Style Icon: Alex Turner

A good friend once told me that the distinctive fashion darling – more commonly known as Alexa Chung – had no choice but to end her four year relationship with her boyfriend, Alex Turner, due to his incomparable dress sense. Ultimately, it seems, he was beating her to the spotlight.

The English guitarist and frontman of Arctic Monkeys is nothing less than a special, one-of-a-kind musician, whose choice in clothing ranges from leather inspired, indie rock jackets to vintage prep and mod pieces. Alex is just one of very few artists to both rejuvenate and pull off the mop-top hair cut with great ease and confidence. Throughout his music career, the varied usage of guitars and studio recording equipment is paramount and of top quality. Equally, his choice of threads is as parallel and impressive.

If you were to search for ‘Alex Turner fashion’ on Google, you would need both time and patience on your hands. The quantities of ‘in-trend’ and ‘this season’ collections which feature him are beyond any other musical style icons I have previously covered. More than an entire generation of both male and female Alex Turner/Arctic Monkeys fans will project their praise and admiration for the young gentlemen’s voice, mannerisms and chic dress sense.

When Arctic Monkeys released their debut album, ‘Whatever people say I am, that’s what I’m not’, NME Magazine declared the album the ‘5th greatest British album of all time’. This piece of work resulted in the band receiving awards for Best British Band, Best New Band and Best Track. The album’s title represents the classical attitude of a musician who holds confidence and self-belief, a trait many of us (including myself) crave – and lot’s of it.

Men’s Style Icon: Ne-Yo

Singer, songwriter, superstar and self-confident could all be used to describe perennial chart sensation Shaffer Smith or, as he is better known, Ne-Yo. While the above statement could be taken as a little brash, it is generally not too far from the truth as Ne-Yo has often demonstrated time and time again.

2011 Casual Style for Men

Casual style for men has changed a bit from when you guys were little. But the question is, how exactly should men dress casually nowadays? First of all, tee-shirts are a must. However, you can also incorporate button up shirts into your wardrobe as well. The point? You have a lot more options than you might think when it comes to the choices you make wardrobe wise.

Shirts with graphics are pretty popular as are shirts with catchy phrases. Shirts that have vulgar terms are “in” but they usually don’t get a good reception with the ladies.
Jeans are still in style. Dark jeans are more popular now then regular baby blue jeans. Whatever you do, however, do NOT WEAR JEGGINGS. These are aimed towards girls and are pretty much along the same lines of spandex as far as men wearing them goes.
Last, make sure that you properly clean and bleach your socks. This may sound a bit ridiculous, but the biggest fashion no-no is to have dirty, gross socks.
Once you have figured out what is considered “in style”, you can mix and match how you wish. Keep in mind that there are loads of stores online that you can purchase shirts from nowadays. Make sure that you only order from reputable, well-known shops that won’t cheat you.
After that, have fun with your clothes. The best part about casual fashion is that you don’t have to worry about whether or not you actually have the right shoes, socks, etc. You can just take it and play!
from here

The right leather jacket for you!

The mythical leather jacket. The cool, easy rider symbol for all rebels, bikers, Top Gun rock stars, punks, goths, metal heads, rivet heads, modern day warriors and even the police, who’ve worn versions designed for protective purposes and occasionally for their potentially intimidating appearance.

Looks above from Bottega Veneta, Burberry & Z Zegna.

In the 20th century the leather jacket has achieved iconic status, in part due to popular culture. Remember the Perfecto motorcycle jacket worn by Marlon Brando’s Johnny Strabler character in The Wild One (1953)?

How about The Fonz’s ‘greaser’ jacket in the television series Happy Days? It’s achieved such great heights of leather notoriety that it’s now housed in the Smithsonian Institution and in eons to come, our descendants will exclaim in wonder at the lasting legacy of cool embodied in a cow hide coat.

Then there’s Blade. No one yet has carried off the long leather jacket as well as Wesley Snipes, not even Steven Seagal in his custom ¾ length leather trench coat nor Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne in The Matrix films.

The leather jackets worn by aviators and members of the military were brown and frequently called “Bomber jackets” as seen on numerous stars in the 1940s and 1950s such as Jimmy Stewart in the 1957 film, Night Passage. Bomber jackets, often with sheepskin collars, have remained popular, even appearing on the sets of Top Gun, X-Men, The Dark Knight and Mission Impossible. And in most of these examples, the leather jacket brand seen onscreen has been the iconic ‘Belstaff’.

When it comes to colour, it doesn’t always have to be black. Brad Pitt’s ‘Tyler Durden’, in the movie Fight Club, appears with different variations of his ‘red’ leather jacket.

The brown leather jacket has also been a de rigueur part of the wardrobe of a Hollywood adventurer, from Gary Cooper in For Whom the Bell Tolls to Harrison Ford in the Indiana Jones film series.

In particular, the tan leather jacket has become very popular with the Brit Pop and Indie music image and culture and is famously worn by people such as Kelly Jones of the Stereophonics.

The Punk culture also “rocks” the leather jacket with accessories suck as chains, studs, cuts, ands sketch designs. Many “Metal Heads” go with the Judas Priest look (black leather jacket, black leather pants, chains, and tons of studs.)

There is a substantial difference between leather jackets designed for fashion and those worn for protection (a la motorcycle riding). Made-for-Fashion leather jackets are not likely to be of much use in a motorcycle accident due to their light construction.

Leather jackets designed for protective use are safety equipment and are heavier, thicker, and often equipped with armor, thus becoming a very practical item of clothing regardless of the symbolism invested in them by popular culture. Motorcycle jackets often have more substantial zips, weatherproof pockets and closures, higher collars and are styled to be longer at the back than the front so as to protect riders from the cold while they are bent over their machine.

It’s a no brainer. Every man ought to invest in a great leather jacket and while you may not be necessarily be channeling the Black Panthers, the Ramones, the Libertines or trying to masquerade as a member of a heavy metal subcultures, you’ll appreciate the cool class that a we’ll fitted, excellently cut leather jacket will add to your wardrobe.

Style Tips: How to wear a leather jacket:

Punk Rock
Pull on skinny or straight pant jeans – grey is a great colour for 2010. Throw a bold graphic tee on top and slip on destroyed Converse or Superga canvas hi tops– preferably in a dark colour as well. Simple, effective, cool. Kanye West rocks studs and two tone leather above.

Trendy

Start with a checked or coloured shirt. You can choose to opened that over a plain tee, a vest or keep it buttoned up, both work just as well.  Jeans – blue or black to provide a dark contrast for the checked shirt and then the leather jacket thrown over it all. If it’s cold, a scarf will add some panache to the finished look. This layered outfit hits the military and check trends in one. Slim jeans are a must but they shouldn’t really be skinny in this instance. We want to tuck them into the military boots but want to keep some width in the leg for that military/worker vibe as opposed to rocker. You can also opt for Converse trainers, like Beckham has here, if them boots are too chunky for your liking.

Relaxed Formal
Start with a great pair of smart slim fitting trousers. Then an antiqued brown formal shoe followed by a light piece of knitwear and then the leather jacket over the top. Adrien Brody’s jacket is very stylised, but a plain, good, ol’ black one will do too. You can layer up the look with knitwear if you want… if you wear a cardigan then try a v-neck t-shirt underneath, or if you go for a v-neck knit then you can rock a crew neck underneath or even a shirt/polo shirt. The options are there for you to play with to create your look. If you’re in the sun, then sunglasses would definitely round it out with that extra bit of cool.

from here

How To Wear A Tux

The Tuxedo

Ah, the tuxedo, the trickiest item of menswear for any guy to get right. Once it was something to be cherished and relished when it was worn but these days seems to be more like a chore and an obligation for those bound for nuptial-based events. I’ve always thought of any suit that a guy owns as their own suit of armour; once hemmed and tailored to your own personal tastes it should fill you with confidence and valour for the times ahead. Never was it more true for this most masculine of tailoring.

Of course there are a few things to get right when considering a Tux. Firstly, I strongly recommend that you actually purchase one. Seriously, think about the process of hiring one for just a moment. You spend a couple of hundred on a tuxedo that doesn’t really fit you, kind of smells and you have to travel there and back for the pleasure. Yes, buying one will set you back a pretty penny but the amount of use you’ll get out of it (it’ll surprise you as time passes) and how good you’ll feel and look in itwill be worth it.

So, first things first, the basics. When buying your first Tuxedo always go for the black suit, white shirt and black tie combination. You’re bound to take off the jacket at some point so keep the shirt on the slim side to avoid any ballooning at the waist. As for which collar to pick, it’s best to stick with a notch for the moment. It’s the simplest version to pull off and lends itself to most men and tie combinations. If you do fancy a Shawl collar (quite popular at the moment) try to keep it on the narrow side. And for all you Tom Ford wannabies out there, when wearing a Peak lapel make sure the tie is just as wide and always wear it with some pride. Other than that, keep your accessories understated, subtle and simple, by which I mean a black leather watch, muted cuff links and black lace up shoes with minimum detailing and you won’t go wrong.

The Tie

Now here’s where a lot of us fall down. A simple rule to follow is that when wearing a Peak lapel Tuxedo be sure to wearnothing other than a bow tie. With a notch or shawl a standard straight tie will do the job and if you really want the bow tie then keep it on the slim side. On top of that, the fabric of the tie should always match the fabric of your suits collar. Velvet for Velvet, Silk for Silk, etc. Finally guys, hopefully none of us are going back to a Prom or school dance anytime soon so always make sure the tie is black. If you do feel the need to express a bit of creativity then try a patterned black and white tie in stripes or dots but leave the bright red bow tie at the back of your wardrobe please. Or, you know, the bottom of your bin.

How To Wear

And as always here are some fool-proof ways of wearing a Tuxedo: -

• Classic – As mentioned above, black Peak lapelled suit with a white tuxedo shirt and black bow tie. Add a white pocket square to strike a more modern tone and don’t forget to pop your cuffs, if you don’t then what’s the point of a French-cuffed shirt?
• Alternative – I appreciate that there are some of you out there who don’t want to be dressing up like everyone else at the party. In that case, why not try a Tuxedo in a midnight blue? Again pair it with a white shirt and black tie combination for the best results or if it’s not strictly ‘black tie’ then why not lose the tie and wear a black dress shirt instead?
• A Velvet Option – Now the important thing to bear in mind with a velvet tux is that it should only be on the suit jacket, never the trouser as well. Keep it understated with a notch lapel and let the fabric do all the talking. Why not try it with a slightly coloured shirt in a pale pink or blue as well, just to show people that you are paying attention.
• All-White – same rule applies here as well. If you do want to go all out old-Hollywood then make sure it’s with black suit trousers. Try it with a tuxedo shirt that has black linings to separate it from the jacket and I’m pretty sure with this tux a strong gin-based drink is the perfect compliment.

Other than that guys have fun wearing a Tuxedo. It’s one of the few times that you can be 100% sure you are looking your best.Sure it may not have much room for error and creativity but that’s the reason it works so well. Just make sure to never opt for that matching cummerbund, waistcoat and bow tie that so many people seem to think is a GREAT idea. Remember that when wearing a tuxedo you’re heading to either a black tie event or a wedding, you are not heading to a Casino Owners meeting!

Next week we’ll have a look at the ways in which you can dress down your tux.

from here

Clooney, The Stylish … American

Clooney – actor, director, screen star, all round good guy, chic magnet, dude’s dude. Who’d a thank it that the scruffy doofus handy man on the 80s sitcom ‘Facts of Life’ would have risen to the heights he now soars at? Ah but there was evidence at birth that he was meant for stardom … his heritage certainly hinted at the greatness to come – a former beauty pageant queen for a mother, and father who made his living as a TV anchorman and host, a singing aunt and an acting uncle – a veritable family circus!

George Clooney was born in Lexington, Kentucky … blah, blah, blah! If you want more on his bio, jump onto wiki.

We’re more interested in the fact that he once dabbled in odd jobs such as selling men’s suits and cutting tobacco. Whimsical George, ‘ey? Maybe that’s when he acquired his sense of suave, debonair genteel as well as a shine for elegantly cut threads and smelly cigars.

It was when this heartthrob, who played ER’s Dr. Douglas Ross, left TV land and begun his celluloid career in films such as Out of Sight (with JLO), One Fine Day (a la Michelle Pfeiffer) and Three Kings, that he begun to be noticed by stylexperts the world over.

