New in SoHo

Guess what store will be part of the SoHo experience? The clue is in the picture. Yes, Hollister. Instantly I was a bit upset this particular store is opening this summer. I understand that a lot of stores have closed and the economy is slowly getting to a better place but does New York really need Hollister? Broadway was already looking like a mall in middle America and this addition doesn't help. The only thing I think Broadway is missing is Aeropostal. There is one in the Manhattan mall, away, hidden, out of sight and that works for me. I appreciate the jobs it will bring to young people and that it will occupy that vacant building but there are no other major contributions. The clothes are a slightly cheaper version of Abercrombie & Fitch for the Hannah Montana and (the new) 90210 generations. As you walk down Broadway Top Shop has opened its doors for the American public. I was not very excited after seeing what they had. The men's shop is pretty big. There you can find suits, t-shirts, and shoes. It reminded me a bit of H&M but pricier so if you haven't been there yet have that in mind. Right next door the second J.Crew Men's store opened up. Its small and quaint and has a bunch of nick knacks to look at while you find a pair of chinos. So, while the gentlemen go to J.Crew the ladies can go next door to Madewell. This also means the J.Crew store on Prince street will be exclusively women's and kid's. Next time you go down to SoHo you'll see a few new places to check out.

Portrait Inspirations

My family will have a little reunion this summer. I think these pictures have a lot of potential for being interpreted into family portraits. The Banana Republic ad is from 1998 I got off a classmate's project in high school, I just loved it. I asked for it of course, and she was very happy to give it to me.

Questions Answered

I was at a wedding last week and a friend approached me and we chatted about a few things one of which was where to go buy a suit. This post will be dedicated to hopefully answering his questions. One of the important details when looking for a suit or any article of clothing is to consider the fit. This friend is "smaller" and so needs a slimmer suit. He will most likely need to have something tailored either the length of the sleeves of the blazer or the length of the pants. If thinking of going to a department store, here are some that should be considered, SYMS and Century21. When visiting both of these places patience is a must as there is a lot to look through to find what you are looking for. Also, I would recommend European brands. Their cuts are usually slimmer. I would not go with Hugo Boss(German) that tends to be boxier. I love Hugo Boss but in this case I think it would be safe to try another brand/label. Considering my friends personal style a good fit is Ben Sherman(British), there is a store in SoHo. Take note to the colors of the season, Navy and Dk. Grey are classic but there is usually a wider variety during the fall/winter season.

Also he referred to this cover:

I will break up the look a bit so you can steal that style, if you will. Considering the hair and the overall look there is a strong Rockabilly reference. The pattern of the shirt is Gingham. The tie clip is a great touch along with the pocket square. A pocket square or handkerchief maybe purchased at any dept. store I think even kmart might sell them. The point is for it to be white and well pressed. On shoots, I am asked to iron the whole pocket square and not fold it until its time to shoot and then carefully fold it so there is a straight and crisp edge. Now, the suit is by Dolce & Gabbana and it cost a pretty penny. What makes it extra special is the sheen on the navy fabric and labels like Ben Sherman would have samples of that for a lesser price. Hopefully I was able to shed some light on this subject. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to drop me a line.

Anna Wintour at 92Y

Last week all the way in the upper east side a group of fashionably sensitive people got together at the 92st Y to listen to Anna Wintour, Editor-and-Chief of Vogue magazine. A friend invited me to come along and listen to the lecture in interview style of the fashion icon. As you may know Anna Wintour is known for always wearing big dark round sunglasses. When she stepped on to the stage she wasn't wearing the glasses and I thought that finally I would get a good look at her face as she talked. To my friend's and I dismay this chance only lasted about a minute. We were seating on stage right while Anna was facing stage left hence her bob covered her face the whole time. The evening went as expected, some PETA people started screaming "Fur shame" and the security guards ran up to the mezzanine to escort them out. Right after that scene she repeats one of her earlier comments, "Fashion means a lot of different things to a lot of different people." The crowd laughed and the show went on.

Was there some amazing insight into her life, no. She was frank about her views and role of Vogue magazine in the world of fashion but took her time to answer every question carefully. She elaborated on the role the CFDA has on helping young designers get recognition and funding to continue their designs through this organization. Also, she has used her influence to organize the industry to unite for causes such as aids and the recent presidential campaigns and a program to hopefully help the consumers feel motivated to go out and shop and therefore help the New York economy. She is obviously a busy woman who has worked very hard to make sure Vogue stays relevant. Anna repeated through the interview that Vogue will not change but is aware of the changes going on in the world. Now, during a run through of the clothes that will be featured in up coming issue she asks how much things cost to have a wider variety of prices. Also, Vogue will institute a new section called Steal of the month featuring an item less the 500 dollars. The interview lasted about an hour and that was enough to get a good feel of where she stands and sees Vogue in the future.

There are a lot of interesting and accomplished people speaking at the 92Y so if you have a chance, go to their site and check out the line up.

Another Option

In the last post I mentioned how I would cut my old cords. Voila! I did it and it didn't hurt a bit. Actually, I'm excited to wear them out. This will help with my cargo shorts boycott.

"Quality always wins. If you're wearing something of incredible quality it will outshine any trend, any fashion idea, and anything that's funky or groovy."

- Tommy Hilfiger, Fashion Designer