In your quest to find your signature scent, keep in mind that it is just as important to your outward style as having tailored clothes and pairing the correct tie with the appropriate shirt. However, most men simply wear a scent that was given to them as a gift or bought hastily from a cute sales girl offering tote bags and beach towels at a department store. This results in a lot of men wearing copious amounts of tobacco- and coriander-laced colognes that don’t mix well with their natural pheromones. To find your signature scent, you’ll have to do a little research, but the results usually pay off in spades when you find the right fragrance.

Before you make the mistake of using the same cologne your dad used, let us help you figure out how to find your signature scent.

Figure out your skin type

The first step in knowing how to find your signature scent is to understand what type of skin you have — whether it’s oily or dry.

Oily skin tones

Just as body hair keeps the scent of a cologne close to you, oily skin enhances and amplifies your cologne. Moist and oily skin responds best to a lighter citrus-based scent because these elements help to balance out the stronger natural odors that your skin is secreting. Stay with airy or “summertime” scents for a fresher feeling.

Try these signature scents:
Miller Harris Coeur D’Ete – $140 at SaksFifthAvenue.com
Ermenegildo Zegna Essanza Di Zegna – $62 at SaksFifthAvenue.com

Dry skin tones

Cologne needs something to adhere to, and dry or sensitive skin does not hold a scent as long as oily skin. Contrary to popular belief, putting on more of any scent is not the answer. Instead, try heavier or thicker scents with undertones of tobacco and musk; these have a greater presence and will stay with you longer than a lighter fragrance.

Try these signature scents:
Kiton Black – $65 SaksFifthAvenue.com.
Lalique Encre Noire – $105 at SaksFifthAvenue.com.

Take your lifestyle into account

Choosing the right scent is not always about what smells good in a magazine. You also have to consider your lifestyle to narrow down your options as you try to find your signature scent. For example, do you prefer spicy foods? Do you consume large amounts of alcohol regularly or do you smoke? What you ingest comes to the surface of your skin in perspiration, blending with the cologne you wear and adds to the fragrance that swirls around you.
For a few more tips to help you find your signature scent Check AskMen… Next Page >>

I once heard from a song once, “Don’t ask for permission, ask for forgiveness.” Look how far that went for Christopher Columbus. For God’s sakes, we have a day off to celebrate his futile efforts. So before I say what I’m about to, I’M SORRY. This is kind of going to change your life.

Always the jovial optimist, I wanted to express my concern and quarantine my negative feelings of the spread of an epidemic more bubonic than what plagued Europe in the 14th century. Often times, education and practice will guarantee you to be a master of the English language. The formula is simple: put 10,000 hours into a craft, and become a master. (That rounds out to about 417 days; chances are you are a master 100 fold by now) Almost everyone across the board has put in this amount of time into engaging conversation with others, writing, reading, public speaking, and I hope THINKING. But everyday, I lose more hope than George W. in people. It seems as though everyone’s vernacular is involuntary rather than voluntary. We are captains of our own ships; yet why are so many people missing the boat?

Let me illustrate this behavior first before I spill the beans. What is the inherent difference between urinating and vomiting? Both are considered excrement that help combat disease, infection, and a hang over. Yet urinating is voluntary. I remember aimlessly walking 30 city blocks holding my pride and piss, refusing to be a savage and succumb to peeing in an alley way. Instead, I opted for the civilized route, to have enough patience to see a yellow M awning and go to the McBathroom, supersized. That was a voluntary decision. For my 21st birthday, I wasn’t so lucky. It was an ominous night of revelry and imbibing, leaving my friend Pat with chunky streaks that was the sum of 21 shots that included SoCom lime, Tequilla, and General Tso’s Chicken. If it was voluntary, I’m sure it would have ended in the toilet, and not a “Pat on the back.”

One: I apologize for being extreme in my illustration. Two: again I’m sorry; for I’m about to say will change your life.

There is such beauty in the English language. We have options. The second edition of the Oxford English Dictionary boasts some 173,000 words plus. I have infinite beef with two.
It came to my attention in my last year of grad school. Here I am, among some of the smartest people that ever made an imprint in my life, with a sickening disease of diarrhea in the mouth, including myself. It is a word that everyone says INVOLUNTARILY, AND IT IS…

A C T U A L L Y.

