Category: "Style Notes"

Mywardrobe.com AW10 Buyer’s Pick #2

Following the success of last week’s Buyer’s Pick debut feature from Lee Douros at mywardrobe.com we intend to waste no time bringing you the second instalment of his very stylish advice, this time in the form of his second pick from mywardrobe.com’s AW10 menswear collection.

Last week Lee talked us through a great reflective jacket from Stone Island that was guaranteed to be a talking point for fans of all thing tech-focused. With its heat sensitive qualities and glass microsphere technology the jacket is an amazing changing-colour dream coat, as well as being functional and waterproof…

This week Lee has chosen a great menswear accessory: this canvas messenger bag from heritage brand Belstaff is one of those pieces that’s bound to become a weekend staple – on-trend and perfect for when you’re out and about around town.

Here’s what Lee has to say:

‘The Mountain Messenger from iconic heritage brand Belstaff is a great addition to any weekend/off duty outfit.

Made from rugged cotton canvas and washed leather detailing, it ties in with the Outdoors trend that was evident in many Casualwear brands this season, who featured checked flannel shirts with elbow patch details, dirt and rusty coloured corduroy trousers and heavy weight Donegal knits amongst their key looks.

A bag that looks like you’ve had it for years (which due to the great craftsmanship, you will!), this a functional and practical piece from Great Outdoors powerhouse designers, Belstaff, that looks just as good when you’re darting through the city.’

We couldn’t agree more. Expect to spot them very soon on stylish-yet-rugged men riding bicycles, as they go about their enviably cool weekend plans…

The Belstaff messenger bag is available now at mywardrobe.com

Pretty Green to Open Carnaby St Store

Calling all mop-top, parka wearing mod-boys out there – Liam Gallager’s 1960s inspired label Pretty Green is set to open a temporary pop-up store on the iconic Carnaby Street at the end of the month, and we can’t wait to take a look inside. Set over two storeys the 2000sq ft store will house both the black and green label collections and will be the first dedicated Pretty Green store in London. The store promises to be haven for the contemporary Mod-boy, featuring exclusive one off pieces, an impressive panoramic image of the man himself on Brighton beach in the basement, and every Liam wannabe’s dream vehicle, a Lambretta Li 150 series 3 replica scooter.

The label’s attention to detail and emphasis on quality fabrics, cut and classic tailoring has made it a huge success with men after that 1960s look that Liam embodies, so here are a couple of pieces we’ll be rushing down to the store to take a look at. We love this classic Parka – possibly the epitome of Mr. Gallagher’s style – but also a great wardrobe staple that’s perfect for Autumn Winter.

Team the parka with this oxford button down shirt (currently in the sale…£75.00 £52.50), a cheeky swagger and a mad fer’ it attitude, and you’ll have the Pretty Green look down to a tee.

Pretty Green Temporary will be open at 11.00am, Friday 30th July -57 Carnaby Street, London.

New Raf Simons Accessories at Oki Ni

‘LOVE your wallet/i-pod holder/credit card holder…’, ‘Thanks, it’s new Raf Simons.’ Get practising this little exchange because after we show you the brand new Raf accessories that have arrived at Oki Ni you’ll be needing to use it to reply all of those guaranteed admiring comments.

The collection features a selection of sleek and modern looking leather accessories that includes a great i-pod holder, a really cool zipper wallet and a credit card holder – all available in classic black or off-white.

They look so good you’d almost not want to use them.

Raf Simons accessories are available from Oki Ni, see the full collection here.

Exclusive AW10 Buyer’s Picks from mywardrobe.com

We know all of our readers have impeccable style here at MFL for Him but a little bit of fashion advice never did anyone any harm, and with this in mind we’ve lined up a series of AW10 style picks from mywardrobe.com to get you outfit-ready for the coming season. But we also know that you’ll only take fashion advice from the best of those in the know so that’s why we’ve got mywardrobe’s sartorially savvy menswear buyer Lee Douros to take you though his picks for Autumn-Winter. And trust us, this is a guy that know his stuff.

So if we aren’t already, get us bookmarked now because we’ll be posting one of Lee’s very cool selections from mywardrobe’s AW10 collection each week – as well as his exclusive insight on the piece – so you can start looking forward to getting the lowdown from a real pro a little more often.

