Maison Martin Margiela Wig Jacket

My sister: "It looks like Cousin It."

I say this is what the word "fabulous" would look like if it were a noun.

Currently for sale in a size 2 on YOOX... Can I fit into a women's size 2?

Leonello Borghi on GILT

Over the seasons, I've found it to be true that the Leonello Borghi line of men's bags are a Barneys staple/favorite. I'm embarrassed to say that I've never really given them much thought as I've browsed through (a big part of that being that they are so priceeeeeey). However, when I saw the line up for sale on GILT.com today, I couldn't help but take a second look at the fur tote above. Fur accessories for men are too lacking (especially on my budget...maybe that can change once I upgrade?).

Behold the Narcissus Silver Fox Fur Tote. That's quite a price slash -- $798 down from $2165, but still way too out of my price range. I'm so sad that I'm so poor :(

GILT also offers this Mercurio Rooster Feather Tote. $528 down from $1480. Feather accessories for men are too lacking.

I love the watersnake detailing on both bags. Snakeskin accessories for men are too lacking.

Everyone and their mother should have one by now, I feel kinda silly for puting this up, but in the event you're looking for a GILT invite, click HERE.

image source

Cyber Monday at Patricia Field and Billy Reid

I think it was last year on Racked that I first heard of this notion of a Cyber Monday. Am I late to the game? Go ahead, mock me... From what I remember, the idea was to replicate the after-Thanksgiving Black Friday phenomenon but this time around, strictly in the world of e-commerce. I also believe I read that promos tended to stay limited to electronics and the like. However, tonite, while emptying my inbox, I found emails advertising Cyber Monday deals at Patricia Field and Billy Reid.

For those of you online "window shoppers" like yours truly, you may have known Pat Field had a 20% everything promo going on over the weekend. If you've paged through my blog in the past, you'll also have known I've had my eye on her macho man thermal leggings since I first saw them up online.

Over the weekend, I'd been on the edge of truly hitting the purchase button -- the thermals were there in my shopping cart the whole time, but shipping (always a sobering presence, wouldn't you say?) kept me from going through with it each time I tried...I finally decided I would come back to it at the last minute possible (Sunday, midnight, EST)...or so I thought at the time... As with all things that I set aside for later, I ended up forgetting to go back and complete the transaction...I was feeling kind of sad for missing out, and stupid for feeling so cheap over S&H... So imagine my surprise and elation when I saw this Cyber Monday 30% off deal had made it worth the wait and procrastination! Even with shipping, the total comes to less than the original price point. It's the little things in life that get me through each day I tell ya... I love you Patricia Field.

Over onto Billy Reid...

I find Billy Reid truly charming...I haven't devoted a posting to this line yet...I really should because there's a few personal thoughts on how this brand has been built that I'd like to discuss, but in the meantime...seriously, modern day dandy? I think so.

Now that I have secured Pat Field's thermal leggings, it's onto searching out my next obsession re: long johns and leggings for all-purpose outfit assemblage. This union suit does the job quite nicely.

The patches are quaint...

...and the butt flap so authentic!

Perhaps this time around, a non-flannel (otherwise, it'd be too cliche, no?) button down with my black boots might do the trick?

image source / image source

H&M Spring 2010 Men's

Swedish site ModeMan posted these images of the H&M Spring 2010 lookbook for men's. As with previous image previews announcing the upcoming season, there's a bit of inspiration culled from here and there... It pains me to think that the majority of this is probably trend...as in none for Minneapolis...except perhaps the sand colored trench above, which seems to satisfy H&M's need to offer the same rendition of a mid-length raincoat (okay, with a few tweaks in color and details) season after season... A few more thoughts as we scroll down the images:

1. The skirt above is SO Marc Jacobs in the flesh, and I badly want to pull it off just as he does...as does Tyler Riggs, Barneys-favorite, and the chosen face for these images...



