job-o-rama and marc anthony

Like many unemployed fashion fans, I have now joined the ranks of retail workers! It's just part-time seasonal for now, but it's at one of my favorite places to shop (woohoo employee discount!) and really isn't too bad. It's only my second day, so I'm sure there will be drama in the future, but so far my biggest problem is getting used to standing for 6 hours. All of the customers have been quite friendly, and I'm still in "buddy training" so there's always someone at the next register I can ask for help. So, basically, sorry if I get a little out of whack; I've never worked a job that had such variable hours, so it's a bit of an adjustment!

In completely unrelated news, the menswear-enjoying readers of this blog should definitely check out the Marc Anthony collection at their local Kohl's. There are some pieces that I'm totally in love with, but really, there's a great feel to the whole collection; it has a really easy sophisticated feel, perfect for the guy (or otherwise!) who wants to look great without feeling overdressed.


Oh yeah, so cool. Image via Zimbio, more pics at the source

The Kohl's website isn't super helpful with the embedding and photo sharing (it's like they don't want bloggers to pimp their stuff!), but if I had to pick one stand out piece, it would be this cardigan. There's nothing about military-inspired fashion I don't love, and I'm pretty tempted to try on one of these myself! Especially since I'm spending a lot more time in the store for...reasons.

I do think it's kind of funny that someone whose red carpet appearances are...variable, to be kind, has his own line of clothes, but hey! I don't care whose name is on the label as long as it looks good. And these are definitely looking good.

review: neckties from bows-n-ties

The timing couldn't have been better; while I was working on my Dapper 101 menswear post, I was approached by Bows-n-Ties.com to do a review on some manly neckwear. Of course, I agreed!

Bows-n-Ties carries a wide assortment of neckties and bowties (obviously) in a number of colors and patterns (from classic solids and stripes to more adventurous paisleys and plaids), with skinny ties, child sized ties, and extra-long ties (for the big and tall gentleman!), and a number of related accessories like cufflinks and scarves. They also carry ascots and handkerchiefs, which I know some of my steampunk-affiliated friends will be pleased to know! I was sent two neckties to be reviewed; I love ties, but I'll admit to not knowing that much about what makes a good tie. Luckily, there was just such an expert in my house: my dad.



Daddy Zowie took this tie (you get a much better idea of the pattern from that than my pic) for a spin at his office and came back with only positive reviews. He loved the color and the texture, and was impressed with the heft of the fabric and the way the tie laid through the day. When he untied it after a long day's work, he noted that the fabric wasn't wrinkled where it was knotted, thanks to a very subtle texture in the fabric. All in all, he was very impressed with the quality and with the price (there's a wide variety of ties priced generally ~$10-25). The tie he wore was Chevalier brand, which didn't really mean anything to me, but made him go "mmm" approvingly, so I'm guessing it's a good one!

He wore the other tie today and pointed out that the smoother texture showed some more wrinkles from the knot, but that they were both "very good" ties. I haven't taken one for a spin yet, and I'm not sure I'll be able to: Dad doesn't seem too willing to part with them!

Basically: these are very nice ties for a nice price. But to be honest, I'm especially impressed by the website itself. It allows you to search for ties by color so if, for example, you're a gentleman (and twitter follower of mine) looking for fiery orange ties, you can quickly find a variety of ties in your color story of choice. Even better are the tie descriptions: far from your standard catalog copy, each listing provides tips on the appropriate occasion for the tie and what color shirt/suit would go best with it. The site sports a "how to" section that demonstrates several different necktie knots, how to tie a bowtie, how to fold a handkerchief, and more! There's tips for caring for your ties, a guide to the appropriate attire for black tie, white tie, business casual, weddings, funerals, etc. It's definitely a great resource for men and other people interested in menswear; I don't expect to see this much content on a retail site, so I was very pleasantly surprised.

If all this is making you think that you need some ties right now, you're in luck! Bows-n-Ties was nice enough to offer a coupon code for all my readers! Just use the code ficklekitsch between now and 11/30/11 and save 20% on your purchase. I think I might pick up a tie of my own, since my dad doesn't seem likely to share with me...

Disclaimer: These products were provided to me free of charge for review. I was not compensated in any other way for the post, and the opinions stated above are my own (and my dad's).

dapper 101: style inspiration for men

I realized while tweeting with a gentleman friend of mine that I've never actually posted something on my blog for the guys. Now, most of my audience is ladies, but there might be a dude or two mixed in there! And if not, some of you ladies might have dudes in your life who could benefit from some fashion! Or, you all should know how I feel about crossdressing (spoiler: I LOVE IT). I think dapper is an adjective we can all aspire to! I'll be referring to men/guys/dudes/bros/fellas because that's who appears in the pictures I found (and because it was requested by a gentleman!)

First of all, I had a devil of a time figuring out where to look for cool menswear that wasn't A) full-on suits/super formal or B) excessively hipster. Both styles are fine if that's what you're going for, but I wanted something that applied a bit more broadly. Then I found Tetino-tête, where the photos that follow were collected! (I have them all pinned to Manwear if you'd like to click through the specific posts)

My gentleman friend, whose name is Michael and I'm not sure why I was coy about it to begin with, specifically was inspired by my grey inspiration post from earlier this week. He was hoping for some manly outfit inspiration using a lime green/grey color scheme; I wasn't able to find exactly what he was hoping for, but I definitely found some good stuff.

Boys: get a blazer. Get lots of blazers! Also vests! Really, adding a sport coat to basically any look, from a t-shirt and jeans to slacks and a sweater/vest (or sweatervest!), pulls everything together in the way I've found cardigans to function in womenswear. And while the second two looks are fairly standard, be inspired by the mixing of color and pattern in the first look! Teal plaid meets blue checks and it looks good. I think that the latter outfits would actually be improved with sassier ties. A bright color or fun pattern could really pump them up, but if you want to really let your nerdy style come through, why not consider a Toybreaker tie? Their motto is "Ties that don't suck" and they definitely live up to it.


Photos via Toybreaker

These ties come in numerous patterns and colors; I just picked the patterns I thought might particularly interest Michael, since he is my gentleman prompter for this post (from left to right: circuit board, tentacles, hops/barley/wheat, gears).

Now, like I said, I had a little trouble finding grey/lime green inspiration pics, but I did find some lovely examples of another vibrant color combo: grey/orange! The mixture of cool, neutral grey with the warmth and brightness of orange is a lot of fun; I think you could sub in the color of your heart's deepest desire (like, perhaps, green) with the orange very easily in any of these looks.

Plaid! Plaid is one of the greatest things in the entire world, and it can add a little touch of lumberjack realness to an otherwise streamlined look. Basically, I love plaid.

Love the mix of the blazer with the t-shirt; it's a great way for a man to continue a style without looking stuffy or over-dressed. There's just a touch of the orange, but you can see he's also rocking colored pants. Not for the faint of heart, but a cool look!

To be honest, I'm not crazy about that scarf, but I really liked this example of using more of the bolder color. The orange jacket is such a statement piece, and you know how fashion bloggers love statement pieces! And maybe it's hipstery, but I'll admit that I'm fond of fingerless gloves. Not with a suit, obviously, but if you're going for a little funkier vibe, the gloves add a bit of an irreverent Artful Dodger sort of touch.

Hopefully this inspiration will help both guys and dolls feel a little bit more dapper! I'll admit, it was weird to write about clothes that I wouldn't necessarily wear; I tried to apply my usual style concepts to menswear (and added in a healthy dose of things I like to see, shall we say!).

PS: I have a special treat coming up that some dapper ladies and gents will hopefully appreciate, so keep you eyes peeled!