Picture by The Sartorialist

It’s a slight detail, even more slight than men’s brooches, and definitely a micro-trend. But it’s also a detail that I can’t make up my mind on; simply put, I’m not sure I want to go perforating my tailored-wear.

Source: Fashionising

Conservative jobs

OK, if you want to save the world from financial ruin, you better dress like you know what you’re doing. This means dressing like the big dogs in the tall weeds, which means suits and plenty of them.
Don’t even think about pulling on that old blue blazer with chinos for your interview in sales or finance. Dressing for a job interview in the conservative market requires you to wear a dark blue, black or charcoal suit with a crisp, white button-down shirt and black leather shoes with laces. No browns or funky check patterns are allowed in these offices.

Dress code: Loafers are not appropriate for a conservative office. However, you might add a bit of spice to your suit with a tie that strains against the conservative, but you should show some restraint even with your tie when dressing for a job interview. You are projecting responsibility and confidence when you wear a suit as much as you’re giving the interviewer a sense of your perspective on working in a conservative environment. When in doubt, dress your best and reach for the job you want by accessorising with a pocket square and a modern briefcase.

Cultural jobs

While liberating, working in the cultural arts jobs of publishing, museums, photography, and media does not mean that all rules of fashion are thrown out the window. If anything, the rules become more difficult as you balance the casual nature of the office with the need to be professional. A suit might not be necessary, but arriving in your weekend casual clothes won’t do either.

You will want to wear jeans, but don’t. Plain front trousers with modern cuts, dark coloured shirts and zip front cardigans will do here. Once you get the job, you may find that jeans might work in your office, but that doesn’t mean shabbiness is acceptable. Make sure your jeans aren’t baggy or have holes: you’re going into a place of work, not auditioning for a spot in Blazin Squad.

Dress code: Present yourself in dark tones with flourishes of muted colour for the interview. Striped and diagram-laden shirts under collared sweaters will work best with twill trousers. While you might feel compelled to arrive in those high-tech sport/dress trainers, you should leave them at home. Wear leather loafers or lace-up oxfords or even suede boots, but no running-inspired fashion shoes. You want to inspire confidence and a sense of personal style by wearing a coat that looks fashionably professional such as a Burberry Peacoat.

Service jobs

Whether you’re working retail or in an administrative office, you’re still working for the people and you need to be comfortable and able to move with what the day throws at you.

With comfortable, professional clothes in mind, it is OK to wear a blazer or sweater over a tie and chinos when dressing for a job interview in the service industry. You want to look responsible and well-pressed as well as approachable to the public.

Dress code: For the interview and the work afterwards, pair a crisp shirt with a conservative tie under a J.Crew Shawl-Collar Cardigan sweater. For the interview at least, wear trousers or corduroy pants, but experiment with dark-washed jeans once you’ve got the job. If you spend plenty of time commuting through city streets on foot in poor weather, consider a pair of Hunter boots to keep you feet, ankles dry until you get to work.

it’s not who you are, it’s how you dress

The dress code in the work world is changing, which means there are a number of fashion pitfalls to be made by the uninitiated. If you want to dress for success, you have to know how to make the most of those first 30 seconds in the room. Your most important step is to match your own personal style to that of the job you want and project not only professionalism but a sense of self and self-worth by being confident in what you wear.

Source: Ask Men UK

This post is dedicated to belts, those tiny items of clothing which make us look slimmer, add chic to the garment we wear, distract attention from problem areas.

Belt is worn for practical purpose or just as a decorative item. But no matter what we wear it for we should be very careful when choosing the style of the belt.As any other item of clothes belts have styles and are not versatile for the exception of classic designs. So pay lots of attention to belts you select.

Now let’s talk about belt trends for Fall 2009-Winter 2010.

Jewelry belts. I usually start from classic designs but this time I want to begin from the most beautiful and sophisticated ones. Such belts look glamorous and tender and serve as nice decoration to an evening outfit. But you can wear it with your casual clothes as well if you wish to look feminine.

Jewelry belts are embellished with stones, metal details, clips and rivets.

Zac Pozen’s belts deserve special attention as they are ornamented with flowers, leaves, snakes and even drops of morning dew.

