The Inimitable Nature of Menswear.

I am on overload for all things menswear and fall and handsome. There are so many incredible sites that showcase the various dimensions of my aesthetic and I simply must share them with you. Although many people say that menswear is boring, I must beg to disagree with them. On the surface, a jacket might just look like any other jacket, but a skilled menswear designer pays attention to the details of their garments so that their customers will subtly stand out among other men. These details can range from the intricate staining of a brogue to the creation of a perfectly wrinkled J-shaped pant (see Geoffrey Young). All of these little design choices come together to form what we all know and love as menswear. I hope you enjoy looking at the work of these designers as much as I have. xx

Brooklyn Circus. A menswear company that mixes the staples of a classic gentleman's wardrobe with the freshness of Brooklyn street style. The store's founder, Ouigi also known as "the Bearded Man" is the epitome of what his store stands for and he endeavors to stick to a slow and steady "100 year plan" for his store.

Geoffrey Young Design. The man is a sartorial genius. He doesn't wear color but every piece of clothing that he wears is so well made that it doesn't matter. He casts his own belt buckles and hand picks his leathers for the bags and belts in his collection. Give his collection a looksy and get a peek into his phenomenal closet.

Geoffrey's perfectly worn shoe collection.

Morris. I can barely contain my enthusiasm for this brand based out of Stockholm. It is comprised of well designed preppy staples and their fall look book takes you to another world of Monegasque glory. It's definitely worth dreaming about and I highly suggest you pour over this site.

Florsheim. An American footwear brand that prides itself on extreme quality and great design. The shoes below are Duckie Brown by Florsheim which were designed by Daniel Silver and Steven Cox. Might I saw they are doing a phenomenal job. Take a look.

Transitioning into Fall.

It may only be the tail-end of July, but according to the world of Vogue, preparations for the incoming fall are well underway. There are so many lovely options that are starting to come out and I simply must share my favorites. Right now I'm obsessed with riding pants, like these from J. Crew that I just got, and lovely simplistic neutrals. The other day I completely streamlined my closet and I am left with the uniform palate of navy, light blue, khaki, black, and white. This pink shirt will probably be the only pop of color I wear for the rest of the year other than a pair of citrine woolen ankle socks! Golly, don't you just love fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send all of you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils if I had your name and address. So have a great weekend everyone! xx -Jo

Generation Why.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love my generation.

I love that...

We are quick to question the norms and refine old concepts to make them new, like the invention of the shoe wheel.

Brands are being renovated and aren't as busy looking as they used to be, like the modern looking metromint water.

Movies are artistic and clear in every shot, like Bright Star.

Music sounds fresh and light instead of extremely heavy, like with the Little Ones.

Clothes are generally very muted and will hopefully be wearable in the years to come, like the label Céline.

There is a movement back to folk, like with Will Stratton.

Reading classic literature is overriding trashy television.

These are just a few reasons why I love this time period and I can't wait to see how the next one will compare.

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Tie The Knot.

Lumina's Gulf Stream Bow tie

I have recently gone completely bananas for a neckwear company called Lumina Clothing Co. They describe their aesthetic as being a cross between the classic southerner and an Ivy Leaguer's style in the 1960s, and boy have they succeeded! All of their pieces are hand-sewn and are available in a variety of widths and fine fabrics that exude that summery, collegiate look. They make a lot of pieces for weddings as well and their customers are always ensured that they will stand out

of the crowd.

Located in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina, the company itself was named after the old Lumina pavilion in Wrightsville Beach that was built in 1905. With a name like that, it is certain that these ties and bow ties will bring its wearer back to another world of the good old summertime and to the well made attire that comes along with it.

Lumina Pavilion circa 1906

Source 1, 2

The Aces of Spade.

The couple in their Manhattan apartment

I ask you, who couldn't love the Spades? This power couple knows how to brand, market, sell, and live well. They have created their own distinct looks that are so frequently copied by others that in turn it makes them seem unoriginal. Not so. These two are a continual flowing fountain of creativity and subtle humor whether it be a pair of gloves or a valentine's gallery of relationships gone awry.

