Every Girl's Crazy 'Bout a Sharp Dressed Man

Ok men, here is our turn to have a little bit of fashion advice. For starters I will just say one word: ombré. This is what the fashion world refers to as the slow fade of color from a darker shade to a lighter shade in order to draw the viewer's eye in a specific direction. Take this wonderful v-neck sweater from Kenneth Cole. The darker area around the bottom helps to conceal any flaws (ex: excess weight, or a family of flying squirrels stuck to peanut butter). Basically the eye is drawn towards the lighter areas of the shirt. The lightest area being in the middle also helps to create the image of larger pectorial muscles.

Next we have what I like to call the shoulder broadener. Horizonal stripes especially across the middle of the chest help to make it appear as if you have a larger (muscular) chest than you actually do. If you notice on this model, the accent with the polo shirt "v" also helps to add the shape to the pectorial area. The collar on the shirt adds to the ideal upside-down triangle shape of the male upper body. It helps to accent the "traps" thus pulling the eyes outwards towards your outer shoulder. Notice that the model doesn't have a bright colored belt to immediately draw your eyes to the center of the body. The subtle look of this outfit is what really makes this work. The darker fade jean even helps with a lengthening/slimming illusion.

Another great look for pretty much any male is the sports coat/blazer/suit jacket. Now this jacket, being made up of a linen/cotton blend strives for what is most often called the "noble wrinkle". It isn't so much a look of unkemptness...but rather a purposeful look of relaxation. What a jacket does is merely enlongate the torso. Since the flash of color comes at the center of the body, the eyes don't linger on the outward shape of the body. This is a great tactic for a man wanting to hide a little bit of a "spare tire" or those pesky flying squirrels caught in peanut butter. The several top buttons of the dress shirt unbuttoned shows that the male is confident and stylist. I highly recommend the top 2-3 buttons undone. Finally, a 3 button or more jacket pulls the lapels higher up on the jacket, thus slimming the person. If you have a larger waist, I would steer clear of a 3-button and move to the classic 2-button. A 2-button usually has more room through the lower area of the jacket without being overly noticeable. The one-button is reserved for usually slim-cut jackets and as such should be worn with well tailored shirts and more classic-cut pants.

Finally, the v-neck and 3/4 length sleeve. The v-neck has made quite a comeback over the last year. It allows more of the neck muscles to be seen, but the real benefit is how it helps to shape the chest area. The v-pattern mirrors the underside of the male pectorial area and really accents a well developed chest, or helps to enhance an average one. Notice how the shirt is just loose enough through the abs region to leave some to the imagination but at the same time doesn't blouse out at the bottom. The 3/4 length sleeve is one of my personal favorites. I often roll my sleeves up or "scrunch" them up as shown above. This shows off the thinner area of the forearm and helps to bunch up the fabric around the bulkier area of the arm. For guys with great biceps this actually masks your assets, but for guys with average to scrawny arms this works to your benefit. Since the bicep area is indiscernible, the imagination plays often to your advantage. Plus, the other benefit of the "scrunched" look is that you look more casual...and confident.

So that's how it rolls as of late. For more fashion ideas check out www.kennethcole.com or www.expressfashion.com .

Oh, and everytime you get ready to go out play the song Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top. It is the ultimate male psych-up song.

Peeps: Not just Friends or Marshmallow Chicks

Ankle wrap, ankle strap, leg wrap, espadrilles, slingback, slides, pumps, stiletto, kitten heel, flats, mules, and wedges...goodness gracious women have options. I just made a dent into the various styles that women have to choose from when it comes to picking the right shoe for the right occasion. So, let me elaborate on what's in right now and what to wear it with.

First and foremost, my personal favorite has to be the peep-toe heel. This can come in about three different forms, but the peep-toe pump is probably the most common. The wedge is the other big seller athough it isn't as dressy. The peep-toe pump means the a majority of the shoe is enclosed without any straps attaching around the legs. The height of the spike can vary anywhere from 2-4 inches usually with 2 1/2 to 3 inches being the most common. These shoes look wonderful with dresses that are just below the knee or shorter...the A-line skirt is without a doubt the classic choice for the peep-toe (see blog about dresses). My wife owns a gorgeous copper pair from BCBG to go with several of her dresses. These shoes look great with capri jeans and even gaucho pants, but leave the shorts at home with these on. An enclosed shoe doesn't work well with shorter pants.

The next popular summer item would be the espadrille. This comes in many different forms. Flats and ankle wrap flats are great but I don't think that they accent the female calf muscle very well. When picking these out keep in mind that the soles can be very hard thus shortening the comfort life. The wedge ankle-wrap espadrille is my favorite and my stunning wife just ordered a pair from VS recently to go with a summer style dress. The flash of color due to the strapping can spice up any wardrobe and if the toe is open, they work well with shorts. The summer dress is also a fitting choice for an evening out with the espadrille.

Finally the last "in" shoe for the summer is the strappy heel. This comes in one of two heights. The kitten heel is a much shorter heel and is great for someone who has back problems and can't deal with a high stiletto heel. They also look great on tall women because they allow for leg definition without the cost of height. My favorite in this category would be the spike stiletto ankle strap modified slingback. Basically what this means is that it is a higher heel with a slingback strap that has another strap that goes around your ankle. This gives for a very svelte look with the support of an ankle strap. These look great with many different outfits because they are airy and light.

For figuring out what you like, check out sites like www.neimanmarcus.com or www.jcrew.com or www.nordstrom.com or www.bcbg.com or www.victoriassecret.com . Any of these sites show you the shoes with various dresses/outfits...then unless you want to pay $350 for a pair of Steve Madden heels, go elsewhere with your styles in mind.

I've Got One Hand In My Pocket...And The Other One's Carrying a Shopping Basket

How many times have you gone to the grocery store with only one thing to pick up and then you end up carrying home an armload? I know that it is inevitable that when I go, I see all of the cleverly placed sale items and I cave like a sandcastle built too close to the sea. I start rationalizing to myself that it is much more economical to get it now when it is on sale because we are going to use it. Then, before I know it, we have 8 cans of salsa and no chips to eat with it. There are even times that I become so distracted with all of the things that I don't need that I end up forgetting what I came for in the first place. This usually doesn't happen when I shop with a grocery list; however, I tend to just run and pick up what I need last minute. Since I do most of the cooking and my things can tend to be exotic, I need fresh ingredients and this inhibits purchasing ahead of time. It is even worse when I shop with my lovely wife. We both start noticing things that look good and 'BAM' we have a $40 bill. Supermarkets are pretty clever. It is so nice of them to put those little green or red baskets around the store so that once you arms get too "conveniently" heavy that you can unload it into a suitcase-sized tote.

That's all I have to say about that.

So in summation: eat your green vegetables and make sure that your campfire is out before packing up camp...oh, and beware the grocery tote.

Scents and Sensibility

Back in the early '90s there was a movie called Scent of a Woman. What exactly is the scent of a woman? It is interesting because there are so many various colognes and perfumes out there, but what makes them attractive to other people? I find that it is great to change up my scent daily based upon how I feel and thus I am able to convey my mood to my wife without even having to be in the room. Actually, it isn't that much of a science, but I enjoy having several different types of cologne. I have an athletic, robust cologne for more everyday wear (Hummer), a citrus style cologne for a fresh smell (Acqua Di Gio by Armani), and a dressy cologne for a nice evening out (Polo Black). In highschool I used to only wear one type of scent, and yes it has its' perks because people begin to associate you with a particular aroma, but then you are very predictable. I really don't like being a person that is just a one horse down or a one trick pony or an old dog who can't learn a new trick pony. I am always looking to broaden the scope of my raw olfactory appeal, so Burburry and Puma will be added to my collection at some point.
I really enjoy the fact that my wife has 4 different perfumes (Esencia de Duende, CK Euphoria, VS Very Sexy, and opBlend) and they each affect me in a different way. The base of the perfume (ex: vanilla, citrus) changes the whole tone of the scent. It is amazing that women have so many options with how they want to smell. With the various hair products and body lotions and body mists, the possiblities are endless. Basically, I think that the scent of a woman is ever changing and that is for the best. Now I have too long dominated the conversation. What are your thoughts on the matter?