Belts of unusual design. These belts serve as adornments to your garments too but they are not as rich in details as jewelry belts.

They are all of average width but made of different materials including leather, wood, metals, etc. There are some interesting details decorating them, such as unusual flower-like buckle, strass patterns, extraordinary forms.

Fabric belts. They aren’t in plenty in designers’ collections but those which are in look great. Various fabrics are used to make them: satin, suede, velvet, silk. Some are decorated with sequins or beads.

The softness of fabrics allows to experiment with knots. They can be pretty ordinary or very complicated and unusual in shape.

Thin belts. This season very thin belts are in fashion. They come in a diversity of colors and materials and can go with just anything, from an evening gown to a pant-and-blouse combination.

Besides, such belts may be worn out of pants and above them.

They look amazing when worn over sweaters or t-shirts. So, it’s up to you to decide how you want to don your thin belt; experiment and you’ll find plenty of possible decisions.

Wide belts. If there are thin belts there must be wide belts as well. This season we see lots of wide belts which come in various hues, shapes and designs. There are many leather belts, leather-and-velvet combined belts, and even fabric-and-fur combinations.

And again there are many choices of clothes which you can wear wide belts with. They look fantastic with dresses, and no worse with coats and sweaters. One more thing to say here – many designers offer to wear belts a bit sideways, when the buckle is not in front but at the side of you.

Classic belts. No wonder we saw loads of classic-style belts which are absolutely versatile and one and the same belt can be successfully worn with everything you like. My advice is to invest into a classic belt while we still feel the influence of the recession and can’t spend too much on garments.

Belts are important and do a lot to complement our look. Keep in mind all the above said and rush for a perfect belt for your warm garment!

Source: Millionlooks

40 common fashion mistakes to avoid:

Clothes that don’t fit - Baggy clothes make a person look sloppy, and like they’re wearing hand-me-downs. If your body type makes it hard to find well-fitting off the rack, make your tailor your best friend. Getting the right fit will transform anyone’s image.

Wearing a short sleeve shirt with a tie – Unless you work for a fast-food joint, where sleeves will probably get dirty while making sandwiches, avoid wearing a short sleeve shirt with a tie, as it is generally perceived as lower class apparel. If you want to stay looking professional and confident, stick to long-sleeve shirts.

Dirty shoes – It’s the area that too many guys overlook in terms of cleaning and proper care. A stylish man keeps his shoes as he does any of his other clothes; clean and free of scratches and dirt.

Warped shoes – Keep at least two pairs of dress shoes in the same color so you can let one pair rest for a day from sweat and stretching. Doing this prevents them from warping. Place a pair of shoetrees in your shoes when you’re not wearing them to maintain their best form.

Improper pants length –Don’t fold up your jeans or your chinos unless it’s some sort of fashion statement that you’re making. Your pants can come down to the bottom of your shoes but make sure they come just above the floor to avoid fraying your pants. Also, you only need a slight break, or crease, in the pants leg. And don’t be the guy who has his feet swimming in all that extra fabric. All it takes is a simple trip to the tailor to get them hemmed.

Wrong socks with a suit – When you’re wearing a suit, match your sock color to your pants, not your shoes. This is the same as mismatching your suit pants to your jacket. If you’re wearing a navy suit with black shoes, reach for navy socks. And when wearing a light suit, make sure the socks are darker than the suit but a shade or so lighter than the shoes.

Wrong belt color – If you’re wearing dress shoes, make sure the color of your belt matches the color of your dress shoes. Also, the finish of the belt and shoes need to match. In other words, if your shoes are shiny, your belt should be shiny as well. If you’re wearing casual shoes or sneakers, make sure you wear a thicker casual belt to match instead of a thin dress belt.

Improper tie length – A man’s tie should always end at the center of his belt buckle. This is such a simple rule, but overlooked by many. Having a tie that’s too short or too long, can make a man look incompetent.

Forgetting the necktie dimple - It’s the telltale sign of a professional who knows how to wear a tie.

Being too “buttoned” up – If a jacket has two buttons, just fasten the top button. If it has three buttons, you can close the top button, the middle button, or middle and top button. The key is to always leave the bottom buttoned undone. This is a tradition that has been used for decades, and will keep your style looking smart.

