Reporting From Paris

Right now in Paris it's Fashion Week for Men's Spring/Summer 2010. Typically I'm not much of a follower of the runways. They're usually surrounded by a little too much drama and hype and often a bit extreme for practical fashion tastes. I'd rather wait until the watered down stuff reaches stores.

But if you're patient enough and want to spot the up and coming trends yourself, you could do yourself a favor by starting at men.style.com. Of all the faults of "Men.Style.com", their fashion show coverage isn't one of them. They've posted easily navigable slideshows of all the major runway shows for Spring 2010 in Paris now. After a quick look, I'm liking Bottega Veneta's line on display last week in Milan.

A great black and white gingham shirt with a very widely spread collar. The gingham is almost mesmerizing. The sleek black lines of the tie and peaked lapel jacket are accentuated perfectly with the crumpled pocket square.



The extra low cut of the v-neck sweater allows even more of the shirt to show off (unfortunately the shirt in this case appears to be a tie-dyed button down). V-necks are the most utilized items in my closet - a nice cashmere gray or brown can be mixed and matched with practically anything. Jeans and t-shirt, slacks and button down, shorts and sandals.

Summer Drinking, English Style

If you've spent any time in England, you've probably heard of Pimm's. While I haven't been there much myself, I've been lucky enough to develop a liking for Pimm's No. 1 through UK friends. Traditionally it's known as a summer drink for the elite after a game of cricket, while watching Wimbledon, or venturing out to the wide expanse of the country estate. Well, here in the States it's still a summer drink, but not for those occasions. At least not for me. A tasty concoction mixed with lemonade that's slightly sweet, slightly sour, and just bitter enough to keep its maculinity.

Pimm's No. 1

NYC Contemporary Art

For those based in NY or planning to travel here over the summer, a couple things worth checking out on the art scene:

Frank Lloyd Wright at the Guggenheim: As a long admirer of architecture from a distance, I've always found FLW's functionalism a stirring and refreshing philosophy. The whole exhibit is dedicated to his life's works, so even if you aren't a fan of his style, it's rare to see so many drawings and mockups of his designs all in one place. I was mesmerized by the feel of each of the designs, all while standing in one itself - FLW of course designed the actual Guggenheim building. I highly recommend spending a couple hours climbing the ramp on NY's upper east. Tickets are a hefty $20, but Saturday evenings offer "pay what you wish".

Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water

P.S. 1 Warm Up: Run by the MoMa, P.S. 1 is the Queens outpost for ultra contemporary art. What it's probably better known for is its summer Saturdays of world renowned DJ's spinning in this outdoor space. If you appreciate the day partying, which everyone should, then you'll love the day dancing too. Admission of $10 gets you in to see the exhibits too. Warm Up is also consistently ranked among the top 20 parties in the world.

P.S. 1's Warm Up Party

Gant's Upmarket Resurgence

Excited to see this post about Gant over at ACL. I remember Gant from my younger years, but over time the designer went decidedly down market and started appearing in every major (and most minor) department stores. Recently, however, this Sweden-based, Americana-inspired designer has taken its fledgling line back to its roots.


ACL gives a great history, complete with photos. Also interesting: Gant's teaming up with the Sartorialist to bring Gant to the streets of NY.

Concert Listings

I'm not as avid a concert-goer as I'd wish, and unfortunately I think some of that is due to general unawareness of the who/where/when of shows. Of course the source of your concert info varies by city, but even here in New York it's difficult to find one comprehensive and user-friendly list. Bowerypresents.com is usually the safest bet for my taste of music, but you still miss out on great venues - Highline Ballroom, Santos Party House, Central Park, even Jones Beach... The only place for which I've found listings for EVERY concert in the area is www.pollstar.com.

There are a few things to like about Pollstar. The main one is its exhaustive listings. According to them, they have 25 full time professionals building their database of worldwide gigs. Another is that it allows you to sign in and set up alerts for specific venues, cities, or bands.

If only there had been a Pollstar-like site for me to find out about this show, those hands in the front row could be mine

However, because Pollstar is really just an industry publication, it isn't that user friendly. Some shows have links for tickets; some don't. If you really want to find more information about a certain venue or band, don't bother clicking on the link - you'll have to Google it yourself.

Perhaps the sheer size, power, and resources of an industry staple like Pollstar is impossible to compete with on a global scale, but it sure would be useful to have a site that covers the major metro areas and is built for the concert enthusiast, not an industry insider.

Henleys

Just read a post over at Garcon Mag comparing Henley shirts to fanny packs. Granted, long sleeves may be a little too much of a cross between rugby and 90s grunge. But the short sleeve version, shown here by American Apparel and recently inspired by a close friend, is a comfortable way to spend the afternoon running a few errands.

