high top fashion

I'm loving high-top sneakers lately.  You get the sportiness of a trainer with the height of a boot, while still being casually trendy and comfortable.  Talk about the best of both worlds.

Deceptively simple and perfectly refined—a chukka style sneaker, like Stefano below from Peter Nappi, in black cavallo leather featuring single-piece construction, medium toe, minimalist eyelets, leather laces, and vero cuoio sole. Hits above ankle, is made in Italy from a single piece of leather, and is the perfect example.  You can rock this with jeans and your favorite t-shirt, or a suit, and everything in between. 

Culver is a featherweight high top plimsole that comes in a soft velveteen calf or suede. Just recently released for fall/winter 2015, it comes in colors of dusk and chalk, tones inspired by the coastal landscapes of John Lobb's homecounty of Cornwall.

Bedford High Top Sneakers from John Varvatos bring a certain coolness to any wardrobe and pairs the appeal of casual kicks with a sleek and fresh option that will pair with both your weekend and work week attire. Features lace up styling, contoured topstitching and a textured sole.  Phone Paul at JV in Los Angeles for more details or to order your own: 1.310.859.2791.

Gucci is fierce for floral with these crazy awesome blooming high tops -  Beige/ebony GG supreme canvas with blooms print, made using an earth-conscious process and feature a traction friendly rubber sole, leather tongue, and the traditional logo canvas you know and love.  Jenny at Gucci Boutique Orlando is your go-to for details or to order: 1.407.903.1033. 

Geox literally have your feet breathe a sigh of relief, and I'm love these Box 8 high tops.  Soft suede, grainy Italian leather and padded canvas at the ankle form high-top city sneakers that also feature a sturdy rubber sole with patented Respira technology that expels moisture as you walk.

And for the ultimate in luxury and exclusivity, dream for Jackson, the Hermes men's sneaker in calfskin with black and orange Sport sole, orange H relief print and white laces.

These boots were made for...reflecting?

So I might have an obsession with Cole Haan shoes. Over the past several years, I've been really impressed with the design, style, quality, comfort, and value of the brand. But then there was a stale period for a couple years. Everything looked boring, out of touch, and too "old".

You all know my favorite colour is gray. So when I stumbled upon these gray / matte silver shoes, I had to try them on. And true to my love, they are spot on.

Cooper Square Wingtip
$298.00 #C11142 Silver Reflective

Our one-of-a-kind wingtip oxford fuses the latest technology with on-point presentation for a look and feel that redefines classic.
Reflective upper
Full leather lining and leather welt
Full length NIKE Lunarlon sockliner
Injected TPU outsole with leather border

While I tried them on, I took a few pictures. Little did I know...they are REFLECTIVE! Here are the unadulterated photographs from my phone.

J'adore.

Fashionable Motivation and Motivating Fashions

A few days ago, a friend of mine sent me a text message.

"My roommate just said, 'if you dress mediocre, the world is your oyster.' Discuss."

My first response? "Wow. Wow. And Wow." My main point? If you dress mediocre, then you'll end up hunting and searching for treasure and inspiration and excitement with no guarantee of payoff. Not every oyster opens to a pearl. Some may look like authentic, freshwater pearls - but in reality are manufactured and not quite what they seem. Some oysters are too tough to open, and those mediocre dressers will simply give up. And some oysters are out of reach. If you look and act mediocre, you have to expect mediocre outcomes.

His roommate's argument? Basically that if you look 'average', you can go to any kind of bar. But if you look good - you can only go to nice bars.

My response again? Quite the contrary. Atmosphere is always alterable. You can wear a fabulous 3 piece suit to Chili's or your neighbourhood grill and fit in just fine based on your approach, attitude, and the way you carry yourself. And you can wear shorts and a rugby shirt to Morton's or Ruth's Chris or another higher end establishment if, again, you have the proper approach, attitude, and aura.

Most simply: If you let your clothes dictate where you can and cannot go, the world is not your oyster - but your prison.

And going back to the original statement about "being average lets you go to any type of bar" really made me think more about why we go to bars in the first place. You go to bars for entertainment, for socializing, for drinking, and for meeting people - whether potential mates, friends, or just random conversation. No one wants to be with average people. And for sure, no one wants to date or mate just an average lover.

After thinking about this brief message exchange, I started thinking about the importance of approach, attitude, and aura in many activities.

