Strapping Surcingle Sashes

Out of the few things a man can add to his persona as an accessory, the belt is by far the most embraced by men  of all statures, classes and fashion senses.

The belt itself comes in many shapes, sizes and materials and I won't go into details in this post, but one of my most favourite types of belts is the Surcingle Belt. 

The term surcingle (Et.: Middle English sursengle, from Middle French surcengle, from sur- + cengle girdle, from Latin cingulum) is an equestrian term that represents a strap made of leather or leather-like synthetic materials such as nylon or neoprene, sometimes with elastic, that fastens around a horse's girth area, and in our case, around one's midsection.

While most belts are either made of solid leather or braided leather or rope or plain canvas, the surcingle is a combination of the most common types of belts and almost always features a leather buckle and either a canvas or rope body. The surcingle is both trendy in casual and less casual situations. While I do like to wear a surcingle belt with most pants just for the sake of having a belt, I use it most to add a little colour to a jeans/denim/chino and sports coat combination. I'm not sure if having lived in the south has taken its toll on me or not but I definitely approve more of a navy coat, pastel chino combination if it is all tied together by a mono- or two-toned surcingle belt ( Major major kudos points for anything Anatidean).

In terms of the body of the belt, the surcingle comes in either a stretch version, which from experience I can attest can get annoying to re-buckle, especially after a couple of drinks, and a normal non-stretch version.

Surcingle belts are fashionable, durable and compared to genuine leather belts more affordable. I see no reason why you should not invest in one this summer and add a little colour into your wardrobe. 

The belts featured in this post are as follows from top to bottom and from left to right: Rugby - TWO-TONE SURCINGLE BELT ($55), Dann Clothing - ENGLISH WOOL SURCINGLE BELTS ($52.5), J.Press - STRETCH SURCINGLE BELT ($45)

In COMPANY OF WE

'Tis often found that you and me,

Aroused from sleep by he or she,

Ask not what they can do for thee,

For you already are in company of we.

Company of We was born out of a desire to produce quality fashion at a lower price and many a fashion critics have expressed their bewilderment when seeing their collections, while some have compared it to bringing the runway to the department store. Although just a fledgling design line it has received tremendous attention from the press and the public.

 Beyond their desire to bring the public what it wants and what it can afford, Company of We offers a one-time 25% discount to anyone who signs up to their mailing list. No more excuses for not wanting to look at what they have to offer because in these times of recession there's naught as fit to benefit from a discount than the shop-a-holic within each of us.

As per usual, I've put together a small collage of my favourite items from this designer house:

The items featured in this collage are as follows, from top to bottom and left to right:
Augustene Cardigan Blazer in Clay ($138), Captain Leisure Jacket in Herringbone Grail ($259), Carter Pant in Gun Metal ($128), Flynn Button Down in Grey/Red Flannel ($82), Moses Toggle Coat in Ink ($325).

Looking forward to seeing your Spring/Summer 2010 CoWe!!!

An Autochtonous Revelation

In spite of centuries of toil and trouble,

In wild Wallachian lands of old,

The people are still unabated,

And each day brings more wonders to behold.

It rarely happens that Western Europe, with its "Meccan" centers of fashion, Paris and Milan, looks to the East for innovation and beauty in the form of fashionable creations.

I have had the luck of stumbling upon a little shop in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, a former Communist country that is voraciously enjoying and devouring Capitalism. Few would stop and look for innovation in a place where imitation is so rampant, but Mihaela Glavan's new store, Sepala, breaks from the confines of its geographical location and brings new ideas to light by means of its exquisite Men and Women's Shoe Collections.

With its three distinctive collections: Mihaela Glavan, Sepala and RSM (Reconstructed Style for Men ), its designer, Mihaela Glavan has had the opportunity to experience with bold colours such as bright red, neon green or light blue, which most shoe designers avoid like the plague. She has also redefined the standards of prime materials used in her shoes and has often varied their respective combinations. For that reason some of her creations include leather and suede and velcro, nubuck and leather and even leather and PVC.

The best thing about Sepala is that all shoes can be customized in store and ordered to size if unavailable.

The Sepala Store can be found at "24 Intrarea Tudor Stefan (Dorobanti area), Bucharest, Romania" or if you would like to contact them regarding  an order, online here.

Roll Me Up In Spring

Roll me up in spring and summer,

Lift me way above the clouds,

Show me sounds of endless summer

Give me never-ending crowds.