Lee’s first pick of the series is a great piece from Stone Island and it’s a really innovative addition to your wardrobe – tecchie fans take note: The Blue Liquid Reflective Coat has heat sensor technology which means that it changes colour depending the heat of your environment – pretty damn cool. To achieve this effect thousands of glass micropsheres are sprayed onto the jacket, which is then baked to set the colour and its reflective properties – that’s what we call impressive outerwear.

Here’s what Lee has to say:

‘The Blue Liquid Reflective Coat is a real landmark piece from Stone Island and we are happy to launch it for AW10 on my-wardrobe.com.

It encapsulates the brand’s constant research into technical advances in fabric construction by applying a liquid reflective coating over the base fabric which picks up direct light rays and bounces it back to the source. The styling of the jacket itself also keeps true to the brand’s ethos of functionality, featuring multi-zip-pocket detailing on the front, and a hood which is articulated and can be worn totally hidden, half extended – to create a neck insulator – or fully unzipped into a total head-covering hood.

The special badge on the shoulder also denotes this is a truly special piece. It is made in special white embroidery as opposed to the classic green and yellow to set the piece apart from the rest of the collection and highlight its limited number nature.

All in all, a real collector’s piece and one that will provide a great talking point, while keeping the wearer toasty through-out this and many winters to come.’

There you have it – straight from the fashion buyers mouth. We just can’t wait to see what Lee has in store for us, and you, next week.

Visit mywardrobe.com to see their AW10 collection in full.

Men’s Fashion Week Round up, Milan: Day 2

Continuing our round-up of Men’s fashion week in Milan, we move on to Sunday 20th June with more highlights from the top designers.

Bottega Veneta
Bottega Veneta presented a chic and luxurious but extremely wearable collection, with ultra relaxed suiting in bright whites, earthy burgundies and deep blues. When jackets were double breasted they were cut slightly loose and worn with low slung, almost slouchy trousers for a chic, laid back look. The single breasted ensembles were closer fitted in shades of stone and putty, but still worn with an air of relaxed nonchalance. We also saw a great section of spring-time khakis and burnt terracottas, with rolled up shorts, open funnel neck shirts and a very short pair of deep brown leather shorts.

Emporio Armani
It was sleek, sexy and fierce at Emporio Armani with lots of leather, sheer panels, crocodile print and a few chains here and there too. Models wore fitted leather trousers, sometimes slashed, sometimes crocodile print, mixed with leather waistcoats, sheer shirts and beguiling eye makeup. The show had a monochrome feel, with most looks either all black, all white, or a mix of varied grey-blues. At its softest the collection showed looser tailored trousers in a two-tone bluish fabric mixed with a sheer shirting and a ultra short sleeved blazer. Closely fitted tapered cropped trousers in light tones were worn with ankle length crocodile skin pointed boots and paired with tailored waistcoats in powder and egg-shell blue.

Gianfranco Ferre
There was a distinct gentlemanly vibe to this resort-feel collection of broad shouldered, slightly boxy blazers in luxurious twill cottons and light pinstripes. Alongside the more classic suiting looks there were also louche touches with two-tone geometric print shorts and blazers in shades of gold and blue. The colour palette picked up on one of the emerging trends from Men’s fashion week, which saw neutral shades of taupe and cream mixed with richer ochres and bold blues. Details were key, with buttons featuring at the tapered ankle of wide leg trousers and on the oversized pockets of the non-dress shirts.

Salvatore Ferragamo
It was a super chic collection from Ferragamo with a Riviera inspired collection in shades of crisp creams, champagnes and burnt umber, as well as classic whites and midnight blues for a more traditional Riviera look. The more neutral ensembles were interspersed with short shorts and sweater combinations in contrasting bright blue and white, with a flash of yellow at the feet with bold sandals. Classic boat necks were done in bright white with neutral stripes and knee length tailored shorts worn with white brogue type shoes.

Alexander McQueen

At McQueen we got the urban gentleman – slim fit trousers with utility style pockets were worn with classic herringbone checked blazers and grungy leather was worn underneath a city-style trench with a rich brocade silk scarf. Trouser lengths were cut short at the ankle and either super skinny or tapered, while jackets focussed on proportion, notably with an oversized overcoat in herringbone check and an unusually high-buttoned double breasted jacket worn with a red pocket.