So what is the Clooney secret? Maybe it’s that lean, hungry, “beyond blue steel” look that even Zoolander would not be able to perfect. Or perhaps it’s how those designer linen and wool suits seem to mould to his body like a second skin and create a nether world beautiful being (oh someone stop me!), or more so, just how much he cares to cultivate the air that he doesn’t care being labelled as the sexiest man on planet earth since Cary Grant. Either way, his nonchalance, his easily irritated indifference (at the 2010 Oscars) coupled with his fashion ease, has riveted the fashion and ‘celebrity’ world as much as it has captured the swooning imagination of most females over the age of 2, sweeping them up in a whirlwind storm that rages hot and wild.

His signature style? Effortless class and dapper well fitted suiting. Very rarely does he don a tie; he always rocks an open necked cool white shirt but he makes up for this casual approach with cufflinks, a fantastic timepiece and a full shaven, neatly cut crop of grey. No-one does silver hair like Clooney. At 49, he’s handling his maturation with killa precision. I’m a die hard fan (can you tell??)

Dag, the man got talent. In 2006, he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance inSyriana; it was the first time in the awards’ history that an individual had received acting and directing nominations for two different films in the same year (nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay (with Grant Heslov), for Good Night, and Good Luck).

And of course there’s the Oceans 11, 12 and 13 capers, that play up the quest for the good life at any cost, while surrounded by a pack of disarming, and seriously bent daredevils. And we can’t forget to mention the suits, the Continental locations, the women and the cut throat repartee with an equally charming, debonair Brad Pitt.

And it would seem that Clooney has a purposeful life and a heart, beyond the silver screen. In 2006, Mr. Clooney and his father, Nick, went to Darfur to record the horror of the Sudan war, culminating in the documentary Journey to Darfur. His work on behalf on Darfur relief led to his addressing the United Nations Security Council. He also narrated the Darfur documentary Sand and Sorrow. In 2007, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and Jerry Weintraub co-founded Not On Our Watch, an organization whose mission is to focus global attention and resources to stop and prevent mass atrocities in Darfur.

Clooney was subsequently honored with the 2007 Peace Summit Award, given at The Eighth World Summit of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates at their annual meeting in Rome. In 2008, he was designated a U.N. Messenger of Peace, one of eight individuals chosen to advocate on behalf of the U.N. and its peacekeeping efforts. In January 2010, he, along with Joel Gallen and Tenth Planet Productions, produced the Hope for Haiti Now telethon, which raised more than $66 million for disaster relief. Gee!! Whattaguy … I’m glad he doesn’t walk on water otherwise I’d be a tad perplexed about the state of his immortality …

His latest film project is the suspense thriller The American, adapted from Martin Booth’s 1990 novel ‘A Very Private Gentleman‘ (opens September 1^st in cinemas everywhere).

The gist of the storyline focuses on a lone American assassin living abroad who retreats to the Italian countryside after a job gone bad in Sweden. Clooney’s ‘Jack’ holes up in a small medieval town and takes on an assignment to construct a weapon for a mysterious contact, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten).

Savoring the peaceful quietude he finds in the mountains of Abruzzo, Jack accepts the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli) and pursues a torrid liaison with a beautiful woman, Clara (Violante Placido). Jack and Clara’s time together evolves into a romance, one seemingly free of danger. The plot sounds inevitable i.e. by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate. We say “stay in the wilds of Abruzzo, Jack, for nothing is more satisfying than a quiet life, a home in the great harsh outdoors and the love of a beautiful woman”.

Which brings us to the subject of Clooney and his women. Although now publicly dating Italian model Elisabetta Canalis, George is very private when it comes to his love life, and throughout his career, he’s famed for his discretion. Methinks the man wants to quietly run his own life, his own way. He may be commitment shy, and I suspect he prefers the company of a beautiful, intelligent woman but not necessarily the settling down aspects of a long term relationship. Each to his own.

From the sounds of it, The American’s Jack is very much Clooney. The quintessential man’s man living life to his own rhythm, and so we laud him for following his heart, pursuing his passion and looking good in the process. As we say down under, “on ya mate!”

