Hollister Skinny Chinos

It's beginning to get cooler, and that means it's time to start shopping warmer clothing, including long pants.  That doesn't mean you need to trade off the bright colors of summer for warmth though.  Hollister's skinny chinos come in six different colors, including blue, turquoise, and lime green.  If you can pull of the color, these will be a great addition to your wardrobe.  I personally purchased the blue and lime green chinos, and love them.  They have a comfortable fit; almost a slim fit as opposed to a skinny fit.  Not into the vivid colors?  No worries, they also come in a light stone khaki, dark khaki, and black.  If you need any more reason to check out these pants, I'll give it to you:  These chinos, in all 6 colors, only cost $25 for a limited time at Hollister.  The cheapest chinos besides these that I have seen is around $35 or $40, so I just had to buy these when I saw them for $25.  My suggestion:  If you're not sure about the colors, but are looking for a good pair of chinos, grab yourself a pair of the khakis, and see how you like the fit and the pant itself, then decide on the other colors.I'm not always into Hollister, but I just couldn't pass up these chinos, and I had to share!

Sanuks - Stylish & Comfortable

Ranging from the $54 canvas slip-on Standard to the $110 premium leather Sumo, Sanuk has styles to fit all tastes, and colors as well.  One thing is consistent through every Sanuk shoe though, and that is comfort.  I always thought it was just a fad, the newest thing that every high school guy just had to have, until I tried on a pair.  Then I realized that they were truly a great shoe.  However, if you don't like to be wearing the same thing as everyone else out there, and you aren't willing to trade individual style for comfort, something like the  $56 Standard Raw, the $75 Mariner, or the $65 Donny Chill may be a better fit for you.  Check out these styles at this link: Sanuk Styles

Whether you want a standard gray or one of the styles above, they all bring great comfort and style, and can all be found at the Sanuk website.  The comfort is worth the price!  Trust me on this one!

TOMS Hand Painted Classics

TOMS Classics have always been great for a clean, simple look; coming in natural grays, browns, navys, khakis, whites, and blacks.  As a unique alternative, new hand painted styles by TOMS give even the most basic gray canvas shoe an original and attention-grabbing look that stands out on the street.

Artists Tyler Ramsey and Gabriel Lacktman are giving the classic TOMS shoes an individual makeover in both women's and men's styles, with seven different men's styles between them.  Each pair of Tyler Ramsey's TOMS are painted by hand, giving every shoe a one-of -a-kind status.  Lacktman's styles are the same.  His bleached styles are all hand-done, and his graffiti style is hand-stenciled.  No two pairs of these TOMS are the same, as each shoe is a work of art in itself.

These canvas shoes are truly an artist's canvas.  Check out the Tyler Ramsey and Gabriel Lacktman styles below, and go to TOMS.com to purchase these for $68 a pair.  A high price, but an understandable price as each pair's design is done by hand.

TOMS Artist Styles

A Quick Sketch

I guess this is what you get when I get bored in class...  I did a few sketches, but this was my favorite:

Just thought I'd share what runs through my head all day at school.  Putting together my outfits on paper first!

Ted Baker Suede Driving Shoes

While surfing the fashion side of the web I came across a shoe that I had never seen before, but fell automatically in love with.  Before detailing the shoe, I might as well show you what we're talking about here:

I found these shoes for about $110 online at Psyche, if these fit your style.  With some colored or khaki chinos and an oxford button-down shirt, these shoes would finish off a great classy look.  The contrasting stitching and simple laces stood out to me, as well as the interesting sole and back pattern.  I'm no shoe expert, and I won't even try to claim knowledge of what it is, but I love it all the same!  Classy dressers, add this one to your want list.

Want to see how these look in an outfit?  Check out Blue Perk Blog, where I originally came across these shoes.

Reiss Autumn/Winter 2012 Menswear Transcend The Seasons

I came across this post today while searching around for some good casual men's fashion blogs, and was drawn to the casual yet classy cooler-weather styles that it had to offer.  The layering and color in the styles captured in the photos is great, and the look is something that I will use as inspiration when filling my wardrobe as the cooler months of fall and winter set in.  But enough of my input, check out the blog yourself at the link below!

Samuel Jing

Reiss Autumn/Winter 2012 Menswear Transcend The Seasons: Layering & Highlighting Colour Palette, Mix & Match Basic & Trendy Garment For Transitional Wardrobe

Just a Quick Post

Just thought I'd share this quick post of a great style I came across.  I love the simplicity of this outfit; all the great tonal colors aren't bold or attention drawing, and the simple white shirt and brown sweater add to the simplicity.  Black shoes draw little attention as well.  

The whole outfit still shows a bit of class, and the Ray Bans are a great additional touch, along with the beanie. 

Hollister - It Just Isn't What it Used to Be

I used to love Hollister when I was younger.  The solid polo-style shirts, button-down shirts and flannels, and khakis still get pulled out of my closet every now and then, but the brand's image is making me steer away from it more and more.  Now, wherever I turn, I see young boys with Hollister tees featuring logos such as "Hollister California Surf Team," "Hollister Co. Wave League," and "Hollister 22 Wave Watch."  I understand that Hollister tries to capture a youthful look, but the graphic tees that seem to be every 12-year-old boys closet give it a reputation as a brand for a younger consumer.

A comparable company that seems to be doing a better job with reaching the young adult market is American Eagle.  For casual clothing I tend to steer more towards American Eagle than my childhood favorite, Hollister.  I'll still continue to wear the Hollister clothes that I own, and I may even pick up certain things from them on sale, but I don't think I would ever pay full price again.  Not until they change their target market and move away from the elementary graphic tee look.

Today's Outfit

Hey all,

Sorry for not posting for a while, my blog was evidently marked as spam by Blogger and locked for a few days.  I was able to request a review to determine that it wasn't actually a spam blog so it's fine now.  As I wasn't able to post on Friday, this is the outfit I wore to school on Friday, and this is a picture that a friend took of me.  

This outfit is really simple and casual, but it got some attention at school and the movie theater later.  The pants are American Eagle slim khakis, which I reviewed in my last post.  The shirt is just a plain white Oxford dress shirt, slightly rolled up on the sleeves, and the vest is a black J. Ferrar vest that I picked up at JCPenney for about $25.  I couldn't find my black shoes, so that's why my shoes don't exactly match... I still really need to find those.

Check back later today for another post as I try to catch back up from being marked as a spam blog...

Tim

American Eagle Slim Khakis

The American Eagle slim khakis are a new-found love of mine.  I got mine recently from an American Eagle location here in South Carolina, and immediately fell in love with them.  They are now the most worn pants in my closet.

When I originally bought these pants I was looking specifically for a khaki that had a slim fit that wasn't skin-tight as if I was wearing skinny jeans.  Since I was looking for khakis I picked up the dark khaki pair first.  I tried them on and found a perfect fit, and since these are pre-shrunk I was content.  I was going to the checkout with them when I noticed the same pants in bright red.  Colored pants = awesome so I immediately purchased them as well.  Since then I have been on AE.com and found that they have these slim-fit khakis in 8 different colors.  

American Eagle Slim Khakis

These pants have a great fit, coming pre-shrunk and true-to-size, and come in a good variety of colors.  A dark and light khaki pair, a red pair, and a blue pair would give you the ability to match with almost any top and any shoe.  They cost $40 online from American Eagle, but $160 for four pairs of these go-to pants that could match any outfit is definitely worth the price tag.

Keep on stylin' and look out for these pants in my outfits to get some ideas!

Thanks for reading!

Tim

New York Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2013 -- Tommy Hilfiger

     Plaid, seersucker, and red, white, and blue. That was the theme of Tommy Hilfiger at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2013. Varsity patches on blazers was another addition, playing off the preppy sporting club look. All great, bold looks, with the quality and color that can only mean Tommy Hilfiger. Looking to enhance your prep wardrobe next spring? Take a look for yourself at the styles below, all pictures courtesy of Fashionising.com.

     My take? I love mostly all of it. Besides maybe a couple of looks, all of the styles that Tommy brought this time around showed great style and use of color, adding additional details like golden buttons, patches, and trim to complete the look. I absolutely love the red blazers and pants, and the blazers and pants with thick-striped red, white, blue, and gold are favorites as well. Although I might not be able to pull the style off, I suggest it for anyone with a preppy wardrobe who can. Enjoy the pictures!
Tommy Hilfiger

Colored Pants

Hey all,

     What do you think of colored pants?  Here's a gallery of some different styles consisting of colored pants, and my thoughts on them.

     All of these styles are great for a preppy, colorful look.  H&M, Topman, and ASOS all have great colored pants and chinos.  I plan to order some blue and yellow skinny chinos soon, and I will review them as soon as possible.  

     Colored pants look great with more plain-colored blazers.  For example, the 2nd photo, where yellow pants are paired with a navy blazer, and blue pants matched with a white blazer.  Overdoing the color in the blazer would ruin the outfit, so stick with something more normal like navy, black, white, brown, or grey.  For the shirt underneath I suggest either a plain white, a different shade of the pant color, or a complementary color to the pants.  For example, with a bright blue pair of pants, wear a lighter blue shirt or a plain white button-down.  For a color such as red or yellow, a blue shirt would go well.  Just play around with the shirt and see what works for your style.

     My final advice is to be confident in what you are wearing.  If you are wearing colorful pants you will stand out, and you need to appear confident in your style, otherwise you will just look goofy.

Check back in for reviews on the pants I end up getting, and thanks for reading!

Tim

Today's Style - Skinny Khakis and Chaps Shirt

Happy Thursday everyone!  Just one more day until the weekend!

