The Dress Code: The Good, Bad and Ugly (for Men)
Welcome to the Dress Code, where we celebrate, critique, commend and (on occasion) condemn fashion trends, shows, designers, boutiques, events and everything in between. From the couturiers and costumers to the retail clothiers and quirky DIY crafters, fashion--good and bad--is everywhere. The Dress Code is where we wear our hearts on our sleeves and write about it all.
The Good: Blackbird
Surprise! (Not really). Blackbird is the local destination for menswear in Seattle. Fashion editor of Seattle Metropolitan Magazine, Laura Cassidy, blogs about 'em and Adam Sinding of 21 Le Arrondissement photographs 'em; therefore Blackbird gets the proverbial stamp of approval. After viewing their fall/winter styles in their runway show Thursday night at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center they get our vote too. Though the omnipresence of Oxford leather shoes (sans socks, but of course), the token thick black-rimmed glasses and artfully disheveled faux hawks bobbling above delicate bodies swimming in oversized tops screaming of H-word stereotypes was, in all honesty, slightly distracting. After recovering from distressing flashbacks of our escapades at Linda’s circa 2004, we were able to segment obnoxious hipster trends from fashion forward concepts and ideas that make Blackbird the best menswear retailer in the Pacific Northwest.
Blackbird features brands that take risks and offer unique, forward-thinking perspectives on menswear. Where other collections on the racks of local retailers reproduce the standards, designers like German-born Odyn Vovk, Julius and Japan’s Diet Butcher Slim Skin innovate. Dark, layered, industrial, modern and teetering from the uber masculine to the androgynous, Vovk, our personal favorite, is authentic and unsuspecting, with creations that display an intimate understanding of both draping and technical design. Balloon shorts, dropped sweaters and angular leather jackets is nothing short of visionary brilliance.
Photo credits: Adam Sinding
Photo Credit: Adam Sinding
The Bad (in the way of the Rolling Stones): Like a Rockstar Clothing
We met the eccentric designer of Like a Rockstar clothing at his fashion show in the late McLeod Residence three or four years ago. Chris Jones was sporting a shaggy Fu Manchu, ascot, fitted vest, and what looked like permanently pressed polyester pants with....wait for it.... a long gold chain and a matching pocket watch, and we were kind of in love with it; his unapologetic, anachronistic style oozes of excess and debauchery, reminiscent of the rock idols and icons of the 1970’s. At first glance, it’s a WTF moment. We asked ourselves, what’s happening here? Are we being sold a used 1972 Boat Tail Riviera? And the answer is no, no we are not. Like a Rockstar clothing is the rock and roll counterpart to Leroy’s on Pike Street-- it's funky, flamboyant and definitely not for everyone but it is true and traditional to its genre, and when you see someone actually pulling off the look, it's pure fashion ecstacy.
The Ugly: Westfield Style Tour
We asked Project Runway Season 5 winner, Leanne Marshall, special guest stylist at the Westfield Style Tour this Friday and Saturday at South Center Mall what she thinks is the most common fashion faux pas for men. Her answer: “Men, if you're still popping your collars: un-pop them promptly!”
We agree.
If you either a) want to meet the purely fabulous and extraordinarily talented Leanne Marshall or b) would like some free style guidance from her, or a slew of other qualified agents of fashion then check out more details on this event here.
