Purple is the latest fashion

Purple is the color of passion,
Purple is the color of love,
Purple is the color I dream of.
Purple is the color of glad,
Purple is what you look like when you're mad.
Purple is the color of laughs,
Purple might be the subject of gaffes.
Purple is the color of me,
Purple is the best of the world you see. 

Luna Moon

Ever since the times of Ancient Greek when Tyrian Purple was only available to the Elites, the colour purple has been associated with nobility, royalty and sophistication.

In the time of Newton purple was not even on the colour wheel, however things have changed a little since then and a purple is now defined as any non-spectral colour between red and violet.

While there are many shades of purple that are used in art and fashion, only a few shades strike me as especially appealing to the eye: Amaranth Deep Purple, Mulberry, Heliotrope (slightly pinkish shade), Palatinate Purple (colour of Durham University), Tyrian Purple, Han Purple and my very favourite, Royal Purple (colour of the European Aristocracy during the Middle Ages)

Probably the reason why most guys avoid wearing purple is because matching it is not as easy or at least not as evident as with other colours. Consulting a colour wheel, which I always advise when in doubt, reveals that purple's complementary colour is yellow, its neighbors are bluish and reddish purples, its adjacent complementary colours are yellow-greens and orange-yellows while the triad that contains purple also contains orange and green.

In the case of purple, black is an even more suited colour (well technically non-colour)  than usual to match with. 

Amaury Nolasco of Prison Break in a very simple and classic yet stylish outfit, featuring purple matched with black. Source: splendicity.com

My personal favourits are gold and purple together (one should be subdued while the other dominant) and sometimes blue and purple. Remember always to try avoiding strident nuances if your intention is not to look like a circus clown.

As is my custom, I have put together a collage of some of the interesting purple pieces I have found around the internet. Please feel free to comment and add links to any other purple items you find to be to your liking.

Starting from the left we have a superb Ralph Lauren Cable-Knit Sweater, the ever so stylish Chuck Bass of GG, and a shiny purple Horn Dimora followed by a pair of nice purple mocassins from The Sartorialist. The Purple Watch from the top middle can be purchased here, while the Navy Purple Repp Cufflinks here. Following these two is a Hype Coach Purple jacket and a pair of Carolina Amato Driving Gloves.

Trim It Up...Chuck Bass Does

There has always been a certain allure to non-conformism. Untucking your shirt as a kid, staying up late or missing your curfew as a teenager and the possibilities are endless now that we are adults. Stylistically however, to step outside the boundaries of the "norm" and get away with it requires either an unshatterable ego (i.e. Chuck Bass) or icon status (i.e. Anna Wintour, Lady GaGa). Anything else is a clear fashion faux-pas and should not be recreated.

From these experiments of unorthodox fashion, the contrast trim blazer was born, and the great Design Houses were not far behind in adopting it. I personally love the added possibilities with regards to the colour and width of the trim, since I always bemoan how little we men can really do to vary our outfits in comparison to women. I have perused the market and came up with these great blazers for all of you to look at!

Beautiful Navy Linen Sportcoat from Ralph Lauren. Retails at $495

An Outfit that manages to pull itself up to par despite the intense matchy-matchiness going on. Interesting cotton Tennis Crest Jacket from Rugby Ralph Lauren. Retails at $298

Left: Cotton Jersey Club Blazer from Rugby ($119.99) on top and Seersucker Blazer from United Bamboo (Retailed at $565) on the bottom Center: T Wolf Trim Blazer by French Connection ($135): Right: Black Edjules Blazer from Peoples Market ($88) on top, Purple Velvet Sport Coat from Tallia Orange on the left and Velvet Tuxedo Blazer from Black Rivet on the right

Ed.: Just found this great Stone Piped Contrast Trim Trenchcoat ($140) from topman!

Of Hate and Envy

What recently came up on my Facebook News Feed, via my fellow Dukie friend David O., was the following T-shirt, sold by our good old friends at Urban Outfitters.

As a good Dukie, my first reaction was that of outrage, however it soon subsided and rather turned into a feeling of glowing pride. What I realized was that if a Urban Outfitters' (*cough* Tar Heel *cough*) feelings of hatred and envy towards our University were so far entrenched that they felt the need to slap it on a t-shirt and sell it all over the nation in their stores, we should be proud of such an envy-inducing institution. I am not of course saying that we should all buy these t-shirts and wear them around, but that we should not see Urban Outfitters' decision to sell these T-shirts in a negative way. The T-shirt says Puke when it actually wants to  say Duke is better and therefore I hate it.

To all my Tarheel friends I ask you kindly not to purchase this item., which can be found here.

