Feeling blue on a cloudy day

I am not one to turn my back on a challenge. Even if I came to work earlier with an ensemble that somehow did not work with my bright blue jeans, I returned with an outfit much more to my liking.

Tee, Underground; jeans, Bitter End; hooded vest, thrifted; leather sneakers, Converse; tote, American Boulevard

Though I posted something about bright colored jeans ages ago, I still don't find it easy to tone down these domineering colors.

Photos by Patricia Suzara and Cecilia Aycocho

White jeans

Another staple for summer. I know they're dust magnets, but nothing looks as nice.

Jeans, Maison Martin Margiela; shirt, Crocodile; thrifted bag, agnes b.; thrifted belt, Structure; lace-ups, Marlboro Classics; wristwatch, Tissot

To take Details' advice, here's a jolt of black for this evening. (Can't help the neon.)

Nylon jacket, Izzue; shirt, Sisley; trainers, Nike
Building photos by Patricia Suzara

Denim, tux, white tie, and Chucks

Well, not exactly. I got these embroidered, white leather Gucci sneakers from a thrift shop, which has recently moved to another location. (More on this soon.)

I wore them this morning, but changed the rest of my outfit for a little shoot this evening. Instead of tying the laces this way, I eased them from the top loops and tied the extra length round the shoes, as is now the fashion.

I wasn't really planning anything, but when I was fiddling around with my white cotton bow tie (no ready hooks!) while playing and rewinding YouTube clips on how to tie the impossible little things, somehow, I got it. (I bought the tie for a black-tie Vogue event, but I wasn't able to use it. I opted for a red, silk Gucci scarf instead.)

Since I was already wearing the tie over a short-sleeved blue and white polo shirt, I decided to try out a denim on denim combination. I put on this thrifted Gerani denim jacket, which was too loose, so I used a safety pin to fasten it, as what (I think) the stylist for the Fall 2009 show of Dries Van Noten did.

On hindsight, the jeans could have been darker and I could have worn black leather lace-ups or leather sneakers, but I think the top part of the outfit has it.

The jeans are good enough for this tuxedo coat I bought from a department store (it's actually priced almost the same as the cotton tie).

Better I think, if the shirt had a printed design similar to the Rorschach imprint left by the heat. No belt.

As an afterthought, and in line with my post on denim and layering, I put on the denim jacket on top of the tux coat.

Works well I think. Better even if my shirt had long sleeves so I could have rolled it under the coat. This time, black lace-ups would have been required, and maybe also a thin black leather belt. The jacket I'm now thinking I should alter for a slimmer fit.

Back to reality now and to the humidity returning this time of the year to Manila.

Night photos by Patricia Suzara

Denim on denim

The picture above was taken by Scott Schuman when he was in Paris.

The first thing you notice is the denim combination or perhaps the way his scarf is tied, then the khaki jacket and the way its sleeves are rolled up in tandem with the denim shirt. Then your eye focuses on the patch on the shirt and the worn fabric. After these, perhaps his bracelet and his hair. No matter where you start, you are convinced that this entire outfit works for its wearer.

I don't know who started saying it, but men.style.com repeated the alleged fashion rule that denim does not go with denim, allowing only the exception for a denim top that has approximately the same tone as its counterpart denim bottom.

Not so with this outfit. Of course, one may say that it is his khaki jacket and olive messenger that provided the necessary counterbalance for all that denim - even allowing the fashion "rule" to be broken.

But look at this second man, featured in Copenhagen Street Style. No khaki or olive or any hue near the color complement orange, and still, his outfit works.

Is it because his denim jacket and black cardigan are both rolled up like in the first picture? Yes, this helps, but what is more pertinent is the layering of his jacket, cardigan, and undershirt.

Not only do these three pieces vary in length - with his electric blue band cap (Did I mention only just now the best item in his outift?) and black boots - they follow a color gradient (black, navy blue, denim, electric blue). Isn't that just brilliant? A progression in both color and cut.

Fashion rules are silly, that is true, but then again, consider this: would both outfits work if the men weren't blond or brown-haired? Another rule...

Phil. Fashion Week S/S 2009: menswear

I'd wear these jeans by Pier Lim.



The combination of denim and cotton is reminiscent of Martin Margiela's artisanal trousers attached with belt strips taken from vintage jeans (2004 Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter).

Read the rest of my review here

Street fix: Ripped red jeans

I had to look twice at Melville's outift. First I thought what he did is nothing new, even with red instead of the usual black jeans. But once again, it was the mix that drew me. The tasseled bag well complemented the rock effect of his jeans and guitar shirt.