Zara Menswear – Homewear 2012

True Story: for the last 2 years, I have been on the search for the perfect everyday robe. Much like the search for my backpack, it was seeming to prove impossible – until yesterday. I finally found it, courtesy of David Beckham Bodywear, and it has everything that I’ve always lusted for in a robe. I can now finally stop draping bedsheets over me.

I’ve fallen so hard for it that I actually wore it out as a sweater earlier in the day with the simple removal of the tie. Jedi-like, yes, enviable… I don’t doubt it. As I made my way to the post office garbed in my newest treasure, a thought came to mind; loungewear has become the majority of my wardrobe. All my blazers and wax denim account for about 25% while my sleepwear/loungewear make up the remaining total. My loungewear is the submerged body of an iceberg hidden under the waters, out of plain view.

Online shopping, I also find myself perusing the homewear sections more than any other. All that breathable cotton, all those long johns, all those onesies… it’s basically the equivalent of pornography for the comfort-first consumer.

Noticeably over the last few seasons, all things embodied by loungewear have become a quintessential part of a modern wardrobe. Browse through Lookbook and any style blog for a few minutes and you’ll find that ranking after studs, shredded denim and ombre hair, are slouchy/oversized jumpers. It evokes something of a candid “I don’t care” vibe.

And of course there is what I dub the “university/college student uniform”; hoodies emblazoned with a school’s logo, baggy sweat pants and uggs (aka UGHS) or ratty sneakers for the guys.

But aren’t sweat pants just that – sweat pants? Can you really categorize schlubby clothing and ‘fashionable’ gear as two separate entities? Some people seem to think so.

The roster includes:

Alexander Wang

Alexander Wang Resort 2013

Alexander Wang Pre-Fall 2013

New York’s golden boy, Alexander Wang has built his loyal following off of his sportswear and his t-shirts and sweats.

Now as the newly appointed creative head of Balenciaga following Nicolas Ghequière’s departure, perhaps the Parisian house’s runways will now be littered with techno-fabric loungewear? A hologram robe accented with acetate and python sleeves perhaps? Not entirely reminiscent of Cristobal’s archival work but close enough.

Dolce and Gabbana

Dolce and Gabbana Spring/Summer 2009, Dolce and Gabbana Fall/Winter 2010

The duo’s Spring/Summer 2009 was crammed with the then-newly dubbed pyjama suit. Surprisingly enough, it became a seasonal trend for that s/s season but only editorially in magazines. I can only assume that not many women rolled out of bed and walked into the office.

Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney Fall/Winter 2011, Stella McCartney Spring/Summer 2012

Adidas x Stella McCartney Fall/Winter 2012

The English in Paris, the queen of casual cool – Stella’s work wouldn’t be classified as actual loungewear but can be argued as the upscale cousin. Celebrities are suckers for her jumpsuits and it is not too uncommon to find herself dressed in one her matching ensembles. Her line with Adidas also showcases her cool and easy design sensibility.

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Over the last few years, I’ve found that comfort really is important. Before you write this off as an obvious statement, it really isn’t. Many who are fashion obsessed sacrifice comfort for image. Whenever a garment is comfortable, those wearing it seem to always point it out. Why? Because fashion and comfort are usually thought as complete opposites. What is comfortable isn’t stylish and what is fashion-forward isn’t comfortable.

I would have never imagined myself professing this to the general public but wearing sweatpants outside of the home and gym is something that I wholeheartedly approve of. Not just sweatpants; long johns, robes, oversized hooded sweatshirts – it’s all good.

True story: While strolling through the departments at work, I was approached by a woman who seemed to be in a joyous mood. “I love your hair, the colour is amazing!” she exclaimed. Taken aback, I replied with a playful, “thank you, everyone hates this current colour”. That’s when shit got real. Her pupils became dilated, her posture slouched and her voice deep, “I was lying, I actually don’t like it, it looks horrible.” And with that, she turned around and sauntered off. Slight exaggeration on her — but I did not misconstrue her words.

My hair has aways been something that most people have a problem with. I can’t even count how many times i’ve been told that it looks like a wig or people actually asking me if it is in fact a wig. Nothing too major as the worst I received was that my hair looked like a bird’s nest; thanks mom. But I could have never really predicted the backlash I would receive once I went blond. That’s a lie, I knew that the majority of opinions would be negative BuT YoLo~.

