tired than before so naps only screw people over! Yes it's true, an unexperienced napper can get quite the undesired effects from his short bout of ZzZs, however here are a few important tips to help turn your napping experience 180 degrees:

1. Depending on your personal circadian rhythm, picking the right time for a nap is a little tricky. I like to do it after lunch if I need extra energy in the afternoon or after dinner if I want some extra hours to work on a paper during the night. After a meal you are already prone to fall asleep due to your body switching its focus on digestion and absorption of nutrients which makes it a perfect time to nap if you can't normally just fall asleep during the day.

2. One of the worst things that can happen after a nap is feeling even more tired and groggy than before, making the time spent on the nap a complete waste. The best thing you can do to counteract this is to drink a cup of coffee or an energy drink right before napping. Now I know this might sound counterintuitive to sleeping but it takes a while for your body to absorb the caffeine from your gastro-intestinal tract. You will get to wake up right around the time the caffeine is starting to kick in, which combined with a restful sleep is a win-win situation.

3. Find a quiet (use earplugs), dark (use an eyemask) and comfortable (remember your body temperature goes down while sleeping so a small blanket should do the trick) spot for napping. Make sure nothing can bother you before your wake-up time, so turn your phone off, lock your office door, etc.

4. Find the best nap time for you! Different people have reported different optimal duration times for napping ranging from 15 minutes to an hour. All of it depends on how fast you can fall asleep. What you are pursuing from a power nap is benefiting from the first two stages of sleep BUT without letting your body continue with the rest of the sleeping process. This prevents sleep inertia, which is what makes a nap fail miserably.

5. Most important of all, set an alarm clock for the duration of your nap while maybe adding an extra 5-10 minutes depending on how long it takes you to fall asleep. If you're a snooze-pusher make sure the alarm is as far as possible from you, but while keeping it in audible range. If you're as terrible as I am with waking up you will set 2 or more alarms at a few minute intervals of each other.

6. Now that you are awake, do some jumping jacks to bring your body back to normal parameters, wash your face with some cold water and presto, you are ready to kick some paper/presentation/project ass.

Hair and Grooming #2 - Bloody Shaving

2010-05-29T19:46:00.001-04:00

Shaving is one of the daily chores I hate doing most, because I always feel like Sisyphus, having to do something I know I'll have to do again the next day. Regardless of this, men have been doing it since the invention of the first blade and it has been a constant annoyance ever since.

Being more of a traditionalist and perfectionist I shave using a multi-blade razor, which though offers a better and closer shave than an electric razor has the disadvantage of occasionally offering you the gift of a razor cut.

There are a few ways that I know of that are efficient for minimizing blood loss and stopping the bleed. In order of increasing efficiency they are:

1) Washing your face with cold water after a shave, constricts the blood vessels closest to the surface of the skin, potentially stopping superficial cuts

2) Working by the same principle as number 1, pressing an ice cube to the cut will promote vasoconstriction even more, while the pressure will help by stopping the blood flow and promoting coagulation.

3) The fastest way for blood to clot is for it to be exposed to oxygen and for it to not be moving. Placing a little piece of toilet paper or tissue over the cut helps the bleed stop faster by acting as a barrier and by increasing surface exposure to air and prevents you from smearing blood all over your face. It does however give you a klutzy look so make sure not to leave the house without removing the paper bits.

4) The fastest way of stopping a bleed caused by a razor blade is by means of using a Styptic Pencil. Styptic pencils contain Aluminium (Aluminum for you Americans) Sulphate, a vasoconstrictor which scauses the blood vessels that fuel the cut with blood to contract and hopefully close up, avoiding the formation of a scab/scar.

Application is fairly easyy: wipe away blood then dip the pencil into a little water and press onto the cut

You should be able to purchase a styptic pencil for no more than $2 at any pharmacy or drugstore or you can order it online from here.