Photos Courtesy American Apparel

Gray denim

Two weeks after picking up my first pair of Uniqlo jeans, I'm thoroughly impressed. Extremely comfortable, unique color, and they're my best fitting pair of jeans.

Photo Courtesy Uniqlo

If you live near a Uniqlo store (ie, if you live in Asia, Europe, or NY), check out the slim fit jeans. Another suggestion - go a little long on the length. The extra material helps them hang better over your kicks.

Summer plaids

Plaids - or shall we say madras - have been around for a few seasons now, but here's a look at some recent summer offerings. First, to start with what we don't like:

Photo Courtesy Brooks Brothers

A female friend once told me that even though she doesn't have allergies, she gets hives from guys in short sleeve button down shirts. A little drastic, perhaps, but the above darker patterns probably aren't going to keep her from reaching for the Benadryl.

Photo Courtesy Brooks Brothers

Brooks Brothers Black Fleece calls this the Madras Fun Button-Down Shirt. HA! Maybe the Get-Made-Fun-of Shirt. Zing.

Instead, let's perhaps take into account what the season is and suggest some fresher alternatives (and no, the Brooks Brothers shirts weren't for F/W - they've been on the site for awhile and now they're discounted):

Photo Courtesy Gant / men.style.com

A little bit lighter tones here that make it beachwear yet bold enough to go out.

Photo Courtesy Adriano Goldschmied

Again the lighter colors, but the double pockets with diagonal plaid/madras add a great touch. Also, note the sleeve roll - done to perfection.

Music update

Certainly not uncovering new music here, but nonetheless here are three worthy recommendations of (hot tunes / ear candy / sweet sounds / must-hear melodies / any lame music cliche) for this week:

Phoenix - 1901
Believe it or not, are neither new nor even American - they're Frenchies that have been around for over a decade


Passion Pit - The Reeling
After an unexpectedly popular hit in late 2008, they rushed to put out a full length album and it's proven to be great (and it's worth paying attention to the video too)


Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
Pitchfork gave a stunning review, but so far I'm not quite as convinced. However this is a great place to start

Big City Discounts

For those in the NY, DC, Boston, or Chicago areas, Groupon offers great discounts to fun city activities. For example, some recent NYC offers have been big discounts (50% and more) on golf lessons at Chelsea Piers, massages, and various restaurants. See more details of past deals here. (I'm not getting paid to promote this - really - it just seems very cool).

On an unrelated note, now that True Blood is back on, I've decided that if I were a Shapeshifter, my animal form of choice would be the king cheetah.

Swimsuits for men

So, I'm in a bit of a bind. Last summer at this time I loved my swimsuit. I had just recently made my biggest and best purchase ever, with a new red/orange Sundek suit. I was tired of the cheap, boring, super-long swimsuits that are too often spotted at the beach - after so much work that must go into sculpting perfect spring bodies, why skimp on the one piece of clothing that remains? The college spring break Abercrombie look is exactly that - for college spring break:


But I wasn't going to Cancun in hopes of meeting 18 year olds. So that's why I splurged for this - basic yet vibrant colors, with length above the knees:


Unfortunately, the suit was soon thereafter left at a hotel while traveling through Central America. Big whoops. I sincerely hope someone appreciates it as much as I did. So now I ponder - do I replace it, or do I consider one of the following suits instead?



Yeah, I'll probably replace it. Sundek USA.

Downplaying the Flair

Cufflinks, like everything else, come and go in fashion. Recent moves away from the Wall Street-Master of the Universe look have put ostentatious cufflinks decidedly in the "go" phase. So, if you happen to own any of those flashy mother-of-pearl or diamond links, you've hopefully kept them properly stored for some time. But, that doesn't mean you should relegate your french cuff shirts to the depths of your closet. And, you aren't necessarily stuck with the very basic silk knots:


Instead, check out The Collar Company's colorful selection of silk knots. We just ordered a few, and at $7 a pair, they're a fresh, cheap alternative to the sterling silver variety.


Or, you could go the Charlton Heston route and advertise your manlihood:

The Sleeve Roll

For the longest time I could never figure out the best way to roll up the sleeves of button-down shirts. If wearing a shirt out casually, or just getting down to business at work, it adds a great touch to the outfit. Plus it's just comfortable.

Usually it would take a double roll (flip, then flip again), but on well-fitting shirts, there usually isn't enough fabric for the second roll up. But then I read about this method from GQ awhile back that has proven to be best. Good length, and never falls down. And usually I can leave one button left buttoned, so that it's just tight enough. If you want to go all the way up to the elbow, just adjust accordingly.

