Animal skins have just been popping into my imagination and the Fates of Fashion have sent a couple lovely pieces to the forefront. This Natalia Brilli studded wristband ($310) is just the coolest execution of studs, one of the most played-out looks in recent memory; thanks, Hot Topic. Topman's LTD 100 series features designers from the London College of Fashion and Maria Sheremeteva made a fantastic drapey, one-size sheepskin coat ($757). The ragged edges and drapey construction just add such a great dimension to shearling outwerwear. This Rick Owens two-tone leather jacket ($2,365) was part of the surprisingly sporty Spring/Summer '08 collection and having seen it on plenty of people around town, I can say that I genuinely covet this piece. Oh for want of cooler weather to make such things reasonable.

Oh who am I kidding? Since when has that ever gotten in my way?

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Head to Toe: Weekday Sleek

(Click for full-sized image)

     While I'm walking around and running errands, I've been staring at a lot of concrete. And I've been modifying my wardrobe to be sleek and comfortable, but versatile. So while I've been in cardigans and skinnies, my ideal choice would be a combination of tailored, but slightly off-kilter pieces. Endovanera's pull-back jacket provides the kind of streamlined silhouette I've been trying to emulate (to varied degrees of success). A pair of Raf Simons' pleated trousers with an untucked tuxedo shirt from Mjolk creates a casual sense of refinement perfectly suited for everyday chores. I love the proportions of those pants and the shirt's details, from its Peter Pan collar to its hem, keep the look casual without sacrificing any of its style. I've loved the Schmoove line of shoes for their bold approach to sneakers and their Jamaica Corso combines the comfort and sleek lines of a sneaker with wingtip detailing for a captivating clash between classy and casual. That's enough alliteration for one night, eh?

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Not Just Noir

     So my search for a suit was an utter disaster. I visited H&M, Zara, French Connection, Macy's, Barney's, and Bloomingdales. In the course of my afternoon, I can't even remember all the brands that I looked through. But no matter where I went, the problem was the same: too, too big on me. No matter how much I may will it, there's no way that my 34-inch chest is going to properly fill out a 36 size jacket. And that is exactly why I put my name down for one of the Barney's Co-op suits. It'll probably be the best fitting jacket at the price point ($300-ish?), so no need to jump the gun.

      In a moment of blazing clarity, I saw the 406's at a distance while I was leaving Bloomies and just had to try them on at least. And when the associate told me that I would get 10% because they were the display piece, I couldn't help myself. Well, I could have, but that wouldn't have been any fun. Now I just need to sell some old shit to make sure that my bank doesn't ram down my door and ask for a pound of flesh.

     But now that I've got a kick-ass pair of shoes, naturally my thoughts are going to immediately go to how to style them. In a moment of murky confusion, I never thought of taking a picture of today's outfit. Oh well. But let us obsess on more interesting things, like nice monochrome outfits.

(Levi's Red Tab 511 Skinny Cord Pants, $49 @ Urban Outfitters)

      Whenever it comes to monochrome or muted palettes, I tend to play up other elements, like cut, layering, or texture. What better to offset the shiny waxed cotton of my new shoes than black corduroy? It's tough, comfortable, and creates great contrast.

(Long Sleeve Slub Hoodie, $38 @ Urban Outfitters)

     Add in a striped black and grey slub hoodie. I actually was talking with Ian and Alex about how interesting it would have been to been a college student during the hey-days of grunge. The color and tone pull us straight back to the 90s, but a slim silhouette and fit keeps it grounded firmly in a modern, more architectural aesthetic.

(Vasuma Johnny Black Collar Coat, $261 @ 111Vox)

     Coats should always serve as interest pieces. The removable collar provides drama when you need it, but sturdy cotton construction with nylon lining means that being stylish doesn't mean being impractical. The large cuff and collar would play particularly well against the skinny cords.

(Banned Brand Laptop Bag, $164 @ 111Vox)

      Never forget to accessorize. Bags are pretty personal, since everyone wants different things out of their bag. But you can't beat a black leather laptop messenger when it comes to sleek functionality. A couple of small outer pockets provide quick access to pens and phones. I find the embossing to be a little distracting, since it disrupts the clean lines of the rest of the bag, but I love how slouchy, yet structured it is. It always seems like paradoxes make for great fashion.

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Don't Get Too Attached

     These two Attachment coats from their Fall/Winter 2008/09 line is the exact reason why I shouldn't be allowed access to the Internet. Both of these coats are beautiful constructed, the color is unbelievable, and I'm sure that they'll look even better in person. The Archive is the only place nearby that stocks Attachment, so I'll see if I can't find some time to stop in and try things on (and consequently break either my heart or my wallet). If I find employment performing menial labor for some currency, this is definitely one of those things I'd be saving up for.

