Posts filed under 'Shopping Guide'

Trendscape: The “Murse”

Based on the runways and the hipsters of urbania, men seem to a bit more comfortable with having accessories that hang from the shoulders.

The concept of the murse (man bags, or whatever you want to call them) is a wonderful middle ground for brief cases, messenger bags, backpacks and duffel bags.  They are perfect for toting around all those necessities you need for a day in the city – wallet, cell phone, iPod, check book, midday snack, Burt Beeswax, Listerine strips, cigarettes, lighter, bottled water, extra pair of socks, passport, 3 forms of identification and for those special occasions – a knife suitable for hunting and skinning.  Whatever you can’t live without, I’m sure a murse can handle it.  Available in any price range, take a gander at these convenient accessories.

 

City Lights by Manhattan Portage | $26 at KarmaLoop.com

 

         

Triple Five Soul Night Bag | $56 at 80’s Purple

 

The Minx Chris Pastras Bag | $79.99 at Digital Gravel

 

Puma by Rudolf D. Schuhfabrik | $98 at Yoox.com

 

Tumi T-Tech Flow Flap Body Bag | $95 at Tumi

For more fun with murses, check out some of our other man bag picks!

February 28th, 2006

Trendscape | From the Trenches to the Safari

Once again, the dictators of style have proved that what’s old is new.  Based on some of the looks at this past fashion week in New York (not to mention the stylish ones I recently saw at Zara), trench coats seem to be the “in” thing.  To go beyond the confines of the flattering cinched waists of these coats, safari-style jackets seem to be inching to the forefront as well.

Nonetheless, these pieces of outwear are suitable for the office or for a night on the town.  For both men and women, trenches and safaris are definitely a good way to spruce up an outfit to make you look sophisticated, stylish and most of all, keep you comfortable in mild weather.

Halogen Belted Safari Jacket | $78 at Nordstrom
 

Burberry Belted Violet Belted Trench | $840 at Bluefly.com


Perry Ellis Belted Safari Jacket | $94.99 at Macy’s


Cole Haan Double Faced Safari Jacket | $158.09 at Bluefly.com


Burberry Tan Trench | $995 at Bergdorf Goodman


Burberry Yellow Trench | $1,295 at Bergdorf Goodman


It looks like the frenzied check-patterned Burberry (the women’s violet is uber fancy) is the leader when it comes to chic outwear (no surprise), but it is a bit disappointing that there is a lack of belted safaris (not trenches) when it comes to the men’s side.  Even so, the white Cole Haan is clean and tight, while the yellow trench is a modernized hip makeover of the yellow raincoat.  I am sure as the word gets out, these jackets will invade the world like a “London Fog” – pun intended.

February 16th, 2006

Springtime Shirt + Tie Combo

While out mall shopping at Banana Republic last weekend, I found a nice shirt + tie combo that will be perfect for welcoming Springtime at the office. 

Why does this combo work?  We’re mixing and matching different patterns—in this case, a check with a tiny circle pattern.  But even though we’re mixing it up through patterns, we’re keeping the scale of the patterns relatively similar, so as not to confuse the eye.

Windowpane-check Premium Dress Shirt

Windowpane-check Premium Dress Shirt | $68 at Banana Republic

Geometric Circle Tie

Geometric Circle Tie | $59.50 at Banana Republic

January 16th, 2006

Shopping Guide: The Best Men’s Coats

Banana Republic Vintage Plaid Topcoat

Vintage Plaid Topcoat | $250 at Banana Republic

Great tailoring details–notched collar, center back vent, inner welt pocket, and a covered placket closure at center front. And you can’t beat the price for this quality.

Theory Delano Long Coat

Theory "Delano" Long Coat | $795 at Nordstrom

Made of merino wool, this coat is soft, sleek, and streamlined. A great way to face the winter months.

Spiewak Nunatak Duffle Coat

Spiewak Nunatak Duffle Coat | $170 at Urban Outfitters

Toggle Coats Rock. But besides the toggles, we love the hoodie and the handwarmer pockets (great for shielding yourself from adverse weather) and the tailored seamlines.

Armani Exchange Wool Military Coat

Wool Military Coat | $195 at Armani Exchange

What can we say, Military is still Hot for Fall/Winter. We love the epaulets and the oversized pockets with hardware detailing on this coat.

G Star Ward P Coat

G Star Ward P Coat | $290 at Urban Outfitters

This is a peacoat with an edge–and a distinctive look that makes it look like another coat genre altogether. We appreciate the wide collar and the foldover snap placket over the front zipper. Look for the rivet detailing on the side pockets and chest snap pocket.

1 comment November 8th, 2005

Shopping Guide: The Best Man Bags

Over the weekend, we searched high and low for the perfect men’s mini messenger bag, a reader request from Mat.

To use Mat’s description, we were looking for a small day bag that was, "Casual, but still clean, versatile and understated." We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

So without further ado, we’re pleased to present to you our top four man bag options. Note that each comes in a variety of colors that ranges from classic to trendy–you’re not limited to the colors shown here.

Tumi Flow Bag
Flow Flap Body Bag | $95 at Tumi
Tumi has an entire line of "Flow" bags.

Status Belly Bag by Crumpler Bags
The Status Belly Bag | $50 at Crumpler Bags

Jack Spade Patrol Case
Patrol Case | $395 at Jack Spade

Jack Spade Vertical Messenger
Vertical Messenger | $80 at Jack Spade

2 comments November 7th, 2005

Shopping Guide: The Best Men’s Lightweight Jackets, Part II

Part II of Style Intelligence Report’s guide to Men’s Lightweight Jackets.

We present to you Five stylish, semiformal jacket options. Whether you’re looking for something basic, unique, sophisticated, comfortable, or edgy, we have a jacket for you!

Boxcar Coat

Kenneth Cole "Boxcar" Coat | $129.99 (sale) at Macy’s

For a sophisticated, minimalist look, this coat is perfect. Plus, it’ll go with everything in your wardrobe.

Knit Blazer

Knit Blazer | $135 at Armani Exchange

Knit for comfort, but tailored for style. The collar detailing on this knit jacket made it a real standout.

Corduroy Blazer

Corduroy Blazer | $145 at Armani Exchange

No stylish man’s closet is complete without a fitted corduroy blazer. We like this one for its cropped fit. The jacket looks great on tall men, but the cropped length also makes shorter men look taller.

Romain Kapadia Trenchcoat

Romain Kapadia Canvas Trench | $438 at Guyshop

Expensive, yes. But we adore this jacket’s off-centered button detailing and the diagonal belt fastening. Truly standout detailing.

Kenneth Cole Leather Jacket

"Washed Up" Leather Jacket | $398 at Kenneth Cole

Slim fit, streamlined detailing, and washed leather. What’s not to love about this jacket?

6 comments November 1st, 2005

Shopping Guide: The Best Men’s Lightweight Jackets, Part I

Part I of Style Intelligence Report’s guide to Men’s Lightweight Jackets, brought to you by the request of Mat.

We’re splitting up this article into two sections because of the large number of great jackets we saw out there while perusing the racks. In this post, Part I, we present the best Casual jackets. In Part II, we’ll bring to you the best in semiformal jacket options. Happy shopping!

Nylon Fill Jacket

Nylon Fill Jacket | $125 at Banana Republic

The quintessential fall weather jacket, with versions found at BR, Gap, Express, etc. year after year after year. Basic, but functional. The selling point? It works with everything in your wardrobe.

CK Jeans Bomber Jacket

CK Jeans Bomber Jacket | $98 at Macy’s

What can we say, we just love the look of bomber jackets on men (and women, for that matter).

Canvas Safari Jacket

Canvas Safari Jacket | $145 at Armani Exchange

What’s great about this jacket? The oversized pockets (good for storing your keys, wallet, iPod, cell phone..), the drawstring waistline, the stand collar, and the tailored seamlines.

Avant Zip Up Track Jacket

Avant Zip Up Track Jacket | $89 at Ben Sherman USA

Track Jackets are the New hoodie, remember? They’re great for a sporty, youthful look. Plus, they’re comfortable. We like the contrast striping on the arms on this jacket–a nice alternative to the standard across-chest striping.

G Star Studs Twill Jacket

G Star Studs Twill Jacket | $190 at Urban Outfitters

We love the architectural look of this streamlined motorcycle jacket. The front zipper is slightly offset and the two side pocket zippers are intentionally uneven for a distinctive look. If your style is a little off the mainstream, this jacket is for you!

Paul Frank Bomber Jacket

Paul Frank Bomber Jacket | $140 at Urban Outfitters

This jacket feels very 1970s chic, but in a good way. We appreciate the contrast collar, the shoulder yoke, and the color (we heart Green). And hey, quilted jackets are Hot right now.

Members Only Jacket

Members Only Jacket | $59 at Urban Outfitters

Classic Americana, and it can be Yours for well under $100! This coat stays true to the original, with the tabbed collar, soft elastic at the cuffs, hem, and chest pocket, side slit pockets, epaulets, and of course, the Members Only logo patch.

5 comments October 31st, 2005

Shopping Guide: The Best Men’s Peacoats

As the ultimate fall translation of last spring’s nautical trend, the peacoat is as fashionable for men as it is for women.

Though we searched high and low to find the Best peacoats for men, we ended up finding all our favorites from one retailer. Yoox, a purveyor of international designer fashions, gave us everything from the classic mid-length minimalist peacoat to a trendy embroidered and printed version.

Costume National Homme Peacoat
Costume National Homme Peacoat | $644 at Yoox
The Classic: Mid-length fitted silhouette, wide lapel, and slanted welt pockets on the torso. Perfect for the man with timeless taste.

Diesel Peacoat
Diesel Peacoat | $131 at Yoox
The Individualist: Gabardine jacket with padded interior and print and embroidery detailing.

Emporio Armani Peacoat
Emporio Armani Peacoat | $508 at Yoox
The Formal: Straight silhouette, minimalist detailing.

R.E.D. Valentino Peacoat
R.E.D. Valentino Peacoat | $342 at Yoox
The Fashion-Forward: Mid-length straight silhouette, shaped yoke, mock neckline with button fastenings.

D&G Peacoat
D&G Peacoat | $402 at Yoox
The Gentleman: Fitted silhouette with center rear vent and classic three pocket detailing.

Add comment October 1st, 2005

Back to School: Collegiate Fashion Trends

More than anything, college style is all about looking good without looking like you’re trying too hard. And let’s be realistic–chances are, you won’t be going heavy on the Edwardian fashion or rock rebel chic clothes.

Luckily, collegiate fashion is In. Think preppy collared shirts, vests, and cardigans–and sporty chic track jackets, polos, and henley shirts.

What should you be wearing for a fresh, collegiate look? Whether or not you’ll be attending classes this fall, Style Intelligence Report has the answer for you:

Men

  • Sports-inspired items, like track jackets,
  • Patterned sport shirts,
  • Cardigans,
  • Knit ties,
  • Fitted polos,
  • T-shirts over polo shirts (or sport shirts), and
  • Denim, as usual.

Women

  • Cropped anything: blazers, sweaters, and pants,
  • Henley shirts (a casual nod to Nautical fashion),
  • Cardigan sweaters,
  • Vests,
  • Premium denim: as the prices rise, the popularity of status denim only increases,
  • Oversized sunglasses with square-shaped frames,
  • Plaid and Tweed, and
  • Sports-inspired items (e.g. track jackets, tennis tank tops).

For more information, check back next week for our back-to-school packing list. We’ll drill down on Exactly what you’ll want to have hanging in your closets.

Add comment August 15th, 2005

Shopping Guide: Patterned Shirts for Men

After a couple of seasons with striped shirts at the helm, the fashion world is slowly migrating towards the next In Thing: the patterned shirt.

Fear not, the striped shirt isn’t going anywhere—it’s too versatile and flattering to leave the style scene. The patterned shirt, on the other hand, can be less versatile and somewhat less flattering (no strong vertical lines to elongate your silhouette). However, what the patterned shirt lacks in these areas, it more than makes up for in personality. See for yourself:

Triple 5 Soul Jacquard S/S Shirt
Triple 5 Soul Jacquard S/S Shirt | $68 at Urban Outfitters
What it says: I’m a little quirky, a little offbeat.

Regal-Paisley Premium French Cuff Shirt
Regal-Paisley Premium French Cuff Shirt | $41.99 at Banana Republic
What it says: I’m creative, fun, and the life of the party.

Lumber Road
Lumber Road | $59.50 at Abercrombie and Fitch
What it says: I’m woodsy, preppy…or both.

Textured Bias-Check Premium Barrel Cuff Shirt
Textured Bias-Check Premium Barrel Cuff Shirt | $49.99 at Banana Republic
What it says: I’m organized and in control. Always.

Add comment July 5th, 2005

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