Controlled Bling 2: Rawyalty

Rawyalty designers are experimenting beyond the realms of conventional designing with bold, glamorous and stylish wear for men. Rawyalty T-shirts are characterized by rhinestones studded design varying from tribal shapes, simple phrases, medieval drawings, rocker drawing and unconventional designs that stand out from a mass of dullness. Created by an esteemed South Beach boutique genius, the Rawyalty men’s t-shirts send three distinct messages:
1. It shows attitude without saying a single word
2. Star-Like look (great for both Rock Stars and Hip Hop celebrities)
3. Controlled bling

The Rawyalty brand is available offline at select Nordstrom and Bloomindales. It is a young brand to look out for. Is it the next Ed Hardy / Christian Audigier?

French cuff shirt: a false impression

French cuff shirts are considered more formal, for dressing up and are the ideal business wear (particularly with the use of high quality cufflinks). However, one major false impression is that a French cuff shirt cannot be worn with open cuffs. I STONGLY DISAGREEE. A French cuff dress shirt can be worn with open cuffs. Brad Pitt in Ocean Eleven is the prefect example for the unbuttoned French cuff. The following picture will get my point across.

Importance of the Men’s Dress Shirt

Ask a woman this simple question: what can enhance the look, personality and appearance of a man in a matter of moments? The answer is a quality men’s dress shirt.

A men’s dress shirt can help reorganize the way you look. A dress shirt is comfortable and can be cool, fashionable, elegant, stylish and it is the easiest way to express your personality and style. You can wear them anytime and for any purpose.

The shirt is the most noticeable of the dress items. It is often said that the dress shirt is the first alphabet of person’s body language. You need to understand that the first impression may not always be the best impression if you pick the wrong shirt. Selecting a suitable and matching dress shirt is very important, and we recommend a woman’s advice. It is important to take into consideration the occasion, color, design, dimension, fabric and collar.

1. Dress for the Occasion: Each kind of occasion demands a particular set of color and design.
2. Know Your Dimensions: The most important aspect is not the sleeve length but the fit on the shoulders. If the fit at the shoulders is perfect and the sleeves are too short, please do not be alarmed. Simply fold back the sleeves. In such case, we recommend selecting a couture shirt with double side fabric.
3. Color: color is all around us and has more influence over our moods then you might think. When it comes to fashion, color is a powerful way to send non-verbal messages about your confidence and ability. A men’s dress shirt color implies the level of success, background, status, authority, personality and more. A man who wears a pink couture shirt actually creates an air of confidence because any man who dares to where it must be just that.
4. Design: There are endless impressive displays of men’s dress shirt styles and designs to choose from. You need to have a wide variety of designs and styles (different collar, stippled, solid colors, different collar designs, different button styles etc…)
5. Fabrics: Cotton is by far the most common fabric for dress shirts. All men’s cotton shirt are not created equal. Pay close attention to the fabric quality and please diversify. For instance, your closet must include a linen shirt.
6. Collar: the collar is the most important aspect of a men’s dress shirt. We discussed that point in a previous article.(LINK)

All men should adhere to this advice: Look Fabulous!

Luxury Men’s Shirt

Following is a sample of my favorite shirts from Bogosse. Please enjoy

Not safe for Work: ScarJo undresses for French Vogue

For the first time in forever, Kanye West’s blog has proved useful. He has posted exclusive pictures from Scarlett Johansson. We realize this is a menswear blog, but these pictures are really, really hot. You’re welcome!

Spotted: Swamp boots

In early March, when Milan Fashion Week ended, we told you to start buying fishing waders and swamp boots because the Prada show is one of the most accurate trend prognosticators out there. Well, the trend has already been spotted by The Sartorialist: The picture above was taken in Marais, Paris. The trench is perfection, the hair a risky choice, but the boots? The boots are forever.

Would you take fashion advice from this guy?

Idiosyncratic fashion designer Rick Owens is featured in Details giving a top ten list of fashion advice. Before you consider any of it, keep in mind that Mr. Owens has worn this , this, and made this. He is also in the new Vice fashion issue, where, in response to the question, ‘what’s your fashion aesthetic?’, he answers, “The low hum of a heavy industrial motor.” Grim. In any case, his rules:

1. I’m not good at subtlety. If you’re not going to be discreet and quiet, then just go all the way and have the balls to shave off your eyebrows, bleach your hair, and put on some big bracelets.

2. Working out is modern couture. No outfit is going to make you look or feel as good as having a fit body. Buy less clothing and go to the gym instead. [ed. we actually agree with this one]

7. Jean-Michel Frank, the thirties interior and furniture designer, supposedly had 40 identical double-breasted gray flannel suits. He knew himself and is a wonderful example of restraint and extravagance. [ed. this is what Jean-Michel looked like]

9. I hate rings and bracelets on men. I’m not a fan of man bags, or girl bags either—or even sunglasses. I don’t like fussy accessories.

The Look of the Week – Michael Stipe

Seen here, who knows where, is a man who has aged with style: Michael Stipe, of R.E.M. Take note David Lee Roth, Lindsey Buckingham and the rest. The picture is by The Sartorialist.

Valentino: the movie

The most talked about fashion movie of the year is Valentino: the Last Emperor. The film follows the Italian designer on his farewell tour, as he finished his last ready to wear and couture collections in 2008. Valentino has been working for 45 years, during which time he dressed Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor among other luminaries. Of the other great designers who came of age in the 60s, only Kaiser Lagerfeld, who actually went to the 45th anniversary Valentino celebrations in Rome last year, has outlasted him. The film is now showing in selected cities. Above and below, shots from Valentino’s last menswear shows.

Urban Spectacles return!

We’ve told you about Urban Spectacles before, a Chicago-based manufacturer of handcrafted, custom-made wood eyeglasses. Today we received Scott Urban’s latest newsletter, announcing brand new styles (seen above and below). But, as it turns out, Urban also has some major news: there might be an Urban Spectacles line in the works. Before, all eyeglasses were made to suit the customer’s needs, but the new line will expand into mass production (which might mean that the bespoke glasses production will decline). Urban says the new line may appear in a year.