Author: Battletag Ouchies

Theidleman.com – 12 Shoes Every Man Should Own

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Article written and up on theidleman.com, read the entire piece here. Be sure to read all the latest menswear style advice and shop for all your menswear needs at IDLE. 

An shortened excerpt:

Whether you’re an avid footwear collector or just starting to put together your essential pieces, with our extensive guide you’ll know all about the 12 shoes every man should own – that includes you. 

Read more Men’s Style Guide features. 

Shoes have an interesting history. From functional to flashy designs, it can be easy to feel lost in all the details. As a whole, footwear is extensive. A simple wander through a history museum will show you how shoes have evolved through centuries dating back to Ancient civilisations. Now, we look at shoes and there’s endless styles to choose from, and new ones popping up regularly.

Shoes can amp up more simple outfits, or create clean, minimal lines for a more sophisticated look. Colours no longer stop at the neutral palette, and you’ll find that vivid prints are available too. No matter what your personal style’s like, there are pairs out there that will match everything you love. We’ll now take you through the 12 must-have styles that will help you be at your very best, and we’ll show you how to wear them.

Contents [show]

Oxford Shoe

Oxford Shoes are often confused with Derby Shoes, but there are marked differences between the two. Here’s the easiest way to tell them apart: closed or open laces. To put it briefly, you’ll see a line of stitches underneath the vamp for an oxford versus more space and no stitched line with a Derby.

When it comes to styling, the oxford shoe is much more formal. These are the ones you see being paired with tuxedos, and a lot of times you’ll come across shiny patent ones. You might not feel you really need a pair, but it doesn’t hurt to invest in a decent set of Oxfords. There will be occasions you need to break out a tux – weddings and holiday galas come up quick.

mens shoes oxford dark brown leather
PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest | SHOP: Formal Shoes

Derby Shoe

The Derby shoe on the other hand, you can wear with your suits and at times really sharp denim if you’re going for a business casuallook. The open space on the vamp feels slightly less formal, but there’s still a clean, minimal design to the derby shoe that you get with the Oxford.

Good for date nights and semi-formal events, the Derby is a huge favourite and a forever a classic among men’s shoes.

outfit grid mens shoes oxfords derby style
PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest | SHOP: Formal Shoes

Brogues

With their unmistakable perforations, brogues have more range than the Oxford or Derby. Being shoes that can go beyond the casual direction, they’re great for sports jackets and button down shirts. You can wear them when you suit up for the office or try a colourful suede pair to catch eyes.

You don’t have to stick to tradition. Many designers and brands are creating soles out of lightweight foam and cork for an extra summer casual look. Surprisingly durable, these styles could become your weekend favourite in no time. Dealing with rain or snow, here’s a helpful guide to sporting brogue boots – never hurts to have both at hand.

mens shoes brogues brown black men style
PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest | SHOP: Formal Shoes

Loafers

Loafers, depending on the material, can come off dressy or be very casual. Going for a nice neutral leather will help you compromise between the two. Easy to slip on and off with a moccasin-like construction, the loafer has quite a bit of history behind it. There isn’t an exact starting point on its origins, but it comes down to either Norway or England. Regardless of which version is correct, this leisurely design came about in 1920s Europe.

Fast forward a little and G.H. Bass company introduced their Penny Loafer in the 1930s. Widely accepted and appreciated for having no laces, and an easy design, their loafer is still very much loved today. You may see them worn about your workplace, which is possible, or take a cue from a favourite street style shot of ours. The t-shirt and blazer with distressed denim gets a touch of elegance from well-made leather loafers and a statement pocket square.

It’s a perfect example of how to use accessories with your shoes to finish off a look.

loafers collage
PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest | SHOP: Loafers

Monk Straps

Monk shoes fall in-between your Derby and Oxford shoes. Named for historically being worn by monks, Monk shoes remain one of the best shoes for men. From single to double strap, you’ll also find them with brogue patterns. Though they had to find a proper place between being for formal or casual situations, styled right they can fit both occasions.