For us lucky ones that don't live in the north-east of the U.S., the weather has been steadily improving, bringing with higher temperatures and sunny skies. This is one of the turning-points of the year in terms of fashion, as one transitions from the Fall/Winter wardrobe to the Spring/Summer one, and one of my favourite things about spring is that the weather is chilly enough at times to wear a few lightweight layers but warm enough that you can shed the heavy Fall/Winter wool blazers.

Something that I keep seeing here in Europe is guys rolling up not only their shirt sleeves now, but also the sleeves of their blazers and cardigans. And although the neophyte's first reaction might we wondering why not just take the blazer off if you're too warm, the actual reason behind rolling one's sleeves has nothing to do with the temperature outside.

The whole trick to doing it, as our friends as Fashionbeans.com put it is pushing the sleeves on the jacket to just below the elbow and then folding the sleeve until it covers the ribbing, all this while remembering to have your cuff done up.

This look first came into mainstream view by means of Miami Vice, although the t-shirt under the rolled-up blazer look is not the best of combinations. I would advise either wearing a polo underneath and thus eliminating the need to roll 2 sets of sleeves or sporting a lightweight shirt that won't bunch-up too much when rolled. As for bottoms, some nice shorts look best in my opinion( but please no cargo shorts, burn them if you own any) or a nice pair of chinos that complement the look and give tribute to spring and summer( think spring colours, earthy pastels this year). 

In terms of shoes, if you choose the shorts recommendation, I would suggest going sock-less and sporting either a pair of loafers or a pair of nice leather oxfords or brogues. If you're not a fan of that either, go with the all safe boat shoe.

Items are, in order from top to bottom, left to right: Rugby - COTTON JERSEY CLUB BLAZER ( $168), photo courtesy of The Sartorialist, Rugby - SKULL BUTTON NAVY SPORT COAT ($398), Rugby - FOOTBALL CLUB FLEECE BLAZER ($79.99), photo courtesy of Swagger NYC.

Spiraling Shoelaces

Make a tepee. Come inside.
 Pull down tight so we can hide.
Around the mountain... here we go!
 Here's my arrow. Here's my bow.

We seldom think of what ties everything together in our daily tribulations yet it is what unifies almost all shoes on this earth. While there are almost 2 trillion ( that's 2,000,000,000,000) possible mathematical combinations of lacing a shoelace, practically there are only around 43,200 ways of tying the lace for he average 12 inlet shoe.


For some, tying their laces has become a form of expressing themselves while for others it's nothing more than a hassle. Here's a couple of the most interesting patterns around:

In practicality, most of us desire a more traditional pattern that channels sobriety and not the childish stereotype that funky shoelaces and shoelace patterns bring. To that end, Ian from Ian's Shoelace Site (yep, there's a website for everything nowadays) catalogues the different patterns on his website depending on simplicity, comfort, neatness and whether or not one pattern wears the shoe out more than others.


These are of few favourites of Ian and myself:



1. The Over-and-Under Lace

The alternating over and under pattern looks great on a pair of Converse although you shouldn't be afraid of straying away from the white shoelace. You can find the pattern and how to tie it here.


2. The Criss-Cross


The Criss-cross is the most common of patterns and is also one of the most comfortable as the crossover of laces takes place in the gap between the sides of the shoe. You can find the pattern and how to tie it here. 






3. The Ladder-Lacing


This pattern goes very well with boots and is often used by ceremonial guards, ice-skaters and paratroopers. The higher the boot the better this pattern looks. The pattern and how to tie it can be found here.





4. The Footbag Lacing


To end this post on shoelaces, I've chosen the Footbag Lace, designed to facilitate the catching of the ball in Footbag games. I personally think it works great on ankle-high Suede boots as well. Try it out and shoot me with a comment or a picture.

Wanna join the Rugby.com Student Union?!

My favourite brand of all time, Rugby.com, partner of Ralph Lauren, has started a new campaign called "The Rugby Student Union". As long as you are a student and have an e-mail address ending in .edu you're eligible to receive a 15% discount on any Rugby.com merchandise. Kudos to you Rugby.com, thanks for acknowledging your target consumer!

LOVE = LOVE

Every year around this time we are assaulted by a global display of affection that most Western nations dub Valentine's Day. But in all its lovey-dovey intentions, the simple exclusion of non-heterosexual relationships from mainstream portrayal of what this day is supposed to represent makes it even more harmful than amorous or educational. Even now, when we are the vanguards of vicissitude in terms of acceptance of all types of  relationships between two humans, even relationships that do not abide to the "norm" set forward by a heteronormative world, so little is done to equilibrate the balance between LOVE and what this said "norm" sees as  LoVe. For that reason I would like to commend the Valentine's Day Commercial campaign of Armani Exchange that does what so many of us have not been able to say through words in as little as three pictures.