Socks and sandals – Have you seen anyone ever pull this off, and look sexy? Case closed.

Cartoon clothing – I love Disney characters, but unless you work for Disney, wearing them on your tie or shirts during the week make you look like you’re stuck in fantasy land. Oh and while we’re on the subject, stay away from those cheesy belt buckles as well. Instead, stick to the classic wardrobe pieces that will keep you looking your best for years to come.

Dress socks that aren’t long enough – When wearing a suit, your socks should come up to your calves, and stay there. When you cross your legs, you shouldn’t be showing any part of your legs. Isn’t it lovely when you see a man’s hairy leg peeking over his socks? When dressed casual, I recommend going very short on the socks or go completely sockless. So fully covered for professional wear, and the sockless look if you’re dressed casual.

Wearing the wrong colors – It’s important to match the color of your clothes to your skin tone. You want the focus to be on you, not the overwhelming color of your shirt. If you have dark skin, you can either wear dark colors or bright colors that match the strength of your skin color. If you have very fair skin, lighter colors are most flattering on you – like soft pastels or icy colors.

Wrinkled clothing- Unless you’re going for the “I sleep in these clothes” effect, keep all your clothes pressed and wrinkle-free. It’s a good habit to always hang up all your clothes, never throwing them on the floor of your room after use.

Wrong casual tie – If you’re wearing a tie as part of your casual outfit, go for a slim tie instead of the wider ones; keep those for the office. It looks a thousand times more stylish.

Wearing too many colors – Limit each of your outfits to a maximum of three colors or shades to maintain a coordinated look. If in doubt find a color wheel online and use it to help you choose your colors. Colors opposite each other on the wheel are “complementary colors.” Colors adjacent to each other are called “analogous colors”. When putting together an outfit, stick to complementary and analogous colors and remember less is more.

Wearing a backpack with a suit – Whenever I’m walking around the city, I see a lot of professional people wearing nice suits and carrying backpacks. I understand that a backpack can be more comfortable because you can throw it over your shoulder instead of holding a briefcase, but you can also get a nice messenger bag to maintain a professional look but keep you hands free and comfortable.

Unflattering hairstyles – Hair is one area of your image that you can constantly experiment with and upgrade without paying more than you normally do. Look around and see which hairstyles look flattering to you, and try something new this season.

Excess cologne – If a woman can only smell your cologne when she’s very close, this is good. She’ll have more reason to stay close. If a woman can smell you from across the room, need she come any closer? Depending on the strength of your cologne, use sparingly, if your cologne loses it’s smell throughout the day, simply reapply. A good rule of thumb is to limit it to two sprays – once on your neck and wrists.

Too much jewelry – All the jewelry a man needs are watches that will match different outfits, and a wedding ring if he’s married. Unless you’re a rock star, don’t go around wearing five rings and a bunch of necklaces at the same time. It looks tacky. Limit yourself to no more than three pieces of jewelry.

Comb-overs – Your not fooling anyone by covering up your bald spots – it’s better to accept and shave it all off Bruce Willis style. It makes you look a lot more sharp, and more importantly, healthy.

Sweatpants – Unless you’re going to the gym, you should never be wearing sweats out in the public. Not only do we dress up for ourselves, but mostly for other people. By wearing sweats, it’s easy to disrespect the people you’re meeting – they may feel that they’re not worth you cleaning up for.

Oversized branding – Avoid clothes that make you look like a walking advertisement. Don’t you know that’s what the advertisers want? Unless you’re getting paid, you’re getting the bad end of the deal.

Tucking T-shirts in – Tucking in polo shirts is acceptable, but t-shirts should be kept casual. If your t-shirt is too long then it’s probably too big on you.

Wearing a crew neck tee under a dress shirt – Pick up a v-neck undershirt and you’ll look a million times better.

Clipping your cell phone to your belt – This is as attractive as using a Bluetooth headset as a fashion accessory. It’s a cell phone, not a gun, keep it in your pocket.

