Smells Like...

Vintage eau de toilette by John Varvatos

     ...passing by a carpenter, the quiet whirr of a saw like a reassurance of activity. Pulling out a well-worn dollar bill from a wallet. A mild shower after a run through the brisk fall breeze. How your favorite leather chair squeaks ever so comfortingly when you rest in it. The melting of ice cubes in a glass of scotch.

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WANT WANT WANT: Nau Mélange Knit Sweater

As times get leaner and pursestrings grow tighter, I've found myself getting pickier and pickier with my purchases. But pieces like Nau's variegated V-neck sweater ($235) in several shades of mélange cashmere/angora blends. Produced in accordance with the strictest environmental, sustainability, and performance standards around, it's hard not to see pieces like this as a genuine investment. I'm glad the folks at Nau (after a fortunate re-injection of capital) have come back in full force with their trademark blend of sporty, chic, and super smart.

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WANT WANT WANT: Manly Jewelry

Giles & Brother leather wrap bracelet with hook, $122 @ Oak

     I'd like to think that in our day and age, we're past the point where men find the idea of jewelry too inherently feminine. There was an era (the landscape of memory is dominated by DIESEL and D&G stamped on an endless sea of dogtags and big watches and bracelets) when men felt the need to overly display their masculinity, needing something big and shiny and sharp, as though to make their jewelry anti-jewelry. In recent years, menswear has opened itself to a much larger notion of what men can wear. The spectrum from dandy to derelict (as espoused by everyone from Paul Smith to Rick Owens) has also brought a sense of refinement; the fashionable teens of the 90s have turned into the tasteful, restrained men of the 2000s. How else can I explain the emergence of such sophisticated work like Philip Crangi's collaboration with his sister Giles — Giles & Brother? Their ability to marry different materials, ideas, and aesthetics into one distinctly masculine vision of jewelry has got me itching for an excuse to blow a wad of cash on some new trinkets..

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Smells Like...

Endymion by Penhaligon's

     ...a quiet day in a café. The stirring of a latte matches the revolutions of the lazy fan overhead. Newspapers, folded and refolded, haphazardly lie on a table. Worn leather chairs quietly protest as warm bodies leave for another cup of coffee. Occasionally, the steam wand hisses. A silent, comfortable sort of romance.

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I BOUGHT THIS / I WANT THAT

     And so the vicious cycle continues. The influx of black continues even as the sun refuses to turn it down a notch. But when it does decide to scale it back a little, I'm definitely going to be prepared. I've been on a big multi-function sort of kick lately, so this sleeveless top with attached scarves from Diet Butcher Slim Skin was a natural draw. Add cashmere and silk and you've got one sold customer. For brisk fall days, I've got this Lad Musician jacket with a roll-away hood if I'm in a pinch. These April 77 Chelsea slacks are actually intended for a super secret event next week, but if I said what it was, then it wouldn't be so secret, now would it?

     But with every itch you scratch, you always wind up with another. And some of these itches are not easy to scratch. Maybe for a reason? Fiscal responsibility notwithstanding, I've still get my eyes peeled for what's next and — surprise, surprise — it's more black. I'm don't usually consider myself a big sneaker head, but these canvas high-tops from Diet Butcher Slim Skin's fall collection ($390 @ Blackbird) would give anyone reason to pause.

     As great as my current bag is, I can't help but feel the need for something a bit more professional. I'm not any big proponent of the green fashion movement, but I don't see any reason to pooh-pooh something just because it's vegan leather or anything. And the Jobs briefcase from Matt & Nat ($258 @ Alter) might make me turn over a new leaf. Everything from the zippers to the handle to the subtle branding certainly makes a persuasive argument for eco-friendly consumerism.

     Also, the jewelry hunt goes on (does it every really end, though?) and this acrylic feather pendant from Alex & Chloe ($48 @ Alex & Chloe) is just the touch of light humor that my slowly darkening wardrobe could use. Who knows? Maybe I'll really step outside the box and try it in fluorescent pink? Well. Definitely not. But I'd give the white version a chance. See? I'm trying to be adventurous.

     So maybe I lied. Maybe this isn't all black. This grey, high collar, double-breasted jacket from Endovanera has positively set my knees a shaking. I tried it on at Acrimony the other day and had a really hard time taking it off. Sharon, I blame you for any and all future calamity that befalls my checking account.