Think about it for 30 seconds to yourself.

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU SAID IT TODAY?

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU HEARD SOMEONE SAY IT IN CONVERSATION WITH YOU?

Now think about this. Really, really think.

How many times was it a conscious decision for you or the other party to say it? The dictionary defines it as “In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively.” ACTUALLY, IT HAS BECOME OBSOLETE. IT HAS TURNED TO NOTHING BUT A FILLER, THAT GIVES SOMEONE TIME TO THINK. I petition it to be banned from colloquialism permanently.

The phrase “you know” is no better. Listen to yourself speak next time, see how many times you say it, along with the person that’s speaking to you. If we both knew, we wouldn’t talk about it, now would we?

I’m not here to preach. I’m just making an observation that everyone is sick. Today, I can report that I haven’t used the “A” word except when I’m voluntarily trying to prove a point. I have been sober for two years running, and I encourage others to step forward. As for “you know”, everyday, I use it less and less. PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT. I have the same beef with uhhh, but that is much harder.

Remember less is more.

This is just food for thought. Y’all do the dishes.

“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.” ABRAHAM LINCOLN, SIXTEENTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Bridget Foley of WWD is questioning  where the love has gone for big name designers like Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren. She claims that it would be a great boost to a fashion industry in economic crisis and fashion designer Oscar de la Renta couldn’t agree more.

“American fashion right now is struggling,” says Oscar de la Renta. “I think I understand what [Obama and her advisers] are doing, but I don’t think that is the right message at this particular point….I don’t object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J. Crew to whatever because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But there are a lot of great designers out there. I think it’s wrong to go in one direction only.”

He also took a jab at the outfit the first lady wore to meet Queen Elizabeth: “‘You don’t…go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.‘”

Donna Karan took a more positive tone:

“I hope and believe that this is just a moment,” says Karan. “And I hope to be able to dress her, and not only dress her but address her, sit down — I’m interested in her totality as a woman.”

And Vera Wang also weighed in:

“I love seeing young designers and their vision and how they grow and all of that,” she says. “On the other hand, of course, I wish she would consider some of us, because I think we also have contributions to make.”

Michelle Obama’s style has been a big focus since election night. Her desire to go with designers outside of the high fashion beltway has garnered her praise from most and criticizim from many.  We will see if the 1st lady will at some point choose to wear a more high end label.

Just when you thought you had enough of Kanye West, with his fashion week appearances, his new girlfriend and his American Idol performance, he’s back keeping the spotlight solely on him. Kanye West, via Louis Vuitton, has launched his all too exclusive sneaker line set to release in June, and he definitely wasn’t thinking of the recession when you see the price (courtesy of Nice Kicks). Kanye’s release of his kicks marks his first dabble into the world of fashion.

Kanye West for Louis Vuitton – Don’s – $870

Kanye West for Louis Vuitton – Don’s – $870

Kanye West for Louis Vuitton – Don’s – $870

Kanye West for Louis Vuitton – Don’s – $870

Kanye West for Louis Vuitton – Don’s – $960

Kanye West for Louis Vuitton – Jasper’s – $990

Kanye West for Louis Vuitton – Jasper’s – $990

Kanye West for Louis Vuitton – Jasper’s – $1140

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He is lampooned by the UK press for his hats and kilts but fashion bible Esquire has named Prince Charles as the world’s best dressed man.

The 60-year-old Prince of Wales eclipsed smart dressers Barack Obama, tennis champ Roger Federer and the robe-wearing Kuwaiti royal Sheikh Majed al-Sabah to take this year’s title.

Aside from the sometimes comic head gear the British heir to the throne is forced to wear when visiting tribal chiefs or Commonwealth nations, Prince Charles was admired for his suits from Saville Row tailors Gieves and Hawkes.

Esquire concluded his favoured double breasted suits showed he was a man of style, impeccably dressed befitting his position as heir apparent.

“He is perfectly turned out in a double-breasted suit,” magazine judges stated.

“Admirably, the Prince keeps his wardrobe in appropriate style: we’re told he has a room laid out like a tailor’s shop.”

