All About The Lips

Moncler Gamme Bleu Spring 2014

Makeup for men has always been considered taboo in our restrictive society. For years aesthetically inclined males have been forced to hide their makeup experimentation or face judgement and questioning remarks. Fortunately, thanks to a group of fashion-forward men who desire to make the world a more beautiful place, men can proudly wave their bronzers and concealers high up in the air. Some men who dare to go even further can also wave their lipsticks tubes high up as well. As evidenced by the Spring/Summer 2014 menswear shows, lipstick is no longer just for the girls. This isn't the first time we've seen male models sporting a colored lip down the runway but in the past these colors have tended to be very light, and almost negligible. Gone are the pastel blues and muted yellow lips and in are bright lips in what can be called "hooker red." Thom Browne and Saint Laurent both sent out models wearing bright red lips. For the Moncler Gamme Bleu show, Thom Browne decided to go in a different direction with a black lip on every model. Here's hoping more guys drop their boring old Chapstick and pick up something brighter and bolder. 

Thom Browne Spring 2014 

Saint Laurent Spring 2014

Screw You

Fashion meets function in Lanvin's screwdriver keychain. The rainbow effect of the metal gives a fashion edge to the industrial feel of the design. The body of the keychain unscrews and opens up into a two piece screwdriver set with a Phillips and Slotted head. I'm not quite sure how practical or useful this keychain would be in real life, but it certainly is cool to look and would make a very chic Father's Day Gift. Go screw something!

Lanvin Screwdriver Keychain $495 at ssense.com 

The Perfect Murse

I openly admit to having a strong bias towards everything Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane, due to my recent internship at the famed fashion house, but bias aside, this leather hold all bag is truly the perfect murse. As an ultra fashion-obsessed (maybe addicted?) gay I know a thing or two about murses and am constantly on the look out for the perfect black leather bag. With so many black leather bags on the market it's hard to find one that truly stands out. With it's subtle branding, sleek silver hardware and suede lining, this Saint Laurent bag is a timeless classic with just enough edge to make you stand out.

Available at luisaviaroma.com 

Truly Charm-ing

The Fall 2013 Collections gave us numerous drool-worthy accessories but two pieces that really caught my attention, and made me fear for the well-being of my wallet, are these two pieces from Givenchy and Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane. These two collections were among my favorite from all of fashion month. Although a bit biased because of my obsession with Riccardo and Hedi, I still feel that these two were the most edgy and exciting collections, overflowing with that cool, downtown energy. These two bracelets are essentially modern day, grown-up charm bracelets. Givenchy's version has a single medallion hanging from the chain. The Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane bracelet (much like the glorious boots in this collection) has multiple charms and other embellishments attached to it. Needless to say I'm obsessed with both. 

Givenchy F/W 2013

Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane F/W 2013

All images via style.com

Skyping with Cyndi Lauper (Kind of)

It's important to take every opportunity that comes your way, or so I've been told. This is a philosophy I'm trying to get used to so when I was presented with an opportunity to take part in a Huffington Post Live segment featuring Cyndi Lauper I knew I had to say yes. Check out the video of the segment.

My Love Affair with Man-Skirts

My love affair with man-skirts is a rather recent phenomenon. It occurred during my transitional period from normal color wearing college student to all black, skinny jean wearing fashion bitch. This was during the end of my freshman year at NYU. During this transitional period I stumbled across an image of the Givenchy Homme Spring/Summer 2012 Birds of Paradise printed skirts and although not part of my all black aesthetic, I still fell in love with these skirts and so a romance between me and man-skirts developed. As a struggling college student the romance never reached fruition (as a poor college student I could not afford a Givenchy man-skirt without selling an essential organ) but nonetheless my love grew and was only rekindled when I saw the pleated skirts Riccardo Tisci designed for his Givenchy Homme Fall/Winter 2012 collection. It was as if Riccardo was looking into my dark, Gothic soul and pulling out my inner darkest desires. These skirts screamed "Fuck Off, You Commoners" which is basically what I want my everyday look to scream out. Other designers have attempted the man-skirt/kilt but most efforts have been sub-par except for a few notable exceptions such as the Prince of Darkness Rick Owens who expanded the man-skirt to a full on man-dress and most recently Thom Browne who produced the most drool-worthy kilts for Moncler Gamme Bleu. Man-skirts are certainly not for the weak of heart or fat of calves but wearing a Givenchy man-skirt is at the top of my bucket-list.