Hint

- One way of preventing a scab from forming is dabbing a little petroleum jelly, or even better if you have it, antibiotic ointment, over the cut after it has stopped bleeding

- If you can withstand the almighty alcohol sting, pressing a cotton disc doused in medicinal alcohol on the cut will helps disinfect the area, preventing any further infections while the pressure helps stop the bleed

Fashion DON'Ts #1 - The Croc Boat Shoe

2010-05-28T19:36:00.002-04:00

The occasions where I get utterly appalled by someone's fashion style or choices are not that many and not because there is a shortage of fashion blunders out there, but because most of the times the ones making them are either not very in tune with style or have yet to realize the error of their ways.

In the case of what I am about to show you, there is absolutely no excuse. If you are like myself and think Crocs are the bane of the modern world, seeing the Croc Boat-Shoe might be short of the four horsemen of the apocalypse knocking at your door.I am beyond baffled as to what possessed the people designing Crocs to combine a staple of elegance and preppiness, the boat-shoe with its antagonist, the Croc!

If you have an answer to my question or would like to share in my sorrow, please comment below!

Fashion Forward #2 - Contrasting Bow-Ties

2010-05-28T18:34:00.000-04:00

Sruli Recht is the embodiment of the free-spirited artist. He is Israeli-born, Australian-educated and now lives in Iceland's capital, Reykjavik. His works are always original and slightly otherworldly, breaking the gender barriers and reaching out to the essence of creation and beauty.

One of my favourite pieces from his collections and also my favourite bow-tie is his Contrast-Trim Bow-Tie. Having talked about how much I love contrast trims before, you can imagine how excited I was to see that someone thought up adding a contrast trim to such an entrenched accessory.

Contrast Trim Bow-Tie, available in indigo and sandstone - $55

Hair and Grooming #1 - The Chronicles of The Concealer

2010-05-28T17:33:00.000-04:00

Men have always been preoccupied with asserting their masculinity in front of members of the opposite sex, other men and to themselves. Modern culture is not devoid of examples of this practice as men are often seen in drinking competitions, fighting championships and other activities of this sort.I have always believed that the men who time and time again try to prove their supposed manhood are actually the ones that are most insecure of all. So then the question becomes what do they have to gain from it when we our world is fortunately not an alpha-male dominated one anymore?!

The reason for this short divagation represents the foundation for most of the posts that will be written under this category. We as a species are finally coming to terms with what defines us and are less and less driven by what society seems to have deemed as the norm, without any basis whatsoever, and following what we feel instead.

It is a fundamental right for each of us to pursue our own vision of happiness as long as it does not negatively affect another's. Drawing an analogy to this, even though a little far-fetched, why has it been frowned upon for men to wish to look their best while it has been alright for women to do so since times immemorial? How did society come up with the differentiation that women are allowed to dress-up in so many interesting ways, put make-up on for aesthetic purposes and always play the ingénue part, while men doing the same things be bowdlerized into ridicule?! In response, what has been dubbed as Metrosexuality is actually the balancing of these two worlds, whilst keeping all doubts of non-heterosexual behaviour at bay. Again, through the creation of this word and category of people subscribing to it, we see the insecurities of many men surfacing. They need to retain the masculine image that has been so pressed onto them since birth, that when wanting to do something that is normal, yet frowned upon by a heteronormative society, they need their metrosexual umbrella to serve as their deus ex machina.

Coming back to the topic at hand, it is true that most of us have not been blessed with perfect skin or have not yet found the best skincare solutions for our problems. Women have been hiding these defects for thousands of years and it is finally time for men to be able to do so whenever they please.

As I see it, there are two main categories of blemishes that could pose as a source of distress for a modern man.

1. Dark Circles

Living in our fast-paced times, sleep is a premium not all of us can afford. Besides its negative effects on concentration, metabolism and other health aspects, the most visible effect that lack of sleep has is the appearance of dark circles under the eyes, also known as eyebags or raccoon attacks.

Dark circles appear because the skin under the eye is the thinnest in the body and the proximity of blood vessels and capillaries to the surface gives the areas under the eyes a dark blueish tint..

