Category Archives: fashion

Fashion news, for rich and poor, serious and otherwise

Posted on May 16, 2023 | Comments Off on Fashion news, for rich and poor, serious and otherwise

Fashion is for the rich, and those who aspire to look the part. For the rich, the challenge is coming up with ways of using fashion to designate that you are in fact rich. The new way to do this is with quiet luxury, as the actors in the TV series Succession illustrate.

Of course not everyone is into rich normcore. Some of the well off dress in the high end line Thierry Mugler. For those with less means who aspire to wear Mugler, H&M has once again stepped in by offering up a low cost version of the high end line. I especially liked that piece on H&M: it details the history of the low end store offering high end fashion lines, and it’s as much a sociological study as it is a fashion one.

On a serious note, I thought this was a good initiative by Saint Laurent: saint laurent launches production company to develop films by david cronenberg abel ferrara wong kar wai jim jarmusch and more.

Otherwise…one fashion guy who was in the news due to twitter was @dieworkwear, Derek Guy. There’s a profile of him here in GQ. Why he became twitter famous and newsworthy, no one but Elon Musk knows. He does know his stuff.

P.S. Image of Karl Lagerfeld from the Times. He was the first to experiment with his clothes and H&M, a risky initiative at the times. It paid off for him and H&M.

 

 

 

 

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On Karl Lagerfeld now (thinking about difficult people)

Posted on May 9, 2023 | Comments Off on On Karl Lagerfeld now (thinking about difficult people)

I’ve written about Karl Lagerfeld often on this blog. In the past I found much to admire about him: his drive, his levels of energy, his capability to go in different directions, his ability to change mentally and physically. He was also quite the wit, as can be seen here and  here, and I admired that too.

Not everyone feels this way, however. The Guardian gives you a sense of that here. The New York Times calls Lagerfeld a “firehose of offense”, and they are not wrong. His disparaging remarks about any woman he considered “fat” are infamous. Over at hyperallergic they open their own firehose of criticism back at Karl. Not my approach, but again, some (not all) of what they related is true.

Despite all that, Lagerfeld still has allies. Like Anna Wintour, a friend who thought highly of him. It’s not a fluke he was the focus of the recent Met Gala, run by Wintour. And anyone who cares for fashion and design that flipped through this retrospective the Tines did of his work at  Chanel, Fendi, H&M would agree just how influential and powerful his work was.

So what to do with difficult people? I often think the best way to think and talk about them is like this. Instead of saying “I admire Mr/Ms X”,  I try to say, “There are things I admire about Mr/Ms X” or “I admire anyone who can do Y”. That is the case when it comes to me and Karl Lagerfeld now. There are things I admire about Lagerfeld. And I admire anyone who can do some of the things he achieved.

Like any famous person, Karl Lagerfeld is not my friend, my foe, or even a member of my family. I don’t have to accept or reject him unconditionally. You don’t have to either.

P.S. All this was driven by the recent Met Gala. Here’s more from the New York Times on this year’s event, which was based around Lagerfeld. Also here’s a look back at the Met Gala’s red carpet shenanigans from the last decade.

Besides being a famous fashion designer, he is also well known for the Karl Lagerfeld diet. You can read more about that here and here and  here and here.

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On the power of gray, women and fabric, and cold weather gear

Posted on January 19, 2023 | Comments Off on On the power of gray, women and fabric, and cold weather gear

I’ve long contended that gray is one of the best colours a person can wear. Especially a man. Just like black or navy, gray can fit in anywhere. High quality gray clothing stands out, and low cost gray clothing does not. If you dress in monochrome gray, the many shades of gray can make it interesting. You can pair it easily with any color, from hot pink to coal black.  No other clothing color is as versatile.

For more on the greatness of gray, read this piece in Vogue.

If you need more ideas, Uncreate has you here:

That’s a good reminder that you can dress gray up or you can dress it down.

Now that we are in the bleak midwinter in the Northern hemisphere, it’s time to dress warmly. That doesn’t mean dressing badly. For instance, this selection of clothes has a great palette of dark blues, carmel browns, and even some red for a bit of pop:

And if you need ideas for when it is exceptionally cold, why not go with this:

If you have to shovel, do it well.

Some men know this, but it bears repeating: men have lots of options when it comes to clothing and style. Which is why when I read this: Menswear easiest look, I thought I dunno…I guess? Never mind this: the dad ification of fashion in 2022. Try harder, is all I’m saying.