Givenchy S/S 2012

Givenchy F/W 2012

Rick Owens S/S 2012

Thom Browne for Moncler Gamme Bleu F/W 2013

Safety-Pin First

Some people are big fans of a crisp basic white button down, unfortunately I am not one of those people. To me white button downs always look the same and they always look boring no matter who it's by, whether it be Dolce & Gabbana or H&M. In my own closet I only keep a single white button down for when I'm feeling more conservative than usual. To my amazement Thom Browne has created such an amazing white button down that even I'm obsessed with it. Known for edging up classic menswear pieces, Thom Browne has added safety pins to a white oxford resulting in a powerful, statement making shirt. Definitely adding this to my dream to-buy list. 

Thom Browne Safety Pin Oxford $750 at barneys.com

Tommy Ton for style.com

Five Reasons Why A Fendi "Baguette" Is Better Than A Baguette

The iconic Fendi Baguette bag is celebrating it's 15th anniversary so I thought it was only appropriate that I dedicate a blog post to this iconic bag, which is often hailed as having started the "it-bag" trend. In addition to the book, "Fendi Baguette" which is due out in just 4 days, Fendi is reissuing the bag in six of its most popular incarnations. I'm fond of five reasons, so here are 5 reasons why a Fendi Baguette bag is much better than an actual baguette.

[via]

1. Too many Fendi Baguettes are never a bad thing whereas too many baguettes just make you fat and no one likes the fat girl.

2. The Fendi Baguette is a work of art whereas a baguette is just a piece of bread, delicious, but just bread.

3. People will compliment you on your fabulous Fendi Baguette but no one will compliment you on your expanding waistline courtesy of too many baguettes.

4. A Fendi Baguette bag carries the Lagerfeld seal of approval whereas everyone knows the Kaiser doesn't eat carbs.

5. A Fendi Baguette bag makes you a better person because of its high chic value. Everyone knows chic = better.

Bite Me

[via]

Givenchy Shark Print Tee $320 available at bergdorfgoodman.com

I've been obsessed with Givenchy for years now and consider myself a true devotee of the Tisci Tribe. Ricardo Tisci is a true visionary when it comes to fashion, specifically menswear. His menswear collections are always bold and powerful wth a fuck off attitude. His inovative syle can best be seen by his decision to launch a Pre-Fall 2012 Collection for men. Other designers have followed Tisci's lead but none of their collections are as impressive. Continuing the beach theme from his Spring 2012 women's collection, Tisci has created some amazing shark printed garments that are sure to become highly coveted, such as this amazing Shark Print Tee Shirt which I'm dying to add to my closet. Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, not many retailers have picked up the pre-fall collection which is truly a shame. Hopefully more retailers start stocking up on the Givenchy Menswear  such as the amazing Givenchy Men's Resort 2013 collection which is full of great camouflage inspired prints.

Givenchy Men's Resort 2013

[via]

Vanitas Love Affair

H&M Skull Bracelets

Perhaps it is due to my study of and love for Dutch still-life painting, or perhaps it is because I am a dark and depressed soul but I have recently become obsessed with skulls and everything related to Vanitas paintings. The term Vanitas refers to a genre of art that emerged in Northern Europe during the 17th Century. These paintings differed from regular still-lifes in that they contained symbols of death, the most common being the skull. The skull is a little dark, a little macabre but I absolutely love it.

Still Life with Bouquet and Skull (1642) by Adrian van Utrecht

Nowadays it is super easy to incorporate the skull motif into your everyday look. First pioneered by the late Alexander McQueen, the skull is now a common fixture in fashion. One of my favorite ways to rock the skull is in a bracelet form. You can find skull bracelets almost anywhere from fast-fashion retailers like H&M to higher end jewelry companies like the 2011 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalist Finn Jewelry.

