EYE FOR A GUY.

Eyewear is vital accessory to protect your eyes from the fervent UV rays. Trust me, bean sprout won’t grow on your iris, so obviously there is no need to expose your eyes to the sun for photosynthesis.

Before buying one, source for pictures of you looking straight at the camera. Using a tracing paper or finer piece of paper, outline the shape of your face. There are four common shapes; coin, oval, heart-shaped and the square. Determine your face shape by choosing a silhouette that is most dominant.

Round faces, or the coin, should avoid round lenses. An angular-shaped lens helps slim a round face. For the Spongebobs, the most flattering would be an oval or round lens. The tricks to finding eye wear for heart-shaped faces are tricky. The key is to even out a wide forehead and narrow chin with colorful shades to draw the attention to the eye. As for the ovals, they have more options to style. Square frame for oval will look best but all are flattering.

Images Via GQ.

Dinie.

Read more...

BUILDING A WARDROBE, WHITE SHIRT.

A friend of mine who is coming out of his ascetic shell and is about to embrace some consumerism has decided that he needs to first build his wardrobe. He asks me what should he invest in. And I thought, wow, the grandeur of that question. Don’t wardrobes just appear into existence? I was flipping out over this fashion conundrum but I thought GIRD YOUR LOINS, not so dramatic now.

The issue of building a wardrobe is very real. The most basic approach to this is to highlight the sartorial needs and tailor the wardrobe to meet those needs. Sounds easy enough. But everyone has different needs, perhaps with the exception of the intrinsic requirement of having to be clothed at all (even some may find this contentious though!)

So I conducted a mini-experiment. I went to my wardrobe and tried to narrow down to one single most crucial piece of garment that I cannot do without. The kitschy trinkets, lapel pins and the wristbands were the first to go. Trendy pieces including acid wash denim and rabbit cashmere cardigans didn’t last the race either. After eliminating one item after another, I was left with two things: A white shirt and underwear.

Nevermind the underwear. But the white shirt, I feel, is essential. So many looks rest on the classic white shirt. And designers are always finding ways to reinvent it – be in for men or women. Notably, Vogue-endorsed Thai designer Thakoon did a collaboration with GAP on his signature white shirt. Upon this wonderful discovery, I shared with my friend a few options to choose from when deciding on that staple white shirt.

Top choices for white shirts include those from Emporio Armani, Kris Van Assche and Filippa K. The fabrics are also usually a mix of synthetic fabric weaved into the cotton to give it that special touch. Subtle details are also introduced such as evening out the edges of the collar (as seen in Givenchy) to add a novelty without undermining the integrity of ‘the white shirt’.

Ultimately for me, two things come to mind time and time again when choosing staples: fabric and fit. The right fabric will determine how the shirt rests on your form and the right amount of sheen will give the shirt the luxe factor that makes it distinguished from the common pile.

And quite honestly, with that right white shirt, your wardrobe will feel complete without having to stock up with too many pieces.

Images via carolinesmode.

Nabil.

Read more...

SARTORIAL ACCESSORIES, KNOW YOUR SOCKS.

One thing I’ve learnt, calluses and blisters can be avoided. You see, our feet and shoes are like our moms and dads. Some sorts of partition are needed to avoid friction. Which brings us to the continuation of our sock post.

There aren’t many laws imposed that you should live by when wearing socks. One simple rule; certain colour of socks should be worn with specific outfit. Use your intuition, instinctively knowing the difference between tasteful choice and a fashion no-no.

When in doubt, abide with the ‘official’ rule. The rule is that socks should be dictated by color of your pants, preferably not in the exact same shade unless you are wearing black or brown pants. The aim is to create fluidity in you outfit instead of breaking the continuous flow. Important; white socks are for sports!

Second, pairing shorts with socks is suicide. It’s visible cuts your length and creates a stockier illusion to your body. Invest in a less visible ankle socks (I recommend ladies foot sock) when wearing short. It applies to the high waters pant break ‘without socks’ style.