Charles was also admired for his accessories usually including a pocket handkerchief, silk tie and shoes by John Lobb, where they cost more than $6000 a pair.

The royal’s sartorial elegance pushed comic Ronnie Corbett – described as “always immaculately turned out” – into second while “stylish” British actor Bill Nighy came third. Mr Obama came fourth in the list.

Both Prime Minister Gordon Brown and London mayor Boris Johnson were criticised for their poor clothing choices.

“Gordon Brown turned up in the Iraqi desert wearing black lace-ups and Boris Johnson wears odd socks, has jacket pockets like second-hand bookshops, and hair the result of an encounter with a ghost in a wind tunnel,” judges reported.

Esquire editor Jeremy Langmead said: “It’s the men who dress like grown-ups who really caught the judge’s eyes this year; as well as those who have developed their own distinctive style and stuck with it.

“I love the fact that we have such a diverse list: from artists to royals, to one of the Two Ronnies.”

Federer was described as easily the best dressed player on the circuit providing “old-fashioned Wimbledon elegance” while actor Adrien Brody dressed “in a manner that suggests he enjoys clothes”.

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Getting tired of your 6-suit rotation for work? Don’t be afraid to mix or match any longer.  From New York to Paris, designers are sending mix-n-match separates down runways this season. Perhaps this is the answer to our recession styling prayers.

There are many perks to wearing separates. Usually the pants portion of our suits wears much faster than the jacket, but by mixing and matching you can increase suit longevity and add some style to your wardrobe.

Two very important factors to think about when matching separates; color and texture. Start simple by wearing a patterned jacket with a plain colored pant, especially if the pants are a color found on the jacket.  Another good tip is to buy separates made by the same designer. They will more likely mix and match easier, and with a little bit of color from a button down, you can make a multitude of outfits from only 3 or 4 pieces. Color is a huge issue. The slightest difference in color shades can turn chic into discolored very quickly.  Instead try brown and khaki, black with grey or pinstripe, and for that prep-school look, try a blue jacket with khaki pants.

Paris– Thousands of onlookers gathered yesterday at the Grand Palais to view the extensive Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Berge art collection.

The 733 piece collection–predicted by the Associated Press to collect between $250 million-$380 million– was previewed over the weekend and is being auctioned through Christies.com fine art auction.

But in the midst of a global financial and credit crisis, many wonder who will be willing and able to participate in what many observers believe to be the “auction of the century.”

This auction is being shown live at christies.com

Below are some of the images from the auction.  

Leonardo DiCaprio, John Mayer, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Caroline Kennedy, Alicia Keys, Ricky Martin, Mira Sorvino, Liam Neeson, Josh Hartnett, and singer Solange Knowles were among the party-goers attending the party for the Giorgio Armani opening . Dicaprio and Mayer donned dark suits but their beauties were not by their sides.

Alicia Keys,showing great praise for Armani, saying: “I love his style. I love his passion. I love how Italian he is. I love that he doesn’t speak English. … I love the way he makes a woman be a woman.”

Ricky Martin who just welcomed twins into his family expressed his admiration even going as far as saying,

“I’m dressing them[the twins] in Armani — of course!” he said, laughing.

View photos from the gala below:

by Lu Lu the Great

Strapped for cash? These romantic gestures are quick & easy ways to show love to that special lady in your life. It is often the small things that mean the most when it comes to expressing our feelings. Here are a few old-fashioned romantic gestures guaranteed to win her over–without breaking your budget. As always, the key lies in acting creative and thoughtful. So don’t wait too long! Try one of these romantic moves over the weekend and see what your special lady thinks…

1) Hold hands. Nothing makes a women feel more secure than her man holding her hand.

2) Take a walk together. Enjoy a nice day outside without the stress of driving!

3) Cook a special meal for her, even if you can’t cook. There’s nothing sexier than when a man tries to do something for his significant other even when he knows it may not turn out… perfect. Trust us, she will appreciate the effort!

4) Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier than usual. Why? To snuggle in the morning! Come on, you normally get up and stay in bed those extra minutes, anyway.  So turn over and snuggle!

5) Sleep naked together. There is nothing more relaxing, soothing and sexy than body-on -body warmth. And it saves on heat!

