blonde bed head: August 2010

Guest Post: Ben

I'm thrilled to have this hot piece of man candy, Ben, share his perspective on men's fashion and fall fashion trends. I tend to get questions on men's trends and I figure who better to ask than this stylish Detroit boy and co-creator of Texts from Last Night. And for your viewing pleasure...

Sometimes how i wonder how I ended up "working" at my desk in cutoff sweatpant shorts. I mean, I'm a product of private school uniforms, herringbone jackets and bright green TopSiders. When I went to college, I refused to wear anything more comfy than denim to a 9 AM lecture, didn't know what it felt like to wear sandals at a bar and displayed my MSU allegiance through those same green TopSiders at football games. Yet here I am in these cutoffs, browsing Twitter when a message arrives asking if I'd like to do a guest post on Fall trends for men. Guess it's time to change...

[shirt by ralph lauren black label, tie by rag and bone, jeans by apc, cardigan by j crew, wing tip monk strap shoes by ferragamo, watch by toywatch]

For me, one of the biggest perks to running a website is that what I wear is entirely up to me. Some days I might be in a suit, sometimes I won't put on pants and on some Skype video calls I get to combine both looks (guess which half). To me, the most important thing as far as style is concerned is that no matter how ridiculous things get, I still appear put together. Here are some ways I'll attempt to pull that off this fall.

First, I'm a huge advocate of the rolled up pant leg. This one is easy: take whatever pants you're wearing and give them some extra cuff. Any amount of added texture above the ankles will work. You can rock small, hem-sized rolls, or one giant fold like my friend Kristin who pulled this off with a pair of black boots. Before you start complaining about how cold your ankles are: stop. This will work with socks, but it requires you to throw out the boring pairs.

Obviously, if you roll up your pants you have something interesting going on at the shoe level. I'd suggest looking this link over. There's also plenty of good stuff coming out from TOMS this season, so you can get a side of karma with your blossoming shoe addiction.

Fall is a time to layer up, so that means you need to step up your sweater game. My favorites are cardigans. A good cashmere v-neck is also an essential item. Big, chunky cardigans can stand on their own over a t-shirt for days with a chill, the v-neck will show off a shirt & tie combination and can be even worn under a jacket or with a suit. Play with color and proportion especially on the sleeves and show some damn cuff. Grey, navy and green are the colors to look for, but don't be afraid to go bold in the color department if you feel the urge.
I hate the hype, but I love bow ties and I strongly suggest that every guy learns how to tie one. It's one of the greatest bar tricks and it definitely can win a few hearts if that's your goal. The other trend in ties seems to be slim, knit ties with tie bars, but my favorite look is the Italian take on a narrow tie. Tie one up, but slide the back to the side to create a slightly wider silhouette.

[shirt by american apparel, cardigan b zara, pants by jcrew, shoes by toms, watch by toywatch]

Get to know a good pair of khakis. Really get to know a pair of slim-cut suit pants without the jacket. Pair both with casual shirts for a relaxed, yet purposeful weekend look.

Photos by Becky Johns

My personal style has evolved to accommodate what works for me, so make sure to adjust your look throughout fall. Also, be sure to check out some of my new favorite style sources online like Valet, Secret Forts, ACL, and The Moment to garner inspiration for how you can use what is already in your closet to kill it out there. If you're interested in what your girlfriend wants, sign up for the Zoe Report. If you just want to look at women that you wish were your girlfriend(s), check out T h e Wandering Eye on GQ. Oh and I almost forgot… Send all of your texts from last night to 76843 and check out textsfromlastnight.com.

kate & herbie

You may frequently hear me speak of my boss lady, Kate. She's the chief communications officer at my work and she sings, dances and acts in theatre. Because of her background in theatre, she's relaxed and comfortable in the limelight or in this case, as the focus of this photography session. I always have a blast taking pictures of her whether it's work related or for my blog.
Our style and aesthetic are quite opposite of each other, but nonetheless hers is stylish, playful and fun. Her closet is filled with colorful, patterned clothing and a variety of cute, tailored jackets. If given the choice to spend the rest of her life in one single store, Kate might choose Anthropologie or J Crew. The adorable dog with her is Herbie, her seven year old pit bull.

[dress from spotted moth, jeans and bracelet by f21, shoes by madden girl]

Featured on MTV Style

Click here to see the full post!

feline fierce

Ever feel like you've been thrown to the wolves? It describes how I've been feeling lately. I've been stressed and anxious about a few things, but I know when I have to work through challenges in life it's really just a positive thing. I've noticed my recent draw to animal print and when I wore this outfit to work, I felt a little more tough and a little more confident. It perfectly reflects my recent feeling of empowerment.

[ top by rd design c/o modcloth, skirt by ark & co c/o modcloth, platform heels by jessica simpson, tights by american apparel, handbag by marc jacobs]

I just snagged these when I put the tights on for the photos and you can see. Oh well. I think the garbage can in the background detracts from it. Ha.

Erin of Calivintage sold these beauties to me. I love towering over people at work in them. I've only tripped a couple times so far too!

Day in the D

I don't mind these Mondays when I take the day off and get to spend the day enjoying the cooler weather and hanging out with my good friend Erin in Detroit. We both have a mutual love for fashion and food. What better way to spend the day than trying out new bakeries and clothing boutiques?

[top by silence+noise, scarf by h&m, pants by bdg, boots by jeffrey campbell, jacket by ecote, bag by badgley mischka]

While we were checking out boutiques in Birmingham, we stopped at a place called Tender with a range of beautiful clothing from Balmain to Miu Miu. While we were browsing, a lady (assuming either the owner or manager) approached us and asked, "So...do you girls..work?" The condescending question gave me the sudden urge to slap her. Well, not really, but it angered us both.

[bag by cole haan, top by f21, wedges by aldo]

The highlight of the trip was picking up cupcakes from the Cupcake Station. No one judged me here, ha.

My peanut butter cupcake!

Backpack Love

Hi, lovelies!

(photo via)

Last weekend I'm pretty sure I found Fashion Heaven. Not High Fashion Heaven, mind you. Nothing neat or tidy. I'm talking gritty, fun, exotic fashion. Messy and bursting with color. Bohemian. Overflowing from little shops out onto the street. Kensington Market in Toronto, folks, is Fashion Heaven indeed. The feel of the neighborhood alone had me hooked, but the jumble of vintage and Indian pieces for sale had me salivating with greed. Attractive, no?

I could've spent hours and hours there, but sadly I had to make it to the airport. I did, however, score a fantastic (Guatemalan?) woven backpack from a little army surplus store. Today I managed to snap some photos for you. Look how pretty it is! Loooove!

Wearing: Love on a Hanger tank via Nordstrom Rack (best cut tank ever!). Gap chambray skirt. Steve Madden combat boots. Urban Outfitters print belt. Forever 21 chandelier earrings. Army surplus backpack.

Off to school in four days! Summer's finally coming to a close. I'm simultaneously packing, savoring my final days at home, and excitedly anticipating the new school year. It's seriously busy around here! The only reason I had time for this post is because I am an expert procrastinator. Truth.

The Want List: Jackets & Jackets!

As fall (finally!) approaches, I've been spending an embarrassing amount of time searching for coats and jackets. There are so many styles I'm digging right now. From ladylike coats to aviator style jackets, I'm lusting after them all.