A Dress Has Always Been....My Strongest Suit

So seeing how the title of my blog deals with fashion and trends I figured that I had better write a clothing based article.

For all of you who keep up with what is out and what colors are in and what is going on: this is for you. According to all of the latest fashion designers, the dress is one of this summer's biggest items. And all I have to say is that it is about time. There are all different kinds of dresses and styles that are to be worn and I shall delve into all of them for the lovely ladies. And men, take note because I shall cover things which are important if you will be buying for your spouse/fiancé/girlfriend.

First off, we will start with the most basic style of dress...The A-line. This is probably the simplist of the dresses and one of the most universal. Ann Taylor basically makes all of their dresses in this style. It is characterized by starting off with usually a halter, strapless or spaghetti strap top then staying very simple to right above the hips and then fanning out to flatter the hip/thigh region. This is great for a woman that doesn't really have hips or who has more curvy hips. It helps to draw attention to other areas...like her neck, bust, and lower legs. Dark colors of this dress are great for being even more concealing or complimenting light skin tones. The various lenghts can also help to create the illusion or height. A tea-length dress (cut to end at the shin), for example, would not be a good choice for a woman that is trying to look taller.

The next dress would have to be the empire waisted dress. If dresses were only categorized into two sections they would be the empire and the a-line. The empire waist's stand-out characteristic is that the dress begins to flow outward from just under the bust. The "structure" of the dress tends to be only in the upper 1/4 of the dress. These dresses usually come in spaghetti straps although they come in all the other variations. Occasionally they have a ribbon just under the bust to add some accent to the divison between structure and flow. This dress is great for hiding basically everything. With a plunging neckline this can accent the bust area and if the "V" dips between the breasts it can create the illusion of larger breasts for women with smaller cup sizes. And the fading of the color throughout the length of the dress can draw eyes away from certain areas direct it elsewhere.

The halter dress is one of the most common dress styles to find during the summer months. This gives the ability to have a greater amount of skin showing through the back, thus being cooler. Also, the halter style dress does wonders for enhancing the bust. The halter top pulls them upwards and often closer together, which in turn creates cleavage. This is often a good choice for women with a smaller bust or for a woman who is looking to maximize her "assets". The other bust enhancing top would be the corset style dress, but they are more difficult to find and can be uncomfortable.

The sheath is one of the most difficult styles of dresses to wear correctly (in my opinion). Since the idea of the dress is to cling to every curve of the female physique, it can be very unflattering. This dress is perfect for a woman who wants to show off a toned, curvy body without having to mess around with slits up the side or a low-cut back. The sheath allows for fluid movement (although this depends on the fabric) and can be packed very easily for trips. This is a wonderful dress to go out on the town in, and it can be used for fancy functions with just some simple jewelry added. Due to the simplicity of the dress, they tend to cost less than other dresses, but once again this depends on the designer.

The assymetrical cut dress is personally one of my favorites. It hails from the latin countries and can add a bit of ethnic flair to an evening. The irregular cut of the gown allows for maximum visibility to the legs. Women who are looking to show off their toned and tan legs should pick one of these up. They make great dresses for dancing and often are complemented well by strappy heels. This dress style, though, is difficult to just dress down and wear out grocery shopping. Very few, if any, "summer dresses" come with this style of hemline cut.

Finally, we come to one of the most casual dresses, the babydoll dress. They are categorized by having shorter hems and often plunging necklines. The material used for the dress usually is very flowy and they tend to have an empire waist. As you notice on this picture, the use of a solid colored strap separates the structured top from the wispy bottom of the garment. This design is best for women who have good legs and want to add a little shape to their hip region. The empire waist draws attention to the legs and bust and allows the mind to fill in the perfect hourglass shape beneath the ripples of the fabric. Because this dress is flowing, it makes great beach attire. This design come in everything from very casual to as upscale as you'd like (depending on the length).