6) Mail a card to her home or office. Inside, write down the top 10 things you love about her. It will catch her off guard and make her blush.

7) Express yourself with words of appreciation for all the great things she does for you. A simple “Thank you, babe” goes a long way.

8.) Go out of your way to be romantic. That is romantic in itself. It makes a woman feel more appreciated.

9) A simple little escape- send her an email, text her, or tell her…”Let me help you escape your problems; give me 5 ways I can make this weekend relaxing….. There is only one rule, absolutely no worrying or stressing and lots of kisses and hugs!” and spend the weekend doing just that.

10) Make her breakfast in bed. Even if it’s just on the weekends after a busy week with work. Especially if she is making dinner for you every night of the week, this will put a big smile on her face. Food helps you reconnect on the mental level… so you have the energy to reconnect physically.

11) In the summertime, nothing compares to a trip to the beach–after hours. Avoid the 9 a.m. traffic, get there after dinner time (6-7pm) and enjoy a late dinner as the sun sets. When other beachgoers head home, find a nice spot by the water away from everyone and enjoy your own private beach.

12) Surprise her with a photo album filled with pictures of both of you. Any picture of any occasion will put a smile on her face.

13) Invite her to take a bath… not a shower.  Don’t be afraid to top this off with bubbles, champagne, candles, and maybe even a lil’ Barry White! There is nothing more soothing than to sit in hot water doing absolutely nothing but enjoying each other’s company.

14) Be a good listener. Listen and pay attention to her, including her venting sessions, happy thoughts, and the hidden clues that most men never find. Men, if you do this, you will understand that women don’t really need us to read their minds’–all the answers are right in front of you! Sometimes women talk about things that they might want, saw and liked, or just simply want to do–without having to ask.

15) Offer to help them with some chores! It frees up more time to spend together. Add some music and make it into a fun time. You will finish in half the time and have more time do other things not classified as “chores”…

16) Give an unrequested foot massage after a day in heels. Watch her squirm, enjoy, and then relax!

17) One word:  FOREPLAY. Literally… one word…

18) Write a love letter! Be romantic and have fun writing it. She will enjoy reading your thoughts on paper. If it’s good enough, she might even save the letter for years to come! And sure, it proves that you put in effort to reflect on your love for.

19) Turn an everyday dinner into spectacular occasion. Light, some candles… dim the lights… make it more intimate and special, then watch her swoon.

20) Make passionate love at least once a week! Its free isnt it?!

Have you ever found yourself staring blank in front of the closet, wondering what will you wear today yet, you have a closet exploding with varieties of tops and bottoms?  Unfortunately, you always venture for those dusty shoes that are leaning so far to the left, that you try to rub a little bit of olive oil on them, hoping that they look convincible to wear.  What about that shirt that has a slew of lint balls on it, and you’re going to war with it, trying to pick off the 1 out of 5,000 fuzz balls? You can never forget that classic dingy white collared shirt that’s yellow tinted; and should have been washed at least ten times.  I’m sure everyone has self-consciously peered down at the clothes that they have on, and unconsciously fold their arms, and asked themselves, what the hell am I wearing?  With the recession at the forefront, the last thing that anybody is thinking nowadays is buying a new wardrobe. Instead of hitting up the stores for the latest trends, why not rummage through the closet, and making what you own come alive by reconstructing your clothes. According to the 80-20 rule (you wear 20% of your clothes, 80% of the time), many of us fall under this statistic.f

                   I took the pleasure of finding an array of options to spruce up that scanty look. For that “smedium” white collared shirt, throw a cardigan over it, and roll up the sleeves.  Ladies can dress this look complimenting it with stacked bangles, a belt over the waist, and a scarf. The guys can easily put on a neck or bow tie. If your buttons are missing from your Blazer, why not take a trip to the crafts store, needle and thread buttons of your liking. Another gem that you can turn to life from the crafts store is embellishing an old clutch.  A simple bomber jacket can have you looking dapper, even going into your mom and pops closet for the vintage edge, and pair that with a simple v neck tee shirt, and jeans. Ladies, you know how you regret buying that oversize shirt off of the clearance rack; instead of chucking it aside, gather the material in the back. An easy way of doing this without making a trip to the seamstress, is to get a broach of any kind, but keep in mind the direction of the outfit, and now that shirt has some pizzazz.