Initially, I was actually only supposed to be blond for one day and then a blue-black. Post bleach-kit, it grew on me, despite my hair’s texture becoming what can only be comparable to a felt hat. Clumping and brittleness aside, the colour was something new! it was something different for me! it got me one step closer to resembling an asian popstar! “It’s here to stay”, I muttered to myself as I stood in front of a mirror for the first time and examined my work.

It is about having more fun? At first, sure. Now, it’s more because everyone hates it and I like to annoy people. Quick quips from the majority of my colleagues has only caused me to go a shades lighter. It’s only in my nature; the more it was hated, the lighter I went.  For the time being, I assume that everyone is used to it. Initially, I’m sure most thought it was a horrible idea but I feel as though everyone has come around to it. Perhaps the remnants of distaste that still linger stem from my intentional defiance against those who tell me I should lighten my eyebrows as well. The dark brows against the light hair makes me unapproachable or ‘doesn’t make sense’ *try telling that to Agyness Deyn.

But hey! I’m not the only one to experience some attention from the haters as it seems that at one point in their careers, the majority of my favourite models went/are currently blond/blonde. My favourite blond/blonde transformations:

Natasha Poly

Kasia Struss

Cole Mohr

Daul Kim

AJ Abualrub

Sadly, I know it’s probably time that I retreat back to a darker mane as the autumn/winter season approaches. As hard as it will be for me to part with lighter locks, I’ve had my fun. How far into the near future? I can’t give a definite answer. Believe me though, there’s only so many times that you can be called Goku before a change is needed. Until then, the flame that is my hair shall continue to burn brightly.

karlie kloss; vogue us

I loathe summer. I hate the sun, the heat, getting tanned and beach culture. When the heat rises, style goes out the window. Of course this statement isn’t accurate when applied to every single person but I’ve seen my fair share of stretch marks, denim cutoffs and mangled flip flops since the start of the season. But I digress as I understand; comfort is important. Is it possible to be fashionable when it’s 40°C?

Answer: NO, unless you want to die.

Negating swimwear, there always seems to be a disconnect from the majority of S/S runway trends and real life. This goes for both womenswear and menswear. In a season where comfort is the first thought in getting dressed, designers sure love to troll the fashion obsessed. As Donatella sips her ice cold Perrier, nude atop her balcony, some poor (and stupid) girl is sweating to death in one of her plastic party dresses. As Rick Owens pumps iron at his local gym, a woman cannot undo her tie-front, heavy linen jacket as the first faint hints of her body odour emanate through the porous fabric. While Nicolas Ghesquière watches reruns of Doctor Who in nothing but his underwear in front of giant fan, a young socialite is dining uncomfortably in front of a  swarm of paparazzi, unsure of how to sit as her techno fabric shorts are too stiff and her Darth Vader-esque headwear blocks her view. I can discuss and hate all I want but that would be saying that I am immune to this.

As much as I want to, I know I can’t wear a leather t-shirt in the summer even if it is on all the menswear runways. For the most part, I’m usually fully covered. If I wear a t-shirt, there’s usually an oversized wool blazer on top of it much to the dismay of my colleagues.

“Aren’t you hot?”
“What the hell are you wearing?”
“How are you not dying in that?”

are their usual questions. “It’s fashion, people!,” is what is being thought in my head as a comeback, but I just give a simple shrug as a response.  Autumn/Winter is just more to my liking. In the words of Ke$ha, We R who We R, right? But can you really blame me for this? To illustrate my point about disconnect, here are some of my favourite S/S 13 menswear looks:

See, what’s a boy to do?!

Secondly, contrary to popular belief, Canadian summers are hot! Our igloos have melted and we’re forced to eat our poutine and beaver tails in the sweltering heat. It is because of this that I have recently succumb to societal pressures and have begun to “embrace” summer (albeit under the protective shield of my  SPF90) by purchasing a tank top. Reluctant at first, I have been living in it for the past month and I have to admit, it feels nice. No more sweating, no more uncomfortable walks to my car, no more annoying questions from my colleagues. However, I won’t be wearing flip flops anytime soon, but maybe next summer I can work my way up to shorts. Sigh, If only summer came without the heat and humidity. Until the first leaf turns colour, I guess I can tough it out.

kris van assche x eastpak fall 2012

Not too long ago I started to have discomfort in my shoulders and mid back. I tried everything: sleeping flat on my back, tying blankets around my mid section to avoid a slouched posture (really), even asking numerous people to punch me their hardest in my areas of discomfort. Looking at the methods that came out of my desperation, it’s no surprise that none of these things worked. Then it hit me: my bag. The bag that I’ve been carrying for a better part of 2 years. The bag that went everywhere with me. The bag that I carried my whole life in. Sigh, the bag was my problem. You never really think but at any given time, you could be lugging around 15-20 extra pounds with you.