2. Also, I'm loving the reds, purples, and pinks in those sheer ethnic & ombre scarves... The multicolored (abstract-zebra can we call it?) tie-dyed ones are also now on my wishlist.

3. The drop-crotch has finally trickled down to fast fashion. LOVE drop-crotch. Although, the one featured above is a bit too drop and a bit too draped for my height I feel...but on a guy with long legs...

Jamie Strachan for J. Crew Holiday 2009

While browsing around one of the J. Crew's in my area, I looked up at their current display images and realized that the beautiful Jamie Strachan, UK male model extraordinaire, has been tapped for their holiday ad campaign/catalog. Mr. Strachan has always stood out to me as one to admire -- even back when I was in high school and would hop on over to the local Barnes & Noble during open period to page through fashion mags -- I've always been impressed with his long and lean build...Boyd Holbrook and Jacquetta Wheeler strike me as two other Brits that come from the same "school" of aesthetics. Whatever is in the water over there, I see people like these three and I regret not having grown up in England ;) Look at how great and elongating those jeans are on him...or vice versa...

ON REPLAY: You've Got the Love by Florence + the Machine

H&M, 51st & 5th, New York City

When lurking around the Rockefeller center, no visit is complete without a stop into the H&M flagship on 51st & 5th...if only all H&M's could be of this caliber, no?

Tyson Ballou and Sasha Pivovarova, this season's reigning royalty of fast fashion...although, Tyson can be my king any season he wants...

Inside, I found the remaining vestiges of the Jimmy Choo for H&M collaboration...the behemoth-size banners were still up...

...women's still had a selection of shoes, accessories, and clothing...

...as did men's...although, I was happy seeing that the biker boots were all sold out, there was not a single pair to be found, and now my trip to Chicago feels that much more worth it to me...

Always The Sun by Richard Durand (Roger Shah Remix)

New York City, Impromptu Visit

This past weekend, circumstances were as such that I had the opportunity to drive into Manhattan and visit my dear sister, whom I don't get to see enough of. I drove in Saturday afternoon, and was out the next day by noon. As little time as I had, the one thing that always makes my day when I'm in New York is having the opportunity to just walk. I'll never tire of looking up and seeing tall buildings, I'll never tire of seeing beautiful people walking the streets, I'll never tire of browsing the retail options.

I wish I had been more mindful of taking my camera around...the shots here are nothing to write home about, and I've walked these routes too many times in the past, but they serve as visual reminders of a happier bygone era in my life, perhaps of an existence that was never fully realized, or (hopefully) one that is yet to happen...

The view from where I was staying...Midtown West w/ a glimpse of the Hudson River...

The Rockefeller Tree -- still scaffolded up, the final touch to the holiday transformation that has already manifested elsewhere in Rockefeller Center...

Midtown...

Times Square...

It's been too long since I was last in the city.

RIP Daul

This is kinda shocking.

http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2009/11/20-year-old_model_daul_kim_is.html#comments

Jimmy Choo for H&M, Michigan Avenue, Chicago

So the last time I was living in a city that was fortunate enough to stock an H&M collaboration was back in 2004: Karl Lagerfeld for H&M. I don't recall that there was a line, but then again, I wasn't really paying attention, nor did I show up the day of the launch...I showed up the day after and found the men's selection to be plentiful and complete. I still love the black wool coat I purchased from that collection, and I wear it religiously each winter. But regarding the attention afforded these special designer collections these days, haven't times change drastically?

I'm not quite completely convinced I made a wise choice, but out of the desire to own something that was out of the ordinary -- a pair of men's shoes from what's normally a women's label -- I told myself I had to be at a store that stocked the Jimmy Choo for H&M collection. Chicago was the closest location. With my sister (partner in crime) in tow, we made an overnight drive from Minneapolis to Chicago in order to show up at the Michigan Avenue store 3 hours before opening (7:00 AM). Driving the redeye (can I say that?) is not mentally sound, having done it, I say "NEVER AGAIN!"

