I found this hoody while visiting the American Apparel factory in LA, and had to share it with you all. While this hoody may not be made of real leather, it makes for an acceptable, comfortable and stylist substitute.
Since PVC (or lookalikes) are all the rage this Fall, this is an easy and fairly safe bet to get in on the trend. The polyester looks a bit wet and is more interesting to look at then regular cotton, and $60 isn’t bad either.
In the seemingly traditional nonsensical method of decision making style of LA’s Kitson boutique, they have decided to help peddle the newest overpriced (and quite beastly) designs of reality celebrity wannabe Whitney Port. I have never watched The Hills, but I have seen the Wal-Mart catastrophe that was Lauren Conrad’s line; as well as the California prostitute collection that was done up by Heidi Montag.
I have no idea why high end boutiques such as Kitson continues to associate with these half-famous girls who can’t “design” worth the oxygen they expel daily!
Regardless, Whitney has paid some nameless intern to come up with an improved selection compared to Lauren and Heidi’s (at least she is using what appears to be higher cost materials and a sliver of design attention), but the Whitney Eve line still falls flat off its heels.
The dress to your right with the exceedingly professional looking contrast zipper retails for $345, while a fish-inspired all over sequin mini is priced to fly off the shelves at $495.
I wonder how long it will be before this line is dropped (bets, anyone?)
Since Topman now has a US branch, Canadian and American men can take full advantage of their suiting capabilities. Topman has made a name for itself by providing men with an affordable and ever changing, cutting edge style.
The beauty of Topman’s website is the organization which translates to easy browsing. Pages are separated between pieces (such as vests, trousers and shirts) for easy shopping and comparison. There is even a section dedicated to “$40 smart trousers” for the man who intends on looking his absolute snappiest on a budget.
Now that the shipping gods seem to be on our side, I urge you to build yourself into a dapper being you only drempt was possible in Europe!
Check out Topman’s tailoring and suiting section.
I am a firm believer in leaving badly drawn tattoo art to those of little taste or class, so naturally I am vehemently against all Ed Hardy wear. Besides the fact that his items are ridiculously overpriced, they also are worn to promote undesirable activity with their gang symbols and proclamations of martyrdom through violence.
From a creative design standpoint these pieces are utter bombs. The Ed Hardy formula for success seems to be to capitalize off young hooligans who want to look like they’re about to make trouble, even if they’re just around to be a middle class torment.
As a measure of bar violence prevention, [thankfully] Vancouver has placed a ban of recognized gang related brands (such as Ed Hardy) banned from clubs throughout the city. At the very least, this should encourage patrons to be a little more creative and rely less on looking tough to maintain some laughable image.
The world does not need another woman in a tracksuit on the street, much less one which is slapped with random looking tiger heads (as with the woman on the left) or writing on their butt.
This needs to end!
As far as the Spring ’09 shows I’ve seen so far, “Boy” by Band of Outsiders is by far the most off-the-rack wearable and appealing to the casual, though well thought out fashion masses.
Boy’s SS09 collection not only provided their minimalist boy tailoring in their woman’s line, but gave us inspiration in pieces that we would likely be able to find in our closet already; or at stores with a more affordable pricing lineup. Whether those facts are the detriment to the design of such pieces; I am undecided. Outsiders has always stuck to clean cuts and uncomplicated designs for both their men’s and woman’s lines, and at the very least they are remaining true to their style.
I’ve seen a handful of the key piece lookalikes are in stores already; American Apparel’s California Fleece hoody ($41), Topshop’s Snakeskin Tux jacket (£65), Joe Fresh at Superstore has some great button down oxford shirts for under $15, and Hayden-Harnett’s Anabella hooded wool coat in charcoal ($259).
I am a little perturbed that they are using Kirsten Dunst as their model outside of the regular line promotional material; she really has negative style inspiration or impact in my book, and ends up looking she’s just waiting for the camera to go off so she can continue to smoke. How dull!
…for a mere $265 US.
Yeah, I want ‘em too, but somehow I can’t really rationalize spending three bills on something that I could probably get some metal savvy shop worker to sodder together for me.
It’s a shame, really. These chain suspenders are pretty much the hottest accessory for men I’ve seen in an age!
