News Minute 6.24

Depp and Bale

I have not anticipated a movie this much since The Dark Knight. Public Enemies, the story of John Dillinger (played by Johnny Depp) and FBI agent Melvin Purvis (played by Christian Bale), opens in a few days. Two gifted actors both of whom still take on indie or non-mainstream projects despite mass commercial success. 

At the premiere in LA, Bale took the classic route: dark suit, white shirt, dark tie. This look is never boring when the proportions are correct. He looks great, although a shave wouldn't hurt.

Depp, looks pretty good in a Tom Ford suit. Sleeves could have benefitted from a tailor. The sunglasses and hair is all Johnny Depp.

Chris Brown is guilty

I'm a journalist, not a legal expert. I can't speak to whether it's a fair deal that Chris Brown got. He plead guilty to felony assault and got zero jail time and some probation. No one will forget the pictures of Rihann's face. But, alas, he's also the poster boy for a suit wearing him. Every detail about his court ensemble needed tweaking. The collar on his dress shirt needed to bigger and collar stays would have been useful. The collar stands out rather than sitting comfortably on the shirt. It's not so much the combination, just the proportions.

Since the collar is so small, a smaller knot in his tie would have complimented the collar. It's basic elementary. Either that or a spread collar shirt.

He shows no sleevage. It's a more put together look whe

n the jacket sleeves are taken up a bit to show some shirt cuff. That's a great amount of room in those jacket sleeves. Maybe two arms can fit into one sleeve. Again, just take the size down a notch.

A cardinal sin: he's fastened both buttons on his two-button suit. Look at how awkward the jacket looks when he moves with both buttons done. It's constricting. 

The check suit is a quite bold choice. Maybe too bold for the courtroom. Rihanna looked elegant yet subdued for the hearing.

Read Kenyatte Nelson's Tweed & Velvet blog entry about courtroom attire http://www.tweedandvelvet.com/2009/06/holding-court.html.

Beat the heat

It's wicked outside. Just plain miserable. But, you still want to look good. Right? Start from the top. Protect your dome if you find yourself outside. Straw hats are super cool and super cool. They look good and will block out some of the harmful rays the sun just happens to give off. While you're at it, test out a Panama Hat. It's a bit dressier. Notice the brim is slightly stiffer than the hat above. The more flexible the brim, the more casual the hat. Certainly, that's not a rule set in stone by the style gods (Alan Flusser, Esquire, GQ/Apparel Arts, etc). It can be worn with summery suits but probably works better with trousers. That means it won't work at the beach as well. Here is none other than Sir Sean Connery, the man every man wanted to be as Agent 007.

A quick reminder

Don't leave your jacket sleeves like Jayson Williams. It's OK to take the jacket to a tailor. Hopefully, with a good tailor, your sleeves will show 1/2 inch of shirt cuff, like French President Nicolas  Sarkozy.

Roger Federer...bringing cool back to the court

Roger Federer is back. King of the Court he is. Having tied Pete Sampras' record of 14 grand slams with a win at Roland Garros, Federer's confidence has to be at high. After a devastating loss to Rafael Nadal at this year's Australian Open, the buzz around real tennis people was, "Is he done?" Could Federer have been broken beyond repair after his tears flooded Rod Laver Arena? Eh...you never count out champions. I'm not saying he won't have battles with Nadal again, I'm just assuming his confidence is back. His swag is there, and it good to see. Don't believe me? Check out the gold and white warm-up suit he wore to practice  Sunday. Most guys on the tour don't look that cool in civilian clothes. That wasn't enough. If ever there was a time when a man's wardrobe matched or spoke for his swag, it's Wimbledon 2009. It's only the first day but, the safari jacket, the white trousers with gold piping and the vest. Masterful. Wimbledon is about class and tradition. Federer gives a nod to the old school with the trousers (players didn't always wear shorts) although he'll ditch his when it's time to play, it's still pretty damn cool. Take note of the gold on the Nike bag to coordinate with the lettering. All meant to signify what he's here for: the golden Wimbledon trophy. To be the best and look the best is a combination Sampras never had and Nadal hasn't figured out.

Congrats to Dan T.