GO BLUE DEVILS !!!

Engineered Garments Anyone?!

Clothing is a product of a creational process that is both thought and physical based. When most designers like to focus more on innovating the actual design, Engineered Garments strives to excel in the physicality of its creations. The name, according to the company's website, came from one of the pattern makers saying that the clothes were bordering an engineering endeavor more than what one  would normally expect of fashion design.

Engineered Garments, in spite of the lingering trend of the moment, uses a relaxed body shape , with sagging pant crotches and airy suits, all the while keeping it natty and nice.

I quite fancy the comfy-looking seersucker suit. and the drapey sweaters. I'm not very sure what to make of the shorts sartorially but I personally think it looks quite good, perfect for a summer picnic.

Madly Modish Madras

There was an Old Man of Madras,
Who rode on a cream-coloured ass;
But the length of its ears,
So promoted his fears,
That it killed that Old Man of Madras.

As the limerick hints at, wearing madras can easily become that cream-coloured ass that brings your outfit, and you with it, down to the ground. Madras is quite varied, madras is quite moody and madras is definitely not for the weak-hearted. Since each spring and summer season brings a resurgence in Madras clothing and accessories, I've decided to take a look at this unique fabric that is very dear to me.

Subdued colours, attention is drawn to the tie and jacket. Definite Madras Do!

As Wikipedia puts it, madras is a lightweight cotton fabric with typically patterned texture and plaid design, used primarily for summer clothing—pants, shorts, dresses and jackets. Madras is constructed in a 60/40 manner threadwise, which has been determined to be the perfect ratio for optimal lightness, strength and breath-ability.

The fabric takes its name from the former English name of the city of Chennai, India. This cloth also was identified by the colloquial name, "Madrasi checks." One style that was popular during the 1960s was called bleeding Madras because it used dyes that were not colorfast in a typically plaid design, resulting in bleeding and fading colors that yielded a new look to the fabric each time it was laundered.



Because of its almost garish nature, wearing Madras must be done in a very reserved fashion. While some exceptions are accepted for the most Preppy of people IN Preppy circumstances (e.g. preppy weddings, country clubs etc), this is not generally valid for most of us. Also, recently, there has been a surge of madras imitation materials that are borderline plaid and come in the most horrendous of colour combinations. I will try to show you what I personally consider Madras Dos and Don'ts.

MADRAS DOs

Classy Madras - never in the center of attention!

MADRAS DON'Ts

Clashing accesories, Madras on Madras, Matching Outfits (I can even attest to having bought the lower left corner outfit, which I have only worn together once, much to my chagrin) and even Madras raincoats from Band of Outsiders

Remember:
- moderate colours
- match one of the dominant colours of the madras with the rest of your outfit
- keep it simple
- never multi-layer with madras, too clashy

The Preppy Handbook dedicates an entire page to Madras (you can find the entire book here) so be sure to check it out. What I would like you good folks to take out of it is a little tip about caring for Madras: wash your Madras in salt water for the first few times to help set the dyes.

Keep it classy, as two lovely Duke girls like to say!

"Tea Partay"

While I generally am not a big fun of mockery for the sake of mockery, I find this video to be a very cute interpretation of Prep Stereotypes.As with the case of The Official Preppy Handbook, the intention was probably more whimsically satirical than something more akin to a tirade.

Notice the adequate use of pastel colours, seersucker and cotton blazers, boat shoes, bucks and brogues and of the infamous popped collar (more on this to come).

Update:

It has come to my attention there is also a West Coast version, written in response to the Original Tea Partay. Enjoy!

Rep The Prep

“People ask how can a Jewish kid from the Bronx do preppy clothes? Does it have to do with class and money? It has to do with dreams.”

Ralph Lauren

The Preppy dream still lingers on and more and more designer labels are incorporating preppy elements in their men's collections. While there is still a distinct old-Prep way of dressing, the Prep elements that, thanks to designers like Ralph Lauren (remember it's pronounced Law-ruhn), have now seeped into mainstream Americana Fashion are irrefutably natty and integrated.

One Men's label that has recently come to my attention is Caulfield Preparatory. C.Prep. started from its founder's wish to live his life at its fullest and stop being content with too little.

C.Prep.goes back to the roots of Prep and handpicks the elements that are now an intrinsic part of American Style: nautical themes, winter sports, a bit of effortless perfection, a dash of nattyness and a certain amount of "je m'en fiche".

