Picture Postcard - Dressing in monochrome

Seeing double...The two covers of VMAN's Spring Issue

Dearest EJ

Thanks to the Fashionisto I just can't wait for next weeks trip to Borders where I will happily feed my magazine addiction but before I can, I came across the above images. The cover of the Spring issue of VMAN reminded me of your declaration in yesterday's window shopping outing that you wanted to wear a one colour outfit (with purple of course being your favourite choice from the spectrum). VMAN's cover story is dedicated to the second VMAN/FORD Male Model Search. This time the contest was too tight to call, so it was declared a tie. The result are two covers for VMAN’s spring 2009 issue. Dressed in coral, CJ Hancock wears the latest from Calvin Klein, while Jake Madden wears Givenchy. We should both give monochromatic dressing a try for Spring, I am game if you are (of course we'll choose better colours than the ones above)!

Much love

Steve

Recycled Winter Warrior

As posted on Thursday my plan for the weekend was to shop because I felt that my wardrobe was lacking important components which would help guarantee a comfortable and enjoyable winter. I had been inspired by James Long's aw08 collection and my shopping list included chunky knit accessories, leather gloves (which I have bought and subsequently lost for the past few years), an umbrella complete with shoulder strap from muji and most importantly a new winter coat. Yesterday was an awful, wet day made worse by the fact Susie was suffering the effects of her San Francisco trip combined with flu, so my shopping trip was postponed as we decided to turn up the heating and watch DVDs all day instead. Rather than traipsing the streets of London in the rain in search of the items which would help me achieve my 'Winter Warrior' look I raided the forgotten storage boxes on top of the wardrobes and although the look lacks the chunky knit accessories which I crave, the overall look was pleasing, here is the recycled warrior.

The recycled warrior look dissected with details...

1 - Unconditional bibbed white t shirt - this has been a spring/ summer staple of mine for the last two years which has been used as an undergarment here.

2 - Zipped poket detailed sweater by Minority - bought whilst in New York from about Glamour

3 - Unconditional wrap trousers - simply the most comfortable trousers I own which are destined to be my favourite trousers this season.

4 - Boots by Lanvin - a Parisan sample sale find. These aren't for the faint hearted and at first I was a little nervous wearing them but they have already protected my feet from the elements four times over the last week.

5 - Patent belt from Topman - I wish this came in a variety of colours.

6 - Coat by Zara - this is two years old but still looks pretty good.

On a different note, I signed up for Movember yesterday and if I'm brave enough to take part with my dubious facial hair then so can you! Let us know if you would like to join our group which was kindly set up by the one and only Thom Wong.

Girls who are boys who like boys to be girls

Oh I was quite the Blur fan as a youth. Marjan Pejoski is known for pushing gender boundaries in his collections and this collection is no different, however I've not been too drawn to the pieces until now. These looks are inspiring and most importantly wearable. Susie recently posted about this collection but I wanted to talk again about the menswear on offer. Yes the collection is pretty androgynous but I don't want to be sharing any of these pieces with her!

The AW/08 collection is something for guys and girls to swap, interchange and mix up in textures and shapes...

The beauty is (as always with good menswear) all in the cut and the drape. With a simple monochrome palette (although my favourite piece is the pistachio jacket), Pejoski is pushing menswear in ways other than colour. He is not afraid to play with the female silhouette, reforming it for the male, at times with spectacular results, at others interesting. Although it is stifling hot in London at the moment, I have to admit I am thinking about my next winter coat and Pejoski's outerwear is inspiring.

Picture postcard: keeping it simple

Why hello there Steve,

A lovely looking gent courtesy of Stylesightings for you today. My obsession with wardrobe_remix has been upped the past couple of days since your post on the subject. Something I've noticed though is that more quietly stylish outfits (no bright colours or outlandish shapes) such as the one above don't get commented on as much as others. I suppose this is why I felt like lauding this picture today. I very much hope that this sort of outfit is this chap's standard attire: not showy, not over the top and with an excellent bag. Of course I don't want everyone to dress like this all the time, but if more people did, you wouldn't hear me complaining.

Note to self: bright white trainers aren't always the enemy.

EJ

Well, I have to agree with you that more men should dress like this. It is simple which should attract the attention of most and the look is pretty universal yet stylish. The bag is the perfect 'busy day' bag.

Bluebirds are so natural...

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and are gearing up for your new year celebrations (be that expensive or cheap, hangover guranteed or a quiet night in). I am now back in London where I belong after having a quiet Christmas with the family by the seaside and eating far, far too much. This festive season is all about excess but the January belt tightening is on it's way (oh dear) but fortunately we have the sales and the fashion weeks not too far away.

