The SmARTORIALIST: Knit Ties…Spring’s Underdog Story

There once was a little cravat named, Knit. Knit was unlike all the other ties in his class. Knit was flexible. Knit had texture. When properly looped, Knit would make a variety of masculine, yet sophisticated knots about the neck. But all his classmates made fun of him, because he lacked ‘a point’. The pointy ties were favorites among all the power players; you know, businessmen — captains of industry. Knit’s pointy collegues were traditional, accepted by EVERYONE, and thus, far more popular than knit could ever hope to be.

But one day, the Bold Graduate came along. Debonnaire, in an artsy-book-smartsy kind of way. He was respected and reputable, well-versed and cultured. The Bold Graduate approached the class of cravats — poised and perspicaciously. He once-overed the Broad, Power ties — quickly writing them off for being too ostentatious and gaudy. The narrow, yet structured Repp ties desparately grabbed his attention, causing the Bold Graduate to vacillate a bit. Eventually, he broke their subdued trance and moved beyond them as well. Skinny, Bow, and Ascot…all starved for attention; he would not indulge them on this day. Finally, in his periphery stood Knit — bashful and quiet — yet, confident.

The Bold Graduate was intrigued by Knit’s humility. Knit seemed to get along with EVERYTHING knit came in contact with. Knit was refined, and had an accent. Most of all, Knit, by design, did not look like everyone else — The Bold Graduate could identify with that wholly. The Bold Graduate and Knit went on to become great friends, showing Spring how to be a modern rebel…and to look good while doing it. The END.

The Urban Graduate: [sock.it.to.me]

Post-Valentine’s Day| The Clean-Up

Valentine’s Day, Valentine’s Day — how we love thee. February 14th marks one of the most romantic, and hopefully, electric days of the year for Urban Grads & Graduettes. I’m sure yours were filled with falling rose petals, candlelit dinners, chocolate decadence, and of course…the special occasion unmentionables. But now that the the roses are wilting, candles have melted away, chocolate devoured, and the encapsulated passion has experienced its “decrescendo”… what are you going to do with THAT lingerie?!

For the good graduettes who said, “Take It with Me” — one point for you (it’s a recession, I understand — plus, lingerie is NOT cheap). For the naughty graduettes who said, “Leave It with Him” — two points for you (trust me…every guy wants to be left a pair of panties or a bra at least once in life — a token of your appreciation). Either way…the person who fails to WASH these underthings is a complete filthmonger.

Delicates are a very…well…delicate subject; caring for them can easily be over or under-estimated. Many cute bra/panties sets have been sacrificed, teddy and corsets completely ruined because of this laundry tug-of-war. Simple solution: LINGERIE BAGS.

It’s actually quite easy to protect your lingerie. Just place garments inside the lingerie bags, and wash on the DELICATE CYCLE with COLD WATER. After completion, DO NOT TUMBLE DRY — lay them out flat atop a bath towel, and let the capillary action do its thing.

Just because you washed it doesn’t mean that the memory will ever fade — you and he will know EXACTLY what made those unmentionables worth mentioning.

Mr. McQueen, Thank You

Lee Alexander McQueen 

 Mar. 17, 1969 – Feb. 11, 2010.

Our prayers are with his family and friends. Celebrate his life, celebrate his art, and be reminded of how closely the two can be interwoven.

Cheat|Sheet: Suits + Sneakers

Here’s a nifty little video conjured up by the good gents over at GQ mag. Quick breakdown of how to pull off sneakers with a suit:

Fashion Forward

Well, 2010 is here! …and with the new year comes change and progression. The fellas here at Urban TakeOut tell me they were looking for some insight into the wonderful world that is women’s fashion. As the writer of the blog, BlakeVonD: The First Lady of Flashion, I keep a pretty watchful eye on all things fab in the world of women’s fashion. So in the spirit of progression, I’m here to add my two cents to a blog that’s already a pretty big bang for your buck.

