Since Kate Moss donned her little hot-pants outfit to the UK’s favourite music event - Glastonbury - a few years ago, festival goers have treated the occasion like a bizarre, mud-filled catwalk - parading their finest (and often loudest) wardrobes to the masses. The best (or maybe worst) thing about this? There are no rules.

But let’s not limit this to the girls. And having said that, to the festival crowd themselves. Performers after all, are under the scrutiny of the fields of fashionistas, fans and cameras, and the men are no exception. Here’s a few that we’ve picked out:

Pete Doherty - Dressed in his [...]]]>

Since Kate Moss donned her little hot-pants outfit to the UK’s favourite music event - Glastonbury - a few years ago, festival goers have treated the occasion like a bizarre, mud-filled catwalk - parading their finest (and often loudest) wardrobes to the masses. The best (or maybe worst) thing about this? There are no rules.

But let’s not limit this to the girls. And having said that, to the festival crowd themselves. Performers after all, are under the scrutiny of the fields of fashionistas, fans and cameras, and the men are no exception. Here’s a few that we’ve picked out:

Pete Doherty - Dressed in his faithful trilby hat, Pete chose a military/old band style top in a black and gold jersey material for his performance on The Other Stage. Thumbs up to Pete for the casual take on this formal theme. Although we’re not so sure about the navy blue polo shirt underneath, luckily Pete can pull off just about anything without it looking out of the ordinary.

Damon Albarn - An understated Fred Perry polo shirt from the lead singer of Blur. Not to detract from the much anticipated reunion of the 90s ‘Britpop’ band, Albarn opted for the iconic shirt from the British label, currently celebrating their 100th year. The people at Fred Perry must be very happy considering Glastonbury’s national reach, alongside Andy Murray’s performances in their brand at Wimbledon!

Paul Smith - Looking dapper in his powder-blue suit, frontman of Maximo Park - Paul Smith - kicked off Glastonbury with his usual high-octane performance (complete with bowler hat). You’d think that all that jumping around the stage wouldn’t do any good for one’s suit - and you’d be right. Smith revealed to NME that he has enlisted the help of tailor Jonathan Quearney to reinforce the crotch of his trousers!

James Allen - It was an all-black occassion for the Glasvegas boys, and James Allen kept his cool throughout, despite spending some of their set in a leather biker jacket that had a rather scary skull emblazoned across the back. Each to their own.  Loving the Wayfarers though.

Pharrell Williams - What else would the lead singer of N*E*R*D step out on stage in, except his own luxury brand Billionaire Boys Club? The band might have had the plug pulled during their last song due to time constraints, which might have lead to a little Pharrell strop, but at least he’s throwing a hissy fit in style.

So, it’s less than a week until Wimbledon 2009 draws to a close. Memorable moment’s so far? Last year’s Men’s Single’s winner, Nadal, having to take a step back due to an on-going knee injury; Murray and Wawrinka battling it out in the first Wimbledon ‘night-time’ tournament - complete with Centre Court roof, and of course Wimbledon fashion.

Last week Maria Sharapova caused quite a stir when she stepped out onto court donning a crisp white, military-inspired jacket, while Venus Williams opted for the very un-summery trench coat. But it was Roger Federer’s outfit that really got the crowds talking.

Stepping out in [...]]]>

So, it’s less than a week until Wimbledon 2009 draws to a close. Memorable moment’s so far? Last year’s Men’s Single’s winner, Nadal, having to take a step back due to an on-going knee injury; Murray and Wawrinka battling it out in the first Wimbledon ‘night-time’ tournament - complete with Centre Court roof, and of course Wimbledon fashion.

Last week Maria Sharapova caused quite a stir when she stepped out onto court donning a crisp white, military-inspired jacket, while Venus Williams opted for the very un-summery trench coat. But it was Roger Federer’s outfit that really got the crowds talking.

Stepping out in a pristine utility jacket complete with his signature white & gold detailing, Federer greeted the crowd, carrying his white and gold kit bag and keeping his floppy hair out of his face with a - white and gold of course - headband.

The dapper sportsman is no stranger to fashion statements on court. Last year he stepped out in my personal favourite: his very own ‘RF’ embroidered, 20s style cardigan, complete with 5 buttons down the front. That’s one button for every one of his Men’s Single’s titles!

Perhaps Federer got too much stick for his Cardigan. His 2009 jacket is vaguely reminiscent of his 2007 Wimbledon attire,  if a much more updated version.

The jacket however, did not stay on for too long, as he stripped off to reveal a rather dashing waistcoat to warm up in!