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Things On My Mind

     I guess the sparse sounds of Blank Dogs go well while I ruminate on this funnel-neck hoodie from B. Son's collaboration with Urban Outfitters. Both give me pause. On Two Sides sounds like a lot of things you've heard already; it's easy to draw the line between Blank Dogs and New Order, Sonic Youth, and Soft Cell. It's New Wave, but not. It's raw, but the production values show some deliberate polish. It dips its toe into noise rock, but then some dance-y pop hooks show up. If anything, the original unoriginality of On Two Sides reads like a very appropriate and thought-out approach. The album's inherent tensions — between songwriting and dance-compelling — provokes a mixed reaction. Part of me hates it, because I could just turn on some Sonic Youth and listen to this done much better. But then part of me loves it, because if Sonic Youth had made this album, it wouldn't have been so willfully different.

     Likewise, I can't decide whether I'm repulsed or enamored by B. Son's B100 line, produced specifically for Urban Outfitters. When the first word about this hit the Internet, I was expecting some watered-down, over-designed garbage. The problem with so many of these BLANK x BLANK x BLANK endeavors wind up being attempts to produce something very high design at a much lower price point, but the lower manufacturing/material options make that intrinsically impossible. It's a retail reach-around; sure, you're getting to play with someone else's junk, but all you can think about is how the other guy doesn't know how to use your junk like you do. You can't squeeze a larger, more sophisticated and costly aesthetic within retail and design constraints that simply make your original design irrelevant.

     The folks who run B. Son sure are sharp, though. They've avoided this problem by designing for Urban Outfitters. Now, I realize the label already says B100 by B. Son for Urban Outfitters. The preposition isn't what I'm really talking about. I'm talking about intention. But trimming down the B. Son aesthetic to its core components and trashing the rest, B. Son has managed to produce a collaboration that looks like it was designed by B. Son, but doesn't look like fake B. Son or B. Son-lite. Granted, the silhouettes and construction may be taken straight from previous season's collections, but the overall feel of the B100 stuff is pared down enough from the original that it feels like something different.

     Or maybe I'm just trying to justify buying a hoodie that I initially wrote off and now kind of like how it fits, but don't really want to admit to making an error in judgment. Or something.

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Buying Time

     In some attempt to curb my spending, I had resolved to completely stop buying things impetuously. After (almost magically) spending money that I really didn't have any right to spend on a couple of items, I found myself wanting to wean myself off my bad habits and to try and stick to some sort of plan — a financial diet, if you will.

     But the problem of the impulse purchase kept arising. Whether I was trying to casually stroll through the streets of the city ("Oh, just look at Barneys displays!") or through the Internet ("Oh, look, the Julian Red sale is on!"), I kept finding myself drawn further and further into the maelstrom even as I was trying to put more and more distance between myself and my temptations. My Macbook Pro did little to ease the situation as it kept filling in those damn forms for me, making my purchases require that much less thought.

     My solution is no solution at all. Creating a list of fall must-haves (black trousers, new coat, et cetera) has focused my shopping into a product-oriented process. This isn't to say that I don't flip endlessly through catalogues and magazines and websites; far from it. Indeed, I'm doing as much, if not more, random shopping than ever before. What I have been doing is actually buying less. The more and more I deliberate, the less likely I've found myself actually purchasing anything. Perhaps my problem lies in the "impulse" part of "impulse purchase". I enjoyed the fantastical feeling of new-ness that every purchase imparted. But as I have required myself to think and analyze each item more, the true flaws of both the garment and my reasoning eventually show through and casts a rather unflattering light on both my habits and my would-be purchases.

     One luxury, if you could call it that, has been magazines. I arrived at Michael's doorstep last night and was greeted by the latest issue of VMan. That in addition to Antenna, V Magazine, Details, Men's Vogue, and Vanity Fair have been clogging up my reading time. Truth be told, purchasing the magazines is really just a proxy for my more voracious and less fiscally responsible desires. A Lanvin ad is hardly a Lanvin suit. Hardly.

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WANT WANT WANT: Pierre Hardy for Gap

     The ladies had their fun with Pierre Hardy's first collaboration with Gap, resulting in some wonderfully sleek and minimalist shoes. And now the French accessory designer extraordinaire has got two slick new pieces for the guys to drool over. Available starting September 15 at select Gap stores, the combat boots will go for $298 and the desert boots will cost you $178. While these are certainly an elevation above the usual Gap price point, affixing Hardy's name and his eye for shoe design carries a hefty premium. Although these aren't anywhere in the same ballpark as Hardy's mainline shoes (even those cool primary  color sneakers are still $500 some on sale now), I think it's something I'll definitely be interested in.

     All in all, I'd have to say that the Patrick Robinson revamp of the brand has been successfully aesthetically; we'll have to see whether or not his work can do anything to revive such a sluggish market.