2. Scars, Razor Burns, Freckles and other blemishes

These types of blemishes are either permanent and a source of angst or temporary and may appear in the most inopportune of times. Either way they are an unwanted presence on anybody's face.

While the prevalence of dark circles is mostly hereditary or age-related and the other miscellaneous blemishes are usually hard or impossible to remove there are a few cosmetic solutions to help mask them.

Women use three main types of cosmetic products when they wish to mask certain imperfections on their faces or even their overall skin tone: foundation, concealer and powder. Using all three can be a little overwhelming for many girls, so for guys who only want to conceal smaller parts I would only advise using a concealer.

Applying concealer is not very hard and it only takes up to a minute, depending on how many spots you wish to use it on. The following video will help you understand concealer better:

Ross does a great job explaining all the intricacies of concealers and also provides us with a few good products to stick with:

Moisturizer/Concealer Base:

- F.A.B. Ultra Repair Cream from Sephora - $28

Concealer

Select Moisturecover by MAC Cosmetics - $16.50

- comes in 15 shades

- very affordable

M Cover by Clinique Men - $14.50

- Pro: If you're afraid your girlfriend, parents, roommate or anybody else might think less of you for using concealer, this product has Clinique for Men written on its products to aid in your defense (in reality the product is identical to a woman's)

- Con: only comes in 2 shades

Concealer Applicators

Professionnel Platinum Stippling Brush #44 from Sephora - $35

- a little pricey, but if taken care of properly will last a lifetime
- wider tip means less accuracy for spot concealment but larger area of application

194 Concealer Brush by MAC Cosmetics - $19

- affordable and practical

Hints

- Remember to always CETM (cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturize) before applying concealer as it helps the concealer particles stick to the skin better without giving your face a cakey make-up look.

- Less is always better. Lighting conditions in the bathroom are usually very different from natural light, or indoor artificial light. Always check your appearance in a second mirror.

Model Spotlight #1: Kerry Degman

2010-05-27T12:02:00.000-04:00

ABOUT

Name: Kerry Justin Degman
Occupation: Male model
Date of Birth: Oct 4, 1988
Height: 6'0" (183cm)
Born: Portland, Oregon
Based: New York
Discovered: Dropping off his little sister at her modeling agency
Hobbies: Baseball, skate boarding and guitar.

Kerry Degman, one of hot All-American models, came under my radar through all the modelling work he's done for Rugby Ralph Lauren, H&M and various GQ photo shoots.

Check out his fan-made blog: http://kerrydegman.blogspot.com/

Fashion Forward #1 - Drop and Give Me Harem

2010-05-26T14:06:00.001-04:00

Even though I've featured the Harem pant before, I love the following pair in particular. The bunching up at the calves combined with the front row of buttons brings a little edginess and unconventionality to the whole outfit. My only problem with them and with most of the amazing clothes I have found on YESSTYLE is that they are constructed mostly for an Asian body frame, which sadly no amount of dieting will ever bring me close to.

ISNOM - Button-Front Elasticized Waist Harem Pants ($55)

L.L. Bean Tries Risqué

2010-05-25T17:50:00.003-04:00

L.L. Bean, a long established brand of moderation and traditionalism, featured as the staple of preppiness by Lisa Birnbach in her famous "The Official Preppy Handbook", has recently added a couple of pieces that deviate from their standard collections, as part of their L.L. Bean Signature brand. L.L. Bean Signature, much like Rugby and Ralph Lauren, represents an opportunity for them to reinvent themselves.

I would like to congratulate their brazen move and advise that they continue to encourage such ideas in the future!

The item combination we'll be looking at today is all built on one very (according to L.L.Bean standards) short pair of shorts, a weekender bag, a nice duck motif leather belt and an earthy hand-sewn pair of leather chukka boots to finish it off.

Leather Eastport Handsewn Ranger Moc ($79), Downeaster Sport Canvas Bag ($54), L.L.Bean Corduroy Shorts ($49) paired with a nice Leather Field Duck Belt ($49)

This look is a perfect match for any guy who likes to stick with the good-ole traditional values but also wishes to keep up with the new trends as well. I am really considering purchasing a pair of these shorts for myself, to wear this Summer and Autumn. Remember though, always buy shorts in your size or one size smaller to avoid the common baggy look or having to pull your shorts up every two steps.

