What I Wore
Can’t Stop The Rain
Shirt: TOPMAN (TOPSHOP)
Jacket: Banana Republic (shop: similar to this Joseph Abboud blazer)
Pants: ZARA (shop: similar to these ASOS pants)
Necklace: Gift from Italy
Scarf: Thrifted (shop: similar to this Forever21 scarf)
Boots: Kenneth Cole (shop: similar to these G by GUESS boots)
Glasses: Tom Ford (shop: Tom Ford glasses)
I want to teach you how to add a punch (not a bunch) of color into your wardrobe. Sadly, for a lot of men a blue dress shirt is about as colorful as his clothing choices get. I’m not by any means encouraging Rainbow Bright ensembles, but I believe every man should integrate a bit of color into his wardrobe. It’s what separates the amateurs from the pros. You can start by building your wardrobe around colors that complement your eyes or your complexion, and if you don’t know what colors those are, then simply ask your girlfriend. She’ll know.
Before you master complex color combinations, you can start by simply adding an item of color that stays within the same color family as something else in your outfit, or you can add a new color as long as its complimentary. Orange and navy look good together, thats why I added the orange scarf to compliment my navy blazer. If you’re wearing a green dress shirt, go for a forest green tie or at least a tie in which dark green is a main contestant. You can also keep it simple by adding a brightly colored shirt with a dark suit and a dark tie. This look is always a winner.
Photo credit: Scott Hammel scotterpop.com
What I Wore
Spring Forward
Shirt: Penguin (similar to this Tommy Hilfiger shirt)
Tie: Forever21 (similar to this 1901 skinny knit tie)
Tie clip: Vintage
Blazer: ZARA (similar to this Band of Outsiders blazer)
Pants: Levi’s (similar to these ASOS carrot pants)
Glasses: Tom Ford
Shoes: Vans (similar to these Vans boat shoes)
Spring has finally arrived and even if you’re not the kind of guy that cares to have options, you should try to match your tie with the seasons. Pair your summery khaki and seersucker suits with cotton ties and your tweed and flannel with wool ones. Tie-makers offer a ton of options for both sides of the seasonal spectrum. Play with different patters and fabrics to add personality to your look. My favorite tie to wear is a silk knit tie like the one in this photo. It’s seasonless and always appropriate, and it adds lift to whatever I’m wearing, regardless of where I’m going.
What I Wore
Bright Hues
Shirt: Forever21
Jacket: ZARA
Silk knit tie: Forever21
Tie clip: Vintage
Shorts: ZARA
Belt: H&M
Scrabble ring: Micha Design
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban
Brown brogue shoes: ZARA
Socks: Target
I love shopping at stores like H&M, ZARA and Topshop, but shopping at these trendy and affordable retailers is no easy feat. It takes determination and great courage to take-on the gazillion racks of great, on-trend pieces, while retaining your mental health. Most importantly, it takes some serious skills to prevail. Here’s a few tips to shopping like a pro, maximizing your time, and walking out victorious — with the goods and your sanity intact.
TIP #1 Get there early
Get up early, pickup your grande caramel macchiato at Starbucks, and head over to the stores around 10am, when most of them start to open. This is the best time to shop because the racks are neatly organized with new inventory and the fitting rooms are tidy and readily available. Some stores, like H&M, get a foot traffic of over 900 shoppers every day after 1pm. That’s your queue to be done and out of there by then.
TIP #2 Shopping in the afternoon
Just because you’re not a morning person doesn’t mean you have to miss out. If the store is crowded, you should shop for things you know will fit so that you don’t have to try them on. This, however, does not mean you should ignore the fitting room. Check the racks back there, sometimes costumer’s castoffs are exactly what you’re looking for.
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What I Wore
The Ties That Bind
Shirt: H&M
Jeans: Levi’s
Parka: Forever21
Boots: Ralph Lauren
Beanie: Target
Necklace: G-Star RAW
Leather bracelet: H&M
Glasses: Tom Ford
Cross ring: TOPMAN (TOPSHOP)
GIVEAWAY
I am giving away the amazing Micha Design necklace I am wearing in this look. To enter this giveaway, simply sign up for my REYALFASHION Newsletter. That’s it. Nice and simple. The winner will be announced on Monday, February 6, 2012.
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Sh*t Fashion Girls Say
“HHH!!! Sample saaaaaale!”
“Oooohh… Barneys is on double markdown.”
“Do you have this in a size two? Who’s wearing this one? Moo.”
“Grace Coddington is the unsung hero of Vogue.”
“Did you see Gossip Girl this week? I want like all of Blake’s coats.”
“It looked like Forever21 vomited all over her.”
“She looks fat in that. Oh no, she’s totally pregnant.”
“You look so chic right now. Chic. So chic. I know right. Meeeegaa chiiiiiic. It is like super chic.”
“Uuuhh is this Wang? Totes Wang.”
“Is this McQueen?”
“We interned together at Isaac Mizrahi…and she sucked a lot of….”
“Can I have a non-fat half-sweet no-whip soy latte? Thanks.”
“Tweet it! OMG I’m totally tweeting that.”
“Did you see that tweet from Zac Posen? Hashtag totes amaze!”