After my recent blog post you might have concluded that I would be out savouring the sales all day every day fighting over the rails and piles of so called bargains but that just hasn't been the case. I hate shopping in crowded shops, during the sale madness the clothes are scattered across the rails and floors and fellow consumers take on a more panic stricken animal attitude, either fearful eyes and a look of terror or they come out fighting, elbowing their way to the reductions. Sales can be a scene of desperation, style at times is forgotten. Some people enjoy shopping in this madness, sifting through all of the rubbish just to find that nugget of a bargain but not this consumer.

My first full day in London was spent wandering around Selfridges with EJ and the girlfriend, where last year I was fortunate enough to find some great things but this time I just wasn't in the mood. I'm sure there were some great bargains among the racks and rack of clothes but from my half hearted glances I didn't see anything, only the very fortunate or those who put in the most work succeed in arenas like the Selfridges sale. My mind was made up to vist b Store and the Shop at Blue Bird the following morning. In the interim I did venture into Liberty's and was seduced by some of the reductions, for example a Maison Martin Margiela navy suit jacket which despite the substantial price cut was still a little out of my grasp. A couple of APC items were tempting but my will power was strong enough to dissuade me buying things that I didn't really want or need.

Now onto more happier and successful tales and the wonders that were to be found within the Shop at Bluebird. Adam Green once chirped 'Bluebirds are so natural' in his song 'Bluebird' and it the shop felt very natural to me. It felt so far away from my previous shopping experience at Selfridges which left me questioning the whole sale thing. I walked out of the shop at Bluebird with a huge smile on my face, I had a bagged myself a white Givenchy shirt for £55 and a pair of wrap trousers from Unconditional for £125 but had also enjoyed myself within the shop, which is well presented and has attentive and extremely pleasant staff! There was so much to choose from, ranging from Raf Simons tapered trousers and that metallic shirt, Omar Kashoura cardigans and shirts (check out the scary myspace music) alongside rails of countless items that were great!

The sale purchases teamed up with a pair of old but quite rare converse (black with red trim).

The Unconditional trousers are unlike anything I have in my wardrobe. Wrap fly, tapered bottom, they are a play on proportions and so damn comfortable.

If you like me are dissuaded from most sales I would recommend visiting the Shop at Bluebird which was fruitful for me alongside ventures inside b Store and Concrete.

Let us know about your own success stories or nightmares with the recent sales.

Lost Control. Found Style

Just to counter all of the colour we have been featuring lately, lets go in the monochrome world of Joy Division (as I'm getting excited about the film). They are one of our favourite bands and I have been waiting for this film for some time! Upon hearing the gossip that Jude Law was touted as playing Ian Curtis I must admit that I was a little worried but after seeing the recent stills I am excited once more.

The film is directed by Corbijn who is renowned as a photographer and image-maker to great bands like Depeche Mode and U2, but let's not forget Travis...and according to reviews Corbijn acquits himself well. According to Stephen Dalton for Times Online "He and his cinematographer Martin Ruhe frame Control in stark monochrome, a bold but appropriate choice, complementing both the angular modernism of Joy Division’s music and the northern social-realist tradition echoed in the film’s austere style." Even if there is no substance it seems that style wins out. The film 'Control' is a profile of Ian Curtis (played by Sam Riley...who looks remarkably similar).

For those of you who don't know (but damn it you really should, have you no taste!?) Curtis was the enigmatic singer of Joy Division whose troubles led him to commit suicide at the age of 23 (which is my age). I recently bought a photo book of a Joy Division gig and loved the style on the pages (this is now with EJ as it was a present for her). I'm not sure exactly what it is about them, they certainly aren't unique...I just think the fit and how they are worn just really works (or maybe I am seeing them through rose tinted specs) with the image of the band.

Sam Riley as Ian Curtis

Now you can help me out, is it the flash or are these jeans very Dior-esque? Either way I like them. I will leave you with an image of the jeans I am referring to and let me know your thoughts.

I have got a feeling that I have been seduced by all of the monochrome here. My next post will return to some colour.

Joy Division are a wonderful and much-imitated group (never so much as by Interpol a couple of years back!). Pictures from the photo book can be found here. I'm (well, Rob is) lucky enough to have a vinyl recording of that gig too.

I think what is so resonant about their look is that it just goes so well with the music they made. It has a sincerity about it, a sincerity that you find in their entire body of work. Can't wait for the film.