Clunky square toe shoes – Popular in the 1990s, fashion has now strayed far away from this non-classic look. They’ll probably never come back into fashion so lose them and get some slimmer shoes.

Too many prints – Whether with casual clothes or dressy, avoid mixing too many patterns or prints together. If you’re wearing a suit, a good rule of thumb is to keep it to a max of two patterns. In other words, if you’re wearing a patterned suit, wear a solid shirt and a patterned tie, or if you’re wearing a solid suit, you can wear a patterned shirt and a patterned tie. But having a patterned tie, a patterned shirt, and a patterned suit can make you look too busy.

Mismatching styles – Don’t wear your sporty Oakley sunglasses with a blazer, or a pair of cargo pants with a dressy shirt. Keep your outfits coherent and matching in style.

Bulky pockets – I see a lot of guys walking around with bulging pockets. If it’s your wallet that’s creating that bulge, spend some time taking out all those old receipts or business cards. If you need to hold on to them, keep them in a safe place and take them out when you need them. Get a slimmer wallet or a money clip to save space.

Dirty nails – Some men have very overworked and nasty hands. They are either really callous, or they have cracked cuticles. If you work outdoors or lift weights, wear gloves, and use hand lotion before you go to bed at night. Keep your fingernails trim, and free of hangnails, cracked cuticles, and dirt.

Keep your facial hair well groomed – The hair on your face should be orderly. Your face is the first thing noticed, and so maintaining your facial hair is important if you want to look sharp. Either keep a cleanly shaved face, or keep your beard trim. They should absolutely should be no hair underneath your chin on your neck area.

Hair in the back of their neck – Hair on the back of your neck is the same thing. If you don’t get haircuts too often, use a small mirror to check the back of your neck against another mirror, and use a razor to shave any hair that’s growing on the back of your neck.

Using too much hair product – Be aware that looking like you have a bottle of hair product on your head never looks good. A woman sometimes wants to be able to run her fingers through your hair, not hurt herself doing it. Use a smaller amount than you think you need.

Wearing sandals outside of the beach or pool – Keep the flip-flops for the pool, and opt for a casual pair of driving moccasins this summer. Driving moccasins are usually made of leather, but really easy to slip into and have flexible rubber soles, which make them the rich man’s slipper. A pair of dark brown ones will work perfectly with almost anything. Wear them without socks and a pair of cotton shorts for a classically stylish appeal. And if you do wear sandals to the beach or the pool, make sure your toenails are trim and healthy looking.

Not tucking in dress shirts – If your dress shirts are long enough to cover your butt, they are meant to be tucked in. The shirts are made longer so that when you sit down, with your shirt under your butt, your shirt doesn’t come out of your pants. If you’re someone who hates tucking in at casual settings, than make sure the dress shirts you wear are tailored shorter to come above the center of your bottom.

Being a fashion victim – Avoid wearing something just because it’s popular, and not because you actually like the way it looks and feels you. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with wearing things that are in fashion, or trying something out of normal comfort zone, but the problem happens when you’re constantly needing to buy that next “fashion piece” that everyone seems to be jumping for. Build a style of your own instead of joining the clones.

Not taking care of that unibrow – Keeping your eyebrows groomed is just as important as the hair on top of your head. Use a tweezer and pluck any hair that is above the nose, it has to go.

Wearing athletic socks, for non athletic occasions – Keep the white athletic socks for the gym or when you’re out playing sports, otherwise, stick to the navy or black socks. They have casual ones in those colors as well. They always look more stylish than white.

Don’t settle for low-grade tees - I see so many guys walking around with their free Pepsi shirts or something they got from their last vacation to Canada. Avoid looking like a walking advertisement this summer, and try a solid-colored v-neck t-shirt instead, or stick to collared short-sleeves for something a bit more dressy.

Wearing pseudo dress shoes with a suit - I see a lot of guys who have an awesome suit, and then ruin it with ugly work-type boots . Or they wear a pair of black shoes that are something like a hybrid between sneakers and dress shoes. These types of footwear ruin the rest of the outfit. The quality of your shoes should match the rest of your outfit quality.