For something on fashion that is very smart, I recommend this: The Fabric of Women. It’s a fascinating study of the relationship between woman, fabric, and linens. If that makes you want to get some new fabric to put over yourself, check out these options:best white t shirts for women.

(P.S. All images from the Garb section of Uncrate.com, except one from Wikipedia)

 

 

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Don’t buy a new puffer coat this winter. Be great and get this instead

Posted on January 5, 2023 | Comments Off on Don’t buy a new puffer coat this winter. Be great and get this instead


Sure, you could go out and get a new puffer coat. I get it: they’re warm, they’re lightweight, everyone else has one, you like looking like a marshmellow…:)

Seriously, puffer coats are….fine. But if you want to get a warm winter coat, you want to listen to me and Jeremy Scott. If your problem is lacking a winter coat…

The solution, said Jeremy Scott, creative director of Moschino, is “a sleek ankle-length greatcoat” — most notably the sort once favored by the military, looking to keep the cold out during periods of long exposure. The key to trapping in heat, he added, is choosing a double-breasted style.

There you have it. Get a great coat. You’ll be warm and stylish and sleek and timeless. You’ll look — dare I say it? — great.

For more on this, see this piece in the nytimes.com. For more on the great coat, see wikipedia. (Image above is also wikipedia: Stalin wears a great coat, while Churchill wears a British warm coat which is shorter than a great coat and not to be confused with a pea coat which is shorter still).

P.S. If you must get a puffer coat, consider this one: the Vollebak Indestructible Puffer. According to Uncrate:

Vollebak has taken the puffer jacket — traditionally one of the weakest and most delicate pieces of clothing you can buy – and rebuilt it from the strongest fibre known today. Dyneema Black is 15x stronger than steel, which is why it’s used in body armour and anti-ballistic vehicle armour.

If you are going to wear a puffer, be cool. And warm.

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This has style, this has grace, this here watch has a minimal face. (Get your fill of fashion here)

Posted on November 3, 2022 | Comments Off on This has style, this has grace, this here watch has a minimal face. (Get your fill of fashion here)

I’ve been wanting to to simplify and minimize my style lately. If that’s appealing to you, check out this link to minimal classics that never go out of style. Want to simpify your watch? Well you could get this one. But maybe that’s too minimal.  This might be better. (shown above)

Also pretty minimal are these New Balance 327:

I’m a big fan of the 327s in general. Those would go great with this very casual men’s wardrobe. It’s not really my style. Personally I prefer this gray wardrobe:

Very minimal and simple. The over shirt in it is featured here.

Speaking of great clothes to put over things, this very cool Bestall Astern Peacoat is all that. You can see it included in this striking wardrobe:

All gray is great, but you can’t beat a black on black wardrobe.

What’s cool and fashionable? This T shirt: “The Garbage T-shirt diverts waste like old clothes and plastic bottles from landfill and repurposes it into sustainable clothing.” Relatedly, the New Balance 57/40 are also using sustainable material. Also cool and minimal AND vegan:  Oliver Cabell Vegan 481 sneaker. This  scooter is cool. These Yeezy Shades are cool no longer.

(All images: links to Uncrate).

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The suit is dead! Long live the suit!

Posted on October 17, 2022 | Comments Off on The suit is dead! Long live the suit!

The suit is dead! Well, if not dead, likely on death’s door. To see what I mean, read this: The end of the suit: has Covid finished off the menswear staple?  The suit has been already dying off somewhat in the last few years, with the decline in necktie use and the introduction of more casual shoes to go with it, among other adaptations. Perhaps it will be gone altogether in the next few years.

I was thinking about the death of the suit when I was eyeing this work above in London last spring. That form of business attire has been dead for centuries! No doubt in centuries from now people will be standing in galleries looking at painting of men with neckties and double breasted  blazers and thinking how odd it looks, just like how we think the Dutch men above look odd. Suits — of all eras — eventually die off.

What will not die off, though, is the need for some form of fashion to indicate the person wearing it has a specific business function. What form that will take, I don’t know, but there will be something, some form of “suit”, that indicates you are talking to a doctor or a lawyer or a banker or a businessman (or woman) of some stature. Of that you can be sure.

The suit (as we know it) is dying: the suit (will come to know) is being born. Long live the suit.