Carras Skull Bracelet
$28 available at shopthegallaxy.com

Finn Black Silver Skull on Cord
$150 available at finnjewelry.com

Although I may be a dark and dreary soul I love juxtaposing the skull motif with something more romantic and dreamy such as roses or other bright flowers (must be the fag in me). One of my favorite images is when the skull is completely composed of cutesy little flowers and butterflies such as one this t-shirt from H&M, which is only $5.95 USD.

[via]

My Stash

Some guys collect baseball hats, some girls collect shoes, I on the other hand collect designer stationery. For some reason the smell of a new limited edition Moleskine notebook sends a rush through my black-clad body. The sad part is that unlike the baseball hats and shoes that get proudly displayed, my stash remains unused and hidden in a small discrete pile. It's not that I don't want to use them but it's just that they're too beautiful to tarnish with my insignificant thoughts (ok well my thoughts are actually super important but still not important enough for these delicate beauties). I have a fairly small collection of as now but I'm sure it'll grow just like my waistline during finals. 

Below is my collection thus far (as you can see the overarching theme is black):

From L to R: Karl by Karl Lagerfeld Moleskine available at the Karl shop on Bleecker St; Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty Notebook, Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty Pencils, both from the Met Exhibit; Christian Lacroix for Kate's Paperie Notebook; Marc by Marc Jacobs Moleskine for Barneys CO-OP

Wishlist:

Margiela Ostrich Feather Pen:

[via]

Alexander Wang Leather Notebook

 [via]

Nicola Formichetti "Nicopanda" Moleskine

[via]

James Nares for Coach

I know what you're thinking, Coach like really? Who shops at Coach nowadays but please allow me to justify myself. Coach Men's has really been stepping up their game. A few months ago they collaborated with the artists Hugo Guinness on a line of bags and accessories featuring the British artist's prints. The stuff was cute if you're like into sports and stuff (obviously not for me). But I got really excited when I read on Bagaholicboy (one of the blogs on my daily reading list) that the company was collaborating with the British artist James Nares (someone at Coach is clearly an Anglophile). I must admit I had no clue who he was when I first read his name (I have since taken the time to look him up and think his painting process and works are bananas!) but I thought the bags were amazing and so I was obsessed, so I obsessed that I actually took the time to go in search of the bags. The bags weren't supposed to be available in store until April 20th but when I went to the store on Thursday my source at Coach Mens on Bleecker Street, Kyle this super adorable and helpful sales guy, told me they had been on the sales floor since Wednesday. The Coach Mens on Bleecker has the tote in black, green and blue. I was searching for the pink (shocking given my phobia of all colors that aren't black or gray) but was told I would have to trek uptown for it. I was so conflicted between the black and blue since both are like super amazing and the print on both is slightly different. I'm pretty sure you can guess which one I ended up choosing, if you can't take a look below. The tote itself retails for $798 and is available at coach.com, the Coach Mens on Bleecker and the Coach on Madison Ave. The bag itself looks amazing in person and the fabric is really high quality but my only concern is that it's HUGE! I thought the bag was going to be your standard normal sized tote but this bag is more of a weekender bag than an every day bag, so do keep that in mind if you plan to purchase it. I still bought it anyway since there are only about 170 available in each of the 5 colors but not sure when I'll be using it.

[via]

Ended up going with the black one obviously.

[via]

West on Sunrise, Black (2010) by James Nares

Team Anna vs. Team Emmanuelle

The recent news that Vogue Paris is coming to America via an English version has left me quite shaken up. I have been a true devotee and worshiper of the great Anna Wintour for many years but I must admit that I do admire Emmanuelle Alt's fabulous Parisian-chic style and at certain times her vision and creativity have made me question my allegiances (did I just utter such blasphemous words?) With her typical uniform of skinny jeans, oversized blazer and booties, she has greatly impacted my own personal style, not to mention that she basically lives in all black.