Federer clearly takes his courtside fashion seriously, (Or at least, his sponsors do!) and why not. The white theme of Wimbledon allows the pros to play around with the designs of their  ensembles, and it helps when they have Federer’s tennis skills to be able to carry them off! And let’s face it, Federer must really be laughing. These fashion stunts surely  mean that the sales of his own clothing line with Nike are going through the roof!

Not to mention the money he’ll be receiving from his other endorsements …

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Summer is here and with it comes scorching temperatures, humid air and, well a pleasant change of wardrobe and styling. To save yourself from the tyranny of the weather, one can consider rolling up those long sleeve shirts or ditching them in favor of a more suave short sleeve alternative. The latter option seems more viable seeing as this is the season to show some skin plus it wouldn’t seem remotely presumptuous to flaunt those biceps outside the gym!

Personally, The Sartorialist serves as a point of contact for inspired looks for any season. Digging through my archived favorites, [...]]]>

Summer is here and with it comes scorching temperatures, humid air and, well a pleasant change of wardrobe and styling. To save yourself from the tyranny of the weather, one can consider rolling up those long sleeve shirts or ditching them in favor of a more suave short sleeve alternative. The latter option seems more viable seeing as this is the season to show some skin plus it wouldn’t seem remotely presumptuous to flaunt those biceps outside the gym!

Personally, The Sartorialist serves as a point of contact for inspired looks for any season. Digging through my archived favorites, I couldn’t help but call attention to this rather polished short sleeve shirt ensemble. First, the pairing of a club collar with a plaid tie is bold but yet equally reverential of the distinguished leanings possessed by the two items. During the early 19th century, the likes of King George IV patronized the tartan pattern which left plaid with a slew of admirers. Conversely, club or round collars rose to popularity during the 1930s as a signature of the prestigious Eaton School in Great Britain. Some naysayers claim the style has seen its glory days come and gone, but Patrik Ervell and Tim Hamilton didn’t bid adieu to the collar style in their SS08 and AW09 collections, respectively. Both designers emphasized the quirk of the club collar by letting it take the limelight sans a neck tie.

However, taking nothing away from Ervell and Hamilton’s rendition, I happen to prefer the juxtaposition of the skinny plaid tie and the contrast white club collar on this Italian gentleman. Moreover, the popularity skinny ties have garnered in recent years can help kick start a renaissance in the club collar. Gladly, Topman makes it possible to recreate this look at an affordable price. The blue and white polka dot shirt (£28.00) creates a subtle light blue hue consistent with the above ensemble, but the dotted pattern still resonates well. Round that off with a slim tartan green tie (£10.00), a pair of beige chino and perhaps this white leather plait belt (£15.00) and you may just experience a Sartorialist encounter!

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We’re in full swing as far as summer goes. Finally!

If you’re looking to add a couple of basics to your summer wardrobe, then check out out Gilt today. They’re hosting a fantastic Elie Tahari sale, with up to 70% off pieces from the luxury brand.

Gilt is an invitation.

Other sales happening this week over at Gilt are:

Wednesday – The World of Ted Baker, Davek Umbrellas, D&G Watches

Thursday – Leonello Borghi, Fratelli Rossetti Men’s

Friday – Converse by John Varvatos

Saturday – Iceberg

We have it on good authority that both Ted Baker and Converse by John Varvatos are [...]]]>

We’re in full swing as far as summer goes. Finally!

If you’re looking to add a couple of basics to your summer wardrobe, then check out out Gilt today. They’re hosting a fantastic Elie Tahari sale, with up to 70% off pieces from the luxury brand.

Gilt is an invite only, private membership site. However….we do have an exclusive invitation for MFL FOR HIM readers. Click here for your invitation.

Other sales happening this week over at Gilt are:

Wednesday – The World of Ted Baker, Davek Umbrellas, D&G Watches

Thursday – Leonello Borghi, Fratelli Rossetti Men’s

Friday – Converse by John Varvatos

Saturday – Iceberg

We have it on good authority that both Ted Baker and Converse by John Varvatos are going to be great sales. I’m waiting on prices, so I’ll keep you posted.

Click here to sign up for free.

If you’ve ever ventured down past a post to read a bit about who I am as a writer, you would know that I possess an intriguing alter-ego in that I’m a biomedical researcher by day and well, an art aficionado by night (and day)!

As expected, a good chunk of my day is spent poring through scientific literature, writing manuscripts or tending to research participants. The other chunk feeds that right-brain lust for fashion, art and anything where a sizeable dose of subjectivity can be thrown at it. As expected, over the course of my workday, the odd chance of [...]]]>

If you’ve ever ventured down past a post to read a bit about who I am as a writer, you would know that I possess an intriguing alter-ego in that I’m a biomedical researcher by day and well, an art aficionado by night (and day)!