Urban Inspiration #1 - Flower Power

2010-05-25T10:49:00.003-04:00

I have wanted to start featuring the most interesting looks I see on the many Urban Inspiration sites out there for a while. Here's the first of the many to come.

Courtesy of Lookbook.nu

This look, featured on Lookbook.nu by the amazing Dennis R. from Manila, Philippines, embodies what I consider the spirit of a warm blithe summer. The trichromacy of the light blue Linen Jacket, the navy Cuffed Pinstriped Shorts and his pink Y T-Shirt is perfectly balanced and the fact that the shoes contain splashes of all three colours is the cherry on top of the cake. Even though those amazing Paul Smith. Loafers are out of this world, I like to think I would have the bravado to pull them off.

The only thing I feel neutral about is his bag, even though my jealousy for Dennis owning so many Birkin bags is ineffable. I feel that a bag the colour of his shorts would have complimented the whole look much better, rather than it being matched with the belt.

Bespokely Bespectacled

2010-05-24T21:04:00.000-04:00

Bespoke clothing has long since constituted the epitome of luxury and dandyism. Nowadays, though not as prevalent as in the golden days of the dandy, one can have a myriad of garments made precisely to their measure, bringing with them unparalleled comfort and style.

Michael Bastian SS'10 featuring a Randolph Engineering design

When it comes to accessories, one can definitely acquire bespoke ties, scarves and gloves but very few companies provide made-to-order services for sunglasses.

Randolph Engineering, featured in Michael Bastian's Spring/Summer 2010 Runway show, is one of the leading companies that specializes in bespoke glasses of all kinds, be it sunglasses, seeing glasses frames, hunting glasses or military goggles.

The customization for most models they offer is four-fold: Size (refers to the distance between your temples), Colour, Temples (Length of the temples, or the horizontal metal bars that go behind your ears) and Lenses (options for polarized lens usually come for an extra fee)

Their prices in my opinion are unbeatable, all their sunglasses block most of the UV light for your eyes' protection and the varied styles they offer are more than satisfying. I already own a pair of their aviators and would definitely recommend you get one too!

Some of the choices offered in the case of sunglasses

Cheeky Bones, Jaunty Jaws and Clefty Chins

2010-05-23T20:31:00.000-04:00

The standard of beauty has always been changing throughout history and nowadays, more than ever, due to such a high exposure to media and "attractive people", we humans are more and more worried about personal our appearance

Even when it comes to men, some of which have been known to be almost oblivious to their physical appearance, the numbers have risen when it comes to men who now are interested in improving their overall appearance.

Contrary to the current beauty standard for women which is more sexualized, in the case of men, there is an increasing push for biologically attractive traits and urveying the current media outlets that portray beautiful men, such as billboards and ads, weight loss campaigns or television and cinema shows that the current standards of beauty in men revolve around two main areas: their faces and their bodies.

According to Science Daily, men with large jaws, flaring cheeks and large eyebrows are sexy, at least in the eyes of our ancestors, researchers at the Natural History Museum have discovered This post will focus on three male characteristics that are considered highly desirable and therefore attractive, whether all of them or only one is present.

1. High Cheek Bones

Higher cheekbones, on top of offering a more unique look when compared to an average male face, also give the impression of a more pronounced jaw. The attractiveness of this trait stems from the female preference for a less aggressive looking partner. Aggressiveness has been correlated with larger canines and smaller jaws/lower cheekbones. Actors like Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Viggo Mortensen may have gained part of their popularity due to their high cheekbones.

James Marsden is the proud owner of a perfect pair of cheekbones.