 

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Is Kanye West a good clothing designer? And other fashion thoughts

Posted on August 25, 2022 | Comments Off on Is Kanye West a good clothing designer? And other fashion thoughts

Is Kanye West a good clothing designer? That’s a good question, and one this piece spends many words considering. Part of the problem is what is the standard for “good”. His work resembles the work of other good designers. His work, like the products he makes for the GAP or this  Goyard Robot Face Backpack, seem to be sought out by people:

I don’t think he is good as some of the best clothing designers, from Armani to Valentino. But I don’t think he is bad either. Just how good he is will be best measured over time. One thing for sure, he is not dull. That’s a good thing.

Now if you are thinking: I could do better than Kanye! Well, here’s just the course for you! It will show you how to Cut and Sew a Jacket from Start to Finish. You too can soon have your clothes in the GAP! 🙂

As people head back in the office, I wonder if styles like these Japanese inspired  Moshemi pants will stay in vogue.  I did like that particular pair.

I liked these NB trail shoes too:

Men’s running shoes often have boring colour palettes: those don’t.

Finally, thanks to Cup of Jo for this piece on  Striped shirts. Like dots, stripes never go out of style. If you are freshening up your wardrobe this Fall, why not add some bold stripes to the mix? There are so many ways you can bring stripes into your wardrobe. If you are leaning to the sporty side, you cannot go wrong with Adidas:

(Images from the good folks at Uncrate)

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There are three good suits you can wear in the summer, and linen is the best (ignore The Guardian)

Posted on August 18, 2022 | 1 comment

There are three good suits you can wear in the summer: cotton, linen and seersucker.

Seersucker is lightweight and doesn’t wrinkle easily, but it tends to be limited in terms of colour options. (The one on the left in the photo above looks good though). If you have to wear suits in the hotter months, having a seersucker suit will help you get through them.

Cotton is also lightweight and can come in a wider range of colours than seerksucker.  However cotton wrinkles. Alot. Really it is a dry cleaners dream. It looks great well pressed, but after a few minutes it looks wrinkled and disheveled.

That’s why I like linen: it looks great pressed, and it looks great wrinkled. Plus it comes in lots of colours and cuts. Hands down it is the best looking of the three types of summer suits and it has been for some time. I had a black linen suit from Hugo Boss and even in the heat I could wear it and feel comfortable.

That’s why you should ignore the Guardian when it talks about how the loose linen suit became retirement wear. They use Boris Johnson wearing linen as an example of why (younger) men should not. I mean, please. The other comparison point is Brad Pitt who wisely decided to promote his new film in the hotter months by suiting up in linen. A smart choice. (Also note the style of Pitt: draw string pants, loose necklines, casual shoes….all good looks to steal.)

It would be a shame if men, especially young men, gave up wearing linen suits. They are extremely versatile in terms of cuts, colours and styles. They are supremely comfortable. You can wear them to a wedding and you can wear them to a show. You can wear them in the city and you can wear them in the country.

Need more convincing? See the site Man of Many, which has good tips on wearing a linen suit. Stay cool, stay stylish, get linen.

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Issey Miyake was more than a designer of turtlenecks for Steve Jobs

Posted on August 10, 2022 | Comments Off on Issey Miyake was more than a designer of turtlenecks for Steve Jobs

An outfit of Miyake

I’ve been a fan of the late great Issey Miyake since the 1980s. No one at the time was doing anything as wonderful with fabric as was. Perhaps Armani, but Armani’s cuts seemed conservative in comparison.

It’s an odd thing, but this week when he died, many of the news articles kept mentioning how Miyake designed the classic turtlenecks that Steve Jobs wore all the time. And it’s true, he did make those black tops of Jobs. However, those were among the least interesting thing he designed. To get a sense of just how beautiful his clothing designs could really be, see this: Issey Miyake’s best celebrity fashion moments at the Daily Mail. As well, Vogue has some highlights. (This piece in the Guardian is the best by far in recognizing his greatness.)

It’s quite a legacy. And right up until the end, he was making beautiful clothes.

Besides the clothes, he has always been associated with great fragrances. Next time you can, pay your local fragrance shop a visit and see if you can get some. You may not be able to wear his garments, but you can wear his scents.

(Image: link to image in Daily Mail piece)

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The New York Times says you should replace your baseball hat with a bucket hat. They are wrong :)

Posted on July 26, 2022 | Comments Off on The New York Times says you should replace your baseball hat with a bucket hat. They are wrong :)


The New York Times thinks men should replace their baseball cap with a bucket hat. I say, No.