So tomorrow...when you wake up next to the love of your life or begin the search for your happily ever after, keep in mind and remember that

  LOVE = LOVE

and it transcends one's sex, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, race, colour, language, religion, social status, age, ability and political affiliation. Love and let live!!!

M(c) H(ammer), a palindrome for H&M?!

For anybody who has lived through the 90s, MC Hammer's videoclip "U Can't Touch This" is probably deeply ingrained in their cerebrum and if not for the music itself, for the pants worn by the rapper and his dancers.

Lately, mainly 2007 and onwards, a resurgence of the same style of pants has been slowly brewing, gaining more fans by the season and going from the extreme of nouveau fashion to the runways of Paris and NYC and now is about to enter mainstream consumer markets through H&M's 2010 Spring/Summer collection.

Before going into peering at the future I'd like to peek at the past and examine the origins of this style of pants, which is more of a category of pants rather than one and  single type of pant. Through the ages it has bore many names, some being as intriguing and mysterious-sounding as Sarouel, Jodhpur, Zouave, Lungi and Dhoti and as mundane as super-wide leg, sailor, pajama pants and as one of my favourite Fasionistos, TheFashionGent, dubbed them, "sagging crotches".

1. The Sarouel


The origin of the name of this specific sub-type of pants comes from the French noun Sarouel, which refers to a large type of pant fabric that is worn around the Sahara region:

sarouel (n.m.)

1.large pantalon de toile porté dans le Sahara.

While this is what I would imagine the Prince of Persia(and by this I mean of course Jake Gyllenhaal) wearing, I can say that a bit of googling has made this type of pant appealing and I am very likely going to buy one or more pairs in the near future. Here's a few of my favourite choices:

• Wool Sarouel Pants by DeepStyle ( $82 )

Another great item found on Yesstyle , this pair of Sarouels, hailing from South Korea, comes in two non-colours, gray and black and tapers off at the ankle as it is meant to be tucked into one's boot (remember the origin of the Sarouels and that sand against skin is bad)

• Sarouel Jeans by Yellow Jacket ( $55 - blue - black )

This great style has even penetrated the Jeans Market and as one website sartorially observes, even though some are indeed seeing this new pant as a fad that will pass, I believe it is here to stay. Think of what a lot of fashion critics had said about men's skinny jeans, that they would not stick with today's man, while lo and behold skinny jeans are bigger than ever. Viva la revolucion stilistica!

• Vintage Sarouel Pants by EPISODE

There's nothing better than seeing an actual person wear an item and observing how this item integrates with who the person is. Wilfried, photographed on EasyFashion is the perfect example of a stylish guy who is not afraid of being a road-opener and in this picture is wearing a pair of vintage Sarouel Pants.

2. The Jodhpur

The Jodhpur is the most conservative of all drop-crotch pants and has been mainly designed to facilitate horse-back riding and hunting. Originally Jodhpurs were worn in the Indian city of Jodhpur and were tight-fitting only from the knee to the ankle, flaring above the knee. Modern fabrics have allowed Jodhpurs, which have traditionally been only white or cream to be available in most colours while stretch-fabrics have added more support and flexibility. The Jodhpur on the right is made out of leather and comes from designer Marie Streichenberger, designed for Holland&Holland.

3. The Dhoti
The Dhoti is the traditional male garment in the Indian subcontinent and what comes to transpire as dhoti pants in the western world are pants in a drop-crotch style that incorporate influences from traditional dhoti pants.

4. The Zouave


The Zouave gets its name from a certain group from within the French army, the Zouaves, a corps first rasised in Algeria in 1831 consisting entirely of two battalions of Berbers.

Cloak, Spring/Summer '07

5. The Harem 
Last but not least, the Harem pants originate obviously from the Harems of the olden Muslim Empires and are basically baggy/drop-crotch pants, tapered at the ankle and that have side-flaps on the hip that button at the waist area.

Here are some Harem pants in action on the runways of the world; John Galliano on the left, combining two of the 2010 Spring/Summer trends, the Harem pant and the Gladiator Sandals and Bottega Veneta on the right also combining two of the trends, the colour red and the Harem.

Enjoy some Hammer time....uh, I meant Harem time  !

