Mutant Margiela L'Incognitos

Only Margiela can do mutant fashion this good. This time he very successfully marries the silhouette of the widely raved-about L'Incognito glasses with traditional aviator detailing. (For reference on what bad mutant fashion is, check out my favorite examples the tragic tribal Fendi Spy and the bastardized wayfarers.)

Martin Margiela green tinted visor sunglasses with brass hardware

The result is a pair of sunglasses that might not be as stark as the original L'Incognitos, but most definitely not any less intriguing than the originals.

the original Martin Margiela L'Incognito sunglasses, which were made to resemble the black strip used in video and photography to censor one's identity, this being a brand signature of Margiela

The aviator detailing on the bar above the bridge and on the "arms" lends a slightly more handsome look to the shades, while the sharp shield shape keeps the effect arresting.

The original L'Incognitos have always fascinated me, but might just be a little too editorial to use everyday (and I already favor the experimental and the out-there). The new ones look like aviators with just that needed triple-shot of Margiela crazy.

iWant.

Available at Oki-ni.

P.S. To those readers asking, I'll be taking my Masters in Advertising in Boston. :)

Shoesday

Today I scored a pair of Opening Ceremony M8 classic saddle shoes in the most radiant silver gray suede.

As I was test-walking them around the house, they shone like old velvet!

With the situation being that I'm moving to the US for grad school, it's not like I have the room in my suitcases for another pair of shoes. But Miguel offered them up at such a handsome price (thanks Miguel!), I had to throw caution to the wind.

I love the minimalist brogue detailing.

I'm not one to pass up a good deal on nice lace-ups. They to me are what sneakers are to most guys. I wear lace-ups with everything; they're my comfort shoes.

They are, in fact, a size too big for me, but I got them anyway. Nothing a pair of Scholl insoles can't fix!

things I designed

I throw around the word "design" rather loosely, by it I mean I pick out the fabric, take it to the tailor, and explain the concept in 100 words or less.

A shirt

I saw the fabric at the store and thought it would make an easy summer shirt. The one blue sleeve was my personal touch. My feelings towards that sleeve differ every time I look at it.

and a pair of pajama pants

Inspired by this post on Buckstyle (and frustrated by the fact that I passed up on those fabulous printed H&M printed pj pants from that shoot), I decided to design my own comfy, easy, pajama pants. I opted for a light navy shirting cotton and a wide waistband in black satin a la boxing shorts.

close-up of the satin elastic waistband

Craftsmanship may not have come out a hundred percent on point, and odd proportions may have made them too low-rise for comfort wear, but that won't stop me from wearing out my own design proudly!

Schizo APC Fall/Winter 2009

The looks have come out and not everybody is falling head over heels for it. Carl of The Fashionisto remarks, "In an attempt to capture a wide and diverse audience, committing to a concept appears to have become less of a priority." I can clearly see how concept-wise, this collection is indeed all over the place, a unifying thread for all the looks is either really faint or absent.

select looks from APC Fall/Winter 2009, more here

APC's appeal to me has always been in their very sparsely designed pieces priced somewhere between Zara and Lanvin that magically scream quiet coolness. This collection's schizophrenic busy-ness may detract from this idea that first got me hooked on APC, but that doesn't stop me from coveting a few pieces.

How genius is the concept behind this Sgt. Pepper's marching band jacket brought down to earth by horn toggle buttons?

I don't think I'd ever tire of jumpsuits, and this bleached denim one looks ridiculously cool with the plaid scarf.

This pair of jeans dappled with what appears to be white cotton clouds intrigues me.

The entire look is French preppy chic done so, so right.

The parka with contrasting buttons looks like the great go-to winter coat for those lazy, casual days. And those lace-up boots are looking very handsome.