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Calling the Tapster

(Heineken-Krups BeerTender, $400 coming to William-Sonoma)

     Sometimes, I don't need anything fancy to wear. Sometimes, I just need a cold beer. As much as I love the Germans and their love for beer of all temperatures, I don't think I could abide by anything in my house other than cold beer. And no, I don't count calories. So no, I drink beer whenever I damn well please. Enter, this beauty of a machine culled from (obviously) the brightest minds that Heineken and Krups could bring together in one room.

     A 5-liter capacity and LCD temperature read-out means that I can have my beer exactly the way I like: cold and copious. Blame my renewal of love of beer on Anthony Bourdain (whose life I obviously wish to steal and/or emulate). Now, $400 is plenty to shill out for what is, in essence, a glorified refrigerator that can really do nothing more than dispense liquid. But—aha—the operative word here is "glorified". Of course it's ridiculous. What about beer, aside from its centuries of history and tradition, isn't ridiculous about beer? It's delicious, intoxicating, and perhaps the most important thing you can possibly have with cheese. (Before you start bitching at me that the proper thing to drink with cheese is wine, I suggest you go out, find yourself a nice chocolate stout—Guinness being the most easily accessible—and have yourself some nice hard cheeses with it. Then try to tell to my face that beer and cheese don't belong together.)

     Honestly, a cold beer, a good book, and maybe some latkes from Saul's. What else could I possibly desire on this whole, wide world?

  (From left to right, the Kingsgate, Aquamac, and Fairmount, $1,468, $538, and $880, respectively @ Aquascutum)      Who am I kidding? Of course I can't do without fancy things to wear. Aquascutum's been perfecting the trench since they...well...perfected the trench. The company's name, Latin for "water shield", comes from the patented waterproof textile that founder John Emary developed in 1853. With roots in both warfare (these puppies protected many an honorable Allied soldier from the harsh winters on campaign) and tailoring, Aquascutum pretty much explains why folks who lived through World War II are such bad-asses.
     Now, these don't come cheap and I am certainly in no position to just pick up one. The Kingsgate and Fairmount are both classic trenches, but the Aquamac is one ruggedly classic mackintosh. But if you're looking for something stylish, has some heritage to it, and practical, don't just impulsively reach for Burberry. Although I do admit that Christopher Bailey's done a fantastic job turning the brand around and retooling it into one cool-as-fuck brand, there's just a certain je ne sais quoi about these coats.

     And come on. Michael Caine has worn Aquascutum. Michael Caine. You don't get much more bad-ass than that.

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Fine

So I just sucked it up and bought the damned full-length peacoat. No regrets here. Especially not after the 30% coupon. And free shipping, might I add.

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Grey + Beige

Anyone who hears me blather all the time will know that I've been on the hunt for a nice slim-fitting, thick coat for fall that is slowly smothering the Bay Area with wind, rain, and fog. I found these three coats (that are actually in my size) at Revolve, all from Shades of Greige. I like to think of these as über-basics—the type of stuff that you can wear for (hopefully) forever but will never really look off trend without being boring as all-get-out.

First up is this rather traditional looking peacoat. They don't have the black in a small, but I actually like the grey better with this length. The pockets look nice, but I'm not so sure about the fit. It does look a little boxy, but that's what you would expect out of a full peacoat.

 

These two cropped coats (same cut, different color) also caught my eye. As I skinnier guy, I worry that the full-length will cut my proportions all funny. I do like the look of the buttons against the wool on the black version, but the grey is also nice. One fault is that the cropped coats don't seem to have as much detailing (like the pockets) as the full version.

I'm tempted to just pick up two of them and return them if I don't like it, because Revolve offers free shipping and supposedly their returns are "no hassle".

My wallet is whimpering in fear.

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Avarice

There's a definite need to get this all out of my system so that I can focus on more important things. Or at least spend time procrastinating about important things. Or at least productively procrastinate about important things. Okay. Fuck that. I'm just probably not going to do any "important things".

Awesome wool military-inspired jacket from Brown Sound at Urban (here). J'adore the subtle print, the collar, And big buttons. Oh I am mad for big buttons. Unfortunately, at $179, I don't really think I want to work it into my budget. My non-existent budget. It really reminds me how much I love fall. Trying to work my trench and my coated denim jacket more fully into my wardrobe right now. But I still do need a greater variety of coats. And a charcoal grey wouldn't be a bad idea.

A poly/wool blend vest for $19 at Forever 21 men's (here), on the other hand does not seem like a bad idea at all. My only concern is that stuff from Forever tends to be a terrible fit for me, and I want a vest (or waistcoat, if you insist) to be very well fitted. I've found plenty of great looking vests, I just need a great fitting one.

In terms of footwear, I'm looking for a desert boot, like the classic ones from Clarks (here). But at almost $94 and in suede I'm not so interested. I know that Clarks makes a leather version, but it has a different kind of construction that I don't like nearly as much as the classic clean cut desert silhouette.

I mean, so basically my life has come down to coveting.

Covet, covet, covet.

And how do we learn how to covet?

Damn. I just want some more Jodie Foster right now.

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