If you’re hell-bent on having them, I’d suggest making the purchase at trustworthy eLuxury.
If you fancy Ben Sherman’s sassy British stylings (and who doesn’t?), then you’re in luck.
There is a catch, though. This party is in Edmonton, so if you happen to be in that neck ‘o the woods, swing on by to Colour Blind.
Things get moving from 6:30-9:30pm on Thursday, Oct 2nd, so it’s a bit of an early one. DJ Junior Brown will be spinning, and cocktails will also be served.
This throw down is of course brought to you by the good folks at Ion Magazine.
RSVP via Facebook.
Now these things obviously are not the fault of the host; but good grief were there a half tonne of chauchy individuals at the 3rd annual Ion Magazine BCFW wrap up party. My heart shrank a little bit every time I saw some overly Gotti wannabe in a striped polo with a popped collar; though apparently those are acceptable when you wear a blazer from Guess over top.
I won’t give the wrong impression of the overall evening; the music was dance worthy, the venue was clean and not too crowded (as we were in a furniture warehouse), and the bathroom wait was reasonable (if not minimal).
I would have to say the icing on the entire event was when my friends and I were trying hopelessly to find a cab leaving Moe’s, and some undesirable ran after us with his wang out (mid-pee!) screaming “HEYYYY!! WANNA DATE?!”
Who knew the prospect of seeing local fashionistas brought out the best in the locals? I’m still pretending they were all visiting from Surrey.
I don’t understand how these hideous peices of garbage keep appearing on people’s poor feet!
Even if you could care less about the concept of fashion, I urge you to avoid these ugly pieces of faux orthopedia as if they were the black plague themselves.
The ever-loved comfort excuse is a farce. Just because one may like to lounge around in nothing but a monogrammed robe and tube socks does not mean it is in any way acceptable or appropriate to wear it in your day to day adventuring, so how could these Crocs work any differently?
These horrors are not meant to be worn in public, and none of the supporters’ flimsy excuses for why they continue to pollute our eyes and create needless static electricity seem to have any validity.
Take off the Crocs, and stop turning a blind eye!
In the life of the fashion world, new models usually don’t go the route of intense Kate Moss partying; and for good reason. Our Aggy here seems to be feeling the wrath of her intensely documented partying lifestyle, and she’s showing no signs of letting up.
While some may criticize Kate for living in the fast lane, I say lay off. She may look a bit haggard, but hey, she’s pushing her mid 30s and can boast 15 years in the fashion world’s extreme madness of a lifestyle. Seeing two non-photoshopped photos from ’07 and ’08 show a noticeable difference (even with makeup usage). Swapped with a youthful glow are heavy bags and skin that could use a seaweed wrap.
Dear Agyness: slow it down ‘ol gel; before you look in the mirror and realize that you more closely resemble raisin faced stylist Rachel Zoe than a supermodel.
In decades past, if you were to fly on a plane you were to look your best. Now, even celebrities who have constant documentation of their style are dressing in sandals and yoga pants. What happened?!
We can’t blame this one on increased airport security. Sure, you have to take off your shoes and throw everything you own into those little bins with the Zappos ads on them; but that lasts for 15 minutes tops. Could it be the time it takes to fly? That’s bunk. Years ago, planes didn’t go nearly as fast as they do now, and required more frequent fueling stops.
So why do we constantly see shuffling Croc-footed slobs trekking through our airports? I blame it on personal comfort. Sure, that may seem extreme; but when you put your comfort ahead of yourself looking respectable, something is dreadfully wrong. Now I’m not advocating wearing stilettos or anything that extreme, but I do wish that people would spend a few moments and ask themselves if they’re flying or gardening.
There are a few in the public eye who defy convention, though. Francis Bean Cobain and Victoria Beckham are two fine examples of those who take care in their appearance even through something as aggravating as a flight.
I encourage everyone to kick it up a few notches the next time you travel. Trust me, it’s worth it (plus you get more respect from employees since you don’t look homeless!)
Don’t make the same mistakes the recognizable faces already have…learn from their folly!
Since this was first released, I’ve always thought highly of the AA figure skater dress as a great skeleton to build an outfit on. The dress is fairly reasonably priced at $55; and provides some great color options that translate well from Fall to Spring.