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Admit One

     Never has the term "rock out with your cock out" been more timely or applicable. My ticket to the Treasure Island Music Festival came in the mail today. And now my entire summer is going to be reduced to a count down until September. Great. Assuming that everyone's properly clicked on that link (go on and do it if you haven't), it's easy to understand why I'm so god damned psyched for this. I know for a fact that Jon is coming with me and I think Alex and Des might come, too. The only thing that I'm certain about is that it will be awesome.

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Black, black, black

     Don't know if there's any actual demand to see this shit, but there are the boots. Also, my Alfredo Bannisters came in today. Fit is a bit loose, so I need some nice insoles. Both need to get re-soled anyway, though.

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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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Misadventures in Fashion #1

(Scene opens on an Ann Taylor; track lighting, sales racks, 40-something sale associates and all. L. diligently browses the racks while I absentmindedly flip through a couple of marked down shirtdresses.)

Me: (looking around) You notice anything, L.?

Her: (not looking up) No...what?

Me: You're the youngest person in here by about...30 years.

Her: (turns away from rack and looks around) Oh shut up.

(The two stand around while L. continues going through the racks. She stops abruptly.)

Her: Let's get the fuck out.

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     Not what I wore today, but rather a few days ago. Work and errands have been keeping me busy, so I snapped the shot but didn't post the result. The heat has had its desired effect upon my wardrobe and I have shifted to light garments and taken to rolling a sleeve or two every now and then. I'm thinking of perhaps object dying my Zuriicks, since they aren't as dark as I'd like, and I think it'd be cool if they had a slight yellow cast, too. Inspiration comes from both the Margiela dyed high-tops and the Raf ones, but a devoted Zuriick customer made a couple custom dye jobs (all sold out, unfortunately), which is the real impetus behind this daring foray into any experimenting.

     And while it very effectively raises my pant cuffs, summer also has a tendency to lower my attention span and idle dreaming quickly overcomes any other thoughts. Connie's recent score of some Yves Saint Laurent pants (timely, no?) from the 70s is totally Le Smoking, what with the wide leg and the fabulous row of sequins down the outseam. The sequins got me fixated on sparkles and – surprise, surprise – I find myself browsing through Net-A-Porter's sale section. And when I stumbled onto this Burberry Prorsum jumbo paillette top ($1,046.25 on sale from $1,395) I couldn't help but see the same sense of glamour.

     Naturally, I clicked over to Marc by Marc Jacobs and found the same sense of flash (though more subtlety executed) in this double-breasted sheath ($321 from $428). And the item that Net-A-Porter suggested you should "Wear it with"? This oversized cardigan ($299.60 from $428). I'm not sure I necessarily agree with that pairing (and I don't), but I must say that it's a piece that has lots of mature glamour. And so does this Marni patent leather envelope ($797.30 from $1,190). Now somebody go out and get these so I can live vicariously through you.

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     The setting summer sun's leaving these long, lazy rays of light across my living room and the colors and shapes have me jonesing for jewelry. My ever vigilant eye had been on a few pieces anyway and I can't resist the combination of bright summer clothes and darkly brilliant accessories. This clever ring from Margiela, modeled after the one that bartenders frequently wear, (£65/$127) has "Cheers" inscribed on one side and a bottle opener on the other. Jewelry focusing on the mundane has been another favorite, especially Kiel Mead's necklace cast from a mathstick and 22designstudio's seven-sided ring crafted from concrete, of all things. Surface 2 Air also picks stands out for its simple, stacked two-finger ring. Life's more fun with shiny things.

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     Conversations with Connie about clothes might start off in the realms of vision and imagination, but they always wind up firmly rooted in the pure practicality of the matter. Case in point? My much beloved and much desired Surface to Air Cargo Bag and this awesome heat-sensitive, color-changing tank top from Anzevino and Florence have turning over in my mind.

     Now, is $78 a lot for a top? Yes. Is it a lot for a tank top? Most certainly. I certainly know there are better deals out there on jersey tank tops (Urban carries them for $10 each), but cut of it looks great and drape-y and the color changing bit is absolutely cool and looks absolutely beautiful. But how do I value those extra qualities? The market says I should value them for $68 more than the ones from Urban and I agree. But why? Why do I find myself aligning with the number that the market has mysteriously* produced?