Don’t be afraid to explore different avenues with the 80% of your leftover clothes; take a creative risk while dressing, but keep in mind a well groomed look. While saving money, you can treat yourself to a trip, or catch up on those bills. Be open to new ideas each morning, and when walking out of the door, make sure you do so with some confidence.

Written by: Sabine Mesias

The Black Friday Ten: Retailers Who May Not See 2009 (BONT)(DDS)(TLB)(PIR)(CPWM)(WSM)(CHS)(SKS)(EBHI)(RAD)

Here is a list of ten companies which may well not make it if their sales drop by double digits this holiday season compared to last:

1. Bon-Ton Stores (BONT) trades at $1.13, down from a 52-week high of $15.06. That probably says all that needs to be said, but there is more. Over its last three fiscal quarters BONT has lost $82 million. In the latest quarter, same-store sales were off over 8% and total revenue was down 7% to $725 million. The company has interest expense of $25 million. BONT says that its revolving credit facility will get it through any cash crunch. Maybe. With long-term debt of $2.5 billion and $374 million in accounts payable, there is not much margin for error. The company needs an outstanding holiday season.

2. Dillard’s (DDS) is a retail operator that really is in trouble. It has 318 stores, which makes it a relatively small operation in a world dominated by outfits like Sears (SHLD) which has more than 3000 locations. Dillard’s stock is at $3.75, down from a 52-week high of $23.11. S&P dropped the company’s credit rating recently and said, “The rating change reflects our belief that the company will be more challenged than previously expected by the current weak economic environment in the U.S., and that credit metrics will deteriorate more than we had originally projected.” In October, the firm’s sales dropped more than 9% to $406 million. Dillard’s points to its revolving credit facility with JP Morgan as its lifeline. In the last quarter, the company lost $38 million. It made $45 million in debt services payments and has long-term debt of $807 million. In other words, no dry powder. It recently cut staff.

3. Talbots (TLB) is another struggling operator. It recently announced that it would try to sell its J. Jill brand. This operation has 383 of Talbots 878 stories. It would be an understatement to say a company would part with that much of its operation if it did not need the money. And, TLB does. Its shares are at $2.68, down from a 52-week high of $17.97. Research house Friedman, Billings, Ramsey recently predicted that the chain would cut its dividend to save money. In the last quarter, TLB lost $15 million. Revenue fell from $414 million in the period a year ago to $357 million in the most recent quarter. Talbots has $212 million in long-term debt. It can’t afford to have sales fall another $50 million this holiday quarter. Recently, it improved working capital agreements.

4. Pier 1′s (PIR) shares are on sale for $.50. A little less than a year ago they would have cost $8.25, making this a remarkable write-down. PIR said its Q3 same-store sales would be down as much as 18%. The firm says it has a $325 million credit facility, but the stock market clearly thinks that is inadequate. The company’s guidance for the quarter sent shareholders running for the exits. In the last quarter, revenue fell 7% and the company lost $30 million. Pier 1 pulled its guidance because it believes it cannot predict how much the retail market will deteriorate. With $183 million in debt, it won’t take much to tip Pier 1 into insolvency. UBS recently cut its price target on the shares.

5. Cost Plus (CPWM) recently released earnings, and they looked grim. Among other things, the chain said same-store sales could drop 6% in the current quarter. The 296-store retailer predicted poor revenue of as little as $356 million for the period. In the quarter just past, revenue was flat at $213 million and Cost Plus lost $26 million. The firm has $146 million in long-term debt and obligations. Cost Plus pointed out that its credit line borrowings peaked at $125 million in November, well under the limit of the $200 million credit facility. But, that does not leave much room for the company to miss its numbers. The stock trades at $1, down from a 52-week high of $6.22.