“An orange on the table, your dress on the rug, and you in my bed, sweet present of the present, cool of night, warmth of my life.”...

It's never too early to think about summer and I believe that Jacques Prevert's word choice of the fruit and colour was most likely not a random one. Orange is one of my favourite colours for the sunny season and is the colour of intellectual ambition and stubbornness, situating itself chromatically exactly halfway between red and yellow. Funnily the word orange was not introduced to the English speaking world until the 1500 and is one of the few words of the English language that does not have a rhyming counterpart.

Orange is a very versatile colour and much to the chagrin of many men, if worn in a nuance other than Safety Orange ( See Coach Bruce Pearl) and properly matched, orange can turn a look from good to great. Some orange nuances that are not very much present in mainstream fashion and I find specifically appealing are the earthier tones (Persian Orange, Fulvous,  Tenné, Mahogany, Rust, and Flame) on one side and the fiery tones (Amber, Champagne, Pumpkin, Coquelicot, Gamboge, Persimmon, Tangerine and Vermilion ) on the other side. Now Orange is in itself a very powerful and overpowering colour and unless you wear a very light nuance of it, I would advise against matching it with another powerful colour such as bright green or yellow for fear of resembling a traffic light more than a human.

Orange goes best with itself, black and white of course and with its complementary colour, a light blue such as azure or with colours from the same chromatic family(Triads) such as light yellow, some pinks, beige, some light green nuances (i.e. khaki green) and brown.

I've put together a collage of my favourite orange pieces in hope that it will inspire you to wear more orange this spring and summer(Observe Paco Rabanne's 1 Million perfume which has become my all time favourite fragrance).. Enjoy and click the picture for a higher resolution version !

Sweating over Sweater Stones

Having just talked about sweaters in the previous post I felt like this would be the right time to mention this great product I have discovered and have been using for a while. First though let me ask how how many of you have spent too much time using those annoying pilling shavers trying to get rid of the annoying fuzz that appears on sweaters, predominantly on the backside?! How many of you have accidentally snagged parts of the sweater that weren't supposed to come off yet?! The product that I want to let you know about is better than any of the electric shavers you can buy from different department stores and has the great advantage of being FREE.

I took the liberty of copying the following from the Sweater Stone's website:

1. What is a sweater stone?

Sweater Stone is lightweights pumice, composed of thousands of minute completely sealed cells.

2. How does the Sweater Stone work?

Sweater Stone has the unique ability to remove pilling from knits with each sharp edge of a broken cell. It actually cuts the filaments that holds the pill to the garment.

Get a Sweater Stone and protect your sweaters from harm!

Cowl Necks and Shawl Necks and Roll Necks! Oh My!

Just what our dearest friend Dorothy felt when going into the forest was approximately what I felt when I stumbled upon YesStyle which describes itself as being "the leading online retailer of Asian fashion products and exclusive lifestyle products from South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China. A good alternative to the anti-gay Urban Outfitters."


What I had been looking for years had finally materialized itself in this online shop. Besides buying shoes, my second hobby/mania is buying interesting and unique sweaters. Sadly, the American market is very much lacking in originality and diversity. Short of buying expensive off-the-runway looks, my only sources for such enjoyment have been Urban Outfitters ( things might change now that I am aware of Urban Outfitter's founder's agenda Boo Richard Hayne!) and Rugby Ralph Lauren.



After spending a couple of hours on YesStyle my Wishlist has grown considerably and I am very excited about showing some of the items I like most to you. The only disadvantage to consider, as a Western Consumer is that most of the items on YesStyle come in One Size or if you're lucky in an M or an L, which I have come to realize are actually S and M. But don't be discouraged, most of the fabrics stretch a bit and buying something that feels a little tight can provide the incentive that you need to work just a little harder at the gym. YesStyle offers Free Shipping on most any items and you can always return an item you don't find to your pleasing.

1. Cowl Neck Long Sleeved Sweater by Newyorkhomme($45)

I especially like the Cowl neck that is made out of two intertwining pieces and the tone-on-tone contrast between the body of the sweater and the cowl neck.


2. Turtleneck Cape with Fingerless Mittens by Peeps ($75)

I like the concept of deconstructing the normal sweater into the body and its sleeves very much. If the weather permits it one could wear a t-shirt and the cape without the sleeves or only with one of the mitten sleeves for extra panache.


3. Hooded Knit Pullover by Deepstyle ($70)

What I like best and look for in a sweater is its ability to make you feel safe and comfortable by means of its warmth and texture. I think this pullover and its rich cowl ,which can be used as a hoodie as well, would make anyone feel all cocooned and shielded from the inclement weather.