Kate and Andy met while working at a department store in college, eventually married, and moved to New York to pursue their dreams of design. Andy used his superior advertising skills and cashed in his 401k to take a chance on his wife and her concept for the simple handbag. Their idea caught fire, expanding so rapidly they could barely keep up with it. Although the two sold their companies kate spade/jack spade in 2006, they keep busy with the Avant Garde Preschool, a Saturday program that promotes creativity in the lives of New York children, and Partners and Spade, a grown up fun shop that showcases artwork, globes, bikes, and at times tax advice. Andy and Kate are all about innovation and good design, but they always add that element of cleverness and surprise that give their pieces the signature mark of unpretentiousness.

I have not met either of the Spades, but from what I hear from my sister and from their contemporaries, Andy and his wife are among the most fascinating of modern couples. They have worked hard together and have stayed together. The two of them give me hope that I will one day find a counterpart that would believe in me so much that he would even offer to bet his life savings on my ability to make a handbag.

That is trust.

An image from one of the Spades' first ad campaigns for Kate.

(If I am not mistaken, that is a young Matthew Gubler from

(500) Days of Summer on the right)

The lovely Kate as seen in Pink magazine

Andy at Partners & Spade

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4

March (29th) of the Penguin.

Just call me crazy, but today became special and momentous just because of a shirt. Now mind you, this is not just any shirt, but a shirt with a history. This shirt is so legendary that it has been worn on the golf course by Richard Nixon and Bob Hope and also around Orange County by none other than Seth Cohen. Yes, I am talking about Munsingwear's Original Penguin shirt. I first heard of this label in November of 2005 when a short article in Teen Vogue was published about the company. I went bananas for it. The only catch is that there are only six retail stores in all of America; two in NY, two in CA, one in Palm Beach, and one in Texas. I had the opportunity to go to one store two years ago where I got some sunglasses, but the store was out of all polos my size. Low and behold, my thoughtful sister went to Manhattan for spring break two weeks ago and she brought home a comfy collared souvenir. You might say I was excited about it. So today for the first time, I wore my pipe-dream shirt with piping and I couldn't be more thrilled. Here's to dreams, even small ones, becoming a reality.

Sporting my new Veronica Penguin shirt.

Classic Original Penguin sunglasses from the 42nd street location in Manhattan.

Original Penguin article in

Teen Vogue, November 2005.

Stubbed Toe.

My latest obsession: Stubbs and Wootton slippers. Yes, they may look a little Edwardian and old fashioned, but they are extremely comfortable and very well made, created to last a lifetime. You can even have them custom made with a variety of colors and emblems that range from the cross of Malta to the lighthearted Pow! and Boom! cartoon emblems. All I can say is, any lofty brand that chooses not to take itself too seriously certainly has my stamp of approval.

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The Burberry of Savile.

Sometimes, womenswear is too transitional and it gets irritating that one can never really keep up with what is current and fashionable. That is why it is absolutely necessary to observe what will always be in style, what is always well made and what is always flattering. That of course is bespoke menswear. Now, for those of you who don't know what bespoke suits are or where they originated, I will inform you.

In 1803, a man by the name of Beau Brummell, who was a leader in style of England's Regency Era and the first to wear a tie with a suit, began going to the tailors on Savile Row for his attire. The tailors that made his suits are no longer on Savile Row, but ones like Henry Poole & Co. which moved to Savile in 1846, still remain there to this day. In the words of the BBC Documentary of Savile Row, "They have dressed royalty and film stars, prime ministers and potentates. Valentino came here for riding breeches; Churchill for pinstripe; Fred Astaire his white tie and tails. They even funded a French Revolution to put Napoleon III on the throne so he could pay his tailoring bills." This Row consists of 11+ tailors that specialize in custom-made clothing to make a man look his absolute best. The men have their choice of any type of burberry, or fabric, to suit every occasion, whether it be a light grey wool to make high waisted pants for a renowned journalist or an all-weather cloth for an expeditious colonel. Every detail is agreed upon between the tailor and the customer, and a relationship is formed between them that will last as long as the suit itself, a lifetime.

Patrick Grant, the current owner of Norton & Sons Tailors on Savile Row.

And this is for your musical enjoyment in reference to the title of this post.

Sources 1, 2

Posh Picnic.

Diane with Nathan Jenden

This morning I am über inspired by a past collection of Diane von Furstenberg's. It was the Spring Resort Collection for 2009 and I remember eating it up and wanting to buy absolutely everything that came down that green turf of a runway. So last spring, because of my admiration for it, my sister and I collaborated to make an over-the-top graduation party fit for a Hamptons garden. We had mini potato salad cups and Terra root chips, brownie squares and chicken pops. It was a smash and I can't wait to throw my next bash based on DVF, thank you dear!

