Dusty Sleeper

This evening my wife and I decided that we were going to watch something out of our collection of movies. After scanning through them we lighted upon one that we had purchased in a group deal at one point and then never got around to watching. I knew that it was good, but not as good as I was ready for. The movie that we chose was The Phantom of the Opera. First off, let me just say...Wow. Emmy Rossum has an incredible voice...which just goes along perfectly with her innocent beauty: a perfect dovetail of grace and purity. The music of The Phantom of the Opera is resplendent...it draws you in immediately, but I had heard the music before. It was when I finally got to see it with the visually stunning feats of the silver screen that it truly became breathtaking. If you haven't seen this overwhelming masterpiece I highly recommend it. Oh, and by the way, it is an opera...so 90% of the dialogue is musical.

Fall Colors

All of this stinking hot weather has made me start to think about the up and coming season...Autumn. Retail stores are already beginning to get in their Fall 2006 collections. The summer prices get marked lower and lower so as to make room for the new merchandise. There is just something wonderful and refreshing about the season of Fall. It has to be my favorite season because it isn't quite freezing cold yet and it isn't so scorching hot that you melt the second you step outside. One of the main reasons why I love the "dying season" is because of all the great colors...and I'm not just talking about nature.

Fall brings out the colors in fashion that I look forward to the remaining 3 months. It is when the earthtones and muted hues come back into the visual forefront. Plus, the fabric styles are so diverse. In summer you really only have 3 fabric styles unless you talk about evening wear...and they mostly require one to have a great body. Since I am not a walking model, I find summer to be the most embarrassing time to be dressed. At least the other seasons I'm not expected to show off my chicken legs or not-toned chest. Fall gives you the ability to cover up your flaws and let the fabrics draw towards your other features.

This fall the runway designers and other fashion companies have decided to stay with the earth tones of years gone past. If you flip through most of the fashion magazines you will see that darker colored jeans are back in as well as vests...and I'm not talking about outerwear. The dress vest is a popular collection piece for many of the designers. They come in various fabrics from suede to tweed. Personally, I am a huge fan of the vest and can't wait to pick up a few. You can pair it with blazers, suits, or even just a pair of jeans. It is a great addition to any wardrobe.

Another big item this fall is going to be the shrunken jacket. It fits tighter through the arms and hugs the body a little more than a typical blazer. Thirdly we see the big swing back towards the tweeds and herringbones which are reminiscent of the early 1930's. This gives the outfits a very "Hey, I want to be English" look...and I'm a big fan. Throw in a scarf and an old ten-speed and I'd look like I was on my way to Ancient History class at Oxford. All in all, Autumn is a perfect season both for the wide variety of colors, and for the perfect weather.