I would wear a low cut tank top over the dress, with a cardigan and opaque stockings with tube socks. The look is vibrant for the coming dull landscape, and the cut is flattering.
My favourite colors available are serpent, violet (both shown), grape and magenta. These colors are also the ever-hot jewel tone variety (just sayin’!)
Consider this a healthy reminder, since I’ve been seeing a lot of these horrific boots on strangers over the past weeks.
Some things to bear in mind:
Now I know advocates for the ugly will say that it’s a matter of taste (etc), though keep this in mind: even though I may not agree with a load of trends, but I can acknowledge when someone pulls off the look. Despite all this, I have never seen these worn well; and I doubt that anyone can actually look good wearing them.
//End rant//
As the high street versus high fashion war rages on, we discover another two worthy adversaries. As shoppers continue to favor the wet look of leather and PVC leggings, more exploration into the shiny realm of clothing continues. Today, we talk sequins.
Alexander McQueen was the one to put the sequin covered concept together recently; with high street retailer Topshop quickly on his heels to create their own interpretation of the daring design.
To be honest, if the price difference was to be a non-issue (Topshop’s are $135 and McQueen’s are $2,345), I would still side with sequined denim over a silk/lycra combo.
For a product marketed as pants, it would be a wiser choice to opt to something thicker and more form-keeping like denim, and a piece that will be likely to be more flattering to your bottom half (since the jeans wouldn’t be as skin tight).
Would you buy either?
If you’re like myself and prefer a bit more of a utilitarian take on bags, then I suggest picking up one of duffles from American Apparel. The lamé gives you a pumped look, while you still have the practicality of a messenger bag (which I seem to be stitched to).
At $28 you can’t go wrong, plus you can fit a half tonne of items in this bag. It fits over your shoulder comfortably, and can be worn on your back like a backpack. My only wish was it had a few inside pockets…
For a designer cocktail ring with so much detail, I was surprised it was so affordable. At the price of $235, this Erickson Beamon’s stone cluster cocktail ring is a piece of gaudy Fall homage delight is not cheap by any means, though attainable for most.
I love the grouping of the design with the leaves, and the gold spattering on the stones themselves. I fancy this as a classier cocktail ring; versus the usual design of a massive stone that may run the risk of looking like a cheap imitation of the real thing (even if it is).
The work put into this piece guarantees its quality will show, and is sure to inspire conversation.
Though at regular price one can expect to pay upwards of $950; Mike & Chris leather products are truly worth the expense.
I came across the Nolan while in LA at American Rag; and fell in love. Without a doubt these are the softest leathers I have ever felt, and the fits of the jackets are above reproach.
The design of this jacket is an updated version of the classic 80s biker, but without such a butch look. Instead of stiff leather and unflattering torso crops; M&S gives us a full length, well fitted jacket made with light-as-a-feather lambskin.
I would say this qualifies as ‘classic’ material, so it’s worth a bit of a splurge (though I still suggest checking around online as I found this jacket as low as $650).
This news definitely made me smile.
Local boutique Lark 8th Ave (Vancouver) is now a purveyor of Alexander Olch’s line of delicious bow ties. These little lovelies begin at $125 and peak at $165. Expensive, perhaps; but when well designed and well crafted (besides the fact bow ties are not exactly in the greatest demand) one should expect to pay.
Besides that, a bow tie is always a daring choice to spice up an outfit that would ordinarily run the risk of blending into the crowd.
I’m a particular fan of the woolly bow tie; that would would look quite fantastic against nearly any pattern of shirt, and will blend well because of the gray. I strongly suggest you check these out, and have pita and hummus afterwords at Foundation a few doors down.
Image via Lark
Since zipper accents are taking over these days (think the Gareth Pugh runway show for the absolute extreme), these zipper leggings ($52) can incorporate the trend into your look easily, and perhaps a little more subtly.
While AA still dubs these babies as pants, but I refuse to acknowledge them as such. I strongly advise you to avoid wearing these as pants on their own; unless you’re 5″10 and 120 lbs, you’ll end up giving yourself the silhouette of a bratwurst.
Try these leggings (which are a nice alternative to sheer stockings in the colder temperatures) with a mini t-shirt or party dress. The nylon is thick enough to hide skin, yet tight enough for the proper look of a legging.