At the same time, I also get to say, "I was therrrrrrrrrrrrrre......."

I had one item in mind, the men's biker boots, which, to me, seemed the least generic looking (please, Chelsea boots are everywhere, non?) and possibly the item from the men's collection that looked like it had been given the most thought from the design team (although does that really say much?). And when the clock struck 10:00 and the crowd began filing in to wreak havoc and carnage over the women's items, I made a bee-line to the escalators and up to the third floor. I came, I saw, I purchased. I must say, I'm rather impressed with the make of these boots -- the leather is very soft and pliable, and they're altogether very comfortable to wear. I can't wait to bust these out with a pair of thermal leggings/long-johns and an eclectic-looking cardigan ;)

As has been documented in previous accounts of H&M releases, men's typically always seems more low-key and less vicious, which, in my book, is awesome. I found that to be the case, even though the shot I took of the men's area appears to have somebody taking ripping off the arm of one of the mannequins.

With my item I had come for now safely in my arms, I directed my attention to the levels below. On the second level were the masses -- both wristband and bare -- waiting for access to the women's accessories and shoes.


On a side note, I was slightly embarrassed over my H&M-junkie status given I recognized two "familiar" faces from my time standing in line for the Edina store opening at Southdale. Both corporate employees, one is this cute blond lady (pixie-style haircut), and the other is this very suave, very handsome, very tall, very skinny, very my hair looks so sexy when I haven't washed it in a couple of days -- in short, very Euro, although I could've sworn he spoke plain American English (I could be wrong) -- man. I call them the power duo; they were very much present and around at the Southdale H&M, surveying the last month opening event. I realized I caught a shot of their backs in one of my photos. She's got her arms spanned to prevent traffic from clogging up the escalators, and he (helloooo...) is on her left, appearing to be running his hand through his sexy locks. I secretly wish I could meet them both and become their traveling companion as they go to H&M store events...kinda envious of their jobs here... Oh, and shock-blue-teeshirt cutie...he was a rather nice man...as I walked into the store, I only had to utter the word, "Mens" and he immediately replied, "Third floor." Now that's compatibility right there. Okay, enough with being creepy.

I must say, after standing in the midst of strangers for the better part of the morning, I didn't have much motivation to want to stick around after I had made my purchase. Given we weren't part of the gifted lot to receive the coveted wristbands, my sister, thinking the same anti-social thoughts as were going through my head, said, "Fuck it, let's go to Barneys." And go to Barneys we did.

Daniel Liu for GQ China, November 2009

image source: ???? @ tFS, photography: Blair Getz Metzibov, styling: Grant Pearce

Okay, so I'm late to the game, but it looks like hot male model Daniel Liu was successful in landing his spread for GQ China, as he had tentatively alluded to in his interview on NPR. Flashbang over at theFashionSpot posted these beautiful pictures from that successfully printed editorial 5 days ago. In my defense, I was distracted with work? And over the weekend, I was preoccupied with landing a certain pair of boots from a certain high end shoe label's collaboration collection with H&M (more on that tomorrow)... Regardless, I wanted a set of these pics for my blog, so here they are. The clothes are GQ editorial appropriate, safe luxury as I like to put it...but that just goes to show that after a certain point, it becomes the man that makes the man, and not the clothes, right? As for the female model, Hana Mayeda...she's eh to me...I could care less about her looks...although I do envy she got this gig...what I wouldn't give to be in her spot... Daniel is definitely my favorite male model of the moment...okay, it doesn't hurt that he's the same ethnicity as I am and embodies everything I had hoped to achieve in an alternate more fabulous life...I hope his star continues to rise and the he continues to put out good work.

P.S. Does anybody know how a guy like me, who lives in the middle of nowhere, can land a physical copy of this magazine? GQ China is apparently very new, launched just last month (October of this year)...what a great outlet for asian models to get some international attention...maybe in the future they can get both Daniel as well as Philip Huang to do a spread together...crossing my fingers here...