Summer evenings

Made To Measure puts together a simple, sharp, and most importantly, wallet-friendly class summer outfit. But instead of the iced cappuccinos, substitute a more refreshing G&T on the warm summer nights. Try Citadelle Gin, a back-to-the-basics Gin classic.

Summer Movie Preview

Just returned from seeing The Hangover. Overall the movie wasn't bad, but the script didn't really live up to the craziness of the antics going on. Thankfully Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis were there to even out the subpar deliveries from Bradley Cooper and Justin Bartha. The biggest laughs in the crowd definitely came in the closing credits.

Worse, though, were the trailers for a taste of what's on tap for the summer:

• Orphan - an adopted innocent young girl gone batshit crazy, terrorizing and murdering her family
  
• The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard - Jeremy Piven as a used car salesman with sales pitches that just weren't funny
• The Ugly Truth - chick flick with Gerard Butler teaching Katherine Heigl how to pick up guys, and (shocker!) they eventually fall for each other

Not a lot to be excited about there. The only bright spot was Bruno, which everyone already knows will be a hoot. As a side note, an interesting article here about Sacha Baron Cohen.

Doves Concert

Doves at Terminal 5, NYC - 6/4/09

For a band with two #1 albums in the UK and a current number #2 with their latest album "Kingdom of Rust", it's somewhat shocking that Doves aren't more popular here stateside. All the better for us, though, who can enjoy their shows in relative intimacy (ie, Terminal 5 in NYC) compared to some of the bigger stadiums that they play in the UK.

Doves at Terminal 5, NYC - 6/4/09

While still classifiable as Indie Rock, their sweeping anthems and toe-tapping ballads compete with any of the best big stadium bands. See Village Voice review here. If this is your first introduction to Doves, recommended beginner songs are There Goes The Fear, Pounding, Black and White Town, and the latest, Jetstream.

Keeping the pants up

Classy, elegant, convenient, and most of all, great for traveling. The Mont Blanc reversible belt is a quality piece of leather, brown on one side and black on the other. Choose from dozens of buckle styles, and flip the metal depending on your colors for the day. Not an insignificant investment, but considering it does the work of two and allows you to only pack one belt for that business trip, it's definitely worth it.

Suit Sizing

Yesterday I went to my local tailor in order to explore the possibilities of a made-to-measure suit. Living in NY, this option is usually well off the table - at least in terms of price. But I was visiting the lovely state of Michigan, and I thought a possible decline of the Big 3 and manufacturing in general may lead to a few price points within my range. Alas, no - MTM suits started at $1100, all for the Jack Victor line. While I certainly trust the quality, it's a little too close to the conservative side for my taste (I also learned that he stocks nothing smaller than a 42...!?!?!..Says a lot about the midwest population, unfortunately).


However, my trip wasn't totally unsuccessful. My tailor graciously convinced me that I don't necessarily need a MTM suit. Within moments of walking in, he immediately (accurately) sized me up as a 38 chest and 31 waist. Buonissimo, signore. Then, with the flick of a wrist he instantly determined that I was just shy of a 38, but nothing that a simple adjustment to an off-the-rack 38 couldn't take care of. Thirty seconds later, I was looking at $700-$800 suits with about $50-$100 in alterations, rather than suits at $1100 or more.

Moral of the story: unless off-the-rack suits are impossible to find in your size, don't completely rule them out, as long as you have a relatively qualified tailor. Many people swear by bespoke or MTM suits, but unless we happen to be traveling to Asia on business, it may not be worth paying the extra $$$ for a barely noticeable closer fit.

As for shirts... that's a completely different story. Shirts aren't easily altered by tailors and are better off custom made from the beginning. Bespoke is an option, but MTM may be the most practical. While everyone emphasizes the fit of the suit, do we not spend most of our day in the office with our jacket off? There is no stronger statement than a well-fitted dress shirt.

Real Indie Radio

Finally, we've found the perfect middle-ground. A radio station with a music library that's similar to ours but much bigger, and doesn't force blood boiling ad campaigns down our throats every 2 songs. A NY public radio station, The Alternate Side is available online 24 hours a day here. It only occasionally has a brief commercial for its own internal promotions. The DJ's are interesting enough, and oh how refreshing it is to actually hear a DJ play a song immediately after hyping it up.

As great as Pandora is, we're getting sick of the inevitable M.I.A. or MGMT popping up no matter what type of new station we create.

On a related note, each week we'll try to post our newest favorite bands. Or at least what we've been listening to. We probably won't be uncovering many fresh faces on the Williamsburg music scene (we leave that to the experts), but contributing to the general music discussion never hurt anyone.