Prada
Double denim was taken to a new level at Prada as we saw all-denim suiting, even down to the tie, worn on the catwalk. Elsewhere denim tops were worn tucked into billowing shorts, making for a real contrast in proportion to the slim fit neutral coloured suiting that opened the show. In between the denim suits and muted beige ensembles we had bursts of colour in the form of a bright orange blazer and turquoise green t-shirts worn with fresh blue shorts, before colourful striped jumpers towards the end of the show.

See all of the collections in full at GQ online.

Exclusive Private Sale at farfetch.com

Our dear MFL for him friends, we’ve got a little treat for you this Friday morning that’s guaranteed to get your weekend off to a good start. Farfetch.com, the online e-tailer that brings together some of the most exciting brands from exclusive boutiques around the world is offering you special people access to their private sale. Good times.

Farfetch.com boasts an impressive list of partners that includes Maria Luisa in Paris; b Store, Beyond the Valley and Feathers in London; Henrik Vibskov’s The-V-Store and Paristexas in Copenhagen, Tessabit in Como, Anastasia and Amercian Rag in California and Bblessing in New York. With a role-call like that you can imagine the kind of beauties they stock when it comes to the very best in menswear. And with discounts of up to 40% on selected items just think of the bargains you could pick up, pretty cool eh?

In case you needed any more persuading we’ve picked out a few of the pieces we’ve got our eyes on, just to tempt you…
These Marc by Marc Jacobs aviator style sunglasses from Mode de Vue, Paris are now £125.88 £107.00

We love this Acne grey jersey jacket from Sefton Men, London £215 £193

And from Paleari, Milan this Hugo Pratt double breasted cotton/linen jacket has caught our eye £468.60 £351

As well as these highlights you can get great discounts on a range of great labels including pieces from Rick Owens, Vivienne Westwood, Moncler, Paul Smith, Acne, Maison Martin Margiela, Opening Ceremony and Damir Doma as well as many more.

So go! Go and shop! But you can only access the sale via this link to the Farfetch.com site and only until 16th June.

Enjoy.

Exclusive Chipmunk Interview

Hip-hop star Chipmunk has teamed up with Foot Locker and adidas Shop this summer to launch the latest reincarnation of the iconic adidas Top Ten trainer. As the face of the campaign, Chipmunk will be pictured in Foot Locker windows nationwide when the must-have sneakers hit the shop floor on 6th June. We caught up with Chipmunk for a quick Q&A about the campaign, his personal style and why it’s all in the walk.

How does it feel to be fronting the campaign for such an iconic footwear brand and trainer?
Yeh, good! Cool! It’s kinda hard to explain, it’s good for both parties, you know, I’m into trainers – I like Footlocker, they’re into me – they like my music, so we just made it happen.

How do you wear your adidas Shop which is your favourite colour?
White, it’s summer “innit”. One thing I don’t do is leave a load of laces hanging out my trainers, you know, big bows and stuff, I just think it looks pretty young. Other than that I just do them up and put them on.

So how important is looking good to you?
Yeh man, I just feel that you’ve got to stay fresh, that doesn’t mean that you’ve got to wear designer clothes, I just personally like them to stay looking fresh.

How would you describe your style in 3 words?
Chipmunk, Jamaal, Indescribable.

When your not sporting your Adidas originals, what other brands do you like to wear?
Prada

Good choice…..

I like Prada, I’m hot on Prada, I’ve been on them for a long time.

What is your favourite item of clothing?
My favourite piece of clothing – I actually don’t have a favourite piece but I really like – footwear wise – Superstars and Stan Smiths. And I like plain things, so plain white and plain black t-shirts.

You like keeping it simple, so you let the rest do the talking?
Yeh man, it’s all in the walk.

When it comes to women who do you think has really good style?
Rhianna, Cheryl Cole and Pixie (Lott)

I’ve heard you say you’ve got the TP, total package,‘Look good, MC good make hits and still go on radio and roll with the MCs…’ so what’s the secret behind looking so good?

I think it’s all about confidence. For instance you might get dressed and say to your friend ‘what do you think’, and they might go ‘nah no way’, but it’s down to you ‘innit? I think you should just go for it, you know, you’ve got to be able to pull things off.

Can we expect a Chipmunk clothing line anytime soon?
Yeh you can! I’ve got my Chipmunk cartoon that I wear on my t-shirt, but yeh it’s probably going to pick up more after my tour then we can give it a proper push. I’m more towards the music side, but as well as that I’m into clothes, and kids like what I wear. Yeh we’ve got a t-shirt that’s been popular, so we’re going to branch out soon.