At first I thought it was a belated April Fool's joke but after double checking the date I realized this was the real deal. Something I'm wondering about is how Vogue Paris in English will affect the magazines availability. I mean Vogue is on newsstands everywhere you look but finding a copy of Vogue Paris is a bit more challenging. Now that the magazine is going to be in English will it be easier to find or will it still be a bit of a search? Additionally will saying "I read Vogue Paris" still carry the same cultural capital as it does now or will the fact that commoners everywhere can read this fine literature diminish the cultural capital of the magazine. I mean can you imagine going to get your nails done and the girl next to you in head to toe Ed Hardy (or whatever it is that the commoners wear these days) is reading Vogue Paris, so not chic.

I cant wait to see how everything turns out, whether the content of the magazines will remain the same or whether there will be some slight changes to appeal to the American consumer.

One thing is for certain, this will definite create a slight divide between the fashion obsessed now that both magazines will be essentially competing Louboutin to Louboutin.

Is your allegiance to Team Anna or Team Emmanuelle?

Vogue Approved Easter Bunnies

I tend to stay away from anything cute and cuddly, in favor of things that are dark and depressing but these Vogue commissioned Easter bunnies were much too amazing for me not to blog about them. Last year Vogue had designer Easter eggs and this year they had designers reinterpret the iconic Easter bunny. My favorites are these four:

All images via Vogue

The Minotaur Look

In case you weren't already aware, I'm obsessed with all things Givenchy so it should come as no surprise that I'm obsessed with the Givenchy Hommes F/W 2012 collection. In my eyes Ricardo Tisci is a god who can do no wrong and his menswear collection for this coming fall did not disappoint. For Fall 2012, Ricardo showed an amazing collection full of his signature men's skirts and star beading/embroidery but what really caught my attention were the bejeweled nose rings the male models were wearing. The nose ring trend seems to have carried over from his couture collection in which the female models were also wearing bejeweled nose rings. I myself tend to steer away from man jewelry in all of its different variations but there's something about a Givenchy bejeweled nose ring that temps me to reconsider my stance on man jewelry. The nose rings wont be in stores for a few more months but given that they'll probably start at around $70 (here's hoping for less) the harsh reality is that I probably won't get one into my Givenchy-less hands.

[via]

[via]

My favorites:

[via]

You're wearing a dog collar.

[via]

I, like every other sane fashionisto/fashionista, am obsessed with all things Hermes. From Birkins to Kellys to Ulysses notebooks, I love it all but the other day while at my boudoir I started thinking about the Hermes Collier de Chien. I couldn't stop thinking about how "Collier de Chien" translates to dog collar, which is such an odd name for the now legendary design. Why did the high-ups at Hermes choose this name? Was it inspired by some lovely canine with an affection for bondage-esque jewelry (the CDC has a bondage feel to it, or maybe I'm just projecting my love of bondage wear onto it, who knows)? Perhaps the bracelet is an homage to man's best friend?

[via]

After some light research I stumbled upon this interesting tid bit of information, apparently the CDC was first introduced in the 1940's and took its inspiration from the belt that came first, but the first cuff is said to have been made specifically for an Hermes' clients bulldog.

Whatever the reason for the name/reason for being, all I know is that the CDC makes for some great arm candy. Oh and I've also recently become obsessed with the ring version, it's MAJOR!

[via]

Anna in Purple Python

[via]

I came across this photo of Anna and had to repost it. She's pulling off a huge colored fur collar with a magenta python coat and a plaid dress. Girls is working that python for all its worth.

Five Reasons Why A Chanel “Boy” Bag Is Better Than A Boy

This post is dedicated to single cynical bitches everywhere.

If you’re like me you’ve found yourself all alone on the most depressing day of the year but fret not my fashion-obsessed friends (followers, whatever you are) because a good Chanel bag can make all that pain go away. I’ve been obsessed with the Chanel Boy bag ever since the first images of this magical creation surfaced during summer 2011, I mean it’s basically an androgynous Chanel bag, who wouldn’t be obsessed? Even though I’ve yet to purchase one, I have had the pleasure of seeing the bag in person and must say it’s Bananas! Like everything else from Chanel, the quality is superb and the simple non-quilted leather makes it perfect for both guys and girls. I personally love how it looks with all black (my almost daily self-imposed uniform) and some biker boots but it would look just as well with a cute little cocktail dress. For guys I would definitely suggest going with the black or white one and for girls there’s an amazing blush pink that’s just girly enough. If you’re not ready to splurge on the bag you can always go with the smaller but still cool and chic clutch version of the “Boy” bag which is kind of insanity.