     (* Okay, it isn't such a mystery. It's a combination of research, drafting, advertising, fabrics, production, and also the brand's "value". I acknowledge the various elements of the industry and the variety of intersecting functions that are necessary to create, market, and sell a single product, much less an entire collection. )

     So I find the top desirable, so I desire it, and so I'm okay with paying $78 (not that I have...yet). But what if someone else doesn't think that's reasonable? How am I supposed to explain myself? We obviously don't look for the same traits in a garment (me: fit, cut, fabric, design / them: price, availability ), so I can't argue that it fits my criteria for a "good" garment. This is the sort of dilemma I encounter whenever someone asks me about my spending habits. The problem I find most often is that people find me unreasonable for my willingness to spend a larger quantity than average. They think that I am unable to settle, that I'm trying to create a gap between myself and others, but that has nothing to do with it.

     You don't think I'm reasonable? Fine. I don't think you're reasonable because you wear Crocs and you're over the age of 5. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

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Showing BARE, Saving Bucks

     I'll keep it short and sweet this time. I promise.

     Might I proudly present the BARE Magazine Blog, an extension of the eponymous student rag on whose staff I serve and whose second issue is right around the corner.

     And so long as we're tickling your palette for fashion, I might as well let it drop that Yoko Devereaux's remaining stock from their Spring collection is now on sale, with items reduced as much as 80% off.

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Things On My Mind

     Recently, things have begun to fill my brain and stay there. This does not include any of my real responsibilities—of course—but just random junk that's trickled in through various channels.

     The first thing is that I got the Crystal Castles CD and really, really liked it. It gets a bit rough about some spots, but it's really fun and is just really engaging. Likewise, the HEALTH album is really a lot of sound to deal with, but it's rewarding if you take the time and listen. It's not an easy album and it certainly lacks the upfront hooks that Crystal Castles use, but it's still a well-produced, finely-tuned piece of work. I hate agreeing with Pitchfork (because everyone does), but the album's tendency to delve into the self-indulgent certainly is a problem. At moments, the allusions to Liars and Deerhoof stopped being allusions and became HEALTH writing a Liars or Deerhoof piece. But saying that something sounds as energetic as Liars or as arresting as Deerhoof doesn't really constitute any negative critique about the album's quality. Even if we're hearing the same noise, it's not really the same sound.

     On a more visceral note involving victuals (And yes, I would actually say that in real life), asparagus is in season, so I made some scallops and asparagus for dinner a few nights ago. I had a few spears left and couldn't resist encasing them in some pork-based goodness. The grease was everywhere. I loved it.

     And I would try to formulate a smooth transition into discusses these Palladium boots, but I fail to see a reason why. Since when do I ever need a reason to talk about shoes? At $120, they're certainly not the cheapest pair, but they certainly aren't a frightful burden, either. The grey would certainly help me kick my all-black habit. And those new PF Flyers coming into the store won't hurt, either. Damn it. I was supposed to stop shopping. Ugh. I'm hopeless.

     Another day, another shamble.

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Charmed, I'm Sure

(Marc by Marc Jacobs Fan Jewelry Key Ring, $78 @ ShopBop)

     I'm supposed to say something about this, but all I really want to do is hold them up and jingle them around. That's a totally normal urge, right?

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What's it Worth To You?

     You know, I don't often make "rules". It's too easy to be proven wrong. It's less stressful to set vague boundaries for yourself. I am referring mostly to dress, but you can apply it to pretty much anything.

     But after recent developments, I think I've come up with something that I can comfortably adopt as a rule in life. Be clear about value. Don't treat a t-shirt like it's a mink. Likewise, don't act like fur coats grow on trees. Acknowledge and respect the value of a given thing and say nothing more or less than it deserves. Do I love my April 77 coat? Fuck yeah. That thing is my most worn piece of outerwear. It's cut great, the color is deep, and the details are fantastic. And as much as I love it, I don't feel like it's necessary to parade it about, to act like French vegetarian labels are the most common thing in the world.

     Similarly, when I buy cheap shit, I say "I am going to buy cheap shit." I feel no need to defend or praise my ability to find and/or buy cheap shit, as my ability is completely immaterial when gauging the value of the item. Is it of lesser value? If so, then I treat it as such. I'm avoiding really delving into this "value" thing, because I know (from experience) that it's the forays into specifics that get you. You know what? The bigger the hole, the less likely you are to find a peg that won't fit.

     Ambiguous? Sure. But something I can actually call a "rule for living"? I think that's some kind of existential headway, no?

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WANT WANT WANT: Sleek in Schwarz

(Surface 2 Air Paris Mountain sneaker in black leather, $118 @ Blackbird)

     If this shoe doesn't get me to start writing more often, then I don't know what possibly could. It's smart, clean, and the leather version of the one I pined over last Decemeber. I would have loved for it to be all black, but it's still absolutely stunning. Everything that I liked about the army canvas version looks ever better done in black leather. And tomorrow, after I grab my paycheck, it's going to be mine.

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