We leave you with the latest ad campaign from George Clooney’s association with Omega Watches: George Clooney, photographed by Norman Jean Roy for Omega’s Seamaster Planet Ocean Watch 2010. NB: This is not a paid ad, no sirree bob, we just loved how dear George is captured here – elegant, grey, cool, smooth, Clooney.

from here

Spring-Summer 2010 men's fashion week in Milan in Pictures - Part 1

Men’s Fashion Basics - The Black Suit

Fade to Black

So I definitely think I’ve received enough e-mails from you beaners out there to know that you would like me to write an article on how to wear a Black Suit! I don’t know what it is, maybe you guys have been watching Reservoir Dogs too much or have way too many weddings and funerals to attend, but it appears to be in high demand. And I can see why. Classic and classy but never in an over the top or overstated way, the black suit is a go-to for most guys who need smarten things up a bit. Hopefully the previous two articles have shown that there are other options out there that are just as good, but it obvious that the Black Suit is here to stay.

It is probably due to its versatility. Regardless of what material you buy it in, black is always going to make you look good (yes and slimmer! We know…) which makes it great for all year round. Stick to wools and tweeds in the winter and cotton for the summer and you can’t go wrong. You can also pair nearly everything with it except for two important colours. The first being navy, we covered this already in the previous article but I will say it again. Due to their similar tones of colour it’s difficult to match black and navy together because of the black hole effect they have on the rest of your outfit. Everything gets sucked into them. And with something as dominating as a black suit, it’s best to leave navy out of the combination all together, so no navy ties or accessories or anything, OK?

The second colour – and use this at your discretion because I am about to be radical and hypocritical here – is brown. I know, I know, I’m always saying out with black, in with brown but hear me out. Brown and black as a colour scheme is not a good look, it’s too dark and far too earthy and muddy. Brown shoes with a black suit when you have an alternative coloured shirt and tie combination is a different story. That looks classic, stylish and still very business-like. All brown and black on the other hand… not so much. But obviously don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself and see how you feel about it. I may be wrong…
Ways to Wear

And as always here are some fool-proof ways of wearing a black suit: –
Go tonal – for the office think of the colours that compliment your suit and then stay within that family. So try a cement grey shirt with a darker charcoal tie. Or a pink shirt with a red striped tie. If you’re going with a blue shirt try and match it with a black tie or go with a classic white oxford-cloth for the ultimate business look. Why not then add a patterned handkerchief into the mix? Try and have a similar colour to the shirt or tie so as not to distract from the suit too much.
Amp up your tux – pair with a white tux shirt and crisp bow tie for a deceptive black-tie event look without having to spend all your savings on the real deal. Or for less black-tie but still formal situations, try a well fitting white shirt with the same bow tie but this time put on a slim pair of black jeans and Chelsea boots instead. Or if you want to be a bit or fashion forward try some black high-tops. I recently got a nice shiny patent pair from H&M for about ?30.
Out On The Tiles – for the times that you want to dress down the suit, you can’t go wrong with a white v-neck t-shirt. Try it with some neutral espadrilles and straw hat from casual drinks down by the river or swap it for a colourful polo shirt, black flip flops and a canvas drivers cap for the evenings out. Go crazy with the polo shirt, the colour of the suit means that it can anchor even the loudest of palettes out there. The same can also be applied to your shirts too, why not try some shirts in yellows and greens and keep them anchored with the suit and similarly muted neutral tie?

So there you have it, another suit to add to your ever growing collection. There was period of time not so long ago when the black suit seemed to drop off and be replaced the navy pinstripe but it seems that it has made a comeback in the office and evening environments again. It always purveys a sense of style and class and can be achieved with relative ease so long as you know what colours to pair it with. My personal favourites are tonal greys and reds and I have one particular red and white striped tie that I wear with it all the time. Do not forget that they aren’t joined at the hip, if you love the jacket or the trousers in particular, why not start wearing them with everything else you already have in your wardrobe?

Next week, summer suits!

Matt Allinson
Black Suits
The High street

Mid Priced

Designer

Men’s style celebrated at amFAR Inspiration 2010

This just in: On June 3, 2010, men’s black tie fashion was the focus of a runway show at the star studded amFAR Inspiration charity gala in New York. Marc Jacobs, Dolce & Gabanna and Ralph Lauren were among the designers who contributed outfits for the show.

The gala is the first in a new event series celebrating all aspects of men’s style. amfAR Awards of Inspiration were presented to Ricky Martin and Jean-Paul Gaultier. Wilhemina Models sponsored a runway presentation of men’s designer looks inspired by the evening’s “Black Tie/Black Leather” theme, and the event raised more than $400,000 for AIDS research.

Men’s Style is giving back and the MSP team love this …from here