Now for the 5 Reasons:

1) A Chanel bag will always make you look good even if you’ve “let yourself go”.

2) A Chanel bag will never complain about how long it takes you to get ready.

3) A Chanel bag will never ditch you for a beer with the bros or March Madness/any sporting event.

4) A Chanel bag carries the Karl Lagerfeld seal of approval and Karl's an expert when it comes to boys.

5) And lastly a Chanel bag will always be in excellent physical condition unlike your significant other and his ever expanding beer belly.

The "Boy" Bag

[via] [via]

Prince Pelayo from katelovesme.net rocking the Chanel “Boy” Bag

[via]

And lastly, a Valentines Day take on the "Boy" Bag from the Chanel Metier d'Art Collection

[via]

What's that jacket, Margiela?

Seeing as I've been quite negligent with my blogging I though this would be the perfect time to restart this fashionable endeavor given that it's the start of fashion month. New York Fashion Week is in full swing and the 1%ers are scurrying from show to show in their Louboutins but sadly it seems like I wont be afforded the luxury of attending a show this season. But do not fret, because even though I'm not sitting front row next to Anna (or at least not yet) this doesn't mean I'm not up to date on the latest buzzings in the fashion industry. My new internship at W Magazine is sure to keep me up to date on the latest gossip in the industry. I'll definitely be posting a lot more frequently and hopefully someone out there will be reading my little rants.

Nail Polish for Guys: The New It Trend for The Modern Male?

I know I'm a bit late with the whole nail polish for guys trend, but being a busy college student it's sometimes hard to keep up. In the past few weeks, there have been many online posts covering the topic of nail polish for guys. Racked, Allure and Fashionista have all covered this topic but since most of these reviews were written by women I figured I would give my own take on it since I'm actually a guy therefore I'm the target these companies are trying to reach. I for one am really really excited about this new trend. I have always been fascinated with nail polish. I legit die!!! for the Chanel nail polishes and am always slightly jealous that girls can rock them and guys can't. I'm glad that guys (well some) are starting to become more adventurous and daring. Guys have been getting manicures for quite some time so it seems logical that nail polish would be the next step. I for one have always wanted to rock nail polish but its hard to pull of manly when your nails are bright pink or neon yellow so I'm glad companies are designing nail polishes specifically for men. After reading the posts, I went and did some research on the two brands mentioned, Alpha Nail and EvolutionMan.

Alpha Nail is a men's only nail polish brand with the tagline "Designed for Men. Worn by Warriors." What's really interesting about this brand is its applicator, which looks more like a marker than a typical nail polish thereby making it more practical and easier to apply anywhere. I have yet to try out the product but it reminded me of my high school days when I would get bored and start doodling on my nails with sharpie (yes I was that kid). This brand also has their own nail polish remover so guys won't have to endure the shame of going out to purchase the pink acetone nail polish remover. Their colors vary from typical black to pirate gold (think burnt mustardy color, not something I would ever wear) and benjamins (a pale jade green color, really quite interesting). Their ad explaining their product is quite odd and the entire time I kept thinking really? your going to put on that bright/borderline flaming color instead of just a basic black and couldn't they find a better looking girl to put in their video.

The second brand is EvolutionMan; this is a men's cosmetics brand that carries everything from nail polish to concealer, something I must definitely try. This brand is much more traditional both in the shape of their product (typical nail polish bottle) and color choices but I'm dying to try their alter ego nail paint (kind of like a dark purple metallic). One nifty thing about this brand is that their products are all eco-friendly (not that I really care but in case you do you"ll be glad to know their tubing is made from post-consumer recycled materials) and their products are never tested on animals.

Both brands sound really great and I'm looking forward to ordering this stuff as my nails are feeling quite naked.

Alter Ego Nail Polish

[via]