I'd like to challenge the age-old notion that a collection must have a governing theme or concept. Does it make one less of a designer if one just wants to put forth an anthology of well-designed pieces without a theme in mind? What if a consumer walks into a boutique and isn't very much fond of the "Martha's vineyard preppy on acid" or the "new deconstruction" or the "urban Marrakech" inspiration that permeates every piece in store, what choice is he left with?

images via Modeman

P.S. Between a lung disease scare (I'm okay now), an overnight shopping trip to Hong Kong that didn't happen, and numerous consecutive get-togethers with friends who I won't be seeing in a long time, I found it hard to sneak in a blog post. With that, I apologize for the long absence, my dearest readers.

The New Litter of Half-Blood Bass Weejuns

Our obsession with collaborations isn't showing any signs of faltering, is it? A sneak preview of the Mark McNairy for Bass Weejuns collection has just come out, and it shows some interesting takes on the classic American penny loafer.

This set of eight styles represents just a fifth of the entire Mark McNairy x Bass collection that hits stores Spring 2010 and the prices range from $300 to $3675 for the alligator. Yet another reason to go bankrupt by Fall 2010.

Here are my top picks:

The obvious choice. It's so stereotypically dandy it hurts. I can imagine these going well with super-tailored, painfully preppy threads for a Japanese fashion editor-esque look.

There's something ugly-charming about this stamped pair, it's almost as if they literally cut the skin from a freshly hot-stamped cow and sewed it into a pair of shoes.

I can see myself getting a lot of use out of these tasseled loafers in what appears to be a really inky dark blue. The little hints of natural leather peeping from under provide a nice color contrast.

I was about to write a negative review for the alligator version, but seeing it up close, it isn't as boring as I originally thought it to be. I'll take a pair in black or cherry red, please!

via A Continuous Lean

P.S. Seeing these new half-blood Weejuns reminded me of a pair that got away not too long ago.

Bass x Jeffrey NY Weejuns

Good luck finding those now.

Kaftan-tastic

I've practically been living in these gauzy cotton kaftans for the past couple of weeks.

I may not be the biggest advocate of comfort in dressing up, but from time to time, it feels nice to don something comfy enough for you to fall asleep in. Dressing like it's fashion week everyday is a superhuman feat.

I was so pleased with the quality and detailing of these shirts that I decided to buy two of the same style. The slouchy, unstructured, slim mandarin collar, the single button, and just the overall look exuded an elegant minimalism that was akin to something from Acne.

When I saw it in this David Hockney shade of blue, I knew it would look great with my DIY paint-splatter laceups.

Zara kaftan top, tailor-made black denim shorts, DIY paint-splatter shoes

I decided to take the plunge and get another in chartreuse, a color I can't ever remember having worn. Now I'm hooked on the hue.

vintage Ray-Ban aviators, Zara kaftan top, Hermes bracelet, H&M white jeans, Church's suede loafers

Miuccia's Metalheads

Photos from the latest Prada Fall 2009 campaign shot by Hedi Slimane have just surfaced, and the ads are quickly accomplishing what they set out to do: to make me feel painfully inadequate about the contents of my wardrobe.

Miuccia's jackets and cardigans bedecked with the tiny round studs are almost quaint, they invite you to gently run your fingertips over them like you would a finely embroidered eyelet fabric, or a precious lace.

It's a different way of utilizing studs, unlike the brash and trashy stud frenzy that currently prevails.

To add insult to injury, Daniel from ModeMan already has a pair of those sublimely studded oxfords from the same collection. Lucky, lucky fellow!

Seeing the black in action, it seems that I'm surprisingly being more drawn towards the same style in cordovan. I like how the reddish leather plays against the golden studs.

Does anybody know how much these shoes retail for?

images via ModeMan and The Fashionisto

Acne Spring 2010 Shoe-gazing

Our favorite mid-range brands are really stepping it up for Spring/Summer 2010. The latest collection of men's footwear from Acne was, in my opinion, so mind-blowingly awesome, it caused me to break a nearly week-long dry spell of blogging (apologies for that, by the way).