2. Pronounced Jaws

Having a pronounced jaw has also become a staple of manliness and this is also not without reason. During puberty and to a lesser degree throughout the rest of his life, the secretion of testosterone in men helps define what are called primary and secondary sexual characteristics. Facial bone definition is a secondary sex characteristic and its attractiveness comes from the evolutionary advantage gained by a female when choosing a partner that is healthy and would therefore generate healthy offspring.

3. Cleft Chins

The Cleft Chin is an inherited dominant trait which manifests itself by the formation of a cleft in the chin due to an incomplete fusion of the two halves of the jaw bone. Biologically, from an evolutionary standpoint the cleft chin offers no advantage nor any disadvantage. The sole probable reason for its apparent attractiveness is again the motif of uniqueness, diverging from the less interesting average male.

Jack Scalia is one of the first male models to feature an exquisite cleft chin

Keep It Cool

2010-05-20T19:51:00.000-04:00

Temperatures are finally rising almost all over the northern hemisphere, bringing with them longer days, vacations and happy summers. If I were to ask anybody what their two least favourite things about summer were, the answer would most likely be heat and sweat.

Heat is definitely not an element we can adjust, other than running inside to the AC climate and sweat is dependent on many biological factors like genetics, diet, weight and hormones. While the latter can be addressed in many ways, that will be covered in a future post.

What SoFla guys would look like without AC

Going back to heat, while it's not very easy to change the actual temperature of your surroundings, preventing its detrimental effects and how you physically feel it are definitely more approachable issue. Sunlight, besides its possibly harmful UV component, also brings heat to whatever it touches.Wherever you may be during the summer, you'll most surely feel the heat. Your body responds to heat by sweating, however this leaves the skin dehydrated and smelly, neither of which are desirable in our society.

Therefore, continuing on the same line as my previous post, Of Scents and Manly Sensibility, that dealt with using essential oils to manufacture your own natural products, I would like to introduce you to Men's Body Mists and how to prepare them for yourself.

Women have been using Body Mist for a while now and it's very likely you've seen one or more women extract a spray bottle out of her purse and spray it on her arms, legs and cleavage. What Body Mist essentially does is rehydrate the skin and mask some of the sweat's smell through addition of essential oils. What's left behind leaves your skin feeling refreshed and cooled. I can see how most guys would not feel comfortable doing that in the summer, so I won't push it on to you too much. But remember, dehydrated skin ages much faster than moisturized skin!

The general market does have a few options to offer when it comes to Men's Body Mists (same-ole-same-ole as Women's, maybe with use of other essential oils).

Silver Falls' Men's Body Mist - 4oz. - $8.5 Mailelani Men's Body Mist - 5oz.- $5

If you don't want to order it, or you would like to dry making it yourself from pure ingredients, here are two recipes I found online, on Snow Drift Farm's website.

Clear Body Mist I

This easy recipe uses polysorbate 20 to emulsify the mix. The perfumer's alcohol will clarify it. Leaves skin feeling cooled and lightly scented.

6 oz. perfumer's alcohol + 1 oz. perfumer's alcohol (set aside)
1 oz. polysorbate 20
1/4 tbsp ylang ylang
1/4 tbsp tangerine
Mix together the alcohol and polysorbate 20. You should have a clear mix. Add the EO's. You should have a turbid mix. Allow to sit for 12 hours. If the mix doesn't clarify, add another 1 oz. alcohol and allow to sit for
several more hours to clear.

HINT: Add a little glycerin to your facial, body and room sprays. It helps keep the water in place on your skin, and in a room spray, it helps the scent linger a little longer.

Clear Body Mist II

Add a little more perfumer's alcohol and polysorbate to emulsify absolutes and resinous oils such as patchouli.

8 oz perfumer's alcohol
2 oz. polysorbate 20
1/4 tsp. vanilla FO
1/4 tbsp jasmin absolute
1/4 tbsp patchouli EO

Mix all ingredients together. This should result in a clear mix. If not, allow to sit for several hours. If it still doesn't clear, add 1/2 oz. more alcohol.

