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

There is only one Sasha fierce

I used to be obsessed with models. Obsessed. One of my favorites was Lily Cole, and I convulsed when i saw her live on the runway for the very first time. Now, not so much. But I do enjoy scouring the internet for magazine photo spreads and ad campaigns to check up on the girls.

I've always loved Sasha Pivovarova. She has a quiet intensity that translates so effortlessly and beautiful on photos. She is captivating. Paolo Roversi recently shot her (along with Guinevere van Seenus) for a Italian Vogue story. I found scans of the entire story on noirfacade, but here are my favorites of the only Sasha fierce there is and ever will be.

In the same issue Mario Sorrenti shot Sasha for a slightly darker and oilier story. Again, the entire spread is available on noirfacade, but my favorites are below. She shows incredible versatility. First, she's a fresh-faced waif dressed in white; minutes later, she sheds the innocence for a tougher, harder look, and she's just as perfect.

Knocking It Out

I'm a firm believe that the Met Gala is the biggest fashion event of the year, bigger than the Oscars. The fashion, as one can expect, is always inspiring. We often see so many insipid dresses worn to the Academy Awards that people go ga-ga over. Kate Winslet, for example, accepted her award in a terrible gown. Not that this doesn't happen at the Gala, but even when they're bad, they're at least interesting.

My best dressed from this week's event has got to be Jessica Szohr, of Gossip Girl fame, in Atelier Versace. She brought everything I love about red carpet dressing: she was interesting, fashion-forward and sexy. She selected an excellent silhouette that showed off her bangin' body and the color was A+. All and all, I thought she looked absolutely stunning. While others were drooling over J.Lo's princess dress or Blake Lively's obvious option (both of whom looked great), I couldn't get over how perfect Ms. Szohr looked. I was blown away.

Put on my blue suede shoes...

As I said in the post below, I will be taking greater care in showcasing my collection of footwear -- a collection I cherish with alien devotion.

My first is, strangely enough, a pair I rarely wear, because I don't want to destroy the awesome baby blue suede. They're Lambertson Truex, and I bought them at Bloomingdale's a few years ago (for dirt cheap). The friend I was shopping with couldn't get his head around why I would want baby blue shoes, but why not? I think they're awesome and perfectly encapsulate my sartorial point of view. Everything about them is pretty subdued - - the classic silhouette and the soft pastel. But I think they still add an unexpected touch. Plus, they are incredibly comfortable. Comfort is not usually a factor in my shoe-buying excursions, but it has to be noted how wonderful these are to wear.

Get on my feet!

It has been about six months since I've last purchased a pair of shoes. For some this may not seem like a serious grievance, but for me, it's a truly unnerving reality. I just don't have the funds to buy the shoes I want. That's the bottom line. Thus, I've been living in fantasy world, and patiently waiting for sample sale season here in NY, which begins in a few short weeks -- just in time for my "25th" birthday.

It's no surprise to anyone for me to reveal my boundless love for shoes, but I am a firm believer in the vital role they play in creating your style identity. Thus, I'll be taking greater care in chronicling my footwear choices going forward.

But back to fantasy world. Below, I've selected a few pairs I've been drooling over.

Look 'ma, I'm a football star!

It's the middle of fashion weeks the world over. And everywhere you turn, there's coverage of what we'll all be wearing next fall. I'll be back in the coming weeks with my favorite looks from the collections, but for now, all I want is warm weather! The smorgasbord we've been getting in NY has been frustrating. We get something new every day. Now, it's a bit of a wintry mix of rain and snow.

So I dream of calmer climes. I want it to be warmer so I can stop wearing heavy knits and jackets. Once we do reach the drier, hotter weather, I'll be back to  shorts, blazers and the like. I'll need to be creative and resourceful, because I've placed myself on a budget. I realize my spending has been out of control. I'll be more judicious with purchases while having more fun with what I have now.

Something I'm really coveting? This Anzevino & Florence shirt.

It has everything I like in a garment: a simple silhouette with quirky details. I can already picture how well this will blend into my wardrobe. One day it will be with denim cut-offs; another day with trousers. It's called the football tee, because of the incredible lacing on the shoulders. Amazing! 

(Photo credit: I don't like Mondays)

TIE DYE GROUND HOG

So that damn ground hog predicts six more weeks of winter. How depressing. It is mind-numbingly cold in New York -- I can barely stand it.

There's plenty to look forward to once warm weather is here. I can play more tennis; I can wear shorts again; and I won't need a coat to hide my outfits. As I mentally prepare myself for Spring, I can't help but reference the SS 2010 Menswear collection from famed Italian label Bottega Veneta. I remember seeing it on Men's Style (before it became GQ.com) for the first time, and my visceral reaction was entirely too spiritual. I loved everything about it. The colors and silhouettes were fantastic. It was masculine with just enough whimsy to make it absolutely magical. And the accessories? Amazing.

I will try my hand at being this Bottega man. I feel that I have the basics to make it work like the penny loafers, a large bag, scarves, etc. The colors are easy enough, too. But here's what I need to really personify the collection:

1. tie dye sweaters
2. shiny shorts
3. statement making weekender
4. floral print shorts (I don't think I can rock that print on full length pants)
5. a varsity jacket or safari jacket

I'm gonna try the usual suspects: Uniqlo, H&M and Urban Outfitters first. I hope to be this man full-time when my birthday rolls around in May.

Bonne chance a moi.

WRAP IT UP

I don't typically wear jewelry. It's not really my thing. But last summer, NYC jewelry designer Laura Lobdell stopped by the office to drop off a gift. Part of her Seeds of Silk collection, the knotted bracelet was made by disadvantaged Cambodian women. Each piece, which can be worn a variety of ways, is accented with embellishments like gems and sterling silver charms.

I totally fell in love with it and tried to use it as often as possible (as a jewelry neophyte this required concentrated effort). I wore mine as a bracelet a few times and have recently also worn it as a necklace. Since receiving this gift, I've procured a couple of other wrist pieces, with which to layer.

From left to right: a strip of I don't know that a friend bought me from an artisan outside the Met Museum; an ombre knit bracelet from the Gap; and the Laura Lobdell bracelet.

HAIRY SITUATON

When my hair gets to be too long, I stop doing things to it entirely. I let it air dry; I will rarely put product in it; and I won't style it. Instead, I try to find accessories to put on my head to distract people from the mess that it is. Today, I'm wearing an oversized knit beanie.

Earlier this fall I started wearing headbands/bandanas. My friends weren't big fans. I was called many things including Rambo and loser. Personally, I enjoyed the look. So I tried to find other guys rocking it. Culling through the vast recesses of the internet for boys wearing a traditionally female accessory should be easy enough. Alas, it was not. Here's what I discovered.



They all look great, but I suspect my head is larger than theirs. Being a little bit fat means having a sizable noggin, sizable enough for me to doubt I'll  be able to pull these looks off as these guys do. I shall continue the struggle and post photographic evidence soon enough.