First off, a baseball cap can look stylish if worn the right way, even with a nice summer suit. But if you insist on switching it up, you CAN go with a bucket hat, sure. I mean, they are very trendy right now. In his latest film, even Brad Pitt’s character wears one.

And that’s one of the problems with them. For young men, bucket hats look great. But as you start pushing into your late 20s or more, you look like an old guy trying to look like a young guy. That’s never a good thing.

The other problem with bucket hats is a practical one: the brim is often too narrow. It doesn’t provide any shade for your eyes or protection of the sun. Other than hiding a bald spot, all it does is make your head hot. Who needs that?

What you do need is a good straw hat. A straw hat works in any situation. You can wear it to the beach, you can wear it to a fancy restaurant. It provides coverage from the sun. It’s lightweight. It breathes. It comes in all shapes and sizes. It never goes out of style.

So toss the baseball cap, skip the bucket hat, and get a good straw hat. Or several. They don’t even cost much. This Straw Hat from H&M costs 12 bucks. And looks great.

 

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The irony of the Nike’s new shoe, the NikeCraft x Tom Sachs General Purpose Shoe

Posted on June 8, 2022 | Comments Off on The irony of the Nike’s new shoe, the NikeCraft x Tom Sachs General Purpose Shoe

If this shoe was coming out from anyone other than Nike, I would just straight-up praise it. It’s a practical shoe. It will likely wear well over the months and even years. If you are someone who likes to wear the same shoe all the time (e.g. Birkenstocks or Blundstones) then these could be perfect for you.

Coming from Nike, though, which is famous/notorious for making rare and high priced shoes intentionally, the fact that they make these and portray these shoes as typical of them is …well, something.

To step back, Nike does make shoes for different markets. The Pegasus brand and the Air Force 1 lines are for mass markets, just like these are. Just like the Jordan brands and other high end lines are for different markets. It’s all just capitalism: they have a model for whatever you value and whatever your values are. For more on the these shoes, check out Uncrate and Yanko Design.

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On the Gap, sweat shirts, Ralph Lauren blazers and other things fashion

Posted on May 4, 2022 | Comments Off on On the Gap, sweat shirts, Ralph Lauren blazers and other things fashion

It’s funny: the reason my blog was able to get so many visits initially was because someone at the New York Times took me to be a influential fashion blogger and put me on their blogroll many years ago. Talk about good luck!

Since then I have not wrote much about fashion. I don’t know why. It’s not like my deep thoughts on other things are all that great. Maybe I wanted to come across as smart and not shallow and scattered like I am.

Time to change that up. So here’s a good story on The end of the Gap and their Rise and Fall. Very good journalism.

Speaking of good journalism, the Guardian has a great weekly newsletter on fashion. Here’s one such piece: A shopping guide to bold men’s sweatshirts. Highly recommend subscribing to their fashion newsletter.

For sneakerheads: these Nike X black Comme des Garcons Eagle sneakers look great:

Who knows if I can link to this image on the Bay for long, but I love this unconstructed madras blazer from Ralph Lauren, below. I had one like it when I was in my 20s and I loved it.

Pair this up with linen top and pants that pick up the colours in the blazer and you will be well suited up. Add some espadrilles and thin socks and you will bear any heat in style.

 

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The 80s were cool. Don’t believe me? Ask the kids

Posted on February 2, 2022 | Comments Off on The 80s were cool. Don’t believe me? Ask the kids

It’s easy to mock any era for its excesses – and the 80s had those – but it still had much good about it. Perhaps that’s one reason why some Zoomers are so wistful for that era. Your mileage may differ, but I think the kids are alright.

One of the things about that time that was great was Giorgio Armani. I love his clothes and his look then, and I still do. Here’s a good piece on what makes it great: Permanent Style.

Finally this is fun: New Yorkers and Their 80s Routines, Block by Block (NY Times)

Top image from the Armani piece, bottom from the Times piece.

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In praise of monochrome coloured clothing

Posted on October 17, 2021 | Comments Off on In praise of monochrome coloured clothing

After reading these two pieces:

I want to pile on and recommend monochrome. As they say, monochrome dressing (i.e. wearing only one colour at a time) is a good way to simplify your dressing. It’s also a good way to travel too: having only one colour to wear means you need to take less and everything goes together.

You don’t have to be as bold as to wear lime or violet: black, blue and gray all work nicely. And if you are wearing summer clothes, all white or all beige is excellent.

If you kind of like the idea but find it too much, mix in some neutral colours: blue and a bit of gray, black and a touch of white, brown and beige combined. Easy!