An undershirt is just that – an undershirt - An undershirt’s purpose is to absorb the sweat, dirt, and body oils that we all inevitably secrete, and prevent stains on your dress shirts. The name explains their purpose. It’s not meant to be worn as an actual shirt by itself, so avoid this fashion mistake and call your buddies out on it when you can.

Source: Kinowear

How well can you tie a necktie?

Having to rock a tie each morning can build some expertise when it comes to executing a precise knot. With that said, I’m going to do my best to guide you to creating a perfect knot every time you put on a necktie. I’ve also included instructional videos below.

Tying a tie to perfect detail makes all the difference in the way a man looks. For example, a simple touch such as a dimple in a tie can add both sophistication and depth to one man’s outfit, while another’s childish knot can add the look of a clip-on from the fifth grade.

Maybe you’ve never learned how to tie a tie. Maybe you’re just out of practice. Maybe you wear one to work each day, but want a fresh trick or two to upgrade your style. Where ever you are, I’m sure you can learn something today.

So…let’s dive into the twisted world of silk…

How many different knots do you know?

If you’re like most men, at some point in your life your father probably showed you one simple way to tie a necktie; he probably mumbled something under his breath, attempting to demonstrate, and told you to go figure it out on your own. From then on, you most likely never bothered to teach yourself another kind of knot other than the one that gets the job done quickly.

Well, it’ll do you good to learn some different knots, because one of the greatest ways to accessorize is with a tie.

Did you ever consider which knots go better with certain outfits? Or perhaps even…best for your body frame?

If you don’t know how to tie a tie at all, you’re going to learn TODAY. The day will come when you’re going to have to don a necktie…and heaven forbid the day your parents, friends, or girlfriend is unable to help you…

Instead of settling for a clip-on, here’s a challenge for you:

Master at LEAST one of these knots.

What is mastery? You should be able to get a perfect tie knot and length in relatively less than 30 seconds. With a little practice you’ll be laughing at how easy it is.

If you already know one way to tie a necktie, learning some different ways will give you more options. You might even find a new one you really like, or another way of tying it that goes better with more casual wear. Try them all and decide which ones suit you best.

If you want to be a man of style, then this knowledge is a given. You’ll take it with you to the grave. Even if you end up never wearing ties, just knowing in itself is a cool display of higher value. That way when your son asks you how to tie one, you won’t stand there frozen, regretting the day you skipped this article. ; )

Don’t worry, I’ll make it fun.

The best way to learn is LIVE, so I did the closest thing and posted up some youtube videos on how to tie different necktie knots.

Windsor

A lot of guys will mistakingly refer to this as the “double Windsor” due to the existence of the half Windsor. The proper term is The Windsor or Full Windsor.

The Windsor Knot is a thick, wide and triangular tie knot that projects confidence. It would therefore be your knot of choice for presentations, job interviews, courtroom appearances, and anywhere else you need to look respectable. This means you should definitely learn how to do this knot – it’s actually quite easy to do.

Because of it’s size, keep in mind that it is best suited for wide spread collar shirts.

Half-Windsor

The half-Windsor offers the upscale look of a Windsor with less effort. Accordingly, there’s a good chance that you’ll come to rely on it pretty heavily. It’s not as wide as the Windsor, but its still wide enough that you should make sure it’s not pushing your collar up awkwardly.

Pratt or “Shelby”

This knot is highly symmetrical, like the Windsor, but looser to wear and not as time-consuming to create. Since the Pratt is neither as large as the Windsor nor as narrow as the four-in-hand knot, it pairs well with most dress shirts and looks suitable on any occasion.

I couldn’t find a video with words so here are the instructions to go along with the video:

1. Place the tie around your neck with the seam (the end with the tag) facing outward on both the thin and fat ends. Note that the fat end should be hanging lower than the thin end on the chest.

2. Cross the two ends over to form an X and flip the fat end and through the loop to form a knot around the smaller end.

3. Pull both ends apart quite tightly to ensure your knot is snug, then bring the fat end of the tie over the thin end to cover your first knot.

4. Pull the fat end up and through the loop, then drop it down through the knot.

5. Tighten and dimple up.

Four-in-hand

Here is a great one to wear with casual clothes, learn this knot. Try this with a casual dress shirt with softer material, preferably with a smaller spread. This one will come in handy when you’re in a rush too.

It’s naturally going to be a little asymmetrical, so don’t be discouraged that it doesn’t look straight, that’s all part of the four-in-hand. The dimple is much harder to produce on this kind of knot, and sometimes will not form at all.

The four standard knots are the Four-in-hand, the Pratt, the half-Windsor, and the Windsor, and out of those I like the Windsor the best.

Try the St.Andrew knot if you want one that looks very much like the half-Windsor that is much easier to get right.

Some will say the St. Andrew is a much better choice than any of the four traditional knots if you only learn one knot. It’s difficult to make it look bad no matter how poorly or quickly you tie it.

Instructions for Tying a St. Andrew Knot

The video has no words so here are instructions for those of you who can’t get it right with the video alone.

Great symmetric knots (small to large):

• the Nicky for a simple small knot
• St. Andrew for a fuller knot like a half-Windsor
• Windsor for a big triangle knot
• Hanover for a really big triangle knot

Great “weird” knots (small to large):

• Victoria (small tube)
• Cavendish (asymmetrical knot)

You can search for these on youtube if you really want to outdo yourself, but unless you like to wear neckties frequently and you’ve mastered the four standard knots, there is no need to confuse yourself.

Choosing a Tie

After you have some practice and think you know what you’re doing, go talk to a man at a good men’s clothing store who takes his job seriously. He can show you how to really do it right, what to look for in a very good tie, and tricks that can’t be easily described in print. It’s going to cost you at least $40 for a good tie. If he says something along the lines of “a tie’s a tie,” or isn’t an expert at tying his own tie, go somewhere else.

When choosing a tie, your main concern should be on three things: the quality, the material and the color of the tie. Silk ties (made of 100% silk) are always best to have. Make sure that you pick one that is just the right thickness and length.

If you are tall, go for a longer tie.

The rule for tie length is that when tied in a properly fitted Windsor knot (or any other knot for that matter), the triangular point at the wide end of the tie should be able to meet your belt buckle. Make sure you bring a dress shirt to the store, and try it on before you buy.

When you finally pick out the tie you like, never forget to double check that it is not damaged, smudged, or crinkled in any way.

TIPS:

When choosing a knotting style, consider the thickness of the tie. Some ties are too thick to make anything other than a four-in-hand look decent. Some are so thin that the extra bulk added by one of the Windsor knots is needed to make the knot noticeable.

Are you aware that your face and skin also should affect your tie selection?

If you have a strong, angular face you look better in striped ties. Dotted and paisley printed ties go well with a round or baby face. Solid colors can be worn by everyone.

As you would match the shirt and suit to your skin before buying, so should you follow the same principles while selecting a tie.

If you have a slim build, check out some skinny ties, as they are in style right now.

Something else I really like are wool knit ties. Definitely something you don’t see often, but if you can pull it off, it looks great. There are also cashmere knit ties – which are more expensive than silk ties – but have a few classic pieces in your wardrobe before you decide to splurge on one.

A Trick to Getting the Right Tie Length Every Time

What is important to remember is that different ties are different lengths but it doesn’t really matter how long or short the short/skinny end of the tie is after you tie your tie. What is more important is how long the long/wide end of the tie is. This is what people see and what causes retying if you tie it incorrectly.

1. Let both of your arms hang down at your side. Hang your tie around your neck and hold the tip of the wide end of the tie in your outstretched arm’s hand, downward at your side.

2. Take mental note where the end of the wide end of the tie falls with regards to the length of your arm. (eg: middle of your fingers, tip of your fingers, a couple inches past your fingers) This serves as your personal gauge.

3. Tie your tie.

4. If the length is how you like it, you now know your personal gauge. If it’s too short/long for your preference, untie your tie and start over adjusting where the tip of your tie falls in your downward stretched hand adjusting for how short or long the tie was with the first tie attempt. Just slide the tie a little more over on your neck to adjust for this length difference. Just use this same gauge every time you tie your tie and the length will be about the same every time, right? The short/skinny end is the end that will vary with different ties.

If you have read this article and mastered the four standard knots, congratulations, you are officially trained in the subtle art of tying ties.