As expected, a good chunk of my day is spent poring through scientific literature, writing manuscripts or tending to research participants. The other chunk feeds that right-brain lust for fashion, art and anything where a sizeable dose of subjectivity can be thrown at it. As expected, over the course of my workday, the odd chance of coming across anything remotely fashion-related amid the scientific jargon is rare. Browsing fashion blogs and reading the latest findings in the Journal of Neuroscience are tasks that are far removed from one another—except for today!

Truth be told, the world of biomedicine is not void of aesthetic sensibilities towards beauty. For instance, botox is one scientific design where medicine and aesthetics meet symbiotically to render subjective beauty onto those who relent to the knife. So, in essence, the blurb I stumbled upon today on the bizarre association between bow ties and health didn’t surprise me in the slightest.

Interestingly, neckwear is emerging as a slightly more direct manifestation of fashion in the drab, white coated world of medicine. Thanks to a certain cadre of doctors from two Cleveland, Ohio hospitals, the American medical profession is taking note of how the fashion sensibilities of doctors could very well play an integral role in efficacious health. To add further legitimacy to the debate, these fashionable claims are championed by recent scientific studies that found that almost half of the long ties worn by medical health personnel harbor bacteria that cause germs! The notion to the tie-germ connection is that as doctors frequent bedside upon bedside shining lights into eyes and ears or listening for heart/lungs, their ties inherently will loll about, touching the patient, the bed railings and pretty much anything in its path. As the doctor makes his rounds, a steady stockpile of germs accumulates on the tie, forming a respository for pathogens that could potentially cause harm to a patients’ health. Quite alarming, no?

Well Dr. Kent Smith, the vice dean at Case Western Reserve University Medical School in Cleveland, Ohio has offered an alternative: ditch dangling neckties for the more suave bow tie. Smith’s suggestion comes from his longstanding partiality towards bow ties, envisioning the distinctive neckwear as a “nice, break-the-ice kind of thing.” For Dr. Walter Chwals, a pediatric surgeon at the Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital that’s also in Ohio, he dons bow ties to honor his late father, but he is equally cognizant of the health benefits it affords both his patients and himself.

Unfortunately, the aesthetic leanings of these two doctors hasn’t permeated to the rest of their colleagues. At the hospital where I ply my trade, very rarely do I see attendings, residents, or med students sport a bow tie–it remains the customary long, drab and often oversized tie. Across the pond in the United Kingdom, the landscape is far more progressive. Apparently, doctors in the UK are now obligated to dress bare from the neck down.I’m not sure if there’s any truth to this (UK readers, confirm for me please), but white doctor’s coats, watches, and long neckties are no longer welcome in the world of medicine in the United Kingdom.

So what’s my weigh in on the issue. Personally, I’ve been partial to bow ties way before this hoopla broke out. Even though I don’t engage in direct patient contact, I still opt for a bow tie over a long necktie. Then again, if it has to be a necktie, the small girth of a skinny tie would work well to evade those pesky pathogens. For the resolute doctors resistant to change, there’s a remedial device called The Tie Thing that (i) helps curb your tie’s wayward behavior and (ii) trumps tie pins, tie bars, tie clips, tie chains and any other contraption designed to keep ties in check. I won’t get too prolix about the workings of The Tie Thing, but let’s just say the nifty strip of fabric slides into the loop label at the back of your tie and is then buttoned to the shirt. For $3.75, The Tie Thing is worth a shot. If not, then in the name of the Hippocratic Oath get thee a bow tie

p.s. this post is exclusively not for doctors; there’s a certain dandyism to bow ties that every man should tap into and not just Dr. Kent Smith!

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Aside from their lewd, attention-grabbing ads, everything at American Apparel pretty much conforms to a muted aesthetic. They do the basics well, but at some stage a wardrobe complete with basics in every color of the rainbow can get a bit humdrum. I’ll give them credit though in that some recent offerings from American Apparel have shown a bit of creative prints, tailoring and fabric options.

Buoyed by the times, I decided to check out what American Apparel has up next on the chopping block. I wasn’t too pleased with the mere two pieces of menswear that is to [...]]]>

Aside from their lewd, attention-grabbing ads, everything at American Apparel pretty much conforms to a muted aesthetic. They do the basics well, but at some stage a wardrobe complete with basics in every color of the rainbow can get a bit humdrum. I’ll give them credit though in that some recent offerings from American Apparel have shown a bit of creative prints, tailoring and fabric options.