However you do it, monochrome dressing makes it easy to get dressed and make a statement at the same time. What’s not to like?

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One last thing on AOC and the Met Gala

Posted on September 15, 2021 | Comments Off on One last thing on AOC and the Met Gala

The best thing written on AOC and the Met Gala was written here: Activism Is Now In Fashion – The Atlantic.

I had planned to write something, but that piece is so good I can’t possibly express my meh feelings to the empty activism and her presence there better than that piece does. For example, this is just one sliver of goodness from the Atlantic piece:

 Ocasio-Cortez has fired up her base, raised her profile, and reminded everyone that she is the standard-bearer for today’s activist left.

At the same time, the Met Gala is essentially a costume ball, which removes the potential for actual subversion…the Met Gala red carpet is now an arena where people go to make statements, which inevitably robs those statements of their power. No one here is rebelling against the Man. The Man loves the extra publicity; it helps sell more $35,000 tickets to socialites who love a frisson of revolution as long as it’s safely divorced from the threat of actual tumbrels. … The Met Ball is … a safe space for political statements that all attendees will applaud, regardless of whether they truly believe them. … no one gets booed, or thrown out, or shunned by their peers for wearing an ensemble supporting any progressive cause to the Met Gala. … So what is the risk of wearing a sloganeering outfit to the Met Gala…? For Ocasio-Cortez, that’s just a day ending in a Y. (Emphasis is mine)

I like AOC for her intelligence and her seriousness and I like the Met Ball for it’s vapid ridiculousness. The two don’t mix. I am glad she got to enjoy the party and wear a great dress and support a good designer, but either go and acknowledge you are part of the ridiculousness, or stay serious and avoid it.

Image from the New York Times. Their piece on it is worthwhile too.

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The Gap Jacket from Kanye

Posted on June 16, 2021 | Comments Off on The Gap Jacket from Kanye

After the hype of the collaboration of Kanye West and Gap, we now get to see the first item from what should be a long partnership. The jacket (above) is a bit of a surprise for me. I am so used to West using muted colours that I was pleasantly pleased to see he went with an electric blue. That’s a good sign. And the price is reasonable too.

Here’s hoping the pairing of the brand with the artist is beneficial to both of them.

For more details, see Uncrate.

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Crocs are back. It’s ok :)

Posted on June 11, 2021 | Comments Off on Crocs are back. It’s ok :)

Crocs shoe
According to this piece in Esquire, Crocs are back.

Well, I guess. I can’t ever see them having the classic appeal of Stan Smiths or Converse high tops, but I can see why people might pick them up from time to time. I wear them around the house every day. I find them perfect if you do a ton of standing. But wear them outside? Nope. Strictly a utility shoe for me. I suspect they will go back to being that for a lot of people after this latest craze.

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With Nike’s Every Stitch collection, athleisureware grows up

Posted on March 31, 2021 | Comments Off on With Nike’s Every Stitch collection, athleisureware grows up

To me, athleisureware is athletic clothing worn for some activity other than working out. Nike is taking that to another level with their Every Stitch collection. It’s made of similar materials to work out gear, and it comes from a company that makes workout gear, but it’s not workout gear. One example is in the photo above.

It’s a great collection, I think. If you want to see more on the collection, go here.

If you love it, you can buy it here.  Nice it is: cheap it isn’t.

Perhaps this is the next progression in men’s and women’s fashion, just as the sport coat went from being clothing you wore for hunting or horseback riding to something worn every day.

From: Nike Spring ’21 Every Stitch Considered Collection | Uncrate

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How to shop smarter online

Posted on March 24, 2021 | Comments Off on How to shop smarter online

With the pandemic, we’ve all been shopping a lot more online. Even when the pandemic is over, I suspect we will still do so, though not as much. To do it better, I recommend you read this: ‘Will you wear it 30 times? If not, don’t buy’: the experts’ guide to online shopping | Fashion | The Guardian

It’s a smart guide to getting the most out of online shopping.

(Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash)

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You know you want to know: how to dress up sweatpants

Posted on January 12, 2021 | Comments Off on You know you want to know: how to dress up sweatpants

Like many of us, Fashion has thrown in the towel and has decided to embrace sweatpants. Don’t just take my word on it; here’s one of  the Guardian’s fashion writers explaining, well,  How to dress up sweatpants.

Once the pandemic is over, I predict we are going to see a wave of fashion that is the total opposite of sweats. In the meantime, if you are going to wear them, use that article to be both comfy and stylish.

