Will Chalker says Happy New Year @ J. Crew

Everybody remember Will's face popping up during J. Crew's holiday campaign shot in the Italian Alps and released this past November?


It'd been a while since he shot for the label prior to that. So, I must say, it's nice to see his face again, fresh haircut in tow, for the January 2012 catalog. He's truly one of my favorite models. And a real perennial.

Shamelessly shot on my iPhone while gawking in the Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan, this past summer:


P.S.: Loooove Clarins, btw...Will, or no Will...

P.P.S: Interestingly enough, I've yet to see this product -- the Ab Firming Body Toning Gel -- sell on Clarins' U.S. site or its counters at any of the major department stores...it's still obtainable here in the states if you look elsewhere for it, but it makes me wonder about the actual effectiveness of the product itself.

non-iPhone images courtesy of J. Crew

hello again

it's been just about a year since i last made any activity on this blog.

life changed. time became a much desired luxury.

but i hope to breathe life back into my blog.

starting now. maybe.

Summer in The City

Ooooh it's been so long since I've posted. Life has become much more hectic, and time all the more precious.

But I did have a chance to escape for a couple of days last month to my all-time favorite intra-country destination: New York City. I'll never tire of being in the midst of such a densely populated and vibrant city.

I didn't take very many pictures. But on a day that took me both up to Barneys in the UWS and down to Opening Ceremony in Soho, I did take the time to take a couple of shots of two beverages that I hold near and dear to my heart.

It's silly really, and it's not like freshly squeezed citrus drinks are a precious and scarce commodity. But the memories they embody -- of the loved ones I was with, what I was up to before sitting down and taking a sip -- from each time I've purchased them in the past, are priceless to me, and I'll never forget them.

Truthfully, this was the first time I took a seat in this Dean & Deluca at the Borders in the Time Warner center. But I can't imagine there ever being a time when I didn't stop into a Dean & Deluca in the city to purchase one of their house brand juices. Sometimes it was to augment my breakfast from Bagel Bob's on University (that D&D has closed! SAD!)...other times, I just felt like people watching out the windows overlooking Rockefellar Center. And still, other times, it just felt right to take breather while in the midst of Soho...

I'll forever be in love with McNally Jackson...it's just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the busy stretch of Broadway in Soho...although it itself is busy and sees lots of foot traffic, it still feels tucked away to me...the perfect urban oasis to sit and rest a tired pair of legs that have browsed too many stores (and sometimes, beaten a credit card to death). The cafe/seating area has changed in decor since the last time I strayed inside...but the ambience and mood are just how I left it.

p.s. pretty man in the white tee (and he had on white skinnies too!) -- will you go out w/ me?

J. Crew June 2010 Catalog: RJ Goes to Guatemala

Hooray for another monthly installment of the J. Crew catalog -- picked up my copy at the Mall of America yesterday -- where actual male models are used. Or to be more exact, just one male model: RJ! He covers the whole men's section this coming month while traipsing through some Mayan ruins and appropriately styled in muted military-esque tones. I just love the slightly over-exposed quality of these shots...the bright lights lend a softness and haze to these pictures...summer is here.

image source

Chanel Cruise 2011

:: image from fashionologie by way of Flashbang (tFS) ::

:: images from Chanel by way of Flashbang ::

:: image from vogue.com.au by way of Flashbang ::

Matt Lauer and His Wife Are Separating

J. Crew Hand Painted Stanton Short

Last weekend, my sister came home with a purchase I had called in to J. Crew's Liquor Store in Tribeca. The following post is my happy story/ending regarding a pair of shorts I saw months ago (backstory: HERE).

I really owe a big thanks to Shawn and Lindsay over at J. Crew. Shortly after my last posting on these shorts, Shawn wrote me with the good news that the shorts I was looking for weren't just one-off's for their spring presentation and that they would in fact be available for purchase at both the Liquor Store and at 484 in Soho at the beginning of this month. I can't express enough my appreciation for this tip-off from Shawn...previously, I had been told by other individuals that (1.) there was no further information regarding these shorts, or (2.) the shorts would not be sold to the general public (which, honestly, seems odd, given the current outcome, but I'm not going to pull at that thread). Over the ensuing weeks, we kept in contact. Lindsay from their PR office was kind enough to notify me the day after the shorts had been shipped to both locations, allowing me to call ahead and set aside a pair for myself. And, Eddie, if you ever read this posting, I just wanted to thank you as well for helping me out over the phone when I called.

The same day I heard from Lindsay, a newsblip on Racked NY regarding these shorts went up with the following lines:

TRIBECA AND SOHO—Breaking news from the J.CrewWire: "30 minutes ago 20 pair of limited edition hand-painted shorts were delivered to the J.Crew Liquor Store in Tribeca and the J.Crew Men's Shop in Soho. The shorts were hand-painted by a member of the J.Crew men's design team in our New York office—no two pair are alike." They retail for $148, but you can find similar styles online or in stores for $75.

GQ and The Fashionisto also gave mention to these shorts with similar news. I had no clue that the shorts were created in such a limited run! 20 pairs in total...wow.


But even if 200 had been made, I'd still be as happy as I am now that I have my own pair to wear this season.

With cut-off frayed cuffs galore, the no-two-are-alike quality of these shorts comes across really well in person -- the variable textures, brushstrokes, splattering, and colors -- white, blue, green, yellow, red -- are quite random like a Pollock...



...and another thing I didn't realize until I received my pair is that the back of the shorts also get an ample dose of paint. And obviously I'm sure this wasn't necessarily intended, but for some reason, I really like that my back button is "affected" as well...

Just by reading the comments off of the GQ blog, it seems most readers find the shorts a bit far-fetched given the DIY-able quality they embody. But honestly -- and this might be a stretch, but I find it relevant -- how many of you dudes out there are going to do actual housepainting in a pair shorts that are cut/fit like these...using all the colors you can find on these... So to me, the excuse of "I have a pair of these lying around that I made myself and cost next to nothing," doesn't necessarily jive with me. Secondly, I don't sit in front of a canvas creating art all day long, so once again, that excuse is out for me as well. And thirdly, perhaps I'm getting too theoretical here, but to me, there's an unmistakable deliberate intention behind these shorts to play up current trends in a manner that's befitting for the J. Crew look as well as the J. Crew customer who (like me) has no qualms saying, "I bought these as is, and no, I'm not embarrassed about it...you realize paint-splattering is in, right?"

Thanks again, to all of you at J. Crew for your assistance. Now...onto that Saint James/Mister Freedom top I want, and mostly everything I wanted on my J. Crew Spring 2010 checklist will be complete...except for those unevenly blocked-sun-faded shorts I also saw on the spring presentation...but I won't give anybody anymore grief over how to land those...