Bolder and a little more detailed than the usual, this collection of shoes comes in very interesting new materials, hues, and shapes. Why is it that when a known minimalist label suddenly puts a suspension on the restraint and churns out something slightly more elaborate, we start stumbling over to get a piece of it? (Think APC Spring 2008.) It's a clever marketing strategy if you think of it, they make even more money than the usual when they start doing the job they were supposed to do in the first place, which is design! Ah, but I kid.

Here are my picks of the bunch:

Denim plimsolls - I've long shied away from denim footwear, for the reason that I find double-denim by way of trousers+shoes just not very attractive. But due to the increasing array of non-denim options for men's bottoms nowadays, add to that the good PR brought by the Lanvin x Acne collection to the idea of denim on anything other than trousers, these shoes are now a highly viable prospect.

The bleached, seemingly tie-dyed ones are calling out my name the loudest.

Desert boots - I'm particularly infatuated with the ones in dalmatian-print hair calf; I think the juxtaposition of quite a quirky, frivolous material with the utilitarian, masculine silhouette of the desert boot is genius.

The ones in leopard might border on being a little too vulgar, but I'd welcome a free pair with open arms!

Cowboy boots - After the continued joy brought to me by my The Kooples boots after every wear, I would like to decree that every man should own a pair of thick-heeled cowboy boots, or at least give them a try. It might sound ridiculous, but their leg-lengthening powers, not to mention the automatic gaucho swagger they bestow on the wearer make them one of the most flattering styles of footwear ever.

Acne modernizes the classic cowboy boot by placing an unexpected elastic band at the back, nixing all the flourishes and filigrees and rendering a pair in a fresh new sage green suede.

Suede moccassins - Last and probably the least offbeat among my picks are these really well-designed suede mocs. The neutral colors, slim profile, and comfortable yet thin gum sole might just make these the go-to pair of shoes that you keep wearing for days without even noticing.

I'm so going to be broke by Fall 2010.

images via Klang

An Optimistic Autumn

The Opening Ceremony look book for Fall/Winter 2009 brings a surge of color and a tone of joy that is a welcome contrast to the bleak blacks that dominated last year's fall which came alongside the advent of the recession. (Oh and here we get to see the previously blogged Fall 09 shoes in action!)

fashionably folksy: Opening Ceremony x Pendleton wool jacket

Designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim bring us the essentials for a happy autumn: pieces bedecked with bursts of color (not merely jewel tones, but bright Crayola colors!)

The crazy, squiggly-embroidered grass green gloves worn in the coat pocket are a nice touch.

The air tie+brocade vest/jacket+crimson trousers are a modern take on dandy style.

and detailed with a healthy dose of humor.

Though probably not the warmest of sweaters, this peek-a-boo sweater is sure to solicit a few mischievous stares from strangers. If you're lucky, you might even get a couple of giggles!

The contrasting plaid shirt gives your fall wardrobe just that little hit of cuckoo. Meanwhile, that plaid jacket with fur trim might just be the perfect cold-weather jacket.

And how genius are their chinos with contrast rolled hems?

black trimmed with purple

khaki trimmed with teal (this I immensely covet.)

I wonder if they're lined with the colored fabric, or if the fabric is really colored that way on the reverse side. What do you think? Either way, they're way up on my want list!

images via ModeMan

Frederic, the vintage prince

Meet Frederic Betancourt, 17, a student from Galicia, Spain, friend and fellow blogger.

I have long been a fan of his blog Tales from Frederic, where he posts outfits that are mostly vintage. His eye for one-of-a-kind vintage pieces and eagerness to experiment and try new things sets him apart from the millions of vintage mongers out there. It also helps that he's young and enviably skinny! Today I share with you my little chat with Frederic:

Tell us about your blog Tales from Frederic. Why do you blog?

Tales from Frederic was born in August 2008. I was tired of my other personal sites (Fotolog, Lookbook...), and wanted a place to express myself and find things... I usually visited blogs like Miss at la Playa or Inside am Lul’s closet, and I decided to just try it..

What is Spanish style/fashion to you?