Chipmunk’s Shine Shine tour starts on 28th June and runs throughout July. Visit his website for more information.

The classic adidas Top Ten design is available in three colour ways and will be sold in Foot Locker stores nationwide from June 6th priced from £54.99. Visit footlocker for further information.

Emporio Armani Mens for Gaga


Alejandro, Alejandro…..Ally-Ally-jandro, Ally-Ally-jandro…Yes, we’ve got it stuck on repeat in our heads too, damn Gaga and her catchy tunes. And damn Gaga and her epic must-see videos – her latest offering in case you haven’t heard it, is ‘Alejandro’, a tale of…well, we’re not quite sure? But it does involve a semi-naked writhing Gaga and military-esque male dancers in heels and on leashes. Pretty standard then.

But Gaga is a fashion favourite and can pull in the big guns when it comes to great designers and directors. Following her last video, ‘Telephone’ which was directed by Jonas Akerlund and styled by Nicola Formichetti, Gaga’s latest video has been directed by legendary photographer and long time Madonna collaborator Steven Klein – watch closely and you might just spot the similarities…

And if that’s not fashion enough for you then you’ll be pleased to know that the military uniforms worn by Gaga’s brood of dancers have been designed and produced by none other than Emporio Armani. Complete with knee high boots, red arm band and military cap they look every inch the Gaga army. We know, you secretly want a Gaga army outfit yourself don’t you? Lucky lucky you, because the special looks will indeed arrive in store at Emporio Armani next season. Time to get practising those dance moves.

Ally-ally-jandro, ally-ally-jandro…

Watch the video here.

Dominic Cooper in Gucci

Dominic Cooper is quite the man-about-town at the moment – or should we say, the man-about-Cannes, as he’s been snapped living the high life in the French Riviera as he promotes his new film Tamara Drew.

With the new film receiving rave reviews at the film festival it’s not only is his career that’s looking good, but so is his wardrobe, as Dominic is captured at this photo call in a very laid-back yet stylish Gucci ensemble. Dominic hasn’t quite got that aloof film star persona going on just yet, and he looks like you could go for a drink with him and still have a laugh – plus he lives with best mate James Cordon which we’re sure is a combination that guarantees a good time.

Wearing an indigo plain silk v neck from the Gucci men’s SS10 RTW line, teamed with a white cotton v neck tee Dominic pulls off a really relaxed and classic look. The colour is a great choice against his Cannes-tan and Dominic looks like he’s well on the road to achieving that off-duty movie star look.

As he’s looking this good, maybe we should try and go for a drink with him while we can before he starts jetting off to spend time with the film elite on a more permanent basis…

Dom, give us a call.

The Return of the Man Heel


You’ve heard of the mandigan – the man’s cardigan, now prepare for the meel, yes that’s right, the man’s heel. It seems that for the first time in three decades the elevated shoe for men is back, and this time it’s not glam rock that’s leading the way, but high fashion.

According to The Times man heels were spotted at the Paris shows this Spring in audiences including both Gareth Pugh and Rick Owens, as well as at Pam Hogg and Rodarte in New York. When it comes to the designers who are daring to take the man heel to new heights, look out for Jean-Michel Cazabat and Rick Owens himself, who are both producing heels in excess of four inches – proper heels then. The trend continued from the catwalk on to the sidewalk as the very stylish attendee pictured above proves with his super-high peep toes and fringed bag, captured by fashion blogger Peter Stigter.

We rather like the idea of man-heels, although there is the distinct possibility that they could transform even the most dapper man into a Frank-n-Furter wannabe. Saying that, Mr. Style himself Marc Jacobs admits to wearing heels that are featured in his shows during hours of long fittings, but added ‘I don’t wear them out on the street.’ So if you, like Jacobs, quite like the idea of a couple of extra inches in the shoe-department but aren’t quite ready to venture outside in them, there is a more discreet option available. James Taylor & Sons of London make ‘status shoes’ which appear much the same as a regular heel, but have a hidden 1 ½ inch lift inside the shoe. Sneaky.

Whether you’ll be stepping out in four inch meels or secretly bumping up the height chart with hidden status shoes is purely a matter of taste, but when it comes to embracing the trend for a man-heel then we’re pretty sure it’s going to be when rather than if. There’s a reason us girls love our heels, and once you’ve tried them there’ll be no going back – just as long as you don’t start stealing our favourite pair…