Michael Bastian Fall 2012: Just One Look

Michael Bastian has exploded, and at yesterday's Fall 2012 show it was everywhere you looked. From the amazingly elaborate set (there was snow), to the venue packed to capacity, to the sheer size and thoroughness of the collection.

There was incredible corduroy, some whimsical knits (the chess pawns were a favorite), and a variety of double-breasted pieces that had me drooling. Oh and the footwear -- I don't even know where to begin.

But until I can fully digest the whole thing, here's one look I have to have. High-buttoned DB jacket, embroidered corduroy pants, a fun bow, and the slippers that you're seeing everywhere, but which Bastian did in his own way.

GQ has the full collection, and I'll be back soon to share more of my favs and thoughts on what the Bastian man will be wearing come Fall.

Shades of Grey Fall 2012: NYFW Review

Yesterday kicked off New York Fashion week for the Fall 2012 collections and first up for me was Shades of Grey by Micah Cohen. This is a line that I've written about before, and that I own some pieces from... it's a line without a lot of gimmick but with some solid tailoring, and infusion of trend.

To that point, as I walked in I noticed takes on the varsity jacket, a lot of quilting, and great corduroy. In what appears to be a common theme for Fall, there were a number of striped pieces (Justin Berkowitz at Details referred to them 'blanket stripes').

Not to start with my favorite look, but well... I really got into this corduroy vest and jacket. Of course it's navy, which was a draw, but also liked that the jacket is a little cropped. The sweatpants are cool, and add an interesting contrast to the whole look; but the top half is just right for a day outing or a few meetings.

In what was a fairly staid palette (it is Fall after all), I liked the inclusion of these rust colored pants.

Always a fan of a marled crewneck, and this was no exception. The wool flannel blazer of it had an equally soft hue, which made it feel like a great Summer to early Fall transition piece.

Overall a well thought out and easy to wear collection. More photos to come, and an inclusion of some of the quilted pieces, which I thought were fantastic. Stay tuned for more NYFW news!

Shorts from Bonobos: Things I Have

I have been looking for a new pair of shorts for a while now. Everything I've seen has either been too long, too tight, too expensive.

Then I took a look at the Bonobos website and found they had a small but colorful selection of shorts. Since I l-o-v-e my two pairs of Bonobos cords, I figured I'd give their shorts a try.

I settled on the Crabby Shacks, a washed red color. Except when I was ready to buy, they were out of stock. So I submitted my e-mail address and was notified when they had more available. Then, the first size I ordered was a bit too small. Urgh. So I exchanged them (with free shipping!) for the next size up, which fit perfectly.

This weekend I wore the shorts for the first time and LOVE them! They are the most comfortable things... and I adore the Hawaiian print on the pocket linings, always a nice detail from Bonobos.

You can go here to pick up a pair of Crabby Shacks for yourself: http://www.bonobos.com/store/item/crabby_shacks, or go to the general Shorts page to see the other colors and styles: http://www.bonobos.com/store/cat/shorts.

Enjoy!

Things I Love: GQ's Trends for Men

This morning I read Jim Moore's top trends for men, over at GQ.com. He pulled out some great stuff from the recent men's shows in NY (a lot of Michael Bastian's work, yeah!).

What made me smile was how many of the items are things I've been rockin' lately (or hoping to rock)... I'm just saying!

One trend was tuxedo jackets. Now this is possibly the blurriest photo ever, but I took it while I was in Miami for Art Basel, on my way out to some parties. I threw on my navy Patrik Ervell tuxedo jacket, with a tailored white shirt and dark Uniqlo jeans. Plus my favorite yellow Nixon watch.

Another trend was dark khakis, which is something I just picked up when I was in Shanghai last week (in a sort of washed olive color). Wore them to work this week with a white shirt.

He also mentioned waxed jackets, which I bought last year (J. Lindberg jacket) and have been using in colder climates ever since.

And then there was the corduroy suit. This is something I have been wanting for a while, most recently when Opening Ceremony collaborated with Levi's. So fun!

Now you better go read the whole article to find out what Jim calls out, so you can start shopping: http://www.gq.com/style/wear-it-now/201003/trend-report#slide=1.

Things I Want: Opening Ceremony x Levi's Corduroy Suit

Hot off the fashion presses! From the collaboration between Opening Ceremony (which I have to admit has dethroned Barney's as my favorite retail experience) and Levi's... a 3 piece corduroy suit. Amazing! I love corduroy (my Bonobos pants are the most comfortable things ever) and to have shirt, pants, and jacket would be so fantastic. And all in tone-on-tone! And it comes in 7 colorways! I can't wait!

Here's a sneak peak but I am sure we'll get more photos shortly... stay tuned.

More details and photos about the suit here: http://www.selectism.com/news/2010/02/03/levis-cords-for-opening-ceremony/