Sunday, December 29, 2013

Spotlight on........

Ashton Michael.

I discovered Ashton Michael whilst watching ANTM cycle 20 which featured their clothing and the genius behind this clothing.

Ashton Michael collections are futuristic, edgy yet somewhat rebellious designs that play with hard and soft textures and layered finishes. You will often see Ashton Michael designs in black and white with an androgynous street feel about them.

So who is the designer behind this label?

That would be Ashton Hirota. Hirota who grew up in Los Angeles, debuted as a designer when he was19 years old with designs first being sold in NYC and Tokyo.

Today, Ashton Hirota customs designs for celebrities such as will.i.am, Chris Brown and R Kelly under his label Ashton Michael.

Ashton Michael's latest collection for SS '14 is called Ashton Michael - Black Crossed.

The brand's official website http://ashtonmichael.com will soon feature a shop section, however you can purchase Ashton Michael now at farfetch.com.  You can also follow the label on twitter at @AshtonMichaelLA



R Kelly wears Ashton Michael at the 2013 American music awards


will.i.am arrives at LAX wearing Ashton Michael

will.i.am and Leah McFall on stage wearing Ashton Michael

D.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Styling my NYE.....

There's currently excitement in the air at my house at the moment and it has a little something to do with New Year's Eve. Yes the partying is going to be great, but what I'm most excited about is what I'm going to wear.

New Years is a time when you have an excuse to dress up, whether it's in theme or on trend, because it's about champagne, cocktails, canapés and fireworks and that means glamming or trending it all out. Some may even say pimping it up.

Traditionally, NYE has been my excuse to go head to toe in all white, (P Diddy style) but this year I want to be different and I'm thinking of trying something very different. 

I'm heading to a ticketed NYE party in Melbourne this year and the theme is H2O. That's all fine and good but when I look at what the dress code is, it states "Smart Casual".................

Wait Whhhaaaattt? WTF is smart casual and why are you applying it to a NYE party? Then a light bulb goes on in my head. I can kill 3 birds with 1 stone. ( yes I know it's 2).

1. I can select my own theme,

2. It can be "Smart Casual", and

3. It's currently on trend.

Oh hold on........there's actually a fourth bird...

4. I get to go shopping for new clothes.

Shut the front gate! you say.

So anyway, I'm currently digging the geeky chic trend  and wondering whether I can pull it off. Wait, I'm not wondering, I know I can! (He says with a nervous conviction).

So yes, this year, I will be saying goodbye to 2013 wearing hot specs, a smoking hot fedora hat, a bow tie and a waist coat all in the name of "Smart Casual".

Below I have put together some inspirational ideas to help you or someone you know with your geeky but chiccy look. 

Seasons Greetings to you all.


D.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Summer Trends 2013

A few weeks ago I gave you some insight into Autumn trends and colours predicted for 2014. Now I think it only right to tell you about some of the trends for summer 2013 in Australia.

Currently it's all about prints; floral, washed out, stone wash, denim and tie dye this summer.  Prints are everywhere from short sleeve shirts to casual and tailored shorts to (dare I say it) pants. 

Neon colours are also hot this summer - pinks, oranges, greens and blues.  

Below are some ideas for your summer wardrobe based on one of my favourite colours - Blue. 

Enjoy.

D.

Summer in Blue 2013

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Orange is the new Black

Orange is the new Black

Well that's the pick for Autumn 2014.

Although there were a number of warm colours shown in the Fall 2013/14 collections this year, orange seem to me to stand out the most. Mainly because it's not a dominant colour normally resonating with men's clothing. It's one of those colours that seems somewhat taboo to wear. A bit like pink was a few years ago.

Above are a few ideas I have put together  in order to be Autumn 2014 ready.

D

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Sharp or Street

Do you have a preference?

Whether you dress in a sharp designer suit or decide to go about town in street wear can depend on either a preference and/or the circumstance or situation. There are guys who will just always wear sharp clothing no matter what the circumstance or mood, and the same for guys who like to dress in street wear.

Street Wear
Street wear is a trend that has purely come about by what people are wearing on the streets. Generally it's street bloggers that push the trends, by randomly taking photos of people wearing something of their own style and blogging about it. Street wear or forms of it have actually been around for years, however with the increase of trend bloggers and of course celebrities like Justin Beiber Street Wear has become more of a now trend. Street Wear consists of everyday wear such as a shirt, some jeans shorts paired with perhaps some chucks, a beanie or caps.

There are many other items that bring a street wear look together. Below is a mood board I have put together, care of Polyvore.com showcasing some of my favourite pieces of street wear.


Sharp Wear 
The next trend I like to call Sharp Wear. It's a style or trend that doesn't necessarily have to cost a bomb. Sharp wear is a look that consist of suits best showcased by designers. Again forms of it have been around for years. A sharp look can come in many different pieces from jackets or coats, to suits, or shirts, however, the key is in the shape of the clothing, and in some cases the colour or pattern. Have a look around your work place some time at all the guys wearing suits or work wear and see if you can spot the difference between a guy who looks sharp and someone who just looks like they are wearing a blah ill fitting suit with a shirt. The term for it used to be "White collar" because it was literally that. Perhaps it still is called that.

Mixing and matching contrasts of colours and patterns with ties and shirts is a great way to pull off a sharp look. A slim fit suit perhaps with a light tartan pattern is another a great way.

Below is another mood board I put together showcasing some of my favourite pieces of sharp wear and of course the designers who created them.



Which is your favourite?

D.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Is it a Revolution?

In this day and age, it's pleasing to see men everywhere are taking fashion more seriously.

Last week I discovered  an article http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/fashion/9405600/Men-share-fashion-advice-online-too which spills the beans about an online advice forum for men by men.

It gives me a great sense of pride to see that our wee baby "metro-sexuality" (well not really mine) is maturing into a serious contender in this big bad world of fashion. Average Joe's are finally taking fashion into their stride without the taboo of thinking that people would automatically think they were gay just because they dressed well or "expressively".
 
A few years ago I blogged about an article on stuff.co.nz which indicated men purposely dressed badly so that people wouldn't think they were gay. Ref http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_7907.php - see previous blog http://stylemensfashion.blogspot.com.au/2009/09/it-becomes-clear.html. Now men are seeking and providing advice to each other through this online community http://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice. It's a global community that asks questions as simple as advice on winter clothing, tips on brands and how do I look? images for advice. Hmm look out mens fashion bloggers, we may be out of a job soon! The proof is definitely in the pudding though. Everywhere I look nowadays in Melbourne, men are certainly taking pride in their appearances, from head to toe.

To be honest, I attribute men having a deeper interest in their own fashion, to hit TV programs such as Downton Abbey and movies such as The Great Gadsby. Even fashion designers are using these programs for inspiration for their own collections. These are of course, the trend setters. You can even go into a hair salon now and ask for a Gadsby cut and the stylist will know exactly what you want.

Dolce & Gabbana put out a Fall 2012 collection inspired by early 20th Century and of course this Era was popularized by Downton Abby and The Great Gadsby.


 (Image source: furnsider.com)

My question to you is.....is it a revolution?

D.