The Picnic

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Lorelai + Lhuillier.

Lorelai Gilmore played by Lauren Graham on Gilmore Girls

Up until the moment of my teen years when I saw this dress, I had thought beaded wedding dresses were confined to the horrific 80s versions with puffed stark white satin sleeves and excessive tulle. Probably the only person who could have changed my mind was Lorelai Gilmore.

The series “Gilmore Girls” may look ordinary to the naked eye or to the first time viewer (who would most likely give up watching because the dialogue is so fast), but if it is watched enough, the viewer will learn all about Connecticut, classic rock bands, and almost forgotten movies. I learned to love everything through this show- Dorothy Parker, Sam Phillips music, and Rory was even my inspiration for entering the journalism field.

Both girls also loved clothes, especially towards the last two seasons. I was so proud of Rory when she wore a floral Marc by Marc Jacobs shirt around the newsroom and I was equally wowed when I witnessed Lorelai’s whimsical wedding dress. The blush pink flower embellishments and the satin sash made me completely rethink the concept of feminine detailing and how it can make a dress beautiful and not busy. So, at this point of my life, I vow to recreate or buy a Monique Lhuillier for my fanciful day that begins my married life. That act will dub me a true Gilmore enthusiast, but I would not have it any other way.

Monique Lhuillier Fall '09

Fall '10

Sources 1, 2

Mauvalous.

Jamie Drake closet; Isaac Mizrahi Spring '10

"Always and forever any and all shades of mauve, lilac, and purple. I am also thinking about maroon glace, mossy greens and bitter chartreuse greens, dead shrimp, Rose du Barry and magenta."

-Hamish Bowles, European editor-at-large of Vogue, describing his favorite colours

This season, everything from head to toenail is light, ethereal pastel. The main colors on the palette for our springtime canvas range from burnished yellow to hyacinth and everything in between. Don't feel like lack of color will dumb down your style though, in this season and in this economy, less is more and your muted tones will act as a breath of fresh air and stand out amidst the white noise of saturated color.

J.Crew Palmera ruffle cami

Essie nail colour Lilacism

Peter Som Spring '10

Essie nail colour Van d'go

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4

Seeing The World Through Oversized Glasses.

I am a sucker for a good pair of frames. I always have been, and I always will. This goes right along with my appreciation of a good hard back book and a hearty discussion about quantum physics. My favorite style right now is called the ronsir frame, which gives off an antiquated yet modern look of sophistication. Glasses just evoke that a person has a good head on their shoulders and that they are the sort of person you should get to know. So hats off to glasses, wear them with pride.

Peter Som with Bonnie Morrison

Cary Grant got the memo

Sources 1, 2, 3

Power of the Purse: the Birkin

This is the holy grail of handbags. In order to get it, you must pull Indiana Jones-like stunts to obtain it. You must go through months of exploration, you must know the right people to find its general location, then leap through many rings of fire and snake pits, and then.. then there is the waiting list: the most treacherous of them all. But once your name has been called and you enter the room of wonderment with all of the other faulty bags surrounding the priceless one (by priceless I mean $30,o00 for the basic model) all of the peril and the stress washes away. So, you may ask, why is this bag so different from the others?

Well first of all its Hermés, already a mark in its favor. Then there is the fact that it is all hand-stitched and is made out of the best of leather, either clemence or vache hunter I believe. The more elaborate versions may be diamond encrusted which could knock it into the monetary equivalent of buying a Meserati. In short, from the wise words of Ferris Bueller, "It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."

*If you are a politics nut, then here is a little more information about the power of the purse.

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Dude, Where's My Couture?

Although this article was published a few months ago in Vogue's September issue, I am still utterly inspired by it. Gela Nash-Taylor, the co-founder of Juicy Couture, gave the lucky Plum Sykes a tour of the grounds of her new country home in England, Wraxall Manor, and may I say it is breathtaking. This is the sort of life I would love to experience every day: riding my horse in jodhpurs, throwing an intimate dinner party with a few Texan socialites, then dashing to throw on a black satin Prada frock with black Louboutin booties and a red alligator Hermés cuff on each wrist, glorious! Gela, I admire your hard work and where it has brought you, bravo!

Wraxall Manor

The drawing room and Gela's daughter's room

Gela and her rocker husband John Taylor of Duran Duran

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