guy’s stuff

2008 has been a pretty good year for fashion.

there have been lots of memorable highlights: from thom browne’s and marc’s skirts (marc happens to be wearing a commes skirt btw), to valentino’s  retirement in january, to heidi slimane’s career change as a photographer, to kanye’s emergence as a fashion icon or even to h&m and commes des garcon’s collaboration; 2008 has seen some pretty respectable artistic and avant-garde developments in a desperate world and deteriorating economy.

 

(clockwise from top left: thom browne SS09 final look, marc jacobs at marc by marc SS09 show, valentino at this final men’s show, kanye west, kate moss as shot by heidi slimane, look by h&m x commes)

the irony is that 2009 will probably see a proletarian development in fashion. that doesn’t mean fashion will be any less interesting, just that it has to be more practical. colours will move back to the neutrals and the solids. hopefully those who play with colour, structure and patterns will continue to do so, if not we’d have zero fashion victories to work with in the new year.

the indie kid will also continue to become a growing force because he is a sophisticated and culturally diversified version of a 90s punk rebel. every generation needs a rebel and indie is ours.

whatever it is, style will see a development back to extremes. either super simple and minimalist because of how much we need to cut back in our lives, or super dramatic and out there, because of how much we need to supplement the lack of excitement in the real world.

as the holiday festivities overwhelm us, we often find ourselves so caught up with the false civilities and the tiresome hype. i’ve realized that the best way to get through this season is to try to appreciate the little things.

recently, i’ve noticed that the socks we wear say a lot about who we are. one of my closest friends has chosen not to wear socks unless absolutely necessary, signifying his brando/dean/too school for school-esque persona. yet a couple of my friends enjoy their white socks.

i have a HUGE problem with white socks. they should be worn only with a uniform, but otherwise they should be kept in storage and taken out only to make puppets with your kids.

my favourite socks are black or navy or brown, good strong solid colours which are versatile yet comfortable. that and my jackspade/paulsmith collection of socks which are basically multi-coloured striped socks that my friends have taken to calling the  “sexy socks”.

and now….

when i first heard of Happy Socks a couple of months ago, i kinda overlooked this Swedish brainchild. but after a recently shopping spree at www.oki-ni.com, i couldn’t help but be enamored by the literal rainbow of excitement offered by these humble socks.

the socks are all unisex (though i wouldnt recommend any guy to attempt wearing the polka dot series), and made of combed cotton. combed cotton is a lot softer than conventional cotton, yet it is also stronger and hardier. a mixture of precision machine techniques and hand-sewing ensures that the socks are well crafted and super-fitted.

these socks make great gifts and i think the best part about them is that they make such great little fashion victories. wear a simple white tee and blue jeans combo, but have these little babies underneath, and you’d still be feeling completely satisfied with the style piece of your outfit.

on a side note, for all those who are less inclined towards long socks and still insist on going sockless, i cannot stress how unhygienic this is. yes it is quite cool and sometimes super appropriate, but when you do need to wear socks, you really should.

the exposed ankle is the main reason why most of us go sockless, so wear ankle socks! marc jacobs makes the cutest black cashmere ankle socks at only USD$14 a pair so there’s no reason at all to not get them.

merry christmas and happy new year all.

i’ve been told i’m not an easy person to shop for.

this is a statement i completely do not understand.

i think i’m one of the easiest people to shop for because i love everything rather easily.

but when it comes to presents, i think the best presents are always

1) something personal

2) something unexpected

3) something indulgent.

i love presents which are things that i desperately want but would never buy for myself. like when my hairstylist and friend got me my very first y3 bag at 17.

after the past month of shopping, i have more or less covered all grounds of my desire. sure, there are a pair of shoes here and a shirt there and a pair of shorts somewhere else. but i’m contented and satisfied.

no okay. i lie. there is a pair of lanvin shoes i literally die for at the club21 men’s store but. (i’m a size 40/9, hehe.)

some of the best presents are really cool and quirky, and maybe these can give you ideas.