I've got to congratulate Dan T. He was named the Fan Favorite Finalist in Esquire's Best Dressed Real Man in America contest. He's got some really fantastic combinations and simply put, dresses his ass off. I was also competing for the Fan Favorite finalist but alas, the people have spoken. They chose a very stylish guy. 

Now, there are still four finalists slots up for grabs. It's up to the editors now, so I thank everyone who voted and showed me love.

Quick look

What's not to like about this combo from Sean Lennon. All summer staples, all working in harmony together. I browsing the AP server and had to share this photo. The stubble and glasses give this seersucker jacket a fresher feel than if he had been clean shaven. Take a page from Mr. Lennon's book for your summer look.

French Open Style

During the past two weeks, I've caught clips of the French Open. It, and the U.S. Open rank are the two more stylish of the four majors. It has a great deal to do with the sponsors. Lacoste is the official apparel sponsor for chair umpire and linespeople at the French Open, while Polo Ralph Lauren outfits the same folks at the U.S. Open. What sets them apart is the cut of the clothing. The Lacoste polo shirts hit somewhere in the middle of the bicep and the pants are slim, not skinny. 

Omega's most famous mission

My mother often tells me the story. She and her older brother (my stylish uncle) say their goodbyes to their dad and board the plane in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Several hours later, they land at JFK airport in Queens, the first time in the United States. The place is abuzz. It's hectic. New country. Must find mom. My grandmother spots her children, everyone piles in the car, hop on the Van Wyck and head for Park Avenue in the Bronx. The streets are talking, people are excited. They can't figure out what's going on. Was it a holiday? Some parade? America can't be like this everyday, they may have wondered. When they arrive at at home, turn on the televsion and what's on? Man had just landed on the moon. They just happened to arrive in America July 20, 1969.

If you're good at math, which I'm not, you'll realize 2009 marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11's landing. It's well documented what was said about the step and mankind. The Omega Speedmaster was the timepiece the crew wore during the mission. Nasa selected Omega after tested Rolex and Breitling, among other watches. The luxury watch celebrates the 40th anniverary of the landing with a special edition unveiled Wednesday in New York by none other than Buzz Aldrin.

The Speedmaster is a beautiful timepiece. It's rugged yet has a very classic appeal. The history of the watch with NASA really solidifies that masculine quality. Among high-end watches, it's around $3,000, not bad when the Submariner is close to twice that.

Dressing well

Alan Flusser sums up dressing well in this video from men.style.com. He makes some valid points about the fashion industry and what they present for menswear. Enjoy!

A case for collar stays

Collars just look better straight, how God intended them to be. Collars whose points have turned in lend a unkempt look to the wearer. It's all about the little details. Here, Britain's Foreign Sec. David Milliband is guilty. All events considered, this is the least of the Labour party's problems. Style-wise, it's a quick fix that can turn an outfit around.

Collar Stay tips

* Remove them when washing 

* Plastic or brass (brass is stronger but, excessive use can tear the underside of the collar

* In a pinch, bobby pins or paper clips work well

A little sports talk

Poor Nike. LeBron James (and the Cavs) lose, sorry, are slaughtered by the Magic. The best player in the league exits the court quicker than the rest of his team moved on it. Rafael Nadal, somehow, loses at the French Open. I'm sure Kobe and Federer are happy. Nike's still got them, but it's not the same. Kobe and Federer came up, lost and won. They proved themselves time and again. Those guys have had their time climbing that plateau. They've won titles unopposed. The game is arguably more exciting when a guy hasn't won, when he hasn't hoisted that trophy or been number No. 1. Nadal are LeBron have achieved success but, they're still climbing. That's why it's thrilling to watch them, especially LeBron. Kobe has three championship rings, Federer has 13 grand slam titles and was No. 1 for what seemed to be forever (after Pistol Pete). 

In comes Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. A man just a few year removed from high school and a team with sporadic post-season success. Analysts, bloggers, fans, ESPN, the NBA and of course, Nike didn't see it coming. There were no match-ups of Dwight and Kobe. No comparisons with the two Disney-hosting cities. The Magic swooped in quietly, efficiently and all-around to stop King James and the Cavs. Just like an unknown Swede toppled the four-time French Open champion. The biggest are stoppable, which makes room for the improbable.