"Alexander McQueen, et ou"

One of the many great things about living in this city is the sheer amount of fashionable diversity there is (actually, diversity in general!) From the department stores right down to the streets, the selection is enough to make any wallet tremble in fear. And let's not even get started on the designer trunk shows and sample sales. If you know what's what, you'll probably be able to at least find one or the other (or both) every week!

Recap

Ok! So it was a pretty busy week at the office, and us busy little bees had a lot to work on! But busy is good! Earlier this week, Toronto experienced a record high in temperature (of course), resulting in weather typical of a tropical rainforest. I kid you not, the air was that thick. In case you ever need to know, wearing thick cotton pants, a long sleeved shirt and a vest is not the smartest of ideas. Making the decision to embark on a Street Style quest during the middle of the work day (when NO ONE is out) in +30 weather? Also not a good idea. Other highlights include:

STYLE TIP: Flat Collars

I might be a nitpick when it comes to certain things, but that's only because I care :) Better a nitpick than a slob, no? One thing that I have an issue with is a flat, loose collar - especially at the beginning of the work day. Nothing says tired and sloppy (and slightly retro), than this sad sight. To demonstrate, I took a picture of my collar this morning to show you exactly what I mean (pictured above). See? Not a fan...  (And yes, I really did wear a tuxedo shirt to work today. I love mixing formal pieces with casual wear, but that's for another discussion).

STUD.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have an affinity for all things leather and studded. From the subtly studded lapels of Christophe Decarnin's (Balmain) blazers to the wild and bad ass world of Christopher Bailey (Burberry Prorsum), I have had a fixation on this recurring trend that will not depart me.  Living in a city completely devoid of a good fashionable selection, I decided to take matters into my own hands and stud my own leather jacket, which by then, was starting to look very tired. Despite the fact that my fingers almost fell off, I like to think that my efforts were well worth it. What do you think?

More pictures after the jump!

Transition

Another article I did for men's fashion/lifestyle magazine, SHARP, on transition pieces that take you from the office to the lounge, and beyond. You can check out the article online here, or below! 

Men. Time is a luxury even some of the wealthiest can't afford. And with the rise and rule of social media, humanity has been running on a live-feed basis that allows us to be constantly up to speed while on the move. As men, less is often more, and that does not include shuttling between the office and home to enjoy a night out on the town after a hard day's work. We here at SHARP understand this modern-day plight of man, and have compiled a list of wardrobe staples that transition effectively from day to night, balance-sheet to brewskie. 

Christian Louboutin

Interesting article in AdWeek a couple days ago. To some, the pair of shoes above may seem like any other, a simple pair of black heels. But the significance of these particular pumps lies within the hue of the ever subtle, but highly recognizable, sole. Christian Louboutin's name is synonymous with the red underbellies of his shoes - a "haute" commodity that has sent the women (and men) of the sartorially-inclined crowd into a fashion frenzy. Retailing for hundreds to thousands of dollars for a single pair, these kicks come at a steep sacrifice. Indeed, it seems as if one would have to sell a part of their soul in order to get their hands on a pair of these highly-coveted items.

Genesis

So, i've managed to survive my first work week in the big TO, and am happy to report that all is going just swimmingly! Minus the fact that I apparently live in a bloody concrete rainforest. The humidity in this city is just astonishing. All you have to do is literally stand, and five minutes later you'll have lost a pound or two. Throughout the day, you just have to learn to accept the fact that you will end up sticky and gross. Had I known this nifty little fact, I would not have brought a good, ohhh, 80% of the stuff I packed. Coming from Alberta, perhaps I am biased. But when you wake up in the morning wondering why and how you fell asleep in a sauna, biased opinions do not matter.