Remember that as any recipe, a little divergence from the path can be quite rewarding. Experiment with different combinations of essential oils to produce something more to your liking. The Healthguide.org recommends Cedar-wood, Rosemary and Lavender for use in Men's products, however I absolutely love citrusy oils and also almond and peppermint scents.

Personal Augmentation - Volume 1: A Better Camping Experience

2010-05-19T19:55:00.001-04:00

This post represents the start of a new series entitled "Personal Augmentation", inspired by Gearpatrol.com's 30 Days of Upgrades: Be a Better Man series. This series will be a constant work-in-progress whereby through means of online references, pictures, videos and books, I will try to highlight some of the things that every person aspiring to, as former President George W. Bush would say, personal embetterment ought to know.

This first post focuses on Camping. Ever since the advent of modern civilization and increased urban aggregation, man has felt an emptiness that stems from a lack of physical connection with nature, which over the course of the many thousands of years of evolution has become ingrained into our very existence. In lieu of the necessity to hunt or change one's location according to migratory patterns, modern man, supermarkets and all, satisfies its need for said connection by doing an activity which we all have come to have a love-hate relationship with: Camping.

Planning Ahead
Picking a Campsite
Pitching a Tent
Starting a Fire
Meals on the Move
Camping Activities
Hygiene on the Go
Cleaning-up
Misc

A good resource on this topic is Bill Revill's 21 Ways to Improve your Camping Lifestyle:

Esteemed Compendiums

2010-05-18T15:13:00.002-04:00

I've wanted to share these great fashion, style, culture and lifestyle resources with you for some time. That's why I created a page dedicated just to listing these online books I have found and read.

Here are some of the titles I have added or will be adding:

- The Official Preppy Handbook by Lisa Birnbach -

- The Official Filthy Rich Handbook by Christopher Tennant -

- Take Ivy by T. Hayashida -

- Dressing the Man by Alan Flusser -

- The Gale Encyclopedia of Style, Costume and Culture by Tom and Sara Pendergast -

- The Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion by the Scribner Library of Daily Life-

- Fashion as Photograph by Eugenie Shinkle -

- Fashion Artist: Drawing Techniques to Portfolio Presentation by Sandra Burke -

- Complete Idiot's Guide to Etiquette by Sandra Burke -

- Historical Fashion of the 17th and 18th Centuries by Avril Hart and Susan North -

- Fundamentals of Fashion Design by Richard Sorger and Jenny Udale-

- Medieval Fashion by Tom Tierney -

- Guide to being a Gentleman by The Art of Manliness -

- Askmen.com's Style Bible -

- 21 Ways of Improving your Camping Lifestyle by Bill Revill -

- Wedding Etiquette for Dummies by Sue Fox -

You can access it all here. Enjoy!

The Perfect Knot

2010-05-17T19:43:00.001-04:00

How many times have you had to bend down in the most inopportune of times and places to retie your shoelaces? If you do a lot of walking and you own any other shoes besides Crocs and/or sandals (although I do hope that having come across my blog means you are not among that kind of people), the answer should be many, many annoying times.

I used to be very annoyed with having to tie and retie my shoelaces (especially those of my boat shoes) over and over again each day, until I mustered enough angst and googled my way out of this problem. I was lucky enough to stumble upon Ian's Shoelace Site which I also referenced in my previous shoelace post, Spiraling Shoelaces.

Ian features many shoelace knots on his website, however when it comes to simplicity and reliability, his own creation, Ian's Knot stands out the most. While it took a little while to get used to tying my shoelaces this way, it definitely paid off and I now only have to tie them one time only, when I put my shoes on in the morning.

Ladies and gents, I give you Ian's Knot. Use it if you are also encumbered by your slipper shoelaces and let me know by means of comments if you know of any other good shoelace knots!

Surfeit Sputum

2010-05-11T18:15:00.000-04:00

How many times has it happened that as you were enjoying a beautiful day someone just spat right in front of you?!

Sadly, this disgusting habit has been increasing, especially among children and adolescents. The lack of any specific rules or laws specifically prohibiting this in the United States and other less civilized parts of the world is party to blame, however the rest comes from a lack of proper education and sense of hygiene.

