Faded.

All credit due to the owners of this photo.

Thursday.

Watch The Throne was released a few days ago. I'm just getting around to listening to it. To celebrate its release, GQ released a Jay-Z v Kanye West fashion battle to decide which of the suave-spitting MC's effect the hip hop fashion world the most. While GQ allowed the couple to trade blows with their style, they used an image that reminded me of a Kanye that I had forgotten even existed. Do you recall Kanye West's hiatus? The dipped out of the social spotlight during a very complicated year of heartbreak? When he returned he did so with the highly underrated album 808's and Heartbreaks which still gets an incredible amount of play on my iPod. With that came the craziest, and most influential style phase that I have seen in the world of hip-hop. The famous picture of Yeezy sporting a plaid, grey suit, white shirt, no tie, white sneaks and the iconic red heart lapel embodied his style for the most part. The hiatus was accompanied by a heroic, transient beat in his music that would rip the soul out of every listener that would actually pay attention. Stunning videos such as: Amazing, Love Lockdown, Paranoid and Mr. Hudson's Supernova to name a few were symbols of what it was that was really coming out of the super-creative phase in the rapper's life. It was this phase however that really let me appreciate what it was that made Kanye, Kanye. Taking the opportunity to do something other than rap, it made him really something that many close-minded people couldn't grasp anymore. In fact, it made him something that no one could grasp. While not giving the artist the status of a deity, he certainly gave us something to think about when listening to music, reading magazines and picking our ensemble for the day. However, knowing that the man singing about a heartless woman was also the same man who made a song about a fellatio workout proves his diversity, and why he is my favorite musical artist, hands down. 

Mr. West, 808's Era.
All credit due to the owners of these photos.

I feel like anyone who took heed to Kanye's transformations got a sneak peek at a bit of his soul. This is something that a lot of artists don't really reveal to their fans. A lot of fake smiles, stuntin' and city shout outs is expected from hip hop artists nowadays. Of course, to really see what it takes that composes someone's thoughts, that's what really makes an artist stand out. While the argument that Ye makes this a bit too simple, with flagrant outbursts of emotion that seem to pop up every year or so, it's still more than I've seen from a number of other people. I've seen rappers do some crazy things (coughCam'romcough) and I've seen rappers do some pretty inventive things (will.I.am. wtf?), but I've never seen anyone dominate so many different aspects of influence as Yeezy does. If it isn't obvious yet, I'm a fan boy of the Louis Vuitton Don, but I'm only showing my admiration so adamantly because of my issues as a young man making the transition from creative to conformist. I'm always going to be able to listen to Kanye, and I'm always going to be able to wear what I want when I party, but for the majority of my waking week, soon I won't have many options. However, Ye gives me inspiration in this department. The ability to bend barriers until they mold to my liking is what I want, and I know it's going to be a risky maneuver, but I know it's going to be worth it. There's nothing worse than the stifling of creativity. I'm limiting the topic to fashion either! Sure, dress codes are a welcome counteraction to uniforms, but at the same time, there are still strict rules that prevent out-of-the-box thinking. I don't want to be in a position where I can't even think the way that I want to, but it may get to the point that I will have to if I want to make something of myself. That's why I can look at Yeezy as inspiration. I don't want to become the non-rap equivalent of the Dem Franchize Boys. I don't want to become a cliche. I would much rather be an anomaly. Murder to excellence, right?

By the way, OFWGKTA on two tracks. Frank Ocean = Beast.

Wednesday.

The Louis Vuitton Don.
All credit due to the owners of this photo.

Obsidian.

Photo from Rich White People.

Misery.

Never been a fan of Pete Doherty, but I like this song. Watch in Full Screen.

Lightning.

All credit due to the owners of this photo.

Monday.