The dawn of the new decade is sure to usher in some unforgettable fashions. Whether it be something completely new or the reincarnation of the trends of decades past, I have no doubt that we’re in for one hell of a ride.

Here are some trends to be on the lookout for in 2010…

First rule of fashion…1) Shoes, shoes, shoes!

The right shoe can transform an outfit from macabre to magical. The upcoming Spring/Summer collections of several of the world’s hottest designers–Fendi, Louis Vuittion, Nina Ricci and Louboutin, just to name a few–are shaping up to be nothing short of magical. Fendi has taken plexi glass from the stages of strip clubs to the runways of Milan and Christian Louboutin is still managing to produce head turning shoes with little to no effort. These LV’s, worn by Amber Rose, are the perfect mix of sex and edge, while Nina Ricci offers a more delicate approach to the traditional ankle boot.

Fendi Wrap Lycra & Plexi Platform, $1289; C’est La Vie Louboutin Pumps; Louis Vuitton Spicy Sandals, $1300; Nina Ricci Laced Leather Booties, $1152

Blazers are in and more futuristic than ever! It’s not enough to just have an ordinary blazer. Contour shapes and shoulder pads are all the rage. And if you know anything you know that Balmain is the go to source for all things blazers. Rihanna, Beyonce and Ciara have all been seen wearing these masterpieces.

Balmain Blazer, $3,465; $5,798

Now here’s my 2010 prediction: Harem pants are BACK! With everyone from Urban Outfitters to top designers carrying their own version of this 90’s trend, I think it’s pretty safe to say it’s Hammer Time! Now just for the record, I’ve had a pair of these for over a year now & I can remember all the strange looks I got. But I rocked them again during this past Homecoming and strangers were stopping me to tell how “hot” they were. Glad everybody caught up! Lol. There’s a style for everyone in this pant. Some have a higher waist and taller inseam, while others have a more relaxed seat. Fit is absolutely crucial with this trend. Ill-fitting harem pants just end up looking more like a diaper than a fashion statement, so be careful.

Cheap Monday Tailored Harem Trousers, $41; ASOS Knitted Harem Trousers, $26; G Star Tailored Wool Mix Harem Trouser, $255

Editor|Advice — NYE

I know it’s last minute, but hey…better late than never.

Fellas…repeat the golden rule: Keep it simple. Tonight is about celebrating the successful completion of a year, while crossing the threshold into a new one. Let your outfit symbolize the transition.

As I usually suggest, I think it’s essential to wear TAILORED pieces tonight. You want 2010 to run ‘true-to-size’! That means, slacks + blazers (if you can whip double-breasted…do it). As far as shirts go…I like black tuxedo shirts personally (adds a dimension of texture). But whatever you pick — be sure it is CLEAN, PRESSED with a collar that won’t wilt like those cheap roadside roses people sell. (Need examples…see Maxwell & Trey Songz)

Your statement piece tonight will be either of 3 things: your time piece, your shoes, or your neckwear — that is all.

Time piece – Your watch will speak volumes. It’s strong, consistent, dependable — and it serves a vital purpose — just like you will in 2010.

Footwear – Your hard bottoms will represent your ambition in 2010. Cool yet active (hopefully, you’ll be dancing), durable yet flexible, not kickin’ it too much, but definitely handling business.

Neckwear – Your neckwear (including ties, bow ties, ascots, and scarves) is a 2009 reminder. Protect the things that matter, be secure in yourself and your accomplishments, but don’t be afraid to loosen it up for something or someone special.

And with that….Cheers!

Review Session| Dopest Kicks 2009

Let’s get it going! Our year-end review of the 5 Dopest Sneakers of 2009. Now, just to add some qualifiers — we’re talking about SNEAKERS, not designer shoes, not footwear in general — straight up Kicks. Sneakerheads…if you have any sneakers you think we missed, drop us a comment!

