guy’s stuff

so it’s been a while

much has happened in the fashion world. yet nothing much to scream about.

the sartorialist has released a book (available mid august).

alexander wang has announced a menswear line.

project runway announced an all star season.

emma watson became the face of burberry.

but nothing excites like the way it used to.

all i can say is thanksgiving could not come sooner. please.

(photo credit : all items from marc by marc jacobs specialty)

sorry for the lack of updates.

it’s very embarrassing.

it’s been more than a month and so much has happened.

i’ve been tempted to write updates so often but i do my 10min of research and then i get distracted by something else.

not cool.

but i’m going to sydney this thursday, the fashion capital of australia, so there should be some great excitement there. vanishing elephants. i die.

in the mean time.

all these old house brands are doing crazy things lately. it’s very inspiring.

that and check out this awesome online magazine.

very cool. woo.

soon. i promise. a real entry.

after sending out birthday invitations i’ve been asked all too many times what i want for my birthday.

truth is i’m very grateful to have who i have around for my birthday this year, as i was very prepared to have a non-celebration.

turning 20 is a scary thing. it’s the start of a new decade and a departure from youth. i have officially one month left of true teenhood.

i guess that’s why  i’ve had this strange obsession with youth and childhood lately. of being truly young.

a kidult.

The Phantom Tollbooth and Mathilda

these two books were my favourite books growing up. strangely, i’ve lost my copies of both these books. which might be a good thing because they were pretty weathered. i’ve gone through a bit of a book-rut recently, and have resorted to re-reading my harrypotters. so a return to my childhood would be much welcomed.

Dee & Ricky Lego Accessories
from USD$70
www.deeandricky.com

(heart brooch and bowtie clip from dee&ricky)

how much did we love lego as kids? seriously. this feature might be a little belated but i’ve had a deep appreciation for these much-hyped pieces for a long long while. from the heart brooch to the bowtie clip to the marcjacobs belts. too cool, too cute.

Black Tees
www.luisaviaroma.com

(black graphic tees by dior homme and kris van assche, left to right, from lusiaviaroma)

when i was a teenager, i was kinda fat. lol. it’s not something i’m ashamed of, rather it’s still part of who i am. which is why for much of my teenage years i wore nothing but black. to this day, i would say 50% of my wardrobe is still black. i love a good well-fitted black tee with a simple but sexy print. featured are 2 shirts from Dior Homme and Kris Van Assche (which technically are both by the same guy), but there are a million different tees which are equally cool. Passarella, House of Holland, Insight… just some of the more appreciative brands out there. i think they just have to be special. black tees can be forgettable, and it’s important that they not be.

Gucci Shirt
SGD $495

(zipper graphic shirt from gucci)

then the kidult was born. the printed shirts from Gucci’s most recent cruise line are pretty cool. this one features a zipper pattern which i think is just amazing. it comes in a darker colourway which is equally cool but very different. the new signature Tattoo print by Gucci which is incorporated in another shirt as well as a very cool windbreaker are also very fun additions to a wardrobe.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Piped Shorts
SGD $250

(marc jacobs resort 09 lookbook, featuring blue and brown shorts, left to right)

taken from marc’s marc by marc resort line, these lightweight twill shorts come in an array of colours. i die for the khaki brown and the blue (featured above). the piping on the side is a subtly interesting detail whilst the strange material (which must be some nylon cotton hybrid) is comfortable and very sexy. i’ve refrained from buying this shorts for a while only because i have too many, but i think the brown pair would make a great addition as a fun basic piece.

Lanvin Toe-Cap Sneaker
USD$630

(metal cap tennis sneaker from lanvin)

haha. okay. so i’ve been a bit of a lanvin lover lately. it’s late rebirth has been nothing short of spectacular and these shoes are so fucking sexy. the beige/gold colourway is super chic and the metal toe cap is super cool. it’s a grownup sneaker for the fashion forward. i’ve tried Pierre Hardy and i have a pair and i have to say they’re REALLY uncomfortable. i’ve done about 10min in the lanvin and they seem so much better. so. haha. the suede/metallic contrast is super cool.

so obviously a wishlist is just a wishlist. there are million things i’ve wanted over the course of my life, some of them are still listed in the archives of this blog (raf simons x eastpak denim bag/ paulsmith toothbrush/ hermes planner… lol). but they’re all just wishes. along with return tickets to newyork, more leave at work, a pack of american spirits (i miss those so bad).

i’m perfectly happy with the gifts i get every year. gifts which mean something and say something about our friendships and relationships. the shirts, the dvds, the cards.

cards are the best. a nice heartfelt message from the people you care for.

and with that i end this premature coming of age entry. i cannot wait for march to be over.

happy new year

i hope everyone had a good one

tonight has been soberingly weird and even though i had such a blast celebrating the new year, it hasn’t all been that great.

when i came across these Eco Cabins from Todd Saunders,  an overwhelming sense of need came over me.

tucked away in the incredibly scenic Norwegian “kingdom” of Hardanger, this particular eco cabin just kept drawing me in.

i’m not gonna lie, i don’t know much about the facilities of this place, but it really does look like the perfect get-away/hide-away.

to think. and to reflect. and to perhaps figure out the things which we weren’t able to in 2008.

it’s really a private summer home so. boo.

but right now. i could really do with it.

really.

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.

apologies for the absence.

after the lack of inspiration in the last entry (i admit it!), i came to a bit of a lull.

personally life has been extremely busy and today is the first day in the office where no one is around. literally.

the lack of human bustle and the soothing sound of the airconditioning juxtaposed against the cricketing from the forestry around is just so enjoyable.

a couple of things have saved me through the last couple of weeks, and fashion definitely played it part.

for one, the latest issue of Fantastic Man (#08 i believe) was amazingly good and well written. it was like intellectual style. the stand out piece from the issue was this article on Chanel Homme accompanied by a photoshoot by the Sartorialist.

it was pretty damn insightful and was definitely more than just a good ready.

secondly the annoucement of the Commes x Nike Dunk shoe was just. sexy beyond sexy. a step beyond the designer x streetwear collab, it’s designer x sportswear = luxury footwear you actually don’t die wearing.

it’s crazy how many collabs Commes is up to lately. Rei Kawabuko must be really up to her heels in designing over and over again. I can’t tell whether it’s good or not. On the one hand fashion becomes more accessible, on the other the design qualities to the brand name becomes diluted.

but the shoe is sexy so whatever.

thirdly. halloween. now this needs to be broken up into 2.

1) costumes costumes costumes. the whole point of hallow’s eve is to dress up and be someone you’re not. (on a side note, can i just say that halloween is NOT an evening for guys to put on excessive makeup. -.- you know who you are. tres uncool)

black book recently did a spread that was soooo chic. the concept was quite simple, dress models up as iconic fashion designers.

shot by Diego Uchitel, the photos were inspired by Lagerfeld, Viktor & Rolf and Galliano. very very very cool.

2) my favourite item ever (tangent to the year 2008) . which deserves its own entry. soon. it really makes me believe in the power of fashion.

in other news, i cannot believe that in about 3 weeks i’ll be in newyork.

i’ve currently linked a few of my favourite websites, the ones which are the first ones i visit whenever i have free time on the internet.

I Am Chuck Bass

whenever i think of gossip girl, i think  of Serena and then i think of Chuck. for the record, i REALLY hate dan. but anyways. Chuck Bass is possibly the most iconic male fictional character of the iphone generation. a true stylish bastard with a heart, he’s the guy everyone loves to hate and every boy wants to be. and i think secretly we all root for him.

I Am Chuck Bass, taken from Chuck’s iconic line “I’m Chuck Bass” is a male perspective of the Gossip Girl-verse. it is analytical, engaging and entertaining all at the same time. it isnt the BEST episode recap out there (see New York Magazine for that), but it possibly offers the most well balanced dude-love for the show. and that lets me rest in the knowing that i’m not the only guy out there (and i’m REALLY not) who thinks this really is The Best Show Ever.

MenStyle.com

from the kind people at Conde Nast who brought you GQ and Details comes the most comprehensive men’s lifestyle blog out there. Men Style includes contributions from an array of writers and men’s fashion commentators that include up to date new product featurettes, collection reviews, designer spotlights, etc. it really is a wealth of information. best part is it’s updated multiple times daily, so there’s always something to look forward to.

Project Gambit


every other guy i know has read The Game or at least heard about the famous Mystery. so Project Gambit was potentially a boring rip-off of the pick-up culture that Mystery has so ingeniously populated. written by the strong yet sensitive “Chase”, one sees The Game in application with practical advise for guys in a emphatic and appreciated way.  Chase’s  writing is  humble and real and becomes accessible and understandable all at the same time.

The Sartorialist

featured early on in previous entries (and on possibly EVERY fashion publication out there),  The Sartorialist  by native New Yorker Scott Schuman is a colourful and exciting fashion blog which features his expertly captured photographs of interestingly dressed individuals. the whole concept of the blog is to see, through schuman’s lenses, inspiration in everyday people on the street. which is what is so amazing about this blog. i once said that i wished everyone would dress with an intention, and that’s what everyone who graces The Sartorialist does.

interestingly, all these websites are linked in some distinct way or another.

The boys of Gossip Girl (including Ed Westwick who plays Chuck Bass) were recently featured on the cover of the Conde Nast publication, Details. The Game, which is the inspiration behind the localized Project Gambit website, was at a time so glorified by all the 3 great men’s lifestyle publications: GQ, Details and Esquire. And the Sartorialist does regular features for GQ.

the world is a very small place, the world of fashion even more so.

i’ve always wanted to start a fashion blog. just kinda about the things i like. i don’t expect anyone to read it. it’s also a reminder for myself to keep working at what i do to afford these little luxuries.

fashion is like art. you own it because you like it. you like it because you just do. it’s very personal and it’s very intimate and i guess that’s what makes it all so engaging.

i think a perfect world would be a world where EVERYONE puts in effort into what they wear. i mean. looking different or looking shaggy is perfectly fine, as long as there is intention behind an outfit.

i cannot wait to grow up.