A Diva State of Mind

Last month I attended an event at The Gibson for Marshall Anthony, a men’s accessories collection based out of New York.  The collection features neckties, bow-ties, handkerchiefs, custom shirts and suspenders.  Marshall Anthony has had much success in New York and are now focusing on expanding into other major markets including Washington, DC and Atlanta, GA.

Marshall Anthony was founded in 2009 by Darhel Anthony, in search for a simple quality bow-tie. Over the years, the brand has evolved to include handcrafted neckwear and accessories. In 2011, Darhel and Caron Gabriel partnered to share with the world their vision for the modern gentlemen. Marshall Anthony will soon be a full high end menswear brand, encompassing all garments necessary for a gentleman’s wardrobe.

The target audience for Marshall Anthony is the gentleman of all things sartorial, regardless of age and status.

The ready to wear bow-ties and neckties range from $75 to $105.  The made to order garments range from $85 to $115. Prices of custom garments vary.

There are a number of brands that provide men’s accessories however, the quality of design and construction of each accessory truly sets Marshall Anthony apart from the rest.

To learn more about the brand and to view the current collection visit www.marshallanthony.com.  Information on all upcoming events will be available via the Marshall Anthony website and Tumblr page www.marshallanthony.tumblr.com

I know most of my “looks we love” posts are of fashionista, but it doesn’t hurt to give the fellas some shine too! While catching up on the male lifestyle blog, The Smugger, I came across a “SMUGSHOT” of rapper J. Cole featured in GQ Magazine.

In the October 2011 issue of GQ Magazine, J. Cole is modeling four all-black military style leather bomber jackets.

Bally $2,895

BLK DNM $1,190

Diesel $580

Dolce & Gabbana $2,025

Congrats to J.Cole for having the #1 album in the country, Cole World: The Sideline Story. His album is a MUST HAVE!

Source 

Photographs by BEN WATTS

Courtesy style.mtv.com

When I think of red bottoms, I immediately think of Christian Louboutin 6 inch heels.  Women absolutely love them (some will even risk injury to wear them) and men love looking at women wearing them.  So when someone posted a picture of Christian Louboutin men’s shoes on twitter last week, I was surprised. I don’t know why it never crossed my mind that Christian Louboutin made shoes for men. After all artist like Kanye West, Swizz Beatz and Chris Brown are known to wear them.

Of course I had to investigate and check out the most recent men’s shoe collection.  The Spring/Summer 2011 collection features updated Louis and Rantus High-Tops, Pik Boat studded slip-ons and Rollerboy Spikes. Prices range from $625 to $ 1,195.

Spiked Rantus

Rantus Brown $625

Rantus Navy $625

Superball $625

Louis White $695

Pik Boat Studded Black $795

Pik Boat Studded Beige $795

Rollerboy Spikes $1,195

If you’re interested in purchasing a pair of red bottom men’s shoes this season, Google search Christian Louboutin men’s sneakers (or shoes). There are a lot of sites selling men’s shoes at a discounted price.  Also check out  http://us.christianlouboutin.com/mens-shoes.html. The site doesn’t feature the shoes shown above, but it does feature more conservative styles.

I know I wasn’t the only one that did a double take when Ricky Martin’s arrived on the red carpet at the Grammys in a blazer and silver jeans (or jeggings).   I thought to myself, “Why are his pants so tight?? I know he can’t breathe!”

For some reason a lot of people believe that just because something is a trend, it must be right. WRONG!!!  I’m not sure when this men and skinny jeans phenomena started, but it needs to stop.  For those of you out there that don’t know, skinny jeans, skinny pants, and jeggings are for ladies.  There is absolutely no reason a man’s pants should be tighter than mine! Don’t you all need some breathing room down there?

 

Levi's Ex-Girlfriend Jeans

I’m not the only one that feels this way. Most men don’t like the skinny jeans look either.  Jozen from Until I Get Married wrote a blog post about what not to buy him for Valentine ’s Day. Take a wild guess what he didn’t want as a gift: skinny jeans!

I’m a lover of fashion so I understand we all want to be trendy. However, this is one trend no man needs to follow.

I’m just sayin…

Fusing modern British style with luxurious Italian craftsmanship, the Men’s debut footwear collection has a Mod aesthetic with a hint of a 1960s Mayfair playboy.A perfect balance between classicism and Rock ‘n Roll style, this versatile collection covers several moods of getting dressed with more formal styles such as lace-ups, loafers, slippers and rugged masculine boots. Trainers appear in both subtle and more eccentric materials.