     It was quite warm today, reaching almost 90, but it was only 70 when I woke up, and it is always freezing in class so I decided to go with long sleeves and pants.  I woke up late so I didn't have time for much, and I decided to go more casual today, so simple slim khakis and a blue, white, and red striped chaps button-down was all I needed.

     Here's the breakdown of today's outfit:

Pants - Dark khaki American Eagle Slim Khakis at AE.com for $39.99

Shirt - Red, white, and blue Chaps striped shirt $29.99 at Chaps.com 

Sunglasses - Aviators for $5.90 at Forever 21 for men 

Shoes - Highland Creek navy boat shoes $29.99 at Rack Room Shoes 

     

     Looking at the prices this outfit would cost around $110, but I was able to get all of the items for around $70 by searching for good deals and sales.  I got the Chaps shirt for only $15 at Ross, and the shoes were on sale at the mall for $15 as well.  All-in-all, this is a simple outfit with pieces that can all be matched will many different colors and styles.  

Thanks for reading and make sure to check in tomorrow for bow-tie Friday!

Tim

Today's Outfit - Black, White, and Red

Hey all,

     First off I'd like to thank everyone who has read my blog so far, it's encouraging to know that it's out there.  Just 24 hits so far, but it hasn't yet been a day so far.  I decided to dress up a bit for school today, and it definitely was an attention grabber among a sea of athletic shorts and Hollister shirts.

     Here's the quick picture I snapped before rushing off to school, and I apologize for the horrible phone-camera quality!  

     As evident from the picture my mirror needs cleaning... My bad... And the lighting makes it appear as if I have an earring on my left ear.  That light spot must either be the bad quality camera or the mirror.  But you can see the basic idea from the picture.  Black blazer with sleeves rolled up, black bow-tie, plain white button-up, and some red slim chinos.  The red pants stood out and drew attention, which was what I wanted, and the blazer dressed the look up majorly.  

     As you can see, I'm an amateur at this, but I want to get better.  I would highly appreciate any comments and constructive criticism concerning this style and outfit from those more experienced in fashion.

I will try to get a better quality photo next time, and thanks for reading!

Tim

Late Summer Blazer

     I simply cannot wait for the cooler weather and what it brings.  Sweaters, cardigans, and my ultimate favorite, the blazer.  Even in early September though, the heat of the Southern sun tries to keep the blazer of my back.  However, I have found opportunity to throw on the black blazer with my red chinos, white shirt, black bow tie, and sleeves rolled up.  This was for an indoors occasion of course, but it definitely helped for me to stand out!  I'm planning on wearing this outfit today, so check in for pics later!

Tim

Tom's On a Guy?

Hey everyone (:

     The topic this time around is Tom's.  Tom's are usually viewed as a girl's shoe, but is that really true?  Although I don't own a pair myself, I recently have been considering purchasing a pair.  Think about the millions of shoes that Tom's has donated to the needy children in the world.  What about that is "unmanly" or "girly?"  Yet I still hear comments and see internet posts about Tom's on a guy being "gay."  In your opinion, what do you think?  I am looking at a pair for myself:  http://www.toms.com/mens/classics/black-stone-washed-twill-men-s-classics, and want to know what reactions this would draw on a guy.  It's a very practical shoe from a company that helps those in need, and it looks good.  In my opinion I simply do not understand how a guy wearing Tom's could draw that kind of reaction.  But my opinion is not like everyone else's, so I want to yours.  Leave a comment and let me know (:

Thanks for reading!

Tim

Introducing Myself, First Post

Hey all!

    

     I'll take time to introduce myself in my first post, mostly just to cover the basics and get my first post up.  I'm Tim, an average 16-year-old guy at an average school.  One thing that makes me different is my style.  I love fashion.  In my free time I am either running or on the computer looking for something that fits my style that I just have to have.  My passion for fashion (did not mean for that to rhyme haha) started recently, but my love for art and design set me up for this new interest.  I have been drawing since I can remember, and never stopped.  This appreciation for art and design made me look at fashion in a new sense, and over the summer I decided that I would move towards creating my own style.

     It all started one day with my mom offering to take me shopping for new school clothes.  Instead of stocking up on what I used to wear, which consisted of athletic shorts, sweatpants, and hoodies, I surprised my mom with colorful skinny chinos, button-down shirts, bow ties, and sweaters.  One trip to the barber shop later and it was a new me.  My closest friends and girlfriend barely recognized me, and kids at school that I knew on simply a name basis thought I was new to town.  

     That was two months ago, and now red pants, a white button-down, and a bow tie to school isn't enough for me.  My blog will follow my style change and hopefully give others some great ideas for casual dressing!

     Supporting me doesn't mean donations or really any time at all.  All you need to do to support my blog is read and tell others! (:

Thanks and enjoy!  I love comments!

     Tim