[ URBAN + TAKE(ØUT) ]

If there were one understatement item to invest in this year, it would have to be the pocket square. In the eye of this recession, fashion is turning to it’s simple roots. In that transition, the age-old handkerchief has taken front seat, bringing a variety of contemporary designs along with it. And although traditionally male, square silks have become a clever accessory for women too (often larger and more vibrant). GET FAMILIAR!!

The color pallets and artistic details are what propel the new breed of pocket squares. Check out Liberty of London, they have a nice variety of squares and small silk scarves for both men and women.

And just in case you need some advice on how to fold one….

I noticed this trend for the “homme”s popping up on the runways during Paris’ fashion week…leggings with shorts. Some designers chose to have the leggings pulled all the way down the leg and some didn’t.

Givenchy chose to pull the leggings up towards the knee. This is a little more tolerable, for me at least.

But below, I think this is the only time I have seen the trend done “right.” The longer shorts and the hi-tops [Those look like the Pierre Hardy hi-tops on his feet] make the look more urban and less “I would never wear that off of a runway.”

Honestly, I just want to know how our urban grads AND graduettes feel about this look and what do they propose to anyone who may try it. So what do yall think? PLAY or AWAY?

Big shout-out to the JAK & JIL BLOG for their awesome visual coverage of fashion week in Paris.

The Year of the Ox is no more…it’s the officially the Year of the Strap (hi top that is)! Kanye West – more sartorially known as Martin Louie The King, Jr. — has leaked yet another picture of his collaboration sneakers. This one is…..you guessed it, A HI-TOP with STRAPS (proceed to gawk and gander)! Only thing left for us to say is….Don’t act like we never told ya.

…..She had captured my attention again. But I welcomed her invitation to respond. I asked the Gouyen why she said such a thing. The sun was in my eyes, so she waited until I was able to focus on her clearly before she spoke again. She told me that there was nothing a woman couldn’t get with a smile and a gun because she thought it was funny. Her response was not what I expected…it was simple. I thought to myself, sometimes thats the way fashion is. And then I noticed that she had on all black. I’m sure she was tired of me inquiring but I wanted to extend our encounter as long as I could. She responded that she was in mourning because her path to fashionable enlightenment was not one devoid of blood loss. Then I noticed the red stains under her feet; they reminded me of the Louboutin Declic’s. Subsequently, in that all-too-familiar solemn tone, she said that when the trends of Fall begin to die she wears black to signal the coming of Spring…

I wondered why our paths had to be crossing. Why couldn’t we be going in the same direction, why couldn’t we be parallel…

You already know what it is, let’s get it in. The top fashion items from around the web — Frats and Sororities, grab your pads and pens:

The Bag

Obama Tote Bag by Diane Von Furstenburg (Runway for Change). Divas…you need this one on deck.

The Jewelry

Necklace by Gulnur Ozdaglar (made from recycled PolyEtylene Terephtalate bottles). HARD!

The Shoes

Boat Sneaker by Louis Vuitton x Kanye West. I guess this is what he meant when he said, “my Kappa style”.

The Toy

15th Anniversary Giant Baby Milo Plush Toy by A Bathing Ape. Honestly, this is just ill. Black & Gold Members, make it an addition to the collection of apes.

The Outerwear

Wool Overcoat by Burberry. If there was ever an investment to be made, Sigmas…this would be the one.

The Scarf

“Rainer Maria Rilke” Poem Scarf by Edun. If you watched the U2 performance in the Inaugural Concert, Bono had this on (but the reverse colorway). African cotton = that sh*t. Open to all, grab one of these.

It may not be a rodeo show, but Denim Button-down Shirts have found their way back into the market. The modern take on this classic garment is to use darker, finer denim or denim blends (as opposed to light-colored, heavier denim of the past), and to incorporate intricate stitchwork. Military pockets, pearl buttons, and bi-tonal interiors have been added to create the “Industrial-chic” look. Give these a try:

(in order: Double-Faced Military Shirt by S2VS; Pen Chambray Jacket by Woolrich Woolen Mills; ACNE x Lanvin; Raf Simons denim suit; Denim Demon)