I’ll admit when I first saw the headline “Jimmy Choo Kicks For Dudes” on another website, I was a little surprised and quite curious. After all, Jimmy Choo is a womens’ shoe designer.  But after viewing the pictures, I’m quite impressed with the new Men’s collection that will relaunch Fall/Winter 2011 after a nine year hiatus.  I think you’ll be impressed too!

OBE Founder and Chief Creative Officer Tamara Mellon states, “I am thrilled to introduce men’s shoes to the Jimmy Choo world. My vision of the Jimmy Choo man is one who exudes confidence and style whether he is an artist or an investment banker. The first thing I look at on a man is his shoes.”

Biker Book - I really like these!

Trainer - Feeling the hightops too!

Evening Slippers

Loafer

The Double Monkstrap Boot

The new Jimmy Choo Men’s footwear will be available July 2011.  Fellas, what do you think of the new Jimmy Choo shoes?

Trunk Club Wool Car Coat

Knowing where to shop can be difficult, especially for men.  Kenneth Issac from NOVA Fashion Week shares with you his list of some of the best retailers catering to men. Fellas check it out! Ladies, take note; you may be in need of purchasing that special someone in your life a gift. Valentine’s Day is a couple weeks away!

Having the comfort of your own home or those quick minutes at work with the blinds pulled down and door locked, gives us all a great opportunity to purchase items when our schedule doesn’t allow for in store trips. However, what happens when you are spending hours trying to find online sites that offer great finds and just cannot get a break? Welcome to the world of online shopping for men.

Shopping in general for most men does not come natural, but because of the recession and actively seeking to stay on top of their game, men see the way they dress as a means to give them a competitive edge. Men are now letting go of the pent-up testosterone and understanding, as women have, how soothing shopping can be.

This year will bring about great reward for the men’s market as more companies are seeing the benefit to expand their online presence to men and even expand the square feet for in-store experiences. Here are a few online retailers who are capitalizing on men’s shopping experience:

Top Man Black Napolean Cardigan

Gilt Groupe for years has been a leading figure for grabbing great finds, for women. Recently Gilt has identified the need to have a male only site labeled Gilt Man. Gilt Man allows an impulsive exploration of new high-end fashion enticements every day you visit their site. All of this is on a first come, first served basis of course. The site does require a membership which is invitation only and this is a membership you simply don’t want to pass up on. Gilt Man has great blazers, ties and shall we mention shoes from hundreds of top brand.

Patiently waiting is another shopping option created by Net-A-Porter.com. The new menswear only site, Mr. Porter, will be made available later this month. This London based company, has more than 3 million users, predominately female, around the globe.  With the launch of Mr. Porter,  men will now boost even more distinguished user hits to the London company.

For men who love the European look, Top Man is the largest privately owned clothing retailer in the UK. Staple items such as jeans and t-shirts are given twists to suit the current fashion mood. It’s the perfect site to shop to improve your wardrobe with essential basics and classic fashion. When visiting the site, you get the vintage influences and notice the variety offered in the collections. One of my top picks is the Black Napolean Cardigan.

J Press Glen Plaid Tweed Sack

J. Press having one of its four stores in Washington, D.C., is the All-American store that allows a man to never have too many suits and button-down shirts. A very conservative American style is what you will get from this shop created on the campus of Yale. Having a tailored Glen Plaid Tweed Sack is one of the best items a man could ever have in his wardrobe. J Press has had the commitment to dress men in an Ivy League standard since 1902 and it’s very clear that are living up to that standard.

Another shopping option that I have run across is John Varvatos.This designer brand unities old world craftsmanship and refined tailoring with modern innovations in textiles and rock-n-roll sensibility. One item that I think is a great pick for both men and women is a the button front vest. One of the recent trends has been women adding a more masculine feel to their wardrobe. Men don’t worry, there is nothing girly about this John Varvatos Button Front Vest at all. This entire collection is the perfect option to add a little edge to your wardrobe.

John Varvatos Button Front Vest

For the men who simply wish to have nothing to do with shopping at all, try out the Trunk Club. This is a creative way for men to discover great clothes and establish awesome wardrobes by simply talking to an expert. These experts curate an assortment of pieces and provide recommendations to you. You receive your trunk filled with various items that you try on. The fun part about it is that you keep what you like and send back what you don’t. No hassles, no lines and less stress. My favorite find is their modern wool car coat which is a timeless piece for any winter attire.

It is quite clear that men’s fashion is on the rise. Regardless if you are venturing out to retailers to shop or sticking to your online roots, you will begin to see stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, and Ralph Lauren increase their men’s departments. Men can rest assured that many brands are seeing the increase in men’s shopping. Brands are no longer turning their heads to men and now doing a double take at the impact men are making.

You can follow Kenneth and the entire NOVA Fashion Team on twitter @NOVAFashionWeek. To learn more about NOVA Fashion Week visit www.novafashionweek.com.

The holiday season is not only a time spent with family and exchanging gifts, it’s also a time for a lot of holiday parties/happy hours.

On Wednesday, December 8th, Instructions Apparel will host a holiday sales event and party. The Holiday Bar & Bazaar is a way to say thank you to all of the Instructions Apparel supporters for another great year. 

During the event, guests will enjoy 50% savings on all Instructions Apparel merchandise with prices starting at $32 for dress shirts and $15 for ties.  Guests will also have the chance to mingle with Instructions Apparel founders, enjoy a tie-knotting demonstration from Wardrobe Consultant Henry Edwards and take advantage of discounted prices on all dress shirts and ties. 

The event will also serve as a fundraiser for the Chris4Life Colon Cancer Foundation, a local organization dedicated to finding a cure for colon cancer by funding and facilitating cutting edge research programs across the nation. Ten percent of all merchandise sales from the event will be donated directly to the foundation.   In addition event partner Hudson Restaurant & Lounge will extend Happy Hour prices and 10% of the food and drink sales will be donated to Chris4Life as well. 

 WHERE:       Hudson Restaurant & Lounge 2030 M St NW

 WHEN:          Wednesday, December 8th 6:30-8:30 pm

RSVP theartofdressingwellevents@gmail.com by Monday, December 6th

Instructions Apparel was founded in 2008 by three young business men in Washington, DC area who experience challenge expressing their own personal styles in the workplace, especially on a budget. As a solution, Marcus Ware, Sheku Riddle and Duane Smith founded Instructions Apparel, an online men’s clothier specializing in unique shirt and tie offerings. Perfect for holiday party attire and gift ideas!

For more information:

Instructions Apparel theartofdressingwell.com│twitter.com/getinstructions  

Chris4Life Colon Cancer Foundation chris4life.org│twitter.com/chris4cure

H&M is celebrating 10 years of fashion in the US!! And to show its appreciation for customer loyalty and support, the retailer is offering $10 off a selected item each day for the next ten days.  The offer begins today, October 1^st.

Selected items include $10 jeans, $5 tops, and $10 sweaters for men, women and children.  So if you have some shopping to do for Fall, stop by H&M and take advantage of this great deal!

For the complete list of all selected items, visit H&M.

Now this is a great way to start off the first weekend in October! Happy Friday & Happy Shopping!

A few months ago, I urged all of the young professional guys out there to Step It Up in terms of dressing up to go out for a night on the town.  For those of you still looking for other stores to purchase the necessary attire to help you step your game up besides Nordstrom, EXPRESS and other mall retailers, I have found another resource that just might help you.

Founded in 2008 by “three regular guys trying to make their mark in the corporate world,” Instructions Apparel is a fashion resource for men both in and out of the workplace.  The founders of Instructions found that the desirable items men look for are far too expensive, it’s often difficult to find a shirt and complementary tie at the same location and bargain shopping rarely produces quality fitting shirts and ties.  In order to solve these three major issues men face when shopping, Instructions offers men stylish shirts, complementary ties and recommendations on what to wear for different occasions.

As a dedicated brand to making men look and feel good, Instructions offers 7 Basic Instructions for men’s apparel:

1.  Make sure your socks and belt match your shoes.

This is often overlooked, but it is the most important rule with respect to The Art of Dressing Well. We recommend that you stick with basic colors such as a dark brown, tan, or black shoes. Other colors will be difficult to match, and therefore should be avoided.