If you need to pair them with a suit, stick to black and brown. It’s sleek and with no strings to deal with, the monk strap shoe looks seamless with well hemmed trousers. This is definitely an ultra stylish men’s shoe. Want a pair that can fit your denim days? Try them in different coloured leather and suede. As time progresses, designers get more adventurous. You can find monk shoes in royal blue, green, several shades of red to oxblood, we’ve even seen a few on the avant-garde side. Wear your bottoms cuffed and try printed socks if you want to be more daring.

 

Composure Magazine – When In Rio

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Currently up on Composure Magazine – a trend story and layout design featuring colorful fashion to inspire you for the upcoming Rio Olympics!

Composure features excellently penned celebrity stories and interviews, the best beauty you can find for every skin-type including Beauty Editor, Anna M. Park’s most favorite finds and a ton of fashion to help you adjust you wardrobe season to season, or where to invest in classic and timeless pieces.

From the article:

When In Rio
Explore your adventurous side with flamboyant prints and vivid colors fit for the beauty of Brazil.

 

This is your chance to really explore some bright colors, stripes and prints that you might otherwise pass up. We really loved the blues, greens and magentas for this trend story round-up.

It never hurts to stand out a little or a lot, especially when you dress with confidence. You can always try tailored pieces in royal hues to help keep things on an elegant side. For the die-hard minimalist and monochromatic fans, just adding the tiniest splash of blue or even a deep green won’t take away from your favorite styles.

A couple of our favorites are Stellaria Designs and MAMAZOO for intricate, yet fun jewelry and accessories! 

Composure Magazine – Armand Marciano For GM Studio LA

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In the latest print issue of Composure Magazine. An inside peek into the new high-end, contemporary line GM Studio by Georges Marciano and Armand Marciano with designer Cinzia Simone.

  • Read the full article here and make sure to pick your print issue and check out the celebrity interviews, top beauty picks and more fashion. 

An Excerpt From The Article

The Marciano brothers behind Guess — the must-have jeans of the ’80s — are back with their new women’s wear line GM Studio, where vintage inspiration meets contemporary, high-end details.

STORY BY MIN A. LEE

Since brothers Georges and Armand Marciano launched Guess in 1981, the clothing and accessories giant has seen its share of highs and lows, going from the pinnacle of the denim world, epitomized by its sexy black-and-white ads featuring the likes of Claudia Schiffer and Anna Nicole Smith, to struggling sales
and internal strife. Though the Marcianos have since left Guess — first Georges in 1993 and then Armand in 2003 — it was by no means the end for the creative pair. This July, they’ll be launching their new women’s wear line, GM Studio, with the complete collection launching in September.

And don’t expect any similarities to Guess — GM Studio is “contemporary and vintage-inspired from the ’80s and ’90s,” says Armand. Indeed, its buttery leathers and superfine fabrics of the denim pants, separates and accessories reveal that the new brand is aiming to propel itself to newer, more sophisticated heights.

Like its home base of Los Angeles, arguably the denim capital of the fashion world, GM Studio has a lot of design history behind it. Though it will only be eight months from the time Georges and Armand sat down to brainstorm some ideas for the new line to its official launch, with Guess’s former design director, Cinzia Simone, at the design helm, GM Studio’s influences stretch back through decades of fashion’s fads and trends. “My brother, Georges, has a huge library, a collection that he amassed for the past 25 years,” says Armand. “Same with Cinzia Simone. We went to her studio, and she showed us all she collected over the years, all these vintage pieces. Georges and I were impressed, so we combined them and were inspired by them.”

The Idle Man – How To Dress Business Casual

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New article written for the Idle Man up today, read the full piece here. Shop all your menswear needs with theidleman.com! 

An excerpt from How To Dress Business Casual – Min A. Lee:

Learn how to navigate the business casual dress code for your summer office attire. We put together our favourite pieces to keep you comfortable while maintaining a professional and smart appearance. 

Read more Men’s Style Guide features.