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The Nimbus Cloud 990v5 running shoes from New Balance

Posted on December 1, 2020 | Comments Off on The Nimbus Cloud 990v5 running shoes from New Balance

NB 990s

New Balance has been making some form of the 990s for a very long time. If you are a clydesdale runner you may have owned one of more of these.

I wanted to highlight this pair because I just love the styling of them. Long after they no longer provide you the cushioning you need to run with, you can still walk around in them and be stylish IMHO.

For more info on them, check out this Uncrate piece.

Of course, you can also go to the New Balance site. The all black ones look great too.

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In praise of the cardigan, perfect for your pandemic fashion needs

Posted on November 19, 2020 | 1 comment

Fancy cardigan
Finally! Advice we can all use: How to wear a statement cardigan | Men’s fashion in The Guardian

You might think I am joking but I am not: the cardigan is my favorite article of clothing. It’s dressier than a hoodie, more comfortable than a jacket, adjustable for different temperatures, and definitely stylish. I mean look at that one above! A cardigan with a shirt and tie is casual chic. Add more layers and you will be the picture of elegance.

I only have one piece of advice about cardigans: if you see one you like, do not hesitate to buy it. Clothing lines usually have a very limited number of cardigans they make every year, and often those are boring. Some years I have not found one good cardigan worth owning. A good cardigan is a rare and wonderful thing: don’t hesitate to get one or more.

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On the greatness of wearing black

Posted on October 31, 2020 | Comments Off on On the greatness of wearing black

Earlier in the week, I wrote about the importance of wearing red. While red is great, there’s much to be said for wearing black, and Grace Dent says it so well, here. As for me, I’ve argued that if a man has to have only one suit, it should be a black one. Gray and navy are great colours for suits, but black is best. After all, if you wear a white dress shirt, solid black tie and suit, you will look cool .

You could do worse than look as cool as this:

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Hey man. Wear more red

Posted on October 28, 2020 | Comments Off on Hey man. Wear more red

Men don’t wear enough red, in my humble opinion. That’s too bad, because red is a great color to wear. Especially so in the cooler months, when men’s clothes tend to go towards darker and neutral colors.

If you are interested but unsure how to proceed, then check out this Guardian article. It has the tips you need. (The above picture is from there. The red shoe laces are really great. Consider getting a red watch band or a red scarf too.)

Meanwhile, here are my rules for wearing Red, written in 2008. They never go out of style:

  1. Bernie’s Rule of Wearing Red | Smart People I Know
  2. Bernie’s Rule of Wearing Red Revisited | Smart People I Know

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On capsule wardrobes, or minimalism in the closet

Posted on October 17, 2020 | Comments Off on On capsule wardrobes, or minimalism in the closet

If you are transitioning your clothes from summer to winter, you might be asking yourself: why do I have all these clothes? Do I need so many pieces? What can I do to pare down?

One option is to aim for a capsule wardrobe.  Here’s a piece on how to create one.For more on this, see this.

As for me, I am a failed minimalist, and I would likely fail at this too. But I feel the need to do it.

P.S. These guides are directed at women’s wear, but people who wear traditional men’s clothing can easily adapt this.

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For fans of Lego and sneakers…

Posted on September 26, 2020 | Comments Off on For fans of Lego and sneakers…

There is this: the Lego/Adidas collaboration!

If I were a Lego fan I would so want a pair. They debut September 25. 

See the link for more pics and details.

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The problem with hand me down cheap clothing?

Is simple: it’s wanted less and less. As this piece shows, No One Wants Your Used Clothes Anymore. 

What’s changed? Well…

For decades, the donation bin has offered consumers in rich countries a guilt-free way to unload their old clothing. In a virtuous and profitable cycle, a global network of traders would collect these garments, grade them, and transport them around the world to be recycled, worn again, or turned into rags and stuffing.

Now that cycle is breaking down. Fashion trends are accelerating, new clothes are becoming as cheap as used ones, and poor countries are turning their backs on the secondhand trade. Without significant changes in the way that clothes are made and marketed, this could add up to an environmental disaster in the making.

I think there is no easy remedy for this, unless you’re someone happy to wear a limited number of pieces of clothing over and over again. But something will have to change. If you thought all those clothes you put in the donation bin are going on people’s bodies and not to the garbage dump, then read the piece.

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Posted on January 20, 2020 in fashion, new!

