Outfit of the Week

5.16.12
Inspiration:Salmon Rushdie
What: Buckler pink pinstripe button up with removable sleeves, Levis 511 red chinos, Ciro Landini brown oxfords and Ferragamo portfolio
Why It's My Favorite: As you may have already guessed, I don't work in finance. I'm not an attorney nor am I a Republican GOP consultant. Mitt Romney is not knocking on my door for style advice...although I'd sure like to tell him that he looks like the guy on the box of Just for Men hair color and he needs a new haircut.

But I work in sales/marketing and power suits are reserved only on the days you have really big meetings with clients. The majority of the time, we just dress in casual corporate attire which equates to button up shirts and slacks. So wearing a shirt with removable sleeves paired with red chinos is perfectly normal in the office. Besides, I keep a navy blue blazer at work to pull this look together and more professional.

This outfit made me think of the author Salman Rushdie who went into hiding because of the fatwa issued by the Ayatollah. Once the Ayatollah died, Salman came out of hiding and I thought to myself, if I came out of hiding, I would wear my salmon colored shirt (of course) with the brightest pair of pants in my closet to announce to the world "Hey world...I is here!"

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Trendspotting: Be TANKful This Summer

 
Call it the Michelle Obama affect on the American populace that has a small pocket of men wearing loose fitting tank tops as their must have shirt of the summer season. Perhaps seeing a woman with toned arms baring it all for the world to see emasculated enough men to say "Hey FLOTUS (First Lady of the U.S.)! I have guns too. I am man hear me roar in my own tank top!"

Perhaps this trend could be attributed to the urban gay population who often set the trends that trickle down to the general public. Albeit when a gay man wears a tank top, not only are the arms showcased but so are the sides of their torsos. A quick snip down the sides of a tank and you have instant access and ventilation.

My approach to this hot new man trend comes from a different point of view.  When I think of tank tops, I'm reminded of growing up and hanging out with my friends during our formative middle school and high school years. Sure we tried to skate board and admittedly posed to be surfers with our Vans sneakers and Billabong and Quicksilver tank tops and shorts. So for me, the tank tops I've purchased for this summer have been loose fitting and more suited for a night at a dive bar that closely resembles the damp cold basement of a high school friend's house than a gay ole time at a discoteca in Ibiza. But unlike my early attempts at cool tank top fashion, I've ditched the skater parks and surfboards alone. 

So if you're like me and appreciate your own fashion evolution, be TANKful and let your arms breathe this summer.

YES: Toned arms look best in a tank top. I wear my tank with khakis and sneakers.
NO: Tight doesn't make it right unless you are going to or are part of a Gay Pride parade. It's your birthright girl.
MAYBE: A tank top isn't for you if you  have uncontrollable back hair or a documented wife beater.

Rise of the Manorexics

It all began when Hedi Slimane took control of Dior Homme and introduced the 
world to his own vision of how men should look which is rail thin, sickly and 
pre-pubescent. Whether its an homage to the Rolling Stones of the 60's or it's 
because he himself is built like a chopstick and wanted to make clothes for 
himself, the look took off. 

Editors cut back on the protein shakes and spent less time in the weight room of 
the gym building muscle and dedicated themselves to losing muscle mass to fit 
into Hedi's skinny jeans. It was the rise of the Manorexics. 

The trend would trickle down to the masses and men poured themselves into pants 
that reduced their fertility levels. It is a look that is still with us that's 
slowly fading away only because Hedi took time away from designing for a couple 
of years. 

But he's baaaack!!! With a YSL collection set to debut this fall, it won't be 
long before he starts designing the men's collection too. And when he does it 
will be time again to "gird your loins."

YES: Women and gay men aren't the only ones obsessed about their weight. 
Straight men are just as narcissistic. They just hide it better.
NO: I don't think there's a manorexic anonymous meeting just yet. 
MAYBE: You are built like a wire hanger and you can't help it. 

My Style Icon

Women's magazines and TV shows (looking at you Barbara on The View) always talk about how they feel the pressure to be something that society expects them to be. From being Barbie doll thin and blond to an Angelina Jolie vixen who'll give sexual favors in an elevator, women are obsessed about talking about their problems to a point where the entire media feeds into their neurosis.

But men have their own problems. From being raised to become a natural born athlete, leader or gigolo some of us just don't live to any of these expectations. But you don't see us sitting around table on ABC talking about our problems during our MANstruations.

Just like women, we are forced to look at hyper masculine men to look up to and be like every day of our lives. From Steve McQueen, the belligerent alcoholic who rides a motorcyle, to George Clooney, the silver fox with a harem to make the Maharaja jealous, to Mark Zuckerberg, the unattractive nerd with billions to do and sleep with anything he wants, men face their own demons. It might not be as heavy or cray-cray as what women face every day, but men have their own Shiite to deal with.

