The Sartorialist

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This is our second magazine for today because I didn’t think it should be left out.

It’s a magazine with so much potential, we feel like we’re waiting for it. They have great cover subjects (i.e. Daniel Day Lewis and Philip Seymour Hoffman,) very nice editorials, and it’s nicely written. But like a sugary treat, it leaves you wanting more.

But also like a sugary treat, I’ll keep coming back because it’s enjoyable.  If you do have a chance to pick it up, make sure you read this great article called “Do it Like a Dude,” by our friend Angelo Flaccavento.  He talks about Gianni Agnelli’s style individuality through anarchy, with a couple of references about his “life of hi-class mischief and five-star luxe.”

It only comes out twice a year, but it’s one of my favorite magazines to pick up from the newsstand.

Full disclosure: Justin wasn’t as impressed as I usually am, but I had to tell him that this issue wasn’t as strong as I’ve seen in the past.  The editorials are strong, and their choice of subject matter is always interesting. I like that they take chances (i.e. the current dog issue). To me, it’s not as fully developed a voice as Fantastic Man, but it’s the independent magazine that I’m most curious to see evolve.

You’ll notice that Man About Town is way less text heavy than the other magazines in this series.  Not saying that’s good or bad, but it’s worth noting how imagery is really powering content, and we all know how much I love good photography.

To understand how cool and modern this shot is, you first have to understand how old-fashioned Gianluca‘s coat is!

That specific coat model is very popular in Italy, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen that coat (a loden-ish, Tyrolean-ish classic) ever worn by anyone under 80 years old, let alone a super-cool, dreadlocked editor of L’Uomo Vogue.

That’s one of the reasons that Gianluca’s style (you can click his new tag for all his posts) is so cool; he’s always on the prowl for  ”the new,” but he never forgets the beauty of well established classics.

If you really enjoy getting into the nitty gritty of all things Urban Woodsmen, then you’ll probably love this magazine.

Inventory has extremely in-depth coverage of the products that they believe in. Some might say to the point of minutiae. To be honest, I’m a little jealous that the Urban Woodsmen have a magazine so dedicated to their cult of lifestyle. I wish there was a magazine as beautifully executed to satisfy the Anglo-Milanese in me.

Cheat sheet: One of my favorite sections of the magazine is “Items of Interest” in the back.  It’s like the Cliff Notes of cool.

Someday I will have to open a The Sartorialist just for hairstyles.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, a great unique hairstyle/cut is one of the best things a cash-strapped young lady or gentlemen can invest in.

You get to wear it everyday, you can wear it in several different ways, and you can accessorize in a million different ways.

You may remember Fabrizio from a recent post I did about him and his feature in Elle Decor.

This magazine caught my eye because it celebrates masculinity. There are some real guys (and models) styled the way I would actually want to wear the clothes.

Man of the World is taking a different approach toward ads; it has none. What it does have instead is a curated catalog of vintage items for sale as an accompanying insert. I’m not saying they are wrong for their approach, maybe this approach is more straightforward than a traditional magazine that accepts advertising for a more subtle promotion of their products. Man of the World is potentially the beginning of a new trend in “maga-logs”  that cut out the advertising to sell directly to you.

My big question about this magazine is when I look at it, will the experience feel more like looking at GQ or J.Crew?

I was reading the comments about this recent image of Garance and I kept seeing “cover her ankles!!” “exposed skin, be careful!” and other likeminded comments. Although those sentiments could be true in some cases, that morning all Garance could talk about was how overheated she felt.

I think we see a picture of a person outside and imagine they will be out wandering around for hours in the dire elements. To be honest, on a cold day most of us try to spend as little time outside as possible.

The question we all end up facing each day is how do we dress for our indoor life vs our outdoor life? I’m outside for long stretches so I consider my outdoor dress more carefully than someone like Garance whose indoor comfort is the focus.

So, do you dress for the commute or the office?

“The Independents” is an overview of some of the growing crop of independent men’s magazines. Each seems to have a unique voice and vision and will hopefully find an audience all their own.

Dapper Dan isn’t about trend, it’s more of a thoughtful and intellectual magazine.  It sort of skirts direct talk about style and gets more to the spirit of it.

And the title is a bit of a misnomer. It’s all black and white; heavier on art than the other independent men’s magazines.

It’s almost like a magazine for dudes that don’t want to be part of a trend, or ignore them all together.

So, I think we’re all agreed against men in ponytails, but what about a chignon (low hair knot) or other men’s hair accessories?

You have to see this!

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This is, by far, my favorite take on how to dress for the snowy weather.

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I was very sad to see one of my favorite barber shops in Milan closed recently.

I had planned on filming their technique of covering the client in 3 towels before a haircut, but we were too late.

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My major photography influence Steve McCurry (left) close to my major media influence Franca Sozzani at the fashion show of my major fashion influence, Giorgio Armani.

Liu Bolin, an artist that becomes the work of art he creates.

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I see that this is the second turtleneck-layered-under-a-shirt in as many days.  I also love the fact her jeans are gently creased.

So are we having a quiet revival of the turtleneck?

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I love a graphic print like this, but it’s so tough to do as a standalone item.

Wearing it as a layer seems so much more subtle, and yet just as effective.

Just like the previous post, this look could be great on a man or woman..

Maybe the most important trend at Pitti Uomo this season is unisex fashion!

ps  I’ve been wearing short hemmed, slim pants for so long that this softer, fuller leg pant looks so interesting right now.  When I go to buy my first pair of full pants, after a long absence from my closet,  my attention will not be on the width of the leg  or depth of cuff but how the pants fit around my hips.  The key to keeping “full cut” pants from looking overwhelming is to make sure they still fit  at the hips and waist.  If the pants are too big at the hips and waist  it’ll look like you just bought the wrong size.

I love the audacity of mixing tweed and sequins.  Sequins can be such a great texture to work into a day look.

May I be so bold as to say that I think this look, with the right tweaks and right guy, would be equally cool on a man?!

I literally had a bet with Garance that I could find a good way for a guy to wear leopard. I think this photo proves I won!

I love the sliver of a leopard print quilted vest that Domenico (on the left) wore today in Florence. It’s just enough to break up the seriousness of a monochrome outfit but not enough to scream, “I’m wearing leopard!”

This is my Hollywood acting debut! I first show up around 1:05. It’s pretty funny.

P.S. The set up of this project went pretty quickly. So quickly that I didn’t realize until the night before I left for L.A. that the project was for Ford Motor and not Ford Models :/

Recently KIA launched a commercial for their K7 car starring yours truly.  Without any lines the “acting” was reasonably easy, but all I see when I look at the commercial is that we filmed it in Soho the day the electricity finally came back after Hurricane Sandy.

I’m extremely honored to be a part of the video that accompanies the Musée d’Orsay exhibit called Impressionism and Fashion.

I’ve always been inspired by painting, especially Impressionism, so to be included as a modern proponent of the Impressionism concept is quite humbling.

Here’s a quick clip. The exhibit is on view in Paris until January 20. After that it comes to the Met in New York from February 26-May 27 2013.

I’m so ready for Pitti Uomo this season. Enrico, in this photo, is the epitome of casual chic.