Many viral diseases such as the Common Cold or Tuberculosis are transmissible through saliva and mucus, so why should we be exposed to your bodily fluids. Imagine for a second people would start urinating on the streets on a regular basis. Even though urine is very much sterile I believe the popular outcry would not take too long to generate a ban on this act.

So if you find yourself among this category of misbehaving spitters please STOP now! There is absolutely no medical or social reason that would require such an abhorrent act to be permitted. Saliva has an important biological role so spitting it out only worsens your bad breath and dehydrates your mouth and esophagus.

If you are sick and feel the need to eliminate mucus please buy some tissues!

If you are a smoker and dislike the aftertaste, stop smoking or wash your mouth with a strong mouthwash every time you feel the need to spit.

If you have halitosis or constant bad breath, buy some gum (also a no-no when it comes to spitting) or some dissolving fresh breath strips.

If you just do it for fun, there is no hope for you besides self-education and restraint. Remember the street is a public space and therefore is owned by everyone. How would you feel if I came into your house and spat all over your carpet?!

Close To Perfection

2010-05-11T09:35:00.001-04:00

Existence. Ephemeral and Ineffable.

Sometimes awful things have their own kind of beauty.

Having just seen Tom Ford's "A Single Man" has me pondering life's meaning again and I ask myself now, is there a universally distinct human purpose or is our sole animus a preparation for our inexorable destination?!

Exactly what fueled the creation of this blog was my wish of presenting the world and its objects, through their physicality, as being an anchor to all of us, against the flow of time and feelings. Many a poets, directors and other wielders of the fire of creation have ruminated over our irresolute and wayward lives with no avail, and I am certainly not one to claim to have an answer. Purposeful or purposeless, I enjoy the present, fondly remember the past and sometimes think of my future, but at all times I am anchored by my body, my feelings, my friends and my possessions. They are the ones who always remind me of my present physicality and it is they who give my life meaning until the final curtain falls.

In this post I would like to look at one of the things I enjoy doing most in life and that is observing beauty in all forms and shapes. Given that I just mentioned Tom Ford's recent movie I would like to praise everything from cinematography to set design, costumes to actors and their acting and dialogue to music. Nothing is superfluous under Tom Ford's vision and the timing for everything is beyond perfection. I would almost go ahead and call this a work of art but my lack of cinematographical education prompts me not to.

Nicholas Hoult, modelling for Tom Ford

Beauty in its physical human form was embodied most by two characters: Kenny, one of George's (played by Colin Firth) students played by Nicholas Hoult and Carlos played by Internationally renowned model Jon Kortajarena.

Nicholas Hoult as Kenny, in "A Single Man", wearing a nice mohair sweater, featuring a curious boat-neck

Jon Kortajarena, modelling for Tom Ford

Jon Kortajarena as Carlos, possibly doing a better James Dean than James Dean himself

Enjoy the following portfolio of Spanish Model Jon Kortajarena for the beauty that is channeled through him negates the possibility of a random and purposeless existence since such a world would have no need for it.

Of Scents and Manly Sensibility

2010-05-03T17:27:00.030-04:00

Deodorants, Colognes are Perfumes all great and every man should have at least one of each, however one man's journey into the world of scents should definitely not stop there.

I know how most of us guys dislike ironing tremendously, but nothing beats a crisp freshly washed and ironed shirt or set of bed linens. If you think only your mom or the dry cleaner hold the secrets to these you couldn't be more wrong.

Linen Water

Since ancient times, people have used plants like lavender, rosemary, tansy for imparting their homes and clothes with a fresh scent. They freshened their linens by placing fragrant sachets, herbs, and flowers in drawers and closets and fragrance was brought into the homes by hanging garlands of lavender and mint.

With just a simple recipe you can freshen up your clothes and linens, and if you are not very sensitive to essential oils, you can even be used to freshen and uplift your home.