I would like to draw attention to the great choice of colours, just a little toned down from traditional prep nuances, the presence of the superb trim collar, the horn-rimmed glasses and the poignant bow-tie

Preppy Comfort


C.Prep. is retailed at selected Macy's and Bloomingdales stores and online at RevolveClothing.com

Ed.Here is Caulfield Prep featured in Esquire Magazine if I'm not mistaken.

via the awesome Peggy Sirota 

Why Caring About Looks Matters

... now before anyone jumps at me with a serrated bread knife, please take some time to read the following Lemony Snicket quote:

via http://www.unabashedlyprep.com

I whole-heartedly agree with this quotation and I would definitely like to add that one of problems people have about primping up each day, is that they rather see it as a chore than a way to respect themselves their bodies.

Do it for yourself and if you have too much to give, do it for everyone else as well!

I'll Be the Boy Who Cries Wolf...

....although this time I won't be lying about anything and no wolf will be attacking my flock. This time, when I Cry Wolf, I will be referring to the NYC based store with the same name.

Cry Wolf, is a modern store that keeps the young urban-wearer in mind, bringing eclectic designers like Creative Recreation, Acne, Chronicles of Never and Y-3 together in their selections.

Here are my favourite items:

On the left side we have Cesario Blue ($68), Dicoco ($108) on top and Cesario Brown ($78) on the bottom, all three from Creative Recreation. 

In the center, my favourite, is another pair of sneakers from Creative Recreation, dubbed for good reason, Skittles ($89)

On the right side are two very interesting items, a short sleeved shirt with a hood from S2VS ($73) and a sweater that featuresa dettachable wrap hood from Wrath Arcane ($135)

THE OFFICIAL PREPPY HANDBOOK or of The Virtues of Wearing Pink and Green

There are a few book in this world that are atemporal and very much enjoyable. Lisa Birnbach's The Official Preppy Handbook (also known as TOPH) is by far one of my favourites.

Written in a half-satirical half-serious manner makes it a highly enjoyable read for anyone who is at least slightly familiar with the Prep culture of the United States. I personally dislike it when people over-analyze it in their reviews as I think Mrs. Birnbach wrote it such that it requires taking it just as it was written, flippantly serious.

I have attached the scanned version of the book for all of you who are having a harder and harder time to secure a copy, although I would suggest eBay or Amazon (new versions start at $179.99 however) if you would like a physical copy of the book.

Besides some of the less updated items in the book, like stores and addresses, most of the information is very much current and applicable although I sheepishly remind you not to take it too seriously ( we all know from history where that lead in the past when another book that chronicled it was followed word-by-word) ! Some of you might discover, either to your liking or to your dismay that you are a prep, while some of you might learn a little about the world that has always seemed so inaccesible for us mere mortals.

If you would like to convert to "Prepianity" however, I would suggest investing seriously in some etiquette classes (The Emily Post Institute can do wonders with all but the most entrenched of troglodytes), a country club membership and of course Prep attire (Ralph Lauren, Rugby Ralph Lauren, J.Crew, L.L.Bean, Vineyard Vines and sometimes Lacoste are all great choices IMO).

Enjoy the book and if you wish to read it offline, please click on the Follow Blog button on the right side and you will receive a message containing the download link for the book in pdf format!


Comments are always appreciated. Let me know what you think about the book, do you think it's contents still apply to our modern society? Is Prep dying out?

I would also like to introduce you to the long awaited True Prep: It's a Whole New Old world, which is an updated-to-modern-times version of the TOPH. Order True Prep here.

True Prep looks at how the old guard of natural-fiber-loving, dog-worshipping, G&T-soaked preppies adapts to the new order of the Internet, cell phones, rehab, political correctness, reality TV and…polar fleece 



Authors Lisa Birnbach and Chip Kidd, giving us a glimpse at the process of getting True Prep ready for publishing!



Here it is:

Wearing Your Shades In The Shade

Depending on where you live, sunglasses might or might not be within your possession at all times around the year. But regardless of that, we are all subjected to having to take the sunglasses off at one point or another. The question however is, what to do with said sunglasses at that moment in time?!

Tom Ford I love you!

We can start with what NOT to do!

1. Wearing your sunglasses on your head or on the back of your head

Sunglasses are definitely not a hair accessory boys and girls and therefore should not serve as an improvised headband. Therefore I vote NO to sunglasses on your head.

Wearing them on the back of your head can only have one outcome and that is making you look like a tool. Not only does it not look appealing but in the event your glasses were to slip off the back of your head, how will you ever catch them, eh?!

2. Wearing your sunglasses indoors and at night

Before deciding if this applies to you, please follow this very simple flowchart:

Thankfully, for most of us the answer is NO NO NO. Not only is it tacky but it's quite unsafe especially in darker rooms and at night. 