6. Williams-Sonoma (WSM) operates 600 stores. The company is doing badly enough that Barclays Capital recently said that it may violate financial covenants on its $300 million credit facility. The retailer made a sharp downward revision in its forecasts. It said it would lose as much as $.12 a share in the third quarter against its previous projection of as much as a $.04 profit. It took its revenue forecast down as low as $732 million. The earlier projection had sales as high as $820 million. WSM also made extremely sharp cuts in its projections for the fourth quarter. Lenders take loan covenants more seriously in a recession than during other periods. WSM has to beat its numbers or face a chance of its lenders pushing for remedies. The CEO recently forced to sell over 60% of shares due to financial obligations.

7. Chico’s FAS (CHS) trades fairly close to its cash value, a sign that the market thinks that operations are going to burn into that nest egg. The company’s stock trades at $2.58, down from a 52-week high of $11.68, showing that the market does not have many believers in the company. In October, the chain’s same-store sales were off over 13%. For the month, revenue dropped 5% to $394 million. In the last quarter, revenue dropped 5% to $394 million. Net income was $2 million, down from $24 million in the same quarter a year ago. The company had $278 million in cash and securities. But, it cannot sustain double-digit drops in same-store sales indefinitely. The company recently entered into a new credit agreement to help its capital position.

8. Fitch recently cut its ratings on Saks (SKS) to “B” from “B+”, hardly investment grade. The retailer has debt of $649 million. In the last quarter, Saks same-store sales were off almost 12% and got progressively worse as each month in the period went by. Like other weak retailers, Saks is in a race to improve sales and earnings before its debt catches up to it. The firm’s stock has dropped to $3.56 from a 52-week high of $22.19. In the last quarter, Saks lost $43 million. In its statement about its financial situation, the company said it believes it has ample flexibility under its existing debt facilities. If Saks’ drop-off in revenue continues from last quarter’s rate of 12% or gets considerably worse over the holidays, the chain could have a very difficult time keeping all of its stores open.

9. Eddie Bauer’s (EBHI) shares trade for $.97, down from a 52-week high of $8.72. The company recently reported an operating loss of $17 million. Revenue dropped slightly to $207 million. The firm has almost 400 stores and outlets. The worst bit of news is that, as of the end of the last quarter, EBHI had only $3 million in cash. It has a $192 million senior term note and $27 million in short term borrowing. It would be nearly impossible to convince investors that EBHI will make it well into next year if sales are poor this holiday season

10. Rite Aid (RAD) is an example of a company that proved the old maxim, “what can go wrong, will go wrong”. Its shares are at $.41, down from a 52-week high of $4.72. Rite Aid is bloated with over 5,000 stores, some of which are certainly losing money. The pharmacy company has competition from huge operators including Wal-Mart (WMT). The firm has a massive debt load of $6.1 billion. Rite Aid says that refinancing the load may help its prospects. A Raymond James analyst recently said, “Rite Aid has the worst balance sheet of any company I follow.” In the quarter ending August 30, the company’s loss rose to $222 million and its integration of its Brooks and Eckerd drugstore chains appears to be going very badly. Rite Aid also cut forecasts due to “economic weakness”. This kind of weakness usually leads to death.

Think of the New York football Giants, stunning the then undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl earlier this year. Or perhaps a typical 80-degree day in New York in not-so-typical January This is what they call Outliers.

Today, the best selling author Malcolm Gladwell released his third book, The Outliers. The term Outlier is “a scientific term to describe things or phenomena that lie outside the normal experience.”

Although I haven’t read the book yet, it’s a safe bet to say it will be entertaining to say the least, considering his first two books, The Tipping Point and Blink! were runaway best sellers.

But I’m looking for more than just best-selling-type entertainment.

I’m looking for how Bill Gates became a billionaire; how the Beatles became the greatest band this earth has ever seen; why Asians are utterly amazing work ethic.

I have been anticipating for months the release of Outliers. Not because I’m a Gladwell groupie, but because I am in search of an excessive amount of knowledge. And so I beg this question: can this book satisfy my cranial sweet tooth?

I encourage you to read this as well not because I think it’ll be good, but because I want you to ask yourself, “Am I an Outlier?” From the countless reviews that I have already read about it, he somehow downplays success, and emphasizes that we have little control over it. This further sides with the raging schism between free will versus pre-determination.

