Summer Stems

This week has been all about the stems. While reviewing my personal photography from the past week I noticed that every photo is centered around the stems of a wardrobe, dashing model, intriguing shoe, or that of the botanical variety. I guess you could call it my obsession of the week. Summer is finally here; wild flowers are in bloom and bare legs are back! Here are a few of my favorite shots from the San Diego loft, styling assignments, and an Angel Status shoot on the USS Midway.

WEAR NOW BUY NOW

WEAR NOW INSPIRATION: Yoryu pleated chiffon skirts and dresses, tulle mounted fox furs, ballet style draping, and just the right amount of coral in the occasional dress, lip color, and grosgrain wrap Louboutins. Uptown classic meets downtown cool in Gilles Mendel’s magically light, ethereal, and painfully chic Spring 2011 collection. I have always loved Mendel’s collections, so much so that when the day comes he would be my top pick for wedding gown, but in the mean time I look to each collection for styling inspiration, especially when it comes to color, with every new season or special occasion.

BUY NOW: Parker draped front blouse, Lanvin Grosgrain espadrilles, Haute Hippie romper, Sandro pleated chiffon maxi, Alice and Olivia faux fur vest, Nars palette, Diane von Furstenberg Flyma draped wrap dress

California Cycling

CFDA Awards: Celebrity Frocks

He Wears Short Shorts

A very close, and might I add extremely straight male fashionista friend of mine made a comment the other day about men’s current fashion trends that stuck with me. He said to me, “what happened to clean masculine silhouettes? Everything I find in the stores for the contemporary market is just so feminine, I feel like im running out of options, I just cant do the 4’ inseam!” I thought about what he said, did some research, and it’s just so true. Men’s fashion has always carried off pastels, salmons, and historically royal blues and purples, colors mostly associated with femininity, as well as embellishments like ruffles, rhinestones, pleats, and gauze, but in the past have done so on classic or masculine silhouettes. Recently the problem many men find themselves facing while shopping for say a pair of summer shorts is that no matter the color, they are just too slim and much too short. Granted if you’re an ultra hip fashion god say like David Beckham then short, tight, and pastel is completely acceptable, but for the average style conscious guy the options at stores like Barney’s, Neimans, and Nordstrom are getting “slimmer” by the season. Now don’t get me wrong, I am completely obsessed with wild chic men’s fashion, especially that of the gay community, as a matter of fact I worship the gay community for that exact reason, but I think its about time that department store buyers and designers pay a little more attention to this forgotten niche; the masculine male and his everyday look.

STYLE ALTERNATIVES FOR THE AVERAGE "PAT"