3. Wearing sunglasses around your neck

Unless you are too old to remember where you left your glasses, there is no excuse for needing your glasses to hang around your neck all day.

No Croakies....EVER!

In the land of TO DO however, the choices are less flexible.

1. Hanging your sunglasses on the neck of your t-shirt/blouse

Though not the most stylish way to don your sunglasses in times of shade, hanging it on your top garment is a much better option than any of the NOT to do ones. Just don't forget to hold your glasses when bending !

2. Putting your glasses in your front pocket

By far the best and most stylish way to sport sunglasses other than on your eyes is to slip them into your coat/t-shirt's front pocket,  remembering to orient them lens inward!

Just Give Me Blue Skies, Sunshine, Love.

Spring is definitely supposed to be on its way and nothing makes me more happy than seeing the return of blue skies, of warm sunlight and of budding romances that blossom with the cherry trees.

Ralph Lauren - Garrison Wool Crested Blazer ( $1295 )

Spring/Summer 2010 will be an "Ode to Nature" where vibrant colours such as that of this beautiful Ralph Lauren Blazer will resonate with the warm weather.

Here are three of the proposed colour palettes for this following season. I can't say I can choose one over the other but definitely look into different possible combinations and chromatic artifices (palettes courtesy of FashionTrendSetter)

As coats became the new thing in fashion in Mrs Wintour's vision while designing the infamous September 2007 Issue of Vogue Magazine, this SS season, blazers are in for the natty urban gent.

Ralph Lauren - Maidstone Crested Sport Coat ( $198 )

Don't forget that straying away from the classical colours can sometimes make a statement no navy blazer could ever make. 

Beautiful Persian Orange Blazer - notice how the apparent brightness of the coat is subdued by the dark pants and the matching handkerchief

Take Ivy

Corduroy slacks disgust me

Black leather jackets are vile

Long greasy hair and blue suede shoes

Transform my blood to bile.

If you want everyone to accept you

As a modern American male

You must dress the way the magazines say

They dress at Harvard and Yale

The Ivy League Look (excerpt) by Clark Gesner

Of all sartorial publications and materials, there has never been one as elusive and as rare as Japanese photographer, Teruyoshi Hayashida's Take Ivy. What has constituted the Ivy League Bible for the Japanese baby boomers, who were very much into the whole Ivy League Look, has been a very rare find in the West and has garnered auction prices as high as $2000. However there is very good news on the horizon as PowerHouse Books has announced that they will be republishing the famous book this August and it will sell for just $16.47(You can imagine my relief, as the only old edition found on the internet was selling for almost $500 on eBay). You can also pre-order it on Amazon: Take Ivy (Powerhouse Books)  Until then however, I give you the book in an online readable format, courtesy of The Trad. Enjoy and look out for it in August! 

If you would like to have Take IVY in a pdf format, just click Follow Blog on the right sidebar and you will receive a message with the download link!

Of Lives That Fit In Minuscule Enclosures

On pasts, on presents and on futures, my mind does often stop and ponder.

It looks in vain for lives worth living, but yet it does still makes me wonder,

If by our daily grind and tribulations we are deserving of, through lachrymose exposures,

Such lives that easily could fit, in teeny, tiny, minuscule enclosures.

The ASUS Waveface is one of the most revolutionary Notebooks currently available

The moment when most of our livelihoods are no longer part of our bodies has arrived. With the ever increasing rate of miniaturization, there are more and more people, who in one form or another, carry with them an electronic device on which they constantly depend on. One of the most important and complex of such devices is of course the notebook, a personal computer gone mini.

Bythreads' staple product, the Journalcase, which is both fit for business and offers that slight hint of rebellion

As the symbiosis matures and the severely one-sided inter-dependency deepens, one must find a comfortable, safe and stylish in which to carry their "E-Horcrux". This is where Bythreads, a new and up-and-coming Danish company, comes in. They focus on creating ethically sound products that are in tune with the simple Scandinavian influences that many other such companies have gotten us accustomed to.

The Granny Bag

Their Laptop Sleeves, Journal Cases, Shoulderbags  and my very favourites, the Grannybags, are the epitome of effortless functionality. Forget bulky, unappealing cases, laptop bags and totes and think more like sleek, ubiquitous and stylish.

The Natural Sleeve

While the products they feature are indeed Apple Notebooks, I see no reason why any other 13" and 15" notebooks wouldn't be compatible with their products.

The Natural Granny Combo

The products featured in this post are the following, from top to bottom and from left to right: JOURNALCASE (€230), GRANNYBAG (€110), NATURAL (€80), NATURAL+GRANNY (€160)