I suppose that I’m not an Outlier. I feel as though I’m fairly successful, since I have accomplished a moderate amount in my time and work harder than most – but I also believe in controlling your destiny and not in luck – I believe more in being prepared for an opportunity. However, I do feel I have been given “lucky” breaks and some would say I have “skated” my way though life. Maybe my perception of the book will be completely different once I get into the book. Or I could be completely wrong; I’m just going to have to stop posting and start reading…

The Preseident-Elect is changing fashion

How hard can it be to take off your tie?

With the suit-and-no-tie look gaining prominence lately — presidential hopeful Barack Obama has drawn attention for sporting a version of the approach, and Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer and Boeing CEO Jim McNerney have done it, too — more men are trying it out themselves. In the process, they’re discovering that this seemingly effortless style takes work to get right.

Try it with a formal pinstripe suit and you could look like you simply forgot your necktie. Choose the wrong collar — button-down instead of spread — and the resulting casual effect might say middle management, not corner office.

Mr. Obama achieves the style with a subtle variation, wearing a sport coat and pants of the same or similar color instead of a suit, a campaign spokesman says. When it comes to serious occasions like the televised presidential debates or a recent service commemorating the Los Angeles riots, he typically wears a tie.

At ProLogis, a real-estate-investment trust in Denver, the tieless suit is called “upscale business casual.” It has been the dress code since the REIT merged with a California company two years ago. The company stopped requiring ties, although employees still had to wear jackets.

Chief Executive Jeffrey H. Schwartz says he found leaving his tie at home “a little disconcerting at first…kind of like losing a security blanket.” To ease his transition into tieless suits, he delegated responsibility for choosing his clothes to his wife.

Business casual, of course, is an entrenched concept in the corporate world. It often describes khakis and button-down shirts worn without ties. What’s different about the latest no-tie look is that it’s a dressier version of business casual, where a suit, or a formal jacket with matching pants, is worn. It might also mean wearing dress shoes, instead of more casual boat shoes.

For Mr. Obama and other candidates like John Edwards who have gone tieless in public appearances, the look could help convey youthfulness and openness to change, says political consultant Chris Lehane, who advised Bill Clinton. But “the downside is, does it reinforce any issues regarding whether he has enough experience or gravitas to be president?” he adds.

To successfully pull off the look, experts offer some general rules. Avoid pinstripe suits. The contrast between formal and casual can be stark. A better option: trim-fitting solid-colored suits, with one or two buttons on the jacket rather than more formal three-button styles.

Stylists recommend shirts with a stiff collar in a spread or pointed style. Undershirts shouldn’t show, which may mean opting for a V-neck undershirt instead of a crewneck. Lloyd Boston, a former executive at Tommy Hilfiger and now a commentator on NBC’s “Today” show, suggests shirts with high collars or double buttons at the collar that make them stand up.

Alessandro Sartori, creative director of Ermenegildo Zegna’s Z Zegna line, prefers what he calls the “pajama collar” that shows more skin and gives men “a nice neckline.” This year, he dressed models in pajama collars and suits for the label’s first runway show. He says the style wouldn’t work for bankers or accountants in formal environments.

For the office, unbutton only the top button, and for evenings out, stop at two. Anything more and you risk looking like Wayne Newton, warns Jim Moore, creative director at GQ.

Some occasions still require a tie. Even designer Tom Ford, who went tieless years ago as “a great way of wearing a suit and looking relaxed and less formal,” says he wears ties out in the evening in London, where he lives. Dress is more formal there than in the U.S., he says.

At New York restaurant 21 Club, which dropped its requirement that men wear ties at lunch, the accessory is still something of a status symbol there. Manager Roger Rice says men in ties get more prominent tables. “We try to certainly have the room look a little more formal,” he says.

The white dress shirt is on the comeback.

Homer from hit TV show

Capitalizing of the popularity success, writers for “the Simpsons,” focus in on this years Candidates as Homer Simpson shows his support of the “Change” candidate. Hysterical! Watch below:

I know most of us want to be on status and tote fly Louis Vuitton luggage to match our LV messenger bag, however, until that happens let’s all settle for the style and convenience that is the new LV travel wallet.  These wallets feature the familiar LV signature logo in canvas, but boring they are not.  Carriers just have to unzip and flip to display a splash of colored leather on the inside of these wallets that have a ton of compartments for all of your credit cards, I.D.’s, receipts, or whatever else you like to keep in your wallet. The wallets retail for $565 and can be found on louisvuitton.com In my opinion, forgo the LV luggage all together because this wallet is all you need!

