This legendary pop-star David bowie has been among the celebrity that infuse fashion and art to music.
He inspire the fashion world Saint Laurent designer Hedi Slimane declared, "I was born with a Bowie record in my hand", while fangirl Kate Moss once appeared on the cover of Vogue with the lightning flash from his Aladdin Sane album artwork painted on her face. Fashion folk adored Bowie's willingness to transform, subvert and shock with his many different looks. What's not to love about a man willing to wear a jumpsuit on Top Of The Pops?
26 studio albums over a 47 year career - it's hard to imagine any of today's popstars enjoying such longevity and influence (I'm looking at you, Bieber). Don't know where to start? Check out The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust(1972) on Spotify, my own personal favourite Bowie album.
I'll be listening to Starman today. RIP. David Bowie, 1947-2016.
The 60-year-old reality TV star took a dip on the wild side for Love Magazine's 2015 advent calendar, posing in a black halter bathing suit draped in jewels, while wading in a swimming pool.
The magazine posted a sneak peek of Jenner's shoot on their Instagram account Monday morning, with the caption, "MORNING! Today on THELOVEMAGAZINE.co.uk it's the one and only @krisjenner by @douginglish @anthonyunwin."
Love also shared this behind-the-scenes video to celebrate the seventh day of the calendar, featuring Jenner in all her glory.
Byron and Dexter Peart, the twin brothers and designers behind Want Les Essentiels, want you to feel at home when you step into their recently-opened boutique in Manhattan's West Village. The space on West 4th Street is airy and inviting, with the kind of easygoing polish that would fit in anywhere in the world.
The same can be said of the brand's streamlined shoes and bags, which are on display throughout the store, along with key pieces from a few other carefully chosen labels. Everything from leather backpacks to low-key sneakers feels as ready for a round of jet-set travel as a relaxing weekend at home. The sensibility—chic, simple, and endlessly versatile—is just that consistent.
That's a good thing to keep in mind as you continue to build out your cold-weather wardrobe. "For us, it's about quality, comfort, and permanence," explains Byron. To that end, he and Dexter have just introduced a collection of classically stylish cashmere sweaters, scarves, hats, and blankets. They're only available in the West 4th Street space, but fortunately for readers outside of NYC, the rest of Want's wares can be found online.
As for how to wear them, Dexter has a little advice: "Regardless of personal style or seasonal trends, we think the key is creating a wardrobe of timeless pieces that can easily be worn while traveling, at the office, or to dinner with friends." Sounds about right to us.
You start to make your “who to shop for” list and you see it.
The NO IDEA WHAT TO BUY section.
The people on your list that are the impossible to shop for.
The thing is, they’re not too difficult to please.
It’s just that you’ve been giving them gifts for decades….and they don’t need anything (this is what they tell you) and you’ve ran out of ideas.
Good news.
This article lays out 3 rules to follow to buy the perfect gift…….when you don’t know what to buy.
All the products in the video and article were provided by Birchbox. I’ve been working with them for a while now and LOVE how their gift boxes are of high quality and incorporate the element of surprise.
FYI – They are having a HUGE Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale.
Before we talk about how to give the perfect gift I think it is worth mentioning the types of gifts to avoid.
Don’t give gag gifts.
We call these the “gifts that keep on giving”, because they’re only good for a one time laugh.
Save them for specific joke giving occasions, like white elephant parties or secret Santa opportunities.
Don’t give a giftcard.
This basically says “I don’t know what to get you, so I just did the bare minimum.”
So what are the three rules on gift giving to difficult to buy for people?
When shopping for hard to buy people you want to focus on:
Usefulness
Surprise
Quality
1. A Gift Should Be Useful
When you give a gift to someone it has to be something that they will use over and over again.
You don’t want to give a gift that will sit in the corner forever. If it’s only good enough for a one time use there’s no real purpose there.
Avoid giving gifts that have the potential to be re-gifted.
Before you give someone a gift ask yourself, “If someone was giving this to me would I reuse it?” If the answer is yes, there’s a good chance it’s a useful gift. Just make sure that it meets their personal needs.
A great example is what I got for my wife.
Whenever we go out she forgets to charge her phone, and halfway through the day her phone dies.
This was a great opportunity for me to get something useful for her. A portable charging cord with a built in jump charge!
This Native Union Jump Cable is available on the Birchbox website. This cable works as a charger when you’re in the vicinity of an outlet, and it also has a built in battery pack. The battery is good for one solid charge, which is usually plenty when going out for the night.
Now she doesn’t leave the house without it
I spotted a problem, found a solution, and gave a useful gift.
Of course now I will have to remind her to charge the charger
2. A Gift Should Be A Surprise
Nothing is more exciting than not knowing what someone buys for you.
It says that you put thought into buying for them and didn’t just ask for a wishlist.
One way to surprise people is to give them their gift a day before they should be receiving them. It says that you knew the day was coming and you were proactive about surprising them.
Another way to surprise people is with a recurring mystery gift.
Subscription services are great for that. You surprise them once with a year subscription, and then they get a recurring surprise for 12 months after that.
I bought my aunt and sisters the Birchbox Women subscription. Every time they receive a box in the mail it’s a great reminder of our relationship and allows us to stay connected year round.
3. A Gift Should Be Of Good Quality
This is different from being functional.
Sure they may use it, but if it’s high quality it won’t break. Purchase something that they probably wouldn’t buy on their own because it is a little luxurious, but not overly expensive. It says “Hey I’m thinking about you and I want you to have the best quality.”
You want it to be something that will last.
A prime example is what I am buying for my brothers, Steve and Tom. I am getting them both high quality grooming kits from the Birchbox Man selections.
Birchbox partners with superior companies and The Art of Shaving has a great starter kit which includes quality shaving creams. It is a perfect gift for Steve.
Additionally, Tom is a guy who uses razors quite often and needs a well built razor that will last. Razors can be pricey to buy over time so purchasing one that is nice quality makes it a thoughtful gift.
Harry’s Razors is a companythat prides themselves on quality. I’ve used them several times in the past and they keep proving to be a great company.
Having the ability to give luxury gifts to people who mean so much to you and spend their life serving goes a long way.
Next on my list are my three nephews from California.
They are the guys who are always gelling their hair and following the latest trends.
I found the DIY Pomade Mixer Kit by Baxter California. It allows them to mix together clays, creams, and hard water. They can attain any finish they want on their hairstyles from matte to shine.
Last but not least, my father.
He doesn’t voice what he wants as gifts on holidays. He would rather focus on giving to someone else.
Therefore, it’s up to me to pay attention to his needs and provide something of value and quality for him.
He is a Vietnam war veteran with rough skin.
The perfect gift for him is the Das Boom lotion. While he may use lotion already, purchasing a higher quality product that goes above and beyond what he already uses shows appreciation.
The Body Basics Set includes bar soap, body wash, and lotion in one. It’s not something he would buy on his own which is why it makes a great gift.
Final Words
When it comes down to it the most important thing to do is to pay attention to the needs of your loved ones.
This makes shopping for them abundantly easier.
Observe an interest, spot a need, find a product that fits into useful, surprising, and good quality.
Follow these guidelines gentleman, and you can’t go wrong.
CUT IT OUT!: A Call For Action with a Cutting Edge
By H.M. Shaw
Does this make you uncomfortable? A little bit jarred? A lot a bit red hot? Pissed? The man may be sporting the uniform, but doesn’t he seem more cowardly than heroic? The young army wife may be scantily clad, but doesn’t her exposed flesh make us think that her body is and will continue to be imposed upon again and again?
At first impression this may seem like yet another frightening fashion fantasy—no different than what we see in television, film, music videos, and even video games. So what is another play-by-play of a power struggle between a man and woman, right? But we dare you to tell that to those who fight every day or continue live with the aftermath of these daily battles here in the real world. The abrasions and tears replace security and respect when someone decides to abuse their partner whether sexually, physically, mentally, or emotionally.
For a recent photoshoot , photographer Cheryl Gorski wanted to deliver a much deeper message that goes beyond Doc Martins and dark eye make-up. Cut It Out may center around re-cycled surplus digs and the ’90s revival, but this spread is first and foremost about the harrows of partner abuse. Notice that these models are dressed (and undressed) to represent individuals torn between the suffering as a means of survival and a false sense of security.
“Most victims, survivors, and abusers are so attracted to one another that somehow in the relationship passion fused with jealousy, insecurity, and fear results in abuse,” said Gorski. “If there wasn’t love in the mix, there wouldn’t be tolerance.”
The power of the military aesthetic used in this shoot should be taken into account. Gorski went on to share that she was inspired by the prevalence of partner abuse in military families. Aside from raising awareness, having partners shown as wounded soldiers or soldiers’ partners is used to remind us that abuse is an ongoing battle for those entangled in the violence as well as for our society as a whole.
In fact, Uncle Sam’s Army Navy Outfitters‘ owner Robert Geist, and VP of branding, Lou Schreiber, enthusiastically participated in this project in hopes to shed light on domestic violence in the armed services.
The wardrobe for for this project was meant to match a raw depiction of a war-torn world that exists in abusive partnerships—a war that wages on the lives of abusers and survivors. OMI of Saione and stylist Edward Lewis put much heart into every piece reconstructed and deconstructed in order to amplify this shoot’s deafening storyline. For instance, Lewis’ mosquito net dress is more than just sexy mesh. This reconstructed frock mirrors the fragile state that one is left in during and after being victimized by a loved one.
As for OMI’s newly imaged fatigues, these were ideal for costuming a male who is locked into a macho role. Let us not forget, when a man is abusive, he is certain that he is asserting himself. If a man is being abused, he often feels that he must continue to hide behind the “tough-guise,” if you will, as a means of hiding shame and humiliation.
The harness worn by both models symbolizes “ to bind , armour , control and make use of ( natural resources) , especially to produce energy. “
LeeLee‘s Clothing brought a bright fuchsia cut-out dress—a delightful throwback to the Clinton era as well as a stand-out embodiment of how abuse may shape a woman, designed by Trina Turk. She finds herself adhering to the demand to be soft and composed on the outside, but the iron-clad fighter inside cannot be contained. Turk’s black jumpsuit paired with a beret beautifully reflects a woman who has seen survived many explosions and ambushes while her vulnerability is worn like a badge of honor rather than a cross to bare.
Along with inspiration for Spring 2015, the spread intends to evoke courage for survivors of abuse and their supporters. Unfortunately, we are quick to ignore the push-and-pull between partners that is marketed to as nearly as often as the season’s hottest trends. Gorski, like other advocates, wants viewers to take the time to speak out and put an end to the bloodshed.
“There are too many instances when one loves too strongly, or one posses another, learning the red flags can help [you] avoid unhealthy relationships,” Gorskisaid. “Mostly, I’d live this to help someone get the courage to leave and get counseling whether they are abused or an abuser.”
Before you suit up in any fatigues and pump up the volume in your tresses Gen-X-style, we here at Fashion Maniac urge you to learn about what you can do to further educate yourself and end abuse. “You should never be afraid of the person you love.”
If you want to help build an arsenal against domestic violence, tape yourself saying, “Cut It Out!” and send your video to: CutItOut2015@gmail.com
For more information and support, please reach out to:
