Men in Heels

The forties will always, in my mind, define mens fashion.  Think, Madmen: three piece suites, peak lapels, overcoats...but, reminiscing about the "good ole' days" is not what I'm onto here, instead, I wanted to talk about the crossover between men's and women's fashion.  My "fur" post got me thinking about it and I realized that there were more and more trends emerging on the men's catwalk that might be considered sartorial-cross dressing.

Belted cardigans were out in full force this season.  Perry Ellis had a few choice examples: 

Skinny leather pants, once only seen on rock stars and emaciated female models showed up in more than one designers collection this season.  Tim Hamilton, best known for his streets-wear meets fine tailoring aesthetic offered a few options:

Heels?!  I noticed the trend a few seasons ago while walking around SoHo.  Men in heels were not too uncommon a sighting in the tents this season.  Rick Owens is a huge supporter:

Sequins also had a moment on the menswear catwalk.  Check out Dolce & Gabbana's take on the trend.

I don't know how soon I will be donning a sequins blazer, heels, or leather pants, if ever, as I think jeans and a t-shirt will always be my uniform of choice, however, I get the belted cardigan look...and lets be honest, if I looked anything like the model in the above picture wearing said belted cardigan, I don't think I would ever wear anything else!  

Fur me?

Wrap me in a mink throw, throw me in front of a fire, stuff me full of fried chicken and call me happy.  Fur was a major trend on the runways this season--and not just for women.  Band of Outsiders, and Burberry had their male cast in structured fur blazers and top coats.  Antonio Azzuolo and Jimmy Choo used fur for accessories; Antonio created oversized winter accessories while Jimmy offered his first mens shoe line, some of which were done in horse hair.  I might have my blinders up, and maybe I'm a freeze baby and would welcome a fur coat on bitter cold New York eves, but I love how fur has crossed the gender barrier.  I probably won't be running to Barney's anytime soon to drop a cool 4Gs on a jacket, but I am excited to see this trends progression over the next few seasons.

*Caution: unless you are a pimp or a fashionisto, I would leave this one alone.*

Ps.  When did Antonio Azzuolo show back up on the map?  I'm obsessed.

Chad White

I really like his shoes.

Kiss and Tell

With true love being the exception, I have always been a little skeptical when it comes to dating within the same industry.  I'm not saying don't [I've done it], I'm saying, it's tricky.  The fashion industry is small, holed up in a few cities around the globe: New York, LA, Paris, London, Milan, and Tokyo.  Designers, publicists, editors, stylists all know each other, or at least know OF each other.  Its funny, New York, a city with a population of 8+ million people, and I feel like it could be any city in West Texas....Marfa maybe?  One stop light, one grocery store, one bar, Prada, population 200.

All too recently I found out that a notable designer was dating his publicist.  I ALSO just had a conversation with my boss, who has an incredible friendship with an editor at a reputable men's magazine.  I asked him how he manages to keep his work and personal life separate despite the fact that they seem to overlap so frequently.  He told me that it took some learning, but that when he's at work, he's working, and when he's not, he's not [easier said than done, I say, haha].

All things considered, dating within the same industry can be perilous, but I'm opting for the "true love" exception, myself.

Oysters

Jonathan Swift, most notable for his book, Gulliver's Travels, is quoted as having said, "He was a bold man that first ate an oyster."  I concur.  However, oysters are to the ocean, as pearls are to the oyster - treasures.  Oysters can be eaten on the half shell, raw, boiled, smoked, baked, fried, roasted, stewed, braised, pickeled, and steamed.  Preparations vary, and can range from extremely simple, a squeeze of lemon; to extremely complex, oysters rockefeller.

If you live in New York City and are itching to dine on the bivalve molluscs, I highly recommend you check out the following spots:

Grand Central Oyster Bar
Lure
Blue Ribbon
John Dory Oyster Bar at the Ace Hotel

James Jeans x Kanye West

Kanye West, the rapper, producer, singer and twitter phenom, is rumored to be doing a collaboration with James Jeans.  James Jeans is already adored by some of Hollywood's leading ladies, and will soon have a men's collection available for purchase.  Until then, enjoy the photo below.

