Freddie Face Warmers

Anyone with the fortune to walk by an American Apparel daily knows that they serve as the epitome of "win some, lose some". While one month, a display may feature very stylish and, most importantly, wearable outfits for the us lowly commoners with an interest in stretchy fabric, another month may see blinding electric neon clothes made only for those residing in the negative-sizes with a power outlet somewhere up their butt.

The following fits snugly in the "lost it" category.

Behold, the Unisex Mustache Mask

As a Canuck, I really do understand the appeal of the hood, or balaclava, or the ski mask, or the face-bag as one friend in elementary school used to call them. A frozen face is never a pretty sight. I also understand the desire to not make the wearer look like they're going to take hostages. My disappointment with these Mustachios is two pronged. First, they look like they were drawn on by a stockboy at the behest of their overstressed boss, rushing around the store muttering something about "liquidation"... unsure if they mean stock or staff.

Second, it's been done better.

They even come with mix-n-match mustaches.

Many Happy Returns

How better to celebrate the return to the airwaves of the pop-satire brilliance that is The Venture Bros. than with this month's Auxiliary Magazine's interview with co-creator, writer, artist and fashion fanboy Doc Hammer?

"I like to spread myself thin in the arts. I think it's good to suck at as many disciplines as ya can" - Doc Hammer

Getting to read it for free at AuxiliaryMagazine.com of course!

Hammer talks shop, show, style, and about his band Weep's first album, Never Ever.

Well Dressed Words: Mark Twain

The Versatile Vest

Yep, the seasons are changing here in North America, and that means it's time to pull out your long-sleeves and head to H&M to grab a new pair of denim. While you're out, you might keep in mind that there's no better time to invest in... a vest! Seriously–a vest is just the thing to keep you looking snappy and up-to-date. And no, we're not talking about that kind of vest, as classy as it may be.

A well-fitted suit vest (or "waistcoat," as our friends in Great Britain refer to it) that can be worn with a variety of outfits is a wardrobe essential. What we're going for here is a herringbone pattern, or perhaps a fine pinstripe. As far as color goes, a subtle grey/brown blend or an in-between grey, so that it'll go with those great brown Mike-Konos Oxfords you picked up last weekend. Versatility is the name of the game here, because if you can wear it with jeans, slacks, and a full-blown suit, you've just tripled your investment.

And just like that, you've already taken a step to turn the economy around. Sort of.

Indie Spotlight: Optics

Are you lucky enough to be endowed with imperfect eyesight? If so, you should seriously consider checking out SALT. Optics for your next pair of specs.

SALT. Optics is a relatively young company, hailing from Southern Cali since 2006. Their dedicated, experienced team designs and assembles their eyewear in-house, using impeccable style and craftsmanship. In the collection you can find everything from Tortoise-Shell Acetate frames to classic Aviators, and their designs are spot-on.

The WAYNE frame / Black Rain color combination is a personal favorite, especially with fade-tint lenses.

Find them at your local independent eyewear specialist.

(and yes, the company name is suffixed with a period.)

Image/Product Page: saltoptics.com

Burn your pants

Back from summer vacation sporting the hottest red sun burn orbiting a star can give, only to find that all bets are off

"Meggings" have returned.

And doesn't he look excited to be wearing them?

Fascinatingly, although a google search drew up a great many opinions about meggings, not one helped in finding somewhere to buy a pair (a fate worse than death for one who can't even sew a button).

Indeed, meggings hold a peculiar mystique in the world of men's fashion, residing in the same uncanny valley as kilts... pretty cool for an idea, but a bit too fem for the average dude. Anyone who's seen the grey concrete of a side walk would find themselves surprisingly familiar with meggings already, as the multitude of joggers and cyclists passing in "why so tight?" athletic wear seem to increase exponentially every summer. But confined to sport, they have a reason for invading the world of guys, as easy to explain away as swimmers shaving their legs.

Removed from this masculine logic, they become a stylish Bermuda Triangle, intriguing and seductive, but mysterious and deadly, luring young lads in with the promise of being years a head of the trend game, only to slam shut at the last second, forever lost to a world of Cosmanics, like manscara and beard gloss, never to drink beer and play full contact football in stripclubs again.

Image care of the beautiful people at Style Sightings

The Importance of Shoes

Friday, during a long train ride, a saw a guy get on the train wearing a straw hat, check shirt and cuffed, dark-wash jeans. It may have been a simple look, but compared to the rest of the slubs on the train wearing cargo shorts, sneakers and t-shirts that looked like "free gifts with purchase", the outfit looked good. That is, until he moved to sit down. That's when I saw his shoes. Crocs.

Dos and Don'ts of Shoes by Fashion Me Fabulous on Polyvore.com

This is the importance of shoes. The outfit was clean, casual and smart, but the shoes ruined it. I've been thinking all weekend about how many different and better pairs of shoes could have kept that look together. Paul found the perfect ones yesterday when he wrote about these Sperry Top Siders (also mentioning the importance of shoes. Paul, you read my mind). Comfortable, summery, good for walking around the city--these shoes do everything Crocs do, only they look good doing it.

Pictured:
Cuffed Jeans, Levi, $98
Straw Hat, Village Hat Shop, $18.95
Terracotta Check Shirt, Land's End, $19.99
"Do" Boat Shoe, Sperry, $80