THE PRINTS OF TIDES

Don't soak your manties - I'm not actually a humpback! It's just the wind in that first picture, billowing up in my shirt like wind in my sails...this week's outfit, aside from celebrating the coastal splendors of Florida, is all about my new patterned pants. I've been waiting to debut them for awhile now, as it's definitively far too cold for them in NYC. I love 'em because they're dual-action, synergizing the patterned-pants trend I've had the hots for since Prada AW'12 with pajama dressing (see the pants in the last shot from the editorial I posted here.) High-waisted, pleated and 100% polyester, I picked 'em up in the ladies section at - where else? - American Apparel. The shirt is from Muji (similar here) and the sneaks are my Converse chucks (get 'em here.) The bracelet was a gift from a friend, but the handpainted leather ring is actually from Ten Thousand Villages - not a bad find, yeah? Stay tuned later this week for more about my trip. Check out my moodboard for this look, after the jump...

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LEGGINGS FOR MEN (AND ADVENTURES IN SPANDEX)

There's been a lot of internet talk about the style phenomenon of "meggings" lately: What are they? Where did they come from? Are they happening to your children? Though not necessarily a new trend - The Cut first wrote about them three years ago, but recently revisited the topic - they are indeed a divisive one. I, as you can see, decided to jump onboard this bandwagon and ride it to its post-metrosexual end - but first, I had to find a suitable pair of leggings. My adventure began at OAK, a great place to begin any journey for which the desired end lies distinctly over the sartorial rainbow. I asked one of the meggings-clad associates where I might procure my own pair and wound up at American Apparel, copping the brand's winter leggings...technically for women, but also for me. My references for wearing these babies (and what sparked my interest in them in the first place) came from the stylings of Robert Geller and Givenchy:

My interpretation is, admittedly, ultra-sporty, as I'm also operating under the influence of Jun Takahashi's haute fitness collaborative line with Nike, Gyakusou - and let's not forget yesterday's editorial. I paired my leggings with oversized leather shorts (borrowed from a friend) and my new (secondhand) Y-3 sneaks. I rounded out the ultra-sporty look with a blueberry hoodie to complement the color of the shoes, plus I just love that color. So much so that this also happened:

I borrowed my friend Michael's F/W'11 Gareth Pugh top for a day (you can see the runway version on a ladymodel here.) Five percent spandex, for the win! This has nothing to do with meggings, I just wanted to share that life event with you all. Happy Monday!

ANYTHING BUT BASIC

photos Pete Oliviëra // glasses Warby Parker (seen here and here) // shirt custom-made // tie Zara // pants American Apparel (seen here) // shoes What Goes Around Comes Around

I know the trend right now is print-on-pattern-on-print, but you know what? I'm poor, and when I needed to invest in some suiting separates this summer, I invested in basic (and versatile) black. Well, actually, the only thing I bought over the summer was the tie - I left all of mine in Virginia, forgetting I would need them for interviews. The problem with so much simplicity is what to do with the look outside of a corporate setting to make it personal. Instead of switching up the black tie for a pink one and the black sportcoat for a lime green one, I budget-mindedly opted to change up only one item: the white shirt for the neon, psychedelic-print one. I figure, if there were ever a shirt to make black anything but basic, it's this bad boy. (Readers will recognize it from this post as the shirt I had custom-made from artist Patrick Costello's 'Eat Yer Greens' fabric over the summer - this nana is exclusive, baby!) I "grounded the look" with these goooorgeous deadstock vintage brogues from the new What Goes Around Comes Around boutique at Astor Place - where I happen to work! Drop by and see me! These shoes pretty much literally cripple me when I walk, but they are SO CUTE. I feel like the color and contrast seam detail on the sole is very contemporary - I could see these from Mark McNairy. Like this look? Check out last year's autumnal take on personalizing suiting separates here!

P.S. I love to tuck my ties into my waistband!

P.P.S. Yes, I advocate going beltless when keeping it casual.

View my inspiration for this look, after the jump!

[SHORTS STORY] AMERICAN PREP

This month I'm embarking on a special journey...a journey to that item of clothing at the heart of summer dressing: shorts. Shorts are tricky because, to be blunt, it's easy to look like crap wearing them. Weird pocket placement, strange and unnecessary seams around the ass/crotch, a plethora of lengths that can be really unflattering...shorts are tricky. Enter the first in my Shorts Story series: American Prep. This is different from Euro-inflected versions of preppiness because boat shoes. Also, see my horse bracelet, vintage kelly green Lacoste polo and whalebone necklace. I'm big into shorts-cuffing and highly recommend it for enhanced cuteness. To switch things up this week, you can see a modified version of the outfit below, topped off with a lightweight vintage sportcoat instead of a cardi.

This was fittingly shot at the gardens at the University of Virginia, speaking of which...I did some gardening yesterday! (BAM life update segue) While wearing something decidedly less preppy I volunteered at Annie Novak's Eagle Street Rooftop Farm here in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I worked with a few other volunteers to plant rows of peppers - with my hands, y'all! I actually learned about planting stuff in the ground, which was awesome - and what's more awesome is that Annie described our work as "perfect"! So if anyone asks what I''m doing up here you can tell them I'm a gentleman farmer; I've got the Instagrams to prove it!

photos Joel Codiamat // hat Urban Outfitters // polo, sportcoat and bracelet Low Vintage // cardigan American Apparel // shorts H&M // belt Uniqlo // shoes Band of Outsiders for Sperry

STYLE SNAPSHOTS

I'm caving in and uploading an Instagram outfit post. I try to avoid this because I really have fun with the little photo shoots, plus they show off the details much better, but all of my photos are taken by friends and when we get together it's like, "First, we can do your hobby...then, we can take 200 pictures of me." Obviously, people love hanging out with me. So here it is, an entire outfit, Instagrammed thanks to the huge mirrors of Urban Outfitters. This was *le total sensation* (catchphrase!) on Facebook, so I figure it's worth sharing with you all. The jacket is my new Burberry cropped trench from Vintage Vixen, seen here in store and as part of a much more "street" outfit - look how well it transitions! People aren't kidding when they say a trench coat is a wardrobe essential. Worn overtop my "business look" with Rachel Comey oxfords.

And a few other beauty/style snapshots...

1 & 2: Looking "au naturel"...I picked up a new foundation that's working out a lot better than my previous one, also Rimmel. When shopping for this crap I basically look out for all of the keywords product marketers have had beauty writers hammer into my brain and get really excited by the promise of being turned into a poreless mutant. There's definitely been some "matte minimization," and a friend even asked if I was wearing anything one afternoon because my skin looked more even-toned (keyword!)

3: I am realllly tempted by fringe right now, y'all. Suede. Fringe.

4: My new green floppy fedora from OAK.

Follow me on Twitter & Instagram @xoxofruitpunch

THE ITALIAN TWIST

The twist is that my shirt's halfway unbuttoned. That's an Italian thing, right?

These are my new pants from American Apparel that I picked up for half off, thanks to a Groupon tweet from my cuz. I know some bloggers openly boycott AA thanks to all the scandalous reports of company wrongdoings and general CEO skeeziness, but they're the only company I know of that makes pants in my waist size, so...oops. These pants are indeed so snugly high-waisted that I decided to forgo a belt, and I'm wearing sneakers. What derring-do! It should be noted that this was shot pre-haircut and that I'm not wearing a single item of women's clothing here, either - this look is all man, from the Gant for Jeffrey oxford (the only fancy dress shirt I own) to the layers of Acqua di Parma Colonia Assoluta and YSL L'homme gracing my wrists. Roar!

blazer - Korean
sunnies - faux Wayfarers
sneaks - Seatech

photos Celeste Wright

DAPPER'S IN THE DETAILS

For menswear traditionalists pursuing the modern dandy vibe, these are the details that really cinch it – the tartan tie contrasting the mini-check shirt against the neutral sweater under the cord blazer with, bon appétit, a paisley pocket square for the K.O.

Another great detail I just thought of that you could try? Line your jacket with a crazy/fancy fabric. I did this with just the sleeves of a Zara blazer last year; here are the steps: find a fabric you like (I used a ladies’ American Indian-esque print teesh, also from Zara), then take it to your tailor and say, “Please do this for me, thank you.” Voila! Or if you're feeling non-traditional and you want a special hidden detail all to yourself, you could...paint your toenails! (Make little faces on the big toes; really indulge, like you’ve taken yourself to a spa for fifth graders) (Oh man, that could be a weird thing, no? Don’t take yourself to spas for fifth graders, what are you doing there!? Get out!) We'll stick to the traditional details for now.

Shirt – American Apparel

Tie – Uniqlo

Sweater – Ralph Lauren

Sportcoat – A.P.C.

Pocket Square – Vintage

HE WEARS THE (LADY) PANTS

Today's outfit is another example of "unisex dressing," which I'm always championing. The pants are pleated-front ladies' trousers from Zara (a women's extra small that I bought in an Asian country, let's not dissect that), the belt is from the ladies' department of Uniqlo (although, really, why?) and the shirt is an XXS from American Apparel that honestly just doesn't fit - it's waaay to short and the entire day I was contemplating how ridiculous it would be to have an elastic undergarment sewn into the bottom so I could reach for things without my shirt coming up out of my waistband. Probably very ridiculous. I didn't do it! And the scarf is vintage silk - I love silk scarves and have quite a few, but almost never wear them. I think that must be because I'm pretty hard on my clothes. But yes, my ladies' pants, they hold up ok - just not my men's scarves.

Pants - Zara

Shirt - American Apparel

Belt - Uniqlo

Scarf - Espace Kiliwatch

Shoes - Rachel Comey