[Purchase James Jeans here]

The Blurry Picture

The fashion elite and select taste makers showed up last season to Tom Ford's [j'adore] first-ever women's wear show. What can only be described as being extremely intimate, Tom personally presented the collection to those in attendance, as if nodding to years past when fashion was more regal-more exclusive.  Ruth la Ferla wrote an article recently for the New York Times [read here] titled, "'Less is More' is Mattering Most," where she outlines how fashion is becoming more private.

Christopher Kane is another of fashions most elusive, I mean, he DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A WEBSITE! [hello, it's the 21st century, boo?!]

I firmly believe that Tom and Christopher are preserving the sanctity of fashion.  So, as much as I love a blurry twitter picture of a model stomping down a runway, there is something special about waiting to see crisp, clean images of the clothes from a style site, or perusing the new collections as they hit the floors at Bergdorf Goodman.

A blogger friend of mine swore this fashion week that he wasn't going to post images immediately after [and/or during] the shows.  Instead, he brought a disposable camera [to the dismay of editors beside him] and waited patiently for the raw, unabridged images to develop before he posted them.

I guess this could be applied to more than just fashion, rather society as a whole, but before I get all Aristotle on your a** I should probably stop.  You get the idea.

Leather and Lace

Stevie Nicks is timeless, and so is this June 2009 editorial from W Magazine:

Hair

Justin Beiber and Robert Pattinson are just a few names that, when spoken, often illicit a hair-raising discussion.  I mean, Justin Beiber has a trademarked name for his luscious locks - Beiber Bang.  I was even drawn into the discussion when I saw him on the cover of March Rolling Stone, sans bangs!!  Sacrebleu.

That said, I think mens hair trends for 2011 are harkening back to a more grown-up, mature look; shorter, side parts, manicured.  For me, I think the below picture best expresses my personal hair style--respectively.

Brussels Sprouts

I've always had an affinity for Brussels Sprouts.  No matter the incarnation, I'm obsessed.  But then, my roommate brought home the 2010 November Issue of GQ Magazine and whipped up the "Chang-Style Brussels Sprouts."  Needless to say, I had a coming-to-Jesus moment.  I can't sit here and keep the recipe to myself, so here it is.  Enjoy!

Chang-Style Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4

1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts
1/4 pound thick-cut bacon
Butter (optional)
Sriracha hot sauce
Lime
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. With a knife, trim the hard, woody ends of the sprouts, then slice in half lengthwise through the core.

3. Cut the bacon into small chunks and cook in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat till crispy, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

4. Drain most of the fat from the pan and add the sprouts, cut-side down. Raise the heat to medium high and sear until the sprouts begin to sizzle. Put the skillet in the oven and roast until the sprouts are deeply browned, 8 minutes or so, then shake the pan to redistribute them and ?ip them over. Pull the pan from the oven when the sprouts are bright green and fairly tender (taste one to check), about 10 minutes more, depending on how large they are.

5. Return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat. Stir in the bacon and, if you want, a pat or two of butter. Swirl till incorporated.

6. Place in a bowl. Add a few squirts of sriracha hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it, and a squeeze or two of fresh lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve with anything.

[Read the full article here on GQ.com]

life vs. style

20-somethings living in the Lower East Side, NY and Williamsburg, BK [respectively], are donning flannel-lined khakis, beanies, Carhartt jackets and boots.  Considered a petri dish of future trends and style, these 'uber-fashionable' kids are dressing like people in the mid-West!  The average Joe wakes up every morning, unaware of season trends, goes to their closet, and pulls out the same outfit every day.  That's their uniform.  It doesn't change.

Since when did New Yorkers start taking style cues from the average mid-Westerner?  That's a rhetorical question-who cares?

(FW11 look from jcrew.com)

(FW11 looks from Rivera Club)

In conclusion: I am loving the masculine, all-American vibe menswear is giving me these days.  

d&gfw11

This season, Domenico Dolce & Steffano Gabbana showed a playful collection full of quirky eccentricity in a plethora of colors--a fashion schizophrenics dream.  Something about this collection speaks to everyones personal style, applicable to everyone.  I have been sitting on the question, "do I love this collection, or do I LOOOOVE IT?"  and I'd go with the later.  It's cold and dismal in New York, and this collection snaps me right out of my seasonal affective disorder.

Some of my favorites below:

(all images courtesy of GQ.com)

foodfashionandflesh:1

I love food.
I love fashion.
I love flesh.*

*not in that order