4. Dolman Sleeve Oversized Cardigan by Deepstyle ($88)

Attending an American college I often see students walking around in their fleece pants, hoodies and pajamas to class, to the library or to get food. Now I don't want to come off as being over judgemental because I can understand where they are coming from since we all like to feel comfortable whilst we go about our daily activities. For most college students however, this desire trumps over any semblance or care of style as the herd effect takes over being further reinforced by seeing other students doing the same. The following item is what I would personally turn to during those gloomy days when you feel like staying in bed and cuddling with your warm fleece blanket. The loose structure of the cardigan and the purposefully left short sleeves allow for one to maintain their personal bubble and feel comfortable while at the same time looking chic and put together. Paired right this cardigan makes for a great Fall/Spring item.


5. Handkerchief Hem-Hooded Coat by Deepstyle ($98)

PROPORTIONS!...Proportions....proportions? It seems that western designers enjoy being so rigid in their designs or otherwise I cannot explain why there is basically no breath of fresh air as the seasons go by. Yes they change the materials, yes they all change the colours, but in terms of construction and proportions, give or take small changes in tightness, all designers stick to some form of unwritten standard. I can understand the fear of being ridiculed by the ruthless fashion critics but sometimes, if you really believe in your ideas, that first step outside of the box can make it and not break it. That's why I want to applaud the Asian designers for not really caring of what the west has to say and designing what looks good, whatever form it might take. This Handkerchief Coat looks good both untied and tied and the inverted front-tail motif can definitely advantage either a taller person or someone with a less slender physique.



6. Knit Pullover with Sash by Deepstyle ($45)

This last piece is for the ones of you who like to stand out and be inovative through what you wear. One thing I always bemoan with regards to male fashion is the reality of how little we can actually do and change about what we wear compared to the near infinity of possibilities a woman can choose from. The Pullover with Sash does so much into establishing new ground through so little that I knew I had to tell you about it the moment I saw it.




So designers....take a risk, explore that niche in your head that want to come out and let the inspiration and change flow...you'll definitely not be disappointed!

Gushing Gurgling Galoshes

With snow still faling in many parts of the northern hemisphere and spring rain soon to follow, my thoughts go directly to what shoes can I wear that will both cope with the inclement weather and survive the slush mush that is snow or the gurgles of rain while still preserving an ounce of style.

While looking into this issue, the first solution I found, though practical, and versatile, was not very pleasing to the eyes and was not even that affordable:



1. J&G Rain Bootie Shoe Cover
This specific Rain Bootie is clunky and seems more fit for a ski trip rather than a walk to the office. I give it an F because I hate both velcro and nylon by themselves, moreover in combination as is the case with this shoe cover.

If for some obscure reason any of you would be interested in purchasing it and therefore going against my dire wishes you can find it here.

2. Totes Rubber Footwear

The second item I stubmled upon held much more promise as it was not a shoe cover but a Galosh (et. Fr. galoche - clog) which by definition is "a waterproof overshoe that protects shoes from water or snow". The Totes galoshes get a B for being very affordable (under $20) and versatile ( they offer men and women galoshes and they are the only company that offers a galosh for bigger work boots, working wonders for all you Timberland fans out there). The reason why I did not give the Totes galosh an A was that I found their lack of available colours disappointing and that they did not do anything to vary their designs.
Nonetheless, for someone who is practical and needs a good solution for rainy weather, Totes galoshes can be purchased here.

3. SWIMS Galoshes

Recently featured in GQ, the SWIMS galoshes are my absolute favourites. They come in different sizes, different colours, different styles and are deisgned with a style-savy consumer in mind (yes, women too :) ). They get an A+ for everything I mentioned above and for delivering not only to the U.S. but to Europe, Asia and the rest of the world as well. The + is for not forgetting, as most American retailers do, that there are just as many consumers, if not more, outside of the U.S.A. rather than inside.



The SWIMS website can be found here, while their online shop can be accesed here or you can purchase them from Saks Fifth Avenue in NYC, San Francisco, Chicago or Philadelphia. Enjoy the galoshes and the other items SWIMS are starting to sell, like these very cute cute slippers for men.


Caring for your shoes during Fall, Winter and Spring

Water is leather's worst enemy and unless your wearing pure cotton shoes most any other materials will suffer from water exposure. Here's a few tips that could save you money and your shoes their life.