To remedy my situation and relieve my poor back, I decided that I would embark on finding myself a suitable backpack. I know, a backpack? I haven’t had one since purchasing my first man bag at the tender age of 15. It’s not that backpacks aren’t fashionable per se… they’re just synonymous with things such as school, homework, paper bag lunches; general academia. Boring, boring, boring. No thanks to looking like an Asian schoolboy sans uniform. So how would it be possible to use a backpack without looking like I’m under legal drinking age?

Numerous designers and design houses have embraced the backpack and see it comparable to a well made handbag in both functionality and style. For instance, Prada moved on from dowdy librarian to student chic for her spring/summer 2007 collection outfitting models on the runway with turbans, butt cheeks and backpacks. Sasha even sports them in the ad campaign in not one, but two shots. Raf Simons and Kris Van Assche have each collaborated with Eastpak on a line of bags, both featuring an array backpacks. And of course, who can forget Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s $34,000 alligator backpack for their label The Row (or the newly unveiled $16,000 patchwork fur backpack!)

sasha pivovarova, prada spring/summer 2007

After searching high and low and what seemed like hundreds of bag stores, I found the perfect one! While it would have been fun to find something decked out in fur or settle for one of the many Hello Kitty styles offered at what seemed like every store, I did end up going for something a little more classic(?).

It’s a backpack but not a backpack, get what I’m saying’? I’ve had it for about a week now and my hairspray and cans of tuna fit perfectly in it in addition to the multitude of other things. Long story short, a backpack is the way to go.

At this rate, will I be sporting a fanny pack in the near future? We’ll have to wait and see. (Most likely)

Be sure to check out her amazing photos on her blog and don’t forget to have a look at the pokexfashion gallery (link below)!

But there are ways around an empty wallet if you have Photoshop! If I can’t physically afford to go into my favourite designer stores and put together outfits worth thousands of dollars, I can just easily photoshop together pieces I want. Sure, it’s not the same as actually owning the pieces but can’t a guy have a little fun? Below are two outfits I’ve pieced together from the S/S 12 menswear runways:

A mixture of Burberry, Raf Simons, Acne and Neil Barrett modelled by Keroppi! Where would I wear this you ask? To the grocery store, to the movies or maybe on one of my daily ventures out to get bubble tea. You can probably see that I’m not one to embrace the Summer season. I just can’t stand summer dressing or the heat!

As impractical as it is, I’m obsessed with leather t-shirts for summer as well as parkas. Black is always a go-to colour that you can never go wrong with and a lightweight blazer is actually practical when trying to look sharp in the Summer. Layering becomes uncomfortable and even unbearable when the summer heat is on you but with all the “cool” you’d be exuding from this outfit, you probably wouldn’t mind. <– Lame.

Landry is decked out in Missoni, Siki Im, Patrick Ervell and Marc Jacobs! This was my attempt at a more summery outfit. I’m usually not one for colour but having a little bit under a neutral blazer, I wouldn’t mind. The length of the weightless shorts would also allow me to channel Tina Turner. If you got it, flaunt it (It – being chicken legs in my case). And to top it off, a Marc Jacobs backpack in orange!

More outfits to come in the near future!

Be sure to check out his amazing photos on his blog and don’t forget to have a look at the pokexfashion gallery (link below)!

With February’s announcement of Hedi taking over the creative helm of Yves Saint Laurent, I’ve been getting into his works again. Perhaps news of his return to the design side of the fashion world resurrected my interest, although I’m sure Stefano doesn’t feel the same way. The man who made skinny boys everywhere rejoice is back! This news gets the mind racing with all sorts of thoughts: Can Hedi fuze his aesthetic into the brand seamlessly? Would Yves Saint Laurent himself approve of this? Will the YSL woman throw away her parachute trousers and strawberry print blouses? WHAT ABOUT STEFANO PILATI?!

Let’s hope it all works out in both the design and photography fronts. I don’t know if I could handle another falling out with him.

Abbey Lee Kershaw by Hedi Slimane; Vogue Russia April 2011

This isn’t Miuccia’s first foray into the CGI anime/gaming world however. In 2007, Prada also designed 2 outfits for Deunan in Appleseed Ex Machina, the second instalment of the Appleseed 3-D live action films. She claimed that she fell in love with the first film and offered to work with Shinji Aramaki on the designs. If you look closely, Deunan is outfitted in 2 modified runway looks from Prada’s f/w 2006 collection.

Of course, gaming and fashion have always gone hand in hand as costume design plays an integral role in most games. Would you really be into it if Bayonetta was decked out in a turtleneck and khakis? or if Rinoa Heartilly wore a sundress and flip-flops? Not really.

So what other designers do you think could successfully design for video games and 3-D live action films? Here’s my list:

Jean Paul Gaultier – Showed us what he’s made of with his designs in The Fifth Element
Roberto Cavalli – Just imagine the DOA girls lounging in his swimwear!
Francesco Scognamiglio – His twisted Glamour is perfect for any diva villanness
Bernhard Willhelm – If Katamari ever went live action…
Pheobe Philo – Clean and modern aesthetic would suit the head honchos of any headquarters

Still patiently awaiting a Proenza Schouler-Sailor Moon collaboration but until then, this will do.

women's blazer, men's shirt, kid's jeans

For the most part, I’m always decked out in kids and womenswear with my daily uniform consisting of a pair of kids jeans, oversized button front shirt or t-shirt and my favourite oversized women’s blazer (no darts with a drop shoulder, perfect!).

No I’m not trying to be androgynous or EdGy*~, I just legitimately cannot fit into most menswear offerings. I have the chest of a full grown male, torso and waist of a child and the legs of female. Not to mention I stand at a statuesque 5′ 5″. It’s as if a toybox full of Barbies, Kens and Skippers mutated together. Well… that may be an exaggerated description but shopping had become a bit trying. I’ve come to terms with the limitations and precautions that must be thought of when purchasing clothing. So what’s my solution now? From the picture above, you might have already guessed it: shop all three departments; menswear, womenswear and kidswear! Seriously.

Womenswear tends to offer the most in cuts, fabrications, fits and proportions while menswear offers sharp and classic cuts and is high in comfort and wearability, comparably. Kidswear is just all around fun. Of course you’ll have to tread carefully if mixing all three departments.

 

marc jacobs wearing comme des garçons s/s 2012

This is mainly for the guys who want to wear women’s items, as gals can easily transition into menswear pieces and not be deemed “weird”. Be sure to select items that do not have details that serve a purpose. This means if you’re eyeing a women’s blazer or jacket, make sure that it does not have darts and that the stance of the buttons and closure is not in an awkward position. These were made to lock and load the “goods” which most men don’t possess. As for tops, drapey t-shirts and looser button front shirts (again, with no purposeful detailing) are always a good choice. For bottoms, the majority of pants hanging on the racks in the men’s department aren’t cut very slim even if it’s labelled as slim leg, unless you’re shopping through the Dior Homme by Hedi Slimane archives. That may be fine for most guys but for others, such as myself who like a super slim fit, women’s bottoms are an excellent alternative. The only thing you’d really have to worry about is the crotch being low enough to accommodate your… you know. Maybe skip over the skirts and dresses but if that’s your thing a la Marc Jacobs x Comme Des Garçons, all the power to you.

As for kidswear, just make sure it fits and the pieces are not too juvenile. An added bonus if you can fit into kids, there’s less tax on the clothing!  Graphic t-shirts and jeans are what I usually scope out. Because it’s kidswear, a lot of the tees can get away with having things on them that you wouldn’t be able to find in the other departments and the jeans will obviously fit a tad tighter in the leg. Usually, stores will carry up to size 13yrs – 14yrs in their kid’s departments so shop away.

What it really comes down to is fit. Don’t limit yourself because of age or gender. If you have to go up a size in a sweater and go into the men’s department to find it, do it. If you find the perfect pair of jeans but they’re womens, rock em’. If you’re ever browsing through a store and something catches your eye, regardless of what department it’s in, try it on. I’m sure you’ll look super 可愛い!