Photo Credit: www.style.com

A couple Upcoming and Current releases:

Supra “Snake Teal” Vaider
The latest installment of the Vaiders comes in a very familar color way. These should be out soon at a shop near you. Some spots already got them in.

Supra "Snake Teal" Vaider

Jordan “6 Rings Olympics” Fusions
Continuing with the fusion theme, JB has created these kicks. They are a mash-up of the 6 different sneakers jordan wore each year he got a ring. These ones in particular are done in an olympic color way and were also released with a pair of Olympic Jordan 1′s. IDK about the color way on these, but I like the shoes…

Air Jordan 6 Rings

Jordan “Air Jordan Force 20″ Fusions
Continuing with the fusion theme and particularly the JordanxAF1 mash-ups come the Air Jordan Force 20. These are a mix of the Jordan XX and the Air Force One. I think the execution is pretty clean, although due to there general availability I dont think i will be copping these any time soon. Well I might and just put them on ICE for a while….

Air Jordan Force 20 Mid

Air Jordan Force 20 Low

In probably his toughest interview yet, McCain was pressured and often looked uneasy. But what was even more shocking was the fact that the interview didn’t come from a major political news program, but insteas came from ABC’s Popular TV talk show “The View.”

“The View” ladies challenged McCain on everything from the lies that were spread through his ads, his position on Roe v. Wade, his “maverick” image and running mate Gov. Sarah Palin and her experience in reforming. But McCain may have left an opening as he claimed that Palin never asked for earmarks for any pet projects which is factually incorrect as we have discovered she has sought out and/or received over $200 million.

McCain on ADs that appear to be lies:

McCain On Roe V. Wade:

McCain on Palin reform:

McCain challenge on tarnishing his maverick image:

Swarovski Crystal Company has announced the release of it’s “Sparkle” contact lenses. The lenses are fused with tiny Swarovski crystals in a circle around the edges of the lenses.

The sparkly lenses were created as part of a Swarovski competition that had over 4000 entries from 92 countries.

Mallier states that, “Swarovski has been synonymous with adding that extra ‘sparkle’ to everyday life. Swarovski crystals have the power to transform the ordinary into something extraordinary through their sheer brilliance. `Sparkle’ is one such attempt to enhance the expression of one of our most expressive features: our eyes.”

Would you wear Crystal embedded contact lenses?

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Remember that Apple even we told you about last week?

Well today was the day for Apple to make good with the goods. Apple today announced a number of new products. While they didn’t introduce anything completely new (still waiting on that iTablet…) They did introduce a second generation iPod Touch as well as a generation 4 ipod Nano, and new Shuffle colors. On the software side they introduced iTunes 8 and Firmware 2.1 for the iPod Touch. So down to the meat of the announce.

The biggest change had to be the G4 Nano. The new unit sports a brand new screen which features a widescreen option similar to that on the iPhone and Touch. The storage space is also increased to 8gb and 16gb. Other interesting improvements include speech capabilities and a “shake” feature which lets you change song (and I’m sure it will have other uses as well) simply by shaking the unit. Lastly the New Nano comes in a bevy of colors (9 in total), Apples new marketing campaign is in fact Nano-chromatic.

The Other big introduction was the G2 iPod Touch. The new touch is now housed in a thinner case but now features a built-in speaker, and exterior volume controls. Finally all new come with Nike+ software on board and are all shipped with firmware 2.1. Additionally expect to see a price drop of $70-$100 on the average price of the new touch models over the previous generation.

Finally On the software side the new iTunes 8 features a number of improvements in stability and over all access to music files. Additionally the latest version includes new ways to organize your music (using a grind view, with album covers), As well as a new Music genius feature which automatically creates playlists for you based on your prior music selections and it’s perceptions of your taste (very similar to Pandora or Last.fm).

All of the products announced today Are on sale now and will ship today. iTunes 8 is available as a free download from Apple. Additionally you can check out the whole keynote address from Steve Jobs himself here.