We went on about colors and cuts of sock etiquettes; one last thing to take into consideration is the material. Ribbed fabrics (the ones with rows/vertical lines when stretched) are the contrast of cheap. Instead, find a dress socks (finer, thinner material) to set the focus on your classy shoe instead of the socks.

Dinie.

Read more...

SARTORIAL ACCESSORIES, SOCKS WITH LOAFERS.

There’s many men’s fashion site that discourages the wearing of loafers. Less ‘fashionable and doesn’t project a wealthier image’ was one of the more ridiculous reasons. Never mind that, wait till I share what I’ve garnered from my research.

The sartorial rule of wearing socks requires you to match your socks with your pants, not shoe. A ‘dressier’ loafer should always be worn with socks, dark colored socks only. With shorts, loafers should be worn without socks.

If there’s one thing I cannot abide are rules like that. It’s impossible; I do not have the entire UNIQLO franchise in my wardrobe! (Wait, I don’t even have a wardrobe at the moment, my clothes are in boxes!) Well, the idea was in men’s fashion is always about enhancing the look instead of creating a stark contrast on the outfit.

Anyway one can never break too many rules. Just say it’s a fashion statement. And plus, these rules changes with time and I’ve been seeing more men (not in Singapore of course) wearing colored socks. I’ll go in-depth in the next post; I’ll make us think about our clothes even more. Details, details, details!

Images By Ridhwan Sesapar.

Dinie.

Read more...

WHAT TO WEAR- JOB INTERVIEW.

I can’t exactly remember what I wore to my last job interview, but I think it was a navy button-down cardigan with black pants and a Gucci sandals. That ladies and gentleman, (according to men.style.com) is what NOT to wear to a job interview. Well maybe it wasn’t that major of a faux pas since it was just a sales associate position for Jessica Simpson’s shoe line. (Which until now I can’t believe why I was so willing to stand for hours to sell shoes for her.)

Anyway, now that I’m approaching adulthood soon (not that fast, but soon), I guess I should share my bit of the ‘job interview etiquette’. There’s basically no rule except for the ‘dress your best’ rule if you’re interviewing for a creative position (e.g. Web designer, editor etc) but these tips are necessary for the service, administrative and business sector.

1. Wear a grey or blue suit. Please be careful, as there is a difference between charcoal grey and black suit. Wear your black suit on the first day of work but not during a job interview.

2.White shirt are is a must and it should be of the classic point collar.

3. Your shoes have to be lace-up, any styles but in black or brown only.

Personally I don’t abide with those rules because I don’t own half of the thing mentioned above and I don’t want to die in Singapore’s heat. Plus, I don’t think those factors influence that much when it comes to hiring.

Dinie.

Read more...

THE SARTORIAL EQUATION.

According to men.style.com, there is such thing as the ‘Sartorial Equation’.
Shoe x 3 = Suit = Watch/10 = Shirt x 6 = (tie) 10
Assuming a price of a shoe cost a dollar, the price of your suit should cost 3 times more (3 dollars; the price of 3 shoes, 6 shirts), which is one tenth the price of your watch and so on. These are useful guidelines to budget your purchases.

Image by Jak & Jil

Dinie.

Read more...

DOUBLE-BREASTED JACKET.

In every post which suggest a certain guidelines to follow, just remember, it is not an obligation but it is essential. However you might want to take this point into considerations because people, like The Sart for example, take their bespoke suit seriously and you never know when these tips might come in handy!

A classic double-breasted suit jackets (the ones that comes in suit;jacket and pants), the lapel should always be a peak lapel to compliment the shoulders.Without it, probably the suit will gives a boxy silhouette. As for buttons, the standard two rows of three buttons with one on the inside.If the size of lapels are smaller, chances are, you will have more buttons.

As suggested, a suit should at least be tailored at the waist but, with double-breasted suit, it should be tailored to the torso. It creates a prominent shoulders by cutting into the waistline.Highly recommended for man of small build.

Dinie.

Read more...

ESSENTIAL SHOES.

The classic Woman checks your shoe before anything else. We don't normally disclose any personal issues at first impression but do you know, a shoe reveals so much about one's dignity? If one is wearing flip-flop, my first impression would be that he's lazy. If a guy strut in heels, there's no doubt he's feminine right? I guess a shoe really makes the man.