When it comes to dressing for your 9-to-5, the grey area between sleek tailored suits and getting away with denim is challenging. Depending on the work environment, business casual allows men a chance to express individuality without overstepping those bounds into losing respectability among their peers.

The challenge is finding what looks work best for your environment as well as your style, and keeping a balance between business appropriate wear, and a comfortable outfit to help you get through the day. With everything from business casual suits, shoes and trousers to choose from, we’ll help you through the minefield and help you find a look that will work for you.

What is Business Casual for Men?

Business casual. It’s a term that gets thrown around a fair amount, but what exactly is it? In simple terms business casual is similar to smart casual, but tends to relate more to your work environment, and so can adapt according to your surroundings. If you’re in a traditional office where people tend to wear suits and ties, then you might be more limited to what casual aspects you can incorporate into your wardrobe. However there are still ways that you can keep your outfit comfortable as well as smart, and this is what business casual is really all about.

Business Casual Suits for Men

Normally, when we speak of suits it’s about formality. In the case of business casual you can still pull off a tailored suit. It comes down to knowing your fabrics. Cashmere, silk and velvets are best for those evening occasions. Heavy weight wools even worsted wools are a no-go for summer. Aim for:

  • Linen
  • Cotten
  • Polyester

You may find these light weight fabrics wrinkle easier, but are much more breathable for the warm seasons. They may not have the luxurious appeal of fine wools, but you’re wanting for a more relaxed vibe to begin with. Keep the colours on the lighter side and the cuts well-fitted. If you really prefer dark grey and black, you can always lighten things up with a cool patterned shirt. Usually socks and suits go hand-in-hand, but you can skip on them for summer.

mens outfit grid smart business casual suits
PHOTO CREDIT: The Idle Man | SHOP: Suits

Business Casual Blazer

There’s more freedom that comes with using a blazer, single or double-breasted. You can pair it with different coloured trousers for personality. Though as with all men’s business professional attire—keep it tailored. You want to avoid looking unkept. Make sure the length of your trousers are hemmed properly.

On the other hand, this is the chance to explore different textiles. Generally, blazers are solid to help define them from sports jackets, and neither come with matching pants. We will go into the difference between the two later on.

Here’s some other style points to consider:

  • Pass on wearing a tie.
  • Sport a good quality t-shirt underneath.
  • You can get away with unbuttoning the collar.

Make sure that you follow complementary colour rules. Check out this quick guide to understanding the colour wheel. Having a chance to play with style doesn’t mean avoiding all the rules. You don’t want to clash.

outfit grid mens business casual blazer
PHOTO CREDIT: The Idle Man | SHOP: Blazers

Business Casual Jeans

The main question is, are jeans business casual? Yes and no. There are ways to make jeans fit into the mens business fashion category. Of course, this is if your office allows it.

First here’s what not to wear:

  • No distressed denim, whether purposely done for design or not. Distressing is strictly casual men’s fashion only. Your boss doesn’t want to see holes all over your pants and if you are dealing with clients on a regular basis, they don’t either.
  • No fabric that’s showing wear patterns around the knees and seat. Those pairs need to stay in your weekend pile.
  • No heavy whiskering or edgier dye jobs, such as acid washes. It doesn’t look as professional as it needs to be for men’s business casual.

With the blues, keep it clean and keep it dark. Summer tends to be the time for lighter blue washes, but darker is sharper. It looks more confident in the work place. You can go for monochrome blacks and blues or step out in high contrast with lighter tops and jackets.

If you really want to try colored denim, look for solid pale grey or beige, neutral tones. White is another option that can look savvy. There are a spectrum of jean colours out there, but the vibrant ones look more well-groomed when worn as a trouser.

Mainly, if you are going for jeans, everything needs to be immaculate. From the jacket to the shoes—make sure they all fit you correctly, nothing baggy, especially the jeans. Preferably keep to a blazer and a crisp button down to help take away the lax appearance of denim.

For more on dressing business casual follow the link above. 

 

Composure Magazine – Fashion Forward Fourth

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Story and layout for Composure Magazine.