 

Paul Smith Toothbrush
USD $11, www.paulsmith.co.uk

i think these are so cute and so amazingly practical. throw out your lousy oral b toothbrushes or those battery operated ones and kick it old school with a designer toothbrush. best of all, these babies are priced at a super affordable USD$11. the Paul Smith store was on my new york agenda, but got lost along way.

 

Cook With Jamie
USD$28

Everybody needs to know how to do more than boil water in the kitchen. , and Jamie Oliver is really the best teacher. he is my favourite chef and i love trying out his recipes. his cookbooks are supremely easy to read and are genuinely engaging.

Cook With Jamie is both a practical present as well as a stylish addition to the kitchen.

 

Etro Wash Bag
£ 78.00, The Corner

 

wash bags are incredibly important in this day and age. what with no more liquids on board, we have much more impetus to keep our toiletries and necessities in a nice toiletry bag, and this etro one is both handsome and practical.

 

iPod Touch
SGD$388-$648, www.apple.com.sg

my best friend recently got himself a new iPod classic (32GB) and is super happy with his new music baby. i myself still use my iPhone as my music device, but as i realize i am down to my last GB of music space, i think it’s about time to move on. as much as i like the iPhone, i am genuinely leaning towards the Blackberry Bold. that said, the iPod is the BEST music device around and the only reason why i would go for an iPod touch (do at least 16GB) is because of the WIF connectivity. every morning when i wake up i use my iPhone to check my facebook and my mail. it really is the best thing.

go to apple.com and get them to engrave your friend’s name or something as a gift. very cool. otherwise an engraved ipod shuffle is pretty cool too.

 

Gucci Enamel Plaque Buckle Belt
USD$280, Gucci

my vintage black gucci belt recently expired after a very rough night out (don’t ask) and my pants now require constant fixing. i’ve grown very reliant on my belt the past 2 years and it’s “death” truly saddens me. now, on my hunt for the next belt, i’ve found this quite handsome gucci plaque belt. i think a belt should be non-flashy but still super stylish. i think the buckle is the most important and it should be understated but cool. the belt itself should always be black or brown leather, though i tend to lean towards black. crazy belt buckles was a very 90s thing, so please, don’t.

belts also make great gifts as they are like the new ties. every guy uses them (or should use them) and it is an easy enough item to purchase. most belts do come in waist sizes, but one can still roughly gauge anyway.

 

Hermes Leather Agenda
USD$350, Hermes

i love these. i think diaries are so important, even with the onset of technology and the multitude of options provided. i personally love writing down my appointments or jotting down random events, etc.

these gorgeous agendas are such a justified luxury with their calfskin leather and rich colours (my favourites being the deep blue and classic hermes orange). one would get so much mileage out of these agendas because you could use them for years. simply just purchase the refills (from USD$90).

 

Asus Bamboo Laptop

even though this laptop is still in concept and not for sale yet (we’re hoping next year), i die for it. it’s so good-looking and really is a fashion accessory in its own right. i really don’t even care about the laptop specs, but i hear it’s not too shabby either.

***

if you noticed though, i haven’t actually featured any clothing items on my wishlist per se, despite these items perhaps being some of my most coveted. simply because clothes in general make the best and worst gifts. between good friends, the right shirt in the right size would be such a moment. but if it is the wrong size it is both embarssing and rather sad.

in all honesty right now i’d love some cool fitted tees because i’ve just stocked up on dress shirts from newyork, and so i’d recommend ARC(Esplanade Mall, #02-10, pictured above) by the people who brought you Actually and Woonderland. i actually bought that exact kate moss shirt featured there in the front of the store, as well as a minature version of the original artwork that inspired that tee from when i was in london earlier this year.

(on a side note, i dont actually wear white but that shirt was just too cool to not have, especially since i actually have the artwork)

ARC brings in the most amazing tees which are wearable yet affordable fashion victories. like our Singaporean version of Seven (see new york post).