2.  Match Your Shirt & Ties

On our site you will see our recommendations for shirt and tie combinations. These recommendations provide a combination of solid, paisley, polka-dot and striped ties.* We match these ties with a variety of shirt colors ranging from solid white to pink stripes. Thus, don’t be afraid to experiment with colors. With respect to formal attire, ties are the means by which you express individuality.

While ties are a great way to express yourself, keep it tasteful. For example, going into a job interview you would wear our solid white or light blue shirt with a solid color or paisley pattern tie. Yet, once you’ve landed that great job, you can mix and match from our entire collection. Most importantly, be sure that your tie complements your shirt, suit, sweater and all other accessories worn.

*Instructional Note of Inquiry: For our collection, which consists of modern-fitting shirts with a spread-collar, we recommend knotting your tie with a Half Windsor knot.

3. Wearing Brown and Black together is a no-no!

When wearing brown slacks you should wear brown shoes. This rule also applies when wearing black. If and when you seek to express individuality, do so with your shirt and tie. Mixing brown and black has been tried by others with very little success.

4. Pinstripes

Pinstripes are a safe and stylish alternative to the solid-colored suit. As opposed to wearing a solid gray suit, try a gray pinstriped suit. There are no particular colors that should be avoided.

Your own personal style will dictate which colors work for you. However, certain color combinations should be avoided. In particular, beware of complementary colors. These are colors opposite one another on the color wheel, such as red/green, yellow/purple and blue/orange.

5. Watches

A nice watch is the single most important accessory a man can own. We, at Instructions, suggest that you invest in a quality watch. If you prefer owning multiple watches, wear the appropriate watch for your outfit: A sports watch is not appropriate to wear with a shirt and tie.

If you prefer leather bands, wear a black band with black shoes and belt; a brown band with brown shoes and belt. A watch with a silver or gold band is the safest choice for all occasions.

6. Pocket Sqaures and Ties Clips

Pocket squares and tie clips are the icing on the cake for the well-dressed man. We, at Instructions, believe that a little goes a long way in The Art of Dressing Well. One would be amazed at how a tie-clip and a plain white-pocket square will liven up a suit on its dullest day. Go the extra mile and invest in a plain silver tie-clip and the appropriate pocket square for your ensemble.

In the Dress for Any Occasion section of our site, you will see various recommendations of pocket squares for each shirt and tie combination.

If you are unable to find a pocket square with our recommended color scheme, there are always two great options:

1. A solid colored pocket square the same color as your shirt or tie;
2. A plain white pocket square (It is important your shirt has white in it).

7. Casual Wear, i.e., a “Night out on the town”:

Dressing properly and stylishly for a night out can sometimes be challenging. You want to stand out from others for your impeccable style, not because of inappropriate attire.

To avoid being just “the guy in the sweater vest”, consult our recommendations to pair our selection of shirts together with a variety of denim jackets, blazers, and v-neck sweaters.

For more tips on putting your best foot forward and to purchase stylish shirts and complimentary ties, visit www.theartofdressingwell.com

 Please note: These are tips from Instructions, not A Diva State of Mind

Five years ago, Reggie Black was studying abroad in South Africa.  While overseas, he also worked for an urban store.  While working at the urban store, Black realized hat last thing he wanted to do was work anyone except himself.  From that realization, BLACK Collection was born.

BLACK Collection was born in 2005 in Washington, DC by Reggie Black and Dylan Chase.  The BLACK Collection is a small line; Black calls it exclusive. “BLACK Collection is for the “Individual” that has unique style; uses fashion as their method of personal expression and will not tolerate resembling others.”

The line currently features 11 pieces, made up of track jackets, tees and intimates.  The collection pieces are simple.  As Black says, “Less is best.”  The clothing is unisex, so all pieces can be worn by both men and women.

Midriff Tee

Shield Jacket

INDIVIDUAL: Summer Edition

BC Vee

BLACK Tee

While the line enters its 5^th year, it hasn’t moved as fast as Black would like, but that isn’t discouraging him. “It’s a beautiful struggle,” he says. “I stay humble and continue to work. I always try to produce better pieces than what I’ve done in the past.”

What does the future hold for the BLACK Collection? Black does plan to expand outside of tees and track jackets. And as long as he continues to stay humble, grind, and network, the BLACK Collection has a great future ahead!

To check out the entire BLACK Collection, visit www.blkcollection.com.  You can also follow the collection and Reggie Black on twitter @BLACKCollection & @iamreggieblack