1. Space Jams

Grade: A

“Arguably the most classic, yet innovative sneaker to date. They bridged the gap and provided the new generation with an even greater appreciation for the Jordan brand.” – The Couthless Suit

2. Air Yeezy

Grade: A-

“The Yeezys created a strong following…that’s probably only rivaled by the Jordan Brand — difference is…he did it with ONE shoe. Amazing.” –  the FlyyNerd aka Will Walker, Sneakerhead

3. Supra TK Society

Grade: B+

“If the Skytops were the dopest shoe in 2008, these would have to be their cool, tall 1st cousin. TK’s crushed the game with that extended hi-top — had kat’s looking like fly astronauts.” – Italo Brown, Editor

4. Nike SB Blue Lobster

Grade: B+

“They were the BEST PACKAGED sneakers I’ve seen in a while. They went all out with the marketing, and followed all the way through to the ice-chest box they came in. It’s rare to see that much attention to detail — plus, the sneaker is bonkers.” – Big Vic, Sneakerhead

5. Adidas x Jeremy Scott Wings

Grade: B

“Innovative. Artistic. And definitely veered away from the ‘strap’ trend, which was very difficult to do this year. Jeremy Scott has a unique eye and he made sneakerheads respect it.” – Italo Brown, Editor

Don’t Act Like I Never Told Ya

Alright, so I’m watching the AMAs, right at the part when Hova receives his award (hip-hop). Now instead of listening to his acceptance speech,  for some reason I couldn’t help but pay MORE attention to this well-placed golden safety pin emerging through his tux lapel.  PUNCTILIO!!!! Now, I’m gonna take partial credit in this realm, because over a year ago, we said that THE UNDERSTATEMENTS you add to an outfit (i.e. pocket squares, tie bars, and now…lapel pins) can take the look to another level. Peep how Jay-Z  demonstrates mastery of the understatement, a la…The Lapel Pin. Oh yea….Don’t act like we never told ya.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

step.youR.GAME.UP…MMM

Urban Graduettes, would you let your man rock these?…

 

Jil Sander x Uniqlo: [the]aftermath

I know this post may be a lil late because the jump for the +J Collection was last Thursday, however the collection is still going strong at Uniqlo’s flagship store in Soho [Excuse the clarity of these pics, they were taken on my cell]. I went the day that the collection was released but apparently I went at the opportune time because I was in line for like 7 MINUTES…

…The exclusivity was presented in the form of white drapes forming a partition from the rest of the store

…Then it got crazy on the inside…

…Of course the women had more pieces but the men had their share of eye catching separates. If your into minimal details that pop then this was the collab for you. There were some very clean looking woolens like the Chesterfield coat and the wool blazer for men, but the women had the one item that I wanted…a pea coat…

…But they had some interesting pieces that I had my eyes on. There were these khaki cotton/satin pants that had like a slight sheen to them. Then there was this cotton turtleneck long sleeve shirt with a wide, high neck that made this drapey, funnel look. There was this half zip hoodie with a black coated zipper placket that was nice too. Everyone was clamoring for the denim pinpoint oxford shirt. The blazers were nice; especially velvet one and the wool, salt and pepper looking one that had that Jil Sander cut. The outerwear was amazing too. My favorite was the down funnel hooded coat. The down jackets for men and women were also very nice. There was this reversible one for men that was navy on the outside and brown on the inside but you could cuff the sleeves so that you could see the brown inner…PUNCTILIO.

AND how could I forget the cashmere section…

…This cardigan also came in pink with gray trim. I really wanted the cashmere stole that was around the maniquin’s neck. I went back yesterday and saw that they put out the plaid shirts. I think that a +J plaid button-up would be a nice essential for that hunter gatherer look.

Fashion’s Night Ø|u|T: MOMO x Y-3

New York based artist MOMO has successfully collaborated with the Adidas brand Y-3 to create a collection of “fli-tops” with artistically architectural colorways. This capsule collection is a redux of the Y-3 Hayworth Mid II but it boasts designs similar to his work in the International Outdoor Urban Art Exhibition. Tentatively, these shoes will be part of a limited run of 350 pairs worldwide with a pricetag of about $320. They will debut in the US at Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out.