No matter how hard I try to remove myself from leggings, I just keep coming back for more. What an addiction.
This is the list every visitor needs for shopping in LA. This list includes vintage shopping hot spots, as well as choice boutiques every fashion lover’s every want.
***
West Hollywood (825 N La Brea Ave)
Jet Rag will demand a lot of your time. Basically, this store is comprised of piles upon piles of sorted vintage clothing and accessories, over a split level store. If you’re going into Jet Rag on an empty energy tank or at all hungry (like I was), then you’re going to be fighting a losing battle with the stock.
Jet Rag has a gold mine of clothing ripe for the picking, just make sure you have the mental capacity and time to go through it all before attempting.
***
West Hollywood, Mid-City West (7428 Melrose Ave)
Wasteland was one of my favourite vintage stops during my whole trip. This shop had the most affordable vintage shoes and boots I came across, and their selection was of a higher quality than most.
Some of their new stock was a little on the pricey side (Jeffrey Campbell leather ankle boots for $110), but on the whole things were affordable. They had a good handful of American Apparel pieces that looked new in their vintage section for amounts that were under the factory store prices (lamé leggings for $15, etc), as well as designer pieces in good shape for reasonable fees.
The staff was friendly, and as a bonus there was no wait for a change room. What more could a shopper ask for?
***
West Hollywood, Mid-City West (7377 Melrose Ave)
American Vintage had a good load of military and navy surplus uniforms (ala APC’s 2008 sailor top), but I found their stock to be largely average..nothing really inspired me, even though it was all affordable. In the back of the shop there was a large selection of leathers and furs, which would be the store’s defining quality for me.
Perhaps the entire rack of skirts made of sewn together ties turned me off the whole place; who knows.
***
West Hollywood, Mid-City West (7474 Melrose Ave)
Slow was a multi-level vintage shop of many tastes. They had an interesting collection of $30 calf length boots that kind of reminded me of Victorian styles with a 70s twist on the upper level. Other than that, there were racks upon racks of workable vintage pieces. There was a rack of [plain, brand less] skinny suspenders, but at $20 a pop it did not scream “worth it” to me.
The only real downer for this shop was this creepy blond woman that kept hovering around me. I don’t think I screamed shoplifter (I was carrying bags of merchandise from other stores), and it was very weird.
***
West Hollywood, Mid-City West (7312 Melrose Ave)
Don’t come to Paper Doll looking for any sort of customer service whatsoever. The clerk was a woman who could barely speak English; and when I asked how much a scarf was, she told me to check on the security tag myself. The pieces are average, good for layering and affordable.
I found a pair of plaid slacks for $29, and a large (and soft) gingham scarf for $12. While the experience overall was unfulfilling, I still found some good deals.
***
American Rag is comprised half of the cream of the vintage crop, and half new trendy designer stock. Products range from vintage 50s hats at $30 to Mike & Chris lambskin leather jackets at upwards of $950. This is a great shop for the variance of styles through the decades as well as brands.
Having an extensive supply of footwear, clothing and accessories (both new and used) for men and women alike makes for a convenient and enjoyable retail experience.
The new items were not cheap by any means (Mike & Chris leather jackets for $900, high leather boots for $500, denim for $150+, etc), though everything was of a high quality name brand label. If you’re a budget shopper, I recommend you stick to the vintage, check out their sales.
Photo via MRketplace
***
I’ve saved the best (and most expensive) for last. Opening Ceremony was undoubtedly the visual highlight of my retail experiences. This shop was a maze of rooms filled with the choicest designs from Comme des Garçons, Band of Outsiders, Proenza Schouler (and the list goes on). There was a varied collection of quality constructed men’s and women’s boots, shoes, formal and casual wear as well as jewelery; the store was essentially a younger and more attractive Neiman Marcus with more engaging interior design.
Not only is O.C. a mecca for all things beautifully crafted, but they also have a very sizable space dedicated to men’s designs. Perhaps the icing on the cake is the shop keepers are genuinely friendly and lack the elitist attitude premium boutiques usually reek of.
I cannot express how highly I recommend this shop; but come with a full wallet (plaid pants from BOY by Band of Outsiders that I was fantasizing about were about $550).
Photo via Refinery29
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