Personally, i do not believe in investing large amount of money on something that i would rub against the floor. I've never prioritize a shoe ever. If it is true that with shoe, you get what you paid for, then no wonder none of my shoe last long.

A man must have at least two type of shoe to complete his wardrobe-- Dress Oxford and Monk Strap before loafers or lace-up. It is not an obligation but it is essential.
When building a foundation or choosing the basic, try not to over-do ourselves and stick to the basic. A conservative plain dress oxfords is preferred as compared to the kilties, balmorals or wingtip. Same rule applies; Formal occasions require laces. With simpler, less detailing on your feet, the easier to get away with a fashion faux pas.

Images by Scott.
Source: askmen.com

Dinie.

Read more...

OMENTUM FATS.

With the growing belly attached to my body,i can't help but to notice it.No matter what Uncle Karl might say of her, looking like Beth Ditto was never a good thing unless, you want to wear stretchable Herve ledger dress your entire life. Being rich has its perks, you can afford to run on a treadmill while listening to Gaga or you can simply use one of those jacket as a dumbbell. Working out in the gym will be so fulfilling with those studded jacket.Antonin Trons are the new Lifting straps!

Anyway, Dr.Oz called and he wants to tell you this- the waist circumference of your belly (when sucked in) should not exceed one-half of your body length.An ideal for women is 32.5" or less and 37" for mens. So if you look in the mirror and realized that the pregnancy cardigan can't hide your permanent pregnancy, maybe it is time to start wearing a large.Extra large.

Omentem fat are part of your belly fat which is hidden under the muscle of our bellies. It can't be pinch, ( I say pinch, not grab) if you can pinch it,it is probably not. The function of the omentum is to provide nutrients for the belly throughtout the day and too much of visceral fat can cause poisoning to the liver.It overloads chemical up the veins which can cause diabetes. The fat also squeezes your kidney, increasing blood pressure which can cause heart problems.

This is guranteed to stripped an average of 15 years of your life.That is why i recommend you this. Best part,it really works!



Dinie.

Read more...

DR.MARTENS

The ‘conventional’ (or trendiest for some) ways of wearing Doc Marts would of course be with leggings or jeans. I don’t (and can’t) wear leggings and skinnies make my thigh looks like a twelve-incher in a fitted condom- or at least I thought so. The said dilemma (oh so drama) is in need of a solution.

So I won a pair of eight-eye in bark and I initially thought of giving it away, before I fall back on my words. That was before the recession and I’m sure all of us weren’t thinking straight when our allowances were cut down! I mean shouldn’t everyone be worried the fact that the economy isn’t doing well? I was devastated. How do I get me some moolah to watch Zefron in High School Musical 3?!!!

We’re getting out of topic here. So anyway, I choose to keep them under my bed and hoping the ingenious would pop up soon and there came my knights in Lanvin high-tops and fluffy bow tie, Lucas Ossendrijver and Papa Elbaz. Lanvin’s fall 2009 collection, which showed the pairing of similar hues for boots, socks and pants .I’m inspired and I think I’m ready to use my boots that I won without having to write-in for a free one.

Dinie.

Read more...

Break Of Pants: Full Break, Flare Cut.

Previously we discussed about the break of pants which refers to the in-seam of the crotch area,the part where your pants fall on your shoe,create a horizontal crease-like effect across the pant leg front.Or simply referring to it's length.







A bootleg or flare-cut should never be any of those two (medium and short break) but could be categorized as the full break. It gives the pant leg a deep crease along the front at the top of the shoe sole. This type of cut or break is for the taller man but not necessarily for the taller women.The proportion on a vertically-challenged women can be overcome with a higher waist,shoes with higher platform or both.



Unless you're Jean-paul, the men can't get away with wearing heels (yet). Through trial and error, the full-break pants seems odd on a men's leg. Shoes with elongated sole,pointy front and a little bit of platform at the back is much tasteful in overcoming the problem of looking sloppy. It creates an illusion that your leg can stretch for miles!

Images: Yvan, Scott, Altamira.
Dinie.

Read more...