To read the full story and shop all the links to your favorite styles, click here!

 

Audrey Magazine – Poshmark CEO Manish Chandra

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Looking back at interviewing Manish Chandra, founder and CEO of powerhouse app Poshmark.

Feature Photo: Poshmark’s Founders Clockwise From The Upper Right: Manish Chandra, Tracy Sun, Gautam Golwala And Chetan Pungaliya

By Min A. Lee

“With the holidays fast approaching, shopping for gifts can be stressful especially if you’re working with a budget and a short timeline.  However, we found a great solution for those on the hunt for womenswear, accessories, and shoes to give: Poshmark, a smart phone, as well as web-based, selling platform founded by CEO Manish Chandra, Gautam Golwala, Chetan Pungaliya, and Tracy Sun.  First released in 2011, Poshmark now boasts over 10 million items from over 5000 different brands that are available for sale and continues to gain new members rapidly.

You know how friends love to share their closets with each other?  Imagine being able to look through hundreds and thousands of closets full of designer brands, many of which are new and still have their tags.  We even found a lovely, brand new Rag & Bone leather trim moto jacket that originally retailed for $660 available for only $200! Even if you find a hidden gem that isn’t quite within your spending range, there are on-going sales and promotions and a streamlined option to negotiate with sellers on their listed price.  The ease, accessibility, and fast shipping make it highly appealing for shoppers.  You’ll be able to find that last-minute present just in the nick of time!  Also, some of our favorite style bloggers, like Wendy Nguyen from Wendyslookbook.com, can be found on Poshmark selling some of the luxury pieces seen on their popular blog posts.

While other shopping apps do exist, Poshmark is a leader with annual sales reaching to the hundred million range, all while being just four years in since its launch.  To learn more about this highly successful app, we asked CEO and Founder Manish Chandra to share with Audrey readers more about what inspired Poshmark’s creation, early challenges in development, and the future he envisions.

Audrey Magazine:  When did you first find an interest in fashion and e-commerce before tying it to your technology, education, and background?  Was there any specific inspiration behind Poshmark?

Manish Chandra:  My first foray into fashion was through my first company, Kaboodle, the first social shopping website. The idea to build that company came to me as my family was redecorating our house and found it challenging to share inspiration, ideas, and products with each other online. As Kaboodle began to take off and find success, we saw it was mostly women who gravitated towards social shopping, specifically around fashion which became a huge category for us. Beyond sharing inspiration and products, we saw a lot of women wanted to buy merchandise directly from each other, but the site wasn’t really built for that. Hearst Magazine eventually bought Kaboodle to add social and commerce into their media properties. After a few years with Hearst I knew I wanted to create a community-centric marketplace for fashion where women could easily share, buy , and sell all in one platform. The concept of Poshmark came to life one day in my wife’s closet when I saw how many of the items she had bought had never been worn, yet they still sat in her closet with tags on them. Fashion is a $350 billion industry in the U.S. alone and once items are bought and worn, they really don’t have an easy exit. The idea came back to me to create a social platform for buying and selling fashion but I felt like the technology wasn’t quite there yet. Then in summer of 2010, when the iPhone 4 came out, I saw within it the key to creating a community-centric marketplace – from the phenomenal quality of the camera to the the 24/7 real-time connection that the proliferation of smartphones provided.  I assembled a small team and we launched Poshmark in December of 2011.

With Poshmark, we set out to build a very engaged community of women who would come together in the app to shop each other’s closets. We took away all the pain points associated with buying and selling (payments, shipping, customer service, and marketing), creating an engaging and fun shopping experience that women could participate in no matter where they are. We made it simple and fun to take what’s in your closet and create your own boutique on your phone – leading women to upload the equivalent of an entire Nordstrom’s store worth of inventory into the marketplace every week.

AM:   What were some of the main challenges during Poshmark’s early days, from initial ideas to planning and finally launching the hugely successful app?  