If you ask yourself what do I do with this linen water, the answer is simple. After taking your clothes or linen out from the dryer just spray some onto them and iron as per usual. The heat will not only set the fragrance in but also make ironing a more pleasurable activity.

How to make Linen Water?

While the proportions are not set in stone, linen water is made out of three main ingredients: water, alcohol and one or more essential oils (definitely experiment combinations of two or more if you're more adventurous)

Here's a list of the common Essential Oils that can be used in Linen Water (courtesy of Wikipedia)

As you can see, the choices are quite varied and opposed to most recipes that you can find online, which use Lavender, I like fragrances that are a little more spicy and strong. My favourite oils that I use in linen water are: allspice, almond, nutmeg oil, cedar(masks the smell of wool from adult moths), peppermint (especially for linens) and Rose (shirts)

BEST retailer for essential oils is Snow Drift Farms; they even offer free samples for all of their essential oils

Linen Water 1
2 1/2 cups mineral water
5 ml essential oils, of your own choice (approx 100 drops)
1/8 cup vodka

- add the essential oil to the alcohol then mix with the water
- use in a spray bottle for best results

Linen Water 2 (Floral - not my favourite but it makes a great gift)
2/3 cup mineral water
1/4 cup (50 ml) alcohol
1 1/2 ml (30 drops) lavender true essential oils
1 ml (20 drops) palmarosa essential oil
1/2 ml (10 drops ) rosewood essential oil

- same as Linen Water 1

Linen Water 3
1 teaspoon (100 drops) Bulgarian lavender essential oil
6 oz. cyclomethicone (a mixture of Cyclopentasiloxane & Cyclohexasiloxane; dries very quickly; does not stain)

Pour essential oils and cyclomethicone into a bottle, cap and shake. Spray on dry linens before ironing or use as a fabric freshener (no need to iron and makes for a much better alternative to Febreze).

Line Water 4
4 tbsp. of fresh rosemary
2 cups of water

- chop the rosemary and place it in a saucepan with the water.
- bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes
- allow to cool and strain. discard the rosemary leaves.
- add water up to 2 cups and decant into a large spray bottle.
- works the same way with fresh rose and jasmine flowers or other herbs

Tips:

- use distilled water as tap water contains chlorine which destroys the essential oils
- inexpensive vodka works the same as more expensive one; go for the highest proof
- linen water works best for cotton garments and linens. If you would like to use it on any synthetics, make sure to test it for stains on an inconspicuous part first.

Rugby Ralph Lauren Video Campaigns

2010-04-25T12:56:00.003-04:00

One of my favourite labels of all is Rugby, part of the famous Ralph Lauren Empire.Following you will find their video campaigns, which are always original and very appealing, in reverse chronological order.

Spring/Summer 2010

Holiday 2009

Fall 2009

Spring/Summer 2009

Holiday 2008

Fall 2008

Holiday 2007

Clip-on Flip-up

2010-04-25T12:37:00.000-04:00

These new glasses from Oliver Peoples, part of their Spring/Summer 2010 collection, function both as sunglasses and as prescription glasses by means of flipping the sunglass lens up or down depending on your needs.

While I am not entirely convinced of their intrinsic practicality, I do think the concept is a little cheeky and quite novel.

What I liked most about Oliver Peoples was their Spring/Summer 2010 campaign video, featuring Elijah Wood and Shirley Manson. I think their choice of interpretation and integration of the glasses was enticing and original which combined with a great musical choice added up to the following:

The glasses can be purchased here.

Vintage Menswear

2010-04-24T21:46:00.002-04:00

This 1927 ( my grandmother was born then so quite an old video by my standards ) clip allows a glimpse into what would soon become a dying fashion (capes and hats and bastons oh my)

This 1954 Menswear video is an interesting look at the world of Men's Fashion in the 50s. You can all see that mostly no accent was put on the models' looks (or is it our perception of male beauty that has changed? ) and the fit was mostly loose, especially for pants (I'm sure the dreadful pleat was present).

The shorts/office look curiously portends to some of the modern takes on men's formal-wear (see my previous post on Engineered Garments )