Spain is a very beautiful country with very beautiful and kind people. They are used to wearing strong colors and expressive outfits. Fashion is important for Spanish society, more than ever, and Madrid Cibeles Fashion Week is always a great experience. (I met Iekeliene Stange there, haha)

You are very young (17). Where do you get your style from?

Sometimes I feel like an old guy, haha.

I love magazines... I think there are more than 200 in my bedroom, and of course fashion shows.

Music inspires me too, bands and singers from UK, Sweden, France...

Sometimes just a picture is enough to inspire me... And I love models’ style too.

Name three pairs of shoes you can’t live without.

My vintage brown leather shoes, Massimo Dutti brown mocs and my black lace ups.

The government is giving away two thousand dollars to spend on fashion-related items only. What will you buy?

Hmmm... Gucci tricolor mocs, Prada nylon bag and a Starbucks Frapuccino.

What is the next big thing in fashion?

Black and white, military style, the homeless look and Australia...

Splurge on vintage, Miuccia, McDonalds and waffles, skimp on orange bathing suits and fluorescent sunglasses.

Everything tastes better with butter on it.

And, almost like a male version of Mary-Kate Olsen, his minimal build affords him to pull off relaxed, oversize silhouettes to great effect:

Frederic's blog

Frederic on Twitter

Ferocious Fingers

Take a look at these creatures of desire by French jeweller Cartier, aren't they just frivolously fierce?

Panthere de Cartier ring in lacquered gold and peridot eyes

The lacquer-speckled gold and the green gemstones are just opulent, but the idea of a roaring panther head fashioned into a ring, with the finger going through its mouth, is very clever. I could only dream of how this would look with a sharp black suit, buttoned-up white shirt, and those Lanvin Richelieu suede-capped brogues. I wouldn't dare ask how much it costs.

Another view. It doesn't hurt to dream, does it?

More so could I not fathom even thinking of asking about the price of this one, though I would kill to wear the pave version even more casually with everyday clothes.

Panthere de Cartier ring in white gold with pave diamonds, emerald eyes, and an onyx nose

For now, I'll just have to stick with this friendly-looking leopard ring that I got on sale at Topman.

He's got black plastic jewel eyes and even another inside his mouth. Rawr.

DIY McQueen Part 2: The "Feel Me Up" Shirt

Of all the pieces from the Alexander McQueen Spring 2010 collection, it was those with the paint hands that caught my eye the most.

the "feel me up" shirt and trousers from Alexander McQueen Spring 2010

I thought these pieces were more than just a sartorial adaptation of the concept of finger-painting: the deliberate placement of the hands on to the chest and the crotch, and the way these imprints were smudged (subtle and uneven on the shirt, scandalously violent on the groin) said something else. There was just something so haunting about them; for some reason, images of a painter-ghost-lover feeling up the artist in inappropriate places raced through my mind.

But I couldn't wait five years to find this collection severely marked down in some outlet store in the middle of nowhere; so I decided to take matters into my own hands, pun very much intended. Armed with leftover paints from the previous DIY project,

yellow oxide and cobalt blue acrylic paints

and a white shirt that was too old and too large to be worn smartly,

white H&M button-down (Be sure to line the inside with newspapers to prevent the paint from bleeding through to the back.)

I went on my second DIY Alexander McQueen project. To infuse my own spin into Mr. McQueen's idea, I used two brighter colors instead of one for a more humorous, less eerie feel. There isn't much of a science to the process really, I just poured paint over my hands and stamped them on to the shirt. I first stamped on neat imprints of my hands, let them dry, and then added the smudges an hour later. Here is the finished product:

I kept the imprints fairly asymmetrical, and for added interest, marred the cobalt blue with little blotches of yellow oxide.

Here it is worn, with pristine white pants which are the ultimate contrast to all the dirty on top. I also double-watched for that little hint of deranged artist.

DIY Alexander McQueen shirt, Casio and Rolex watches with random suede bracelet, H&M pants, Church's suede loafers