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Is Forever 21 doomed?

Yesterday I asked that about Muji. The short answer for Muji: not doomed yet, but in trouble.

For Forever 21, it appears to be a different story. If you read this, The Failure of the Fast-Fashion Forever 21 Empire – Bloomberg, you see an organization in big trouble, with poor management and poor demand for their product. It is still possible for them to pull out, but I would be surprised if Forever 21 is still a going concern in 2021.

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Posted on January 17, 2020 in fashion, new!

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What the smart socialists are wearing these days…


Is socialist slogans spelled out in pinstripe! Interesting. For more on this, see:  Socialist pinstripe: the secret message stitched into Jeremy Corbyn’s new suit | Politics | The Guardian

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Posted on December 9, 2019 in fashion, new!

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Atoms Shoes: now in quarter sizes


Among other good features of  Atoms Shoes is their availability in quarter sizes. So if you really want an accurate fit, you can get it. They are a nice looking shoe, too. Worth checking out.

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Posted on October 8, 2019 in fashion, new!

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How to make a man’s Zara suit look expensive


GQ has the five good ideas here: 5 Tricks That’ll Make Cheap Suits Look More Expensive. I said “Zara” but you could do the same with lower end suits as well.

I’d add:

  1. Get the whole suit tailored to fit. They mention the sleeves, but if you get the jacket tapered to your body, the impression of fit will be strong and it won’t look off the rack.
  2. Go with a conservative colour. I like this suit over the one in the GQ article. It’s somewhat bold with windowpane plaid (vs pinstripe or solid), but the charcoal grey tones it down. Grey suits and jackets are deceptive: even the cheapest of them are hard to guess how expensive they are unless you look closely and know clothing.
  3. Go with good accessories in general, not just shoes. A great watch, French cuff shirt with cufflinks, a beautiful tie: all of those things give an impression of being expensive. Be bold here. I like how the suit pictured is paired with a shirt and tie that have a tiny pattern to compliment the larger pattern of the suit. It’s a good look. And his shoes stand out in a good way and look great with the tapered pant.

For details on this suit, go here.

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Posted on September 18, 2019 in fashion, new!

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On Fred Perry, fashion writing, and the Guardian


Here are two pieces on the association of Fred Perry and political fashion.. This one, Why does the far right love Fred Perry? Mainstream fashion is its new camouflage | by Cynthia Miller-Idriss in The Guardian and this one, Fred Perry, Proud Boys, and the Semiotics of Fashion.

The first one superficially touches on how the political right adopts certain clothing to wear as a uniform. The second goes deep into the history of clothing to signify membership within social groups.

If you read the first one, you’d get the impression that some good PR could shift the negative associations of the far right with Fred Perry. After reading the second one, you may realize it would be much harder to do than that. The associations go deep.

Sadly, many of the pieces I read in the Guardian are like that. They are a good jumping off point, but if you want to better understand a subject, you need to go elsewhere.

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Posted on September 4, 2019 in fashion, new!

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Supreme is releasing a branded 3G burner phone *eye roll emoji*

If you must, more about it is here: Supreme is releasing a branded 3G burner phone

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Posted on August 19, 2019 in fashion, new!

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The fascinating story of Paris Green, a tint that literally was drop dead gorgeous

I love stories about colours and their origins, but this one on Paris Green is especially good: This Trendy But Toxic Shade of Green Left Thousands Dead in the Victorian Era.

Turns out 19th century patrons loved this tint that was produced using…arsenic. You can imagine how this turns out, but save your imagination and read the story.

Image and story from Town and Country, of all things. Not sure how I came across it, but I am glad I did.

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Posted on August 2, 2019 in fashion, new!

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On the mechanics of the Met Gala

Posted on May 17, 2018 | Comments Off on On the mechanics of the Met Gala

The Met Gala recently completed as it does every year, and it seems to draw more and more attention. Part charity event, part costume spectacle, it is a parade of fame and fortune and costume.

Yet even if you could afford the $30,000 for one ticket, you can’t necessarily get one. As this piece illustrates, there’s alot more to it than that.

Sure if you are Rhianna, you pretty much get to go the front of the line. For anyone else, reading the article in the New York Times will tell you all you need to know about this event.

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This is nerdtastic: Columbia’s limited edition “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” Collection

Posted on December 16, 2017 | Comments Off on This is nerdtastic: Columbia’s limited edition “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” Collection


Yep. Columbia Sportswear has teamed up with the folks at Star Wars to produce this limited edition collection of clothing, and the details on it can be found here in this Design Milk article. Since it is a very limited collection, I expect that (A) it will sell out very quickly (B) the pieces will show up again for exorbitant prices on sites like eBay. Still…fun.  Cosplay people can get this and wear it all winter long! Good luck if you try and get it.

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Thoughts on the legend that is Jean-Michel Basquiat

Posted on May 20, 2017 | Comments Off on Thoughts on the legend that is Jean-Michel Basquiat

Basquiat in a suit

The big art news this week was a record sale for one of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s paintings.  Right after reading about that, I saw this tweet by Will Black: “Painting by street artist Basquiat, who lived in a cardboard box, sells for $110.5m in New York. Value PEOPLE while they are ALIVE”.

A few thoughts on that tweet. First, while Basquiat may have been poor starting out, by the time he died too young at the age of 27, he had a net worth of $10 million dollars. Second, that transition from poverty and obscurity to wealth and fame was fast. We should value people while they are alive, but there are better people to use as an example than Jean-Michel Basquiat.

As for my own thoughts, I have always loved Basquiat’s paintings since the 80s. Their greatness was there from the beginning. If we knew nothing else about the artist than his work, we would still think he was great.

But Basquiat was not just a painter: he was more like a rock star. Like Keith Haring, he had a public persona more akin to music superstars much in the same way that Andy Warhol did. It’s no surprise that Basquiat was influenced by Warhol in more ways than one. And now, at least in the world of the art market, he has surpassed Warhol.  It’s good to see that too. For many reasons.

Jean-Michel Basquiat had something else that was great, and that was his sense of style. There’s a good piece in Dazed on the importance of clothing to him. They correctly note that:

Jean-Michel Basquiat was a fashionable man. He walked the Comme des Garçons runway for their SS87 collection and favoured the long, slim cut, slightly militaristic jackets of Issey Miyake. Biographers and friends recall the stories of Basquiat setting up tabs at his favorite clothing boutiques, trading canvasses for clothes.

Jean-Michel Basquiat was a legend for his time, and a star. It’s good to see that star is getting brighter.

For more on his fashion, see: The meaning and magic of Basquiat’s clothes | Dazed. It’s a strong piece.

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Karl Lagerfeld and his Atelier in Paris (a must for book lovers)

Posted on December 2, 2016 | Comments Off on Karl Lagerfeld and his Atelier in Paris (a must for book lovers)

Karl Lagerfeld in his atelier

The Selby has a gorgeous photo shoot of the atelier of Karl Lagerfeld. Anyone who dreams of having a library in their home will love it. The photo above is just a taste: for a feast, see: Karl Lagerfeld at his Atelier in Paris in the selby

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Zara makes good fragrance for young men

Posted on August 10, 2016 | Comments Off on Zara makes good fragrance for young men


My teenage son was wanting to wear fragrance, and I found that when it comes to this, there is something of a dilemma. On one hand, low cost fragrances (e.g. under $20) smell awful. (Think fresh cut lime juice mixed with a bottle of cat urine.) Fragrances that are appealing, on the other hand, can easily cost $50, $60, $70 and more. This wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the fact that teen age boys (based on my limited observations) go through a lot of fragrance.

A way out of that dilemma is to buy fragrance from Zara. The fragrances above cost around $15 and they cover a range of scents. Some have more citrus, others more floral, some have dominant woody notes. In short, you can likely find a scent he will like that won’t cost you a fortune.

Do these fragrances have the richness or complexity of a product from Issey Miyake or Tom Ford? Nope. But he’ll smell better than his buddies drenched in Axe, even if he puts on too much at first, which he probably will. Your pocketbook and the people who have to share close space with him will thank you.

P.S. The two fragrances above come from a line of Zara fragrances named after famous streets. The packaging looks like the kind you would get with high end fragrances. I recommend them. That said, Zara has a number of fragrance lines. It will likely be painful, but try and get him to go and check out the fragrances himself so he will pick one he’ll like and wear.

P.S.S. These fragrances are not just for teenage boys,  of course. Anyone can wear them if it appeals to them.

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Glitches as a design pattern for fabric

Posted on May 19, 2016 | Comments Off on Glitches as a design pattern for fabric

The good folks at Glitchaus have taken an oddity of the digital world – glitches – and used it as the basis of their designs of scarves and wraps. If you are in need of either, or you’d just like to see some innovative fashion, it’s worth visiting their site.

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