Color perfect

New York Fashion Week is going to start in about three weeks. Of course menswear have already been set in motion with the European shows, and while we'll still see a few top men's designers in NY, I think I've already found my favorite collection for next season.

How can Jil Sander be so absolutely flawless? The collection was breathtaking -- silhouettes were at once masculine and sleek, proportions were flattering, colors were bright but not garish and prints were vivid and awe-inspiring. The collection gave us everything we should want to wear. And I do. I do really want to wear everything in it.

Here's some imagery (from GQ.com):

 

 

A corner

Returned from Canada at some random hour of Sunday night (or Monday morning), started new three-month freelance project on Tuesday, this means my room is much messier than usual.

Proof: Today, I returned from the Helm party (which I went to after hours of work) and just tossed everything into a corner. Everything will remain there until I find the time to clean, which won't happen until I get used to this new work schedule.

Notice the shorts, portfolio, laptop, Helm boots, Bastian Schweinsteiger World Cup 2010 jersey, and stacks of paper crowding a corner of my room.

Maple Time

Heading to Quebec City tomorrow. A couple of friends and I are driving up (which takes approximately nine hours from NY) so it should be a great time to sing, talk and travel.

Below are some of the items I'll be bringing with me to the trip. Packing is always such an exhausting activity for me. I never really bring anything that is too (emotionally not financially) valuable. If it's something that would be send me into a depressive spiral if lost, I don't travel with it. But because we're driving,  I'm a bit more daring with my choices.

My first pair of espadrilles. They'll look great with skinnies or even too-short shorts. 

It's a man's world

Dude! Ken is modeling Prada, Burberry and Paul Smith for Esquire UK. There's a cameo from his gal pal, Barbie, too.
Ken may not be anatomically correct, but he sure does look awesome. Here's some highlights. For more, check out Esquire UK.

School's out for summer

Sartorially, I'm not particularly adventurous. There are things I know will work, and I just stick to them with religious fervor. And by stick to, I mean I look the same everyday.

Here's my foolproof summer uniform.

The wardrobe:

• A lightweight blazer is absolutely necessary for coolish nights (when dining or drinking al fresco)
• A slew of easy, crisp white shirts almost makes a guy look more put together
• Henleys are just like any t-shirt out there, except sexier
• Horizontal stripes are classic details that telegraph the balmy atmosphere of the season
• Who wears shorty shorts (no one needs to full length pants. I don't care what those dumb clubs say)?
• Chucks are essential to mindless kickin' around

Go nuts!

Today I'm at Starbucks taking advantage of the free Wi-fi and coffee refills. Officially, I'm working on a couple of projects for a few magazines I write for. Unofficially, I'm checking out the fine folks who are spending their cloudy Sunday afternoon in a climate-controlled, caffeine-scented room.

In any case, about an hour ago I found myself peckish and in desperate need of a snack. Unexpectedly, Starbucks sells these packaged nuts from Sahale Snacks that come in various flavors like parmesan and herbs, chili and cheddar and pomegranate and vanilla. I chose the barbeque almonds with mild chipotle and ranch. They're really good. I ravaged through the pack in like 5 minutes. Starbucks is an exclusive retailer, and at $2.50 a pack, they're more expensive than anything Planters sells, but with these interesting flavor combinations, I say go ahead, girl, go ahead, get down.

Dye Chuck Taylor! Dye!

It's sample sale season, and I'm trying my best at something called self-discipline. But because I am a work in progress, I did venture to check out the goods at a few: Buckler (Amazing), Jil Sander (Pretty good -- better for women, really), Opening Ceremony (Ok), Steven Alan (It's been better) and The News (Same old). I purchased a few really great items that I think will blend seamlessly into my summer wardrobe.

One of the items I'm most excited about was something I came upon purely by accident. I was waiting for a friend to meet with me for dinner, and in my impatience, I decided to check out the Gap for basic, short-sleeved henleys (one can never have too many). Sadly, no henley at the Gap proved good enough for putting me in further debt. There were however a selection of Chucks on markdown, exclusive to the ubiquitous American brand. Most were variations on blue denim and some in pink. I fell in love with a pair of tie-dyed low tops that I can't wait to wear all the summer long. Perhaps with the the yellow trousers I snagged from Buckler.

Here they are below. I'm terrible at taking photos so these really do not do them justice. Eh, next time.

Another fun factoid: these Chucks come with two sets of laces: one white, one blue. A nice touch.