Source: Kinowear

#4 Funky Lego Fashion – Marc Jacobs Runway Accessories in Lego

Marc Jacobs Lego

For the Spring 2008 show by Marc Jacobs, Lego accessories were a whimsical feature that helped draw attention to the garments that also got people really talking! The coolest accessories featured in this show were the Lego belt buckle and the Lego headband which helped lend a youthful vibe to the classic and contemporary fashion items!

#3 Funky Lego Fashion – Lego Cufflinks

Lego Cufflinks

A number of designers and retailers have adopted this trend, although some, likely due to copyright limitations, do not call them “Lego Cufflinks” you can’t help but recognize them as the popular childhood toy. The House of cufflinks www.boutondemanchette.fr, doesn’t mislead you about the true origin of their childish cufflinks, and they even feature the Lego logo. For $33 a pair, these cufflinks are basic, in the primary colors of Lego that we’re come to recognize, and they come in a classy velvet bag for safekeeping!

#2 Funky Lego Fashion – Trendy Lego Sunglasses

Lego Sunglasses

Lynx Optique recently teamed up with Lego to release the retro-styled Lego sunglasses that have a hipstery vibe that’s been fashionable in eyewear this season. Plus, what’s better than being able to modify your eyewear to better suit your tastes, hang onto your childhood and field questions about what happened to your face…err, sunglasses? Where can you get these sunglasses in North America (or as more than just a concept?), well I’ve yet to discover that, so stay tuned!

#1 Funky Lego Fashion – The Original Helmet Head

Lego Hair

Forget hairspray, Lego hair can give you the original helmet head that won’t just last all day, it will last you a lifetime. In 2004, Brazilian designer Jum Nakao put his models in Lego hair helmets during a runway show, which certainly put the hair stylists out of a job!

by Beth Hodgson

Button Cuffs
Button cuffs, in contrast, are single cuffs, which wrap around the arm and are buttoned into place. These are the cuffs most commonly found on ready made shirts. Button cuffs may have a single button or may be adjustable, with two buttons side-by-side. Some have two buttonholes and two vertical buttons, a more formal option often called the barrel cuff. Button cuffs may also have a small button on the sleeve, between the cuff and the end of the cuff opening, intended to prevent the area from opening and exposing the gentleman’s wrist.

French Cuffs
French cuffs are the most formal option, yet are perfectly appropriate for daily wear in many industries. The French cuff is a double cuff, folded back and fastened with cufflinks to create a distinctive and distinguished appearance. Cufflinks must always be worn – though there are more subtle options available, such as fabric knots – so the gentleman must be prepared to keep a reasonable selection on hand. French cuffs are not made to be rolled up; throw in the phenomenon of cufflinks being prone to disappear, and the French cuff becomes a less attractive option to low maintenance men.

Remember that the choice of ones cuff type is a very important detail and should be chosen with the intended use of the shirt in mind. Though not everyone requires a closet full of French cuffed shirts, a gentleman should have at least one for those occasions when he wants to appear just a bit more stylish than the ordinary. Embracing this elegant look is an excellent way to declare to all observers that one not only takes pride in his appearance, but also has an appreciation for subtle elegance.

The law would permit shops, department stores and shopping malls to open on Sundays in 20 zones of what are called “exceptional commercial” centers in and near three of the country’s largest cities: Paris, Marseilles and Lille. Those centers are malls or clusters of shopping centers often located just outside major cities. Additionally, 29 areas involving about 500 cities and towns would be added to the list of tourist areas, which already allow some economic activity on Sundays.

Among other things, the new law would straighten out a somewhat chaotic situation in which some stores manage to obtain exceptions from the old law and others don’t, and in which some stores find it makes sense to accept fines for breaking the existing law, because the income from Sunday sales more than makes up for the penalties.

Opinion polls in France showed slightly more than half the population wanted shops to have the freedom to open on Sundays, according to Time magazine.

The Socialist party has appealed the law to the Constitutional Council. It will take two weeks for the Council to rule on whether the new law is constitutional. The new law will be a significant shift in France, where Sundays are seen as family days. We think it’s an excellent idea. More shopping days is more convenient for working women.