***

i hope this wishlist has helped you think about what to get some of the people in your life. when it comes to christmas, i always kinda know what to get the people i’m shopping for. if you force it, it will never come, so just look around and wait and see.

just remember that gifts, like the clothes you wear, should always mean something. it should have a message or a meaning between you and the recipient. it doesn’t have to be crazy expensive (like i know some of the things on this list are, haha, apologies), but it has to be special.

happy shopping!

on a night where you yearn for something to look forward, i have scoured the internet for something to amaze me.

unfortunately there are no new developments in the fashion world and i could not find a new item to covet.

instead, i am reminded of a wonderful documentary i caught while in newyork.

it was a tuesday and my friend, Hairin, and i decided to stay in and do a newyork night of takein (for the record we had white pizza and cake and i think there was sushi somewhere as well).

we then proceeded to watch the Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton doc that i had purchased from the Marc by Marc store earlier that day. 

it was a great show.

it’s entertainingly educational. basically, the show chronicled a lot of the life of early Marc Jacobs both with his eponymous brand(s) and Louis Vuitton. i say early Marc because this was before he buffed up and became healthy.

by the end though, he does begin to take the shape of his now svelte self.

the show was really a great watch because it was both salaciously interesting (ZOMG! MARC “PLAGIARIZED” A DESIGN!) and sartorially fulfilling.

it made marc jacobs seem that much more personable.

i think that’s what made me loves his clothes a little more.

i understand it a bit more. and its branding, financing, and business decisions make sense now. 

and in a world that sometimes doesnt make sense, sometimes it’s good to have something to mindlessly watch and enjoy.

unfortunately my copy of the dvd is currently still in newyork and will only be returned when hairin has finished watching it in french to practice her francais.

i loved new york to death

i didnt do everything i did the last time (times square, macy’s parade, etc)

this time i did a lot of newyorky stuff. soho. madison. barneys. etc etc.

photo taken with my iPhone.

very fun.

so here’s my really brief what i LOVED guide.

High End Shopping – Madison Ave

for really high end shopping, head to madison avenue. i mean, Barney’s and Saks are great (if you care for rude and unhelpful sales people) for discounts, but the boutiques do have some sales themselves. for example, the Jil Sander boutique is now having 40% of most menswear. it was amazing. had i more time i would have probably bought more stuff. instead i just got one of the amazing structured bags for this season.

( Jil Sander: 1042 Madison Ave)

not the one pictured, but still pretty amazing. if you’re there ask for Jess because she’s really helpful and she made it such a great, stress-free shopping experience.

Urban Fashion – Seven New York

for some equally exciting urban wear, go to se7en NYC. it’s amazing. i love i love i love. i go there every time i’m there and i always find myself finding new stuff from new designers. this wonderful multi-label boutique brings in everything from april 77 to david david to henrik vibskov to raf simmons. i got this amazing april 77 top this time around, and had i more time i would have probably gotten myself a jeremy scott sweater. lol.

(se7en: 110 Mercer St)

Budget Shopping – Tokio 7

another one of my great new york city loves is Tokio 7. Everyone i know goes there and i too make it a point to make at least two visits there each trip. Tokio 7 is probably the most hyped about consignment store in newyork, but for a really great reason. it’s very well stocked and the prices are reasonable. the only thing i wish would improve would be the dressing rooms which are kinda … public. but stil. i managed to find an AMAZING pair of shoes last year and this year i found the most perfect pair of Dsquared Luxury Tweed pants. i’ve seen these on the runway 2 seasons ago and LOVED it, and it was like USD$80 when i got it. amazing.

(tokio 7 : 64 E 7th St)

Eatery – Mercer Kitchen

for a meal i would say head to Mercer Kitchen in Soho. it’s an amazing restaurant with great food at decent prices and the ambience is very inviting. ther are a MILLION different new york cafes you could visit, but this really is the one to beat. i love 202 still (nicole farhi’s studio/restaurant), but mercer kitchen definitely oozes charm and sophistication. loves it.

(mercer kitchen : 99 Prince St)

Necessity – Vitamin Water

so while braving the newyork traffic along with it’s erratic weather, make sure you keep hydrated. and what better way than with Vitamin Water. i’ve officially fallen in love with this drink. call it clever marketing but i absolutely love that each bottle has such vivid text and lively colour. the flavour is also refreshing and not overpowering. it doesnt taste synthetic but rather very natural. i only hate that it’s only made in america so i really have no chance of having one a day or one after a night out.