Buoyed by the times, I decided to check out what American Apparel has up next on the chopping block. I wasn’t too pleased with the mere two pieces of menswear that is to be added to the American Apparel collection. However, the Unisex Stripe Nylon Taffeta Parka made amends for the scarcity. The parka builds on the rudiments of American Apparel but shows progress. In the use of blue and white, minimalism is still felt in the primary-toned color scheme. Moreover, the parka’s design is very uncluttered and to the point–hooded covering, knee-length form, and. button-up front opening with no superfluous nonsense. The progressive touch comes in the form of the pockets that are reminiscent of Richard Chai and Giorgio Armani’s SS09 collection. Most parka’s sport the customary slit pockets on the side, but the use of frontal pouch pockets is an ingenious touch that has me contemplating my first ever purchase from American Apparel. On the strength of this parka, let’s just say “Coming Soon” couldn’t come any sooner!

The menswear sales over at Gilt.com is a members only site. Membership is free however it is invitation only. Of course we have exclusive invitations for MFL For Him readers. Click ]]>

The menswear sales over at Gilt.com keep getting better and better. Today get up to 70% off John Varvatos Star USA. Other private sales this week:

Thursday - Oliver Peoples and Vilebrequin

Friday – Diesel mens shoes and a massive designer denim event

Gilt.com is a members only site. Membership is free however it is invitation only. Of course we have exclusive invitations for MFL For Him readers. Click here to join and get unbelievable discounts on top designer gear. You’re welcome.

In concluding my previous post on Rick Ross, I got on the topic of tailoring and how the attentive touch of a sartor could render even Rick Ross into a debonair gentleman. Frankly speaking, even though we’d all love to personally have a Savile Row tailor at our beck and call to serve us up sumptuous suits all season long, many (such as myself) don’t have the pockets deep enough to splash out a good £2000 ($2900) or more on a bespoke number from Savile Row. However, if finances aren’t an issue, my recommendation is taking the high [...]]]>

In concluding my previous post on Rick Ross, I got on the topic of tailoring and how the attentive touch of a sartor could render even Rick Ross into a debonair gentleman. Frankly speaking, even though we’d all love to personally have a Savile Row tailor at our beck and call to serve us up sumptuous suits all season long, many (such as myself) don’t have the pockets deep enough to splash out a good £2000 ($2900) or more on a bespoke number from Savile Row. However, if finances aren’t an issue, my recommendation is taking the high road to the pleasures of bespoke living. From living out the design process from scratch to possessing a lifetime warranty in the form of alterations, bespoke suiting is an assured investment in quality.

On the contrary, made-to-measure suits are steadily emerging as a substitute to London’s Savile Row. Once resigned for upper class, tailor-made suits are now an enviable reality for the masses thanks to made-to-measure establishments such as MySuit. Although not bespoke, at $495, made-to-measure suits are your best bet to injecting that unique fit and sense of personality to one’s wardrobe. In the general sense, a suit truly confers onto its wearer a palette with which the fit, the jacket and pant style, the pocket square and even the collar upon the shirt are brushstrokes that allow one to illustrate their fashion sensibilities. Unsurprisingly, as a made-to-measure establishment, MySuit sees to it that those subtle discernments are lived out through “The MySuit Experience.”

For a mere 15 minutes, “The MySuit Experience” will literally take you on an inch-by-inch approach to the realizing that perfect fitting suit that meets your discretion. First, thirty measures are taken compared to a paltry three measures (suit size, waist size and inseam) that mass-produced department store suits offer. With measuring tape tossed aside and the tailor’s chalk dusted off, the fun truly begins once styling options are thrown your way. Pant styles vary from flat front to pleats (yes, double pleats are available if 1950s fashion is your thing) while jackets come in a medley of button arrangements. Intricate detailing can be rendered to both the pant and jacket through the addition of vents, lapels and sleeve buttons for jackets or suspender buttons, watch pockets and belt loops for pants. That, however, is not the exhaustive list of amendments that can be made to the suit–it’s just the tip of the iceberg! Moreover, all this measuring, hemming and detailing is backed up with sartorial advice from MySuit’s tailors.

Unfortunately, “The MySuit Experience” is currently available to those living in New York/New Jersey metro area where the MySuit has four locations. Still, if you’re stopping by through the city, I wouldn’t hesitate in making an appointment. Heck, in 15 minutes you could be within reach of a quality suit, closing the door on years of second-rate, languid suits that say nothing about you.

Click here to visit MySuit for “The Experience.”