I put a few things through the ringer today. In an attempt to shrink some of my clothes which have become a bit over sized, I came across a pair of pants that are mind blowing in their cool. A pair of black and white plaid pants, that are no doubt older than me. I've never word them for both their size, and their design. I love the pants, don't get me wrong, if I could I would wear them every other weekend with a white shirt and a suit hat, with a little feather on the brim. Yes, cheesy I know, but these pants are a testament to what style used to be. Perhaps you might notice, when looking at pictures of the 1960s, or 50s, men used to wear those hats with their suits. If you were outside, and you were wearing a suit, you were wearing a hat. If you didn't, you would be one of those new age hipsters that didn't know how to be a grown man. (or JFK) After typing this, I immediately think of the USA television program White Collar. The main character, Neal Caffrey, is often seen wearing a hat with his suits. Taking a new age approach on the classic tradition however leaves me to think that he looks a bit- silly, wouldn't you say? While I have never been a huge fan of fedoras, I've come to accept them in some social circles, however these social circles are not white collar work places. However when looking at old pictures of the common man, I have an appreciation of the accessory. I know, I'm spouting a river of contradictions, but I have a point, I swear.

A functional suit + fedora.
All credit due to the owners of this photo.

Some things take time. A few years back my brother was really in to wearing bow ties at the work place. While I had nothing to say to him back then, in retrospect I think that it was a pretty nifty idea. Substituting ties for bow ties takes a certain amount of skill that not just anyone can jump in to. The same goes for double breasted suits, pinstripes and certain liquors. I've always been an adamant believer that confidence is the most valuable accessory, but sometimes confidence just isn't enough. Get read for this, because I'm about to drop something heavy on you: Knowledge is more powerful than confidence. (School House Rock!) My brother knew what to wear bow ties with, as well as what colors work well together. He didn't go out and buy a random red bow tie and assume himself a fashionisto. I think it's very possible for someone to wear a hat with their white collar business attire, but knowledge of the accessory is absolutely key. With a combination of confidence and knowledge, it is possible to make just about anything possible, even outside of one's wardrobe. I mean, who was it that decided that thick brimmed glasses were cool again? I promise you it wasn't someone who was afraid to try new things. That's my soapbox speech of the week. Hope you have walked away ready to be adventurous! 

Woody Allen, a man who knows his tastes.
All credit due to the owners of this photo.

Don't forget: Back when they thought pink polo's would hurt the Roc, Before Cam got the sh*t to pop, the doors was closed. 

Saturday.

ANOTHER BS POST. Haha, here's a pretty cool picture to try and make up for it. 

Photo from Rich White People.

Thursday.

Every time I listen to the song Marvin's Room by Drake, it puts be in a weird mood. While I don't become depressed, furious or any form of being upset, I still feel a bit empty. I think the song makes me more eager than anything. While many of us can say that we've had our fair share of heart break, none of us can really relate to each other's emotion. However, whenever I hear Drake's voice proclaiming how he deserve's a girls love more than the one that she actually loves, it makes me think just how cool this guy is. The same goes for when I listen to any song by The Weeknd, (which you have to listen to if you haven't already!) or anyone else like them. When The Weeknd is talking about losing his girl to another girl in The Knowing, and how he's discovered her secret, but how he still loves her it just puts me in an emotional grind. As we all know, emotions are not 'cool.' It isn't cool to lose your girlfriend. It isn't cool to be lonely. Tears are not cool. However, the after effect is. Nowadays the brooding, dark and mysterious figures which populate the back of the bars, clubs and taverns are the ones that are the coolest. Falling into habit to fill some sort of void, that is something that we can deem cool though right? I don't know what it is that makes these people cool, but what  it shows us is that happiness is not 'cool.' Which sort of draws a rift between what it is that we want, and what it is that we need. (Haha, no pun intended.)

Anne-Catherine Frey... has no reason to be pictured here. I just want to be her friend. D=
Photo from A Truly Intriguing Subject.

I love my friends, many of them are like siblings to me, and I think that many of them are really 'cool.' At the same time, it was a process to become friends with them. It wasn't easy to become friends with a lot of them, while others was incredibly simple to befriend. I think their 'coolness' comes from their elusiveness. People are  animals, plain and simple. In the social jungle that we live in, being elusive allows one to protect themselves many times. Acting cold to strangers, and being unfriendly to most people prevents one from having to open up, or waste time on people that may either harm them or endanger them. It takes effort to befriend a 'cool' person. However, this self-defense system essentially sacrifices their friendliness. On one side we have being able to defend oneself from the tribulations that Drake and The Weeknd face in their songs, by being elusive and thus mysteriously cool. On the other side we have the opportunity to meet people who we want to befriend, and enjoy the company of people that we can trust. I've had many friends that have betrayed my trust. For that reason, it would make sense to limit my social circle, but it just makes my selection of 'real' friends rather small. There are very few people that really know the real me, and I like it that way. Of course, this isn't because of some sort of hidden aspiration to be the cool guy, but makes me seem either stoic or unemotional. The truth is, it takes effort to know me, and the same goes for anyone that knows the difference between a friend and an acquaintance. Obviously you wouldn't tell your entire life story to a person you meet at the store just so that they could be your friend, right? It takes time to open oneself up to other people. Media makes us believe that the harder it is to crack open that exterior, the cooler this person is, because they know the significance of solitude. Whether that's true is questionable, but I find it fascinating. 

Like minded friends.
Photo from Black Fashion

I guess it also makes friendships more valuable. CONTRADICTIONS.

Blue.

All credit due to the owners of this photo.

Tuesday.

Just finished watching Chris Nolan's Inception, and after seeing it for the fourth time, I'm still speechless. The incredible amount of depth that went into this film is something that is incomparable to any sort of film that has been released in the passed ten years. Of course, not being on the same level as movies pre-seventies, that is not to say that it is above or below them either. It seems to me like Inception is the type of film that is capable of grasping the audience with something that cannot be beaten in modern day cinema. What is that thing? Hell if I know. If I did, I would be in Los Angeles making a name for myself. However, I do pick up some things about the movie that really make me giddy. While I am not going to talk about movies for two days straight, I will be focusing today's entry on what it is that makes this movie so good. This may reveal some things that expand through the film industry as well. The first thing I'd like to make note of, and which is something that very few people take appreciation in, is incredible attention to detail. Many products which we as consumers effortlessly ingurgitate are created just for that: consumption. The food industry is an ideal showcase to this. While many people have a supreme appreciation for food, despite quantity, many times people are turned on by the quantity as opposed to the quality. Prime Example: Le Big Mac. A combination of lettuce, white buns, imitation beef and imitation cheese. It is literally fake food, and yet I wouldn't think twice about rolling up to the McDonalds drive-thru and ordering one with a side of fries. This is because it's filling, easily produced and cheap. It has no detail, no individuality. It has been produced to have no individuality, and that's what makes it fast food. On the opposite side of the scale, we have the fine cuisine that many of us rarely have the opportunity to try, because of it's individuality. The reason that many of these places charge so much for such small quantities should be obvious by now. It takes effort to make these dishes. From the what they're made of, to what they look like, every part of these dishes are made to order, which makes them completely authentic. While the dining industry is just one example, we can use just this small aspect of what makes movies like Inception so great and apply them to just about anything. 

Ralph Lauren Black Label
All credit due to the owners of this photo.

Let's look at the fashion industry. (Yay!) We can easily compare two brands much like we compared McDonalds to fine dining. We can go with my favorite clothing brands, Ralph Lauren, versus another brand, US Polo Assn. USPA clothing has been around long before Ralph Lauren, which only adds insult to injury when declaring that Ralph Lauren products trump USPA products. Let me be the first to tell you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with USPA clothing. In fact, many of their styles are reminiscent of RL in many ways, and because of that it is admirable in its own degree. However, what makes RL trump USPA is, you guessed it, the attention to detail. Ralph Lauren clothing has been designed to fit a specific image which has changed only slightly changed in its 44 years of existence. In fact, a fancy bit of information is that Ralph Lauren was in fact hired to style the cast of the movie The Great Gatsby, which anyone who knows anything about fashion knows is an incredibly well dressed movie. This defines the artisan from the craftsman. Being able to see something for what it's worth, and then expound upon that detail to make it better. If a sword is meant to be sharp, then take the aspect of it's sharpness and make the sharpest sword there is. If a movie is meant to keep you watching, then take the aspect of it's intrigue and make it the most intriguing movie there is. This is what Inception has done, this is what Ralph Lauren has done, and this is what five-star eateries have done. One can only hope that we can do the same with whatever craft we have decided to pursue. They have taken their craft and perfected it. 

Burberry ad. Guess what they make? Hint: They're all wearing one.
All credit due to the owners of this photo.

That's why they all cost so much damn money...

Jazz.

Photo by Guerre. Black, Brown and Beige.

Pink.

Photo from Rich White People.

Tuesday.

Today was another hot day, only describable by it's ability to infer itself upon any article of clothing that I wear, and cement itself to me. My pants become ovens, and my shirts become prisons. The heat swarms me when exposed to the sun, and yet I find myself incapable of liberating myself from them. I'm not very fond of random nudity. I'm referring to people with a lack of the two essential articles for proper service: shirts and shoes. For this reason, as well as not being able to wear half of my clothes, I dislike the summer. While not my least favorite season, it is very... challenging to dress appropriately as a young man. As someone who feels that a collar should be mandatory eighty percent of the time, it's near impossible to wear collared shirts in the heat. Sure, tons of blogs, articles and magazines describe ways to 'stay cool' while being professional. They describe the right fabrics to wear, so that when you put on a suit, you won't be that hot. It's all bologna. Regardless of what fabric I'm wearing, I know that garnishing a tie, and a jacket is suicide in the sun. If I don't sweat away all of my natural fluids, my body's going to at least try. Women don't really have the same issue. What I would give to be able to let my legs breathe and still follow dress code. That being said, I guess I'll get to the point of this entry: women'swear. Not just any type of women'swear, but menswear inspired women'swear. 

Helen Weselcouch (above)
Photo from The Style Blogger

I'm no male chauvinist. I appreciate women more than they appreciate each other. However, there is just something so enticing about a woman who uses the same elements in her wardrobe as I do. I'm unsure if I like the idea of her being so creative, or knowing how to stay versatile, but I'm sure that I enjoy it. While the picture above depicts a woman wearing men's formal/semi-formal attire, my appreciation doesn't stop there. Just yesterday, I went to a movie with a friend of mine. While her outfit was very much feminine, I could tell that she was using something that a lot of fashion conscious women don't seem to: a plain white t-shirt. Of course, you might suggest that I'm insane for thinking girls don't wear plain white tees, but allow me to explain. Her shirt was worn the way a guy would wear it. While I'm not sure if the shirt was unisex or menswear, I am certain that it wasn't women'swear. Additionally, the fact that it was her shirt made it all the more interesting! Not many people know this, but a woman's outfit is centered around the upper portion of her body. They create their outfit based on their tops (fun fact for the day!). Men, on the other hand, on their trousers. I loved her outfit just for that reason. Minimalist, fashionable and creative, she knew what she was doing, even if she doesn't realize it! There are a multitude of options for girls to wear like the women in these photos. If you want to visit The Style Blogger, you can even see that half of their outfits are composed of skirts! While a lot of girls feel like they can't wear things like the photos above and below, I'm going to present you with my mantra of four years:

Jenilee (above)
Photo from The Style Blogger

Confidence is your most important accessory. 

France.

Photo from Citizen Couture. 
Meet Anne-Catherine Frey. She's a blogger. I'm learning French for the off chance that I ever meet her.

Vespa.

Photo from Tommy Ton for GQ.

Pink.

Photo from Tommy Ton for GQ.

Pink.

Photo by Guerre.