More Menswear Schtuff

JOSH BROLIN FOR BAND OF OUTSIDER FALL 2012

Can't believe August is now over! However it does not mean that summer's to a close because I'll be hitting the beach one last time before I head back to school ;) I don't feel quite ready to turn off my internal "summer mode" but I have been slowly readjusting my sleep cycle over the course of the week for one that resembles more of a sane human being and less of a vampire's (damn the night marathons of Mad Men Season 5). Here's some menswear schtuffs (lookbooks, campaigns and paper dolls included) that serves not just as EXTREMELY good eye candy but also for some more Fall inspiration.

• Josh Brolin + Band of Outsider for their Fall 2012 collection looking extremely badass Western style, which of course reminds everyone of True Grit. 
• Ovadia & Sons Fall 2012 Editorial. They have THE BEST lookbooks. I didn't however like their collection for (with?) J. Press nearly as much.
• St James Casual Knitwear Collection shot by the very awesome Backyard Bill. Always more marinière goodness to go around.
• Bill Fucking Murray paper doll tribute. Just because and OHHHHHH I just realised that I got round to doing write up for Moonrise Kingdom. Will do shortly.
• Beauty & Youth United Arrows Fall 2012 Lookbook. The colours! 

I'm taking time off from the blog for the long weekend and will not be back until Sept 4th (which is when I return to the East Coast to schooooool). I hope everyday has a fantastic long weekend, and for those going to school, best of luck! I'll be starting my third year at school (crikey time flies).

Back to School Fall 2012 Inspiration

 

I haven't been sharing much of anything lately here, due to my commitment for mostly original content here but this was too good to pass up. After all sharing is caring! :)

These here are from NYTimes' T Magazine Fall feature of the beautiful Emma Watson, who will be returning to college herself. Though I like HP book series very much growing up, I have never been one to obsess over Miss Watson, though she has always managed to ping my fashion radar (in spite of my dislike for "celebrity style") ways growing up.

She looks absolutely divine in menswear and you know just how much I LOVE menswear, making this pretty much the perfect Fall inspiration for me. While I loved Summer, I can't wait till Fall rolls around.

COURTESY OF NYTIMES

Buntzen Lake & The Perfect Grey Tee

I am sorry if I sound like a broken record regarding UNIQLO but I swear to god that I am not paid a cent to write about them, but simply because I went on a crazy shopping spree there when in NYC and I'm in love with everything I bought so far. So full disclosure here in case you were wondering.

The reason when I am so content as of late (and therefore have little to talk (specifically whine about) on 'The Wardrobe') is that I've finally satisfied my want for basics. Last summer I was lamenting the fact that I lacked the true meat and bulk of the wardrobe. Now however after a healthy supply of plain tees, sweaters, structured navy skirt, a new pair of jeans later along with my beautiful Barbour jacket, I really think don't want much of anything anymore. I mean sure I've seen some pretty here and there and would like to have like everybody else (no superhuman willpower here) but there is neither real need nor deep desire for said little knick knacks.

Although there are times that I wonder if the reason why I am so easily satisfied is because I A) cannot give a damn about keeping up with the Joneses or B) as long as I'm presentable I'm happy. I don't know if this is case of maturity from my teenage years or my decreasing interest in fashion In general. My love for fashion is still there and I can most definitely admire it from afar, but that's well, about it. I'm at that point in life where there so much more pressing things to worry about now: whether to go to grad school, what kind of internship to get etc.

Exhibit A would definitely be my grey tee here that I wore to Buntzen Lake. Personally I find grey tees to be vastly more functional than plain white tees, particular because it meshes so well with everything and plus stains don't show nearly as easily. As my cousin finds with white pocket tees, they have to always look clean and crisp and all round immaculate for it to look good, whereas you are afforded a lot more liberties in varying shades of unkemptness for grey tees. Also it could just be that the heather grey tone of the shirt looks a lot better with my skin tone than white. I love the shirt as it flatters my body in all the right places, is also super soft to the touch, all for the extremely affordable price of ~$5 on sale.

So yes, while I will try to talk more about fashion, note that there will be more long winded drivel versus actual to-buy list, which I think will be most interesting since so little folks out there have written about post-capsule wardrobe living.

Granville Island

Vancouver has recently been hit by the heatwave, making it so hot that it was unbearable to go out until today. Cue Netflix marathon of Dexter. I always love going back to Granville Island, despite it becoming more and more touristy as the years go on, as its the stuff of my childhood. The summers spent at Arts Umbrella and when I got a little older, to venture off to the market or the fish and chips shack for lunch. You know, the good life.

When I back this time round, I'm glad to know little has changed. Okay the slide is no longer there, but at least there's a cool new wheel swing in its place. Predictably, I'm wearing my old breton stripe top with my new UNIQLO skinny jeans, which I lurve. A great addition might I add, to my mini denim collection.

Lil' sis on the other hand, went the simple '90s denim jacket + white tee route. I hope my love for basics has rubbed off on her. Here's to wishful thinking.

I am usually not so blatantly nationalistic/all that patriotic but it is things like this makes me appreciate the fact that I am Canadian. Also for the fact the red looks so pretty against the cornfield blue of the sky.

Dressing 007

BY BARBICAN CENTRE

I have always loved watching the Bond films growing up (wholly inappropriate for children, but my parents still watched them with us anyway go figure). What I loved most about them wasn't necessarily the exciting exotic locales of the different films, but rather the sharp suits that he wore for every mission. Imagine my delight to find this particular video on all the different suits that all the different Bonds wore over the years. I don't never dug Daniel Craig as the new Bond (too rugged/chiselled and not suave enough for my liking) so I haven't watched any of the new Bond films, but I can't wait to revisit the old ones now that I'm just chilling at home in Vancouver.

VanDusen Botanical Garden

VanDusen Botanical Garden is easily one of the most beautiful places and therefore also one of my favourite places, in Vancouver. It can most definitely hold its own against the more better known botanical gardens, such as the one in Brooklyn. It's smaller but that also means that there is denser collection of flowers, which means the scenery all the more gorgeous. The fact that there are random sculptures sprinkled all over the place as part of the ongoing art exhibition makes for an interesting experience.

Perhaps wearing a pink sweater to go the gardens was a bit too obvious a choice, but pastels > neon any day. I was a bad patient today in not wearing my special strap on boots, since I thought wearing just one white chuck would make the other strangely pristine in comparison.

Being amongst the roses reminded me how I was once the Queen of Hearts in the my sixth grade production of the musical 'Alice in Wonderland'. Thank god the role did not require any singing abilities apart from shouting "off with her head". I feel bad for not writing lengthier pieces, so hopefully more will be coming shortly very soon!