When I was little, my family and I would eat some pretty fabulous meals. At the end of the meal, when everyone was stuffed full of delicious foods and had engaged in stimulating, meaningful conversation, my Father would comment that this is the difference between eating and dining. Eating is a necessity. Dining might involve a bit more planning and resources, but is significantly more meaningful and enjoyable.

This same concept can be applied to fashion. There's a huge divide in dressing out of necessity and dressing with fashion and style. Uniforms are perfect for protecting yourself from danger, weather or work related elements, or because you're simply required to do so. But expressing your style through daily fashions brings vitality, colour, and texture. You've never seen Scott Schuman photograph a mundane, lacklustre ensemble; it wouldn't even catch his eye.

I'm not saying we should all go out and mimic the avant-garde trends of the latest runway show in Paris or Milano. First impressions are often the only chance we get in life. So put your best food forward. Live and act with purpose. Make the sidewalk your catwalk. And the world will truly be your oyster.

Luxe Lives (and loves) in London

I just spent about a week in London - and I must say, I am incredibly inspired. Maybe I'm particularly reflective, especially with the recent passing of Alexander McQueen, but I can definitely appreciate a bit more of his wildly amazing creativity and fantasy filled designs.

While walking through the bustling markets in London, I came across these two gentleman. Serious style. Attention to details. The vibrant coloured red shoes, accentuated by the red stripe of the coat. The perfectly balanced not-too-short and not-too-long pants (and a possibly homage to Michael Jackson with those visible white socks?). And loving the ecru coloured jacket, with slightly darker toned trapper hat - such a breath of fresh air in a sea of dark coats and drab colours.

The first gentleman, with his wild hair and vintage Ray Ban aviators just oozed with style. The cable knit, chunky sweater with the sleeves so care free and pushed up. The dark cords. The fabulous boots- they were definitely made for walking, especially down runways! Effortless, flawless style so excellently executed.

Seeing these two guys, along with the many other incredibly stylish visitors and inhabitants of London brought a renewed sense of creativity, appreciation for unique styling, and reminded me why I love fashion so much. There's no doubt Alexander McQueen was a fabulous designer, and I'm sure that there's some part owed to the stylish city of London.

Some things I just love about London:

-- The fact that nearly all of my favourite stores have food halls (for those that don't know: food halls are fabulous grocery departments) - especially at Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and Marks & Spencer.

-- Walker's Salt and Vinegar Crisps (Potato Chips for those in America)

-- the gusto Brits seem to use when saying the Underground stop "Embankment"

-- The high fashion and low prices at Top Shop

-- The unending delicious options of Indian and Chinese foods (not to mention Sushi, Kebabs, Doners, and this weird obsession with southern style American fried chicken)

-- The pomp and circumstance of Harrod's

-- shopping on Sloane and New Bond streets

-- miniature Cadbury creme eggs

-- Jack Wills

-- The Spitalfields Market (especially brunch at The LUXE)

-- the egg shaped toilet pods at Sketch in Mayfair

-- the Fashion and Textile Museum

As you can gather - I love London, and can't wait to return!

Dolce and Gabbana

For Fall/Winter 2010-2011, Dior Homme showed us classic styling with a modern twist. Dolce & Gabbana bring even more edge and utility to the runway with classic evening pieces mixed with modern sporting technology, fabulous firs, and luxurious leathers. It's playful, sexy, and sporty. And I love every bit of it.

Before I show you some of the looks I love the most, I wanted to share something. Did you know that Domenico Dolce is Sicilian? He was born in Polizzi Generosa - a small village near Palermo, Sicily. Stefano Gabbana was born in Venice. If you know anything about the relationship between Italians and Sicilians, you know that the Italians think the Sicilians are incredibly backwards, agrarian, and uncivilized. The Sicilians think the Italians are stuck up, incredibly vain and waistful, and don't know what it's like to really live la dolce vita. So, seeing the Sicilian influence mixed with the Venetian influence of the two famous designers really is exciting and entertaining.

For example, after dinner, it's commonplace to see Sicilians sit at the dinner table with fresh fruit and knife in hand, expertly carving the produce for a leisure dessert. To most Americans, the latest advertisement wouldn't make sense seeing scantilly clad people huddled around the table eating fruit with sharp knives. But knowing a little about the Sicilian culture, you suddenly have a bit more insight into D&G's message (and appreciation for the delicious Italian seafood with fresh lemon, pasta, and farm fresh produce that is the everyday standard in Italian eating). I wonder what other designers have messages that are lost in translation.

So here's the advert:

And the looks I love from the fall/winter 2010-2011 range: