Paris | Friendly Fires Remix


C'est cool...

Opening Ceremony Spring 2010

Short film by Opening Ceremony directed by Gia Coppola and Tracy Antonopoulos and starring Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman. Music by Coconut Records (Jason's band).

Compliments of style.com

Traits of a Gentleman

Mark Twain wrote, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." Yes, any man can be sharp in the way he wears his clothing but only a gentleman will carry himself with dignity and will also treat those around him with the same respect.



Here are a few tips on polishing your personality in public because if it's clothes that make the man, it's manners that make a gentleman.



1.  Listen actively
2.  Be inclusive, acknowledge others
3.  Confidentiality
4.  Speak kindly
5.  Be immaculate in your clothing and hygiene
6.  Repect others people's opinions
7.  Maintain a pleasant voice
8.  Respect other people's time
9.  Respect other people's space
10.  Respect other people's belongings
11.  Apologize with sincerity
12.  Promise only what you can deliver
13.  Avoid personal questions
14.  Be a considerate guest and host
15.  Think twice before asking for favors
16.  Refrain from idle complaints
17.  Accept and give compliments
18.  Respect the environment
19.  Refrain from displaying negative emotions
20.  Always clean up after yourself

This is the beginning of a series on The Traits of a Gentleman

MJ Cafe

MILAN | Marc Jacobs is opening a cafe in Milan using a color palette in our favorite color, blue!  Just like stores Colette in Paris and Fred Segal in Los Angeles, Marc Jacobs is opening an in-house cafe adjacent to the Marc by Marc Jacobs store at Piazza del Carmine 6.  What's next for this American mega brand?  Hotel Marc Jacobs?

Source: WWD 

Hermes Man | Menswear Store at 690 Madison Avenue

In a recent post we shared that the retail industry is zeroing in on the menswear market as a place to boost sales -- and rightly so.  Men are buying clothes at nearly the same rate as women these days and why wouldn't they when there is so much more on offer on retail floors across the globe.

Originally a saddlery and maker of leather goods, The Hermes Group is opening it's first and only all menswear boutique on Madison Avenue.  No Hermes scarves here, gentlemen.  Instead expect to find Hermes silk ties with "Hermes Homme" appearing on the reverse side the signature of the new line.

Called Hermes Man, the New York City boutique will house handmade Hermes baseball gloves for USD 8500.  This is French decadence meets classic Americana, all hand stitched in supple calf skin.

More on Hermes Man at Luxist

Top Ten Beaches | Delta Airlines Sky Magazine


If there's anything we love more than getting on a plane, (with a small weekend duffel and a little book in hand) it's getting off of that plane -- which, hopefully, is a few minutes from a white sandy beach.


Here are the Top 10 beach destinations according to Delta Airlines Sky Magazine.

An Interview | Suzy Menkes, Fashion Reporter, IHT

A commentary by head fashion reporter for the International Herald Tribune and the New York Times, Suzy Menkes, about the presence (and future) of fashion blogging.



On Fashionblogs from Mary Scherpe on Vimeo.

With the economic implosion of 2008 and 2009, fashion houses and publications are looking towards the internet as a means to reaching the consumer.  More on this later...

Men in Blue 


Blue is a very classic color.  It's not quite black (absent of color) yet it is not garish like green.  It is a masculine color which can dress you for the trading floor or the dance floor.  


The color blue -- ideally navy -- is a staple in every gentleman's wardrobe.   The wardrobe should include at least one pair of perfectly fitting jeans, a blue sport coat, light blue button down shirts, a navy V-neck, and blue chino trousers.

"You will only have three pairs of jeans.  For the job, two pairs of jeans which are trim and dark.  For the home, a pair broader, and more worn.  Beyond this is superfluous."

 Caroline Andrieu / Menstyle.fr online home for French GQ.

(As seen at Paris Fashion Week | www.menstyle.fr)

(David Beckham in British GQ)

(Robert Pattinson in British GQ)

Facehunter | Yvan Rodic


Yvan Rodic from www.facehunter.blogspot.com featured in French GQ.  Video from www point menstyle point fr.  Enjoy...  A tout a l'heure!

On Nostalgia


nos•tal•gia | a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.


Last night, I had the honor of attending an anniversary for my aunt who celebrated 40 years of committed life as a Roman Cathlic nun.  She has lived in Italy for over 30 years where she has spent her adult life on a sprawling compound in Rome's Monteverde Vecchio disctrict.

(Villa Salvator Mundi, Monteverde Vecchio, Roma)

As I sat through the mass that was said for my dear aunt, I couldn't help but reflect on my many years in Catholic school (13 including kindergarten).  I observed from the back of the chapel while the Polish and American priests said the mass and there stood dozens of nuns in their navy blue habit, white blouse, and navy blue skirts.  Some of the younger nuns were wearing a small jumper, a collarless sleeveless dress worn over the blouse.  

*I will say this, a nun wouldn't be a nun without the essential "comfortable" shoes. If you've spent time with nuns or spent years in Catholic school, you'll know what I mean.

I recalled the hours I had spent attending mass with hundreds of other children all dressed in blue and white uniforms.  9 years in parochial school wearing blue or gray corduroy pants, white polos and navy v-neck pullover or cardigan sweaters we spent.  

(Cardigan and Corduroys by A.P.C.)

 

And when my mother gave me the freedom of picking out my own footwear, I always chose the classic canvas Vans -- usually, blue, white, or black.

(Canvas Trainers by Vans)

Fast forward to today and I still have an affinity for the same exact look.  Navy blues, white and blue shirts, and cardigan or v-neck sweaters.  I still have a love for the classic Vans but have also grown into a taste for leather lace-ups as well.  And even when I'm picking out jackets and coats, I often narrow my choices down to shades of gray, black, navy and brown.

One could say my fondness for this classic look stems from my years spent with priests, nuns, and brothers dressed in shades of black, blue, gray, and white and my affinity for shoes and Wallabees by Clarks Originals comes from those same years staring at the nuns (coincidentally my teachers) with "comfortable" shoes.

(Nuns in "Comfortable" Shoes)

(Comfortable Shoe by Clarks Originals)

Then I graduated and continued on to an all boys Catholic preparatory school.  We were given a little bit more freedom in our choice of dress as long as we were wearing slacks (no denim) and a collared shirt (no prints or profanity), no piercings or tattoos (God forbid the thought) and our hair shorn short.

To this day, I still find myself as preppy as ever.  My favorite finds often come from the offerings of Polo by Ralph Lauren , A.P.C. , J. Crew, Brooks Brothers or any of the preppy pieces curated by BEAMS and United Arrows .  My shoes, more often than not, are made by Heutchy or Clarks Originals and trainers by Vans or Adidas Originals .

So the question remains: Am I a preppy Protestant or am I parochial (denoting affiliation with a Catholic parish)...

...and after 13 years attending Catholic schools and a small stint living in a convent in Montevecchio -- I have come to the conclusion that I am more preppy than parochial.  Surely, you'll never find me wearing whale print pants or speaking with a mid-Atlantic American accent but I am preppy to the core.

"Mea Culpa," to my friends at the Roman convent ("and to all the saints..."). "Pray for us."  I will always think upon my days in parochial school with great nostalgia but these days my choice in clothing has little to do with a man (or woman) of the cloth.

To Your Commitment to Religious Life 

And Your 40th Jubilee, Dear Sister C.

TANTI AUGURI!

Is Denim Done?

Let's face it. Denim is here to stay and just when you thought that the market was super saturated with denim lines, someone manages to put out a line of denim more premium than the rest.  Go and visit any proper trade show and entire sections are covered with brands marketing their line of denim. The Japanese have been producing it on ancient looms for ages -- and they are very good at it.


For generations, London's Savile Row has been been the place where a young gentleman could have a fine woolen bespoke suit tailored.  Now Savile Row tailor, Richard James, has a line of bespoke trousers using premium Japanese denim.


It's everywhere. Denim bags from APC, jackets, and of course -- denim trousers or jeans. The New York-based men's footwear line, Heutchy, has shoes cut from Japanese denim. Since denim is here to stay, many menswear brands are producing pieces that are the color of denim. APC has a pair of navy suede shoes that are a huge hit. That said, we'll see lots of navy and dark washed blues in menswear. Just keep your eyes peeled and you'll see what we mean.

(As seen in Tokyo)

(As seen in Tokyo)

(A.P.C. Spring 2010)

(As seen in Tokyo)

(all below | shoes in Japanese denim by Heutchy Spring 2010)

C'est Bleu.

A.P.C. has a few coats on offering in blue. An 80's mac, a classic duffle coat, and a nice sports jacket. If you don't have an A.P.C. near you, you can surely find one online or a similar look from anywhere from the GAP, J.Crew or BEAMS.