It also comes across to what we're expected to wear. Most men have never been to flight school but a lot of us have a bomber leather jacket because that's what we think is cool. And then the rest of us look like we just stepped off the set of Wall Street because if you don't have model looks to be the man you should be, then you should have the money you need to have to buy everything you need to be happy. If men aren't winning Super Bowl rings, men should be ga-billionaires. Even a man with a penis large enough to fill the hole in the ozone can only go so far. With all this pressure, what's a man to do?

This is why my style icon is gender neutral. That's why my style icon is Ellen DeGegeneres. 

GQ, Details and Esquire are always trying to tell us that we should look like those dead cool guys from the 50's who turned out to be gay (James Dean). Or they want us to look like Gordon Gecko from Wall Street (criminal alcoholic with daddy issues) to get the life in the fab lane. And if that doesn't work, we should all look like the athlete we never were in high school.

But for my own real life persona I always reference Mrs. Ellen DeGeneres. For me, she represents the casual cool I want to be. From Converse sneakers paired with a well tailored suit to the simple but well-made button up shirts with fitted flat front pants, Ellen is more stylish than any man I've seen in a subway poster or men's magazine that's been delivered in my mailbox.

Looking like a prototypical male has its place. But at the end of the day we all just want to be ourselves. That's why I always keep a pair of dress shoes at work even though I change into a pair of Chuck Taylors before going home or a bar to meet friends. Because my job doesn't define who I am, but my shoes might.

YES: Find your own style icon and make it your own. Mine happens to be a lesbian.
NO: Weird Al, Bozo the Clown and Adolf Hitler are not style icons. That's just cray-cray.
MAYBE: Your dad is the style icon because he was the best dad in the world. And that's good enough. Ignore this blog post.  

Trend-Spotting! Work on Your Portfolio

 

 

Maybe it's because of the bad economy with the high unemployment rate that men's portfolios are coming back in style. It really is the best thing to carry your resume for an interview. Or it could be the fact that the man-bag has gone to super-size proportions with oversized totes large enough to carry at least half of the Octo-mom's brood being carried around by regular guys everywhere, that the need for something normal-sized makes more sense.

What do you really need to put in your bag any way? A tablet with your smartphone, wallet, gum and chapstick? Wait, that's what I put in my Ferragamo portfolio. If I need to take work home, I'll put the file on a thumb drive and work on it on my own PC at home with a glass of margarita. Carrying a large bag only makes sense if I'm carrying a lot of files or an outfit change for the gym. But it's time to lighten up...literally!

Give up your oversized bags and work on your minimalist side with a portfolio.

YES: Portfolios can be used beyond the second interview. It's perfect for carrying an iPad and essentials.
NO: Size does matter. It's all relative. If you're a big guy, get a big portfolio. Otherwise, you'll look like a fat man with an oversized wallet.
MAYBE: You don't need a portfolio because you put everything in your pockets. But that bulge doesn't make the other bulges look any bigger. It's all relative.

Toe Up from the Flo' Up!

 

With strong Hawaiian roots, I love a good pair of flip flops. It's casual, it's comfortable and it's easy to slip on and off. Hell, our version of dress shoes meant sandals made of leather. And if you were a baller, your leather sandals were bought from a department store at the mall and not from the 7-Eleven. 

Letting your feet and toes breathe in the fresh air is a right of Spring/Summer. 

BUT!!! For the love of Baby Jesus, have your toes taken care of. There's nothing more unappetizing than going to an outdoor restaurant getting my al fresco meal on when an ugly pair of busted toes catches my eye and I lose my appetite. Toe jam is gross. Discolored nails is disgusting. Hang nails deserve a hanging. 

Just like spandex, sandals and flip flops are a privilege not a right. Please don't punish unsuspecting strangers with busted man feet. Make a pledge to visit a nail salon and have your talons clipped, buffed and polished. Your girlfriend, your mama and the Holy Spirit will thank you. Just like a healthy smile or a full head of hair, healthy looking feet is a sign that you are a virile, fertile and well-groomed man who is FDA approved from head to toe.

YES: Please I'm begging you on behalf of the orphans in Namibigeriathiopia to have your feet manicured by a professional.   

NO: Busted toes are not a sign of being manly. It's a sign your feet will leave a disease on the sheets and bathroom mat.

MAYBE: You can get away with it if you have hooves or no feet.

Outfit of the Week

5.3.12

Inspiration: Last Nite a DJ Saved My Life
What:  Balenciaga blue baseball jacket, AX striped button up with red striped lining. H&M wide leg navy blue pants, Dr. Marten's saddle shoes and  Prada messenger bag
Why It's My Favorite:  I confess that I used to be a raver, which meant I wore big wide leg pants and baseball jackets, printed shirts and big clunky shoes. The 90's are officially back and as we come out of the great recession, it will be time once again to party. But leave the glow sticks at home.

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Outfit of the Week

4.26.12
Inspiration: War Horse sans Horse
What: G-Star cotton camo jacket, H&M black silk button up, H&M black pants, Gucci loafers with tassels and tortoise shell, and Balenciaga bag
Why It's My Favorite: What's more military than camo? As a military brat, camo makes me feel like I'm home less than a battle field. Although in NYC jungle, some would argue it's a war out there. So buck up soldier and charge!

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