MC:   The biggest challenge we faced early on was building an entire marketplace within a mobile app.  At that time, many people believed that a mobile app was just an extension of the web property and while important, was not critical to success.  We placed a huge bet, not only to go mobile first but to go mobile only.  Fortunately, we saw where the fashion consumer was heading and knew that in order to be successful at social commerce, they needed to be able to connect with one another and transact seamlessly from their phones.

AM:   Poshmark is built around not only consumership, but social networking. There’s a heavy amount of user-to-user interaction.  Do you feel that the “community” aspect is a large part of your app’s success?

MC:   Our community is at the core of everything we do at Poshmark. We took a very people-centric approach to building a marketplace.  It’s really engrained in our culture. For example, when we first started Poshmark, we used to host small events to recruit the first community members to learn from and listen to.  In the early days, we were excited to have five people show up to one of our events.  It was really about connecting around style and shopping each other’s closets.  We’ve implemented a lot of those opportunities to meet and connect in the app, for instance our virtual shopping parties which we host three times a day around different themes and categories.  The importance of nurturing this type of offline, personal connection has scaled as we’ve grown – participating in the Poshmark community is a lot like shopping with friends, giving you plenty of opportunities to discover and meet new people whose style you’d like to shop.  Sellers also help one another become successful, sharing each other’s items to their followers and mentoring new sellers as they join the platform.  And for the parties? We still host them all around the country, with attendance reaching up to 350 people.  Our community has also begun throwing their own meet-ups, taking relationships that start Poshmark into the real world, and supporting each other beyond just buying and selling.

To continue reading the full article click here!

poshmark3.jpg

All photos courtesy of Poshmark and Audrey Magazine.

Composure Magazine – Surf, Swim, Sun

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Trend Story for Composure Magazine! Make sure to check out the magazine site for more celebrities, fashion and beauty.

Surf, Swim, Sun 

  • As temps keep rising, express your personal style with on-trend swim styles and accessories, ideal for poolside barbecues and beach parties.

Be sure to click the link above to find where you can shop each of the looks and accessories.

On a side note:

Pairing swim wear with body type can have its challenges, but keep in mind what styles speak to you. Are you more of a retro-vintage fan or a go big and glamorous? Perhaps simple is how you tend to gear your wardrobe.

Regardless for every category you find yourself leaning towards there are suits and sets that will accentuate your beauty or cover those “trouble” areas you prefer not show. Sometimes it is trial and error to find what you personally feel is your best. You might find more than one cut works out great as well. Limiting yourself to wearing one style because swimwear guides say it’s so doesn’t have to happen. I always feel trying everything on and taking what makes you feel your most gorgeous is all that matters.

Most importantly, make sure you always, ALWAYS, protect your skin (our largest organ) from the sun.

If you don’t know where to begin, I definitely suggest checking out Composure Magazine Beauty Editor Anna Park’s stories—Shields Up: Sunscreen Basics and Screen Time. Both which share several worthy products to keep the rays at bay, also directions on getting the best out of your sunscreens.

 

 

Composure Magazine – Rebekah Marine

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From the current issue of Composure Magazine a look into how one woman works to change our perception of the fashion runway industry. Find the print here.

An excerpt from the full article:

When Rebekah Marine’s confidence down the catwalk won over the fashion industry, she not only fulfilled a lifelong dream but also proved that a disability didn’t have to hold anyone back from making a fashion statement.

Story by Min A. Lee

When Rebekah Marine walked the runway for designer Antonio Urzi during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week last year, the audience was agog. Sure, the silver body paint and futuristic dress were spectacular, but what really made heads turn was the myoelectric prosthesis that Marine wore in place of her right arm and hand, something she calls an “accessory.” Born with Symbrachydactyly, a congenital limb anomaly, which, in her case, meant an unformed hand and partial arm, Marine had faced numerous rejections during her early modeling years. But that day, she made headlines, becoming a face of diversity in an otherwise rigid runway world.

