Fashion Forward #2 - Contrasting Bow-Ties

Sruli Recht is the embodiment of the free-spirited artist. He is Israeli-born, Australian-educated and now lives in Iceland's capital, Reykjavik. His works are always original and slightly otherworldly, breaking the gender barriers and reaching out to the essence of creation and beauty.

One of my favourite pieces from his collections and also my favourite bow-tie is his Contrast-Trim Bow-Tie. Having talked about how much I love contrast trims before, you can imagine how excited I was to see that someone thought up adding a contrast trim to such an entrenched accessory.

Contrast Trim Bow-Tie, available in indigo and sandstone - $55

Trim It Up...Chuck Bass Does

There has always been a certain allure to non-conformism. Untucking your shirt as a kid, staying up late or missing your curfew as a teenager and the possibilities are endless now that we are adults. Stylistically however, to step outside the boundaries of the "norm" and get away with it requires either an unshatterable ego (i.e. Chuck Bass) or icon status (i.e. Anna Wintour, Lady GaGa). Anything else is a clear fashion faux-pas and should not be recreated.

From these experiments of unorthodox fashion, the contrast trim blazer was born, and the great Design Houses were not far behind in adopting it. I personally love the added possibilities with regards to the colour and width of the trim, since I always bemoan how little we men can really do to vary our outfits in comparison to women. I have perused the market and came up with these great blazers for all of you to look at!

Beautiful Navy Linen Sportcoat from Ralph Lauren. Retails at $495

An Outfit that manages to pull itself up to par despite the intense matchy-matchiness going on. Interesting cotton Tennis Crest Jacket from Rugby Ralph Lauren. Retails at $298

Left: Cotton Jersey Club Blazer from Rugby ($119.99) on top and Seersucker Blazer from United Bamboo (Retailed at $565) on the bottom Center: T Wolf Trim Blazer by French Connection ($135): Right: Black Edjules Blazer from Peoples Market ($88) on top, Purple Velvet Sport Coat from Tallia Orange on the left and Velvet Tuxedo Blazer from Black Rivet on the right

Ed.: Just found this great Stone Piped Contrast Trim Trenchcoat ($140) from topman!