4 DOS (AND 5 DON'TS) FOR SUMMER

Dear Men...How are you? How you feeling? It's raining like balls out in NYC today, but we had some nice weather earlier this week, didn't we? It was so nice, in fact, that you made some life choices that we're going to have to talk about. You see, just because summer is approaching doesn't mean you have free license to dress like Matthew McConaughey at a bathhouse premiere of Spring Breakers. Below, some guidelines for the warmer weather ahead...(click image for source.)

Click through for the 5 DOS and DON'TS of summer dressing!

[shorts story] fresh to death

photos Fareine Benz // shirt Thomas Dean (previously seen on my tote bag here!) // shorts China // cuff 3.3 mall Sanlitun // shoes Ash Italia // jacket Ike's Underground (seen here)

This week I wanted to do something a bit unexpected, so I got to thinking about b-boy style and hip-hop influences. I found I had the perfect combination of items to do an outfit post for the final installment in my shorts storiez, in which I finally showcase that gigundo cross I blogged about here. I wouldn't wear this look everywhere, everyday, but I did wear it to Barnes & Noble. Sneakers/trainers what have you are rather de rigeur and pants seem to be getting looser and baggier (a lá Aaliyah?), so expect to see some new silhouettes on the blog (i.e., today, right now.) While Pharrell and André 3000 are two of my top fashion icons, the inspiration for this look is rooted in the outsized personalities of K-Pop. Korean rappers/singers G-Dragon and TOP embody a new kind of urban aesthetic that fuses American b-boy style with Japanese street style. Well, I don't know how "new" it is, per se, but I've been getting more familiar with it recently and am intrigued by their personas and, let's be real, wanna bang them (or should I say smang them?) like any good groupie. Some style examples, including GD and TOP, below...

Click through to continue reading this post!

[SHORTS STORY] CRAZYSEXYCOOL

This week's outfit is super casual (super cazh? caszh?), so I brought out my Blue Steel to really sell it. Except for trademark reasons I can't actually call it Blue Steel, so it's officially, "The Cerulean Hammer." Please to pay special attention to how awesome my rings look in picture two, because I spent a lot of time trying to figure out that particular configuration. Thx.

photos Fareine Benz // denim jacket (seen here) Low Vintage // sweatshirt Zara // teesh, shorts and plimsolls Urban Outfitters

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[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

DEAR INTERNET No. 19

It's been so warm lately I feel the need to post some of my favorite snaps of men in shorts. I love the looser leg and rolled cuff of the styles seen here. (Wait, is the bottom hem of a short called a "cuff"? Or is it just a "leg opening"? "Thigh hole"?) Also on my radar: good sandals and white sneaks.
images via The Sartorialist, here and here.

These woven slip-ons are soooo cute! #perfectsummershoe

This bookcase, in Claire Thomson-Jonville's apartment, is the greatest bookcase ever. Super super cool, but still functional!

Sous Style is an awesome new site and I feel a bit like Magellan for discovering it. Except that Magellan didn't find shit by following links on Twitter, but details, details...One of their regular features is hot guys cooking - brilliant! Here we see one of the hottest guys aka Future Husband #3, who again is probably unaware that we're meant to be, but just you wait for that surprise pregnancy! I still am...

And last, but not least...I've been listening to Grimes' new album, Visions, pretty much nonstop for the past two weeks. This video of her performing Genesis live is sort of fascinating, plus she looks like the lovechild of Arwen and Legolas who decided to leave Middle Earth and pursue a love affair with her keyboard, which couldn't be a bad thing.

Happy weekend!

FALL FRUIT

All of a sudden it got so cold I had to dig out this sweater! Still with the shorts, though – can’t give it up all at once. The fun new special thing that I want to talk about here – are you ready for it? My hair looks cute instead of like it'd rather be on Steve Buscemi's head. I just got BB brown hair powder and while I can’t say I love it (the color transfers really easily so you can’t touch your head against anything white – I know, there go all your hobbies) it has a deep, natural-looking color and it texturizes really well. It’s probably best for people who shower at night, since it acts like a dry shampoo in the morning and then won’t get all over your pillowcases when you hit the sack. Of course, I shower in the morning so my sheets look like they have soot all over them.

Sweater – Urban Outfitters

Shirt – stylist’s own (as in I don’t know who made it)

Shorts – ex-Boy Scouts uniform from Ike’s Underground

Bag – vintage L.L. Bean

Desert Boots – J.Crew (paint splatters my own)

P.S. Thank you Darryl for taking my photoOo!