The self-proclaimed “Bionic Model” says she feels grateful to be at the forefront of such a massive shift in perception. “It’s interesting, yet humbling, to see the constant headlines of disabled models making a push in the fashion industry,” says Marine. “I never saw anything like this growing up; there just weren’t models like me. I hope in the next five to 10 years, disabled models won’t just be a headline but a new standard. It’s important to educate people about disabilities, and the fashion industry is the perfect medium. It’s such a huge platform to reach people.”

FINAL NOTE:

I tend to work a lot of trend stories and layout designs, but the part of fashion I truly enjoy is interviewing the people working within a difficult and competitive industry who found even the tiniest beginnings of their dreams being fulfilled. While a lot of strive to be huge influencers/bloggers, I always end up falling for those who view fashion as a humbling and life-changing experience.  

Sounds like a love affair right? Haha, not quite, but learning strength from a woman who never let physical differences hold her back and then to become an advocate for uplifting the young, impressionable people around her in positive ways…there’s much…much to respect. Fashion has become such a numbers game within the confines of social media, but I like to hope that these talented individuals will continue to have a beautiful light shining on them throughout their careers.  

I hope even more you’ll really take the time to read Rebekah’s words and feel her emotions when she walked her first New York Fashion Week. Heartfelt and kind, I know deep down this woman will always remain the same and true to herself. Yes, fashion is about clothes and yes it is about the people who wear them…but as a whole it as Rebekah said—”a huge platform to reach people.”

Visit her site and see more here.

 

 

 

Composure Magazine – Etoile Jewelry

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From the latest issue of Composure Magazine available here. Be sure to get your print and read about Cover feature Rhea Seehorn, top beauty picks and favorite fashion trends for summer.

*Note for article:

When I first chanced upon Isabella Kim her designs were striking to begin with, but as I watched her work develop over the past four, five years she honed her skills in jewelry making. Her craftsmanship was always solid to begin with, but as style and tastes continue to grow she really created the perfect line for vintage lovers.

Being able to speak with her about her lace bracelets and necklaces was an interesting peek into her life as an artist before she became a jewelry designer. I eagerly await to see how she continues to build her collection with each season.

An excerpt from the article which can also be read here: 

When Isabella Kim, inspired by both traditional ceramics and modern glamour, experimented with gold glazing pottery in college, her professor at the time was not pleased. But ultimately, this out-of-the-box thinking led Kim into the world of accessories, culminating in Etoile Jewelry, a line of exquisite lace-like jewelry. As foreshadowed by her education abroad, Kim’s approach to jewelry doesn’t rely on following what is popular, but rather her own deep regard for history. “I’m fascinated by Art Nouveau style and art from the Renaissance period. I collect pictures of René Lalique’s jewelry and William Morris’ wallpaper and Alphonse Mucha’s illustrations — clothing decorated with embroidery, lace, ribbons and jewels. It seems that classical antique Renaissance art fits my taste.”

For more beautiful work by Isabella head over to Etoile Jewelry. 

Composure Magazine – Wanderlust

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From the print issue #11 of Composure Magazine, trend and fashion story + layout spread design based on travel favorites.

Wanderlust Style – Min A. Lee

  • SEYCHELLES –For the couple wanting true relaxation, the Seychelles, often referred to as the “Galapagos of the Indian Ocean,” is heaven, with its world famous powdery beaches and crystal ombré waters. Breezy tops and sundresses along with trendy swimwear pieces are ideal for basking in the sun while sipping a delicious cocktail. Ahh, the stress-free life!
  • PARIS –If you’re a pair of sightseers, Paris boasts over 50 museums and monuments, renowned eateries, and of course, is home to one of the major four fashion weeks. In a city where art and fashion are cherished, look to chic, classic finds that will have you looking stylish even among the Parisians.
  • NEW ZEALAND –Are date nights always movie nights for the two of you? Then New Zealand may be the place to go to release your inner geek, exploring Hobbiton and reveling in the picturesque landscapes used to film the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Go ahead — run around pretending to be night elves! Just dress appropriately for the popular walking tours.

To read the full story and find the items featured as well as where to shop them CLICK HERE! Be sure to pick up a print issue!